Principal’s Welcome

Introduction – From the Principal 2023

I suspect that readers will share our feeling at school that 2023 has started differently to the two years since the start of the pandemic and I hope that each of you has felt a lightness of being and optimism that were difficult to find in 2021 and 2022. At the School the year has begun with a positive energy and enthusiasm across the community greater than in any year I have previously experienced.

As I write, we are three days away from our first set of Alumni reunions – 2008 and 2013. The return to onsite reunions over the second half of 2022 and now 2023 has been one of the most significant signs of ‘business as usual’ for us at the School. Alumni events held at the School are always occasions full of happy energy, wonder at the changes and a confirmation of Tintern Alumni as life’s ‘doers’, regardless of their professions, pastimes or focus.

I will also take advantage of this opportunity to thank the TGA and TOGA committees for their persistence and commitment through the last three years when so much was not possible. For TGA particularly, trying to build momentum in a relatively new body was stymied time and time again by the consequences of the pandemic, but the group pushed on and have achieved a terrific first phase of the association.

I look forward to seeing you when your year group is scheduled for a reunion. If you are wanting to come and visit the campus outside the reunions, I would enjoy the opportunity to walk around with you, and urge you to contact the Community Office and Di Lacey if you would like to.

Best wishes to you all and to our Alumni associations for a calm, productive and enjoyable 2023!

Warm regards

Bradley Fry
Principal

Alumni News

Kate Jenkins (Class of 1985)

Congratulations to Kate Jenkins (Class of 1985) who completed her 7 year tenure as Sex Discrimination Commissioner in April 2023. This is the maximum term for a Commissioner in Australia.

During her term, her purpose was to advance gender equality and the rights of LGBTIQ+ communities, consistent with the Sex Discrimination Act and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Her work responded to national conversations, sparked cultural change, and improved law, policies, practices and funding to foster greater gender equality and address sexual harassment, particularly in Australian workplaces.

In one of her recent interviews, on the ABC, Kate mentioned her past Tintern teacher, Alice Clague, who was the Visual Art Coordinator, from 1974 to 1987. Alice was immediately contacted by many of her past students. We were able to help Alice and Kate reconnect, with them recently catching up at Alice’s home, along with Nikki Jackson (Strachan, Class of 1985).

You can listen to the full interview online here.

Michael Ashfield (Class of 2011)

‘..IT WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE, IT WILL LIKELY BE ONE OF THE BEST MOMENTS IN MY LIFE I IMAGINE.’

… Michael Ashfield,  having recently been invited up on stage with iconic rapper, Post Malone at his recent Perth concert.

Michael began at Tintern at the Southwood campus in Year 7, 2006. He graduated VCE in 2011. During his time at Tintern and Southwood Michael was always actively involved in the music program and participated in many of the Schools Musical productions. In his VCE Michael studied Music Performance on guitar as one of his graduating subjects. Michael went on to study a Bachelor of Arts, in Music Study at RMIT. During his study he continued to play and formed a band ‘Move On, Be Strong’ (MOBS), playing both locally and nationally. MOBS performed on Saturday 4 March 2023 at Shotkickers in Thornbury, Melbourne.

A keen Red Hot Chilli Peppers fan Michael has been following the band around the country at their recent Australian tour. As per tradition, Post Malone invites a member of the audience to play guitar for an acoustic song in his set. On this occasion Michael was lucky enough to be chosen to play.

A talented guitarist we congratulate Michael for following his creative passion for music and look forward to seeing where his talent takes him.

Watch the video here (explicit lyrics warning):

Brendon Green (Class of 2015)

We congratulate Brendon Green who finished 2nd at the 2023 Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic on Saturday 4 February (pictured on the left in blue). The Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic is the second oldest one-day cycling event in the world and the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. Great effort Brendon!

Laura Driessen (Class of 2010)

Laura Driessen recently wrote an article published in The Conversation, titled, From platypus to parsecs and milliCrab: why do astronomers use such weird units?

She explains how astronomers use tangible units of measurement to explain outer space’s vast size, mass and weight.

You can read the article online here.

Alumni @ Tintern

Gavin Choong (Class of 2018) and Laura Driessen (Class of 2010) at the Foundation Service

Thank you to Gavin Choong (Class of 2018) and Laura Driessen (Class of 2010) who were our Alumni guest speakers at our annual Foundation Service. Laura’s interview was pre-recorded, and Gavin was able to join us in person on the day. They were both inspirational for our students, and we were grateful for their time and support.

Gavin also visited our boys Junior school on the 6 March  to speak to his work with Amnesty International, and assisting the SHINE Cambodia School. Gavin inspired our Tintern students to raise funds to purchase classroom equipment, raising $795. After the assembly Gavin was a special guest interview on our student podcast.

You can view a thank you video online here.

Penelope Thwaites AM (Class of 1960)

We were thrilled to welcome back alumna and Avenue of Excellence inductee, concert pianist and composer Penelope Thwaites AM (Class of 1960) to Tintern on the 24 February 2023. 

