Effective communication between our school and the student’s parent/carer is important in achieving successful education outcomes for each student. 

1. Communication: Our school is required to inform parents/carers of all matters related to school policy and organisation. The School Association provides the forum for parents/carers to have input and to approve policy changes. Some of this information is contained in our Parent Handbook, and also in our Newsletter and website, along with notices issued from our school, as appropriate. 

2. Parent/Carers: are required to inform our school of the duration and cause of any student absence or lateness. The Administration Office is available from 8:00am – 4:00pm. Parents/carers are also required to inform our school of any medical condition or medication which may affect the student’s safety, behaviour or performance.  If a student needs regular medication, a medical form (available from the Admin Office) must be completed. 

3. Schoolzine: There are a number of modes of effective communication, Schoolzine is an online communication tool and includes our newsletter, school calendar and our APP, SZapp. Schoolzine provides a range of handy communication tools that you can use and it will make our communication easy and accessible for you. https://riversidehigh.education.tas.edu.au 

4. Our school website provides an introduction to our school for those wanting general information https://riversidehigh.education.tas.edu.au/. Through the website you are able to connect to our Facebook page and Schoolzine. 

5. Facebook: this is up to date and regular news and information that focuses on celebration, school activities and events along with urgent sharing of information.https://www.facebook.com/RiversideHighSchoolTasmania/  

6. Newsletter: this is our main celebration and communication of student/school achievements, events and news. Our regular features include Subject in Focus and Sport in Focus (winter).  This is published every second Friday through Schoolzine. Please note that Rippers have a separate tab and are published weekly.http://riversidehs.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe  

7. Public Calendar (Schoolzine): This is updated daily with excursions, school events, assemblies and celebrations. http://riversidehs.schoolzineplus.com/calendar 

8. Home Group: Every student is a member of a grade-based home group. The teacher in charge of that group, the Home Group Teacher, is the first point of contact with our school and can be contacted through our Admin Office or via email or a note. 

9. Other members of staff: Admin Team, Subject Teachers, Grade Leaders, ASTs on the Grade, School Nurse, School Chaplain, School Psychologist, Social Worker, Assistant Principals, or the Principal may be contacted by phone, letter or email depending on the nature of the concern or the information required.    Please note that between 8:45am and 3:10pm the teaching staff are involved with the learning program.   Appointments may be made by contacting our Admin Team. 

10. Contact by teachers: Where there is a matter of concern, teachers may contact home by phone, email or letter. The purpose of such contact is to inform parent/carers of matters concerning their child’s progress and welfare and to seek parental support in resolving issues and helping the child. 

11. Messages for students: Our school is large and complex and staff are always busy. It is only possible to pass on urgent messages to students.  We ask that appointments and other family arrangements be made before students leave for school. 

12. Annual school magazine: Our school magazine ‘Panta Rei’ is a publication providing a special record of significant events and school programs. Order forms will be issued to families early in the year for those wishing to purchase. 

13. Parent information evenings: These are held at various times throughout the year and focus on issues such as Grade Seven transition, option choices and policy reviews. 

14. First Aid: We have several staff who are qualified to provide First Aid support to our students and staff.  If a student is feeling unwell or injured, the correct procedure is for them 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 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.

Whilst Riverside High School acknowledges that we live in a technology-rich world where mobile phones are an important communication tool, research has found that mobile phones can be disruptive in classrooms and open to misuse at school.  The unregulated presence of mobile phones in classrooms can undermine students’ capacity to think, learn, remember, pay attention and regulate emotion. 

At recess and lunchtime, opportunities for students to communicate with each other face-to-face or be involved in physical activity are also valued, rather than students being focused on a mobile phone, particularly when they are using it to engage with social media.

• Students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them set to silent or switched off and securely stored during school hours (that is, mobile phones are Off and Away prior to the start of Home Group at 8:45am and are not to be accessed until lessons conclude at 3:10pm)
• When parents need to communicate with their children during the school day, we ask that this is through the Administration Office
• For further information please refer to the DECYP policy ‘Use of Mobile Phones by Students at School’.

Students will be sitting NAPLAN between 15 and 27 March 2023.

The National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning at school. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for, and students are not expected to do so.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance; however, students and parents may use individual results to discuss progress with teachers.

This is the first year NAPLAN will be held in March, having previously taken place in May. This change was made so school systems would have access to results earlier in the school year, so they can be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year.

Why NAPLAN is Conducted Online

NAPLAN online provides a better assessment and more precise results.

One of the main benefits of NAPLAN online is that it uses tailored (or adaptive) testing. This means that students receive questions better suited to their abilities, so they can show what they know and can do.

Online testing also allows us to provide a wide range of accessibility options to support students with disability to access NAPLAN.

Feedback from students is that they find the online test more engaging.

