Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are now midway through Term 3, and what a busy term it has been! The sun is starting to shine, the days are getting longer, and our students have been actively engaged in a wide range of in-school and extracurricular activities. As you will see in this week’s newsletter, it’s a vibrant and exciting time for both students and staff.

SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY

This week, we welcomed back SPEAK UP Stay ChatTY, who worked with our senior students in small class groups. These sessions focused on mental health awareness and strategies for supporting personal and peer wellbeing. Over the two-day program, our Riverside High School support team was actively involved, including our School Chaplain Mr Den Hartog and School Health Nurse Mr Donoghue. We also warmly welcomed our new Social Worker, Mr Wharepouri, who will be working with us 3.5 days a week.

Year 6 Transition – 2025

Miss Dudley, AST of Transition, has been coordinating transition visits for our feeder primary schools: Trevallyn Primary, Riverside Primary, and West Launceston Primary. We are also excited to welcome Legana Primary School in the future. Enrolments from non-associate primary schools are now being scheduled. Please contact the Riverside High Administration Team on 6327 6333 or Riverside.High.Admin.Staff@decyp.tas.gov.au if you would like to book an enrolment appointment or a school tour.

Leadership & Personal Development Day – 2025

A big thank you to our Year 9 students who participated in the Leadership and Personal Development Day held at the Door of Hope. Students showed outstanding commitment, behaviour, and focus throughout the day. This marks the first step in the process of applying for leadership positions in 2026. Expressions of Interest forms have been distributed. The day provided opportunities for students to collaborate in teams, take on leadership roles, solve challenges, and build new friendships and connections.

Write a Book in a Day

Students from both our junior and senior schools took part in the Write a Book in a Day competition. Over two days, teams worked together to write, illustrate, and collate their books. Thank you to Assistant Principal Mr Gadsby for leading the event and to Mrs Phair for supporting our teams.

Breakfast Club

As highlighted in this week’s media release, we had the pleasure of The Honourable Jo Palmer, Minister for Education, visit our Breakfast Club on Wednesday morning. The club operates daily and is supported by our School Chaplain Mr Den Hartog, School Health Nurse Mr Donoghue, teacher volunteer Mr Hindrum, Kitchen Assistant Ms Brown, and our School Business Manager Ms Pearce. Thanks to generous support from the Variety Club and Riverside Banjos, we are able to provide hot drinks, toast, cereal, fruit buns, and fruit to students each morning in the Café. It was lovely to have the Minister speak with students from Years 7 to 10.

School Fair – Sidefest 2025

A reminder that our school fair, Sidefest, will be held on Friday, 24th October! If you would like to run a stall, please complete the form linked via the QR code in this newsletter.

Student Wellbeing Survey

Jeanna Bolton
Principal

The Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) 2025 closes to new applications next week (the first week of September). Applications from families who have not yet applied are required by this time.

Families who have not applied for, or received STAS 2025 previously are encouraged to apply online at https://stasonlinesubmission.education.tas.gov.au. Online applications can be submitted on any electronic device including mobile phones.

If required, STAS forms are available on the DECYP intranet for printing here. Alternatively, contact Riverside High School Administration Office on 6327 6333 and we will email forms to you.

For any queries please contact Finance Assistance at stas@decyp.tas.gov.au or Riverside High School 6327 6333.

When parents/guardians are exiting our school between 8:00 - 9:30am and 2:30 - 4:00pm on School Days, please note, turning right is prohibited. Violation of this rule may jeopardize your safety and that of others and impacts on the traffic flow of our buses.

STEM Students Gear Up for SideFest with Creative Tech Projects

Mr Woodley's Grade 8 and 9/10 STEM classes are diving into hands-on innovation as they prepare for SideFest! Using the school's 3D printers and laser cutters, students are designing and producing a range of creative items to sell at the event. From custom keychains to board games; their work showcases both technical skill and entrepreneurial spirit.

Keep an eye out for updates as the students bring their ideas to life. SideFest is shaping up to be an exciting showcase of STEM talent!

