5 April 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

As we celebrate 40 Years of 'Shaping the Future of our Community', it is with great excitement we announce that Partek Construction & Interiors has been successful in winning the tender and is working in conjunction with Edge Architects, on our new Senior (Faulkner) Centre.

On Thursday, 14 March, we celebrated 'Turning of the Soil' 40 years on, with updated terminology and in colour as well!

This contemporary Building is designed to cater for a record demand for student places, and the evolution of our facilities into contemporary learning environments beyond that of just a classroom facility. We believe that it will support the functions required for senior secondary students and young adult learning.

The design will facilitate dynamic, contemporary and future focused teaching and learning, which meets the needs of every student is developmentally appropriate and promotes the curiosity of the learner.

Some of the Key Features include: a small café to facilitate a welcoming atmosphere, business subjects, fundraising activities, a large balcony/outdoor area, classrooms that open and combine for presentations, assemblies and functions.

Please watch the video below of the construction of our Senior Secondary building.

Report Collection Night

First Term reports will be available for collection on Wednesday, 8 April. These first reports of the year are a great opportunity for parents to discuss and re-establish goals with their children for the remaining year. Students over the term have been developing new relationships, identifying and conquering new challenges and I’m reminded that the journey to achieving this year’s goals requires reflection and focus. Creating responses to the challenges along the way is an important part of learning itself, and a core part of our collective work as educators both at home and school.

End of Term

We finish the term with a number of celebrations. I offer my congratulations to all students for the way they have taken up the challenges of the new year, in particular, the staff, students and families involved in our first Year 7 cohort. There are many wonderful examples of students and staff displaying a tremendous spirit in all areas of College life. Upon reflection I believe this term could be characterised as one in which the students have responded to our call to establish and maintain continuous, upward cycles of improvement. As any young person catches the ‘bug’ of self-reflection and a commitment to life-long learning, it inspires all of us.

Term holidays

Best wishes to all of our students, families and staff over the holiday period. Our last day of term is Friday, 12 April and school will finish at 3:15pm. Enjoy the well-deserved vacation and the extra time this allows you to be with those you love. We look forward to the students returning for the commencement of Term 2 on Tuesday, 30 April.

Andrew Balkwill
Principal

TMC Athletics Carnival 2019

On Friday, 15 March, Thomas More College held its annual Athletics Carnival. We were treated to perfect weather conditions and both students and staff enjoyed the carnival atmosphere, the excitement and fun the day provides.

The Spirit Cup, which is awarded to the team that best displays our College values of respect, integrity, service, persistence, connection and striving, is always a tightly contested award however, it was Travers who were the winners this year.

An individual award is also awarded to a member of each House Team that has best participated and supported in the overall Spirit of the day. The winners of the Spirit medallions were:

Travers: Chol Maper
Hosking: Taylor Nguyen
McLuskey: Sophie Cela
McDonald: Alora Olive

Age group champions were awarded to students that had accumulated the most points in a maximum of 7 individual events. The Individual Age Group Winners for 2019 were:

Age Group Champions:

U/13 Female Champion: Aaliyah Hourigan (Travers)
U/13 Male Champion: Damian Korzyniewski (McLuskey)
U/14 Female Champion: Senglyn Set (Hosking)
U/14 Male Champion: Tyson Erneo (Hosking)
U/15 Female Champion: Sally Cucuk (McLuskey)
U/15 Male Champion: Leigh Kennaway (Travers)
U/16 Female Champion: Nikia Whittingham (Hosking)
U/16 Male Champion: Sabit Maper (Travers)
U/21 Female Champion: Grace Jobson (McDonald)
U/21 Male Champion: Jaxson Bullen (McDonald)

Results were very close for most of the day, however it was Travers who came away with the coveted win. Congratulations to the Travers House Leaders, Dr Soar and Miss Brown, and the entire Travers house on their victory.

The Overall Team Placing’s:

Thank you to all students and staff for their support and enthusiastic involvement on the day.

Megan Elliott
Sports Day Coordinator

More Food for Others

Continuing the now 3-year tradition, a group of 13 enthusiastic senior students and almost as many staff gathered together in the Home Economics kitchens after school on Tuesday, 19 March to produce some nutritious food for Fred’s Van. Students and staff enjoyed chopping, frying, boiling and baking together to produce the Vegetable Pasta Bakes.

This opportunity for staff and students to work collaboratively while giving up their time for those in need, always creates a great atmosphere in the kitchen. The local St Vincent de Paul Society, who operate Fred’s Van in Salisbury, eagerly received the Pasta Bakes and look forward to sharing it with their clients at the regular Sunday evening gathering.

