The chapter for our Year 12 cohort culminated in a grand celebration last Friday night at Novello on the Park during their Senior Formal. The evening was a delightful blend of joy, festivity, and dance. As the night unfolded, our student leaders—Kisna, Lailani, Elijah, and Shanice—graciously delivered their final remarks to both their fellow classmates and the attending staff, marking a poignant moment of farewell.
Principal's Award
Congratulations to the following students for receiving Principal's Awards at recent Assemblies:
PERSEVERING AND ENDURING
Around this time each year, and at all schools I have worked at, students seem to get a kind of “white line fever”. It’s almost as if they can sense the end of the year, but don’t quite have the self-control to hold out to the Summer break. It is incredibly important that we support our students as they struggle to self-regulate.
Term 4 continues to race along with swimming and gymnastics lessons finishing up last week, end-of-year rehearsals underway and a taste of Year 7 for our current Year 6 students on their recent Orientation days. The lovely Spring weather has been such a blessing and many students are giving me their daily ‘jacaranda count’ as these beautiful trees bloom all over Sydney.
Each Friday at Recess, the Primary Writing Club meets to celebrate the joy, excitement and fun that writing brings. Last Term, we explored the idea of ‘extraordinary’, with many students writing pieces to be considered for entry into the Blacktown City Council Mayoral Creative Writing Prize. Well done to Ruby from 6P and Veeshaye from 4R, with their writing selected to represent RJ in this competition.
LOOKING BACK
It has been a busy two weeks with the two Year 7 2024 Orientation Days taking place, including a meeting with students and their parents last Thursday. The Class of 2023 completed their HSC examinations and enjoyed their Formal at Novella on the Park last Friday evening.
It’s that time of year when all textbooks and other library items need to be returned. Please check at home, your lockers and classrooms to make sure you have them all. Any outstanding items you have may be charged to your school fees account to enable their replacement.
EXTENDING FOR AN EXTRA WEEK
Thank you for being part of this special project that brings great joy and hope to many children around the world. An extra week has been added to Operation Christmas Child so we can celebrate together as a Secondary Section. The Whole Secondary Celebration will now take place next Tuesday 21 November.
Each year, students in Year 10 participate in Service Week, where they volunteer and serve others in varying locations and activities. This year, Service Week will run from Monday 28 November till Thursday 1 December.
One of the highlights of the Secondary Service Learning program is the Year 4 Pyjamarama where Year 8 students participate as student leaders and other Secondary students from CRU Blast, the Service Team and other interested students run activities during the evening. By serving in this way, the students have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, support the teachers on the Camp as well as help the Primary students to have a wonderful time.
It is getting to that point of the year again where we start to think about next year. I am delighted to announce that we have finalised Junior School staffing for 2024. Before the end of the year, we will be sending home notes to all families for next year outlining who will be teaching what grade. This will at least lessen any anxiety that may exist for students. If you do have specific concerns about class placements in 2024, please don’t hesitate to contact your class teacher for more information.
Year 4 students participated in Year 4 Camp. We began on the Sunday by attending Life Anglican Church Marsden Park. After church, we enjoyed a variety of wide games under the COLA, such as ‘Rob the Nest’ and ‘Bullrush’. Following wide games, we enjoyed a BBQ dinner – thanks to Mr Sale for cooking!
BASKETBALL GALA DAY
Mrs Wells took a boys and girls Stage 3 team with her to the CSSA Basketball Gala Day. They played to the best of their ability and had fantastic sportsmanship throughout the course of the day. Well done to those students.
The 2024 Sport Captains, along with Mr Dawson, have introduced a new lunchtime sports competition, the Principal’s Cup. The inaugural competition is a 3v3 basketball competition to be played each year in Term 4.
We have recently transitioned to a new absence reporting process across both Campuses. Whilst parents can still report future absences via email or SMS as usual, unexpected absences on the day e.g. child unwell, are to be communicated by parents once the RJ App push notification has been issued (approx 11am). This reporting change means your confirmation and explanation of your child's absence will go automatically into the Edumate record rather than the current double handling.
We will continue to do SMS absence notifications for the time being, asking you to respond directly via the App once the App notification goes out. In time, the SMS advice will be phased out, with the App being the main communication of absences.
The App developers are looking into a mechanism where you can pre-date absences, but this is not currently available.
Please ensure your App and phone notifications are turned on. If you have any questions about the RJ App, please refer to this booklet - Edumate Parent Portal & School App Info
A friendly reminder that if your family circumstances have changed and your child will not be continuing at RJ/MPAC in 2024, please provide written notice to the School advising of the enrolment change. A Term’s notice is required to avoid additional charges.
The School endeavours to continually improve the RJ experience and welcomes encouraging and/or constructive feedback from parents on events, activities, or RJ life in general. Please email parentfeedback@rjas.nsw.edu.au and your input will be considered accordingly. Thank you for your time.
