What’s going on at LTC?

• Year 12 Breakfast & Final Assembly

• Charbela’s House

• LitLinks Creative Writing Achievement

• Design and Graphics Projects

• ACT Public Schools Photo of the Week

• 2025 school year Equity Fund now open

• Parent Portal app – Sentral for Parents

• ACT public school term dates

• Get on board with MyWay+ – don’t forget to tap on and off

• Year 12 Chromebook Returns

• Information for Year 12 School Leavers

• Leaving our school – your responsibilities

• Online Safety – Parent and Carer Webinars and On-Demand Videos

• Explore Stories in THRIVE: Online Magazine

• Youth InterACT Grants now open

• Restart a Heart Day 2024

• Free Period Products Available at ACT Schools

• Explore Student Support @ College Life

• Gratitude to Woolworths Tuggeranong: Weekly Fruit Donations

• Cricket and Basketball Coaching Opportunities for Students

• Become a Homestay Host

• Science Mentors ACT

• Get on board with MyWay+ – don’t forget to tap on and off

• Learner Driver First Aid Program

• Menslink – Supporting Young Men in Canberra

• Parentline ACT

• Blog information

Year 12 Breakfast & Final Assembly

The Year 12 Breakfast and Final Assembly celebrated the Class of 2024 in style. Staff added a fun twist with a surprise dance and some unexpected guests, creating lasting memories for our graduating students.

Charbela’s House

Year 12 student Charbela has inspired a meaningful addition to our community. Her father, a local builder, recently completed Charbela’s House – a disability housing project designed with accessibility and independence in mind.

These purpose-built villas cater to a range of support needs, reflecting the dedication of Charbela’s family to creating inclusive living spaces. It’s a wonderful example of how personal experiences can lead to impactful change.

We are proud to celebrate Charbela and her family for their contribution to the community.

LitLinks Creative Writing Achievement

Congratulations to Year 12 student Hannah Luff for winning the Judges’ Choice Award in the 2024 LitLinks Creative Writing Competition!

Read her award-winning piece, An Eye for an Eye, here: LitLinks Winning Entries.

Design and Graphics Projects

Check out the incredible work from our Design and Graphics students! 🎨📐
From tackling important topics like mental health and eSafety to exploring their own passions, students have created innovative, thoughtful solutions guided by design briefs. These projects highlight their creativity and dedication, and we’re proud to celebrate their talent.

ACT Public Schools Photo of the Week

We’re thrilled to have been featured as the ACT Public Schools Photo of the Week for Week 7!

The spotlight was on our students performing their hip hop routine, Daydream, on stage at the 40th Anniversary Youth Dance Festival. It’s wonderful to see their creativity and hard work recognised in this way.

LTC Class of 2014 Reunion

The LTC Class of 2014 marked their 10-year reunion with a fantastic catch-up, reconnecting and reminiscing about their time at college. 🌟

Parent Portal app – Sentral for Parents

The Parent Portal app – Sentral for Parents – is now available across all ACT public schools.

Download the free app from the App Store or Google Play Store.Users will need an ACT Digital Account to register for the Parent Portal platform and mobile app.

Find out more about Parent Portal on the Education Directorate website.

ACT public school term dates

The ACT public school term dates for 2026-2030, including student-free days, are now available on the Education Directorate’s website.

Each year, the first day of every term is a student-free day. We use student-free days for staff development, enabling us to plan in a student-free environment.

Use these dates when planning your future holidays.

2025 school year Equity Fund now open

To ease the pressure of back-to-school costs, eligible Canberra families can apply now for 2025 Future of Education Equity Fund payments.

The Equity Fund supports eligible low-income families and independent students from preschool through year 12 with a one-off, annual payment to help cover the costs associated with schooling such as uniforms, sport equipment and activities, tuition and music lessons.

The 2025 school year payments for eligible families are $400 (preschool), $500 (primary school), and $750 (high school and college).

Payments of completed applications will begin earlier than previous years, with the first payments to families expected from 6 January 2025.

Families will have until the end of November 2025 to apply for the Fund. Check your eligibility and find more information about supporting documents on the Equity Fund webpage.

