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Dear Parent/Carer,
The school term is rapidly drawing to a close, and like many things in 2020, this year has been full of many challenges and opportunities. Staff and students alike have been engaged in assignments and exams, while at a school level, planning is well underway for 2021 and the addition of year 9, more students, staff, teaching resources and buildings. Over the past few weeks I have been working with the P & C Association and other community groups on a range of college priority projects. We are currently in the final planning stages of the ANZAC memorial to be established at the front of the school. The final design for the ANZAC cenotaph is being developed with local companies and we hope to have this new memorial installed for its dedication on the 11th November for Remembrance Day, 2020.
In other building news, people would also be aware of our successful Stage 2 building works which will commence in 2021 and take around 12 months to complete. These works, currently out for tender, represent an investment of around $39 million to increase our building capacity for the start of 2022 when our first cohort of year 10 (senior) students commence. The stage 2 works will incorporate a purpose built library and resource centre, four senior science labs, two lecture theatres, multiple music and drama teaching spaces, purpose built student services hub, specialist canteen, IT service centre and additional general learning areas. All these spaces combine to allow our school to cater for up to 880 students in 2022. Once the contract has been awarded I look forward to sharing the proposed architectural drawings and plans with you.
In other construction news, the P & C has been assisting the college in the re-development of Foundation Park as we look to install the foundation pavers, time capsule and additional garden borders and seating. This re-development will significantly enhance the visual and functional usability of this space and serve as a historical memento of our first year of schooling. I look forward to sharing some progress photos with you and inviting parents to its re-opening in Term 4 later this year.
Over the last month, I have also had the privilege of speaking to and welcoming a number of new students and their families who will be starting their schooling with us in 2021. It is always great to meet the families of new or prospective students and share with them our vision of "Achieving Excellence Together". Parents are reminded that if you have a child who has not yet enrolled for 2021 I encourage you to do so as soon as possible to assist us in our planning and preparation for next year.
Next year our school will nearly double in enrolment size and with this rapid growth comes necessary planning, and at times changes, to make sure that we continue to provide the best possible support for you and your children. To ensure that we continue to provide great levels of support and communication, parents are reminded of two key contacts for you and your child throughout their schooling at Ripley Valley SSC. Each child is placed into a sport house upon enrolment and each sport house has an associated House Head of Department (HOD) and House Coordinator (a list is provided below for your reference). Parents and students are encouraged to speak with their House HOD if they are having issues with learning, behaviour and assessment. Parents and families are encouraged to speak to a House Coordinator if they are having issues with student well-being, welfare, attendance or friendship/social issues. Deputy Principals work closely with both House HODs and House Coordinators to ensure that each and every child is supported to achieve their best potential. As with any student or school concerns we are always willing to listen and appreciate your support in this matter.
Once again, I want to thank our College community for your valuable input and support. I am a firm believer that only by working together can we achieve great things and I encourage you to continue your support and suggestions to make our school even better.
Yours sincerely,
Brendan Krueger
Foundation Principal
This week we have welcomed two Pre Service Teachers from USQ - Mr David Storey and Mr Fergus Reilly. It is very important to our College community that we are supporting our future teachers throughout their university studies, as our staff model the importance of life long learning to our students and share their wisdom with our pre service teachers. Welcoming them into our school has many benefits, as they enhance the learning opportunities available to our students and often bring ideas for new ways of working to their supervising teachers.
Our students are currently completing assessment in all of their subjects leading into the end of term. If your child requires an extension for assessment, please complete an Extension Request Form and email it to the House HoD.
These forms can be found on our website, via the link below.
Emily Prenzler
Awards Evening
Our first Awards Evening will be held in the Sport Hall (the Raptor Dome) on Wednesday the 28th October 2020. Further details about this evening will be provided next Term. The Awards Evening provides us with another opportunity to forge a strong sense of tradition at our College. The program of Awards will develop as our College grows. I have provided an overview of the Awards that will be presented this year below:
Subject Awards - Awarded to Student that achieves the highest academic performance in each subject.
Gold Raptor Awards- This award recognises exceptional performance across 4 criteria: GPA (Grade Point Average), Attendance, Stamps for positive behaviour and Culture (points awarded for participation in College extra curricular activities). Each category is worth 5 points and students must achieve 18 out of 20 points to achieve a Gold Raptor Award. We will also be awarding Silver and Bronze Raptor Awards, Silver Raptors will be recognised on Parade and Bronze Raptors will be acknowledged during Access Class.
Special Awards
P&C Junior Citizenship Award-awarded to the student that demonstrates exceptional service to College culture and the broader community.
Ripley Leadership Award (sponsored by Hon Shayne Neumann MP-Federal Member for Blair-Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel) awarded to the student that demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities within the College and broader community.
Innovation in STEM Award (sponsored by Modern Teaching Aids). Awarded to the student that demonstrates excellent academic achievement across STEM subjects and commitment to innovative practices.
