End of Year Graduations and Award Presentations

Father Dean – 40 years of Ministry
This weekend we celebrate the ministry of Father Dean and 40 years of service to parishes in the Diocese of Adelaide. At this time, we offer thanks to Father Dean for his commitment to the vocation to which he has been called and the enthusiasm with which he ministers to the people of our community. At Tension Woods College we are particularly thankful for Father Dean’s outstanding commitment, while at the same time serving a very large South East Deanery up to Bordertown and through the Southern Ports. This support is expressed in a variety of life-giving ways for our people, our ideas and structures, and importantly for our Catholic culture and charism.

As we celebrate Father Dean’s ministry and leadership we pray for his continued good health, enthusiasm for his vocation and wisdom in his service.

Advent & Giving to others
Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas as we ready our hearts and homes for the birth of Christ. This Sunday will be the 2nd Sunday of Advent.

Gifts can be placed under the College’s “Giving Tree” in the front office before the end of term. A presentation will take place at the end of term to local agencies AC Care, Saint Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army. In all classes, students will be discussing ways to share the joy of Christmas with others and the Giving Tree is one way we can do this. We encourage families to consider purchasing a gift to place under the tree to be distributed to those in need in our local community.

Australian Catholic Youth Festival
The delegation of 18 young people and staff representing the parishes of the South East are currently in Sydney for the biannual Australian Catholic Youth Festival. They will be joining 18,000 other young people at the Olympic Village.

A group of up to 35 students and several staff members from our sister school in Turin, Italy will be arriving in Mount Gambier on the 9 February and leaving 20 February 2018.

If students are still looking for work in 2018, please e-mail Marie Hoare with interests and applications. Admin/office work or hospitality/reception work or trades building/auto are available.

All jobs will be sent out via email until the end of week 9. After this time, students will no longer be on the school’s email list. Please email Marie or phone (08) 87 244 616 if more information is required.

Students can access their results on Tuesday 19 December. If preferences need to be changed for South Australian Universities or TAFE then this would be an opportune time (other states do have earlier change of preference dates so please check their websites).

Marie Hoare will be available at the College on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 December, if any help is needed with this.

The Front Office will be closed on Friday 15 December for our Whole Staff Development Day. It will re-open from Monday 18 – Thursday 21 December. After the Christmas break, the office will reopen in 2018 on Monday 15 January.

The 2017 Tenison Woods College Titans USA Tour continues on into its second week. Students, staff and family members have experienced so much already and created life-long friendships.

Four basketball teams have been assembled to take on a variety of USA high schools – two boys teams and two girls teams. All teams are doing very well and have tasted success on the court.

Along with the opportunity to experience the unique US culture, the group has had plenty of time to do some sight-seeing, shopping, tasting the variety of local delicacies and more. 

Remember, the USA tour blog is being updated daily while the Titans are on tour. It includes comprehensive match reports, daily site seeing visits, photos and the highly anticipated edition of ‘The Flag’. To access the blog click here.

While the holidays are a festive time of year, they can also be a time of great stress for parents. There are presents to be bought, friends and family to entertain and money to be spent. Also, let's not forget the cooking, the cleaning and general tasks that are expected. The festive season, not surprisingly, can be one that causes anxiety for many of us who are trying to balance parenting along with all of the other responsibilities and expectations that come along in December.

There are ways to survive the festive season and holidays, however.

The Year 4- 8 students who won the Michael Panckridge Writing Competition were all very excited this week to receive personalised feedback from him regarding their stories. Michael was very impressed with their efforts and full of encouragement for students to continue writing. Below are some extracts from the feedback they received.

Please click here to see the mass timetable for the Christmas and New Year period.

Regular Opening Hours:

• Tuesday 8.00am - 12.00pm
• Thursday 1.00pm - 5.00pm

School Holiday Opening Hours:

• Thursday 14 December 1:00pm - 5.00pm

Reopening:

• Tuesday 23 January 9:00am - 1:00pm & 1.30pm -4:00pm 
• Wednesday 24 January 9:00 - 1:00pm & 1.30pm-4:00pm
• Thursday 25 January 8:00am - 1:00pm & 2:00pm-4:00pm
• Saturday 27 January 9:00am - 12:00pm
• Monday 28 January  8:00am - 12:00pm

Normal hours resume from Tuesday 29 January

• Tuesday 8:00am - 12:00pm
• Thursday 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Click here to enlarge

REMINDER: LAST DAY OF TERM 4 - WEDNESDAY 13 DECEMBER. REGULAR DISMISSAL TIMES APPLY.

