our college: middle years

Beyond the Classroom

Off-campus education provides opportunities for students to build resilience, strengthen relationships with their peers and better understand their connection with the natural environment. All year groups in the Middle Years go on camp where the focus is on the personal growth of the students who work individually and in teams over time spent in the outdoors. Research shows that building traits like perseverance, grit, problem-solving, social skills play an enormous role in academic and personal success.

LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

At Trinity Lutheran College student leadership is developed through Years 6 to 12 with focused responsibility in Years 9 and 12. Leadership skills are developed in various ways through academic and social/emotional learning and co-curricular activities. Key to our program are relationships, personal development and the skills necessary to form and maintain teams. Teamwork is fundamental to the 21st century workplace, and we encourage our students to embrace this co-operative team approach with enthusiasm.

We have School Captain and House Captain positions in Year 9. Specific portfolios for House Captains in Years 9 include:

Christian Life

Academic

Citizenship

Environment

Sport

Trinity also has a Middle Years Student Representative Council comprised of elected students from Years 6 to 9. This provides a forum for students to discuss issues raised by students and to organise a range of service activities including fundraising. All members have the opportunity to gain skills in a variety of areas including formal meeting procedure, teamwork, delegation and the development of student leadership, and communication and organisational skills.

PASTORAL CARE

Transitioning to the Ashmore Road campus is an exciting but sometimes also overwhelming stage of the Trinity journey as students move from the familiarity of primary school to the less familiar environment of the middle/senior school. Our Middle Years provides a safe and nurturing environment for our Years 6 to 9 students and is a warm and friendly environment where each student’s needs can be fully and carefully met. We promote student wellbeing and pastoral care programs, and we focus on service learning which is “learning by doing.” Chapel services led by students, staff and the college pastors take place each week and focus on a service learning or pastoral care aspect of living together in a Christian environment.

OUR WELLBEING PROGRAMS

Peer Support Australia: Our Year 6s have Year 10 buddies who act as mentors for them. They meet formally every week.

Our Year 7 Big Life Journal Program: Aimed at developing resilience and a growth mindset to face life’s challenges with confidence.

The Year 9 Rite Journey Program: A year-long program designed to support the development of self-aware, responsible and resilient adults. It reinvents the traditional process of a Rite of Passage to assist in transforming adolescents from dependency to responsibility.

Purpose-built Well being HUB housing the College Councillor, College Pastor, Career Guidance Councillor, Head of Pastoral Care and Yoga studio where yoga and mindfulness sessions are run daily.

Wellness Week and R U OK? Day

PERMA+ Model: A research backed model of wellness and resilience, PERMA+ is Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment. In addition to these five, the PLUS adds Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sleep and Optimism.

PASTORAL CARE

Trinity has a Restorative Practices philosophy, in keeping with our Lutheran approach to education and relational management. This philosophy provides Trinity students with the opportunity to develop self-discipline and positive behaviours in a caring, supportive environment with quality relationships between all members of the school community – parent, students and staff alike – being the number one focus. We strive to make each girl and boy at Trinity Lutheran College feel safe, secure and valued.

RESTORATIVE PRACTICE

Trinity is committed to the process of Restorative Practice for Behaviour Management (Relational Management) and all staff are trained in its use. The Restorative Practices philosophy, which is in keeping with our Lutheran approach to education and relational management, provides Trinity students with the opportunity to develop self-discipline and positive behaviours in a caring, supportive environment. Seeing children begin to take ownership for their behaviour, support one another and develop their emotional literacy is evidence of the effectiveness of this approach.

PASTORAL CARE

Trinity has a Restorative Practices philosophy, in keeping with our Lutheran approach to education and relational management. This philosophy provides Trinity students with the opportunity to develop self-discipline and positive behaviours in a caring, supportive environment with quality relationships between all members of the school community – parent, students and staff alike – being the number one focus. We strive to make each girl and boy at Trinity Lutheran College feel safe, secure and valued.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Our outdoor education program is an integral part of our curriculum and provides our students with challenging and engaging activities that teach them valuable life skills. Year 6 to 9 Camps

 

In Year 6, students travel to Canberra NSW for 5 days to explore the nation’s capital and learn more about our government. In Year 7 students have a three-night cabin-based stay at Camp Goodenough, Bilambil NSW where they engage in a program of games and initiatives.

 

In Year 8 the travel to Camp Kokoda at Maroon QLD for a three-night tent-based camp. During this time they engage in a range of outdoor activities camping at a ne w location within the camp property each night.

 

This is extended in Year 9 when they return to Camp Kokoda and experience a more ‘expedition’ based camp program where they will hike through sections of Mt Barney National Park and the surrounding area.