NEW STUDENT HANDBOOK 2025
Brock and Carter Williamson with their mum Courtney on the first day of school 2024.
Contacting the
Student
Absentee Notifications
Late to School
Leaving for Appointments
Family Holidays
Change of Contact or Family Arrangements
Contacting your Child at School End of Day Pickup
Student Lockers
Mobile
Canteen
IMPORTANT DATES
2024
College Reception Closes
TERM 1 2025
Collection of Booklist Items
Thursday 19 December 2024 at 12pm
From Monday 6 January 2025
Booklist items are to be collected from Blanes Newsagency, 164 Murray Street, Colac.
College Reception Re-opens
Students Commence
Distribution of College Computers
Thursday 23 January 2025
Thursday 30 January 2025 (to arrive by 8.45am)
Wednesday 29 January 2025 (Years 8-10)
Parents and carers of Years 11 and 12 students will be notified when the computer is ready for collection.
Year 7-10 Swimming Trials
Commencement Mass
Year 12 Parent Information Evening
Year 8-11 Parent Information Video
House Swimming Carnival
College Photo Day
Year 10 Camp
Year 8 Camp
Ash Wednesday
Year 11 Retreat
Year 12 Retreat
Labour Day Public Holiday
House Athletics Carnival
Monday 10 February 2025
Tuesday 11 February 2025
Wednesday 12 February 2025
Friday 14 February 2025
Friday 21 February 2025
Tuesday 25 February 2025
Monday 3 March to Friday 7 March 2025
Monday 17 March to Wednesday 19 March 2025
Wednesday 5 March 2025
Wednesday 5 March to Friday 7 March 2025
Wednesday 5 March to Friday 7 March 2025
Monday 10 March 2025
Tuesday 1 April 2025
Term 1 Concludes Thursday 4 April 2025 at 2.30pm
TERM 1 2025
Year 7 and 10 Immunisations
Tuesday 20 May 2025 (TBC)
A comprehensive list of dates for the full year will be published in the new year and families will receive a copy of the 2025 Trinity College calendar at the start of Term 1. The school calendar can also be accessed through PAM and important dates are also published in the College Newsletter.
ENROLMENT CHECKLIST
We have provided a brief checklist below to help families keep track of action items and forms to be returned to assist in your child’s transition to Trinity College Colac. Please do not hesitate to contact the College if you have any questions about the process.
We require the following forms:
Booklists to College Reception Tuesday 10 December 2024 After this date to be given to Blanes Newsagency
Optional forms to return:
Contract Bus Travel Forms Immediately Forms have been emailed to parents/carers and must be returned to the Bus Coordinator at Colac Secondary College if you require your child to travel on a School Contract Bus.
Music Tuition Enrolment Form As soon as possible
Financial Related Forms:
Fee statements will be emailed to families after students commence. The following forms can be obtained from the office, if needed:
Direct Debit Forms
Camps Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) Form (for eligible families)
Conveyance Allowance Form (for eligible families)
Please action the following prior to commencement:
Families will be issued with an email to create a login for their Parent Access Module (PAM) account when student is enrolled. Refer to the PAM page on the College website or the Year 7 2025 section under Enrolments.
Complete Medical Profile on PAM Prior to commencement
Complete Parent and Carer Consents in Connect Prior to commencement
COLLEGE INFORMATION
CONTACTING THE COLLEGE
Address 119 Hart Street, Colac, 3250
Office Hours 8.00am – 4.30pm
Contact Numbers
Reception – 03 5233 9200
Absentee – 03 5233 9299
STUDENT ABSENCES, LEAVE AND APPOINTMENTS
admin@tcc.vic.edu.au principal@tcc.vic.edu.au absences@tcc.vic.edu.au
Website www.tcc.vic.edu.au
We expect students to attend school on all calendered school days, including special events such as religious, cultural and sporting days. Students are also expected to be at school by 8.45am.
