I pray that you are now feeling like you have settled into the term well. My observation is that the students have quickly focused on learning, participating in the many activities in our College and striving to do their best. As I teach my own classes, I often experience just how engaged the students are and their desire to participate in the learning process. This is a credit to everyone in our community and the fantastic preparation that Term 1 provided, including our camps, extracurricular activities and pastoral care times together. I am also incredibly thankful to God for his continued guidance in our wonderful College.

In the last edition of our newsletter, I highlighted that Open Day will be next Wednesday, 10 May from 1.45pm. I am really looking forward to being a part of showcasing our College and all the opportunities it provides. More than that, Open Day gives us a great opportunity to highlight the strong relational community that we are. Please encourage your friends, Alumni and previous families to come along. We are really looking forward to hosting you!

I have also been working with Mr Adam Borgas, Head of Junior School, as we meet the many new families starting Foundation in 2024. It is an honour to spend time meeting and getting to know those existing families sending another child to HTLC or those who are joining our College for the first time. If you know anyone who may be interested in joining our Community, we would love to meet with them for a conversation and tour.

I pray that as this week concludes, God would continue to guide us throughout Term 2. I trust you will have a great weekend.

Mr James Phillips, Principal

by Charles Bertelsmeier

Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (Hebrews 11:6b).

Chapter 11 of the letter to the Hebrews provides a list of heroes of faith in the Old Testament. All these people received promises and/or directions from God and responded in a way that showed that they trusted that God would hold to his side of the bargain. However, this trust or faith in God was something that grew over time. Abraham tried to hurry God along by fathering an heir with his wife’s maid; it took Moses some time to accept his role as leader of the Israelites; Gideon asked God twice to perform miracles with a sheep’s fleece. But as they experienced God’s faithfulness, their faith in him grew and God gave them more and more responsibilities.

Our own growth in faith will be unique to us, but it begins with a seed of faith. For some, the seed will be the gift of growing up in a loving, caring family that teaches the children about God and demonstrates their trust in God by the way they live. For others, it will be someone sharing with them their own experience of God working in their life and providing an invitation to check God out for themselves. Again, for others, the seed of faith will be something they read in a book, see on social media or experience on an audiovisual screen. Sometimes it might take a crisis in our lives to get us to grab that seed of faith and call out to God for help.

God assures us that his love is for everyone and his Holy Spirit is at work in all of these situations to nurture the seed of faith so that it germinates and grows. However, God doesn’t force his intentions on us. For us to grow, we need to follow the examples of these heroes of faith and take that step forward, to follow where God is calling us to go. As we see God at work in our lives and the lives of others, our trust in God’s promises and directions will grow stronger.

Sometimes, to go forward, we need to leave things behind. Some people will find it just too hard to let go, and their growth in their relationship with their Heavenly Father will be stifled. If we have grown sufficiently in our trust in God’s love for us and are open and honest with him, we can take these struggles to him for his help, and he has promised to work with us to free us from all that distracts from our growth as his child.

Can you be open and honest with God about the things you find hard to let go of? Do you trust God’s love for you to the extent that you can tell God honestly about your struggles and ask His help? Are you sincerely seeking to know God and his plan for your life?

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me so much that you will never let go of me. Thank you for your patience with me as I struggle to be what I think you want me to be. Please help me to let go and snuggle into your loving embrace. Amen.

Mother's Day

The Junior School will celebrate Mother's Day on Friday, 12 May.

Starting the day's activities, we invite all our special mothers for a morning tea in the Junior School staffroom at 11am. Classrooms will then be open periods 3 and 4 to participate in class activities. Mothers are then invited to stay for a picnic lunch with their child/ren. The Junior Red Cross Mother's Day stall will also be in operation throughout the day, with all handmade items priced up to $5.

Mr Busbridge has invited all and any mothers to attend an open Music lesson with some Foundation students from noon until 12.30pm.

An extended lunch will be held from 12.30pm, where mothers and students will eat their picnic lunch together.

Community matters!

It is great to know that the PMP (Perceptual Motor Program) will begin again for Foundation students!  This is a great program to develop students’ fine and gross motor skills and their core strength.  

What makes me even more excited is that this will involve volunteers coming back on site to work with students! Thank you to those parents who have already volunteered! We remind all volunteers that they are required to have a Working with Children Check. Please see the administration if you would like to volunteer but are not sure of this requirement or how to obtain it.

HCPSSA athletics

Today 52 students from the Junior School represented our school at Dudley Cornell Park. I was impressed by how they were committed to giving their best effort and encouraged each other, spurring each other on to achieve.

