21 February 2025

At the heart of this growth are our five learning muscles—relationships, resilience, reflectiveness, resourcefulness, and reciprocity. These essential dispositions empower our students to navigate challenges, deepen their understanding and apply their learning in meaningful ways. At our upcoming RJ Community Connect evening this Wednesday 26 February at 7pm, we look forward to sharing a series of short video presentations that highlight how these learning muscles are actively developed in our College each day. We also look forward to meeting some of our new families to the College, introducing our College Chaplain and hearing from our parents.

A heartfelt thank you to our Junior School parents who attended the Tell Us About Your Child evenings last week. Your insights and partnership in your child’s learning journey are invaluable. We also appreciate our Year 9 and 10 parents for attending the Parent Information Sessions last Wednesday – your engagement plays a key role in supporting our students as they navigate these important years of their education and as they embark on their outdoor education programs at the beginning of Term 2.

Looking ahead, our Year 7 students are preparing for their upcoming camp at the CRU campsite, Waterslea. This experience will be an incredible opportunity for all Year 7 students to step outside the classroom, connect with one another and forge strong friendships. Time away together in this environment fosters personal growth, teamwork and a greater sense of cohesion within the group – something that will enrich their school journey in the years ahead.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to our Year Group Ambassadors for stepping into their roles as leaders of our Year Group Facebook pages. Their contributions provide invaluable support and clarity to fellow parents throughout the year as various events and programs unfold.

We are still seeking ambassadors for Year 5 and Year 7 in 2025. If you are interested in volunteering for this role, please contact Mrs Ghali, we would greatly appreciate your support!

At the core of all we do at RJ is our Christian identity. As a College, we are deeply committed to upholding the values of respect and care, courage and excellence, and integrity and wisdom; values that reflect God’s truth and shape the character of our students. Our desire is to see our entire community embracing these principles, living them out in a way that brings glory to God. 

As we grow in our knowledge and understanding, we do so with the ultimate purpose of honouring Him in all that we learn and all that we do. Whether you're searching for hope or looking to deepen your assurance in your spiritual journey, we invite you to reach out to our RJ staff. Our College Chaplain, Mr David Janzen, is always available to support you. Additionally, we can connect you with local Anglican ministers or their respective youth ministers who regularly engage with our College community.

God Bless
Mr Alan Dawson | Principal 

• • Enjoy light refreshments
• • Connect with fellow parents
• • Engage with the Executive Team
• • Meet our new Chaplain
• • Discover more about 
• • Building Learning Power
• • Go on a College Tour

… and much more!

RSVP

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of our RJ community! 

We look forward to seeing you there!

A further opportunity is coming up next week in the form of RJ Community Connect, an opportunity for parents/carers to hear important information about what the College is doing and to engage with the leadership team at RJ on key matters. You are warmly invited to attend.

When Respect and Care are two of your core values, as they are at RJ, these early connections made with our parents are critical in forming effective partnerships in supporting students to grow and learn. In managing the challenges that arise for our students and families, shared values and aligned outcomes are what “feeds” effective partnership. But what does that look like in practice?

Effective, clear and timely communication

When families and the College communicate with each other in a timely manner, problems and challenges are typically resolved more quickly. When staff and families are clear with each other, objectives can be shared and can be more aligned to what everyone sees as success. Such effective communication enables parents/carers and the College to better understand each other to move towards the desired outcomes, even when the methodology of how to get there might be viewed differently.

Communicate early and often

One of the biggest challenges we face as a staff team is when a problem is raised and has not been moved towards resolution as families have not wanted to raise the concern. To encourage families to communicate early, please remember that having to directly address a situation isn’t the only possible pathway to responding to a concern raised.  In addition, when it directly affects our students, we want to be consultative with our students before proceeding. One possible approach to help with transparency of any concerns raised is simply to communicate with a staff member an “FYI” type of situation, where families can advise of a concern that they have but indicate it does not need to move to a response yet. This allows families, staff and students to monitor a situation to determine if action is required in the future. This kind of communication can help to build context to when a situation is addressed in the future. Another type of helpful communication is when families indicate things that might be going on at home or outside that could possibly impact students whilst they are at the College. Again, understanding the broader context and what might be going on for students can allow for monitoring and lower levels of support that appropriately adjust for the best care of our students.

