5 December 2025

This morning we celebrated our Year 6 Graduation - a milestone of joy, pride and anticipation for the journey ahead. Early next week the excitement of the Principal’s Cup Finals will set the tone for a vibrant finish to the year, and on December 10 we look forward to honouring the achievements of our Junior and Senior School students at their end of year Presentation events.

I want to extend my sincere thanks to Mr Scott Roby for stepping up as Acting Principal throughout the term, to Mrs Julia Scrimshaw for her leadership as Acting Deputy, and to our entire Executive Team for their steady and consistent leadership in my absence. I am deeply grateful for the way they have carried our College forward with wisdom, calmness and care.

My time away was both refreshing and rewarding as I completed studies and visited schools here in Australia and overseas. These experiences have broadened my perspective and I look forward to seeing how they will inform and inspire some of our initiatives as we continue to grow and strengthen our College in the years ahead.

As we close out the term, my greatest prayer for our community is that, in this Christmas season, you would know God’s grace and peace. May the time you spend with family and friends be rich and cherished. And for those who may be celebrating without family this year, for whatever reason, may you sense the nearness and love of our magnificent Saviour, Jesus. “And His name shall be called Emmanuel — God with us.”

Believing that 2026 will be a year of incredible growth in our learning, purpose and achievement for our College.

So until then, wishing every one of our RJ community a joyous Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Mr Alan Dawson | Principal 

It has been a tremendous privilege to take on the leadership of the College this term and I have been so wonderfully supported by the staff and Executive team. We warmly welcome Mr Dawson back today from study leave to conclude the term with us. We pray that his leave was a profound time of reflection, rejuvenation, reinvigoration and rest. No doubt he will bring his energy and presence to conclude Term 4 well with us and draw on his learnings from his travels and study as he continues to lead the College with excellence in 2026. A warm welcome back Mr Dawson.

This term has been full of reasons to give thanks and the recent Sports Gala Evening and K-2 Christmas Nativity were excellent examples. The Sports Gala Evening showcased our exceptional athletes and our guest speaker, Eloise Wellings, spoke so profoundly to our students and families. The K-2 Christmas Nativity taught us that you haven’t lived until you have heard a group of Kindergarten students singing about being a flock of naughty sheep who won’t go to bed. Great thanks go to our staff who made these events possible and to our students who give us reasons to celebrate as a community.

We will soon acknowledge our award recipients at the Junior School and Senior School Presentation Events and there is much to be thankful for with our students who have made significant progress this year or achieved something for the first time. Whilst not every student will see considerable success in co-curricular or academic pursuits, the end of the school year presents a valuable opportunity to reflect on how our students have grown. We can celebrate their achievements and look ahead to what they hope to accomplish in 2026, considering what may need to change or further improve to make this possible.

We wish you all a wonderful, happy and healthy Christmas, where you have the opportunity to spend time with loved ones and be reminded of the eternal gift we received when Christ was born.

Mr Scott Roby | Deputy Principal

TOYS ‘N TUCKER

Thank you so much for the generous donations to this Anglicare Christmas appeal. The staffroom is overflowing with boxes packed by our Junior School Student Voice Representatives, ready for collection by the Anglicare van next week. These donations will be used in hampers to help disadvantaged families experience some joy this Christmas.

PARENT HELPERS IN 2025

I would like to acknowledge the parents and family members who have helped us throughout 2025. It has been lovely having parents and grandparents involved in classrooms for InitiaLit and Reading groups, assisting with excursions, special events, and more. Thank you for the generous sharing of your time to assist our students. We really appreciate it! ❤

TWILIGHT NATIVITY K-2

This lovely event was held last Friday in the Junior School Courtyard. Many families enjoyed a picnic dinner and the joyous mini-musical Nativity presented by our youngest RJ’ers. The ice cream van did a roaring trade and there were plenty of smiles and a real sense of community as we welcomed the Christmas season 🎄 Great effort Years Kindergarten, 1 and 2!

RETURN OF INITIALIT READERS and LIBRARY BOOKS

We are stocktaking our Readers and Library books in preparation for next year and have noticed several have not been returned. Please look carefully at home and send in any RJ books before next Wednesday to avoid the replacement cost being added to your College fees.

YEARS 3-12 CHRISTMAS SERVICE

This service will be held in the College Hall on Monday 8 December commencing at 9:30am. Parents and family members are warmly invited to attend (Register here - https://forms.office.com/r/1T4b5KdFpN)

CHRISTMAS MUFTI-DAY 

Junior School students may wear Christmas coloured/themed mufti (red, green and white) on the second last day of term, Tuesday 9 December. Students must wear closed shoes and clothing suitable for school (i.e. no strappy tops, very short shorts or inappropriate images/writing on T-shirts). No spray paint in hair, please.

