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- Principal's Report
- Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning
- Deputy Principal - Culture and Development
- Technology @ RVSSC
- Head of Inclusion
- English & Humanities
- Mathematics, Science. Health and Physical Education
- Creative Industries
- Guidance Officer
- Business Manager
- House Co-ordinators
- Defence News
- Chaplain
- Uniform Shop
- Community Notices
Dear Parents/Carers,
Welcome to a new school year and what I hope will be an exciting and rewarding 2021 for us all. I would like to especially welcome the new families who are new to our school this year and thank the many parents, carers and grandparents who were able to attend the welcome parade on Wednesday morning. It was a pleasure to see new and old faces alike and welcome you and your child into our school community.
Our college is more than just a place where your child attends each day. We want to partner with you in educating your child for life and life beyond the classroom. We realise that learning at school involves more than just memorising content and information. We look to prepare your child for life after school, and give them the skills not only for further education or employment, but also for being productive members of society. Our college values of respect, responsibility and perseverance are regularly taught to students throughout the school day and reinforced through our Ripley Stamps and reward system. Your support of these values at home and school ensure that our students leave school with the skills and attitudes they need for life.
As many of you are aware, this year our college will undergo a major transformation with the completion of our Stage 2 Master building program. This $39 million dollar investment will see the creation of specialist senior science laboratories, a purpose built library and resource centre, canteen, IT service centre, senior construction and engineering workshops, student centre and numerous general classrooms. These works will occur throughout the school year and be complete by the end of 2021 in preparation for the 2022 school year. Throughout construction, a significant portion of the school grounds will be fenced off to allow for the safe and speedy construction of these spaces. Parents and students are asked to follow safety signage and directions and to report any issues or safety concerns to the college asap.
Combined with our Stage 2 building program, our college is embarking on four priority areas over the next four years. These priority areas are outlined in our colleges Strategic Plan which is available on our website. Our priorities include: Positive behaviour for learning, pedagogical framework, student pathways and partnerships. A significant focus for this year will be on our pedagogical (teaching) practices and student pathways (preparing for our year 10-12 subject offerings). We are also interested in creating partnerships with business and industry to enhance student employment and training for the future. If you have any suggestions, or are a business or training provider and wish to be involved in this process please contact myself via email at principal@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au or phone the college on 3819 5333.
Last but not least, as we commence a new school year I would encourage parents to join our Parents and Citizens Association. The P & C meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 7 - 8pm in our administration building and provides a fantastic avenue to hear more about the college, its plans and look for ways to enhance what we are already doing. I look forward to meeting new and familiar faces in February for our first meeting. If you would like further information regarding the P & C please visit our website, the P & C Facebook page or contact the P & C via email at
PandC@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au
Once again, thank you for your ongoing support and involvement in our school and I look forward to another great year where we can Achieve Excellence Together.
Yours sincerely,
Brendan Krueger
Foundation Principal
Assessment Planner
All students will receive a hard copy of their Assessment Planner at the beginning of Week 4. The Assessment Planner outlines all assignments and exams that are to be completed during Semester One. A new assessment planner is issued each Semester, when students are completing new elective subjects.
I encourage you to put this on the fridge when it comes home and help your child organise themselves during the busy assessment period at the end of Term. Information about individual assessment tasks is available to parents/carers and students via Daymap.
Emily Prenzler
Welcome Parade
We started the 2021 school year with a Welcome Parade. As part of the Welcome Parade our new Year 7 cohort and new Year 8 and 9 students received their Welcome Badges. I would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the College Community that joined us for the Welcome Parade. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Honourable Shayne Neumann MP- Federal Member for Blair Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel for kindly donating a new set of flags. I would also like to thank Henry Thompson for performing the Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony on behalf of the Yagara People. We look forward to continuing these traditions in the future. Replacement Welcome Badges can be purchased from the office for $5.00 in the event the your child misplaces their badge. However, please remind your child to check lost property at the office first.
College Photos
College Photos will be held on Friday the 12th February. Students will receive an information flyer with details regarding how to order photos in Access Class before the end of this week.
I look forward to a successful 2021.
For any tech issues please email tech@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au.
Our technician is also available in B Block (Resource Centre) Monday-Thursday.
MY STUDENT ACCOUNT - FOR USE IN THE TUCKSHOP
HOD - Digital Technologies | Pathways | English | Humanities | IGNITE
Angela Waugh
Email: awaug24@eq.edu.au
Student Support Services (SSS) Committee
Who are we and what do we do? Here are some examples of our roles and how we can support students.
How do we support students?
We operate a Multi-tiered System of Support that promotes success for all students. The graphic below helps to illustrate the theory behind how this system works.
Our support team work collaboratively with all staff to provide opportunities for all students to improve and reach their goals. For some students, this looks like support in their classroom, delivered by their teachers (Tier 1). For others, this might mean specialised programs delivered in or outside of school hours (Tier 3). We have added a fourth Tier to illustrate the work we do with external agencies to support our students. Every student is unique, as are their needs so we tailor to the individual and collect data on their strategies to make sure they are successful.
