The College understands that there are many reasons why a student may be absent from school. It is appreciated that children who are unwell are staying at home and that parents are notifying the College if their child has tested positive to Covid-19.
Please use Parent Lounge to notify us of your child's absence and the reason why. Under College policy, a medical absence must be accompanied by a medical certificate after three days. If a child has been diagnosed with Covid, an attached picture of the positive RAT or PRC test is acceptable. Students who are absent for medical reasons with this evidence is recorded as absent, but 'acceptable'.
If your road to school is affected by a natural weather event, this is also deemed an 'acceptable' absence. This is an option to select in Parent Lounge.
Under legislation, unverified absences are noted as 'unexplained/unacceptable' and the College must follow up on continued absences which are outlined in our Student Absence Policy.
Students who maintain at least a 95% attendance record with each term, including 'acceptable' reasons, will receive a raffle ticket. Two raffle tickets will be drawn at assembly in the final week of term with two lucky winners each receiving a $10 voucher to the Snackshop! The purpose of this is to encourage attendance and reward students who notify the College.
Elevate Webinar - Time Management & Beating Procrastination
Want to know how to help your child manage their time?
Then join us on Wednesday 18th May at 7pm (AEDT) as Elevate Education hosts a free 60-minute webinar for the school community, walking you through: how to avoid fights over homework and study; strategies to ensure your child is balanced, stress free AND productive; the most common causes of procrastination and how to avoid them; what types of work the top students prioritise to get top marks.
Elevate is a global education organisation working with over 3,000 schools and 1 million students to improve their study skills and boost academic performance. You can learn more about them at www.elevatecoaching.info
Year 10 - Certificate II Active Volunteering - Featured Image of the Week
Year 10 Certificate II in Active Volunteering students visited with Ms. Ryall and the Year One class this morning to help with logging onto computers. Both Year 1 and Year 10 enjoyed spending time together and will continue to work together in the coming weeks.
Mrs Peita Parker-Browne
Secondary News
Junior Debating
This Wednesday, TMC's years 7/8 Junior Debating Team competed at Saint Stephens College against AB Paterson College. The team had the tough challenge of arguing the negative case of the proposition that 'Everyone should have to learn a second language'. After around one hour of intense debate with multiple arguments presented by both teams, TMC was declared the victor. This was a fantastic result, as it was the first time that 1st Speaker Allirah Hembling and 2nd Speaker Isaac Bailey had participated in the Gold Coast Debating Competition. Despite their inexperience, both students were brilliant in delivering thoughtful, structured arguments. 3rd Speaker Scarlett Thompson, who has several years of experience in debating, was the crucial factor in TMCs win, tipping the scales in our team's favour with excellent rebuttals and beautiful diction. The team will be competing again next Wednesday where they will argue that 'Single sex schools should be abolished'. Good Luck!
Mr David Haskins
Year 12 Leaders
At assembly on Monday, Mrs Melbourne and Mr Haskins had the honour of recognising the excellence and achievement present in the selection of student leaders of the College in 2022. The captains, prefects, sporting house captains and cultural captain received letters of congratulations from John Krause, the QLD Government Member for the Scenic Rim and certificates of excellence from Hon. Scott Buchholz MP, the Federal Member for Wright. We are proud to celebrate the efforts of our student leaders and recognise their successes so far this year.
Congratulations Kirsten Quinn, Lachlan Williams, Greg Fowlds, Patrick Boulton, Talia Criss, Zoe Close, Emily Clarke, Madelyn Graham and Tiffany Johnston.
Secondary SRC
The Student Representative Council (SRC) represents Tamborine Mountain College within the school and outside the school. An SRC leader is someone that students can talk to and will listen to others. They are someone who will lead and help others. The SRC leaders will represent the school and will act as the students' voice within the school.
I would like to thank all of the students who applied and interviewed. It was a rewarding experience getting to hear the great ideas students had and I enjoyed listening and talking to our wonderful students.
