Newsletter Term 4 Weeks 7 & 8

Executive Report

Key Dates

As we enter the end of year festivities please note the following dates.

The last day of School is Wednesday 18 December.Under the new award there has been an adjustment in the number of professional learning days allocated to staff. This means that School commences for ALL students on Thursday, February 6^th 2025.

Staffing

This is the time when staff leave us to take up transfers, promotion positions or follow life dreams.

We say farewell to:

Ms Tam Wood from Head Teacher, Learning and Support. Ms Wood has led our Learning and Support faculty for many years and we wish her well as she takes up the opportunity to shape Learning and Support at Randwick High School.

Ms Kelly Vine will be joining Cheltenham Girls High School next year and we pay tribute to Ms Vine's energy and commitment to all the extra curricular programs that she has run and supported and art education at the College.

Ms Sally Gorman our Head Teacher Maths has been seconded to Eddie Woo's Maths team over the last 2 years. In 2025 she will take up the role of HT Maths at Sydney Girls High School. Ms Gorman brought a great energy to STEM education and high academic rigour to our maths program and we wish her well at our sister school.

Ms Gina Lockton, who has given many years of service in Social Sciences and more recently filling in as our Careers advisor will be taking leave next year and relinquishing the career's role. Her influence on so many students and her support of families in the transition to work or study will be greatly missed.

We also farewell Ms Anita Whittingham and Ms Monique Wright who worked in the Learning Hub until last year. Mr Richard Brandt who has been supporting IEF will not return in 2025.

IEF News

Work experience at Vinnies.Students had their last day of work experience at Vinnies Waverly on Thursday week 7. This program has been a wonderful chance for them to develop practical skills. Students engaged in various tasks including checking and pricing books and DVDs, as well as styling displays on the shop floor. They worked collaboratively with their peers and team members, showing their dedication, teamwork and positive attitudes.

It was inspiring to see their confidence grow each week. This invaluable experience has equipped them with skills they can carry forward into future opportunities.

The IEF support classes have been learning about celebrations from different cultures, including Hanukkah, Diwali, Eid, and Christmas. Through this unit, students discovered that despite their unique traditions, these celebrations share common themes of family, friends, and food.

To bring the learning to life, the students got hands-on in the kitchen, creating delicious pastry Christmas trees. The activity was a fun and tasty way to reinforce the idea of togetherness while embracing the spirit of the season.

It was heartwarming to see their pride in their creations and excitement for sharing what they learned!

SRC Badging Ceremony

On the 29th of November, the Rose Bay Secondary College community came together to celebrate the wonderful achievements of the Senior Leadership Team and the SRC.  
 
The leaders were announced and congratulated by Principal Cathy Archer, Year 12 and 7 Deputy Julian Florino, Eden (Vice Captain) and Ashleigh (Community Engagement Captain). Each student made their way to the stage to accept their positions with a smile, and a sense of pride.  

 We were also joined by parents, caregivers, family and friends who played a special role in presenting the leaders with their badges, officially recognising the students’ new leadership roles within the school.

 RBSC also got the opportunity to hear from their School Captains Poppy and Emma who spoke about the vision that the SRC have for the next year. This included an initiative to clean up the school, bring back the house spirit and encourage student voice.   

Earlier this term, Ms Archer led a group leadership activity where the SRC identified the following as the most important leadership qualities to them; being empathetic, approachable and having good communication. We look forward to seeing what the SRC do in the new year to bring these philosophies and visions to life and what positive impacts this will bring to RBSC in 2025.   

Year 8 Luna Park Fun Day Out

On Monday 2^nd December, Year 8 returned to Luna Park for their End of Year Fun Day Out. This was a fantastic day with Year 8 soaring to great heights and taking on the twists and turns of the Park's classics, like The Hair Raiser, The Sledgehammer and The Big Dipper. The Year 8 Wellbeing Team are very proud of the accomplishments Year 8 have achieved this year and look forward to continuining supporting them to strive for their personal best in Year 9. Mrs Flack, Miss Bowd and Mr Godby wish Year 8 a happy and safe holiday and look forward to seeing you again in 2025.  