It is a great privilege to work with young people in the RJ community and we encourage you to speak with our academic and wellbeing teams as situations arise. If you’re not quite sure who to contact, don’t be afraid to reach out and our staff team can assist you in finding the right person to help.

Mr Scott Roby
Deputy Principal

We enjoyed 5B’s presentation on our theme of Cultivating Courage this term. We also got to know our new College Chaplain, Mr David Janzen. Our memory verse is from Joshua 1:9  ‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’ 

PUNCTUALITY

A reminder that students K-6 must be at school before 8:45am. Our lining up bell occurs at this time and students hear morning announcements, celebrate birthdays and take part in a prayer time to start the day. Students who come late stand at the back so they do not disturb others getting to their class line. Please assist your child with morning routines and help them be at RJ on time.

STUDENT FORUM 2025

Congratulations to the following students who have been chosen by their peers to represent the student body in our Junior School Student Forum in Semesters 1 and 2. These students received their badges at Assembly.

LUNCHTIME GROUPS/CO-CURRICULAR

Our Junior School students will enjoy a wide choice of co-curricular groups on offer most lunchtimes or before/after school. Chess, Gardening Club, Footsteps, J-Crew, Hot Shots Tennis, Lego Club and Debating are starting up. Our music groups including RJ Singers, Ricky J Dancers, Cantabile Choir, Dance Troupe, Bucket Drumming and RJ Dancestars are beginning to get into their lunchtime or before school groove. Some sport training and clinics are commencing in coming weeks as well. We are blessed to have such dedicated and enthusiastic staff who readily give their time and expertise to make being part of the Junior School at RJ such a rich experience. I have given our Junior School students the challenge of participating in at least one co-curricular group. Ask your child what they have decided to try!

PARENTS OF K-2 LITERACY INFORMATION MORNING TEA

On Tuesday 4 March at 9:00am we will be holding a Literacy Information Morning Tea in the College Hall for parents of students in Kindergarten to Year 2. This information session will explain aspects of literacy and how they are approached here at RJ, with practical tips to consolidate literacy progress at home. We encourage parents to attend to better understand the importance of literacy acquisition, which lays the vital foundation of future learning. Email with further information to come.

SUNHATS & WATER BOTTLES

With recent events such as House meetings and the Swimming Carnival held primarily outdoors, plus the current run of very warm days, it is essential that your children have sunhats and water bottles at school every day. Students without College hats will be directed to sit in the shade during playtimes at Recess and Lunch. No glass bottles, please.

STAGE 1 SWIM SKILLS DAY

This year we are again holding a Stage 1 Swim Day for Years 1-2 on Wednesday 26 February at the Little Fishes indoor pool centre at Oakhurst. Each grade will have 1.5 hours of supervised pre-swimming skills activities plus a small water slide to enjoy. We really want to encourage our young students to overcome any fear of swimming and enjoy being in the water. If you are interested in being a parent volunteer and have WWCC clearance, please contact Mr Mitchell: [email protected]

COMMUNITY CONNECT EVENING

We would be delighted to spend time with you at our RJ Community Connect Night on Tuesday 25 February. Join us at 7:00pm for light refreshments in the Senior Library and spend time sharing with other parents, and members of the RJ Executive.

During the night, parents will be updated on relevant school matters including any topics of interest raised through questions. Please RSVP.

The event will conclude by 8:15pm.

BOOK CLUB HELP NEEDED

Mrs Peterson, our Junior School Librarian, would like a parent helper to assist with Book Club distribution once a term. This is usually during the morning for a couple of hours. If you are interested and have a current WWCC clearance, please email at [email protected]

PARENTING WEBSITE

Have you checked out Rowena Thomas’ website ‘Amazing Me’?

https://www.amazingme.com.au/

It’s a wonderful resource especially for parents of Stage 2 and 3 students who are starting to ask ‘those’ questions! Great tips and resources for parents, online courses you and your children can do. Definitely worth a look – you can also subscribe to Rowena’s newsletter for podcasts, blogs, book reviews. A winner! 

