This week's featured image celebrates Russell Smith's visit to the College, where he shared his knowledge and talent in Aboriginal art.

Tamborine Mountain College students wear their uniform with pride. Wearing the uniform demonstrates that students are part of our school community, and that they belong to our wonderful ‘TMC family’. Wearing the TMC uniform is important for many reasons. Correctly wearing the uniform provides students with responsibility - they must take ownership of their appearance. They must demonstrate self-discipline in wearing the uniform correctly.  While this may at times seem to children and teens as something that is not important, it is through paying attention to such details that they build skills that will assist them later in life. Mastery over these minor elements allows students to work toward mastery over larger issues of responsibility and self-discipline.

Our uniform policy is in our College Handbook and is available on our website. In particular, parents may wish to familiarise themselves with the section on jewellery. It contains images as to what acceptable earrings look like:

No jewellery (eg rings, bracelets or necklaces) may be worn. This includes visible religious crosses and/or medallions. Only small gold or silver studs or sleepers are acceptable if ears are pierced. Only one earring per ear to be worn in the lower lobe. Any other body piercings should not be distinguishable and must be “hidden” with a skin or clear coloured disc. No visible tattoos are permitted. Wrist watches (not fashion watches) are permitted. Smart watches/fitbits must follow the College’s cyber safety code. Any pendant/bracelet bearing a medical alert is permitted - medical details must be provided via Parent Lounge. 

Learning a language is more than just the language. A big part of it is also learning about the culture of the different places that speak that language. French is the only other language, aside from English that is spoken on every continent, so, learning French allows for many opportunities to engage with cultures from all around the world. 

TMC is very fortunate to have a sister school in France. Sainte Ursule is a Lycée in Tours, this means that the school caters purely for students in the final years of their schooling - the equivalent of our year 10,11, and 12. 

Students studying French in these grades are encouraged to participate in an email based penpal exchange to assist not only with their language learning, but also their cultural connections. If there are any students in these grades that are not studying French currently, but would like to also participate in this exchange, they are more than welcome to. This program is completely separate from any trips the school makes with Sainte Ursule in the future. 

Ms Brianne Rodgers

Full Name: Hanna Marie Green

What subjects do you currently teach? 10 and 12 Drama, 11 and 12 English

What schools have you taught at previously? What's another school? There are other schools..? ;)

How long have you been a teacher? 11 years and three weeks

What attracted you to teaching in the first place? I had some positive and inspiring experiences with my English and Drama teachers in high school and I wanted to try to pay it forward. I chose to become an English and Drama teacher as those were my favorite subjects (and the best subjects in my opinion) :)

What is it you love about teaching now? I'm passionate about supporting our students as they move into adulthood and I love being able to form connections with them. It's also great to see those lightbulb moments as students grapple with and then understand a concept.

What is your favorite thing about TMC? My favourite things about TMC are our wonderful students and our gorgeous school-grounds.

What is something interesting about you that the students might not know? I went skydiving for my 16th birthday and I love giving new, adventurous activities a go. I'm planning to go hot air ballooning for my birthday this year and I want to cage dive with sharks one day.

Our students in Years 7, 11, and 12 participated in Elevate workshops this week. Year 7 looked at an introduction to study skills, Year 11 looked at time management, and Year 12 participated in an Ace Your Exams session. 

Secondary teachers also participated in a teacher session with Elevate and we even had parents attend the evening session on how to help your child develop good study habits at home. The response and the feedback from these sessions was excellent. Elevate sessions for students and parents are run every year. If you missed out on this year’s parent session, be sure to register for next year.

Two of our amazing Grounds Keepers, Jimmy &  Paul have created this horizontal wall garden in our primary campus.  We can't wait to see what will grow there! 

