Assessment Season is Here! As we move through the term, we are officially entering assessment season! Draft and final due dates are fast approaching across all year levels, and we encourage all students to remain engaged and on track with their assessment tasks. Regular attendance in class is essential to ensure students meet key checkpoints and submission deadlines. Parents and caregivers can support their students by checking due dates on the school portal and encouraging consistent study habits at home.

Did You Know? All students at RVSSC have access to the online platform Writer’s Toolbox as part of their Student Resource Scheme payment. This powerful writing tool supports students in developing their writing skills across all subjects—not just English! Whether working on an upcoming English assessment, a history essay, or a science report, Writer’s Toolbox provides interactive lessons, guided writing assistance, and real-time feedback to help students craft well-structured and engaging responses. We encourage students to make the most of this fantastic resource!

Beyond the Classroom: Exciting Extracurricular Opportunities The English Faculty is excited to offer a range of opportunities for students to extend their English studies beyond the classroom.

• Junior and Senior Readers Cup: A thrilling competition that challenges students to read widely and demonstrate their comprehension and analytical skills.
• Writer’s Camp: A fantastic opportunity for budding authors to immerse themselves in creative writing, guided by experienced mentors in a collaborative and inspiring environment.

These activities not only build literacy and critical thinking skills but also foster teamwork, creativity, and a passion for storytelling. We encourage students to get involved!

What’s Been Happening in the Classroom? With the recent implementation of Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum, our English faculty has embraced a structured approach to teaching and learning at RVSSC. English is taught in three key phases:

• Experiential: Engaging students with hands-on, immersive activities.
• Expertise: Building deeper understanding and refining skills.
• Mastery: Applying learning to complex tasks with confidence and independence.

In this edition, we wanted to showcase some of the exciting experiential learning activities our Year 7 and 8 students have been participating in!

Punctuating with Play-Doh! Our 8B English students took a hands-on approach to learning the rules of dialogue—literally! After writing a conversation between two characters, they placed their Play-Doh sculpted punctuation on the page, physically mapping out where each mark belongs. This interactive activity helped reinforce the structure of dialogue in a fun and memorable way. Who knew grammar could be so fun?

Show, Don’t Tell – With Cookies! Our 8F students recently took their descriptive writing skills to the next level with a fun and flavourful Show, Don’t Tell activity! Using the five senses and four different cookies, they crafted vivid descriptions that made readers see, smell, taste, hear, and feel every bite—without ever naming the treat! This hands-on approach helped students create more immersive and engaging writing.

Vocabulary Snowball Fight! Who knew building a rich and sophisticated vocabulary could be this much fun? Our 8A students unleashed their inner wordsmiths in a Vocabulary Snowball Fight! They brainstormed vivid, expressive words—scrawling, scribbling, and refining their choices—before hurling their 'snowballs' across the room in a flurry of linguistic excitement. Once the blizzard settled, they cracked open their newly acquired words, weaving them seamlessly into their descriptive writing. Enthusiasm, creativity, and a touch of classroom chaos—what more could we ask for?

I would like to thank Ms Marks and Mrs Easdale for their contribution to this edition by sharing their classroom practises. I would also like to thank our librarian, Ms Wilkinson, who is working hard to support extracurricular opportunities for our students.