The SRC leaders for 2022 are:
Year 7 Niamh Sullivan Tia Hodder
Year 8 Jorgia Stanyer Phineas Small
Year 9 Hannah Woods Alex Kirby
Year 10 Lily Parker Ethan Hodder
Year 11 Elijah Fern Cy De Freitas
Miss Chileen Radcliffe
Art Camp June 2022
The dates for this year's Art Camp are set! June 20th and 21st! The first Monday and Tuesday on the school holidays (no sleeping over) for a 9 am start, finishing at 2.50 pm. This year TMC is excited to bring to the school international spray-paint artist Sarah Sculley https://www.sculleydesign.com/.
Students will work with Sarah to design their own artwork, cut stencils, paint and spray paint onto a canvas. Students will bring home their own 50 x 60 cm spray paint artwork.The cost is $80 per student with only 30 places on offer to all students across Years 9, 10, 11 and 12. All materials supplied. Book now, on-line in Parent Lounge
Term 3 and 4 of Year 12 can be a confusing time for students and families. In order to help alleviate this, the college will be holding an ATAR and QTAC information session open to all year 12 students, parents and guardians. The evening will cover information on how ATARs are calculated, the process of applying for university and TAFE through the QTAC system, applying for university placements in other states, External Exams and QCAA policy. The evening will run in person at the College. Year 12 parents will receive an email with a link to register interest in attending.
Mr David Haskins
Year 9 Science
Year 9 Science has had a blast looking at chemical reactions! Today we livened things up by combining Ms Radcliffe's and Mr Hadley's classes and doing Hydrogen Pop Tests. The students displayed great problem solving skills and showed that they had an excellent grasp on Chemistry. Well done, Year 9!
Miss Liz Black
Primary News
Primary Parent Meet & Mingle - Friday, May 27
Two of our Primary mums, Bodean and Nicole, are organising a 'Meet & Mingle' on Friday, May 27, up on the mountain. What a great initiative! All welcome - RSVP details on the flyer.
CyberSMART Primary Parent Workshop - Thursday, May 26, 6pm-7pm.
Next Thursday we are holding an information session and workshop for parents focused on how children interact online and helpful strategies regain control of technology at home. Open to Primary parents from all year levels, but information and examples focused to those parents in Years 4-6. Click HERE for more info and tickets. This is a parents / guardians only event.
Year 4 - Chairs on Strike!
We've had some hijinks in Year 4 today. Our chairs went on strike! They were sick of being treated so poorly.
As we are focusing on persuasive texts this term, we decided that the students had to convince us to give their chairs back. We're pleased to report that everyone was back on their favourite chair by morning tea.
Most children found 'creative' ways to do their work but they might need a warm, relaxing bath with some soothing epsom salts tonight for their weary legs.
Mrs Julie Sands
2023 Year 7 Information Evening
Moving from Year 6 to Year 7 at TMC is a smooth transition. Mrs Stevens and Mrs Garner welcome Year 6 parents to a one-hour information session about what to expect for the year ahead. The purpose of the event is provide our families with useful information and answer any questions you may have.
Year 6 students are welcome to attend with their parents. Tickets are available HERE.
With respect to COVID safety, guests must not attend the event if:
* they are a currently diagnosed with COVID-19
* had a fever, cough, sore throat, headache, distorted sense of taste, shortness of breath, chills, vomiting or any cold/flu like symptoms in the last 48 hours
While masks are not currently mandated, parents can of course wear a mask if preferred.
Primary Assembly Award Winners
Early Learning News
From the Early Learning Centre Director
The Kindy VAL class at the Early Learning Centre have had fun with indoor activities this week, one of which was a colour mixing investigation. Using a mixture of colours the children used two colours to see what new colours they could create.
Eye droppers were squeezed to collect coloured water before squeezing the coloured water onto the rice in their trays. Using paint brushes the coloured water was mixed together before everyone noticed the new colour that appeared.
What are we learning:
Basic investigation and inquiry skills
Colour recognition
Skills to manipulate different tools
Colour patterns
Listening and following direction skills
Next time Mrs Starr tells me Kindy will try this again using spray bottles!!
