Welcome back to Term 2! I hope that you all had a restful and recharging Easter holiday period with your families. This term, and at the end of Term 1, we have been lucky enough to welcome some new staff to the Ripley Valley SSC team. This includes:

Ms Mica Robinson – Maths & HPE teacher

Ms Emily Hingst – HOD Diverse Learners (Y7-9)

Mr Juan Acevedo – Guidance Officer (Y7-9)

Mr Anthony Birch – Science teacher

Ms Sharon Schwarze – Administration Officer

Ms Rebecca Murray – Instrumental Music Teacher

We look forward to working more closely with these staff as the term progresses.

Pedagogy Updates

At our school, our current pedagogical priority is to develop a shared understanding and improve our practice of engaging students with feedback. Evidence suggests that feedback can be one of the most effective tools to support students’ growth in their learning. It helps students to recognise their strengths, reflect on areas for improvement, and determine the next steps. To ensure feedback can be accessible and effective for students, it is so important that they are able to, first, clearly articulate their learning goals for each subject.

Being able to verbalise what they are working towards empowers students to make sense of the feedback they receive and plan for next steps. As parents and carers, a great starting point is to talk to your child about their learning goals. Ask questions like, “What are you focusing on in English right now?” or “What’s something you’re trying to improve in Maths?” These conversations lay the foundation for students to interpret and act on feedback they receive from teachers.

Year 10 Updates

• Year 10 Work Experience Program – as per the email sent to all parents and carers yesterday, Work Experience Sign Up day is scheduled for Friday 9^th May. This will take place at school and sign up is available at both breaks outside the canteen area.
• Winter Uniform – a reminder to purchase or locate your child winter uniform items as the weather is starting to cool down. Below, I have included the approved winter additions, as outlined in the College’s uniform policy.

Winter additions

• College unisex pullover
• College unisex spray jacket
• College unisex spray pants
• Plain navy blue gloves
• College scarf