LUNCHBOX IDEAS from SWAP IT!

We are a Swap-it school, swapping in healthy choices for sugary treats in children’s lunch boxes. Why not try one or more of this week’s suggestions.

Enjoy your weekend.

Mrs Karen Shannon-Duhigg
Head of Junior School

At the end of Week 2 our Year 11 students attended Study Camp at The Tops. It was a great experience for all and it was encouraging to see our students making stronger connections within their Home Group.

Year 7 Camp: Next week our Year 7 students will be enjoying camp at Waterslea on the Shoalhaven River near Nowra. We hope this experience will be memorable for both staff and students and ask you to join us in praying for a safe and enjoyable time with great weather.

Camps & Permission Notes: The final information session for Years 9 and 10 took place on Wednesday night, focusing on camp details. Spare notes are available at Student Reception. Please ensure permission notes and any additional information requested are returned by the due date to assist with planning.

RJ App: To stay informed and streamline permissions for school events, we encourage parents to regularly check the RJ App. This helps reduce the need for follow-ups from our administration team. If you have trouble logging in, please contact the College for assistance.

Learning & Language at RJ: You may hear RJ students using the terms Learning Mode and Performance Mode—key concepts in our approach to learning. As staff and students explore these ideas, expect to see new learning-related language in the classroom and even at home as we continue developing our learning muscles. Learn more by coming to the RJ Community Connect evening on Wednesday 19 February.

Uniform & Expectations: Our staff will continue reinforcing expectations around uniform and student behaviour. Parents/carers may be contacted if a student requires a haircut, a uniform replacement, or if an item of jewellery has been confiscated. Your support in upholding the College Uniform Policy is greatly appreciated as we work together as an RJ community.

Thank You Students: A heartfelt thank you to the many students who have helped Year 7 and new students settle in. Your kindness and guidance make a real difference. This reflects the words of Jesus in Acts 20:35: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Your generosity strengthens our RJ community.

Mr Brad Maxwell
Head of Senior School

The new year at RJ is off to a fantastic start for our students involved in the performing and visual arts activities. Whether they are beginning new creative experiences, building on past skills, or working toward their final Year 12 goals, there is plenty to look forward to in 2025. 

Junior School: Our String and Band Classroom programs have kicked off with great enthusiasm. Year 1 and 2 students have begun lessons with Mrs Statheos and Ms Duncan, while Year 4 students, guided by their classroom teachers Mr Hunt and Miss Stokes, have started learning their chosen band instruments.

Senior School – ‘Newsies’ Musical Announcement:  Exciting news for 2025—our Senior School musical will be Newsies! Fifty-four dedicated students from Years 7 to 12 have already committed countless afternoons, full days through December and January, and still have a few Saturday rehearsals ahead this term. Their hard work is sure to bring an incredible production to life.

We are excited to present our show from Wednesday 2 April to Friday 4 April. Tickets will be released to the public on Monday 3 March at 9am. This family-friendly production will be a fantastic showcase of our RJ students' talents in dance, acting, and music. Save the dates—we can't wait to share this unforgettable performance with you!

Fine Arts Co-curricular information: 

Fine Arts Junior Co-Curricular_ Weekly Calendar  

Fine Arts Senior Co-Curricular_ Weekly Calendar

Individual Music Lessons: 

Enquiry Form

For more information on RJ Co-Curricular activities, please email [email protected]  

I would like to commend the students for following instructions as the weather deteriorated after the 50m freestyle. The remainder of the carnival will take place for serious competitors who would like to make the zone swimming squad next Tuesday afternoon. Students will leave at the commencement of lunch and return prior to the end of the day.

Tuesday Sport

Students who attend sport offsite and are outdoors are reminded to bring a water bottle and wear a hat. Year 7 students are reminded that they leave for their swimming lesson at the commencement of lunch.

Rep Basketball

The first round of the WSCS competition against fellow Christian schools in the Nepean zone commenced this week. Our Open Boys were victorious, the under 15 boys had an exciting draw and the under 15 girls team commenced with a loss. We look forward to hearing more about their matches in coming weeks. Good luck RJ ballers.