Penelope Thwaites spent an enjoyable time sharing her wisdom and musical expertise with students in a Piano Masterclass in the Kelson Room. Performers  for the event were Helen Yang (Year 11), Ruby Chen (Year 8) and Ronan Phelps (Year 7). The performers were supported by a group of piano students who also attended and observed the masterclass.

Madeline Townsend (Class of 2008)

Maddie Wright (Class of 2016)

The Girls Junior School Theme of the Year is Confidence, and they were joined by Maddie Wright on Tuesday 7 March as a guest speaker at Assembly.

Maddie Wright is an indoor Cricket player, and a member of the winning Women’s Australian team at the Indoor Cricket World Cup series in October 2022. Maddie is no stranger to international competition, prior to COVID, she played in the U22 Australian squad in Sri Lanka, Dubai and NZ. She captained the U22 team in Sri Lanka and was to lead the Team in a World Cup but COVID hit and she missed out.

Maddie shared stories of times she has challenged herself, and developed confidence as a direct result. 

Thank you Maddie for your time, and the inspiration you provided to our students.

If you’d like to share your own stories of confidence with our Junior School students, please get in touch with us to chat about opportunities.

Angus Maynard, Class of 2017

We recently welcomed back Angus Maynard, Class of 2017. A guest of our Green Team he spoke at the Secondary Assembly about sustainability. In particular the sustainable washroom products Tintern Grammar is now using throughout the School. At Tintern, we want to minimise our impact on the planet and the washroom products supplied by Angus’ family business AGS Direct are helping us towards this goal. Thank you for your informative talk Angus.

Tintern Giving Day

Something exciting is happening at Tintern. On Thursday 8 June we have the opportunity and the power to come together as a community to reinforce and celebrate our commitment to the care, growth, and global development of our students now and into the future.

Our focus is to raise significant funds to further increase our Scholarship funds to provide fully funded, self-sustaining scholarships to students who have the ability, but not necessarily the accessibility of a Tintern Education.

On Thursday 8 June, Tintern will hold its first ever Giving Day, a fast paced, exciting and celebratory fundraising campaign where a matching pool is secured before the event so we can offer a multiplying effect on the day. In our case, every donation made on Thursday 8 June, for 1 day only will be doubled. Thanks to some very generous donors, every dollar donated in this 24 hour period will be doubled. This means that your $20 donation will become $40, your $100 donation becomes $200 and your $500 donations becomes $1000!

Together with the support or our community, we can extend our care and confidence to others, through a Scholarship fund to attend Tintern Grammar.

Keep an eye out for the news in your in boxes and on our social media. Only donations made on Thursday 8 June will be doubled so be patient until then so we can make the biggest difference.

Please contact Di Lacey on dlacey@tintern.vic.edu.au or 03 9845 7893 if you can’t wait to show your support.

Seeking Volunteers for Giving Day

The success of this campaign depends on passionate volunteers. We need ambassadors of Tintern to join a team in our ‘Operations Room’ to reach out to the community with phone calls explaining the importance of our Scholarship Fund and encourage them to contribute to the campaign.

Current and past parents, alumni, staff, Board and Executive are all giving their time to help on this exciting day.

On the day, we will provide meaningful call scripts and lists; we will also provide plenty of food, snacks and drinks! We also have a recorded training video with accompanying slides to share with you.

Our volunteers are the heart of our community and we would appreciate your support. Call hours are between 10am – 8pm on Thursday 9th and 8am -10am on the Friday and we invite you to consider signing up for a two-hour shift.

Here is a booking link for you to register your time and please remember you will need a current WWCC to participate: https://signup.com/go/wNxqBiE

If you have a friend or family member who you think would like to join in, please feel free to pass on the link.

Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to find out more.

Class of 2008 and Class of 2013 Reunion

Class of 2008 and Class of 2013 Reunion

The weather was perfect on Saturday 18 February for our Class of 2008 and Class of 2013, 15 and 10 Year Reunions. We were excited to welcome our Alumni back onsite, to catch up with their peers from school, some of their teachers and to tour the school.

Though it hasn’t been much time since they were students at Tintern, a lot had changed in that time! They shared memories of their own time at school with our wonderful student tour guides, who ranged from Year 9 to Year 12 students, including our two School Captains!

A special thank you to our Tour Guides, who gave up time on their Saturday to show our guests around Tintern. You were incredible and we appreciated your help!

A thank you also to our current and past staff who also joined as at the Reunion! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and the alumni were grateful to see you all on the day.

We were joined on the day by two Tintern Principals! Our current Principal Brad Fry was joined by his predecessor Jenny Collins. We were excited to welcome Jenny back to Tintern to catch up with our past students.

Thank you also to Nicholas Shying, Vanessa Gillam and Ally Montgomery (all Class of 2013) who worked as Reunion Ambassadors, organising the bar afterwards and encouraging bookings. We were very grateful for your support.

High Tea Reunions 2023

We had a wonderful day on Tuesday 4 April, welcoming Alumni celebrating their 50, 55 and 60 Year Reunions, as well as those who finished over 56 years ago.  We were joined by 50 Alumni, who enjoyed a delicious High Tea, and an incredible performance by our Junior School, Bel Canto, Choir.

