A/Head of Campus - Adrian Hooper

Welcome to the 2025 school year. We’ve have had a great start to the academic year that for teaching staff commenced a week earlier than for students.

Learning in our Valley.  Thinking Beyond the Hills.

On our student free days in January, Secondary teaching staff were in engaged in sessions addressing the four priorities of our RSC Annual Implementation Plan; Leading curriculum implementation, differentiating teaching and learning, strengthening the building of our expert teaching team, and the implementation of effective pedagogical practices. I thank the Secondary staff for their engagement as we embrace our culture of continuous improvement and strive to raise educational outcomes for the students of our college.

Administration Roles 2025

2025 will see the Secondary Administration team continue in the roles established midway through 2024. 

Ms. Sharyn Crookes is Deputy Principal of Year 7 and 8. Working in her team this year is Ms. Tara O’Brien, Head of Student Support and Wellbeing for Year 7 and 8, Year 7 Dean of Students, Mr. Nick Buttenshaw and Year 8 Dean of Students, Ms. Alex Macri.

Ms. Ashleigh Batterham is continuing as acting Deputy Principal of Year 9 and 10. Working with her is Ms. Nicole Neill, Head of Student Support and Wellbeing for Year 9 and 10, as well as Year 9 Dean of Students, Ms. Kylie Child and Year 10 Dean of Students, Ms. Sam Parkinson.

Finally, commencing this week we welcome back to the Administration team Mr. Greg Bayldon as acting Deputy Principal of Year 11 and 12. Assisting Mr Bayldon will be Head of Senior Schooling and Pathways, Mr. Matt Crosby, and continuing with their cohorts from last year, Year 11 Dean of Students, Mr. Lynton McKay and Year 12 Dean of Students, Ms. Cassie Roads.

I am again acting Head of the Secondary campus while Mr. Andrejic is acting Principal at Woree SHS.  Prior to Mr. Greg Bayldon being appointed behind me as the acting Deputy Principal of Year 11 and 12, I would like to thank Ms. Joy Murgatroyd, Deputy Principal of Teaching and Learning who was also overseeing the Year 11 and 12s for the first five weeks of the school year. While Mr. Bayldon is acting up, Ms. Cassie Roads will take on the acting Head of Department Humanities role while maintaining her Year 12 Dean role.

Bus Etiquette

Parents of students travelling on the morning & afternoon 190 bus to school may have already received a letter from the bus company Kinetic concerning behaviour on the school buses. I would appreciate the support of Parents of students catching this bus if they could have a conversation with their children to remind them of appropriate etiquette & behaviour on school buses.

As you would know the bus company have a right to enforce temporary bans for students engaged in unacceptable behaviour and we hope this can be addressed before it requires this level of intervention.

Expectations of the Senior School

Speaking of the Senior School (of which Ms. Murgatroyd will provided an update further on in our newsletter) it would be remiss of me not to mention this exciting time for both Year 11 and 12 students. Year 11 students have just commenced their post-compulsory Senior Phase of Learning and Year 12s, their last year of high school. It is timely that we remind all Year 11 and 12 students of the expectations of the Senior School:

Actively participate in the academic program;

Attend school between 8:45am and 2:55pm daily as per your timetable and maintain an attendance rate of at least 90%;

Have less than 10% unacceptable/unexplained reasons for lateness to school;

Attend all timetabled lessons, unless absent due to a medical or other reasonable circumstance verified by parent/carer;

Have no incidents of truancy;

Comply with the Redlynch State College Student Code of Conduct;

Complete required course work and assessment for each subject;

Submit all drafts and assessment items by the required due dates;

Attend all scheduled exams;

If relevant, attend all work placement requirements according to your timetable.

Can I also remind parents of Year 11 and 12 students that those students driving private vehicles to school need to both complete the Students Driving to School form and to ensure they are parking in the top carpark designated for student parking. This aids the free flow of traffic in the afternoons and ensures that there are plenty of carparks out the front for parents collecting students in the afternoon.

Shortly, Year 11 and 12 students not participating in CISSA sport who have both registered with the QCAA My QCE student portal, completed their Academic Integrity Course (AIC) and returned a parental signed pink Form B will be permitted to flex-off on P4 Wednesday afternoons.  In the meantime, non-CISSA students are to attend Wednesday P4 tutorial classes while we encourage them to complete the requirements and return the form. We will inform parents and students when P4 Wednesday flex-off will commence.

Enjoy the following updates from the Secondary DPs.  I look forward to working with all parents of Secondary students this year.

DP Senior Schooling & Teaching & Learning – Joy Murgatroyd

Welcome to 2025 and thank you all for ensuring your child has commenced the year with the correct uniform and tools for learning. I have been visiting Year 11 classrooms over the last two weeks to check that students have a laptop and are using them. A laptop is a vital piece of equipment for students and most subjects are using them to complete assessment. If your family is experiencing difficulties in supplying a laptop, please contact me to see what support we can arrange.