ABSENTEE NOTIFICATIONS
If a student is to be absent, parents/carers are asked to notify the College by 10:00am on the morning of the absence. Please contact the College through one of the following options:
• College Absentee Hotline 03 5233 9299
• Email absences@tcc.vic.edu.au
• Parent Notified Absences on PAM
If a student does not attend their Homeroom and contact has not been made to advise their absence, an SMS will be sent to their parent/carer.
LATE TO SCHOOL
We expect students to be at school by 8:45am. If your child is late to school, they must sign in at Student Reception upon their arrival.
LEAVING FOR APPOINTMENTS
If there is a need for a student to leave the College during school hours, a written request, phone call or PAM notification must be received from the student’s parents/carers at College Reception. Students will be permitted to leave once the parent/carer collecting them is sighted.
It is the responsibility of the student to leave class and sign out at Student Reception. If returning after the appointment, the student must sign back in at Student Reception upon their return. Please note that staff are unable to use the PA system to contact students during class time.
FAMILY HOLIDAYS
If the occasion arises, which necessitates family holidays being taken during school time, parents/carers are expected to notify the College office as early as possible. The College discourages holidays during term time. Families with students at VCE level should avoid taking students out of school during term time. Students are expected to contact their teachers regarding assessment tasks when absent from school.
CHANGE OF CONTACT OR FAMILY ARRANGEMENTS
The College must be notified of any changes of address, family arrangements, phone numbers, work details, emergency contacts or emergency phone numbers, and be provided with any relevant court orders as soon as possible. This is critical for correspondence and in the case of an emergency. Updates should be reported to enrolments@tcc.vic.edu.au or by phoning our Enrolment Officers on 03 5233 9255.
CONTACTING YOUR CHILD DURING SCHOOL HOURS
If you need to contact your child during the school day, please contact College Reception. Urgent messages will be communicated to students on your behalf. Alternatively, you are welcome to come to Reception and personally request to communicate with your child. If a student needs to contact their parents/carers throughout the day, they too must do so through College Reception.
END OF DAY PICKUP
For the safety of students, staff, and families, we ask that when picking students up from school, families should please follow these procedures:
• Collect students from the pick-up point in the Gleeson car park (access via Hart Street).
• Follow traffic direction signage when entering and exiting the College car parks.
• Refrain from blocking the Hart Street footpaths or parking in ‘no parking’ zones.
• Ensure students use designated road crossings should they need to cross the road.
STUDENT LOCKERS
The College makes a locker available to each student to ensure the safekeeping of belongings. Students who have forgotten the locker combination may gain entry to their lockers by reporting to their Year Level Coordinator.
Students who damage lockers are responsible for the cost of replacement or repair.
Lockers are the property of the College and the College reserves the right to open and inspect the lockers assigned to the student.
MOBILE DEVICES
No mobile phone, smart watches, portable electronic and communication devices or their attachments may be used or sighted at any time during the school day. Should devices or their attachments be sighted after the first bell or before the last bell of the day, disciplinary measures will be implemented. Trinity College will accept no responsibility for the loss, damage or theft of any such device.
CANTEEN
The College Canteen is open during both breaks and provides lunch, drinks and snacks. Lunch orders should be placed before school begins, but no later than the end of Homeroom. It is preferred that correct money is placed with the order. EFTPOS facilities are also available but mobile phones cannot be used to pay after 8:45am. Students are reminded to put their name and class on their order.
A current Canteen price list can be viewed on the College website under Campus Facilities and will be published in the Newsletter at the beginning of each year.
COLLEGE FEES
Fees are set each year as an annual amount to cover all compulsory charges. They cover a variety of items such as tuition, subject levies, building interest, camps and excursions, competitions, and annual magazines.
Fees do not include the cost of optional extra-curricular offerings or for travel on the Apollo Bay Bus. Families are expected to support the College and to assist with this by making fee payments on a regular basis.
The fees for 2025 available on the College website under Enrolments. If parents and carers have any concerns regarding payments they are encouraged to make contact with the Business Manager for a confidential discussion.
COMMUNICATIONS
DAILY MESSAGES
A message bulletin, Daily Messages, is published for students each morning on our College intranet, SIMON. These notices are also communicated during homeroom.
