15 June 2022

I was highly impressed with the calibre of our discussion and the knowledge our students possessed about the courses they are considering undertaking for the HSC. The quality of character and dispositions of our students is lovely to bear witness to and we pray that as they make their final decisions this week, that God would guide their choices so they are set on a path to thrive over the last two years of their time at RJ.

I would like to thank the many parents who have taken the time to complete the parents survey sent out to all families as part of the Anglican Schools Corporation School Review and the strategic planning process by our Executive leadership team and School Council.  Your contribution is vital to the success of our School moving forward.

Over the next two weeks we have three major sporting events happening here at RJ. The Year 3-6 Combined Campuses Athletics Carnival will take place tomorrow (June 16), the K-2 Cross Country next Monday (June 20) and the Secondary Athletics Carnival the following Monday (June 27). These days are key dates on our School Calendar and present opportunities for our students to be courageous in their physical pursuits. I love the colour of the day with our Sporting Houses vying for best chants as well as the highly regarded Champion House. May every student give their very best and make their house proud.

As we head into what seems to be a bitterly cold winter, let’s remember to get out into the sunshine and take in the beautiful weather we are having of late. Studies have shown that sunshine has more impact on mood than rainfall, temperature, or any other environmental factor. Sunshine is great for our health… so let’s go for that sunny day walk with the kids and get outside in the fresh air (with winter woollies on of course)!

God Bless,

Mr Alan Dawson | Principal 

On the worst days in Weeks 4-7, 33% of students were absent in some grades, and 25% of staff. This has created great difficulty for assessment tasks to be conducted as thoroughly as possible, as the assessment of knowledge and understanding when key learning has been missed, presents great challenges. Likewise, especially in Secondary, staff have been in the situation where tasks which would normally have been set, submitted and returned, have been delayed and adjusted to accommodate missing students, and marking has been even more collaborative in order to manage the workload. I know Mrs Scrimshaw and Mr Maxwell, along with the Faculty Leaders, have been seeking to do their best to assist students and make appropriate adjustments, and they are doing this on a daily basis. 

How we respond in these challenging times reflects much about our character. We can’t change what is happening for students, staff and families – we can continue to practice good hygiene and be precautionary in the way we interact with one another (hence mask wearing during Secondary Assemblies and Chapel). But schools are places where communities connect, and we want families to feel that they are still welcome and that students can experience ‘normality’ in the way school operates – hence excursions are planned, Gala Days are held and lessons continue. Sometimes (depending on the event) parents are able to attend, and sometimes they can’t (our Secondary Athletics Carnival is one such example). Unfortunately with the rain and damage to grounds, finding other venues has meant compromises need to be made, for both Primary and Secondary. We are doing all that, still making sure that our students have the best opportunities to perform at the next level of sporting representation, or helping them continue to work their way through the maze of options available at the end of Year 12. I’m grateful for all the students who offer a friendly smile, want to banter about the NRL results, present new ideas at our Leadership meetings, attend rehearsals for the Lion King Jnr musical with such enthusiasm or simply show kindness and care to another student, when no-one is looking. 

We had an incident on Tuesday when students parking in Plumpton Marketplace were asked to move their cars and were told they could no longer park in there. I have spoken with the Centre Management about the issue and it comes back to Marketplace staff parking in high demand spaces, their carpark being repaired (so 1/3 is out of action) and car parking spaces at a premium, especially this week when there will be big sales and they are expecting lots of customers. They don’t have timed parking there and are reluctant to introduce it. We would prefer students to park in the nearby streets but we also understand that whilst building works continue on site, parking spaces are at a premium all round. Be aware over the next few weeks, that if your son or daughter parks in the Marketplace, they may be approached and asked to move. Please ask them to let me know if that is the case. 

God bless

Mrs Jenny Clay
Deputy Principal  

That being said, we do encourage School attendance, and many children have missed days and weeks of school this semester – this can have an effect on progress, so if your child is well, please encourage School attendance. There are also an increasing number of families getting their children to School after the bell at 8:45am. If this becomes a continual occurrence, we will refer this on to the Deputy Principal who will be in contact with respect to Government attendance school regulations. 