Year 2 Sleepover

On Friday last week in the library, more than 40 very excited students came back to school at 5pm for their sleepover! This was a great experience for the students and we are so proud of every single one of them for how they were able to enjoy themselves as they felt safe and prepared for their adventure. This is not only a credit to the teachers and their planning, but also the families and students who would have positively planned towards this night too!

A big thank you to all parents who enthusiastically supported the sleepover, to Megan Silvers and Emma Ison as the Year 2 teaching team, and Mr Busbridge who came in to lead a night walk for the students!

Head of Junior School highlights of the week

This week I got to play my part in the Holy Trinity team by taking part in remaking some clips for our website. I got to work closely with our junior college captains, Hylton, Stella, Jemma, and Jack. I got to work alongside Matt Polack, our ‘Media Man’; Cassandra Dalgleish, our Promotions and Communications Manager; and scriptwriter and teacher Jacqui North!  Thanks to all of our team involved, I had a ball! I will let you know when the website reflects our updates so that you can have a look!

Blessings on your week,

Adam Borgas, Head of Junior School

HTLC Open Day and Year 7 Information Evening

The HTLC Open Day and Year 7 Information Evening will be held on Wednesday 10 May from 1.45pm to 7pm. The day will be structured into three sessions.

Session 1: 1.45pm-3.15pm – Classroom Tours

Families are invited to tour HTLC. Tours of the Junior, Middle and Senior schools will take place every half hour (1.45pm, 2.15pm and 2.45pm). The meeting point for all tours will be the marquee, which will be located in front of the office administration block (front of the school).

Session 2: 3.30pm-6pm – Middle School Self-Guided Tour

Families are invited to take the self-guided tour through the Middle School to view facilities and participate in interactive activities and challenges, collect a hot coffee or sausage in bread and meet some of the wonderful staff of HTLC along the way. The self-guided tour will conclude at the MPC where families can find out important information about the special programs on offer to students of HTLC, including:

• Genesis Accelerated Learning Program
• The Hub
• BYOD
• VCE/Voc Major Pathways and Options
• Sports Program
• Specialist Sporting Programs (WestVic Academy of Sport, Athlete Development and Specialist Coaching opportunities)
• Human Powered Vehicle
• Instrumental Music Program
• Pastoral Care

Session 3: 6pm-7pm – 2024 Year 7 Information Evening

This information session will be delivered face-to-face to families in our Multi-Purpose Centre. This session will give information on the following:

• Middle School philosophy of teaching and learning
• Genesis Accelerated Learning Program (Numeracy and Literacy)
• Curriculum and differentiated learning
• Scholarships
• West Vic Sports Academy and Athlete Development Program sporting opportunities
• Pastoral Care programs and needs of the adolescent learner
• extra-curricular opportunities
• camps and excursions

HTLC Open Day – Student Volunteers

In previous years, one of the biggest advantages of the Open Day has been having student volunteers assist with the multitude of hands-on activities offered on the day. Information notes were emailed and sent home to families last week. If students are able to assist, they are encouraged to return the permission slips ASAP.

Uniform

Students are reminded that they are to be in winter uniform from next week onwards. If students cannot be in uniform, then a written note or email needs to be provided to staff.

Mr Jason Przibilla, Head of Middle School

Specialist Sport Program

This week, our athletes engaged in their second RAD Centre session. Occurring monthly, staff from the Ballarat centre travel to Horsham to work with our students on their fitness and S and C programs with the aim of helping them to improve their performance in their chosen area of sport.

Work Placement

Each week Mr Bandel, our Applied Learning Coordinator, visits some of our VET students either during their training or whilst they are completing their work placement. It is great to see our students engaging in their vocational pathways and learning the relevance and application of the skills they learn within the workforce.

Uniform

All students should now be wearing their winter uniforms. Replacement items may be purchased from the Uniform Shop.

Study Centre

The Study Centre is open for students to complete independent study from 3.30pm to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday.

Attendance

VCE students are reminded of the importance of the procedure for approved absences. As classroom work increasingly focuses on preparation for assessment and SACs, students should also contact relevant class teachers to notify them of a planned absence. Guidelines for attendance are outlined in the VCE Policies and Procedures document as forwarded to parents earlier in the year.

