A/Head of Campus - Adrian Hooper

Welcome to the end of Term 1 newsletter. Secondary students have been working very hard over the past few weeks and completing assessments in many subjects. Secondary teachers are busy preparing interim reports for students. Interim report cards for students on the Secondary Campus will go home at the end of Term 2, Week 1, Thursday 24^th April. 

The purpose of Term 1 Interim Reports is to provide students and parents with a progress level of achievement in each subject being studied.  In some instances, this level of achievement may be based on completed assessment while in other cases it may be determined by formative draft work.

Secondary Parent/Teacher interviews will be held in the old MSC on Wednesday afternoon/evening Term 2, Week 3, Wednesday 7^th May.  Parents have been emailed the link & information on how to book their interviews this week. We look forward to meeting with parents to enable teachers to provide further feedback on how your child is progressing.  If for whatever reason teachers are not available on the evening, alternative arrangements (such as phone interviews at a later date) can be arranged.

I am happy to report that after an extensive recruitment process, in Term 2 we will welcome acting Deputy Principal of Diverse Learning, Mr David Zhang. David is a very experienced Head of Department with many years’ service at Cairns School of Distance Education and we look forward to him joining our Redlynch team. Can I also say a big thank you to Susan Lablache who has been acting in the Deputy Principal position in Term 1 while continuing to manage her usual Diverse Learning load on the Primary Campus.  

In Term 2 we will also be welcoming classroom Visual Arts, Media and Humanities teacher Kate Hard who will be joining our Creative Arts and Digital Technologies Department. Ms Hard brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to Redlynch and as a practicing artist, we look forward to her contribution to the education of our young people.

It is with some sadness that we farewell, if only temporarily, to Ms Amelia Pegram who will be leaving us at the end of Term to have her baby. Ms Pegram, we wish you all the best as you enter this new and exciting chapter.

Finally, Mr Andrejic has been extended to continue as acting Principal at Woree State High School into Term 2.  Subsequently, I will continue in the Head of Campus role, Mr Bayldon will continue in the Deputy Principal 11/12 space and Ms Cassie Roads will continue as the acting Head of Department of Humanities.

Enjoy the following updates from the Secondary DPs and I wish you all a restful Easter break.  Bring on the beautiful weather!

DP - Teaching & Learning – Joy Murgatroyd

This year’s NAPLAN has been finalised with Year 7 and Year 9 students completing their testing on Tuesday 18^th March. Congratulations to the participating students for their preparedness and their efforts, and thank you for your support. 

NAPLAN results will be published in August this year and will indicate whether your child performed above, at, or below National average for literacy and numeracy skills on the day of the test. We encourage you to discuss the results with your children when you receive them. The College’s English and Mathematics Departments will also analyse the data to determine where our students’ strengths lie and where skill improvement is needed. 

If you have any questions about NAPLAN please do not hesitate to email me: jmurg1@eq.edu.au

DP - Senior Schooling - Greg Bayldon

Term 1 is essentially done and dusted. All Year 11 and 12 students have engaged in summative assessment and are one quarter of the way through their academic commitments for the year. In reality our Year 12 students only have 2 terms and 3 weeks (115 days) of schooling left before they launch into the next phase of their lives. There are always many distractions and despite the perception of school dragging on the final years fly by and students need to keep their commitment directed towards completing their assessment and courses to the best of their ability. It is not always obvious to them in their current state of mind but it becomes clear, sometimes painfully, later in life how important it was to establish a solid academic foundation and achievement record while at school. Our senior students require lots of resilience and self-drive in these final years but they can also use a lot of support. The school has a raft of support services available to our students and these can be deployed quickly and effectively at the first notice provided. At the end of the day, our school and all of its staff have one prime objective to assist our young people in progressing through their schooling years successfully, safely and happy.

Driving to and From School

It is in our senior years at RSC when students begin to earn their P plate qualifications and with the assistance of generous parents have the ability to drive their own cars to and from school.

"With great power comes great responsibility". – Uncle Ben to Spiderman, Peter Parker.

Cars unlock a whole new level of freedom and independence; however, they also present a whole new range of safety hazards and opportunities for bad decisions.

Research suggests that young drivers and riders, aged 16 to 24 years, are 60% more likely to be involved in a serious crash than licensed mature adult drivers and riders, aged 25 to 59 years. When a P plate driver carries passengers they are four times more likely to be involved in a serious accident.

Last year WA introduced a new law, restricting red P Plate drivers to only 1 passenger. Other states are considering following. It is for these exact reasons RSC has a Student Driver Registration form and database. We currently already have over 50 P plated drivers travelling to and from our school and this number will increase significantly over the year. Whilst many have followed our procedures and registered their car and passengers with the school we are aware that some are yet to submit a driver registration form. Many of these drivers are transporting their siblings or driving solo. We are also aware of these students often giving their friends a lift. We are also aware of some students using their cars to leave the campus during school time to get snacks from Redlynch Central. Without strict parental consent this is a very dangerous practice and the school is aiming to manage this risky behaviour with the cooperation of parents and student drivers.

