Welcome to the first of our Celebrations newsletter. Our regular newsletter can often be busy with the day to day reminders of running our school and so we set out to create something where we could celebrate the wonderful work and achievements of our staff and students. Here it is, a place where we reflect on how we are doing as a school community as we - and indeed the whole world - adapt to change. 

Homeroom teachers are ZOOMing with their homerooms every morning checking in with our students to make sure they are ok and ready for the day ahead. Our first ZOOM homeroom of the term was very special and heart-felt as it was the first time we had seen each other since last term. This is our community within a community.

I have really enjoyed being homeroom teacher for the Year 11 and 12 students who have been attending school in person. Students line up each day in their year groups in the Leahy Quad socially distancing themselves with the class roll being marked before they move into the Library. Once in the Library, students and staff sanitise their hands and we are set to go with ZOOM homeroom and remote learning! We are living in very different times and this is our new normal!

We understand that change can be unsettling and often intimidating. It is, at times like this, where we draw strength from our faith and our strong sense of community. We remind ourselves of the strong Catholic values underpinning the education of our students and know that it is now we can be truly grateful for the compassion, strength and resilience demonstrated by our students, our families and our teachers. It is when times are tough that our Catholic faith can truly lift us up as we are reminded to be brave and strong. ‘Do not be afraid, for I am with you’. (Isaiah 41:10).

For those of you who are worrying about the new way of teaching and learning, let me reassure you our teachers have been working brilliantly at making this as straightforward as possible for your children. I have been impressed with their innovative and dedicated approach and the collegiate spirit of generosity, care and support they have demonstrated in their planning and development of the new style of delivering learning.

I also draw comfort knowing students, parents and teachers are so supportive of one another and are really kind and compassionate in accepting this is the reality of our world at the moment. It is evident both students and teachers miss each other.

The skills students are learning now including being kind, flexible, resilient, independent and becoming more organised are great skills for life. We have all had to ‘dig deep’ and manage the COVID-19 change in how we live our lives.

Please know you are not alone. We are here for you and will support you and your children as we work together to be strong and faith-filled in these months ahead. Go gently, everyone!

Kathy Parlett loves the online connections the school is fostering. 

The students are developing leadership and collaboration skills as they use the different forums for working online. There is a lot of student-directed learning and students encouraging others to meet their academic goals.

These skills and also the trust and mutual respect is empowering the students to develop autonomy and self-efficacy which will be helpful for them in lifelong learning. 

I enjoy the strong sense of community and to see 170 students join the ZOOM assembly from home and school was beautiful. 

During these challenging times, resilience is important, and gratitude is a power tool for resilience as we, as a community, remind each other how fortunate we are.

Anthony O’Connell can see the silver lining.

While it’s been hard not to be together as a school, there are creative and blessed waysof being together. We are fortunate to see God in this situation, the good, the true, the beautiful. Students have been sharing how they’re dealing with isolation. One student expressed how she’d got back into painting after a long time not doing it; another student said he’d had the chance to do some work with his dad.

I’m proud of our coordinators for their pastoral care; the number of phone calls, emails, Home Room Zooms, the checking in, the whole school assembly involvement is amazing. What impressed me is it’s not just the staff but the senior leaders, the students saying, what else can I do? And wanting to continue on with the prayers.

Leonie Allport, (pictured with Socks and Boots), has only been at Trinity a short time.

When I drove in here to have my interview this relaxed feeling came over me. I knew straight away I wanted to be here. I’m really enjoying it. There are no regrets.

The staff room is a wonderful place to be. We are seeing each other teach. Usually, I’m teaching when everyone else is teaching and so you don’t get to see the students interacting in different ways with different teachers.

You’re seeing students differently, looking at a whole person. You’re seeing them at home in their safe place. We’re seeing different expressions of themselves, such as how they play around with the backgrounds and how they adapt to the technology. 

At the end of last term, I rang every parent to see how each student was getting on. Now I’m emailing them and cc-ing their parents in to say, I’m here, talk to me, email me. 

I’m so looking forward to seeing them again. 

Annabelle Hannan, (pictured with Scooter and Scruffy), tells us what Trinity means to her.

Right from the beginning I’ve loved this school.

On open day, I met a great range of people and it was so inviting and everyone was so positive. 

It’s definitely delivered on my expectations.

The teachers are very approachable and focus on wanting the best for the students. 

We learn to be respectful and responsible to make the most of the opportunities. We wear our uniforms with pride. We learn to be considerate and open-minded and open-hearted because you never know what’s going on with another person. 

The extracurricular stuff is really good. They offer the Duke of Ed (Edinburgh Awards). I’ve got bronze which is for doing a service, a skill and a physical activity and you have to do two hikes. It was intensive and fun. 

I really love this school and the amazing people, my friends and peers I will cherish for life. 

Sam North, (pictured with Texas), talks about the emotional strength which Trinity is known for.

I love Trinity. One of the biggest reasons is the good sense of community.

There is so much support from teachers, and not just your friends but all your peers. 

In pastoral periods we come together and we learn how to emotionally support ourselves, not just each other. 

It is a very safe environment with no tolerance for bullying or any misconduct. When a problem arises, it gets dealt with.

This should be the norm for all schools. 

I’m in the acceleration program. There are lots of opportunities for extending students.

Callum Smith enjoys the reciprocal respect and values at Trinity.

There’s a big emphasis on being a community.

Everyone is always there for you; you can talk to anyone.

Mrs McManus knows everyone and makes you feel safe.

I quite enjoy doing religion; it gives you a deeper understanding of how some of the laws and rules we follow are based on religious principles. 

I’m getting a lot out of the school. One of the things I appreciate is that we are encouraged and our opinions are valued.

Myself and my mates put together a senior basketball team to compete at NSW Open Mens CCC basketball.

We couldn’t do it because of the virus but we got registered and it shows how much the PE staff and sporting coordinator encourage us and take on our ideas. 

I’m also in the Trinity sheep show team which is really good and I’m learning a lot from that.