Thursday 7 December

• 2018 Year 11 Orientation (until Friday)
• Australian Catholic Youth Festival, Sydney

Friday 8 December

• Last day for year 10 students

Monday 11 December

• Tenison's Got Talent, 2.00pm, Barrie Holmes Stadium

Tuesday 12 December

• Year 6 End of Year Celebration, Aquatic Centre & Mount Gambier City Bowl
• Year 4 End of Year Celebration, Aquatic Centre
• Reception End of Year Celebration, Oatmill Cinema
• Year 9 End of Year Celebration, 7.00pm - 10.00pm

Wednesday 13 December

• 2018 Year 1 - 10 Orientation visits 9.30am - 12.00pm
• ELCC Kindergarten Graduation, 2.00pm
• Poplars Concert, 11.00am, PRC Lecture Theatre
• College Board Meeting, 6.00pm, Board Room
• End of Term 4 - Dismissal: Junior School 3.15pm, Middle & Senior School 3.20pm

Thursday 14 December

• ELCC Kindergarten Graduation 9.30am
• Professional Development Day for staff
• Student Free Day
• OSHC Open

Friday 15 December

• Professional Development Day for staff - Front Office Closed
• Student Free Day
• OSHC Open
• Staff conclude year

Parents will be able to access End of Year Reports via PAM on Tuesday 12 December and students will be able to access their reports the same day via SIMON. A Skoolbag notification will be sent when they are ready to access. Reports can be downloaded as a .PDF file and viewed on a device or a computer and printed if a hard copy is preferred.

To assist with this process, a direct link to the PAM login and PAM instructions help pages will be highlighted on the college website homepage. If you require further help in accessing your child's end of year report, please contact the Front Office staff. If you have misplaced your PAM Login, please email pam@tenison.catholic.edu.au

Dedicated support will also be available on Thursday 14 December between 9.00am and 3.00pm and on Monday 18 December between 10.00am and 12.00pm in the Front Office gallery area.

If you have any further questions regarding your child's end of year report or SIMON (the college's Learning Management System), please contact Scott Dickson by email on dicksc@tenison.catholic.edu.au or by phone, (08) 8724 4651.

Book Collection for Reception – Year 7 Students
2018 Reception – Year 7 book packs will be available for collection from your child’s new classroom on Thursday 25 January between 8.30am -10.00am and 12.00pm -1.00pm.

Book Collection for Year 8-12 Students
2018 Year 8 -12 students can collect their book packs from Foster’s Newsagency at the following dates:

• Year 8: from 4 December
• Year 9: from 6 December
• Year 10-12: from 22 January

Good luck to year 9 HPSP student Jacob Armitage and year 10 student Hannah Elliott who are competing to be National Champions of their age group in the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships this weekend. We look forward to hearing all about your results when you return!

On Thursday 14 December at 12.00 midday family, friends and former work colleagues, will gather with Fr Michael for the dedication of a memorial and prayers in memory of former student, Steven Whitehead, who passed to eternal life Saturday morning 19 November, 2016.

The red wood timber seat memorial, masterfully crafted by the artisan, Douglas Childs, is situated in front of the Moorak Homestead, and facing the Sugarloaf Mountain, acknowledges the life of Steven, taken tragically with three other young men and employees of Tabeel Trading, as the result of an accident in the early hours of the morning near Penola while they were travelling to work.

Today, Wednesday 6 December, a group of Year 8 Religion students organised a fundraising Car Wash. Dozens of staff and teacher cars were given a clean-up for a good cause. Students rolled up their sleeves and helped raise money for the Saint Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. Nearly $100 was raised from the fundraiser.

On Thursday 30 November, Flexible Learning students were formally acknowledged and congratulated for their achievement in completing their SACE via a flexible learning pathway.

Tenison Woods College Students Crystal Ba Tu and Ella McShane both attended the 2017 South Australian Chinese Language Awards in Adelaide.

Congratulations to year 11 student Maddi Clark and year 10 student Georgia Clarke on their selection in the 2018 Under 18 Women’s State team.

Both girls will compete in Launceston, Tasmania from 13 – 20 March 2018.

This will be Maddi’s second year in the under 18 team and Georgia’s first year. Both girls will have another opportunity the following year as they are both bottom age.

They are currently competing in Adelaide at the Pacific School Games and are coming up against some stronger teams from the Eastern states, however they won against Tasmania and are having a great week. Well done on your achievements so far girls!

Kate Exelby | High Performance Sports Program - Athlete Welfare Manager

If you are currently paying school fees under an agreed payment plan, they should be paid off by the end of this month. Payments can be confirmed with a member of our finance team.

If you do not have a payment plan, then your fees are now overdue. To avoid a $30 administration fee please have all fees paid in full by the 13 December 2017.

If your fees have already been paid, please disregard this notice.

Neal Turley | Business Manager

Monday - Cassie Edwards
Tuesday - Kate Pohlner
Wednesday - Liz Fennell

Tenison Woods College
Shepherdson Road (PO Box 965)
Mount Gambier South Australia 5290

t: (08) 8725 5455 (Main Office)
f: (08) 8724 9303
t: (08) 8724 4650 (Senior School)
Absentee Line: (08) 8724 4659
OSHC Line: (08) 8724 4633

e: news@tenison.catholic.edu.au
w: www.tenison.catholic.edu.au