Newsletter Term 4 Week 9

From the Senior Executive

We are finishing the term with high energy. We wrapped a fantastic musical production at the end of last week. This was followed by two wonderful nights of music with the MEP Ensembles and Rock Band. Next week we formally farewell Year 12 at their formal, Presentation Night on Tuesday 12th December, Awards assemblies, Wednesday 13th December, Year 7 rewards day Wednesday 13th December, Rose Bay’s got Talent , Thursday 14th December. HSC results are released Thursday 14th December and last day Friday 15th December.

Ms Archer has been extended as relieving Principal for Term 1, 2024. Ms Christy Godby will continue to relieve as Deputy Principal during this time.

We wish you a happy and safe holiday period and look forward to welcoming everyone back for the 2024 Academic year. We wish to thank the P&C and parents for their support in 2023 as we work together to grow our next generation of leaders, innovators, advocates and creative thinkers.

Year 7 Lifesaving and Water Awareness Program

The Year 7 2023 Lifesaving and Water Awareness program was held in Week 9 from Monday 4th December to Friday 8th December. The students completed the program over the course of five days where they partook in a range of activities including:

- Nipper skills and activities at Bondi Beach

- Swimming and survival skills at Bondi Icebergs, Kincoppal pool, Parsley Bay, and Bellamy Beach

- Kayaking at Rose Bay Beach

On the final day of the program, all students competed in the Carnival Day. This included:

- Tug of war

- Iron relays

- Flags

- Wade and board relays

- Tunnelling

RBSC would like to thank Mr Flack and Ms Saunders for organising this valuable and comprehensive program. We would also like to thank all staff who volunteered their time.

Year 12 Formal 2023

Venue: Doltone House Hyde Park - 3/181 Elizabeth St, Sydney

Day/Time: Monday, 11^th of December 6:30pm - 10:30pm.

RBSC staff will be on site from 6:15pm to facilitate entry to the venue. Students do not need to bring a hard-copy ticket, but must get their name checked off upon arrival. Please note that tickets cannot be purchased on the night and students are responsible for making their own way to and from the venue.

Dress Code: Formal!

Please note the venue has a strict drug and alcohol free policy. Students found either in possession of, or under the influence of either will be removed immediately.

Students are also reminded to bring any epi-pens or other medication they may need with them on the night. 

As always, please reach out to either Ms Beiglari or Mr Weavers if you have any further questions.

V-Fest!

V-Fest NEVER disappoints!

V-Fest stats for 2023: 62 entries from 8 schools!!

On Monday night 4th December, at the Chauvel Cinema Paddington, 250 enthusiastic and very lucky people (plus 85 people viewing LIVE onYouTube) were treated to one of the most exquisite collections of studentshort films. Brooding drama, quirky animations and sophisticated social comment were amongst the themes explored. Technically sophisticated, the audience was on the edge of their seats for 107 minutes.! A huge shout-out to everyone who attended and continues to support this little film festival which had its roots in the Vaucluse High School Hall in 1999! Here is the list of
prize winners for V-Fest 2023...

Junior Section
1st Place: MYTH (Kylah, Nina, and Charlotte: Burwood Girls High School)
2nd Place: GIRL/FRIEND (Charlie: Sydney Girls High School)
3rd Place: AN ALIEN INVESTIGATION (Oskar: Barker College)
Highly Commended: A NEW STAR (Roxy: Rose Bay Secondary College)
Senior Section
1st Place: AFTER (Charlie: St Aloysius)
2nd Place: OF STORMS AND SEASONS (Chihiro: Burwood Girls High School)
3rd Place: METAMORPHOSIS (Milla: MLC School, Burwood)
Highly Commended: CHARON’S VENTURE (Luca: Rose Bay Secondary College)
People’s Choice Award
THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING (Ioannis: Sydney Boys High School)

Secure Code Warrior, Cyber Security Challenge

On Wednesday 15 November I with two Year 10 students attended the Secure Code Warrior, Cyber Security Challenge in Chippendale. It was attended by students from Waverley College, Corpus Christi (Pagewood), and Marrickville High School. For the challenge all students were paired at random. Alistair was paired with a Waverley College student. Rufus was paired with a Marrickville High student.  
Students and teaching staff were addressed by the founder and employees of Secure Code Warrior about the type of work undertaken by the firm and each of the speakers. Representatives from Industry NSW and the NSW Department of Education also addressed the students on the increasing importance of the digital workforce and future careers.   The security challenge involved 8 separate tasks that the students had to work through. After considerable time while the teachers drank their tea or coffee, the results were tallied and announced. I was very confident in our students abilities and had expected a good result. 
Alistair and team partner came 2^nd ahead on 3 points. The winner was Rufus and team partner - 1^st by 1000 points.
Well done lads. We have exceptional students at RBSC. 
George Stamell, TAS - Computing

Hospitality Immersion Day

Olivier, Ben, Eva and Lily from Year 10 had a fabulous time at the Hyatt Regency Hotel exploring a range of careers. It was a fabulous opportunity for our students, they learnt a lot and had a fabulous time. 