 Whilst the Year 11s are about to head into assessment time, the Year 12s are currently finishing their assessment for each subject – check in with them and see how they are travelling. All students have been sent their assessment calendars and parents have access via QParents.

Subject changes

All applications for subject changes have now been finalised for Years 11 and 12. Year 11 students will have the opportunity to reflect upon their subject choices once Unit 1 is completed. We will advise students of the process they need to undertake if they plan on making a request for a change at that time.

Senior Induction

Our Student Leader Induction ceremony was held on Tuesday 11 February. All our elected student leaders and year 12 students received their badges for 2025 and our Year 11 and 12 students are to be congratulated on how they conducted themselves.  Holding the ceremony in the new Multipurpose Hall was a success and we look forward to future events being held there.

NAPLAN

Our Year 7 and 9 students will be undertaking NAPLAN from Wednesday 12 March (Week 7).  Students who sit NAPLAN undertake 4 tests which will be held during scheduled lesson time and I will be emailing the test schedule to parents by the end of the week.  Students will need to bring their laptop and headphones to the test lessons as NAPLAN is administered online for Years 7 and 9.  If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please email me.

Just a reminder - I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Year 11 & 12 for the last several weeks but will hand over to Mr. Greg Bayldon.

Any concerns that parents have, your first port of call should be the Year Level Dean:

Mr Lynton McKay             (Year 11)              lmcka57@eq.edu.au

Ms Cassie Roads               (Year 12)              cjroa0@eq.edu.au

DP Middle Secondary (9/10) - Ashleigh Batterham

Helmets

It has been great to see so many students choosing to travel to and from school using their bike, e-bike or e-scooter. However, there has been an increase in the number of students not wearing their helmets correctly, or not wearing a helmet at all.

In Queensland, it’s a legal requirement to wear a helmet when riding a bike, an e-bike or an e-scooter. This rule applies to all riders, regardless of age, on both public roads and paths. Helmets are designed to protect your head from serious injury in the event of an accident. No matter your skill, accidents can happen to anyone. The stop, drop, go areas can get very crowded with cars and pedestrians, which puts riders at more risk. Please ensure your child has a helmet when travelling via bike, e-bike or e-scooter and that they know how to correctly wear it. Failing to wear a helmet can also result in a fine.

How to wear a helmet:

Helmets must sit on the top of your head; not hanging off the handlebars, hanging off your wrist, in your bag or forgotten at home.

Helmets also need to be clipped up tightly; not loosely done up or unclipped completely.

Note: Students are not legally required to wear a helmet when using human-powered scooters, however it is still a good idea.

For more questions about the legal requirements, visit:

Bike Safety: https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/wheeled-devices/bicycle

Scooter Safety:  https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/wheeled-devices/skateboards

Any concerns that parents have, your first port of call should be the Year Level Dean:

Ms Kylie Child                    (Year 9)                kchil17@eq.edu.au

Ms Sam Parkinson           (Year 10)              smpar2@eq.edu.au

DP - Junior Secondary (7/8) - Sharyn Crookes

As Deputy Principal of both Year 7 and 8 this year, I am very pleased to say that we have had a fantastic start to the year. Along with Ms. Tara O’Brien (Head of Student Support & Wellbeing), Mr. Nick Buttenshaw (Dean of Year 7) and Ms. Alex Macri (Dean of Year 8) we welcome all students in the Junior School and hope you have a great year.

It is wonderful to know both year levels, having interviewed all of the incoming 7’s as well as working with our year 8’s when they were new to high school last year.

What’s happening?

CAMP

This year with the 7’s we are trialling holding the camp earlier and we head off to Tully in Week 8 March 19 – 21. Students who do not attend camp will have modified curriculum lessons at school during this time.

NAPLAN

Over 4 days during week 7 & 8, the Year 7’s will sit the annual NAPLAN tests. Please contact the school if you require information regarding withdrawal.

TRANSITION Year 6 to 7 2026

It’s that time of year when we begin our visits to our feeder primary schools and hold our parent information night and school tour.  Watch this space for advertised dates soon.

REMINDERS

Our biggest reminder for all students:

Be prepared for learning each day – charged laptop, books, calculator and pens

Wear the correct uniform

Be kind in your words and actions at all times

Any concerns that parents have, your first port of call should be the Year Level Dean:

Mr Nick Buttenshaw       (Year 7)                nbutt32@eq.edu.au

Ms Alex Macri                    (Year 8)                 ajose88@eq.edu.au

Have a great term 1!

The Secondary Campus Leadership Team