Get on board with MyWay+ – don’t forget to tap on and off

Once set up with MyWay+ students can simply tap or scan their preferred payment method onboard buses or light rail:

· MyWay+ card (physical travel card available at MyWay+ retail outlets).

· MyWay+ pass (digital ticket available within the MyWay+ app)

· Printed ticket (purchased through your MyWay+ account or at a ticket vending machine)

· Mastercard or Visa (physical card or digital card stored on your smart phone or watch)

Student fares on school days are $1.22 per trip ($4.80 cap on a weekday) and you must show your student ID to the driver or customer service officer if asked.

Make sure you use the same payment method each time to register for student fares.

To find out more about student travel, timetables and fares visit: www.transport.act.gov.au

Year 12 Chromebook Returns

As the school year winds down, it’s time for Year 12 students to return their Chromebooks and chargers.

• Devices in good condition will be passed on to other students.
• Damaged devices will have their licenses retrieved and will be disposed of responsibly.
• Remember, keeping the device will render it locked and unusable.

Let’s recycle responsibly and make every device count! #ChromebookReturn #RecycleTech #EveryDeviceCounts

Information for Year 12 School Leavers

Information about leaving school

The Services Australia website has some great information to support you finishing secondary school, whether you are interested in working, doing an apprenticeship or traineeship, or doing further study.

Need help to continue studying?

Discover the main payments available: Youth Allowance for students and apprentices and ABSTUDY. Learn about other types of financial help that are available from government, on the Study Assist website.

Medicare benefits

If you haven’t already, you need to add a bank account to your Medicare account to get Medicare benefits. You need to do this whether you have your own Medicare card or choose to stay on your parents’ card. Find out more at getting Medicare benefits.

Helpful resources

The School Leavers Information Kit (SLIK) has been updated and explains Centrelink payments and how to get started with myGov. As you make your next move, the SLIK can help you uncover all the education, training, and employment options available to you.

Leaving our school – your responsibilities

You may choose to unenrol your child or young person from our school for a number of reasons, including to:

· enrol at a different public school, Catholic school or Independent school in the ACT

· register for home education

· move to other education destinations or a school outside of the ACT.

If you plan to leave, you must let us know which school or education destination your child or young person will be enrolled at next. From 1 January 2025 this will be part of the Education Act 2004 and a legal requirement.

Before you leave, please follow these steps.

· Advise us in writing. Please let us know:

o your child’s name

o your child’s year level and teacher’s name

o your child’s last day at our school

o which school or education destination your child will be enrolled at.

· Return any school or ACT Education Directorate property, including Chromebooks, library books, instruments you hire, etc.

· Consider donating your school uniforms to our uniform shop.

If you have any questions, please contact the Front Office.

Online Safety – Parent and Carer Webinars and On-Demand Videos

In Term 4, the Online Safety Education team delivered a live webinar for P-12 parents and carers – From AI to Age Verification: Essential Online Safety Updates.

This webinar covered the latest trends and practical advice for keeping children and young people safe online, with new insights into online safety as we head into the summer holidays.

In addition to the live webinar, recorded sessions from Semester 1 and a series of short videos on emerging online safety issues and resources are available to support families year-round.

Explore Stories in THRIVE: Online Magazine

THRIVE: Online Magazine features short stories by our talented LTC students. 📖
Explore their work here: https://shorturl.at/9bfoM.

Youth InterACT Grants now open

Grants of up to $2,000 are available to individuals, groups and schools to host an activity to celebrate Youth Week (10 – 20 April 2025).

Former projects have included:

• theatre projects
• creative festivals
• art installations
• wellness and sports sessions.

Don’t miss this opportunity to share ideas and celebrate our young people’s achievements. For more information and to apply online, visit Youth InterACT Grants. Applications close at 3:00 pm on Tuesday 28 January 2025.

Restart a Heart Day 2024

Following on from Restart a Heart Day, the ACT Ambulance Service want to remind the community what to do in the event of a cardiac arrest.

A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, at any time, at any age and with 80% of cardiac arrests happening out-of-hospital, it is important to be prepared and confident to act, until a paramedic arrives.

Everyone is encouraged to start the discussion early, in school or at home. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training in schools is endorsed by the World Health Organisation, which recommends the best age to learn is from 12 years old. Even young children can learn how to recognise an emergency and how to call an ambulance.