Rose Bay's Got Talent!

Get ready for the ultimate showcase of talent at "Rosebay's Got Talent" on Thursday, December 14th! Whether you're a singer, dancer, magician, comedian, or possess a unique skill, this is your moment to shine. To participate, sign up using the link below! Join us for an evening filled with incredible performances and enthusiastic support from your school community. Don't miss the chance to be part of the excitement – mark your calendars and let's make Rose Bay's Got Talent an unforgettable event! 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfTFgmQo9-Wu0blhaGlSNF8aZEYe46GSbY7eMnXvjH1PtbTZg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Careers News

Dr Michael Healy will provide some practical tips for supporting young people at this time as families anxiously await results of recent exams.

Career conversations at results time: Support your young person’s wellbeing and help them plan their next steps

Tuesday 12 December 1:00pm (AEDT)

The end of the year can be an anxious time for senior secondary students as they await their exam results, and also an anxious time for parents! Some will celebrate, some will be disappointed, and many will just be uncertain about what it all means.

Join us as Dr Michael Healy shares practical tips on how parents and carers, teachers, friends, and others can support young people to understand their results and plan their next steps accordingly. Learn how to help your young person recognise and manage their emotions at results time (both positive and negative), discover post-school pathway options for them to consider, and how they can make good career decisions and approach the next chapter of their journey with confidence. 

Register now: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8455594496524133470?source=professional-associations

Year 12: English HSC Student Event

The English Teachers Association are running an online event to support students in starting the HSC English course and specifically, the Common Module. This event is relevant to all 2 unit English courses and can be accessed anytime between now and December 15. If you or your child are interested, they can register using the link below.

Introducing the Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences

A wonderful way to motivate, inspire and energise your new HSC class.

• English for the 2024 HSC: what you need to know, where you need to go.
• Unpacking the Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences
• Insights to assessment including related texts, multi-modal tips
• Unpacking the Common Module for EAL/D
• 14 presentations on Common Module Prescribed Texts
• EAL/D texts
• Downloadable notes
• Students who have registered can have access through their own email address

Library News

It has been eerily quiet in the library with most of Year 7 away at Surf Camp this week! 

The library has been busy collecting outstanding books from students. It would be appreciated if both students and parents/guardians could keep up the excellent work of searching through school bags, bookshelves, cars and homes for any library books or overdue school English textbooks that can be returned before the end of the school year.  

The Bob Bellear Memorial Library will launch the New Year with a display of fresh books new to the library. So, students and teachers, who enjoy the smell of new books and a great read can look forward to an entirely fresh crop of books to devour on their return to school in 2024. 

We thought we’d share this quote from The Boy With The Bookstore by Sarah Echavarre Smith which sums up that mysterious book aroma perfectly ... 

“I take a breath, indulging in that distinct book smell. There’s only one thing I love more than the smell of fresh-baked bread and that’s the smell of books. Max’s store is a combination of used and new books, and I find the scent intoxicating. There’s something about the aroma of paper at every possible stage for a book: brand new, hot off the printing press, decades old, covered in dust and moisture. Yeah, it’s probably a little weird. But I don’t care. To me it’s divine.” 

RBSC P&C

RBSC P&C Secondhand School Uniforms Buy, Sell & Swap

The P&C has a Facebook group for Rose Bay Secondary College families to buy, sell or giveaway secondhand uniforms, textbooks, musical instruments, music books or school shoes.
Here's a link to the page on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/935017760501970

Please become a member and use the page to sell or give away your old uniform items, or buy secondhand items.

TO SELL: Post with details of the item you have for sale. It's a good idea to include a photo.When you sell something, please delete it from the group so the page stays up-to-date.

TO BUY: Contact a seller via Direct Message if they have an item listed that you would like to buy

OR:  Create a post with details of the item that you would like to buy. We ask that all items on the page are related to school, and in good reusable condition.

Thanks and please start buying & selling! 

PCYC - FIT FOR LIFE

Fit For Life is an early intervention program designed to engage youth ages 10 to 17 who are at risk of poor choices and anti-social behaviour. Through physical fitness, nutrition and social engagement. Fit For Life aims to improve overall wellbeing as well as prevent and divert youth from offending behaviours.

The program consists of a 45 minute boxing session, followed by breakfast which is prepared by PCYC staff.

Students are then dropped to school to ensure 100% attendance on the days they attend the program. Apon request, students may also be picked up in the morning and taken to PCYC Eastern Suburbs.

Online safety and digital resilience strategies for children 9 – 12 years

Woollahra Library Youth Programs

This December we have the bi-weekly Young Adult Pride Book Club. This culture club is open for LGBTQIA+ identifying young people and their allies. Then, we have an introduction to Astronomy and Astrology for Teens, which combines physics and sociology behind star signs.

Over January, we have drop-in games of Foosball or Air Hockey at Woollahra Library Double Bay and Bag Toss at Watsons Bay.  If you’re more interested in craft, there is the option to decorate mirrors with air dry clay or create giant origami flowers. We’ll also have the PlayStation5 and VR Headset and Nintendo Switch with a suite of games available in the Youth Space.