Important Senior School Dates

Cambodia trip (Years 10-12): Friday, 30 June to Saturday, 8 July

General Achievement Test (VCE Unit 3 & 4 students): Thursday, 15 June

VCE written examinations: Tuesday, 24 October to Wednesday, 15 November

VTAC applications open: Monday, 31 July

Unit 3&4 trial exams: Monday, 25 September to Friday, 29 September (second week of holidays)

Last Day Year 12: Breakfast and final chapel: Monday, 16 October

Year 12 Valedictory dinner and worship service: Friday, 17 November

Mrs Sally Kuchel, Head of Senior School

State Swimmer from HTLC

On Friday last week, one of our Year 6 students, Poppy White, competed in the School Sport Victoria State Swimming Championships! We are so proud of Poppy for making the ‘states’ and know the experience has been great for her. It is exciting to know that we have some very gifted athletes indeed among us!

Cross Country

This Wednesday, 10 May, 36 HTLC students from 10 to 13 years of age will represent our school at the HCPSSA Cross Country. Well done to those top six finishers at our Cross Country on Friday last week who won the right to represent our school.  This year the event will be at the Horsham Racecourse, as groundworks are in progress at Horsham City Oval, from 10am.

We have been asked to have two HTLC parents assist with marshalling on the day. If you can help out, please contact the office and they will pass on your name to Mr Borgas. All students who are representing on the day have been sent an Operoo excursion form to fill out. Please check the inbox that you have your school correspondence sent to and return ASAP!

Mr Adam Borgas, Head of Junior School

We have had a very busy, and successful start to Term 2 within the Secondary School Sport Program. 

State Swimming

At the end of last week, four students from HTLC travelled to Melbourne to compete in the School Sport Victoria State Swimming Championships. Jacob M competed in a host of individual events and swam very well, recording a number of personal best times throughout the day. Unfortunately, it was a very competitive year for swimmers, with the winning times being between five and ten seconds faster than the previous years. This saw Jacob miss out on individual medals by a few seconds in each race.

Our relay team of Edward J, Chase B, Matthew E and Jacob M performed incredibly well, with the boys all putting in a great effort. Although they narrowly missed out on the first two places, they earned a spot on the podium, finishing comfortably in third place. Congratulations to all the students involved in the day.

Intermediate Girls Football - Miss Cashin

The girls did an awesome job of firing from the get-go. We had a few early goals to help us in setting up our first win in our first-round game against Marian College A. Special mention to Amaya W for some lovely goals from full forward and great drive and carry of the ball from Jaya M. Our midfield, consisting of Prue H, Lexie H, Regan B and Rhianna W, dominated in the second game against Marian College B, which once again resulted in a fantastic victory. In our final game, we started off well and were leading Horsham College at the half-time break. Unfortunately, we were not able to secure the win but the girls did an amazing job all day and showed some real talent. 

Junior Girls Football - Mr Pickering

On Monday the HTLC Years 7 and 8 girls relished the opportunity to play AFL against neighbouring schools at the Horsham City Oval. In glorious conditions, the girls played really well to comfortably account for St Brigid's College after an even first half, before matching up on Horsham College's B Team, which was a bit of a practice match due to the having some unavailabilities. 

Horsham College's A team had just a little too much class in what effectively was the final, but our girls can hold their heads up high that their tackling pressure and "never give up" attitude meant it had to keep working hard to earn its win.

All in all it was another tremendous day of girls footy, with the spirit, energy and positive attitude the HTLC's girls brought a real credit to them! Best players on the day were Ilze vZ, Hannah G, Elita S, Adelyn P and Amelia F. All of these girls led from the front all day, putting their bodies on the line to fly in the air or be at the bottom of most packs. Great work girls!

Intermediate Boys Netball - Miss Cashin

The intermediate boys netball team came out very strong against St Brigid's and was able to secure an early lead in the first half of our round one game. The boys continued to hold this lead and ended up winning comfortably. In our second and third games against Stawell and Warracknabeal respectively the boys showed great skill and speed to dominate over the whole court and come home with two easy wins. Special mention to our sharp-shooter Xavier S, our speedy centre Tadgh M and our spring-loaded goal defence Jude B for great performances throughout the day. The boys will now progress to the regional finals on 24 May.

Intermediate and Senior Volleyball

On Wednesday, 24 students represented HTLC as part of three teams at the Greater Western Region Volleyball Finals. The teams needed to win a number of matches to progress through to the state finals, a feat that we haven’t seen at HTLC for a couple of years now.

