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Dear Parents and Families,
The flags are flying again at Riverside High School! After the removal of our old flag poles in the former bus turning circle over 18 months ago to make way for the redevelopment, it has been great to see the return of the tradition of the Australian, the Aboriginal and the Riverside High School flag being raised each morning. Grade 7 students have a roster and have taken responsibility for this task. Another enhancement to the front of our school; it is exciting to be putting the finishing touches on our redevelopment.
Our Grade Team structure is a very important part of how our school operates and in particular plays a key role in developing close relationships between teachers and students, along with providing high levels of care and support for each student. We pride ourselves on maintaining regular communication with families, which has certainly been strengthened this year through the challenges of Learning from Home. We greatly appreciate that our parent community value working closely with us and are proactive in promptly contacting us and keeping us updated so that we can work in partnership. A reminder that Home Group teachers should be the first point of contact if you need support, have a concern or a query. Home Group teachers know the students in their Home Group well and have an important role in supporting students with regards to both wellbeing and learning.
Due to some recent staffing changes we have needed to make some alterations to Grade Leadership. Please be aware that Miss Bonnie Hall is now working as the AST with the Grade 10 team, alongside Mrs Susan Matkovich and Mr Cam Downie. Mrs Jo Faulkner has been appointed to an Acting AST position and will be the AST on Grade 7, working with Mr Darren Hanson and Mr Jesse Fyfe.
Breakfast Club
Last week saw the return of our Breakfast Club. Our new Common Room provides a warm, comfortable and welcoming space for this group; it has been great to see students enjoying the interaction and setting themselves up for a positive start to the day. With the support of our School Health Nurse, Nigel Donoghue and our Chaplain, Jeremiah Soetan, the Peer Mentors have been active in assisting the smooth running of the Breakfast Club. We have received some wonderful support from both Banjo’s Bakery and Woolworths, which is greatly appreciated.
We would like to pass on a huge thank you to Sarah Knee (Manager), and her wonderful staff at Banjo’s Riverside for the ongoing supply of bread products that will make our Breakfast Club a sustainable venture.
Also, Riverside High school would like to thank Wesley Polden (Manager) and staff at Riverside Woolworths for support of initial supplies (spreads etc) to enable the recommencement of our Breakfast Club.
If you are able to support these organisations to show your thanks that would be most appreciated.
Our new Outdoor Games Area
Last year we were fortunate to receive grant funding of $20,000 as part of the Local Schools Community Fund. This funding has contributed to the development of an undercover outdoor space which will feature a table tennis area. The building work has been completed and the area asphalted. We now need to complete the landscaping for this area and we are waiting on the delivery of three table tennis tables, specifically designed and made for outdoor areas. The space is located near our gym and will be able to be utilised by HPE classes along with being accessed at break times. The intention is that this will be a facility that our community can also enjoy after hours. We would like to acknowledge the Australian Government support we have received for this project and look forward to sharing some further photos once landscaping is finished and our tables arrive.
School Association
The School Association is made up of parents, staff and community members, with a number of student representatives also attending meetings. The Association is a really important way for parents and community members to engage in the work of the school, to contribute ideas and parent perspective and to share in decision making. The next meeting of our School Association will be preceded by the Annual General Meeting. Restrictions in place as a result of COVID-19 have resulted in the school needing to delay this meeting which would normally be held in April. The AGM will be on Monday 31st August at 7.00 pm, which will be followed by the first meeting of the new Association at 7.30 pm. These meetings will be held in the Conference Room in the new Administration area.
We are very keen to have some new members on our Association and have a number of vacancies to fill. Please feel free to discuss with myself or to contact Jo Wing, who is the Chair of our School Association.
If you are interested and able to attend a couple of meetings each term, I would strongly encourage you to complete the nomination form which is included in the newsletter. This needs to be returned to the School Admin Office by Wednesday 26th August.