The Choir were incredible, with our students working hard to provide a polished and engaging performance of four songs, including our new school anthem. When they performed the Tintern School Song, our guests joined in, with a spirited rendition.

Thank you to Lynne Franke (Bernadou Class of 1958), for her work organising the many wonderful pictures displayed and included in the booklets. Thank you also to Carol Robertson (Hogan Class of 1980) who attended on behalf of the Tintern Old Girls Association (TOGA).

We look forward to celebrating with them again in future years.

Save the Date – Class of 2003, 1998, 1993, 1988, 1983 and 1978

Are you in the Class of 2003, 1998, 1993, 1988, 1983 or 1978?

Please save the date for your Reunion on Saturday 11 November at 3.30pm at Tintern.

We are seeking Reunion Ambassadors from each year group. A Reunion Ambassador helps to share your Reunion and encourage attendance. Some arrange a restaurant or bar to continue the celebrations afterwards. If you’d like to be involved, please contact us by email, communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au.

We have lost touch with a number of students over the years, if you are in touch please ask them to contact us, or to complete a Past Student Update Form online here: https://www.tintern.vic.edu.au/past-student-update/

Class of 2018, 5 Year Reunion – Friday 21 July

Book your free ticket now for your 5 year Reunion on Friday 21 July 2023 from 7.30pm at The Suburban, Eastland.

Enjoy a drink on us, delicious food platters and a catch up with some of your Tintern teachers.

When
Friday 21 July 2023 from 7.30pm

Where

The Suburban
Townsquare, Eastland Shopping Centre
Shop R10/171-173 Maroondah Hwy
Ringwood VIC 3134

Cost
Free welcome drink and starter food platters on arrival.
Extra food and beverages available for purchase on the night.

Guest tickets – $15

RSVP
Book your ticket here by the 14 July 2023.

Enquiries
From your Year Group please contact Anabelle McKenzie on 0434 060 640 or join the Class of 2018 private Facebook Event online here: https://fb.me/e/3yEhywKic

Or contact us at Tintern Grammar.

Please ensure we have your current details, either when booking, or you can update your details here.

Career’s Night 2023

We were very excited to welcome 45  Alumni back to Tintern on Thursday 18 May for our Career’s Night.

It had been 5 years since our last Career’s Night, thanks to lockdowns and restrictions, and we were grateful to have some of the previous Career Mentors return, along with others who attended for the first time.

Our current students from Year 9 to 12, along with their families, were able to pre book a time slot to speak with our Mentors, who shared their wisdom, experience and expertise.

Our students left energised and excited for their own Career Journeys.

A special thank you to the incredible Alumni who volunteered their time to support this wonderful evening. We had a wide range of industries, roles and pathways represented, ad you offered valuable insight to our students.

We will continue to offer this valuable event for our Community every second year.

If you’d like to visit to Tintern to speak with groups of students outside of the Career’s Night, please get in touch with Di Lacey in the Community Relations Office by phone to 9845 7877 or email communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au.

Announcements

Births

Stephanie Brodie (Muir, Class of 2002) and her husband Stephen welcomed their beautiful baby girl Harriet Esther Brodie on the 1 November 2022.

Emily Ceko (Class of 2007)and her partner welcomed their precious little girl, Ruby Adeline on Anzac Day, 25 April 2022. 

Briony Karakoussis (Fowler, Class of 2007) and her husband Peter welcomed Chloe Isabella Karakoussis on the 6 October 2022. Sienna is loving being a big sister and cuddling Chloe! 

Engagement

Congratulations to Madeline Townsend (Class of 2008) and Stephen Coles (Class of 2008) became engaged in March 2023. Their beautiful engagement phots were taken by Packing Light Photography,  owned by Andrew Coles (Class of 2005) and his partner Alysha. 

“We met each other in high school and both participated in musicals and productions. We have been strong friends since school and supported each other through tough times. After three years in a relationship, we are excited to announce that we are engaged to be married. We share a mutual joy of hiking and camping.”

Wedding

Congratulations to Scotty James (Class of 2013) and his wife Chloe Stroll on their wedding in Northern Italy recently. 

Deaths

Tamara Curran (Class of 2000) Born 17 of February 1983, passed away surrounded by family and loved ones, 14 August 2022. We are in awe of her humour, love of animals, courage, strength, bravery, inner and outer beauty. Rest in Peace.

Ann Braham (Gluth, Class of 1957) passed away mid 2022.

Patricia ‘Trish’ Charles (Carroll, Class of 1956) passed away on the 12 June 2022. “Who did it her way and enjoyed it all”

Anne Duthie (Pool, Class of 1963) passed away suddenly on 1 March 2023. Much loved wife to Alexander. Adored mum to Jennifer, John and Andrew. Loved Nan Nan to her 5 grandchildren. Anne’s Mum was the cook at the Tintern boarding house during Anne’s school years as a boarder at Tintern. Despite moving overseas Anne kept in touch with schools friends over the years, including Vanessa Payne (Wearing-Smith, Class of 1963).