Daily Messages can also be seen by parents/carers via the Parent Access Module (PAM) that is integrated with SIMON.
NEWSLETTERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
An electronic newsletter is our main form of communication with our College community and is integral in communicating with families about events, procedures and relevant arrangements. A link to access the latest newsletter is emailed to all families, students and staff members each fortnight.
Trinity College Colac has pages on both Facebook and Instagram (search for Trinity College Colac). We use these channels to share student achievements and they should not be relied on as a source of information for upcoming events.
Our 2025 Year 7 families can also keep in touch with each other and ask questions about activities via our Parents and Carers Facebook Group. Look out for the email with the link, or search Facebook for TCC Class of 2030 Parents & Carers and request to join.
CORRESPONDENCE TO FAMILIES
The College generally uses email to notify parents about student activities and College events. Copies of general correspondence sent to families can be found in the Parent Access Module. For instructions on how to find this, please refer to PAM Instructions on the College website.
Please note that emails are sent to families from our College administrator jbarake@tcc.vic.edu.au so that you can respond to notifications and we can address your queries promptly.
STUDENT DIGEST
The Student Digest is an email sent out every two to three weeks that provides a snapshot of key learning information to keep parents updated on student progress. Included is a summary of student attendance, learning area tasks that are complete or overdue (including results for assessments), a summary of excursions (both recent and pending), a list of commendations received throughout the digest period, and any pastoral or academic incidents that have been resolved throughout the school day.
The Digest provides opportunity for families to take time to discuss student progress, encourages celebration of successes and addresses areas for growth. Parents are encouraged to log into their PAM account for more detailed information on their child’s progress throughout the semester.
CONTACTING STAFF
Trinity College staff are asked to respond to phone messages and emails within three working days. Please note however, that staff are not expected to respond outside of their normal working hours.
If a problem or issue arises that is directly related to a particular subject, an email or phone call directly to the teacher involved is recommended as the most appropriate first course of action. If the matter is not sufficiently resolved after making contact with the teacher involved, contacting the relevant Year Level Coordinator, Learning Community Leader or a member of the College Leadership Team is recommended.
For student wellbeing matters, a phone call or email to the Homeroom Mentor or Year Level Coordinator is recommended. Alternatively, a phone call or email to a member of the Wellbeing Team could also be considered.
For more serious concerns, contact is always welcomed by any member of the Leadership Team, including the Principal and Deputy Principal.
If, at any time, you are unsure of who to contact, please phone College Reception who will direct you to the appropriate member of staff.
As a general rule, staff emails use the following format: first initial followed by surname @tcc.vic.edu.au (i.e. sbrown@tcc.vic.edu.au).
UNIFORM
Students are expected to wear the correct school uniform when travelling between home and school, in class and on other occasions as required. When wearing the College uniform, students must ensure their uniform is neat and correct, whether on or off campus. When attending school excursions, students must wear full and correct school uniform, unless otherwise directed by the staff member in charge of the activity.
All items of uniform are sold from Borne Apparel and will carry the school logo, including the compulsory Trinity College backpack. It is compulsory that all students wear these correctly monogrammed items.
Mixing of normal and sport uniform is not permitted. The sport uniform is only to be worn on days the student has sport as part of their timetable.
All items of the uniform should be clearly and permanently marked with the student’s name.
More information regarding uniform requirements and expectations can be found on the College website.
Borne Apparel
216 Murray Street, Colac
Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm
Saturday 9:00am-1:00pm
UNIFORM FOR BOYS
UNIFORM FOR GIRLS
SPORT UNIFORM FOR BOYS & GIRLS
KEY CONTACTS
At Trinity, we have a long history of providing education to the Colact Otway area and are committed to building positive and meaningful relationships with our families. We value the support of our students’ parents and carers as together we embark on developing our young people into being the best they can be and urge you to contact the College if you have any concerns or queries. We are here to help!
STUDENT WELLBEING
MS RACHEL MCGENNISKEN DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
MRS NATALIE HOLT DIRECTOR OF WELLBEING
MR PAUL CLOHESY PRINCIPAL
MR MATTHEW RATHGEBER HEAD OF STUDENTS
MS PAIGE TURNER PSYCHOLOGIST
MISS SARAH GREEN COUNSELLOR
MS ELLIE METCALFE SOCIAL WORKER
MS DEBBIE MCINTYRE WELLBEING INTAKE OFFICER
MRS ANNIE GEORGE LEARNING DIVERSITY LEADER
MR JULIAN SHAW TRANSITION COORDINATOR
MR DANIEL RODWAY DIRECTOR CATHOLIC IDENTITY
MR DAVID TESTA BUSINESS MANAGER
STUDENT LEARNING
MRS KATE GEARY DIRECTOR OF LEARNING YEARS 7-9
MS VANESSA CONNOLLY YEAR LEVEL COORDINATOR YEAR 7
MRS GRACE O’CONNOR YEAR LEVEL COORDINATOR YEAR 9
MS LOUISE VAN DUGTEREN YEAR LEVEL COORDINATOR YEAR 11
MRS COURTNEY WILLIAMSON LEARNING COMMUNITY LEADER YEAR 7
MRS JENNIFER COLBRON LEARNING COMMUNITY LEADER YEAR 9
MRS JADE ELBOROUGH YEAR LEVEL COORDINATOR YEAR 12
MRS KAREN HART DIRECTOR OF LEARNING YEARS 10-12
MRS VICKI DAMBO YEAR LEVEL COORDINATOR YEAR 8
MS SARAH BORCH YEAR LEVEL COORDINATOR YEAR 10
MR NATHAN BEAUMONT LEARNING COMMUNITY LEADER VCE
MRS SHANI GILL LEARNING COMMUNITY LEADER YEAR 8
CAROLINE GRIST LEARNING COMMUNITY LEADER YEAR 10
MRS PAM SCOTT LEARNING COMMUNITY LEADER VOCATIONAL MAJOR
MRS
LEARNING
SUBJECTS AND CLASSES
Year 7 at Trinity is about building a solid foundation for the years ahead. Students study core subjects in their Homeroom groups over both semesters, allowing for a smoother transition from their primary school environment.
HOME STUDY
We place value on homework to develop a routine for students to form positive study habits and to check the understanding of concepts previously taught.
Year 7 to Year 9
• 30 minutes per week in Maths, English, Humanities and Science
Year 10
• 1 hour per week in all subjects except RE and HPE
Year 11
• 1 hour per week in all subjects
Year 12
• 2-3 hours per week per subject
CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE YEARS 7-12
Core Subjects Rotation Subjects
Religious Education Art
English Performing Arts
Health & Physical Education Visual Communication & Design
Humanities Music
Languages: Indonesian Engineering & Computing
Mathematics Food
Science
Textiles Wood
Trinity College celebrates learning success and fosters a culture that values academic achievement.
To support these values, Trinity College has a Culture of Excellence program to promote student excellence across a broad range of academic pursuits. This program encourages student participation in a range of academic activities and competitions and will create enrichment opportunities for extending the learning success of high achieving students.
ACADEMIC CHALLENGE AND ENRICHMENT (ACE)
In 2025, Trinity is developing a new Year 7 program called Academic Challenge and Enrichment (ACE). The ACE program aims to extend and enrich the learning opportunities for high academic ability students in Year 7.
Students who participate in the ACE program will have the chance to work with like-minded peers on problem solving challenges, other enrichment opportunities and compete in a wide range of academic competitions across the year.
The ACE program targets high academic ability students who sit in the top 10 per cent of students in the state. Students will be identified based on a variety of data sources collected early in Year 7, including the PAT and AGAT data.
STRETCH
– YEAR 8
Students in Year 8 have the opportunity to extend their learning through our STRETCH (Striving To Reach Excellence Through Challenge) program.
STRETCH invites those who demonstrate consistently high effort and confidence in Numeracy and Literacy to pursue personal excellence within a supportive and challenging environment.
The STRETCH program offers several benefits, including:
• Fostering positive learning relationships with like-minded peers.
• Building a growth mindset alongside a culture of effort and excellence.
• Completing all Year 8 core subjects together in a cohort.
• Providing a differentiated program to challenge and extend learning.
STRETCH places are offered during Term 4 of each year.
RESOURCE CENTRE
The Resource Centre is a vibrant, flexible and multi-functional modern educational space designed to foster student learning. It is a supportive, positive and welcoming place for learning, reading, studying, recreation, and IT support. The Centre also houses 3D printers, media production rooms, robotics table, senior study room and various meeting rooms. The Resource Centre is open from 8.00am to 5.00pm every school day.
In the Resource Centre, students will find a variety of learning, reading and recreation resources, including:
• ClickView and TV4Education video services.
• Wheelers audiobooks and ebooks.
• A large collection of contemporary novels, magazines, newspapers, graphic novels, manga and non-fiction books.
• Help books with study guides for VCE subjects.
• A variety of recreational activities available during breaks including chess, Rubik’s cubes, card games, board games, art, origami, quizzes, puzzles and regular competitions and events.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
At Trinity, our learning culture of high expectations ensures that every student has the right to learn and every teacher has the right to teach.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
Students have a right to:
• Be treated with compassion, respect and fairness.
• Feel included and safe, free from ridicule, harassment and harm.
• Quality teaching of the appropriate curriculum.
• Learn and play without interference from others.
• Guidance, help and support when required.
Students have a responsibility to:
• Be fully informed about the behaviour expectations of Trinity College.
• Try their best.
• Respect the rights of other students.
• Be cooperative and respectful towards all staff.
• Take proper care of all school resources and facilities.
• Arrive at all classes with learning materials and a filled drink bottle.
• Uphold the proud image of Trinity College.
Student rules:
• Respectfully follow instructions of all staff
• Take ownership of behaviour and learning.
• Adhere to the school uniform and dress codes.
• Not talk when the teacher is talking.
• Remain in class unless given permission to leave.
• Respect the property of the school and other students.
• No use of mobile phones and accessories throughout the school day.
FAMILY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Parents and carers have a right to:
• Expect that their child will be educated in a safe and inclusive environment and be treated with compassion respect and fairness.
• Receive accurate, timely and constructive feedback about their child’s learning.
Parents and carers have a responsibility to:
• Ensure their child attends school every day and is on time.
• Support Trinity College in student having no use of mobile phones and accessories throughout the school day.
• Ensure their child adheres to the school uniform and dress codes.
• Show an active interest in their child’s schooling and progress.
• Initiate and maintain regular and respectful communication with school staff regarding their child’s learning, engagement and wellbeing.
• Display and model positive behaviours and values towards education.
• Agree to and support Trinity College’s Engagement Framework.
BEHAVIOURS FOR LEARNING
At Trinity our Behaviours for Learning program ensures that our classrooms are calm spaces and places of learning and where the high expectations of our students are met. Each of the junior classrooms engage in behaviours that are proven to improve student engagement, leading to improved outcomes within the curriculum.
The five pillars of our Behaviours for Learning program at Trinity are:
Line up
Students line up prior to every lesson. There will be a dedicated point where the students stand (a circle marked on the carpet) and arrows pointing in the direction the students are to line up.
Have equipment and be prepared for learning
Students have the responsibility of ensuring they have the required equipment for the lesson. This ensures that learning can start immediately.
Seating plan
A seating plan ensures that the classroom is a place where students feel safe, supported and most importantly they can learn in a calm space.
Exit lanyards
In place of the classroom teacher signing a diary for a student to exit the classroom, there will be colour coded lanyards for scenarios on exiting the classroom.
Departure expectations
All students exit the classroom at the end of each lesson. This is the “reset” time for a brief toilet break, a drink of water. Each class will then line up in preparation for the next lesson.
CHILD SAFETY
All students at our College have a right to feel safe and be safe. The wellbeing of children in our care will always be our first priority and we have zero tolerance to child abuse. We aim to create a child safe and child friendly environment where our students are free to enjoy life to its fullest without any concern for their safety.
Please refer to our website for further details of our policies and procedures regarding child safety.
STUDENT IMMUNISATIONS
Colac Otway Shire will be visiting Trinity College in Term 2 2025, to assist in the continuation of your child’s immunisation program.
Information regarding the immunisation program will be emailed to parents and carers in Term 2, 2025.
Should you have any queries about the Immunisation Program, please contact Mrs Barbara Paine at the Colac Otway Shire on 03 5232 9429.
TRAVELLING TO SCHOOL
Trinity College provides Catholic education to families across the greater Colac-Otway region and there are multiple options available for travelling to school.
COUNTRY BUSES
Families living outside of the Colac township can apply for access to the state-run Contract Bus Services. If you have questions about bus routes to your family home, we recommend contacting the Bus Coordinator at Colac Secondary College on 03 5231 9800.
WALKING
Students who reside near the College may be able to walk to school. There are school crossing supervisors at locations around the College to ensure safe access.
CYCLING
Students are encouraged to cycle to school and are required to use the Hearn Street bike entrance, store their bike in the bike area and lock it. The school does not accept any responsibility for the loss or damage to any bicycle or scooter. Cyclists are required to show courtesy to others and are not permitted to ride their bike or scooter through the College grounds. Students are reminded of the road laws which apply to cyclists and the requirement to wear a helmet.
DRIVING
Families wishing to drive their children to school can make use of the dedicated drop off bays located in the College car park to ensure student safety.
If parents/carers arrange to drop off or pick up students in other areas, it is essential that all students use the designated crossing areas when crossing Pound Road or Hart Street.
TOWN BUSES
Christians Bus Company run several school bus routes throughout the township of Colac. If you reside in town, we recommend contacting Christians to confirm the best route, times and ticketing options on 03 5231 2203.
APOLLO
BAY BUS SERVICES
Trinity College currently runs a private bus service from and to Apollo Bay. If your child is travelling from this area, please contact College Reception for an application form.
Please note that families may be able to apply for the Conveyance Allowance for our Apollo Bay bus service to assist with a portion of the transport costs.
Apollo Bus Annual Fares 2025
(GST inclusive)
CONVEYANCE ALLOWANCE
Some families may be eligible to make a Conveyance Allowance claim to contribute towards transport costs for their child/ren to travel to and from school. The allowance may be available to students travelling more than 4.8km to and from Trinity College by public transport or private transport, and whose nearest non-government school is not serviced by a free school bus program, such as the country buses arranged through the Regional Bus Coordinator at Colac Secondary College.
Typically at Trinity College, parents who have children on our Apollo Bay bus, drive their children more than 4.8km to access a school bus, or have children travelling on the Warrion Workers Bus may be eligible to apply for the Conveyance Allowance.
For details, conditions, and eligibility requirements, please visit https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/conveyanceallowance/policy, or contact College Reception on 03 5233 9200.
COLAC TOWN BUS SERVICES
Christians Bus Company run several school bus routes throughout the township of Colac. If you reside in town, we recommend contacting Christians to confirm the best route, times and ticketing options on 03 5231 2203. Students with a half or full year pass are also able to access the public bus routes (not pictured below).
CONTRACT BUS SERVICES (COUNTRY BUSES)
Country bus runs for Colac schools are organised through the Bus Coordinator at Colac Secondary College. If your child needs to travel to school via bus, please contact Kerrie O’Connor on 03 5231 9800 and she will be able to assist you with the best travel route from and to your home. Please note that these buses are provided for students to travel from and to their residential address only. Other arrangements will need to be made for a student to attend employment, social events, sport or alternative care (i.e. visiting grandparents).
A Bus Travel Application Form will need to be completed and returned to:
Kerrie O’Connor
Colac Secondary School PO Box 42
COLAC VIC 3250
Highways
Warrowie (Beeac) East
Birregurra Deans Marsh
Winchelsea
Transport maps are provided as a guide only. Routes, stops and timetables are subject to change by operators. Please contact the relevant bus providers for more detailed routes and timetable information.
Barongarook
Barwon Downs
Burtons Lookout
Carlisle River Forrest Gellibrand
Irrewillipe Six Mile Dam Yeodene West
Bungador Hawks Nest Swan Marsh