During this time of Lent, the Food for Others activity provides a chance for students to live the teachings of Jesus by helping those in need and giving hope.

Dianne Dearden
Home Economics teacher

Year 10 Outdoor Education: Canoeing

Resource Centre News

The Resource Centre is a vibrant hub in the College this year especially with the introduction of Year 7s. The excitement and enthusiasm of the students coming into the Resource Centre and looking for a book to read is exciting to see. Our graphic novel collection has been one of the most popular amongst the students.

The Resource Centre provides another space for Year 7s to learn and offers a quiet area for students to read. Showing students books that interest them is another way to encourage students to read more. They dig into a new book which they started to read in the Resource Centre and end up not being able to put it down until they finish. More reading, and reading books they choose, create better learners.

There is usually a queue of Year 7s waiting outside the door at lunch time hoping to find a great read that they can enjoy on one of the comfortable beanbags, chairs or reading nooks during their lunch break.

The novels and series that are most popular with the Year 7s are:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
J. K Rowling – Harry Potter
Diary of a Minecraft zombie
Natuto (graphic novel)
Baruto (graphic novel)

The Premier’s Reading Challenge has also been popular with students in Year 7. As part of their English lessons, each student is encouraged to join the Challenge through their Independent reading lesson. The main aim of the Challenge is to encourage students to read more books and enjoy reading.

Our aim is for the Resource Centre to continue to be an efficient, friendly, welcoming place occupying a central place within the College.

Frances Kranendonk
Resource Centre Coordinator

Uniform Shop News

UNIFORM SHOP OPENING HOURS

Mondays: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Thursdays: 8:00am - 10:00am
Fridays: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
First Saturday of Every Month: 10:00am - 12:00pm

The Uniform shop will not be open during the holidays but will be open on Monday 29 April (Pupil Free Day) 9:30am-4:00pm and Tuesday 30 April 8:00am-10:00am.

Coming Events

Healthy Eating…Healthy Lifestyles

Thomas More College supports the Rite Bite Strategies introduced for South Australian Schools as well as an overall healthy approach to living and lifestyle. This is an initiative we encourage all of our community to take up, not just our students. The College would like to invite staff, students and parents to contribute recipes which meet these guidelines, as displayed on our website, for our newsletter so that we can all benefit from our collective knowledge and resources. Please enjoy the following recipes.

Mediterranean Lamb Shoulder Roast with Lemon, Olives and White Wine

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1.8kg lamb shoulder roast (bone in)
2 brown onions, peeled, sliced
4 sprigs rosemary
1¾ cups (375ml) chicken stock
½ cup (125ml) white wine
6 anchovies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained
1 lemon, juiced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lemon, extra, thinly sliced
1 cup (160g) drained Sicilian olives
2 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
½ cup (125ml) thickened cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice, extra
Steamed broccolini, to serve

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Season the lamb. Cook for 5 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate.

Place the onion, in a single layer, in the base of a large roasting pan. Top with 2 sprigs of rosemary and then the lamb. Make slashes in the top of the lamb. Place 1 cup (250ml) of the stock in a jug. Stir in the wine, anchovies, capers, lemon juice and half the garlic. Season. Pour over the lamb. Top lamb with lemon slices and remaining rosemary sprigs. Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast for 3½ hours or until lamb shreds easily with a fork, adding the olives in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 1 min. Add the beans, cream and remaining stock. Cook for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the extra lemon juice. Using a stick blender, blend the beans until smooth. Season.

Shred the lamb and serve with baked potatoes and brussel sprouts. Spoon over the sauce.

Lemon and Herb Baked Potatoes

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS

12 medium Red Rascal potatoes, peeled, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon rind
⅓ cup lemon juice
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan-forced. Place potato, oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, thyme and rosemary in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Bake, turning occasionally, for 1 hour or until golden and tender. Serve.

Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnut and Bacon Crumble

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

500g packet frozen brussels sprouts
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 middle bacon rashers, trimmed, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
⅓ cup dry-roasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
60g feta, crumbled

Method

Preheat grill on high.

Cook brussels sprouts following packet directions. Drain. Cool slightly. Cut in half. Arrange sprouts in a 5 cup-capacity ovenproof dish.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook bacon for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl. Cool. Add hazelnuts and fetta to bacon mixture. Mix well. Crumble mixture over brussels sprouts.

Place under grill. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden. Serve.