It is essential that any RSC student driving to school registers their car and driver’s licence with the school as well as registering any passengers. Siblings are obviously covered under the parent’s signature allowing their P plater to drive to school. Friends are not covered by this agreement unless their parents have also signed the driving form. This signature provides some legal protection should the unthinkable occur and your young driver is involved in a vehicle accident with passengers.

With a complete database of all of our student drivers and their passengers we will be able to manage their safety in cars around our school in a much more comprehensive fashion. We would appreciate parental cooperation to keep our students as safe as we can. The driver consent form can be collected from the office.

Assessment

It is the scourge of all students and especially for Year 11 and 12 students as it often feels as if their entire future is riding on each piece of assessment. This is not true yet senior school assessment is very important and has several strict guidelines that our school must follow to ensure equity across the state as students work towards their ATARs.

I encourage all parents and students to revisit the school’s assessment calendar and note all dates down. If aware of any event in the future which may impact school time it is vital that it is checked against the calendar and possibly cross checked with specific teachers as QCAA has strict rules about students performing their assessment.  

QCAA sets the senior dates and enforces a strict compliance with their rules so it is very difficult, almost impossible, for the school to negotiate changed conditions for a student if they miss assessment deadlines. Please ensure that your child knows their assessment dates and meets them. If there are any known issues that conflict with assessment dates discuss these with your teachers as soon as possible to determine a course of action. If an unexpected event disrupts assessment ensure that you get a medical certificate to enable your child to negotiate a revised assessment date.

 RSC Senior School Culture

As with any school, the seniors of RSC should be our ambassadors at every opportunity to promote the values and ethos of our school as well as demonstrate the model young adults that RSC consistently produces to the community. Last week we were able to showcase nearly thirty of our finest students to potential RSC parents at the Year 6 into 7 evening. These young leaders greeted parents and students, led tours and answered questions and generally stole the show from the school buildings, subject presentations and staff. Parents were suitably impressed with the calibre of our young leaders.

We have that expectation of every student in Year 11 and 12 at RSC. The senior years are identified as non-mandatory by Queensland Education. Students are legally obliged to attend school until 16 (typically finishing Year 10). From that point on school is for students wanting to achieve objectives, whether that be an ATAR, a QCE, a vocational certificate, a traineeship or an apprenticeship.

While completing their studies there are many privileges for senior RSC students from senior shirts, flexible timetables, CISSA sports, extra-curricular opportunities and of course the Formal. We will be formalising the expectations of the Student Code of Conduct into a specific document for senior students outlining their need to consistently follow our school expectations to a minimum standard to enable them to continue to enjoy the privileges offered.

DP Middle Secondary (9/10) - Ashleigh Batterham

As we wrap up a successful start to 2025, it's time to celebrate the hard work and achievements you've made this term. Whether it's acing that test, completing a big project or simply staying on top of assignements, you've shown great dedication to your school work. Well done Year 9 & 10 students! However, the end of this term isn't just about looking back - it's also a change to look ahead to Term 2. As you enjoy your Easter holidays, remember that next term is another opportunity to shine. It's essential to start strong, set new goals and approach every challenge with the same determination you've shown so far. 

That said, let's focus on showing others our best behaviour both in and out of the classroom. RSC students show Respect, act Safely and have a Commitment to learning. Whether it's cooperating with teachers, helping classmates or just being responsible, your actions matter. 

Enjoy your break. 

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

Year 7 Camp

Unfortunately, severe weather last week resulted in the postponement of our annual Year 7 Camp to Echo Creek. The camp will now go ahead in Week 2 of Term 2. All details of the new dates have been communicated with parents and students who will be attending. 

Don’t forget those who are not coming on camp are expected to be at school. Alternate curriculum lessons will be scheduled.

End of term reminders:

Expectations for learning are still high in the last week of school.  For most of the Year 7’s and 8’s, they are finalising assessment.  A reminder that students need to ensure they have a charged laptop each day, along with any other book or equipment for the subjects they study.

Phones are to be turned off at 8.45am and back on at 2.55pm.  No exceptions.  Parents to check that students are only using age-appropriate apps and their device usage abides by the school’s mobile phone policy at all times. 

Behavioural expectations:

Redlynch prides itself on the overall positive behaviours for learning demonstrated by the majority of students on a daily basis.  However, we are noticing a range of silly behaviours amongst some Year 7 & 8 students in the playground at lunchtime.  We have held assemblies and spoken to individuals, but if parents can reinforce the following to all students, it would be appreciated.

Main items of note:

• Students should keep their hands to themselves at all times. This includes playfighting, pulling on the clothes of others, taking hats/balls etc.
• Being kind in their words and actions
• Take a breath before responding / acting – deescalate a situation rather than react inappropriately
• Do not be a bystander to bullying – please inform our staff so that appropriate action can occur.
• Report bullying to Mr Buttenshaw (Year 7 Dean), Ms Macri (Year 8 Dean), Ms O’Brien (HOD) or myself. Students are also encouraged to use stymie.com.au

Overall, both year levels have had a great start to the year.  Please encourage them to keep up the good work.

Till term 2!

The Secondary Campus Leadership Team