Welcome to our new friends

Life does not stand still.

There are always changes.

Some of our TTP Members are at the start of a big change in their lives.  Tomorrow we welcome new people to TTP.

We all remember when we were like them and just finished school.  For some of us, it is a distant memory. 

Finishing school is a BIG change.

We all remember what it was like when we first finished school.  You miss your friends, but then you find them again and you can be friends as adults.  Some people from school we don't miss and we don't want to see again (unless of course they turn over a new leaf and become mature adults).

Some people are happy to leave school.  They feel free.   Some people are very sad.  Here at TTP we don't know how our new people will feel. 

We think that our new Members might feel scared.  Nervous.  Excited.  Anxious.  We will welcome them and do all we can to make them feel comfortable. 

We know what it feels like to be new.  When we first started at TTP we were new.  Now they are the new people.  We can teach them what we learnt, which is acceptance, tolerance and respect.

Here at The Tertiary PLACE, we're all in this together.  We hope you enjoy your time here.

The case of the missing tape measure

Have you ever had one of those days where you can't find what you're looking for?

We've had a week like that!

Our tape measure disappeared and could not be found.

We couldn't find it on Monday.

We couldn't find it on Tuesday.

We didn't even look on Wednesday because it was Australia Day and we were too busy celebrating.

We couldn't find it on Thursday.

We were going to give up on Friday.

Then the most amazing thing happened.  We all worked together as a team.

We looked high and low.  Far and wide.  Up and down. 

Vinnie looked.  Lily looked.  Crystal-Lee looked.  Sandra looked.

We couldn't find the little black tape measure ANYWHERE!!

There seemed little hope for our long lost tape measure.  How would we ever be able to measure again?  It was a tragic situation. 

The hero of our story started looking everywhere the tape measure shouldn't be.  He looked in the staffroom and in the art room and then finally .... the craft room.  There in plain view was the tape measure.  Who thought to look there?  Who is the tape measure hero?  Who is the finder of all things lost?  MICHAEL!!!!! 

Three cheers for Michael.  We know who we'll call next time something goes missing.

New year, new beginnings

2011 sure sarted with some drama.  The floods that affected Queensland upset us all.  We're glad to be safe and we'll do all we can to help people. 

Here are some of our thoughts about the floods.

"We need to save people's lives.  We raise money for donating.  We phoned people to check if they were okay."

"A man was in a boat and the boat sunk.  The man had to be rescued.  I saw it on the news."

"It really upset me and really upset everyone.  I saw people scrambling up onto rooptops to keep their feet and their stuff dry."

"The community got lots of volunteers.  Some people from Sydney came up to help too.  I feel happy because I know there are people out there who are willing to help me out."

"The flood was a natural disaster that flooded completely some houses."

"When I watched the floods, I felt that the weather wasn't fair on people.  It was like the wrath of the weather.  I thought about the farmers.  Some of them got hit twice."

"Some people drowned.  It is terrible for their families."

"The flood might be over for us but down south it is really copping some flooding.  They will need our help as well when the time comes.  It's the least we can do."

"I was really sorry.  It breaks my heart.  I saw it on TV.  It was really bad.  It was an emergency.  We needed the fire trucks, ambulance and police."

Now we have to clean up and take care of each other.  We can do that by helping our neighbours and our community.

Let's be kind and take care of each other.
Nathan, Nathan, Kelly, Ashley, Crystal-Lee, Vincent, Richard

What a wonderful world it would be!

The Tertiary PLACE is helping to Spread the Word to End the Word_™ (http://www.r-word.org/ ).  We are excited to join the on-going campaign to stop the use of the word ‘retard(ed)’ or as we call it, the “r-word.” 

We invite people everywhere to join us as we work to create a community of acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual impairments by educating AGAINST the use of the r-word.

You can show your support in a number of ways:

1.     On our Facebook page, “like” us; “share” our status updates with your friends; or, “suggest” that your friends might ‘like’ our page

2.     Print and display the attached poster

3.     Talk to your network about not using the r-word, or

4.     Pledge to personally stop using the word and sign our Pledge Book at the Post-School Expo in March.

This is an important campaign and we hope that you can join us as we work to change the conversation.