Inter-House Sport

The first round of the Inter-House Oz Tag competition was held yesterday. A reminder that students are to wear their House Shirts in the Senior School on Thursday in support of the Oz Tag teams playing. Please see your Head of House or Sports and House Captains if you want to join the Years 7-9 team or the Years 10-12 team.

Mr Gavin Mitchell
Director of Sport 

Congratulations to our swimmers who set personal best times. A few of our swimmers will now progress to the CSSA State Swimming Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday 6 March. Please note that this is a twilight carnival.

Sporting Groups Before and After School

A reminder that students need to be punctual in arriving to these sessions on time. Some of these sessions are capped and students unfortunately missed out on a place. Students can be replaced if they miss several weeks. Please ensure parents that you pick up your child on time please to ensure that staff can attend to marking and meetings after a session finishes.

WSCS Trials

During Term One, students in Years 3-6 will attend sporting trials for our interschool sporting competition (WSCS) which is held in Terms 2 and 3. Students have already selected a sport they would like to trial for. Teams will be announced prior to the end of term to allow for families to purchase shin pads for football. Football boots, although recommended, are not mandatory for this competition. Students who are trialling for oztag or football (soccer) are not to bring football boots in Term One though.

Jump Rope for Heart

Your child would have given you a pamphlet or possibly shown you a key chain with a QR code to register for Jump Rope for Heart sponsorship.

You can register your child online, so they can receive the full benefits of the program and participate in online fundraising, simply follow the link below to get started. www.jumprope.org.au/parents  

Students will be skipping throughout the term in PE lessons, during recess and lunch breaks, as well as after school for the skipping club. During this time, you can share their online fundraising page with family and friends to help raise money for this great cause.

We will hold our school Jump Off Day on 10 April, this will mark the end of the program and is a chance for everyone to come together to skip and show off their newly learned skills. It is also a highlight event in the Term One Calendar where the winning student team vs the teachers.

Thank you for supporting the Jump Rope for Heart program!

Mr Gavin Mitchell
Director of Sport 

What is your favourite food?

Savoury - A good steak

Sweet - Homemade pancakes with lemon and sugar

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Spending time with my wife and kids, building and painting scale models, reading or watching a good Sci-Fi story

Describe a wonderful experience you’ve had in your life.

Being in the room when my kids were born, my wedding day, I have had lots of incredible blessings. Still by far the greatest thrill is seeing friends, students and colleagues, with whom I have shared the Gospel make a commitment to Jesus and start living for him. 

Share something about your Christian journey.

I grew up in a non-Christian home. My parents were happy to send me to a Christian school (St Andrews), but their focus was more on me learning good morals than becoming a follower of Jesus.

In Year 8, a good friend from St Andrews kept inviting me to youth group, but I always found an excuse not to go. Eventually, he became so persistent that I agreed - but only if my mum could drive me. Since the church, St Matthew's West Pymble, was a 45 minute drive from our home in Gladesville, I was confident she'd say no. To my surprise, she happily agreed and that is how God placed me in a loving community of Christians. After six months I gave my life to Jesus and I haven't looked back. In hindsight, I'm incredibly grateful for both my friend's persistence and my mum, who faithfully drove me to youth group every Friday until I got my P's!

What is your favourite Bible verse and why?

1 Peter 1:3-9 (chuck 1-2 in as well if you like :)) - I think it is one of the most beautiful reminders in the Bible of the change in our status as people saved by the grace of Jesus. Not only does it tell us that this world is not our home, so don't be surprised if it isn't comfy, it also holds out the beautiful eternal hope we have in Jesus.

What is something you want to achieve (at work or personal)?

I have been working towards an MDiv on and off for the past five years, after I achieve that goal one of these days, I think I would eventually like to do Doctoral research on the OT, lets see what God has in store.

If you could meet any person in the world, who would it be and why?

Thomas Cranmer - I would love to ask him how he saw God working through him as he ministered to King Henry VIII, and what kept him going when he was imprisoned and killed for the sake of the Gospel.

If you know a family interested in RJ in 2026, please inform them about our upcoming Open Day:

* Wednesday 19 March (5pm).

Online registration is available via our website.