Science Week 2025, brought a cosmic twist to classrooms as students explored the theme "Decoding the Universe". The school embraced this theme to deepen students’ understanding of the night sky and spark curiosity about the cosmos. Across all year levels, learners engaged in a variety of hands-on and minds-on activities designed to make astronomy accessible, exciting, and educational. A host of prizes and canteen vouchers were on offer for those who pushed themselves and demonstrated courage to get involved in the week’s events.

Each day kicked off with a Science riddle that challenged students to think critically about space phenomena. This was followed by a lively rounds of space bingo, where students matched celestial terms and objects to their definitions, reinforcing vocabulary in a fun and interactive way. The Science relay added a physical twist to learning, with teams racing to complete astronomy-themed challenges that tested both knowledge and teamwork.

In Science classes, students dove deeper into the stars with a constellation quiz, identifying patterns and stories behind famous star formations. One of the highlights for the Grade 9s and 10s was building and learning to use their very own star wheel, a hands-on activity that helped students learn how to locate constellations in the night sky based on the time and season. This practical tool not only enhanced their observational skills but also encouraged stargazing beyond the classroom.

To wrap up the week, students explored the vastness of space through classifying galaxies, learning to distinguish between spiral, elliptical, and irregular types. This activity tied together the week’s theme by encouraging students to think like astronomers, decoding the structure and evolution of the universe. Science Week 2025 proved to be a stellar success, leaving students inspired and more connected to the wonders above. A big shout out also needs to be mentioned for the preparation and organisation of these events by the Science staff and Prefects; what an awesome effort!

Looking ahead, Riverside High School will host an Astronomy Night on September 9th, in collaboration with the Tasmanian Astronomical Society. The event will begin at 7:00pm in the school gym with an introductory presentation, followed by stargazing on the netball courts from 7:30pm to 9:30pm, weather permitting. Students, families, and community members are invited to attend and experience the night sky through telescopes and expert guidance, continuing the journey of decoding the universe together. We are asking you to complete a QR code if you are intending to be at this event see code below: Further details for this event will be available on our social media.

Jay Duggan on behalf of the Science Faculty

On Friday, 15^th August, Riverside High School held its highly anticipated Battle of the Bands 2025 at Door of Hope. The evening was an incredible celebration of student talent, showcasing the creativity, passion, and energy of our young musicians.

We are so proud of all the students who performed this year. Each band brought something unique to the stage, impressing the audience with their original compositions, musicianship, and the sheer joy they displayed in making music together. The standard of performance was outstanding, making it clear just how much time and effort our students have dedicated to their craft.

Congratulations to Where’s Wally? Amy, Flynn, and Will, who took out the Off the Rocks section. A huge round of applause also goes to The Roadies Himani, Jenny, Cyelle, Maya, and Cross, for winning the Contenders section.

Both Where’s Wally? and The Roadies will now go on to represent Riverside High in the Rock Challenge in the coming weeks. We are thrilled to see them take their talents to the next level and compete against other outstanding young musicians.

The Rising Stars section once again highlighted the incredible promise of our junior bands. Their performances demonstrated creativity, energy, and a glimpse of the talent that will continue to grow and shine in their senior years.

The success of the evening would not have been possible without the dedication and support of our staff. A heartfelt thank you goes to all the teachers, organisers, and technical crew who worked behind the scenes to ensure the night ran smoothly. Your encouragement and guidance play a vital role in nurturing the artistic growth of our students.

Battle of the Bands 2025 was more than just a competition, it was a celebration of what makes Riverside High such a vibrant and creative community. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for our talented young musicians.

Miss de Jong, Mr Parry & Mr Rainbird
Music Department

On Friday, 22^nd August, Riverside High School proudly hosted its annual LAPD (Leadership and Personal Development) Day for our Year 9 students and what a day it was!

The event was a highly successful celebration of teamwork, collaboration, and personal growth, designed to empower students with the skills and confidence to become future leaders. From the moment the day began, students were immersed in a series of engaging activities that challenged them to think critically, communicate effectively, and work together to solve problems.

Throughout the day, students participated in a variety of team-building exercises, leadership workshops, and reflective sessions. These experiences not only strengthened their bonds with peers but also encouraged them to step outside their comfort zones and explore their personal leadership capabilities.

Teachers and facilitators were impressed by the enthusiasm and maturity shown by the Year 9 cohort. Many students demonstrated natural leadership qualities, while others discovered new strengths and interests that they hadn’t previously recognised.

