Newsletter Week 6, Term 2

From the Senior Executive

National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June 2022

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The Week runs from 27 May to 3 June every year. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey – the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision. The theme this year of Be Brave, Make the Change was highlighted by our First Nations students and staff on this week's assembly. At RBSC we celebrate diversity and know that we all have to be involved in ensuring inclusivity and recognition for our First Nations peoples. We watched this beautiful video at our staff meeting this week, created by Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann, a former school principal and community elder in the Northern Territory.

Mobile Phones

We continue to see a small number of students who are unable to resist the urge to have their mobile phone out in class. Parents can now see mobile phone infringements on the SENTRAL Parent Portal. If you see a single DP Confiscation this means the next confiscation will result in a parent having to collect the student's phone from the front office. We would ask you to have this conversation with your child in the hopes we can avoid this second confiscation. The senior executive are finding that some of these students are then so distraught at losing their phone they are harassing us at the end of the day. This is not acceptable and is a symptom of the control the phone has over the student. Please be mindful that it is a privilege for students to be able to bring mobile phones to school and it takes a lot of work from the staff at RBSC to enforce mobile phone free time which is so important to their learning environments. Please do all support us in this.

News from the Music Ensemble Program

All the bands and groups are busy rehearsing for the upcoming concerts – the music ensembles on 15 June and Rose Bay Rocks on 16 June. Both concerts will be held in the hall and start at 6:30pm. We’re excited to be holding our first concerts without restricted numbers for a couple of years so bring your family and friends!

Our next committee meeting will be this coming Monday night, 6 June, at 7:30pm over Zoom. The meeting details are Meeting ID: 636 9290 6448 Passcode: 337870. Everyone is welcome to attend and find out more about what’s going on in MEP.

If you’d like to be part of a band it’s not too late to join MEP. Check out the MEP website.

PSA Strike

On 30 May the Public Service Association of NSW (PSA) informed the department of a planned 24-hour strike to take place on Wednesday 8 June 2022.  

While our school will still be open and there will not be any direct impact to teaching, there may be significant impact to the admin and learning support provided on the day as a result of school administrative and support staff (SASS) participating in the industrial action. 

If this action impacts your child due to their specific needs, we will contact you directly with further information as we seek to establish alternative arrangements. 

Selective High Schools - Years 8 to 12

Applications are open between late June and late July each year for placement starting in Years 8 to 12 the following year. For placement in 2023, applications will open on 21 June and close on 22 July 2022.

If you have any questions about assessments for placement in 2023, please contact the school directly.

Download a printable version of the application information for Years 8 to 12 entry (available in June). Download the Years 8-12 Application form (available here when applications are open).

Important Dates For Carnivals

RBSC Athletics

Tuesday 14^th June - whole school event - Erskineville Oval, Erskineville. Buses will transport the students to and from the venue. Registration into events necessary - registrations on the day will not be accepted. High jump will NOT be held at the carnival due to limited facilities at the venue - it will be held at school on Friday 10^th June, from 3:30 pm onwards. Students need to register for this event. All registrations will be via an MS Form that will be sent to parents on Friday 3^rd June. The form will close on Thursday 9^th June at 4pm. 

Sydney East Regional Cross Country

Wednesday 15^th June - Miranda Park, Miranda. A group of 18 students qualified for this carnival, with Harry (Yr 11) and Zoe (Yr 9) winning their respective age groups races. An email has been sent to qualifying students and parents with a link to gather some further information.

Eastern Suburbs Zone Athletics Carnival

Thursday 16^th June - Hensley Athletics Track, Maroubra. The top 2 places from each age group and event will qualify for this carnival. Paper permission notes will be handed to these students at the school carnival and an email will be sent home with more information and an online link asking for parental permission.

IEF Dance Class

Every Friday the IEF look forward to seeing the Maccabi dance teacher, Gabi. This week was an extra special double lesson with a rainbow magic carpet and a Boot Scootin line dance. The dance class is the motivator for getting all the morning work done, students will go above and beyond knowing that after recess they have a lesson where there's great music and dance.  

The students warm up, stretch, and then move into dance sequences. The music and dance ranges from hip-hop to Zumba to pop, students are encouraged to follow along and then break into interpretive moves. I have seen each student blossom under Gabi's direction, they have a sense of belong and enjoy being part of a collaborative group. Thank you JCA and All Abilities, Maccabi for the opportunity. 

Eastside Debating Champions!

A thrilling grand final win was awarded to our Year 7 team, who defeated Sydney Girls' High School in the Eastside Debating grand final held last Friday evening.

