Family/College Partnerships
As the College Principal, I often have the pleasure to speak at a variety of College Events at which our parents are able to attend. This can be at formal Assemblies, Information Evenings, Social events and often at various Sporting fixtures or Arts performances.
I am always humbled by the tremendous level of parental support for the College and importantly, the support provided for the boys as they participate in the many opportunities available to them. This was evident again on Thursday evening (25 February) when such a large number of Year 9 parents stood alongside their sons at the ‘Begin the Becoming’ evening, which acted as a formal launch of the Year 9 ‘Becoming Men Program’ for 2021.
On all such occasions, I tend to refer to the importance of the school and the home enjoying a positive and meaningful partnership - a partnership that promotes regular and open communication and one that is firmly centred on the care, interests and formation of each student. The essence of such an effective family/College relationship is communication and I take this occasion to focus on certain aspects of our College communications that seeks to enhance this important relationship.
SEQTA
While Trinity provides effective telephone and email systems through which family/College communications can occur, SEQTA is predominantly used as the medium where important information is being distributed. SEQTA also provides parents and students with the ability to access select aspects of the College Learning Management Platform. Essentially, this allows students and families to continually refer to current assessment schedules, weekly lesson plans and to track individual student progress in each subject or course. Specific notifications are now being sent to both students and families when assessments are marked and finalised. Similarly, pastoral, behavioural and academic notifications are shared in this same manner. All Student Academic Reports will continue to be delivered via this online platform and current performance data within respective subjects will be available. This is an area of communication that is continually expanding. I would strongly encourage all families to familiarise themselves with the various functions available in SEQTA and to regularly access the information provided. Instructions for families accessing SEQTA can be found here.
An effective and positive Family/College Partnership that promotes open communication is vital for the wellbeing and progress of each student. My clear expectation is that all Teaching Staff will keep parents informed of the progress of their son and that any concerns or important information will be communicated to parents in a timely manner. Likewise, I would ask that parents appropriately express their concerns and provide relevant information to College Staff as issues arise.
Parent Information Evenings
It was wonderful to see the large numbers of parents and students attend our recent Parent Information Evening on 15 February. These evenings are another means by which this partnership can be strengthened. Such evenings always present important information about course details, career pathways, assessments, study guidelines, student formation programs, wellbeing and student support programs and College expectations. The 2021 Parent Information Night offered parents the opportunity to choose from an array of sessions covering topics such as: Cyber Safety & Parenting, Wellbeing, Study Skills, Christian Service programs, Year cohort information and much more. This carousel-type type format allowed parents to select those sessions that they felt were most applicable to their needs and the needs of their son. Copies of the information presented from the respective Information Evenings can be accessed on the College website at https://www.trinity.wa.edu.au/parent-information-night.
Experience shows that parents are always very appreciative of the information presented and it certainly generates discussion about the importance of planning, being well researched and establishing a routine both at school and at home. Such evenings also provide details about various support mechanisms and programs that may be helpful in promoting the wellbeing of our boys. Likewise, our Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews are scheduled on either side of the holiday breaks for Term 1 and 2. Specific details about these interviews and the process for booking individual appointments will be provided in the coming weeks. Once again, important and specific information about student progress is shared on such occasions.
College Newsletter, Website and Social Media
Of course, the Weekly College Newsletter is another great source of information about College life. It provides details about important events and celebrates achievement and commitment, in its various forms, from within our community. In a similar way, the College website is regularly updated and provides a significant amount of information about the various activities happening around the College.
Social Media
The College social media channels are another great way to stay up to date with what is happening in the day-to-day life of the College. The Facebook page www.facebook.com/trinitycollegeperth also provides timely reminders of important College events. Other social media channels that the College utilises are:
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/trinityperth
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/trinityperth
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/trinity-college-perth
- YouTube: www.youtube.com/trinityperth
As previously stated, effective and timely communication is essential if positive family/College partnerships are to continue for the benefit of the students. The College will strive to continue to do well in this area and I thank families for their continued support in this regard.
Live Jesus in our hearts
Mr Darren O’Neill
Principal