Roma McGaw (Morris, Class of 1946) passed away on the 22 January at 92 years of age. As a Tintern Old Girl, Roma was instrumental setting up ‘TOGA on the Peninsula’, reconnecting with past students and organizing local gatherings.

Roma often reminisced about how much Tintern meant to her and in particular being a woman in the 1940’s she relished her education and the independance it gave her.   A true Tinternite, a TOGA life member and past President from 1979/1980 . Roma also held positions in the parent group when her daughters attended Tintern.

Loved mother of Roger McGaw, Suzanne Heizer (McGaw Class of 1976) and Flick Pop (McGaw Class of 1981. Dearly missed.

Adrienne Snowdon (Meuleman, Class of 1953) passed away peacefully 17 Fruary 2023 at home after a short illness.

Beloved mother to John and partner Sandy, Angela and husband Colin, Shelly and partner Rob ,Elyse and partner Jim. Grandmother to Bethanie (Daniel) Ben, Matthew(Bailey) Tom, Nelson (Monika) and Alex(dec) Great Grandmother to Adeline, Ben, Freya, Ebony and Malakai. Beloved ex-wife to John White. Beloved wife to Jim Snowdon (dec) and family. Beloved sister to Bruce (dec), Marian Harris (Meuleman, Class of 1961), Graeme and family, Margaret Meuleman (Class of 1955) and family. Beloved Aunt to Helen (Johnny) and Carol.

She was loved by all that knew her and will be greatly missed.

Suzie Wharton (Ryan, Class of 1968) passed away on the 26 August 2023, after a long struggle with illness. Survived by her beloved husband of 50 years, David Wharton.

Suzie founded Chocoholics Tours, having been introduced to the delights and health benefits of chocolate by her father, a closet chocoholic. Offering small group walking tours of Melbourne’s desserts and chocolate. In 2001, Suzie launched her book Spoil yourself – a Chocoholic Guide to Melbourne and in 2012 received a Melbourne Lord Mayor’s Bronze Commendation Award for her 10 continuous years of promoting Melbourne.

Community Deaths

Tintern mourns the passing of past teacher Andrew Dwight on the 25 April 2023. He joined Tintern in late 2001 as a Science teacher, fresh with his practical knowledge of Science and an enthusiastic attitude towards teaching. He quickly became a popular and respected teacher at Tintern, teaching Year 7 Maths and Year 9 Science before travelling all the way to Senior College to teach his Year 12 Biology and IB Theory of Knowledge students. A pastoral mentor in Years 7 and 9, Andrew really enjoyed participating in camps and pastoral activities.

Showcasing his innovative talents as he introduced Year 10 Medical Science, a subject which offered interested students an opportunity to acquire research, communication and critical thinking skills in the Science field.

Andrew left Tintern to go to Canada in August 2006 to pursue Post Graduate study in Theology in Canada.

Tintern Old Girls Association (TOGA)

TOGA Golf

On a windy but clear 21 degree day, Tintern TOGA Golf Team competed with the past students of other schools in an 18-hole stableford event at Yarra Yarra on the 20 March. The Women’s Inter-school Golf Challenge Cup is a charity event which is in it’s 94th year. This year they raised a total of $3,523 for the McAuley Community Services for Women.

Congratulations to Amanda Dyer (Hoyle, Class of 1978), Sue Semmens (Class of 1978), Jacky Clark (Bovell, Class of 1968) and Melinda Thomas (Class of 1983) who placed equal 14th out of a field of 29 teams.  A special thank you also to Melinda Thomas, who is the School Representative on the Committee.

We look forward to another wonderful event in 2024.

Left to Right: Amanda Dyer (Hoyle, Class of 1978), Sue Semmens (Class of 1978), Jacky Clark (Bovell, Class of 1968) and Melinda Thomas (Class of 1983)

TOGA AGM

TOGA recently held their AGM and we would like to thank and congratulate the outgoing and incoming committee members for their continued support with their time, expertise and experience:

• President: Carol Robertson (Hogan YG 1980)
• Vice President: Dani Cox (YG 2009)
• Treasurer: Jenny Brown (YG 1981)
• Archives & Heritage: Lynne Franke (Bernadou YG 1958)
• Committee Members:
• Fiona Henderson (YG 1991)
• Claire Jones (YG 1989)

Not sure if you are a TOGA member?

TOGA greatly appreciate their life Members. The funds raised from you joining as a Life Member is the funding we rely on to make our wheels turn. Being a Life Member means you financially support your Old Girls Association, receive a TOGA Badge and special benefits eg. discounts on function charges. As an Ordinary signed up member you receive voting rights.

In this 117th year we ask you to join formally if you have not already. 

If you would like to join TOGA with a once off $75 Life membership fee to support their ongoing legacy please download a membership form here and email to TOGA@tintern.vic.edu.au .

Are you interested in sharing your ideas, or joining the TOGA Committee?

