Welcome to the end of Term 1 newsletter. As mentioned by Mr Hansen, while Mr Andrejic is filling in at Mareeba SHS, I am acting in the Secondary Head of Campus position for a few weeks.

I am happy to announce that this year we have re-instated our Term 1 Interim Reporting period for students in Years 7 to 12. This was standard practice in the past but was discontinued when the pandemic hit a few years ago. This year, at the end of the first week of Term 2, you will receive an Interim Report card for you child. 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.

At the same time report cards go home at the end of Week 1, parents will be provided with information to assist in the online booking of Secondary Parent/Teacher interviews that will be held on Wednesday 1^st May, Week 3.  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.

Parents are reminded that students should be aiming for a minimum attendance rate of 90%. As the slogan goes - “everyday counts”.  Parents of students in Year 11 and 12 are reminded, as students regularly are, that in the post compulsory phase of education (turned 16 or completed Year 10), poor attendance coupled with non-submission of work and/or failing grades can see a student’s enrolment in Year 11 and 12 cancelled. As a result, it is vital that parents inform the school of known and explained absences. All students, if arriving late, leaving early, or leaving for an appointment, must be signed in and out with a parental note via the Student Services window.

Commencing Term 2, students in Year 11 and 12 who do not participate in Wednesday Period 4 CISSA Sport will have the option to study at home as opposed to attend Period 4 tutorial lessons.  For this to be approved students are required to have registered with the QCAA’s MyQCE, completed their online Academic Integrity course, then returned the “pink form” signed by their parents to the Student Services window. A similar process is already in place for Year 11 and 12 students who have a Period 1 or 4 spare. If your child falls into either of these camps, please ask them about the “pink form”. Please direct any enquiries to HoD of Senior Schooling Pathways, Mr Matt Crosby.

Parents would be well aware by now of the national teacher shortage. Thankfully, at RSC, our solid reputation and existing expert teaching team has enabled us to continue to whether this storm better than most. That being said, there will be some minor consolidation of some classes in Term 2. 

We also have a few unrelated staffing changes happening in Term 2. Ms Lueders is leaving us on extended leave to travel and teach overseas, Ms Collen Duke will be off Term 2 on some well-earned long-service leave, Ms Marg Ferguson will enjoy some long-service leave mid-term, Mrs Harcourt is departing on Maternity leave (with Mr Fleeting Acting as Head of HPE), and we are excited to welcome back Ms Kohlhardt, on a slightly reduced timetable, returning from maternity leave.

That’s all from me this edition. I wish you a pleasant Easter break, particularly if you have the opportunity for some family time. In the meantime, enjoy reading the other contributions from our wonderful RSC staff.