Wellbeing Survey
The wellbeing of our students is important to us. We know that wellbeing, experiencing success as a learner and leading a healthy, purposeful and meaningful life are interconnected. In the coming weeks all students (Grade 7- 10) will be participating in a Wellbeing survey. The Student Wellbeing Survey is part of the Department of Education’s Child and Student Wellbeing Strategy. This will give us vital information to inform and guide our work, where wellbeing is already one of our key priorities. A letter has been sent home to parents this week providing information about the survey which is delivered on an opt out basis. Our students will be completing the survey in Health lessons which we hope will reinforce the importance of the information we are gathering. We appreciate your support with ensuring that as many students as possible complete the survey so that all our learners are safe, feel supported and are able to flourish, so that they can engage in their learning.
Ms Natalie Odgers
2020 – We are living through historical events.
In all my years of teaching I have never experienced living through so many events that will be remembered for millennium. COVID 19 is a pandemic that has changed everything we once knew and how we live our everyday lives. Students saw firsthand what it meant for food to figuratively run off the shelves and to have restrictions on what you could buy and how much. Never has toilet paper been so sought after and hand sanitiser been so rare. But we all rallied to the cause; whether it was a winery making hand sanitiser in gin bottles to friends buying toilet paper and giving it to their friends or neighbours. We are living through history. We are learning what it takes to live through a pandemic; how to care for not just yourself but others in the community by social distancing and following laws put in place to care for the rest. Students are also living in a time where state borders are closed and, in a time, where we can’t just hang out in large groups which means summer music concerts have been cancelled and going to the footy is off limits. The last time we had such restrictions on our lives was during WW2! History will record this time and movies and books will be created that show what it was like during this time and students today will be able to sit around the table or camp fire and tell their grandchildren how life changed forever in 2020.
Education as we know it was turned on its head as students were advised to stay and learn from home whilst some who could not came to school in small numbers. Teachers had to quickly embrace online learning through a program called CANVAS and teach students at home via conference calls; printed work -packages being sent home to developing learning materials that students used online. As HASS staff we are so proud of the materials and units we sent out to students and took on student feedback when planning more units. For example, we included messages through out each unit to take a break; have a snack and stay hydrated and get some exercise. We made more video conference calls to individual students; groups or entire classes so that we could maintain connections and help students with any issues or questions they may have had. Those students who did return to school and worked on CANVAS with their teachers were also amazing regarding their work ethic and the increasing confidence in this mode of learning.
I would like to take this time to thank the HASS teaching staff for their tremendous work ethic; willingness to work out of their comfort zones and learn new skills is such a short period of time. Quite simply the hours they put into developing learning materials; communicating with their students and marking the work submitted were enormous. The priority was for the welfare of our students and to help them through the learning opportunities presented in each unit. The collegiality shown amongst the HASS teaching team was second to none and I was often left in awe of their achievements.
A second historical event of note involves snow! Launceston and much of the state experienced genuine snow fall for the first time in approximately 70 years! Students spoke about their parents getting them up in the middle of the night to play in the fluffy, cold white stuff we know to be snow. For once we were not watching other people play in the snow or ski on the news on the mainland. Students came to school with white snow blankets everywhere and the urge to ‘build a snowman’ or to throw a snowball was undeniable. We all realised that this was potentially a once in a lifetime experience for many. Snow brings the joy and child out in us all and watching students of all ages in the courtyard was a sight to behold.
Mrs Lou Finnigan on behalf of the HASS team
Students in Grade 10 are well on their transition journey, exploring what next year might hold for them. Recently during Grade Time, students heard from members of the Northern Transition Team, representatives from Launceston and Newstead College, discussing what possible options that each of them have. Students were able to pose questions to the Transition Team and were provided with next steps in their journey. The focus of the session was to provide information regarding ‘Transition for Learning’ rather than which campus students might be thinking about. There will be more information to share later in the term regarding campus selection.
To support students and families understanding, the Northern Transition Team created a video, answering many frequently asked questions.