V-FEST

On Monday night 9th December, at the Chauvel Cinema Paddington, 300 enthusiastic and very lucky people (plus 194 people viewing VIRTUALLY on YouTube) were treated to one of the most exquisite collections of student short films in the history of V-Fest. 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 94 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!

And here are the prize winners for V-Fest 2024:

JUNIOR SECTION:

1ST Place: Born to Fly by Oliver B. (Sydney Boys High School)

2nd Place: Waiting by Abby S. (Reddam House)

3rd Place: Pandora’s Boxes by Wiley Park GHS Media Team (Wiley Park Girls High School)

SENIOR SECTION:

1ST Place: Given or Created by Zahra W. (Burwood Girls High School)

2nd Place: The Mysterium by Hugo S. (St Aloysius College)

3rd Place: The Post Office (Left Undelivered) by Joel K. (Barker College)

PEOPLE’S CHOICE:

The Case of the Missing Artefacts by Brianna I. and Dyllan Q. (RBSC)

Year 7 French Incursion

Bonjour!

Last Thursday, all the Year 7 French classes had the incredible opportunity of making crepes at school. We went to the B Block Common Room where we were greeted by Chef Luca and his helpers, who guided us through the delicate process of crepe making with instructions given by Luca in French.

After making the delicious crepes, we enjoyed our first lot topped with lemon and sugar and then were invited to partake of seconds but this time, the crepes were served with a mixed berry coulis and cream. Eating our yummy crepes while sitting on the terrace overlooking the amazing Sydney Harbour views made the experience super fun!

None of this would have been possible without the help and dedication of our wonderful French teachers Ms Callinan and Ms Ayscough. We would like to thank them for all the hard work they put into organising this cultural event as well as the others throughout this year.

Merci beaucoup,

Isolde & Flo

Year 7 Italian Cooking Incursion

Buongiorno,

Last week, we had an incredible Italian cooking experience! We learned how to make pasta from scratch with Chef Luca. It was so much fun kneading the dough and watching it transform into long, silky strands of pasta. We even got to use a pasta machine! The best part was eating the pasta with a delicious tomato sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Ciao!

RBSC Chess Championship

27 students (28 started, one was scratched off) from years 7-10 participated in the second annual RBSC Chess championship. The comp was run by Shai Levin (parent). Thank you Shai!

The overall winners of the comp were: 

Overall champion:  Daniel  (Year 9)     7 wins

Second place: Gulliver  (Year 10)           6 wins

Third place: Matias  (Year 7)                   5 wins

Individual achievers in each year:

Year 10: Lincoln  Year 9 : Grace Year 8 : Xavier Year 7 : Mark

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Library News

Return of Resources

We are in the process of gathering in our books and equipment in readiness for Term 1 next year. Recently students have been notified if they have outstanding books or have not returned black DELL laptops which were issued as long term loans. Many thanks to families who have provided additional support for this process. Your assistance has been much appreciated.

Acknowledgments

An enormous number of students in Years 7 to 11 received special certificates acknowledging exceptional achievements in borrowing rates of books and others who provided very useful book reviews or were able to recommend additions to the collection which other students will enjoy reading.

To be commended were students who volunteered their time to assist with various activities or events held in the library. Of particular mention is Avraham Bunin who assisted with special library duties often on a daily basis and shared in the pride that our school holds for this Bob Bellear Memorial Library.

While we have added many new book titles we have ordered to add to our expanding physical collection we would also like to thank the families who have been kind enough to send in book donations to the school. These are titles that their children have enjoyed reading or learning resources that have been bought to support preparation for the HSC.

Years 7 and 8 Activities in the Library Week 10

In the last week of school we will be holding fun activities in the Library during Break times. Staff are busy preparing quizzes, Kahoots and Bingo games with prizes to be won.

The card games and PowerPoints and quizzes will be themed on general knowledge, music, sport and books.

These will be designed with a Year 7 and 8 focus but we expect some of the older students will want to be involved as well.