Students can apply for the Special Awards listed above through Daymap. Application open this Friday and close on Thursday the 17 September. Students will be required to provide evidence to support their application.
Sports Awards
Sporting excellence will also be acknowledge on the night, with the awarding of Age Champion Awards, Team of the Year and Sportman and Sportwoman of the Year.
Further details regarding the Awards Evening will be provided next Term. I wish you all a happy and safe Term 3 break.
Chaplain News
Over the past month, I have been concentrating on four keys areas.
- Relationship building and pastoral care conversations
- The Arcade Game Space
- The Breakfast Club
- A Wellbeing program
We are endeavouring to launch the Arcade Games room in Week 10 of this term. This room is a space where students can come and hang out and play games with each other.
This coming Tuesday the 8th of September at 8:15am we will be starting the Breakfast Club. This will be located near the canteen. We aim to increase the Breakfast Club days in 4th term so it will occur on both a Tuesday and Friday. If you want to volunteer for this, please contact me on kati121@eq.edu.au.
In term four, I will be running a My Friends Youth Resilience Program for some year 7's. This program is a cognitive behaviour therapy-based program that helps with the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression, promoting resilience in families, schools and communities. If you want to find out more information about the program, you can find it by following the link.
https://www.friendsresilience.org/about
It has been amazing to work here at RVSSC, and I have been fortunate to have my days increased. I now work on both a Tuesday and Friday. As some of you may know my position is funded through grants, donations and sponsors. If you would like to support the chaplaincy service here at RVSSC financially, you can do so by this link:
https://www.suqld.org.au/donate/ripley-valley-state-secondary-college-tax-deductible. Any donations over $2 are tax deductible.
I look forward to seeing what happens over the next few months.
Kristian Atkins- Chaplain
QYFSS-Queensland Youth and Family Support Services
Jeff and the team from Queensland Youth and Family Support Services have been a huge support to our team. They have been working with students and families at Ripley to help navigate issues with wellbeing, emotions and school engagement.
They also are incredibly generous of their time and resources to support our students at school. Over the last few weeks some of our lucky students received tote bags from their partners at Good360 Australia.
We are so grateful for the support from this external service and the students feedback...
"They are great and they really help when you just need someone to talk to"
"I loved the Girls program- can we keep it going?"
"They have the best pens!"
"Jeff always makes us laugh."
Rhiannon Kemp
Head of Inclusion
Rhiannon Kemp
Phone: 3819 5319
Email: rxtoo0@eq.edu.au
Health and Physical Education
In Week 10 we will see our students compete in their second ever Yagera Junior Sports Gala Day. The college will be sending off Volleyball, Football (Soccer) and Netball teams to compete against other schools within the Yagera Sporting District. A reminder that the payment of $16 needs to made via student services online or Bpoint by Friday 11th September. We wish our students the best of luck, go the Raptors!
Science
Students were actively engaged in our first Street Science incursion. Students were part of the Deep Blue and delved into all things Science. Science Week was also a great opportunity to showcase all things Science and we finished our week off with some exploding watermelons. It took 147 rubber bands to explode our first watermelon, 157 to explode our second one and a massive 259 to explode our final watermelon. Winners of who guessed the correct amount of rubber bands will be announced in Week 10.
Maths
Students in Maths have been busy working on their ability to solve equations, learning about algebra, linear equations, rates and ratios. Students have been given the opportunity to develop their understanding of all complex mathmatical components and apply them to everyday life. This has ensured that what they are learning in maths is easily applied and trasferred into their every day life.
Design Technology Pinball Assignment
For this unit students focuses on developing the underpinning knowledge and understanding of technologies (materials, components, tools and equipment) across technologies in manufacturing, while creating a product and developing understanding of the relationship between technologies and society. Students explored how people used Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and its impact on society now and in the future.
Students demonstrated their process and product skills using design thinking, design processes and practical skills. They investigated pinball machine designs, generated ideas, produced a base for their pinball machine, evaluated their skills and demonstrated collaboration and project management skills.
Next term students will develop these skills further by designing, prototyping and creating the play-field for their pinball machine. As the creator and designer, they will critically reflect on the intention, purpose and operation of the technologies used to create their designed solution.
This project-based assignment has provided the students an opportunity to achieve success in their learning outcomes through the construction of a product. The process journal is providing students with the independent learning and reflective skills needed as they progress through secondary school.
Lorinda Stiles
HoD Creative Industries
lstil21@eqeduu.au
Student Support Services Bookings
Students and families are now able to book an appointment with members of the Student Support Services team by phoning the front office. We ask for all bookings to be made through this system to ensure that students and families are seen in a timely manner. As our support services team grows, it is useful to know who the members of the team are and how they can support:
| Team member | Role | Service | Availability |
| Lisa Henderson | Guidance Office | Mental health/Career/Case management | Monday-Friday |
| Rhiannon Kemp | HoD Inclusion | Curriculum adjustments/ Learning Support/ Case management | Monday-Friday |
| Kristian Atkins | Chaplain | Support for students, parents and community members | Tuesday & Friday |
| Jeff Dukleski | Youth Support Worker | Support for students, parents and community members | Monday & Wednesday |
| Nicole Anderson | Speech Language Pathologist | Support for speech, language and reading | Wednesday |
| Tracey Cooper | Defence School Mentor | Support for defence families | Monday & Wednesday |
RU Ok? Day
Thursday 10 September students will be invited to participate in a range of activities to celebrate RU OK? Day. Access classes will be running activities that provide students with the skills required to ask others "are you ok?", and during break times there will also be a chalk mural and $2 cupcakes available, made by our fabulous chef Claire.