TOGA was established in 1906, and there have been Tintern Old Girls Association members since this time. With thousands of amazing women that have wanted to stay connected to each other over the years. Our time as Tintern students is something that we all have in common. We see this especially at our interstate Chapter Reunions where Alumni from many different years, from the very recent graduates to those who are now in their twilight years, connect and celebrate through their shared connection as a Tintern Past student.

Please contact Carol Robertson, TOGA President, if you have activity ideas for activities or events, by email to tinternoldgirlsassociation@gmail.com for more information.

Tintern Grammar Alumni (TGA)

As always, there’s plenty happening at the TGA! 

Career’s Night 

We were excited to be part of the Tintern Careers Night on the 18 May, which was a great opportunity to connect with alumni and share experience with students and their families, as they start to think about opportunities beyond school. Thank you to all our wonderful Alumni who attended.

TGA Bushwalk 

We’re also planning for another event …in true Tintern style we’re embracing the great outdoors for our inaugural TGA Bushwalk. If you’re keen to rug up and join us at the spectacular Cathedral Ranges in June, get in touch with us at alumni@tintern.vic.edu.au  to express your interest. Stay tuned for more details to follow! 

Get involved! 

If bushwalks aren’t your thing but you’re still interested in getting involved, there are plenty of ways to be a part of the TGA and we would LOVE to hear from you. Get in touch by email or Facebook (Tintern Grammar Alumni) to have a chat about what we do and how you can be a part of our team.  

Could you be our next Treasurer?  

The TGA is looking for someone with financial/related experience to help support our ongoing operations and ensure we can continue to give back and support our community. If this sounds like you, or if you know anyone who would be a great fit for the role, please reach out. 

Stay in Touch 

We always love to hear from our alumni community so get in touch to let us know what’s happening in your world, or to let us know if you have any great ideas for events or ways to help us connect.  

‘Til then – Take care,  

The TGA Committee 

Seeking Volunteers for Giving Day

Seeking Volunteers for Giving Day

The success of this campaign depends on passionate volunteers. We need ambassadors of Tintern to join a team in our ‘Operations Room’ to reach out to the community with phone calls explaining the importance of our Scholarship Fund and encourage them to contribute to the campaign.

Current and past parents, alumni, staff, Board and Executive are all giving their time to help on this exciting day.

On the day, we will provide meaningful call scripts and lists; we will also provide plenty of food, snacks and drinks! We also have a recorded training video with accompanying slides to share with you.

Our volunteers are the heart of our community and we would appreciate your support. Call hours are between 10am – 8pm on Thursday 9th and 8am -10am on the Friday and we invite you to consider signing up for a two-hour shift.

Here is a booking link for you to register your time and please remember you will need a current WWCC to participate: https://signup.com/go/wNxqBiE

If you have a friend or family member who you think would like to join in, please feel free to pass on the link.

Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to find out more.

Community Business Directory

If you are looking for goods or services, please take a moment to visit our Community Business Directory. We have many incredible Alumni working in a wide range of industries, including Stephanie Deveson (Class of 2008) the owner of Willow and Jackson, a cafe and Wine Bar in the picturesque Healesville and Leeza Crowe (Clark Class of 1987) who owns Zabecca Living a Fashion, Homewares and Lifestyle store.

You can now join our business register by filling out our online form here. 

Please get in touch and tell us about your business, as we are always looking for ways to work with our Alumni!

Connect with Alumni LinkedIn

LinkedIn allows you to quickly search and connect with fellow alumni via the Tintern Grammar LinkedIn page. To be added to the Tintern Grammar search feature within LinkedIn, simply add Tintern Grammar to your LinkedIn profile correctly and the technology will do the rest!

TPG Trivia Night – Tickets on sale now!

Tintern Parent Group would like to invite you to test your knowledge and have fun, at their Annual Trivia Night!  Join us on Saturday 29 July 2023 at 7pm at Tintern Grammar.

Get your friends together, and create an Alumni table.  Last year the TGA table were leading the way for most of the night!

Book your tickets here! Tickets are $15 each.

The Silent Auction has been arranged by the Green Team and Social Justice Group, with all proceeds from the Auction contributing to their projects.

Choose a theme for your table and ‘dress to your theme’, whether a colour, book, movie, song or television show, the opportunities are endless.

The Social Justice Group and the Green Team are also seeking donations towards the evening, to be used as prizes or as part of the Silent Auction. If you or your business have something to donate; whether a gift, product or experience, please contact Heather Ruckert on hruckert@tintern.vic.edu.au. Any donations will be acknowledged on the night, and in our newsletter.

We look forward to seeing you there!

International Women’s Day @ Tintern

In honour of International Women’s Day on Wednesday 8 March we hosted many exciting events over the week for both our students, stall and wider community. 

We were pleased to welcome many Community members, including current and past families and Alumni, to our IWD breakfast. Our key note speaker was Madeline Townsend (Class of 2008) who shared her brave story of how she survived her rare cancer. 

The Tintern community, hearing about Madeline’s bravery and strength, donated to Madeline’s Team ‘Spirit of the Dragon’ for the Kosi Challenge, raising funds for Rare Cancers Australia. The Tintern Community together raised $1,819.70, Madeline thanks our community on behalf of Rare Cancers Australia. 