UNIFORM REMINDERS

• The School jacket is a compulsory part of the Winter uniform and needs to be worn to and from School each day. 
• The School jumper can be worn without the jacket during the day at School  but requires the jacket over it arriving and leaving School each day. 
• Girls need to have the Winter tie on their blouses when wearing either the tunic or long pants option. 
• School beanies are for wearing outdoors before and after School only.
• Raincoats are recommended to have permanently folded up in your child’s bag.

PRIMARY DISCO

Our Discos were held recently and there was some sharp dressing and cool moves galore at both the K-2 and 3-6 sessions. Special thanks to Mrs Ghali, Primary Staff and Secondary student helpers on the night.

KINDERGARTEN 2023

A reminder that if you have a child wanting to commence Kindergarten next year, please complete an online enrolment form asap as our final K Readiness days are fast approaching and enrolment spots almost filled. Children need to be 5 years old before the end of May 2023 to be eligible. Enrolment forms are on the RJ website.

REPORTS AND PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS

An email notification about the change of dates for these events went out last week. Please note the new dates – 

• Report distribution via email – 1 July (Week 10) We are now sending electronic copies out to families. Please contact your child’s Class Teacher if you require a printed version and are unable to organise this from home.
• Parent/Teacher interviews – 2-3 August (Term 3 Week 2)  Online bookings for interviews will be sent out in Week 10.

BREAD BAGS

We are enrolled with Wonder Recycling Rewards to collect used plastic bread bags. Once a certain weight of plastic bread bags has been collected, our school qualifies for some play equipment. Please send in any bread bags (minus crumbs!) with your child over the coming weeks.

YEARS 3-6 ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Our 3-6 Athletics Carnival will be held this Thursday 16 June. Students wear their House shirts with School tracksuit and must be at School by 8:00am to board the buses. Please see Mr Mitchell’s RJ Review column for more information.

Enjoy the rest of your week, 

Mrs Karen Shannon-Duhigg
Head of Primary - Oakhurst

We were able to highlight some excellent student achievements during the assembly held on 9 June. Edyn Scibberas competed in the CSSA Primary Gymnastics Competition. She achieved excellent results and represented the school with pride. The photo shows the Principal Mr Dawson congratulating Edyn at the most recent assembly. We continue to wish Edyn all the best in further competitions. We were also able to celebrate several students’ performances in swimming including the Age Champion at our own carnival. They are pictured here receiving trophies from the Principal Mr Dawson. 

COMBINED CAMPUSES 3-6 PRIMARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL  

With clear weather in the forecast, we are hopeful that the Primary Athletics Carnival will take place this coming Thursday, 16 June. This will be an excellent opportunity for students to compete for their House. Some of the events are being trialled at school before the event day. The most important thing is for parents to encourage students to participate in every activity. Staff will be on hand to help students with unfamiliar sports such as shot put, discus and turbo javelin. A separate note has been sent with further information regarding the event.  

WSCS SPORT 

This Term was meant to represent a start to the WSCS sports season. However, as we all know, the rain has significantly impacted students’ opportunities to participate in the competition. The amount of rain we have received has also meant that fields have been unable to be mown and used. Although challenging, a decision has been made not to start this Term’s sport but instead plan a Gala Day for the teams. We have not yet established the date for the Gala Day, but once we have done this, we will inform parents of the date.  

SCHOOL REPORTS  

Last week there was an essential communication from the Heads of Primary at Marsden Park and Oakhurst that outlines some changed dates for report distribution and Parent-Teacher Interviews. The following is an excerpt from the letter sent out to families on 10 June.  

The change of date applies to two calendar items. Please see the new dates below: 

• Report distribution via email – 1 July (Week 10) 
• Parent/Teacher Interviews – 2-3 August (Term 3 Week 2) 

Further information on Report distribution and booking for the Parent/Teacher Interviews will be available in the coming weeks.   