Kindy VIC explored colours, counting and sorting activities after listening to Goldilocks and the Three Bears Fairytale. Engaging in a sensory experience which involved trays full of oats and plastic bears that were different sizes. The children then began to count and sort the bears into their colours. Discussions to promote language and numeracy concepts could be heard among the children and educators. For example; ‘ Which coloured bowl was small, medium, big. What happened at the end of the story?’
Mrs Rachael Fernandez
Sports News
Equestrian Team by Talia Criss
The Equestrian team had a great start to the term, with Ashlee Lowe travelling down for the Sydney 3DE, she had a great experience competing and watching multiple Olympians compete. Connor Lane, Kadell Sykes and Talia Criss ventured out to Warwick for Scots PGC Show Horse and Showjumping. Connor Lane received overall champion in 1m Showjumping and 4th in the 90cm Showjumping, Talia Criss received overall champion in 110cm Showjumping and reserve champion in Senior Show Hack, and Kadell Sykes placed 3rd in Senior Show Hunter. Great to see our riders getting qualifiers for the State Championships being held in Toowoomba next month.
Community News
TM Universe
TM Universe has developed a course, in 4 sessions, about the main elements at the core of astronomy nowadays. Together with an introduction session, the five presentations will take place in consecutive months of 2022, starting on 14 May.basic understanding of the most fundamental aspects of astronomy.
The level of information is accessible for any adult will sufficient curiosity and interest in the universe, as well as for children of about 12 years and older. Formulas, large numbers and mind-blowing figures about speeds, sizes and distances have not been excluded. The focus is on understanding of essential elements in nowadays astronomy.
Sessions start with a 'light' element, including some video of research from the past, or silent films from the early 1900.
Then a quiz will take place including all topics of the upcoming presentation. This is highly interactive (using polleverywhere technology and mobile phone direct response on multiple choice questions), but can also be performed with a simple pen and paper answer form. Answers (right or wrong) are NOT shared among attendees.
Then the presentation takes place during 45-50 minutes. It includes visuals and audio where relevant.
Each session ends with a repeat of the quiz and comparison by each attendee whether or not they have more answers correct; the results show the progress made by the attendees.
Q + A may take place if time allows.
The introduction session(14 May 3-5pm, Zamia Theatre)
The sun's annual movement through the sky; what are the zenith and the analemma; the start of an art competition to create a 6 metres diameter analemmatic sun dial; sun telescopes and the foreseen purchase of one. Explanation of the use of this high quality solar telescope at weekly session on Long Road, and options for special presentations for organisations, events and, for instance, schools.
Session 1: Sun and stars (12 June 3-5pm - Zamia Theatre)
How does the sun operate? Nuclear fusion of Hydrogen leads to Helium. E = mc2, and other aspects of Einstein's relativity theories. How are stars being born? Space missions to the sun. Nature of sun spots, solar winds, sun flares. The solar cycle. Double Stars.
Session 2: The universe, galaxies and clusters (9 July 3-5pm - Zamia Theatre)
Solar system -- galaxy -- Universe. Movement through space of sun and planets; black holes, dark energy, dark matter (the general concepts). Gravitational waves, lensing, time space, gravity. Value and aspects of the recently launched James Webb Space telescope. Indigenous astronomy.
Session 3: Planets, exoplanets, Life in the Universe (14 August 3-5pm - Zamia Theatre)
Recent developments exoplanets: types, distances. Goldilock zone; search for water on moons and exoplanets. SETI. Positioning the latest space missions and telescope in this perspective. How to find exoplanets. Drake equation. Missions to asteroids. Differences between asteroids and meteors.
Session 4: Our Moon. (11 September 3-5pm - Zamia Theatre)
Birth of the moon. The Artemis mission; people going to the moon, and later to Mars. Search for water on the moon. Solar and Lunar eclipses. Watching the moon from Northern and Southern hemisphere. Observations with binoculars (and telescopes). Identify former landing sites. The moon phases and rotation of the moon. Gravity between earth and moon, tides.
On 1 October 2022 TM Universe will organise with NASA another Observe the moon events, including special presentations and life telescopes.
On 8 November 2022 TM Universe will organise an event (Tuesday evening from 7pm) to observe a full lunar eclipse, including information about photography of the moon.