For our International Women’s Day Assembly the theme was #Embrace#Equity. Our Student Leaders spoke to their mothers/grandmothers:

Our Faith Captains Mimi Coglan and Isaac Lin, led the prayer but also provided a thought-provoking speech on embracing equity, below is an extract of the speech:

“As we open a discussion about embracing equity within life, it’s important to clearly define what equity means to you. For me, equity is all about the concept of fairness and giving. It is to show your humanity through your actions, or as we better know it- Factis Non Verbis.  

I wish I could come on stage and discuss purely positive things, but to embrace equity, I find myself having to acknowledge the violations of women’s rights around the world. In 2022, the world witnessed the Taliban re-assert itself as the government of Afghanistan, and with this they brought a set of new rules for women. Females cannot attend school past year six, they cannot leave the house without a male escort, girls as young as thirteen are legally allowed to be married off to a man of any age, and women are no longer allowed to show their face in public.  

Other violations of rights have been seen within the past few years, including overturning of reproductive rights and mass violence in Iran.  

For International Women’s Day, I want to acknowledge that sometimes those who are in a less fortunate position must be treated differently to be treated equally. This does not just apply to third world countries, in Australia we only recently saw the abolition of the pink tax, there is still gender bias in the workforce, and wage gaps prevail.  

Jesus teaches that despite the bias of humanity against one another, all are seen as equal, created in Gods image. The Bible teaches that despite the inequality which is still seen throughout society, Jesus was fighting for women’s rights 2000 years ago. Allowing women to be the first to witness the resurrection and encouraging women to become educated.   

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Embracing Equity’, for our community, this can look like inviting everyone to play together on the oval, or doing projects with people you normally wouldn’t. Having an open and ever-growing mindset. Even something as simple as saying ‘Hi’ to people in the hallways. Strive to embrace ‘Factis non Verbis’, show your support for embracing equity not just by your words, but also your deeds. Just because we learn separately, we don’t need to act separately.  

We can encourage positive change for women’s equity, but we also remember the world God wanted us to have, a world where women and all people are embraced.  

Let us pray,

Gracious God,

We pray for the smooth celebration of International Women’s Day and all people who continue to fight for equity. Provide, O Lord our protector, strength, and resilience for those who are oppressed and seeking equity. Allow us to embrace equity and love one another as we would love ourselves. Amen.”

The Making of Deeds Not Words

By Deeds Not Words is a song that unites us as one School, and pays homage to our past and our future.

To mark the significant milestone of creating a school song, we engaged the creative mastery of world-renowned composer Paul Jarman (composer of the Southwood Boys song) to create a School Anthem which brings our boys’ and girls’ voices together as one.

It had been an extended process of over two years, interrupted at times by COVID, where Paul worked with current and past staff and students. We were thrilled with the way he encapsulated the spirit of the School, honouring our past, present and future. We believe the Anthem By Deeds Not Words will fill the hearts of our School community with pride.

Paul visited our School on 25 August 2022 to host assemblies with our ELC, Junior School and Secondary School, where he shared the Anthem with our students for the first time, shared the creative inspiration behind the words and music, and lead our students in singing the Anthem. Students and staff embraced the words and sang with gusto on this uplifting day.

Paul also included in his visit small workshop sessions with music and choral students where he shared insights into his creative process.

We are very proud that we now have a combined School Anthem for Tintern Grammar to join the Tintern School Song and the Southwood Boys Song. The Southwood and Tintern songs, icons of our culture and history will continue to be celebrated and sung at the School’s significant occasions and events. From our past of Tintern Girls’ Grammar and Southwood Boys’ Grammar our wonderful School has developed, flourished, and is thriving.

The Premier Performance

Introducing the 10 x 10 Art Exhibition!

Open entries for ELC -Year 12 students, Past Students, Staff and Families

We would like to extend an invitation to everyone in our community to submit an artwork to our 10 x 10 Exhibition.

The 10 x 10 exhibition challenges artists and imaginative thinkers to create 2D and 3D works of art within a defined space – the Visual Arts Exhibition Space.

The installation and exhibition of these pieces will give viewers an opportunity to identify and discover fascinating links between seemingly disconnected works and consider how each of us brings something unique to our Community, our Space, our Place.

Art is how we can connect as a community!

You DO NOT need to able to draw a straight line, there is no such thing as “not a creative bone in my body” –everyone can create –we just create differently. Be part of a community and celebrate your individual Artistic Flair.