Thanks to our new Library Assistants Kristal Turner and Chantelle Schamlu who have enjoyed designing the activities. It should be great fun!

Holiday Reading

A reminder to our families that if you’d like to access our -ebook collection just click on Wheelers e-Platform HERE There are literally thousands of books to read and new titles being constantly added. The Wellness series of books is a new series.

This is great for holiday reading in the car or anywhere else you might find yourself in the break. Remember “books are our friends” and as Mark Twain said, “a great book is a friend that never lets you down.” Happy reading…

Monthly Writing Competition

This is a 'once a month' international writing competition.

It can be fun and help develop writing skills. I particularly love that it is 'short and sweet' and happens every month.

53 Word Story

Email your 53-word story to 53wordstory@gmail.com by the 15th day of the month.The Prompt for November: Write a 53-word story about a mustache.  https://www.press53.com/53word-story-contest

Careers News

What to do if you get an SRS offer

If you're in Year 12 and you applied for undergraduate study through the Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS), you may receive an offer in November Round 1 (8 November).

If you don't receive an SRS offer, don't worry: the main offer rounds for Year 12 students are December Round 2 (23 December) and January Round 1 (9 January), after ATARs are released. Your course preferences will be considered again in these offer rounds.

SRS offers can be unconditional or conditional.https://www.uac.edu.au/media-centre/news/srs-offers

UNSW Parents Info Evening 2024: Navigating UAC and offers 

17 December 

Empower yourself to support your child on their journey to university. 

Through Parents Info Evening, you'll understand your teen's options and learn how to provide the support they need to navigate their decision. The livestream will cover: 

• Guiding your child through UAC preferences, the offer and admission process, and the support available to them 

• How your child can make the most of their uni experience 

• Live Q&A: get your questions answered and understand what other parents and caregivers are curious about 

https://www.events.unsw.edu.au/event/parents-info-evening-2024-navigating-uac-and-offers 

UNSW Info Day 

18 December 

Finalise your path to UNSW with confidence.  

Get personalised advice and insights before you finalise your UAC preferences at UNSW Info Day. With ATARs released at 9am and UAC's change of preferences deadline at midnight, this is your opportunity to get all your last minute questions answered. Explore your study options, tour our campus, and chat with academics and current students, so you can feel confident in your choice.  

Get a taste of life as a UNSW student: 

• Attend lectures on your area of interest 

• Explore UNSW on a campus tour 

• Chat with academics and current students in our advisory zones 

https://www.events.unsw.edu.au/event/unsw-info-day-2024 

TAFE NSW –Apprenticeships & Traineeships 

Here is a great quick summary all about apprenticeships, traineeships, school based apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship courses. It covers how long they take and who can apply for these opportunities. 

From Barangaroo to the Sydney Metro project, from WestConnex to new residential builds, New South Wales is a state in construction. We need apprentices. We need to build a strong pipeline of skilled tradespeople. 

The NSW Government recognises this and has now made it even easier for you to become (or employ) an apprentice. They’re investing over $285 million to fund the qualification fees for 100,000 new apprentices. So what are you waiting for? Become an apprentice today. 

https://www.tafensw.edu.au/study/types-courses/apprenticeships-traineeships 

Year 7 Fast Track

Fast Track classes will have their last session next Tuesday 26th Nov. 

Fast track will NOT run in Weeks 8-10

Fast Track Literacy and Numeracy classes are open to all students who wish to receive some extra help with literacy and numeracy skills and content. Fast Track is a foundation class that is highly structured and aligns with the current content being taught in Year 7 English and Maths classes. It is highly structured and aims to build the foundations of the skills and content being taught in classes currently. The Literacy class and Numeracy class will run at the same time. If you would prefer your child have both literacy and numeracy support then they can alternate between the classes every 2 weeks. Every 2 weeks equals a new learning cycle. This class is FREE and open to all Year 7 students.

Please email: tamarin.wood@det.nsw.edu.au if you would like your child to be enrolled in the program. 

Waverley Council Events

BJE News

Parenting Workshops

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.