ASSEMBLIES

Parents, please arrive by 9 am as the Assembly beings shortly after that. No sign-in is required at the front office, and masks are no longer required to be worn. 
Assembly Schedule for Term 2 is as follows: -  

HOUSEKEEPING  

• Absences: please email the absences email address:  [email protected] or SMS 0438 657 339. 
• Early pick up: To arrange to collect your child early from School please call the Office on the day of the scheduled pick up before 9:00am.  
• Child being picked up by another party: If your child is being picked up by any other person other than parents please call the school before 9:00am or email the names of the person/s and mobile number/s and request that they bring their Drivers Licence as proof of identity.  
• After school care arrangements: If you have arranged after school care please remind your child before dropping them to school. In an emergency please call the office to ensure the message is not missed.  

Mr Luke Sale
Head of Primary - Marsden Park

The RJAS Exploration of an Instrument Program is designed as a catalyst for students who may excel and enjoy the instrument to continue beyond by enrolling and continuing with individual instrument lessons with a tutor. It is through individual lessons that students develop specific skills to play an instrument with success. Once students are having Individual Music lessons, students will be encouraged by their teachers and tutors to participate in a variety of co-curricular small group ensembles, so that they have a comprehensive musical experience as they progress from Primary into Secondary School.

The RJAS Exploration of an Instrument Program is an eight-week small group tuition program with a maximum of eight students, to trial playing a particular instrument. It is designed for students who have NOT previously had the opportunity to play or receive lessons on that instrument. The Program is not intended for students who are currently having lessons on,or have previously had lessons on this instrument in the past.

For Terms 3 and 4, the RJAS Exploration of an Instrument Program will focus on students who are interested in playing the Violin, but are unsure whether they would like to engage in the commitment to continue playing in the long term. The small groups will work through the initial stages of learning how to play the instrument, how to maintain correct posture and technique; and will explore beginner pieces suitable for the commencement stages of playing. 

The Program for Violins will run for eight weeks at the following:

Oakhurst with Mrs Statheos on Tuesdays at lunch time

Marsden Park with Mrs Caffyn on Monday at lunch time

There is no cost to parents for the eight-week program and all students be provided with a School-issued instrument and Instructional Booklet, also at no charge.

At the end of the Program, students will be provided with information regarding their suitability on the instrument and recommendations around individual lessons with a tutor, as part of the School Individual Instrument Tuition Program. All students having Individual Instrument Tuition will be encouraged to participate in a co-curricular music ensemble through RJ.

The Program will commence in Term 3 2022, with Violin on offer for Term 3 for Year 4 students and Term 4 for Year 3 students across both campuses, with other instruments being on offer in subsequent terms to follow. Due to the nature of the small-group ensemble, places are extremely limited and places will be allocated on a “first in, first served” basis. However students will have further opportunities to participate in the program, at another future round.

To register your interest for the RJAS Exploration of an Instrument Program, please complete the form here: Exploration Form

Alternatively, you are welcome to contact the Performing Arts Department at [email protected] for further information.

“I would teach children music, physics and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.”— Plato

Additionally, the number of students and staff willing to participate in the Winter Sleepout, is evidence of not only their willingness to experience a cold night outside but also their desire to make a difference by supporting 'Youth of the Streets' through making a donation of their time and money to attend the event. This reminds me of 1 Peter 4:10 where we are reminded to use the gifts we have been given to serve others. Well done RJ.

The Heritage Festival is only a fortnight away, with many students and staff busily preparing for this amazing event that celebrates the diversity of cultures present within RJ. Some families within the RJ Community will be contributing by preparing food to sell at the stalls during lunch time on Thursday 30 June. If you would like to contribute by making food for one of the following eight food stalls please contact me via email, [email protected].

• Mexican,
• South East Asian / Indonesian
• British
• South African
• Australian
• Mediterranean
• Filipino
• Indian 

I will provide more detailed information regarding the dietary and quantity requirements to those who express their interest.