The Senior Boys started off the day with a commanding and convincing win against Edenhope. Their second match was against Ballarat High School, who were perhaps the strongest and most consistent opposition on the day. After a slow start, the boys got into gear and were able to win the first set. However, an inconsistent start to the second set meant they found themselves trailing 12-17. They were able to fight back to make the score 17-17, but went on to lose the set 18-20. The third set was again a back-and-forth affair, with the teams aiming to be the first to 15 to claim the win. Despite pushing Ballarat to 12-12, the consistency of their serves made the difference, and they were able to win 12-15. The boys defeated Brauer College in their third and final game to claim second place at the regional finals, which is still a great result.

The Senior Girls played both of their games with an energy and enthusiasm unmatched by any team in the competition. Despite having some challenges throughout both matches when receiving the ball, the girls stayed positive and played excellent team volleyball, securing 2-sets-to-0 wins in both of their matches, and earning a place in the state finals later in the month.

The Intermediate Boys also worked hard throughout their matches, playing consistently throughout the day and earning comfortable victories over their two opponents to progress to the state finals. Congratulations to all our volleyball teams for their hard work and commitment over the course of the year so far.

COMING EVENTS

May

11 - Black Ranges Division cross country

17 - State intermediate boys volleyball

18 - Black Ranges Division senior AFL and netball

19 - State senior girls volleyball

20 - AHPVSS round two: Mount Gambier

22 - Black Ranges Division track and field

24 - Greater Western Region intermediate boys netball

25 - Black Ranges Division intermediate AFL and netball

29 - Greater Western Region cross country

30 - Black Ranges Division Years 7 and 8 AFL and netball

Mr Matthew McLoughlin, Secondary Sports Coordinator

At the very heart of everything that we do here at HTLC is a desire to see our students and their families experience the love of God. There are many different things that we do in the life of our school to reflect this including our Christian studies lessons, chapels and devotions and our informal conversations and interactions which are guided by Jesus' love and teaching.

We are incredibly honoured to have a chance to play a part in your child's faith journey but we also recognise that you as parents will always be the greatest role models and teachers for your children in their faith lives. Sometimes having some resources to help guide spiritual practices is helpful to make it easier to focus and keep things fresh and engaging.

There is an incredible range of resources available for families through Grow Ministries, which is the Ministry of the Lutheran Church of Australia dedicated to serving Children, Youth and Families Ministry. They have developed a range of different resources to equip families with interesting tools and activities that can be used by children, teenagers and families.

Take the opportunity to look at their website, you might find some resources that can help you find ways to engage with your family to learn more about Jesus and his word and faith in life. Some of their resources are free of charge, some have a cost associated.

Obviously there are also countless other resources available to help guide family faith discussions and practices. Jacob's Well bookstore in Roberts Avenue also has a big selection of devotionals and resources that can be used by families.

However you choose to approach journeying with your children in their relationship with Jesus, we pray you will be richly and deeply blessed. 

From time to time Holy Trinity Lutheran College understands it may be necessary to administer medication during school hours, or while on excursions in order to keep them safe.

If it is necessary to administer medication to a student it is our policy at Holy Trinity Lutheran College that:

- Prescription medication will only be administered where a student’s parent/carer has provided written permission to the College, and where written instructions have been provided from the prescribing doctor stating the medication, dosage and time to be administered. This can include paracetamol/ibuprofen and antihistamines provided it meets the above.

It is the parent/carer’s responsibility to notify the College of all medical conditions and medication requirements and to ensure that this information is kept up to date.

Please read the full letter to parents and carers about the administration of medication here.

Bookclub brochures (Issue #3) have been distributed. All orders should be placed by Tuesday, 9 May.

Cheques should be made payable to Scholastic Australia. Credit card payments may also be made using the online system, the LOOP (if you are having trouble finding our school when registering, please use the postcode 3402).

By indicating ‘gift’ on your online order, the books will be kept at school for you to pick up if you do not want your child to see your purchase.

For more information, please contact Jaci Gabbé.                     

There are a number of items building up in lost property. If your child is missing anything, please check in the lost property at Reception.

Please also ensure your child's items are labelled appropriately so anything found can be returned quickly.

We’re excited to announce that on Wednesday, 10 May, Elevate Education will host its first free webinar of the term for parents. 

Elevate Education works with our students, delivering high impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series you will learn how you can help better support your children at home through reinforcing the skills they learn at school: 

How to Help Get (& Keep) Your Child Motivated

Here’s what Elevate will cover on the night: 

 What impact does praise and reassurance have on your child’s motivation? 

 What are the best type of goals to be setting with your child?  

 How can you help your child create meaningful and lasting motivation? 

Click here to register for free