For more information, visit:

• St John Ambulance ACT where you can learn CPR
• The Council of Ambulance Authorities on Restart a Heart Day information
• ACT Emergency Services Agency for more information on Call. Push. Shock and how to Be Emergency Ready.

Free Period Products Available at ACT Schools

All ACT public schools are stocked with free period products so students can access them no matter their circumstances. This is part of the ACT Government’s commitment to ensuring students feel comfortable and confident within our schools.

Free period products are available at our school’s front office. Students can access them at any time by talking to our helpful front office staff.

Sanitary pads are available from the front offices of primary schools, while pads and tampons are available at the front offices of high schools and colleges.

Because menstruation is a fact of life, we believe free access to period products should be too.

fTo learn more about this equity initiative and other places where free period products are available, please visit: https://www.act.gov.au/community/women/free-period-products

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Explore Student Support @ College Life

Hey LTC Students! 

Student Support @ College Life: Check out the site for valuable resources and support. 

https://sites.google.com/…/studentsupportcollegelife/home

Gratitude to Woolworths Tuggeranong: Weekly Fruit Donations

Once again a huge THANK YOU to the team at Woolworths Tuggeranong who have generously agreed to donate two boxes of fruit, every week again this year. The fruit is made available for all students at our College Life help desk 🍎😀

Cricket and Basketball Coaching Opportunities for Students

Become a Homestay Host

Are you interested in broadening your family’s cultural experiences and forming lifelong friendships?

The ACT Education Directorate is seeking Homestay hosts for international students planning to study at an ACT public high school or college.

By becoming a Homestay host, you’ll not only provide a room and meals, but you’ll also welcome a young person into your family and support their growth as they gain new perspectives, confidence, English fluency, and academic and essential life skills.

International students participating in the Homestay program are aged 16 years or above. If you have the time to support a student’s social wellbeing and academic endeavours, and have an interest in other cultures, we would love to hear from you.

A weekly payment will be provided to help cover the costs of living expenses.

Find out more at bit.ly/HomestayCanberra or email ieu@act.gov.au, or call 02 6205 9194.

Science Mentors ACT

Learner Driver First Aid Program

Learner drivers who have held their learner licence for at least three months are encouraged to complete an approved learner driver first aid course. The ACT Government’s Learner Driver First Aid Program provides basic lifesaving first aid skills for learner drivers to assist people if they are involved in or come across a motor vehicle crash. Participants can claim 5 hours credit towards their required driving hours. More information can be found on the ACT Government City Services’ Learner and provisional driver safety webpage.

The webpage also provides information about the Safer Driver Course and the Vulnerable Road User Program which provide additional optional training for learner drivers to understand and develop safe driving behaviours and to safely share the road with other users. Completion of these courses can also count towards required driving hours for eligible learner drivers.

Menslink – Supporting Young Men in Canberra

Menslink has provided free counselling to young guys throughout the Canberra region for 20+ years.

If your young guy is having a hard time, is anxious, uncertain or fearful of his future and could really use someone to talk to, get in touch!

Our wait times are relatively low so we’re ready to help when your young guy needs it.

We provide a welcoming and supportive environment for young guys to share their concerns and worries and we provide tips and strategies to get them through those tough times that many of them are facing right now.

Menslink Counselling sessions are completely confidential and are available to any young guy aged 10-25. There are no fees or charges, and no limits to the number of sessions. You don’t need a mental health plan and we are available during school terms and school holidays.

Do you think your young guy would really benefit from a counselling session? If so, have a chat with them and head to www.menslink.org.au, hit the ‘Get Help’ button, fill in the form and we’ll get back to you, generally the same or next business day.

If you need more info on how to have that chat with them, just email admin@menslink.org.au or call 6287 2226 and we will send you some information.

Parentline ACT

Parentline ACT offers free and confidential telephone counseling for parents and carers in the Australian Capital Territory. This service provides guidance and assistance on various parenting issues, ensuring you have the support you need with no appointment necessary. Parentline ACT is open on Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. For support, call (02) 6287 3833.

Blog information

Do you have a positive story to share about our students, alumni, staff, or the wider college community?

We’re excited to showcase stories, photos, and artworks on our blog.

Please send your submissions to scott.montoyaval@ed.act.edu.au