Newsletter Term 1 Week 5
Executive Report
Thank you to our P&C and staff whose efforts made our Welcome to Year 7 and the annual Open Night a success. A consistent theme from visitors and parents is the dedication of our staff and the commitment to and pride in our College.
A big thank you to Mr Flack and Mr McNaught for the organisation of a highly successful Swimming carnival last Friday. All students who attended are commended for their team spirit and respect to the community on the day as there were multiple organisations using the shared spaces.
I also wish to acknowledge the work Mr Godby, Mr McEvoy and the Year 11 team put into the Preliminary assessment webinar last Thursday. Senior years brings a level of rules and compliance so don’t hesitate to seek clarification from Mr McEvoy if you have further questions. The slide deck has been sent out and you can contact the office to receive this if you missed out.
Kids giving back
I recently received an email from the CEO of Kids Giving Back, celebrating the contributions of Eve Toward, Ian Alonso and Ethan Taylforth. These students gave up time in Term 4 2024 and over the holidays to volunteer.
To quote the email:
These students were among 1170 young changemakers who contributed to making over 6500 meals, breakfast boxes, snack packs, and care packs for vulnerable communities across Sydney. They also wrote thoughtful, encouraging messages to be shared with those in need.
Their kindness, leadership, and willingness to serve truly embody the values of generosity and community spirit. Their efforts have made a real difference, and we are incredibly proud of them!
On behalf of the College, I wish to celebrate this citizenship and willingness to serve our community. Thank you.
Contact details
At enrolment all parents provide contact details to the College. We are requesting that all parents check that their contact details are up to date as this ensures all communication from the school is received. The change of details form is found in Schoolbytes.
Safe travel to and from the College
As Principal I spend most mornings at the front of the College greeting students. Over the last few weeks, I have observed many close calls with pedestrian/bikes and cars. I have also intervened on a number of occasions to ensure the safety of our students.
Students are expected to observe road rules and use the crossing provided to cross Hardy Street at the front of the College. Electric bikes are more common now and it is with great concern that I note that many students are riding e-bikes to school without wearing helmets and weaving across the road and pavements in a dangerous manner. In the last week I have also been sent footage from car dashboard cameras of our students endangering themselves and others whilst riding their bikes. We are currently discussing a College policy to address this. As part of these discussions, we are also pricing additional racks to ensure safe storage of bikes. In the interim can there be conversations at home reinforcing safe road behaviour and bike safety. I have raised this issue with the Secondary Principals Council to advocate for state intervention in regulating safe use of e-bikes and will be following up with Council on the same theme.
Our bus company is providing services tailored to our College hours. I encourage all students to catch the provided buses from the College as there have been a number of concerns raised about students catching the bus from Shuk. Students are expected to use their Opal cards to tap on and off and inspectors will be doing random checking over the next few weeks. Our services are determined on volume of useage so students need to consistently tap on and off so we can maintain the current level of buses and routes. I appreciate your support in these matters so as a community we can ensure the safety of our children.
IEF News
The IEF had a fantastic time at the whole school swimming carnival, embracing the spirit of participation and fun. Students showed great enthusiasm as they took on the challenge of the 50-metre freestyle races, giving their best efforts and celebrating each other's achievements. After the races, they enjoyed some well-deserved fun in the water park, splashing around and cooling off in the summer heat. It was wonderful to see their excitement and teamwork throughout the day, making it a memorable event for everyone involved!
Careers News
Last Wednesday 26th February, 20 Year 10 & 11 students completed their White Card Certification. This is an industry standard qualification which allows students to engage in hands on work on the job site.
All students did a FANTASTIC job and were tremendous throughout the day. Attaining the White Card is a noteworthy achievement, which opens many career doors and one they should be pleased about.
There are many upcoming Careers events taking place over the next few weeks. If your child is in Year 10, 11 or 12, attending or getting involved in these days can be a great way to explore potential post school pathways and nurture their curiosity.
Upcoming Events:
- Navy Open Day - Friday 7th March (register/ read more below)
- Navy Careers Day - Saturday 8th March (register/ read more below)
- ANU Open Day - March 26th
- HSC Preparation Courses
- UNSW - Year 10 & 11 Future Creators Day
- UNSW Campus Tours - every 2nd Saturday
- NIDA Short courses
- Sydney Dance Company holiday workshops
- Sydney Design School for a Day Workshop
Students are encouraged to stage up to date with their Teams page and the weekly careers bulletin to stay up to date with all careers workshops, seminars and other opportunities.
Bondi Makers Markets
Are you an entrepreneur who enjoys making things in their own time?
Do you enjoy arts, crafts and/or design and have side projects that you'd love to sell and make money from?
The Bondi Makers Markets may be for you!
Organised by Waverley Council, the Makers Markets celebrate entrepreneurship and are open to 15 - 24 year olds who are looking to grow their small businesses, hobbies, creative projects, or ideas!
There are no application or stallholder fees, but participation is subject to selection. Find more information about how to apply to be a stallholder here.
Vaccinations: Years 7 & 10
If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 in 2025, you can provide consent online for school vaccinations.
In Year 7, students are offered free vaccines for diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV). In Year 10, students are offered the meningococcal ACWY vaccine.
Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received. Online consent will only be accepted if provided through the NSW Health School Vaccination Program portal. Consent should not be provided to the school via email or other electronic form submission.
How to provide consent:
To complete online consent for your child’s school vaccinations, visit: engage.health.nsw.gov.au
Follow the steps to log in to your existing ServiceNSW account. This is the same account you may already use to renew your driver’s licence. If you do not have a ServiceNSW account, refer to ServiceNSW to create one.
Update or confirm your personal details as required.
Complete the School Vaccination Consent Form for your child/ren. You will need to:
- Enter your child’s personal details
- Provide the Medicare card details for you and your child
- Read the linked Parent Information Sheet and privacy statement
- Provide consent
Detailed instructions can be found on the NSW Health website. If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper consent form from the school.
The benefits of providing consent online:
- easily update your child’s details
- receive SMS and/or email notifications when vaccinations are given
- faster upload of vaccination records to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination.
If you require information in your language, please click here
Please click here to provide consent.
SCHOOL PHOTOS
Catch up photos on Wednesday 12th March.
Students are required to be in the RBSC school uniform.
Photos can be ordered online, please see the flyer below.
Fast Track
Homework Centre
Homework Centre is Back 2025
We’re pleased to announce that the Homework Centre is running again every Monday and Wednesday in the library from 3:00pm to 4:40 PM. This is a great opportunity for students to receive extra support with homework and assessments, with tutors available to provide guidance across various subjects.
We encourage all students to take advantage of this valuable resource to stay on top of their studies in a supportive environment.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Library News
Assessment Preparation
Students are settling into Term 1 and assessments are coming along. A reminder that Homework Club for Years 7 to 12 is held after school every Monday and Wednesday and is led by Bill Spyroulias, an experienced Social Science teacher and Anita (Yuan Qi) Yang. Anita gained outstanding results in the 2024 HSC and has kindly returned to school to provide one to one tutoring support to our students this year. This club is well patronised and is an excellent opportunity for students to sit together and work collaboratively in a quiet, supportive space.
Year 7
All students in Year 7 are engaged in a special program to promote reading and research skills. An English period has been dedicated every cycle to a focus on “Reading”. Currently, they are learning how to navigate the physical space of the library and to find the different sections of resources. We are then moving on to the Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC). Students will be shown how to register for the PRC and will then find an e-book from the reading list which they can then read in class or at home. If students read 20 books from the PRC reading list they will earn a special certificate from the Department of Education.
Activities
It has been heartening to see the library used so well. We are very grateful to the community for their donations towards the library and to the P and C who have generously supported initiatives designed to expand the collection and to support special events or activities which take place in the library. We are very proud of the Judge Bob Bellear Library.
While students use the library as a quiet place to read and learn together, it is also used as a space for our successful debating teams to plan and perform together. From time to time, special activities take place and teachers come to work with small groups or classes come in to learn
how to do advanced searches for information for depth studies, case studies or other extensive projects. During Breaks students use the time to work together, read, socialise and play chess games and other quiet activities.
PROGRAMS / WORKSHOPS
BJE News
Why Choose Public Education?
For 175 years, NSW public schools have been at the heart of education, preparing today’s children to succeed and build better communities for tomorrow
NSW public schools offer high-quality, well-rounded education that provides a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.
So for the best education money can't buy, choose Rose Bay Secondary College.
