Year 9 Fortnightly Newsletter Week 1
Dear Year 9 Parents,
On behalf of the college I would like to welcome you to the Rose Bay Secondary College community for 2023.
I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Deputy Principal for Year 9. Next year will mark my 20th year of teaching at RBSC and my 30th year of teaching, having started at Vaucluse High School in 1994. I have been a Deputy Principal here since 2016 and had a year secondment last year working in the Department of Education Performance Unit. I strongly believe in our school motto of ‘Opportunity, Achievement, Community’. It speaks firmly to our commitment of providing our students with the resources and support they need to reach their goals, while also fostering a sense of belonging and connectedness. We believe that a strong community is key to a student's success, and we are proud of the close-knit, inclusive atmosphere that exists at Rose Bay.
This year is a special one as it signifies the halfway mark for this cohort upon their completion of Year 9. The students have engaged extremely well in their chosen electives showing great enthusiasm for their chosen subjects. We would like to remind parents that the elective subject that were chosen last year are for two years and that there can be no more changes to these electives. Also, Mr McEvoy and Mr Regina spent a lot of time last year making some changes to the classes to ensure that all year 9 students at RBSC would have the best opportunity to maximise their learning. Please note that we do not move students from one class to another unless there are extenuating circumstances.
This term we will be trialling a new form of communication that involves the Deputy Principal sending a brief email once a fortnight to highlight what is happening in the college specific to that year group, as well as acknowledging the achievements of that year group both within the college and the community. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to inform us of achievements pertaining to their child that they are happy for us to share with the college community in this email.
A very big thank you to those parents that support the school by ensuring that their child wears the correct school uniform each day. Year 9 is a particularly good year at wearing their uniform; it is noted and much appreciated. Unfortunately, there is a very small group of Year 9 students that continue to wear the old RBSC white polo shirts (these were last able to be purchased in 2015 and were not meant to be worn from 2017). This cohort has never had the option of wearing the old white polo. Some parents have purchased it from friends or have it handed down from siblings. The College would politely ask that it not be worn anymore.
From the Year Advisers’ Desk
It’s been a pleasure this week seeing so many smiling faces as the Class of ’26 returned for their third year of high school.
Many students have expressed to us how happy they are to be back at school, with ‘electives’ being the being the real ‘word of the week’. It’s been rewarding popping into these classes, seeing students following their passions surrounded by likeminded peers in specialist environments. A particular highlight was observing the intense focus of students in Ms Alonzo’s Visual Design class as students sketched perspective drawings. The talent in this classroom was immediately evident.
We’re always proud to see Year 9s living up to our cohort’s ethos of being a 100% year group – a cohort with 100% effort, 100% of the time, from 100% of students. As you talk to your child about school this week, we encourage you to ask them how they have been establishing ‘habits of excellence’: small, excellent, behaviours that make ‘excellence’ the default.
We look forward to another big year together.
Mr McEvoy and Mr Regina
The word from the playground – quote of the week.
This week, students were asked for three words to describe their first week back at RBSC.
Fun, exciting, and awesome – Jaime
Tiring, eventful, and different – Bronte
Key Term One dates for your calendar.
Tuesday 7th February – P&C Meeting 7 pm in B Block Common Room.
Friday 3rd March - School Swimming Carnival.
Monday 13th March – Regional Swimming Carnival (select students only)
Wednesday 15th March – Monday 27th March – NAPLAN testing period.
Thursday 6th April – RBSC Cross Country.