A reminder that sending Christmas cards to school with your child for their friends during the final week is fine, but please do not send candy canes or other gifts for classmates.

JUNIOR SCHOOL PRESENTATION AFTERNOON 

Junior School Presentation Afternoon will be held on Wednesday 10 December in the College Hall, commencing at 1:00pm. Parents may take students home once the event concludes. Semester 2 Reports will be available via the Edumate portal that day (no hard copies sent home unless requested via your child’s class teacher and no early access for families leaving early for holidays). Parents of prize winners were notified via email this week. Please ensure you park appropriately if attending.

We will celebrate the achievements of Junior School students throughout the 2025 academic year across areas including Christian Character, Powerful Learner, Courageous Learner, and extra-curricular involvement. Student attendance is compulsory at the Presentation Assembly, so please mark this important date in your calendar. Rehearsals will take place the day before. Students are to wear their Summer Uniform. Girls must wear tunics not skorts and dresses must be knee-length. Shoes should be neatly polished, and hair styled in a neat, College-appropriate style as per the Uniform & Presentation Policy. 

COLLEGE UNIFORM 2025

Parents are encouraged to use the holiday break to review and replace any missing or outgrown Uniform items. All students require a College hat throughout the entirety of the school year. Sport shoes must be joggers (not basketball shoes) and below the ankle. Please ensure all Uniform items are clearly labelled. Students in Kindergarten and Year 1 only may wear black lace-up or Velcro leather school shoes (full foot coverage – no Mary Jane styles). Students in Years 2-6 must wear black lace-up leather school shoes. 

The Junior School Staff wish all families a safe and Jesus-centred Christmas. To the small number of students and families leaving RJ this year, we pray that you will look back fondly on your time at RJ and experience God’s love and grace as you continue your educational journey.

Enjoy your weekend, 
Mrs Karen Shannon-Duhigg | Head of Junior School

Students enjoyed dressing up for the 1980s Day hosted by the HSIE team, participated in the Your Choicez program, completed All My Own Work, and engaged in a full-day Financial Literacy seminar.

It has been wonderful to see Year 10 students involved in a variety of service activities over the past week. These experiences provided opportunities to assist others in different settings, including childcare centres, nursing homes, and charities.

Our Sports Gala Evening was a fantastic celebration of student achievement in sport—both at College level and through State and National representation in individual pursuits. We were inspired and challenged by guest speaker Eloise Wellings, who shared her journey as an athlete and her passion for supporting others through the Love Mercy Foundation, which she co-founded.

The Christmas themed mufti-day and House Chapels were a great way to end the last full week of Term 4. It has been a great encouragement to see the student House Leaders and the Heads of House work together in planning and running the House Chapels.

A big thank you to all students and staff who contributed to making these events such a success.

Looking Forward

We are looking forward to our Christmas Service on Monday 8 December at 9:30am, when our College community will come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Parents and carers are warmly invited to attend— Christmas Service Registration

Our annual End of Year Swim Day will be held on Tuesday 9 December at Cables Water Park in Penrith. Parents and carers are asked to ensure students bring plenty of water, a hat, rash shirt, and sunscreen. The forecast is for a sunny and hot day, with a maximum temperature of 34°C.

All students must empty their lockers and return their lock on their final day of Term 4. Lockers cannot be left locked or contain belongings, as they will be cleaned and reallocated for the start of 2026. Time has been set aside during Period 6 on Monday, 8 December for students to clear their lockers and hand in their combination lock to their Home Group teacher.

The Senior School Presentation Assembly will take place at 9:30am on Wednesday 10 December in the College Hall. Parents/carers are welcome to attend. Parents/carers are asked to provide permission via the RJ App for their child to leave after the event, which concludes at approximately midday. Students without permission will remain at the College under staff supervision until 3:10 pm. Please note there are no classes for Senior School students after the Presentation Assembly. 

Reminders

• If you need to contact your child during the school day, please email or phone the administration team. Students are not permitted to access mobile phones between 8:00am and 3:10pm.
• If you have any questions about upcoming events, your child’s wellbeing, or a specific subject area, please contact their Home Group teacher as your first point of contact. To arrange a meeting with a staff member, please phone main reception to book an appointment.

Final Thoughts

I hope and pray that all members of the RJ community enjoy a restful and safe Christmas break. May our students take the opportunity to try something new, spend time with family and friends face-to-face, and manage their time on screens wisely.