Highlights of the day included:

• Collaborative challenges that required strategic thinking and group coordination.
• Leadership role-play scenarios that encouraged empathy and decision-making.
• Personal development reflections that helped students set goals for their future growth.

The success of LAPD Day is a testament to the vibrant culture of Riverside High School, where student development is at the heart of everything we do. We are incredibly proud of our Year 9 students and look forward to seeing how they continue to grow as leaders in our school community.

Well done, Year 9!

Year 9 Leadership Team

This year, we took 33 students along to the Museum of New and Old Art in Hobart. MONA is the largest privately funded museum in the Southern Hemisphere. MONA houses ancient, modern and contemporary art from Tasmania's David Walsh collection.

Our students were given the opportunity to immerse themselves in the unique and eclectic atmosphere of this incredible, world class museum and represented our school with pride. Thank you to Georgie, a parent, for coming along on our trip.

Caz Saunders

As we have passed the halfway mark of the year and swing from winter to spring it has been fantastic to see many students complete some high standard MDT work in both wood and metal.

Grade 7

The start of spring means its nearly daylight saving and BBQ weather. Our Grade 7 students have completed their aluminium BBQ tools ready to be tried out!

Toby T, Archer B, Hugo M, Tyler B, Lucas W and Marcus F have all displayed excellent workshop practice to complete their projects.

Grade 8

In Grade 8 Hope G completed her metal and timber kitchen shelf with the help of Mr Dalton. Using recycled reo bar. Hope did a fantastic job with her design, problem solving and welding. Great work, legend!

Other students were challenged in the Woodwork room to make a lolly dispenser. Reuban N, Callan P, Lizzy C, Yuxuan S, Biley B and Arthur M all impressed as independent learners to complete their projects to a high standard, ready to be filled (and eaten)!

Our 9/10 Metal students have been working on their independent design projects. Nate H used a recycled dryer bowl to make a fantastic fire pit. It looks fantastic Nate, well done.

Lincoln W and Matt R also completed their shoe racks which look too good to sit outside. Great effort. Both Lincoln and Matt, if they want, have the potential to be valuable tradesmen.

Leigh Bonney
MDT Teacher

This year the Grade 10 Council chose to support the Cancer Council by being involved in the National Daffodil Day Fundraiser.

We sold merchandise through the week, which raised $200 through selling pins, socks and bunches of the famous Daffodils.

Grade 10 students also manned a Daffodil Day stall at the Riverside Shopping Centre on Friday, which sold over 60 bunches of daffodils, a number of Dougal Bears and many pins.

More importantly, these activities raised the profile of the Cancer Council in the school and wider community and the work this organisation does in supporting those impacted by cancer. For every person diagnosed there is a wider group that also needs to be supported, and this is the valuable and often un-recognised work undertaken by the Cancer Council.

Stephen Hindrum

SZapp is our primary online communication platform. It provides access to our school newsletter, calendar, and allows you to notify us of student absences quickly and easily.

To get started, please follow the steps below to install SZapp on your device.

What should you do if your child needs to leave school early?

Students are required to sign out at the Student Admin Counter if they have to leave school early for any reason. Communication from parents/guardians can be via:

• Phoning the Administration Office which is open between 8:00am–4:00pm (6327 6333)
• Using the Schoolzine App.
• Sending an email to either the Home Group teacher or our school email address Riverside.High.Admin.Staff@decyp.tas.gov.au

 When leaving our school for an appointment, students must have a GREEN LEAVE FORM which has been signed by Admin Staff and an Assistant Principal.  

• The Leave Pass is preferably completed before school and must be left with a member of our Admin Team at the time of leaving. 
• The student must also sign out at the time of departure.  
• Students who sign out for appointments should sign back in at the Student Admin Counter on their return. 

Following this process ensures that students meet their parents for collection promptly without interrupting classes. 

If a student is feeling unwell or is injured, they need to get a signed pass from their teacher to go to the Admin office and ask for First Aid assistance. 

The First Aid officer will then determine if the student is well enough to stay at school or needs to go home.  The First Aid officer will then contact parents/carers if the student needs to go home. 

Could parents/carers please discourage their child from messaging or calling home during class time instead of going to First Aid.