"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

John 14:27

WEEK 10B

FRIDAY 16 DECEMBER 

• Christmas Assembly @ 12.40pm
• Last day of Term 

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

"I would like to thank the teachers and students of the Trinity Hospitality team for the wonderful support they gave me on 30 November 2022. It was a special day in our lives, the reopening of Ss Peter and Paul's Old Cathedral. When the celebration cake was cut, it was a great honour for the students and myself to work together. The students were very helpful and gracious. God bless you all.

I wish you and all your loved ones a very happy Christmas and New Year. May you receive many special joys and blessings."

With gratitude from Sr Maria Assumpta RSM

Dear Parents and Carers

We held a beautiful prayer service yesterday morning honouring the life of Ethan Metz. Our Year 10 students along with Keating 5 students were in attendance as well as some of our parents.

Thank you to Mr Colin Groves for preparing the prayer service with such thoughtfulness and consideration for our young people. Thank you to Fr Joe for leading us in prayer; his presence was so appreciated. It helped all of us.

Please keep talking with your young people being mindful of their sadness, anger and/or frustration. One of the most important things you can do for a grieving person is just to be there.

It is your support and caring presence that will help them cope with the pain and sadness they feel. Listen carefully to what they say without judgement and with compassion.

We are people of faith, people of prayer and people of hope.

I wish you a very happy and Holy Christmas. Enjoy the holidays!

Yours in faith, strength and unity

Gaye McManus

Supporting yourself and your family through grief

In times like these, it’s normal to feel lost. Grief manifests itself in many ways and varies with each person. One thing we will all have in common however, is the fact that we grieve. It is a normal, necessary, human response. Below are some strategies and important reminders as we journey through, and grow around, our grief.

What helps?

‘Grief is the counterpart of love. If we allow ourselves the grace of love, we must also allow ourselves the grace of grief and mourning’

 - Dr. Alan Wolfelt

Take care of yourself

It’s not easy holding a space for your own personal grief while supporting your bereaved family members/children, so it’s important to take care of yourself, both physically and emotionally. If you are struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether that be through family, friends, or health professionals.

Draw on supportive connections

Having strong and supportive relationships is the most important thing we can do to build resilience. We need a strong community to face a difficult and traumatic event. Resilience is not about keeping a stiff upper lip; it’s about being able to show your vulnerabilities and reaching out for supportive connection. Whenever you do this - you model healthy coping skills to your children and others around you.

Spend time observing, listening, and talking

Young people often express emotions through behaviour and body symptoms (e.g., pain or feeling sick). You may notice their grief expressed through increased irritability, tantrums, anger, reassurance seeking/anxiety, distressing dreams, restless sleep, changes in appetite, behaving in a way that seems younger than their years, tearfulness, school avoidance/clinginess or withdrawal. Grief is not linear, so expect that there will be ups and downs. Take the time to notice changes in behaviour and offer your support. 

Although it is natural for parents to want to protect their children from hurt or upset, it is important that you take the time to talk and listen to your children following a significant loss. Answer their questions in an honest and age-appropriate way, without minimising the impact of what has happened. Be patient, open, honest, and consistent. Reassure them that it is okay to be upset about what has happened.

Maintain routine and a sense of safety

When a significant loss occurs, routines often go out the window, and with them, a young person’s sense of safety and predictability decreases too. It’s really important to encourage a healthy sleep routine, to continue to do normal things (e.g., hobbies), and to eat well and exercise often.

The majority of bereaved children (and adults) adjust over time, not all bereaved children need counselling. However, if you have concerns about your grieving child and would like some professional help, advice or reassurance, please feel welcome to speak with the School Counsellors, GP, or the following support services:

• Canberra Grief Centre; For specialized counselling and group programs https://www.canberragriefcentre.com.au/
• Headspace Goulburn; (02) 4824 4944, see headspace.org.au
• Griefline free telephone support for adults aged 18 and up; 1300 845 745 and see https://griefline.org.au/get-help/free-telephone-support/
• The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement; excellent information, resources and telephone counselling available (fee for service applies); https://www.grief.org.au/ACGB/ACGB/Bereavement_Support/Counselling_1/Counselling.aspx?hkey=41addafc-dfa7-448b-84ea-0facb5485f02
• Kidshelpline; 1800 55 1800 https://kidshelpline.com.au/

For more articles and information, see:

https://au.reachout.com/challenges-and-coping/grief-and-loss

https://headspace.org.au/explore-topics/supporting-a-young-person/grief-and-loss/

https://headspace.org.au/assets/download-cards/11-Grief-headspace-fact-sheet-WEB.pdf

https://www.parentlink.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405633/Grief-and-loss.pdf

Kimmy Murchie

Student and Family Counsellor

STAFF RETURN | TERM 1 2023

Friday 27 January 2023 Staff Planning day

Monday 30 January 2023 System Staff Professional Learning Day

STUDENTS RETURN | TERM 1 2023

Tuesday 31 January 2023 Year 7, 11 and 12 students

                                              New students in Years 8, 9, 10 and 11 9.00am-12.00pm

Wednesday 1 February 2023 Year 8, 9 and 10 students

END OF TERM 1 2023

Thursday 6 April 2023

TERM 2 2023

Wednesday 26 April 2023 - Friday 30 June 2023

TERM 3 2023

Tuesday 18 July 2023 - Friday 22 September 2023

TERM 4 2023

Tuesday 10 October 2023 - Friday 15 December 2023

Please find below links to the stationery requirement lists for Years 7-10 students next year.

Year_7_Stationery._Requirements_docx.pdf

Year_8_Stationery_Requirements.pdf

Year_9_Stationery_Requirements.pdf

Year_10_Stationery_Requirements.pdf

Open on Thursdays from 3pm-6pm.

The Uniform Shop will be open on the following days from 9.00am until 12.00pm and 1.00pm until 3.00pm prior to school returning:

• Friday 27 January 2023
• Monday 30 January 2023

Mathematics Help and Homework Club have finished for this year and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2023!

When your child needs to leave School early, please make sure they complete the following steps:

1. A written note signed from their parent/carer. This note can be made in the Student diary on the day of the planned absence, or on a separate piece of paper.

2. The student then takes the note to Homeroom and asks their Homeroom teachers to sign it.

3. The note must also be signed by a House Coordinator. 

4. The student comes to the front office with their signed note.

5. Students sign out using their Student Compass Identity card.

6. Students wait for parent/carer to collect them.

Please note, parent or carer MUST present to the Office to collect student.

The College should be notified of any foreseen student leave. An Application for Exemption Form is available from the College Office and is required to be completed by parents/carers and returned to the College at least 10 school days prior to any leave. Leave or travel over 10 days requires a different form; please contact Reception. If, during the period of leave, your child has assessments due they should also complete the Notification of Planned Absence form which is in the appendix of their student assessment handbook.

We love to hear about our students' achievements, so please feel free to send through any information about your child's achievements to info.tccg@cg.catholic.edu.au by Tuesday of each week. We look forward to hearing from you! Also, be sure to visit our facebook site!

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialTrinityCatholicCollege