Year 9

from Annual: Trinity 2014

Roll Call

Year 9 in 2014 has been a year where the students firmly cemented themselves into the fabric of the Senior School and where the tribulations of transition into high school were put behind them and the real hard work began.

Mr Jim Shackleton Head of Year 9

A highlight of the year was without doubt, the Galilee retreat, a continuation of the work that was begun in previous years as a part of faith formation and induction into the traditions and expectations of being a Trinity College student. The students also enjoyed their first experience of contributing time to Trinity’s Christian Service program with time spent at a number of metropolitan primary schools.

Term 2 always proves to be an interesting time for Year 9 students as it is when they undertake their ballroom dancing lessons and subsequent 1950s themed social. It’s an interesting progression where we see the boys go through from Week 1, where we witness the tentative first encounters with the opposite sex in a formal dancing arrangement, to the end of Week 9 where they are confidently dancing the jive, waltz and their favourite barnyard boot scoot! To their credit, the whole year group stepped up to the challenge of learning the complicated steps of formal dancing, making the social most enjoyable, especially for the Mercedes girls who were saved from getting their feet stepped on continually! The maturity, good humour and enthusiasm displayed by our students at this event impressed many as they begin to move on from the awkward and tentative behaviour shown in Years 7 and 8, into young men of growing confidence and integrity. Academically, the students continued to strive to foster culture of academic excellence. Moving into the more difficult content in Year 9 has been a challenge that many have embraced with gusto. In both core and elective subjects, students worked hard to achieve their best, and get the most out of every opportunity presented to them. I look forward to hearing that they have built on this firm foundation in 2015 and beyond. Additionally, the Year 9 students involved in Music and Performing Arts continued to shine throughout the year at various performances.

On the sporting field, the boys continued to uphold Trinity’s reputation for fair play, teamwork and commitment when representing the College. Our Year 9s made significant contributions to the PSA athletics and swimming teams whilst many of our students formed part of very successful summer and winter sporting teams.

Special mention must be made of the boys support for Finn Allen (9.3). Finn was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in Term 3 and has been receiving treatment in hospital since then. The entire cohort has shown remarkable compassion and support to Finn throughout his absence, which truly exemplifies the ‘Men for Others’ ethos that we are striving to instil in our students.

I would particularly like to thank and recognise the efforts of Ms Susie Edwards (Term 1) and Mr Kenny Chan (’91) (Term 2) who were both fantastic in the position of Acting Head of Year 9 in my absence. The work they did was highly professional, and their dedication and thoroughness were second to none. Their subsequent appointment as permanent Heads of Year in their own right is a testament to their work.

I thank the Year 9 pastoral care group teachers, Mr Michael Slack-Smith (9.1), Ms Mary Hickey (Semester 1) and Miss Anna Greene (9.2), Ms Rachel Konsolis (Term 1) and Ms Katriese Dalgety (9.3), Mr Jean-Marc Rousset (9.4), Mr Martin Guest (9.5), Mr Glenn Christiansen (9.6) and Mr Nick Marston (Semester 1) and Mr James Dawes (9.7) and other staff for their utter professionalism, diligence and care for the boys in their charge. Their tireless contribution towards the academic and pastoral care of the students has been outstanding. I could not be more proud of how the boys continue to transform themselves, taking on new challenges, exploring their limitations and making new friends.

Finally, I wish the Class of 2015 every success next year and I look forward to hearing of their continued successes on their journey to manhood at Trinity College.

Mr Jim Shackleton Head of Year 9