Please go to the link below to view this:
Welcome to the Tasmania Northern Schools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYpfBVnIBQE
Planning a student’s Years 11 and 12 courses is not about ‘locking in’ a decision for a future career. It’s about exploring all of their interests, abilities and goals – and the types of things they will need to do in the future if they want to achieve their goals. When deciding on a course to study for Years 11 and 12, students will need to:
- Choose courses that will enable them to obtain the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE)
- Plan a two year program relevant to their goals and interests, keeping in mind that some courses have pre-requisites
- Read the course details carefully and ask their teachers for more information if they need it
- Investigate where they can study, including Riverside High School, and the colleges
- Consider any pre-requisite courses that may be required for study at either TasTAFE or university after they complete Year 12. Students can choose to do; a vocational education and training (VET) course, Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) courses, or a combination of both
Please visit the 2021 Student Guide to continue exploring and discussing courses at the following website:
For further information, please go to the following website: https://www.anything.tas.gov.au/
Mr Rohan Pooley
As the school redevelopment draws to a close, we now have our new Library space fully operational. The Library area, located in Building 1 - adjacent to the café, provides students with a comfortable modern learning space. The Library area includes an adjoining multi-purpose room allowing classes, student groups and small clubs to access and benefit from the library resources.
The Library stocks a variety of texts including novels, eBooks, non-fiction texts audiobooks, graphic novels, picture books, and magazines. We have recently purchased many new titles which are prominently displayed in one of the custom-built shelving units.
The Library offers many benefits to students beyond its obvious focus on reading and learning. It represents a safe space – a calm space for students to meet, read, study, relax and explore. The Library is open to students every lunch time and has already hosted some student activities coordinated by the Prefect Board, with others scheduled for the future.
The Library staff, Mrs Jenny Dent and Mrs Karen Morrison are a valuable resource and can assist with finding the right book or help in discovering a new and exciting author to explore.
In addition to the new library space, we are continuing our classroom libraries. The use of small class libraries aims to motivate students with their reading by;
- Providing access to a wide range of reading materials that reflect abilities and interests
- Allowing choice in self-selecting reading materials for self-engagement
- Facilitating reading opportunities in all subject areas.
The texts in these class libraries are exchanged twice every term and are supplemented by texts specific to the students learning.
Mr Ben Gadsby
For National Schools Tree Day, staff along with 30 Riverside High School Grade 7 and Grade 8 students have helped plant 40 trees across from the Riverside High School carpark, as part of an ongoing conservation project.
The project was originally started by Riverside High School Science Lab Technicians Annette McCarthy and Jane Farrell, who applied for a Landcare grant in 2019.
More trees were needed to fill out and further develop the area. Jo Dean from Community Gardening Australia kindly donated the native trees and shrubs for the project.
Jo Dean gave the students some education around tree planting and the types of trees native to the area. Riverside students are keen to keep working on their Riverside High School evolving Outdoor Classroom.
Ms Jodie Clegg
We are Cecilia and Will your Deputy Head Prefects for 2020!
This year our world has looked quite a bit different than usual. Though that doesn’t mean our goal as your Deputy Head Prefects have changed! Our purpose is still to provide everyone with a positive school experience. So, through working closely with the Board we hope that we can put forth ideas that will make a positive impact on our school community, whilst also working side by side with our amazing teaching staff to help enhance your voices! Always striving to do our best!
If you are looking for Will outside of school hours the first place to check would be anywhere there are bike tracks and jumps! He is an absolute bike fanatic and loves to practice his tricks! You should see him in action! And if you are looking for Cecilia, well you won’t have to look far… she is usually hidden somewhere reading a good novel because what could beat a book and a hot cuppa? Or if not there, off practicing a drama piece!
More than anything this year we are really looking forward to sharing these experiences with you all! As we said at the start of the year, we are your voice, so any issue, big or small, please don’t be afraid to reach out because we are here to make the rest of your 2020 something to remember!
We hope you are all well, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of this year brings!
Will 10C and Cecilia 10B
Deputy Head Prefects