Dear families,
It appears that my excitement peaked a little early with our last newsletter and assembly as we are still waiting for our playground. I had exercised restraint for the last 2 terms in announcing dates as this is not my first building project however I was confident but…. resilience and patience are great skills to practice even for us adults. We have been working with Kidsafe to ensure the safety of our playground and the finishing touches are in motion.
STAGE 3:
Refurbishment of Feldspar (F) building. Our middle school learners have now moved, and all is on track for the work to commence in the school holidays.
Copper ( C ) building is on track to completion, and we will be moving once we return from holidays.
TEACHING AND LEARNING: - PUPIL FREE DAY
On Monday 19th July our staff will be engaged in learning with a focus on Brightpath. Brightpath is a writing assessment and moderation tool which provides teachers and learners with clear guidelines and teaching points. We are excited about this learning and the increased rigor this tool will bring to our learning and teaching. We will see you all back on Tuesday 20th July.
RDAS TERM 2, WEEK 10 2021
7 Richardson Place, Roxby Downs SA 5725 Email: [email protected]
Phone: 08 8671 0011
Principal's Report
M R S A N N E T T E W I L L I A M S
Page One
STAFF MOVEMENT:
We have all come to Roxby for a reason and a season! The season is ending for….
• Marc Fairhead who has been working in our laboratory. Marc’s extensive experience in research, laboratories and WHS has been such a valuable resource to have in our lab. Our chemical
management and WHS standards in our lab are now on point thanks to Marc. Marc heads ‘home’ to Adelaide to continue working at Flinders University in teaching and research and will also be
commencing his PHD. Thanks for your work Marc and all the best for the next chapter.
• Keyur Shah has been working as our ICT Tech. Keyur will commencing work at Olympic Dam in the coming month. Our ICT work will move to a centralised support model through our Department for Education colleagues in town. We have really enjoyed Keyur’s cheeky sense of humour and 100%
commitment to all he does. Thanks for your work Keyur and all the best. We are glad you will still be in the area.
• Kelsey Hampel will finish us this week in preparation to welcome Baby Hampel to the world. We wish Kelsey all the best with this exciting chapter and look forward to welcoming her back some time in 2022. We are still working on securing a replacement for Kelsey!
Upcoming positions:
• We currently have a Youth Worker position advertised through the Department for Education jobs page. Please note, this position calls for qualifications in Youth Work and / or Social Work either completed or working towards.
• We have a number of teaching positions that we are still working on filling for the remainder of 2021 and looking forward to 2022. If you know of anyone who may be looking for an opportunity of a life time to work in our wonderful town please share the word around. I am keen to hear from people who would like to know a little more. I can be contacted via my email,
[email protected] or by calling our front office on 86710011.
COVID Update:
As you would all be aware we continue to be vigilant in our COVID safe practices at RDAS. If your children are unwell, please keep them home and seek medical attention as required. We will be sending children home who present to our team as unwell and thank you for your understanding and support in this matter. All visitors to site are expected to check in using our QR code. Please be diligent in this practice.
For those who are travelling during the holiday break throughout SA please be diligent in adhering to COVID safe practices.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS:
Holidays are a wonderful time for all to rest and refresh following a very busy term. I acknowledge the exceptional work of our team during a challenging term. Securing quality staff continues to be a challenge and unlike some of our metro schools securing relief staff continues to be a challenge for us. Our team have gone above and beyond to ensure a continuity of learning. Our team, both teaching and support crew, continue to impress me daily with their positive attitude, hard work and the many times they have said ‘yes’ to the extra work and relief lessons which to ensure our learners have the best. It is the quality of the team that makes our school what it is today. Thank you.
Keeping in touch.
Annette Williams
PRINCIPAL
Page Three
F-6 Assistant Principal's Report
M R S J U L I E G R E E N F I E L D Dear Parents and Families
As you are aware, we are fast approaching the end of Term 2. I would like to encourage everyone to participate in the Premiers Reading Challenge which has been running annually since 2004. It was established to improve reading outcomes for students in our state and to increase the links between literacy at school and home. Since it began, more than 3 million students have participated and read nearly 51 million books! That’s quite an achievement!! Students are required to read 12 books before the 3rd of September, so it’s not too late for anyone. Please see your teacher if your child is
interested for further information.
Reports will go home at the end of this week, if you have any questions, please get in touch with your child’s teacher. Please take the time to establish a meeting with teachers to clarify why and how students have received grades.
This term we have had a slight ‘shuffle’ around in the structure of our year 1 and 2 classes. This has been due to the impact of incoming and outgoing family movement which has significantly impacted our classes in these year levels. I am very happy to say that all students have settled very well into their new classrooms with teachers and class mates alike.