The 10 x 10 Exhibition will run for 10 school days, 10 to 24 August 2023, in the Visual Arts Exhibition Space, and be available to view between 8.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

All submissions by Monday 1 August at 5pm:

• This exhibition has no limitations beside the 10×10 (x10cm) format.
• Possibilities of works: Paint, drawing, collage, crochet, photography, sculpture, mosaic, textiles, woodwork, laser cut, mixed media –the options are only limited by your imagination!!
• All entries must EXACTLY fit the dimensions of 10 x 10cm for 2D works. 3D works must have a base of 10 x 10cm and a depth that may be less than 10cm but does not exceed 10cm.
• For example, a painting including its frame must be exactly 10 x 10cm.
• For 3D works, we would encourage and challenge artists to create works on panels that can be hung on a wall, rather than pieces that sit on the floor
• No more than 10 entries per individual, and each piece MUST be an individual piece, not a series that combines to be a larger piece.
• Please note -Works that do not meet this requirement, or are deemed inappropriate in any way, would automatically be disqualified.

To help artists meet the exact size requirement and avoid an automatic disqualification – you can purchase & collect pre-sized boards from Tintern Main Reception, and leave these boards unframed.
For more information or any queries contact:

• Head of Visual Art & Design -Rachel Waud rwaud@tintern.vic.edu.au 
• Art Administrative Assistant -Nadia Mercuri nmercuri@tintern.vic.edu.au

Price list from Tintern:

• Canvas board 10cm x 10cm -$1.50
• Stretched canvas 10cm x 10cm -$5
• Cartridge paper 200gsm cut to size -$.50c
• Watercolour paper 185gsm cut to size -$2
• Plywood pre-cut to 10 x 10 $2

What we are hoping to achieve!

Calendar 2023

2023 REUNIONS

2023 COMMUNITY EVENTS

The dates may change due to unforeseen circumstances, always check the webpage for the latest dates and time.

Admissions Tour and Events Dates

At Tintern Grammar we provide many opportunities for families to tour the School. 

To view a virtual tour of Tintern Grammar please see select below:

For further information on tours or enrolment at Tintern Grammar, please visit here to view upcoming tour dates

School News

TONES &I

We had an incredible day at Tintern Grammar on Wednesday 29 March with a surprise visit by Tones and I, who performed for our Junior School students.

Year 6 student Coby Ashman had successfully auditioned to feature in Tones and I’s latest video clip. He played the role of her little brother and to thank Coby, Tones and I contacted Tintern to visit the School to perform for us to say thank you.

The Junior School students all assembled in CM Wood Performance Centre under the pretence of an Easter Assembly.  As Mr Kenny played some of Tones and I’s music he had all the students chanting ‘Tones’, then she appeared from behind the room divider, to screams of joy.  She performed live Dance Monkey and Fly Away with our students (and staff) up and dancing. Then previewed her soon-to-be-released song that Coby featured in. 

So generous with her time she answered questions from our students and shared messages of resilience, kindness and respect. She presented Coby with a signed and framed photo and gave Coby her pink sunglasses that he wore in an interview with Channel 9 news that aired on both the 4pm and 6pm News. The story also appeared in The Herald-Sun and Leader too. A reverse surprise was organised by KIIS FM the next day where they interviewed Coby by phone on their morning show.

Foundation Service

Thank you to those who attended our Foundation Service on Friday 3 February 2023.

Thank you to our special guests, Laura Driessen (Class of 2010), Gavin Choong (Class of 2018), Lynne Franke (Bernadou Class of 1958) and Lyn Bartold (Past Staff).

We are grateful to our many VIP guests who attended both the service and morning tea, including four former Tintern Vice Principals.

FOE Horse Trials – A wonderful success!

On Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 March Tintern Grammar held the annual Tintern Interschool Horse Trials at the Shirley Heights Equestrian Centre, Gladysdale. The weather was perfect for the event with both days being cool and dry.

The Friends of Equestrian Committee, along with the Tintern staff and the team at Shirley Heights did a fantastic job preparing for and conducting the event. There was a calm and positive atmosphere throughout the weekend with all competitors in the three disciplines of dressage, show jumping and cross country, enjoying the competition.

There were 126 entries into the competition from 50 schools across Victoria. Tintern had three riders competing in the event. Congratulations to Alyssa Carter (Yr 12), Saskia Jackson Smith (Yr 12) and Millie Harvey (Yr 10) on their performances over the weekend. Congratulations to the overall team winners and team spirit winners, Yarra Valley Grammar. 

Thank you to the Friends of Equestrian Committee who volunteered countless hours of their time to ensure that the event ran smoothly and was enjoyable for the competitors. a special thank you to Keeley Thomas (Class of 2022) who was an integral part of the team.

Thank you to our officials from Equestrian Australia, Technical Delegates, judges, and course designers for each discipline, who ensured that the competition was run according to the rules and regulations. Thank you also to the Friends of Music, who supported the event by running a delicious BBQ, the Tintern Facilities Team, Ash Viney, the FOE Co-ordinator and Di Lacey from the Community Relations team.

Chicago

Our student performers of Chicago the musical delivered an outstanding performance that left the audience mesmerised. The cast’s energy and charisma were infectious, and they were able to transport the audience into the era of Chicago’s roaring twenties. The lead performers had a wonderful command over their voices and danced with precision, creating an atmosphere of glamour and glitz.