Young people cannot be expected to fix someone’s problems, nor know the best way to help and support. However they can listen to what their friend is saying, let them know they care and tell a teacher, Guidance Officer or trusted adult if they are worried about their friend. By promoting an environment of positive peer support
and accessing support channels via an adult, young people can learn that asking, “Are you OK?” is a key life skill.
R U OK? has 4 Conversation Steps to help navigate a conversation when someone says, “No, I’m not OK”. These steps are:
1. Ask
2. Listen
3. Encourage action
4. Check in
Useful contacts when a young person is not OK:
Guidance Officer llodw1@eq.edu.au
GP or psychologist
Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
Lifeline on 13 11 14
Dial 000 if someone’s life is in imminent danger
Lisa Henderson
Guidance Officer
Early Departures
Please help us to minimise disruption to the classroom and to your students learning.
If your student needs to go home early from school, please arrange with your student before school wherever possible. Send a note to the office, a Daymap message or email admin@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au.
An early departure slip will then be given to your student which can be shown to the classroom teacher when its time to go.
This will help us arrange to have your student ready to go when you arrive.
Michelle Mills
Business Manager
On the 16th September, the Student Leadership applications will open up and students will be able to apply via written application for 2021 School & House Captain positions (year 8 only). Leadership applications will need to be submitted by the last day of term (Friday 18th September).
On Friday 18th September, our students will be participating in a whole school incursion held by YLead. This programs offers unique learning experiences that empower young people to be their best and make a positive difference, whilst harnessing and developing their leadership skills. Students who are inspired by leadership programs are encouraged to apply for a student leadership position.
We would like to congratulate Elly Weston in 7A who won the design of the time capsule competition, Elly's design can be seen via our Facebook Page. Next week we will be celebrating RU Ok Day - this day is designed to help encourage conversations amongst students, staff, peers and colleagues. We will be selling cupcakes at first and second break. We would like to take the chance to thank our wonderful in house Chef Claire for whipping these up for us!
In Term 4, our staff and students will have the opportunity to attend Wet'N'Wild as our whole school reward system! We figured what a better way then celebrating our foundation year, by rewarding our staff and students with a day out. As an additional reward, the student who receives the most stamps by the end of Week 4, Term 4, will win themselves a free trip to Wet'N'Wild (including entry fee and transport costs). Each week we are celebrating our students from each Access Class who has the received the most stamps, these images can be seen on our Facebook page also.
We wish our students the best of luck for the remainder this term.
James Dunn
House & Sports Coordinator (Goolman and Perry)
Jessica Starkey
House Coordinator (Blaine and Flinders)
The Defence School Mentor programme has not had the best of starts at Ripley Valley State Secondary College, due to home-schooling during the Covid-19 restrictions in Term Two and the departure of your previous Defence School Mentor, Amber Lyons due to posting out of the area. However, over the cooler months, a new framework for supporting Defence students at the College has slowly started to emerge.
Regular gatherings at the Mates Help Mates lunch club has seen regular attendance by ADF students. I am working with the students to develop the club into a space where they can come and 'chill out' and engage with other ADF and Non-Defence students with an aim of getting them to help support each other, especially during times of deployment, posting or transitioning out of the Defence Force of their family members. Activities offered at the lunch club has helped me get to know some of the ADF students, especially when there has been food involved!
On the 18th of August, Brendan Krueger and myself attended the Vietnam Veterans' Day commemoration on behalf of Ripley Valley State Secondary College at the Ipswich Soldier's Memorial Hall. Originally known as Long Tan Day, Vietnam Veterans' Day remembers the service and sacrifice of all Australians during the Vietnam War with over 60,000 ADF and civilian personnel involved between 1962 - 1973. The Battle of Long Tan has come to be known as one of the fiercest battles fought by Australian soldiers. 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers went up against 2000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong in a rubber plantation a short distance from Long Tan. Four hours later when the battle was over, 18 Australians had lost their lives and 20 were injured, however these immensely outnumber but brave soldiers prevailed. It was indeed an honour on my part to remember and honour the struggle of all personnel who were engaged in the Vietnam Conflict, both during and after the war. Something that was denied them for a very long time.
As the term draws to a close, I wish all students involved in exams over the next couple of weeks the very best of luck. I hope you all have a safe, enjoyable holiday, and I look forward to seeing you all next term.
Tracey Cooper- Defence School Mentor