The team – Alex, Phoebe, Rebecca and Grace - argued for affirmative, "that the subsitution of written materials (e.g. novels) with digital entertainment has been good for children's lives". Most of our debaters began the program as somewhat rookies to debating, so to see their ongoing improvement and outstanding coaching from Luca culminate in this success is wonderful.

Our Year 8 team – represented on the evening by Doug, Sara, Gus and Claire - was narrowly beaten by Grammar. They argued for negative, "that educators should abandon the 'pitiful bully' approach". Although they were bitterly disappointed, they were gracious in defeat and very thankful for the detailed feedback provided by the adjudicators. We are incredibly grateful for the work of their outstanding coach, Ariella, in nurturing their talents.

Throughout the Eastside Debating season, all our students represented the College impeccably. We are enormously proud of them and their achievements.

Homework Centre

The Homework Centre takes place in the Bob Bellear Memorial Library. It is kindly funded by the Parents and Citizens Association and the centre offers tuition for all KLAs and assessment tasks. 

Students from all years can attend the centre after school. Some are referred by teachers for early intervention and others come when assessment tasks are due and when students need to sit important exams. 

All students are invited to attend the Homework Centre. Students are welcome every Monday and/or Wednesdays when they need help to complete homework or assessments and to ask questions.  

Join experienced tutors in the Homework Centre, we are here to help you learn and succeed.  

Visual Design projects

Year 10 Visual Design are busy constructing their “Surreal Wearables” inspired by the fashions of the MET Gala in New York City.

Visual Design students are expressive, critical thinkers who have produced works of art, which are also functional designs. Their ideas and ability to problem solve, allow these students to become ready for a contemporary society and their designs have the potential for commercial viability. 
Some products include theatre set designs, T-Shirts, Ceramic forms, plaster vessels, jewellery, Upcycled clothing and graphic designs.

If any students are thinking of choosing Visual Design next year, feel free to see Ms. Alonzo in B Block staff room. 

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Year 12 Major Project

This jacket is a HSC Design and Technology major project made from recycled materials. The motivation for the project was a response to the millions of face masks being disposed of into land fill.

Year 12 student Katina disassembled the face masks and produced two wide brim hats, a jacket, and floor tiles from the range of plastics recovered from the masks.

The jacket you see uses over 650 face masks.

Year 8 Wellbeing Workshops by Headspace.

On Wednesday 1st June, Year 8 students attended a wellbeing workshop presented by Headspace. Students worked collaboratively to understand the continuum of mental health and the many different elements of self-care. A special thank you to our teachers and Year 8 Advisers, Mr McEvoy and Mr Regina, for supervising all sessions! Year 8 students will attend a second session on ‘Bullying and Mental Health: Standing Strong’ on Wednesday next week.

Australian Frisbee Team Selection

Congratulations to Year 12 student Edan who was selected for the Australian Under 20s Ultimate Frisbee team last week. He found his way to Ultimate Frisbee via the friendship, generosity, and mentorship of RBSC teacher Mr Rutner. Edan will play in Auckland this October.

Library News and Reviews

This week I would like to inform readers of some gems in our library that although are in plain sight are what I would call our hidden gems. These are the magazines and periodicals that the RBSC library subscribes to, thus bringing you up to date with new innovations and developments in your chosen interest. These cover science, history, geography, literature, finance and food. If you are interested in your health and wellbeing, please check out both the Australian Men’s Health and Australian Women’s Health magazines or if you are researching products, have a love of entertainment, fashion, or even current affairs, the library magazine section has you covered too. You will find the magazine section clearly marked at the back of the library. 

Don’t forget that the Premiers Reading Challenge (PRC) is well under way and all books for the challenge are clearly labelled with a PRC 7-9 sticker on the spine. This makes it very easy to students to choose a suitable PRC book. Our fabulous library assistants are very knowledgeable and are also always available to lend students a hand if they want to borrow a book or require assistance. Please encourage your students and children to come and see us at the library lending desk.

A reminder for anyone reading this article to please share your favourite book with me. You can send Lynn Saber an email so we can chat, then I can review the book and inform others about it. 

Happy reading and have a great weekend! 

Congratulations Kai

RBSC would like to congratulate former student Kai Taberner who has been recruited as a dancer by the Sydney Dance Company. This is an amazing achievement as the Sydney Dance Company are a world-renowned company. 

Kai will be performing in the SDC's latest work- ab (intra). 

A big congratulations to Kai and to all his teachers who supported him with his school work and catch-up lessons over his years. He is appreciative of all of the teachers who helped him chase his dream.