The orchestration, stage design and lighting were vibrant and created mood and excitement that showcased our actors and dancers.  The orchestra played flawlessly providing atmosphere and accompaniment of the famous songs from Chicago such as All That Jazz and Cell Block Tango.  All songs were performed with remarkable passion and energy, lifting the audience in raptures with applause.

Overall, Tintern Grammar’s production of Chicago the musical was a feast for the senses. The cast, staging, lighting, and music all came together to create a memorable theatrical experience. Congratulations to the production team and actors who should be commended for their hard work, determination, and dedication to bring such an iconic show to life.

Our audiences left each of the four shows raving about this brilliant performance – it was truly a triumph! We look forward to future Performing Arts Productions. 

Below is a report by Performing Arts Captain Katie Howell

Over last week, Tintern’s cast and crew of Chicago the Musical have dazzled the audiences with four specular nights of glitz, glamour and all that jazz.

The show opens with Velma Kelly, vaudeville star and sometimes murderer introducing us to the world of 1920s Chicago in All That Jazz. Ella Jones brought this scintillating sinner to life with a passion and determination that inspired us all. During this number we meet Roxie Hart, an arrogant, stubborn, and egotistical woman who dreams of being a jazz singer. Natasha Gillam shone in this role, showcasing her vocal strength in her first number Funny Honey. Her commitment to portraying Roxie brought depth to her motives and an emotional vulnerability that blew us all away. Soon arrested for the murder of Fred Casely (Will Storey), she meets the Merry Murderesses of the Cook County Jail – brought to life by none other than Sarah Zhu as Liz, Scarlett O’Connor as Annie, Emily Stokes as June, Ellena Glenk as Hunyak and Katie Howell as Mona. The Mistress of Murderesses Row is no easy job, but with the entire city in her back pocket she’ll do you a favour, if you do one for her. Matron ‘Mama’ Morton played with gusto by Ashley Honan, who may seem like a nice warden, but this friendliness comes at a price. As she sings in her show stopping number, When You’re Good to Mama – you do one for Mama, she’ll do one for you. When threatened with ‘the maximum penalty’ Roxie is introduced to Billy Flynn, best criminal lawyer in all of Chicago. Lachlan Smith brought a fresh take to every scene, always keeping everyone on their toes. Not only can he spin a story any jury would buy, he can hold a note for an inconceivably long time and these talents were combined in the number Both Reached for the Gun where Billy creates puppets out of the reporters, especially Mary Sunshine (Isabella Di Felice), convincing them of everything he says. Roxie’s naïve and loving husband, Amos Hart played by Liam Rosewarne can never say no, and no matter how badly he is treated he remains loyal. Amos quickly gains audience sympathy, culminating in his performance of Mr Cellophane where he sings about the pain of feeling see through. Throughout the whole show, Scar Wild delivers a memorable performance as Master of Ceremonies, announcing each song and building a rapport with the audience.

The show would not be complete without Sean Harris as Sergeant Fogarty, Alex Wong as Reporter/Aaron/Police Officer, Carren Zhu as the Judge, Madeleine Jennings as Court Clerk, Lucy Ryan Wilson as Kitty, Dan Thompson as Juror 1, Adrian Bisignano as Harry, and Brayden Mallet as Martin Harrison. Each and every one of them put in great and dedicated performances and the show wouldn’t be the same without them.

The band did a wonderful job this year, conducted by Mrs Clarke and Mrs Bezaire on alternating nights. They were given the unique challenge of playing on stage – which they well and truly met, stealing the show.

Throughout the last six months of rehearsals, our cast and crew have bonded over this incredible show and we’re so proud of everyone involved and the amount of effort they put in. These connections were crucial to the final performance we produced, and we’ve created lifelong friendships and memories we’ll never forget. And of course, none of this would have been possible without the direction of Karl, who came in at the start of the year and guided us to our opening night with insightful creativity, Vince, whose artistic direction kicked off the show and we would not be here without and the constant behind the scenes work of Min, as well as all the teachers backstage and in the band for the hard work they put into creating this show.

Katie Howell | Year 11

School Uniform Review

1972 Staff Photo

After an incredible response to our Staff Photo from 1972 which was included in our last Past Student News, we have identified most of the staff included.

Thank you to past staff Lyn Bartold and Rene Day, who both gave their time and knowledge to give names to most of the faces below.

Back Row: (?), Anne Habere, (?), Jan Burford, Bob Smith, John Poole, Mrs Hearne

2nd Back Row: Mrs Sarumpaet, Jane Vincent, Betty Watson, Mrs Reed, Sheila Alvarez, Louise Huck, Diane Davies, (?), Avril Yates

2nd Front Row: Wendy Richards, Jenny Browne, Miranda Grey, Joslyn Fry, Cathy Cooper, Lyn Bartold, John Davidson, Mrs Keene, Dorothy Stamps

Front Row: Mavis Williams, Betty Lister, Judy Watts, Betty McKay, Rene Day (Deputy Head), Peggy May Bursar, Dorothy Boyd, Barbara Johnston, Connie Day

Archive

Please enjoy this selection of photos from the school grounds at Ringwood East from our Archives.

If you have photos you would like to share, please email communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au.