CHANGES IN DATES

Please be aware that there has been a change in date to the Stage 4 and 5 Parent Teacher Student Interviews.

They will now take place at the following times:

• Year 7 Tuesday 26 July, Week 1 Term 3
• Year 8 Wednesday 27 July, Week 1 Term 3 
• Year 9 Monday 1 August, Week 2 Term 3
• Year 10 Tuesday 2 August, Week 2 Term 3

Reports for students in Year 7-10 will be released to parents on Friday 22 July.

UNIFORM REMINDER

With the colder winter days upon us students are reminded that they are permitted to wear the school beanie, with the RJ logo, and scarf. The beanie is to worn outside when students are on the playground. Blazers are to be worn to and from school. While at school the Blazer or school jumper is to be the outer layer of clothing. Non-RJ jumpers or hoodies are not permitted to be worn at school. Students are able to wear the RJ jumper under the blazer.

Additionally, part of the school uniform is the RJ Backpack. Students are required to use these bags when carrying their belongings to  and from school. Branded sports bags and backpack are not permitted to be used for this purpose. Also these types of bags are not suitable nor allowed to be used as laptop bags as students move between classes. There is an RJ laptop bag available for purchase at Lowes that is part of the RJ uniform. (Please refer to p137 or the Student Diary). 

There are quite a number of students who need to ensure they are using the appropriate bags and wearing the correct uniform. Support from parents / carers in relation to these matters is greatly appreciated.

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

The attitude you bring influences your thoughts and actions and the approach you then take to your learning. Your attitude will affect how much time you put into your schoolwork, how you manage challenges, and ultimately your path to achieving your personal academic best.

Take the time to determine reasons to put in effort into your schoolwork. 

Think about which of the following reasons might be motivating for you:

• To achieve the best marks you are capable of at school.
• To give you lots of options for what subjects you can choose in the senior years.
• To give you lots of options of what you can choose to do when you leave school.
• To have a personal sense of satisfaction about doing your best.
• To show your gratitude to your parents for giving you an education.
• To avoid getting in trouble from your teachers.
• To avoid getting in trouble from your parents.
• To avoid getting a detention or other negative consequences from not working.
• To avoid disappointing your parents.
• So you don’t feel bad about wasting your parents’ time and money giving you an education.

You may have heard about ‘carrot’ and ‘stick’ people. If you want a donkey to move forward, you can either lead it forward with a carrot (a reward) or tap it with a stick (punishment). 

Some students are motivated by working towards rewards, positive consequences of doing the right thing, while others are motivated to avoid negative consequences. Which do you think you are?

Understanding what motivates you and what affects your attitude can make it easier for you to make positive changes.

Learn more this year about study skills techniques by working through the units on www.studyskillshandbook.com.au. 

Mr Brad Maxwell 
Acting Head of Secondary 

Thank you to those parents who have offered to assist on the day of the Carnival. No additional parent volunteers will be permitted on the day of the Carnival. If you are watching on the day of the Carnival, please stay off the grass. There is a concrete path which surrounds the venue – this would be a suitable place to watch from.

The Turbo Jav Competition took place in PE lessons. It was great to see some school records set and these will be unveiled at the conclusion of the Carnival. As this event is not offered at Zone level or higher, if your child won the event, they cannot proceed any further in this discipline to another Carnival. It has been reintroduced just at school level.

High jump will be held at school for the Oakhurst Campus students on Wednesday, the day prior to the Carnival. Their results will be recorded. The Marsden Park students will have their high jump on the day of the Carnival to ensure that we have enough time for the event to take place. The heights from both campuses will be compared to see who will represent RJ at the Zone Carnival. These results may not be given out on the day of the Carnival.

To ensure that the field events run on time, there will be qualifying distances/height. While every student is able to have a jump or throw, only jumps or throws which are fair and go beyond the qualifying distances will be recorded. Those students who go beyond the qualifying distance will have a second turn. 

