News

Welcome Back
Welcome back to term 3 of the Tenison Woods College community. We especially welcome new reception students who have this week commenced their school journey with us. We also welcome the other families whose students commence their schooling with us in other year levels throughout the school.

I trust that the spirit of community and commitment to building strong relationships, which are complemented by our innovative culture and dedication to fostering individual pathways, will support you as you strive to bring out the best in your child. I hope that you will also see, as I have indicated previously, and consistent with our theme this year, being a part of Tenison Woods College community is not hard, it just requires a little extra effort from everyone to “step up to the potential of one;” to realise our potential as individuals and as a community of people.  

Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne
Wednesday 26 July the Church celebrates the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus.  It is a day that helps us remember the gifts of our own parents and grandparents; a celebration of the thread of history and the treasure of tradition that lays within our families.

The feast day also helps us reflect on the tradition and treasures in our own story at Tenison Woods College; a community built on the passion and vision of generations that have passed before us.  And common to all generations is the inspiration of our founders Marcellin Champagnat, Catherine McAuley, Father Tenison Woods and Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop and a commitment to enable others to shine.

Timor Leste Immersion Program – Welcome Home
The Tenison Woods College 2017 Immersion Program to Timor Leste returned Wednesday 12 July inspired by their experience. This unique opportunity, under the auspices of Catholic Mission and its Getting Involved Globally (GIG) program, offered our students an immersion experience and the chance to see the world through the eyes of mission and justice. I am looking forward to hearing further of their experiences and seeing how these experiences will have an impact on our wider College community. At a time when our Catholic Church is inviting us to see, feel and respond to the need in our global community, I am delighted to see that these students, staff and parents committed themselves deliberately and passionately to evolve the story further for our times and our context.  Special thanks to Bernadette Fisher and Rebecca Higgins for their critical role in this initiative.

Staffing News
We welcome Laura Herbert, who will commence at Tenison Woods College in term 3, week 1 as our new substantive counsellor. Laura will increase her current commitment to the College community and work four days per week. Laura is currently a highly regarded lead practitioner and social worker with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).

I am also delighted that Jessica Lindner will commence the role of Accounts Receivable / Finance Officer at Tenison Woods College. Jessica comes to us with significant experience in industry and will assist the hard working Finance Team of the College serve a growing College community to greet the future with confidence.

We are also very pleased to welcome Yunita Manfrin to the College community, and look forward to Yunita and Meghan Lynch working together to cover Ted Van Eeten’s long service leave absence.

Likewise, we wish Nicole Wewer all the best as she returns gradually to work. We thank Eoin McIlduff for his service to the school in semester one and wish him well as he pursues other opportunities.  We welcome Fraser Marshall to the year 6 teaching team and look forward to his contributions to the learning of our young.

I congratulate all the above staff with their new appointments this term and I trust our community will offer them the support to succeed in their roles, and offer the best possible support to our young. 

Out of School Hours Care – four years of deliberate care, deliberate learning.
I have been delighted by the response to our OSHC service that has now been servicing our community for four years. The attendance at our holiday program was further validation of the carefully prepared program and the commitment to a fun, safe, nurturing and supportive environment, which is reflective of our community’s family values.

At this time I offer appreciation to the range of staff who offered their service to the OSHC program under Sarah Seebohm’s leadership during the student vacation; service which was greatly appreciated by the families of our community.

For further information and bookings contact Aleisha or Sarah on 87244633 or email oshc@tenison.catholic.edu.au. You can also visit the OSHC page on our TWC website where you’ll find more details about the OSHC Program – www.tenison.catholic.edu.au

ELCC – Holiday Program
The Early Learning and Community Centre also operated during the student vacation with its stimulating and individualised holiday learning program under Angela cutting’s discerning and passionate leadership.

Calvary English School Visit
Thanks to families who are supporting the visit of the Calvary English School Visit, Tuesday 25 July – Saturday 12 August, 2017 through hosting students.  Such hospitality is greatly appreciated and I trust the presence of these Japanese students will enrich families and help them vividly appreciate our global community.

Special thanks to Annie Clifford for her efforts in preparing the 22-day event.  Students will have a combination of intensive English support with Suzanne Pepe and our Intensive English Language Team, experiences in Tenison Woods College lessons with their Australian buddies, and tours of the South East to help our guests experience life in the South East of South Australia and Western Victoria. 
 

Reception enrolments 2018
I advise parents and caregivers that interviews are well under way for all 2018 Reception Enrolments.  We invite parents or caregivers and students to schedule an interview time with Mrs Jill Rogers, Head of Junior School, to formalize their child’s enrolment for 2018. If you have a child who is due to start school in 2018 and have not received a letter, please contact Tracey Davey on 8725 5455 who will help you organize this.

2017 Shining Lights
The Friends of Tenison Woods College (Old Scholars Association) is very pleased to announce the five 2017 ‘Shining Light’ award recipients.

The awards aim to recognise significant contributions made by former students, families or staff to our local and global community in order to inspire current and future students about the essence of our community and their call to service.

Tenison Woods College and its predecessors, St Paul’s School, Tenison College, Marist Brothers Agricultural College, Mater Christi College, St Mary’s School and St Joseph’s College value the contributions of all community members, past and present and we think it’s important to recognise some of the stand out achievements within the community.

The five ‘Shining Lights’ join our 2016 and inaugural recipients: Lorraine and Ken Gazzard; Eric Roughana; Tony Pasin; Jessica Braithwaite and Cristina D’Agostino.

Our 2017 Shining Lights are:

• Natalie Medhurst
• Robert Peake
• Noel Bull
• Pauline Kenny
• Maurice Corcoran

We look forward to presenting the Shining Light awards to recipients at a reunion dinner on Saturday 14 October 2017. Friends of Tenison Woods College; past scholars since the inception of Marist Agricultural College or the Convent of Mercy, parents of former scholars, past staff members, past volunteers, in fact anyone who is proud to be or have been associated with Catholic education in the Mount Gambier; are invited to our reunion Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th October, 2017. More details to follow, but for now lock this date in your diary, let your old school friends know and get along – you won’t be disappointed!

God Bless,

David Mezinec | Principal

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