This week years 3 to 6 engaged in an Indigenous workshop with Russell Smith. Russell Smith is a Pitjantjatjara man from Port Augusta. He has spent much of his life in Melbourne and now resides on Tamborine Mountain in Queensland with his wife and two young children. Russell’s music career has taken him around Australia and to all parts of the globe, working with some of the world’s most recognised musicians. Students in year 3 studies people & place, year 4 students covered Australian animals and Dreamtime stories, year 5 covered hunting & gathering creating inspired boomerangs. Year 6 learned about the firsts nations' fabric making inspired by the Darwin Aboriginal art fair.

Mrs Michelle Criss

This week, the Raising Children government website had an interesting article on packing healthy lunches for children. It is definitely worth a read as it contains useful hints and tips for parents to help parents understand the benefits of healthy eating for children at school. Research has shown that children who eat healthy morning teas and lunches, feel better physically, learn better and have more energy for playing with their friends.

Please follow this LINK to read the article.

Key points:

• A healthy lunch gives your child energy to play, concentrate and learn.
• Get your child involved in choosing, preparing and packing her own lunch box.
• Include healthy options from the five food groups.
• Check the ‘allowable foods’ policy at your child’s child care centre, preschool or school. *TMC is a 'nut free' zone and 'egg free' in Prep-Year 2. TMC does not allow children to eat lollies and chocolate bars from their lunchboxes, but some allowances are made for celebration days.

This week at the Early Learning Centre we welcomed some tiny visitors in the form of tadpoles into our community.  Mrs Ballie has given the children the opportunity to observe and investigate the life cycle of a Green Tree Frog by bringing in several tadpoles creating a natural habitat for them to grow. This week I have noticed all ages of children mesmerized watching them swim in the water at the bottom of the tank which has been created with lush foliage, gravel and water. In the coming weeks we will see the rapid changes which we hope support children to inquiry and wonder about the changes that happen to animals in natural environments. 

OSHC has been busy working with many of the children who attend later in the day to create a  late snack to eat.  This week apple muffins were a tasty and welcoming addition.  Miss Phair and Mrs Ballie helped by providing a recipe while the children took turns to peel the apples and mix the ingredients.  Carnival games have continued with the students loving the competitive nature that comes from participating in these kinds of experiences.   

Pre Prep students are taking an interest in dinosaurs during free play time, to explore this idea further they were given opportunities to ‘Design A Dinosaur.’ Using props and books to reference images many of the children used their creativity and imagination to create their own impressions of a dinosaur that may have lived long ago!  

 Continuing with our focus of ‘All ABout Me’ the concept of families and belonging to a family was discussed.  The children explored ‘Who is in our family and who lives at our house? Box construction houses and drawings of the people that live at our house which they made out of paddle pop sticks were two of the experiences available for their participation.  

Kindy friends have had a fun filled time with Mrs Hinkins, learning to play with each other through games and resources that encourage sharing and turn taking.  A favourite activity has been using miniature diggers in coloured rice creating a simple unstructured and fun sensory play idea.  When a child is playing with a sensory activity, they are:

-  Working on independent play skills

- Math skills (capacity)

- Imaginary play / dramatic play

- Life skills (pouring, scooping, transferring)

- Fine motor skills

- Tactile learning

- Developing self-control

Mrs Rachael Fernandez 

Congratulations to Dylan Sippel (Year 12) for being selected in the U19 South Coast Schools Representative Baseball Team! Dylan will compete in the QLD State Baseball Championships later in the Term.

Mr Andrew O'Loughlin

This week at Sport our Equestrian team trained for their first Interschool Competition this weekend. Equestrian riders are competing for the Stuartholme School competition at Fig Tree Pocket. On Saturday Ava Byrnes & Sienna White are competing in Dressage working towards their qualifiers for the IQ States Championships in July. On Sunday Talia Criss, Ashlee Lowe, Grace Fullarton, Summer Jacobs & Emily Seagrave are the TMC showjumping team. We wish all riders the best for the weekend's event!

Mrs Michelle Criss

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