Some age groups will be split into group A and group B, dependent upon how many students are in each age group. Under 8’s and Under 12s will run by themselves but Under 9, 10 and 11 will be split into two groups, similar to last year, where they will undertake their field event in their group. All distances and heights will be compared across both groups to determine who finishes in the top two places.

FOOTBALL CLINIC - MP

This is just a reminder that there will be no football clinic this week at the Marsden Park Campus due to the Athletics Carnival taking place on the same day.

NEPEAN ZONE FOOTBALL (SOCCER) GALA DAY 

Our senior and junior soccer teams  recently competed in the Metro Cup. Our senior team played gallantly with 2 wins and some stylish goals. However, they fell short in making the next round. Our junior team played extremely well with some nice link-up passages of play that saw them take 2 wins and a strong draw with heavy favourites, Mamre Anglican School. Our juniors have advanced to the next round of the Metro Cup. A big congratulations to these boys who represented our school beautifully and with respect to the teams they played.

Thankyou to Mr Hunt for coaching the boys on the day. The junior boys team will progress to the CSSA State Football GD on Thursday 4 August at Jamison Park, Penrith.

CSSA STATE GYMNASTICS

Edyn S recently competed in the CSSA State Gymnastics Level 4 Division 1 competition. Edyn had a third place in the vault and finished 5th in the All Around. Well done Edyn.

Mr Gavin Mitchell
Primary Sports Leader

CSSA SECONDARY STATE VOLLEYBALL GALA DAYS

This event was postponed due to the floods in Term 1 as Secondary Schools from around NSW could not get to the Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium. The new dates are Thursday 16 & Friday 17 June 2022. RJAS will be sending three (3) teams over the two (2) days. We have a Mixed 15’s team, Opens Boys and Opens Girls teams attending. Thank you to the staff who will be taking time to assist in managing these teams on the day.

CSSA NEPEAN ZONE BASKETBALL GALA DAY

Usually, we would have played our Representative Sport in Term 1 for Basketball and this event would not be on the calendar. This year however, we have had to create a Zone Gala Day for the Nepean Zone Schools to have a champion selected to move on to the CSSA Secondary State Basketball Gala Day. RJAS will have one (1) team in each of the divisions attending this event. This will be on Wednesday 22 June 2022 at the Penrith Valley Regional Basketball Stadium.

RJAS SECONDARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Due to the Blacktown International Sports Park being unavailable until 2023 with upgrades to the facility happening at this time, we have had to move our venue and date. Our RJAS Secondary Athletics Carnival will now be at Cornucopia Reserve (Glenwood) on Monday 27 June 2022. This will be an opportunity for the students in Secondary to try and make the RJAS Athletics team to go to the CSSA Nepean Zone Athletics Carnival on Friday August 5, 2022. Information can be found through the RJAS App and on Edumate. Please make sure you have read the information thoroughly as there are important 

They'll enjoy the experience of camp, with the chance to participate in exciting outdoor activities and explore a Christian worldview, whilst still going home to sleep in the comfort of their own bed.

The dates for CRU Blast are: Monday 18 July – Friday 22 July (the 3rd week of the July School Holidays). 

The registrations have commenced and students will receive a brochure soon. The link to register for the camp is: https://crudaycamps.com.au/cru-blast#cru-blast-introduction 

We’d love to see your child/children at CRU Blast this year. If you have any questions, please contact Stewart Rowe at School by phone 9677 2455 or email – [email protected] 

Mr Stewart Rowe
Director of Christian Ministry/Service Learning (7-12) 

We will be finalising our promotional material soon and inviting other community stallholders to apply for a spot thereafter. Preference will typically be given to stalls operated by RJ families. If you have any questions about the event, please let Mrs Stephanie Ghali know: [email protected]

General Market Stall Application

• Spring Festival Market Application Form

Food Market Stall Application

• Spring Festival Market Application Form - Food Stall

Please email the application supporting documents to [email protected]