To have your questions answered on NAPLAN and what it means for your child please go to: NAPLAN information brochure for parents and carers

The link will take you to the official National Assessment Program (NAP) website.

Please contact the school if you have any further queries.

Kylie Jago & Ben Gadsby

In order to allow you to meet our teachers in person we will be holding a Meet and Greet BBQ on Tuesday, 21st February in our Courtyard at Riverside High School.  Both you and your child are invited; please note that students are to be accompanied by a parent/carer.

Our Grade 10 Peer Mentors have kindly offered to organise and cook the barbecue.

Details are as follows:

As a final note, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Home Group teacher with information that you see as relevant to ensure positive educational outcomes for your child.

To assist our organisation, please RSVP by Monday, 20^th February using the QR Code below.

Adrian Smith
Grade 7 Assistant Principal                                                            

Photo Day/s:             

Friday 3 March (Main Photo Day)
Monday 6 March (Absentee Photo Day)

Have your child’s school memories captured forever.  MSP Photography will be at Riverside High on the dates featured above.  Every student must be in full school uniform on photo day.

Please be aware that all photos must now be ordered online.  Your child will receive an order slip with a unique shootkey printed on it. Orders received after photo day will be subject to a surcharge.

ORDERING PROCESS FOR INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS

1. Log on to www.msp.com.au and click ORDER ONLINE. Online ordering will remain open until Midnight, Monday, 13th March.

2. Enter the Shootkey and select the pack you wish to order. Record your Reference Number for your information.

To order a pack for another student from the same family use the “Change Shootkey” function to enter the next shoot key.

Repeat the process with the sibling photo shootkey, you will find this on the separate sibling photo sheet.

3. Your total order will be calculated and a discount will automatically be applied for orders over $110.00. 

SIBLING/FAMILY PHOTOS (envelope available from School Admin office upon request)

1. Families wishing to order photos of siblings together need to follow the information provided on the Sibling slip to order Sibling/Family photos. The student must return the Sibling Photo order envelope with the order reference to the photographer when they have their sibling photo taken. 

We greatly appreciate your assistance with this matter.

Susan Matkovich

The start of 2023 marks the third year Riverside High School has implemented the one-to-one device program. All students of Grades 7-9, are now equipped with an iPad to help support learning, improve understanding and enable new ways for students to demonstrate knowledge.

iPads have been distributed to all Grade 8 and 9 students who have returned their ICT user agreement form. For any student still needing to return the form, please return the signed ICT agreement to the school’s administration office.

Grade 7 iPads will be distributed to students in Week Three. A big thank you to parents/carers for the prompt return of the ICT user agreement form, making a large logistical process run more smoothly. With three-year groups now in possession of an iPad, 2023 will be an adventurous year with new and exciting teaching practices, engaged learning, and a large repertoire of interactive activities. Teachers are looking forward to the innovative work students will produce.

Alan Mowbray

Last Friday, nine students commenced their Certificate II in Resources and Infrastructure Work Preparation. The VET course, delivered by TasTAFE, is hosted at Riverside High School on Fridays and is designed for Year 11 and 12 students with and interest of employment in Civil Construction.

The students will complete a series of modules complemented with a range of hands-on activities to help them prepare for a variety of roles in the industry. This term the crew will be working on some projects around our school such as the maintenance of our school garden and refurbishment of the long jump pits in preparation for the upcoming intra-school Athletics Carnival.

We are excited to be welcoming our students every Friday and look forward to what they are able to achieve around our school.

Adam Child

This year our school Athletics Carnival is being held in Term 1 and our Swimming Carnival will be held in Term 4. The change has been made so that both school sports carnivals align with when the Northern High Schools Sports Associations are holding the Swimming and Athletics Inter-High Carnivals. The NHSSA Inter-High Athletics Carnival is being held on Thursday, 27^th April.

We are holding our Athletics Carnival on school grounds on Wednesday, 8^th March and Thursday, 9^th March. Please mark the dates in your diary and if you are able to come along and support your child on one or both days, we would love to see you there.

One of our aims this year is to try to involve our families more at school events, such as our sports carnivals. If you would like to offer your support at our Athletics Carnival, whether it be timing or recording times for a running event or measuring the distance of a jump or throw, please email Mr Timothy Elliott (timothy.elliott@decyp.tas.gov.au) or Mr Toby Musovic (toby.musovic@decyp.tas.gov.au) so we can discuss how we may be able to involve you.

As always, thank you for your support and we hope to see you at our Athletics Carnival.

Timothy Elliott & Toby Musovic

As you know the Exeter Show is happening this year. Categories for the school children - are from irregular shaped vegetables to cupcakes, photography to Sci-fi/fantasy art. For more information visit the Exeter Show website www.exetershow.com.au