News

Care for Creation

In June 2015, Pope Francis wrote a letter to the world about caring for the earth, our common home. It was called Laudato Si. Later that year, he declared 1 September to be a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. This annual day of prayer reminds us that God has entrusted creation to our care.

Prayer:

‘God of All Creation, may your Spirit change our minds and hearts so that we learn how to care for the land, the seas that surround us and the skies that overarch us, and how to wisely use their natural gifts.’

Laudato Si was written by Pope Francis, so that we as Christians contribute to resolving the ecological crisis which humanity is presently experiencing. “The ecological crisis thus summons us to a profound spiritual conversion: Christians are called to “an ecological conversion whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship with the world around them” (Laudato Si, 217). For “living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue.’ (ibid)

Our College community is increasingly committing itself to a systemic and planned approach to caring for creation. Such approach is complementing the effort of individual students, staff and parents who are dedicated to ecological sustainability.

Vale Olga Mezinec

It is with sadness I inform the Tenison Woods College community of the passing to eternal life of David Mezinec’s and Nada’s Brooke’s mother, Olga Mezinec, Monday 28 August. We offer our deep condolences to David, Nada, Lydia and Sonya and their families. We continue to offer them our support, compassion and understanding at this time of difficulty, loss and deep sadness.

Book Week

What a wonderful celebration that was ‘Book Week’. Culminating with the Book Week Parade on Friday, it was spectacular to say the least. Students, Parents / Carers and Staff put in an amazing amount of effort, dressing to the theme of ‘Find Your Treasure’. Thank you to all those involved, including Library Manager Alex Nicholson, Teacher Librarian Chris Lloyd, PE / Library Staff Member Troy Mustey, Director of Learning Scott Dickson and PR & Events Team member Jase Scheidl. 

Vinnies Fashion Parade

Today at lunch time, students from 8C presented a Vinnies Fashion Parade along with a cake stall and sausage sizzle. The aim of the Parade was to showcase the wonderful range of clothing always available for purchase from the Vinnies shops. Jayne Shortt, St Vincent de Paul’s Education Officer for Vinnies in South Australia visited Tenison Woods College today for discussion session. Jayne worked with all the Year 8 students and a selection of students from across a variety of year levels.

The Parade was free for students to attend, but the money raised from the sale of the cakes and sausages is for the Vinnies Winter Appeal, providing warm clothes and bedding for people in need in our region.

It was great to see the involvement and organisation of these students. Thanks to those who modelled and volunteered their time to help make this event a success.

Parents Night Out – Free Parent Webinar presented by the PTA

Tonight at 6:30pm, our Tenison Woods College Parent Teacher Association (PTA) will be hosting an excellent social and informative evening, coinciding with Parents in Education Week -  in the College Staff room. This event will be a great way for parents / carers to meet others, as well as viewing the live webinar hosted by Dr Justin Coulson, titled Behaviours for Learning and Wellbeing. He is one of Australia’s leading Psychologists and experts in the areas of parenting, relationships and wellbeing. He has regularly appeared on the Today Show to share his expertise with parenting issues and concerns.

Father’s Day Breakfast

We look forward to the annual Father’s Day Breakfast, which will be conducted this Friday August 31 in the Barrie Holmes Stadium from 7:45am – 8:30am. This breakfast is an opportunity to celebrate the gifts that fathers, grandfathers, uncles and significant male models offer young lives, and we look forward to acknowledging this on Friday morning. We look forward to seeing you there.

Greatest Wax – Blokes Wax for Bowel Cancer

Following the Father’s Day Breakfast, our Year 12 students will host the Greatest Wax – Blokes Wax for Bowel Cancer at 9:00am, also in the Barrie Holmes Stadium. This event is dedicated to raising awareness and funding to help to reduce the high mortality rate caused by Bowel Cancer. The proceeds raised will go towards medical equipment in the Mount Gambier Hospital to aid in local Bowel Cancer treatment.

Participants in the Greatest Wax will include and are not limited to: Male teachers, Year 12 College Males, Fathers, Uncles, Brothers, Cousins, Grandfathers and Male figures amongst our community. We look forward to this fundraising event organised by the Year 12 students and students from the SRC. (Student Representative Council)

STEMtember

As mentioned in last week’s newsletter the College is preparing for a celebration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) teaching and learning at Tenison Woods College.

In this week’s newsletter Week 1 and Week 2 of STEMtember has been published.  Included in the overview is all the STEM activities on offer for students, locations and booking information.

We invite parents to encourage their children to participate in the wide range learning inquiries and initiatives.

Staff Formation Day – 7 September (Student Free Day)

Our Staff Formation Day will be held in Mount Gambier on Friday 7 September 2018 (Student Free Day). The facilitator for the day is Rev Dr Michael Trainor, a priest in the Archdiocese of Adelaide and lecturer at the Australian Catholic University. Dr Trainor will present on what it means to be a Catholic educator and give time for reflection on the importance of our roles in Catholic schools.

All three Catholic schools in the region will participate in this day, consequently an important part of the day is reconnecting with or meeting others who share the same mission for education.

Student Free Day

As a reminder to families September 7 is a student free – all staff will be participating in the Staff Formation Day.

Liza Couzens | Deputy Principal

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