News

Welcome to new families
As I welcome all families back to start the second term for 2017, we especially welcome new families to our community, hoping that they will enjoy being a part of our learning family.

The term has commenced smoothly and students have once again settled into the routines that were established in Term 1. We look forward with fresh energy to the learning experiences to be encountered during the term.

Catholic Education Week in SA
From Friday 12 May until Friday 19 May we will celebrate Catholic Education Week in South Australia, underlining the many benefits of our system of schools, where ultimately every child matters.

At Tenison Woods College we will acknowledge Catholic Education week with a Mass at 8:00am on Wednesday 17 May. All community members are enthusiastically invited to attend.

It is also fitting that Parent Teacher Student Interviews will take place during Catholic Education Week as they accentuate the relationships which are at the heart of our service. I trust the discussions which take place will assist in evolving the personalised learning of each child and adolescent in our care.

And as I have often indicated, what sets us apart as a school is that at Tenison Woods College every student has a place, every student has a pathway, every student will shine. That is at the same time our challenge and what we celebrate daily.

I trust Catholic Education Week will offer members of our Tenison Woods College family an opportunity to reflect on the community we are, and the community we are called to be.

‘Leading from Within’ – Our Leaders Shine
During the student vacation I was fortunate to spend time with some leaders of Tenison Woods College and Saint Anthony’s School, participating in the leadership program “Leading from Within” that was facilitated by the internationally recognized Brown Collective.  Stephen Brown founder and facilitator of the program indicated that the collective is anchored by agreed ideals and ways of working: an explicit commitment to excellence informed by research and evidence; shared values; ethical and sustainable practices; and a clear moral purpose.

Stephen and co-facilitator Amanda Ypinazar, acknowledged the importance of identifying, supporting and developing a diverse range of leaders, and through the program providing an opportunity for individuals to self-reflect about their leadership capabilities, understand the importance of interpersonal relationships in their leadership, and make a contribution to the shared direction of their school and the broader system.

We were very fortunate to share two days of high energy facilitation by two highly regarded facilitators and I look forward to the outcomes of the leadership challenge projects which each participant will complete this year.   

Jan Gray RIP
Sister Dr Janette Gray RSM, who was a loving and much loved member of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea and former teacher at Tenison College, passed away peacefully at St Vincent's Public Hospital in Melbourne on 24 December 2016.

Jan was in her 39th year of her Religious Profession, a gifted teacher and academic, as well as a loyal friend to many colleagues and former students. We give thanks for Jan, who through her Mercy way of life, sought to make known God's mercy - that unconditional gift to each person. Jan lovingly touched and enriched many lives through her ministry of education and formation and will be deeply missed. May she rest in peace.

Click here to read Jan’s Eulogy.

Welcome Home – Japan Delegation
We welcome home the Japan Delegation, with the understanding it was a wonderful experience for the delegates, full of rich culture, inspiring locations and very warm Japanese hospitality. Congratulations to Annie Clifford on a superbly organised tour, experience and care for the group.

Baotou, Inner Mongolia Visit
Following the Mount Gambier Delegation’s visit to our friends in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China, I was delighted to receive generous gifts from The Mongolian Middle School, a symbol of our bourgeoning links.

We look with anticipation to hosting more friends from Baotou and connecting further with The Mongolian Middle School. Below is a photo of the gifts we received from the Mongolian Middle School. These gifts will be displayed with warm pride in our College.

Staff News
We congratulate Sharny Mclean in securing a position with the City of Mount Gambier and thank her for her contributions to the Public Relations and Events Team over the past 18 months. We also congratulate Emma Herring in assuming the role of Public Relations and Events Manager, and wish her all the best in the next era of the team.

I also inform the community that Shirley Rhodes will take leave during Term 2 this year for some medical treatment. Our prayers and well wishes go with Shirley, and we look forward to seeing her smiling face back with us in Term 3. At the same time I inform you that Carla McLaren has joined our staff to cover Shirley’s absence. 

As Sean Quirke takes long service leave, we welcome Dan Stratford into the role of Head of Senior School.  Furthermore, we welcome Mary Goulding, covering Mathematics teaching for Sean and Peter Collins to the Health and Physical Education and High Performance Sport Program teams.

We also welcome back the familiar friendly face of Di O’Donnell, covering Sonia Braithwaite’s long service leave.

Parents making a difference – Wellbeing and Resilience
I am delighted to see the impact with parents who are participating in the Wellbeing and Resilience Courses offered by our community.  Whether the topics have been ETR, mindsets, balancing thinking, cultivating gratitude, active constructive responding or some of the other engaging areas, parents have found significant application to their own personal and professional life journey and particularly their role as parents. 

Our free parent ResilienceWerks courses are offered as a result of our partnership with the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAMHRI) and our aspiration to implement the PERMA+ model across our College community. The project will complement our current strong commitment to wellbeing and resilience through the variety of programs offered to students, families and staff, by giving us a common language and frame of reference through which to view the associated issues across our school community.

Watch this space for term 2 and 3 courses …

ANZAC Day – ‘Lest we forget’
I was delighted that Tenison Woods College was formally involved in the Mount Gambier ANZAC Day commemorations. I believe ANZAC Day not only offers us an opportunity to acknowledge those Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers who fought and died at Gallipoli in 1915, but is also a day of remembrance for all soldiers who have died while fighting for their country as well as their families whose lives have been significantly transformed by the supreme sacrifice.  Furthermore ANZAC Day invites us as a community to acknowledge the commitment of our contemporary armed forces and their families; a day to say thank you with deep appreciation.

I thank our College captains, Lauren Holmes and Jordan Gould for representing the College at the service.  I was also pleased to note the number of Tenison Woods College students who, as cadets, were involved in the proceedings of the day.  Likewise it was also pleasing that many students of the College attended the ceremonies during the day with their families.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We shall remember them.   

God Bless,

David Mezinec | Principal

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