As we gather with family and friends this Christmas, I pray that the words from the book of Titus bring encouragement as we reflect on the birth of Jesus:

But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Titus 3:4–6

Mr Brad Maxwell | Head of Senior School

The schedule for returning textbooks is as follows:

Loans for Summer Reading will begin on 8 December, once all books are returned.

Summer Reading…

As well as borrowing books from The Hub, don’t forget that we have our eBook platform Wheelers, which has eBooks as well as audiobooks.

Enjoy some reading over the summer holidays or maybe listen to your favourite book. 

Find the ePlatform at https://rjas.wheelers.co/ , via the library catalogue (Oliver) link from the RJ Learning tab of the Portals section on the RJ website, or from the library course on Canvas.  Log in should be automatic (it is your RJ network username and password).

You can also download the free ePlatform app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store or visit eplatform.co on any device (look for this logo).

• Look for Richard Johnson Anglican College, log in using your school username and password.

• Browse, borrow, and start reading or listening to your favourite books—anytime, anywhere

If you need some help or would like a demonstration as to how the eBook platform works, come to The Hub at lunchtime.

Happy reading…

Mrs Shaw | Senior School Librarian

Throughout the term, they have been developing their reciprocity and resourcefulness muscles, working collaboratively in groups to tackle real-world challenges in their local community.

Students followed the Six Step Problem Solving process, which they learned in Term 3, to identify a community issue and explore creative, practical solutions. The range of topics was impressive, covering concerns such as bullying, littering, and sun safety. Each group then designed an action plan to help address their chosen problem.

Their innovative solutions included ideas such as a lunchtime litter squad, a website linking students to mental health charities, awareness videos, creative raps, and a variety of student-produced resources.

Through the Think Tank experience, students have reflected that their critical thinking, resilience, and collaboration skills have grown significantly. Many also shared that these skills are transferable to other learning areas and that the entire process was both meaningful and enjoyable.

Mrs Lorna Fitzgibbons | Talent and Enrichment Leader

Perhaps it is that holiday that you have been planning all year, or indeed the opportunity to meet as a family to celebrate the birth of our Lord. So here we are at the end of Term 4 with seven long weeks of student vacation ahead of us. The summer is an excellent time for our children to relax, play and socialise with their friends. However, psychologists tell us it is a time when children lose some of what they learned during the school year. Many refer to this loss as “summer slide,” and research shows that the most significant impact is on numeracy and literacy skills. 

This learning loss occurs in a similar way to what you would expect if you do not practise any other skill. For example, if you were a sportsperson and you stopped practising after a couple of months, your skills would not be as well-tuned. It’s the same with our learning muscles; we need to keep them practised even in the Summer. 

The good news is that there is a lot you can do to ensure that your children keep their learning muscles in tip-top condition this summer.

Strategies for Summer learning muscles.

Share stories and reading: Why not get your children to take part in our summer reading challenge? If your child is not a reader, how about listening to podcasts or audiobooks? Reading can take many shapes and forms, from reading the instructions for a game or recipe to reading about exhibits in museums or local exhibits.

Planning activities: Involve your children in activity planning to sharpen their thinking skills. If you go out for a walk, get your child to help plan the route, organise the day, check and prepare for the weather and then deal with problems along the way.

Get crafty: We all know that when it is hot outside, our children may want to lie on the sofa. Why not get some craft supplies and have them make a Christmas card or gifts for relatives? Many of you will have seen the Paint and Sip events advertised. Why not have a family paint-and-sip at home? 

Learning adventures: Go on a learning adventure, find something that interests them. Whether it is LEGO, dinosaurs or just unusual objects, there are plenty of places to see and explore in our local area and beyond.

Ready, steady, cook: Food is the centre of most of our homes, but cooking and following recipes are great ways to build literacy and numeracy skills. Even teenagers like to join in on following a recipe, particularly if there is a great product to eat at the end.

And rest……. summer is a great time for our children to rest. Remember that even small habits: regular reading and talking about the day can help prevent the slide and set your children up for success next year. Have a wonderful holiday and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.

Mrs Julia Scrimshaw | Head of Academics

Olympian Eloise Wellings inspired us with her story, reminding everyone that win or lose, our identity is grounded in Jesus, and true success is found in giving our best—no matter the outcome. What an uplifting and inspiring evening! 

Due to renovations at the Mount Druitt Swimming Pools, the 2026 Junior School Swimming Carnival will now be held at Ripples St Marys on Thursday 5 February. Please watch for event permission on the RJ App, which will be available before the end of term.

We warmly welcome parent volunteers for the Carnival. If you are able to assist, please contact Mr Mitchell and ensure your WWCC details are on file with the College: [email protected] 

Mr Gavin Mitchell | Director of Sport