Very soon, C block will finish with the refurbishment process. Foundation classes will move back into C block and our Year 1/2 and Year 2 classes will move out of the library and into B Block with the rest of their year level cohort. Along with this, our playground is scheduled to open.
Along with the site-wide refurbishment is the new furniture to make our spaces beautiful. All of us are very excited as the first round of new furniture arrives at RDAS and is placed into our newly upgraded spaces. B Block and D Block are the lucky recipients of the first round of furniture, with C Block and E Block close behind.
This week we have two presentations on Thursday: ‘Wally and the Wipe Out Waste Wizard’ show. In these shows, students will learn about the benefits of recycling. Following this, an audit of our rubbish process and removal will be conducted with recommendations for the recycling process.
Regards
Mrs Julie Greenfield
Upcoming Diary Events and Dates:
Week One: 19th July - Student Free Day 24th July - Market Day
Week Two: 30th July - SAPSASA Basketball Whyalla 19th & 20th August - School Photos Week Five:
Week Six: 28th August - Market Day
Week Eight: 6th September - School Closed Day
Week Nine: 18th September - Market Day
Wipe Out Waste
M S M I C H A E L A J O N E S
Dear Families,
On Thursday, 24th June, the Preschool, Junior Primary and Primary Students attended the
‘Wally and the Wipe Out Waste Wizard Show’.
The interactive and engaging show explained how to reduce food packaging in schools and preschools but using “nude food” containers to minimize landfill. It also explained recycling systems, and how to sort waste in to the green, yellow and red bins.
In the performance, Wally asked students to volunteer to help him sort out rubbish into the recycling bins. The selected students wore special recycling hats and sorted waste into compost, 10c refundable items, and landfill. It was an interactive and fun performance with a funny microphone that changed children’s voices and even magic tricks!
Our classroom teachers have been given a mini wheelie bin, with a challenge to not exceed the maximum capacity of the wheelie bin each day at school. Families can help by sending food to school in containers, to minimize waste.
Student leaders are going to work with KESAB and the Wipe Out Waste program to instigate recycling practices at our school. This can include recycling cans, juice boxes and other items with 10c refund, rather than throwing them into landfill bins, recycling paper, and introducing a compost system.
We look forward to seeing these changes happen in our school in the coming months!
Secondary News!
M R S W E N D Y W I L L I A M S
As I write this we are nearly done with our move out of F block. It was a strange feeling to walk
through the empty classrooms. New classrooms are nearly set up. Year 7 and 8 classrooms will be in I block and Year 9s in the TAFE building textiles classrooms. As you’ll see in the photos, these
classrooms are already looking bright and cheerful, and by the time this is published everything will be set up. Huge thanks to teachers and staff who conducted the move with good cheer, initiative and flexibility.
The Food Technology space is looking great as well. It was a massive task to sort and relocate equipment and offices. Students and teachers are looking forward to learning in this new space.
Because of the move, we have postponed our secondary assembly until early next term. There we will share with you some of the great learning that has been taking place.
As I visited classrooms over the past week or so I have seen students designing and creating furniture, analysing literature, creating models of cells, learning about “adulting”, and creating meal packs and so much more.
I look forward to showcasing more of this great work at our next assembly, and sharing photos of the new temporary learning spaces as well as the progress of the new build.
I wish everyone a pleasant term break and look forward to welcoming students back for Term 3.
Page Five
Middle School English Student Voice running recess time activities
F Block classrooms are empty
Setting up temporary
classrooms in I block Setting up Food
Technologies classroom The kitchen is nearly
ready for classes
Science News!
Temporary mounts in Biology:
Ms. Khurana’s year 7’s competed for the onion cells and cheek cells mounts class competition against the other year 7 class. They participated well and with much zest.
They were successful in outshining the other groups and were the delightful winners of the Easter Egg. A very proud moment for all involved and well done to all that participated.
Apprenticeships and Job Pathways at school:
In Term 3, RDAS will be hosting an information session for parents and students of year 9-11 students to learn about how they can start their careers whilst still at school.
Hear from PEER and CEG about how to gain an apprenticeship whilst still at school and gain valuable SACE credits on the way. Learn from Uni Hub how students can study university units as part of their SACE with their Start University Now (SUN) program. Discover how sport and
community activities such as CFS volunteering, sport coaching or umpiring, even dance exams can count towards achieving the SACE. Meet some of our students on their experiences of doing school based and apprenticeships and university, whilst still at school. Then ask our teachers and experts how your child can start their job pathway and whilst working towards their SACE.
When: 6:30-7:30pm Monday 26 July Where: Roxby Downs Cinema Complex Who: Parents and students in Year 9-11