As parents and carers, your input on the strategies we make are so important to the success of your child's Personalised Learning Plan. Twice a year, we will send these Personalised Learning Plans home for your input as well as your childs’. We also offer meetings by appointment through Admin at any time to discuss these plans so they reflect the right support for your child.
Why do we collect Data?
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
- year of schooling
- category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
- level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
- formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
- consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
- develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.
The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.
The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).
Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).
How does funding work for students with a disability?
Schools are allocated resources for all students with disability, not just those who have an Education Adjustment Program (EAP) verification.
Schools are provided with an indicative allocation each November for the next school year to help them to plan and recruit staff. Final allocations are provided based on Day 8 enrolments.
Resources are provided as a total pool rather than being allocated to individual students to enable the school to use resources to make reasonable adjustments for all students with disability.
There are also other initiatives that help support families with children that have disabilities:
The department has engaged the Community Resource Unit (CRU) to support parents of students with disability across Queensland to build self-advocacy skills and to work effectively with schools. CRU holds workshops in communities across Queensland to help families to learn more about inclusive education and how families can develop a collaborative relationship with their child’s school. To register for a workshop or find out more about the supports, visit the CRU website.
We are hear to support so let us know how we can help.
Rhiannon Kemp
Head of Inclusion
Rhiannon Kemp
Phone: 3819 5319
Email: rxtoo0@eq.edu.au
Welcome to English at RVSSC for the 2021 school year. Term 1 is shaping up to be a term of persuasion, so get ready for your student/s to start honing their persuasive skills at home as they negotiate and present logical evidence-based arguments for why they should be allowed to ………., insert whatever it is your student thinks they should be allowed to do. ?
We will be looking at the cognitive process of ‘thinking and learning’ and incorporating ‘Thinking Activities’ into our lessons. So be prepared for your student to enlighten you about all the fantastic THINKING they have been accomplishing each day.
Year Seven
Students will be looking at the liveability of place, namely Ipswich and the Ripley Valley. They will be exploring what contributes to the liveability of place, housing, education, employment, crime rates, access to recreational activities etc. (This will crossover with Humanities)
They will be learning and focusing on the text structure, sentence structure and language features of a ‘persuasive essay’, as well as the editing and publishing process of writing. They will investigate how the type of audience they are writing for, will influence the language choices they make to present their argument, they will examine the modality (or strength) of verbs, they will look at alternate points of view and learn to refute. They will learn how to use credible evidence from their research to support their arguments. But most of all they will learn that the Ripley Valley is an amazing place to live.
Year Eight
Students will be exploring print media, notably, Newspapers – both print and online. They will examine the structure of a newspaper and how the way news is presented has evolved over time. They will examine how the news media, which previously presented unbiased news reports, can now influence societal points of view and how the news uses persuasive devices to influence societal perceptions of current affairs.
Students will create their own online newspaper webpage, with all the traditional markers of a Newspaper- headlines, feature article, etc. and a link to a video news report. Students will look at the differences of formal and informal language, depending on audience and news presentation (written or spoken). They will research their topic and interview ‘experts’ to demonstrate their credible sources of information.
Year Nine
Students will examine the power and motivating force of words through the examination and evaluation of Motivational Speeches within their historical context. They will explore the purpose of motivational speeches, the types and structure of persuasive devices used to motivate and how the audience will influence their language choices. They will look at opposing points of view and develop the skills to refute the opposing argument. They will choose language that will inspire (persuade) the audience to do something differently or to think about an issue or topic differently, or to stay motivated and maintain the course of action that they have already begun.
Students will choose a current issue (political or social) and write and present a multimodal -motivational (persuasive) speech.
The only reason to give a speech is to change the world, and world changing starts with the audience right in front of you… get ready for it…we have amazing students who will ‘change the world’.
Welcome to Humanities 2021!
This year will see a slight re-structure to the year 7 and 8 units and the introduction of year 9 History.
In 2021, year 7 and 8 students will complete only one semester of Humanities and one semester of HPE. Therefore, if your student is studying Humanities in semester 1, then they will study HPE in semester 2 and vice versa.
Year 7 will begin the year analysing the liveability of Ipswich City whilst exploring the reasons that a place is or is not liveable. Liveability factors will include climate, cost-of-living and crime rates. This unit will also be completed in conjunction with English for those completing Humanities in semester 1.
Year 8 will explore the medieval civilisation of the Vikings. This will culminate in their first source-based history essay.
Year 9 students will start the year with a focus on the Industrial Revolution and the Movement of people during that time. They will also complete a source-based history essay.
Ben Sharma
Humanities Teacher
It is my great privilege to introduce myself and welcome you all to the 2021 school year. My name is Tess Reeves and I am the HOD for Maths, Science and HPE. I am also the Head of Goolman House. I am passionate about positive education practices and ensuring students feel safe and supported at school. My favourite part of being an educator is supporting students in achieving that “ah-ha” moment and seeing the smiles on their faces as a result. All students are capable of finding their version of success and I can’t wait to share in that journey with your child.
What is happening in HPE, Science and Maths?
HPE
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Year 7 |
Personal Identify Students will work towards developing a sense of personal identity. They will discuss how their development is influenced by puberty and other life factors. Practical component – Cultural Games |
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Year 8 |
Sports Nutrition Students will investigate sports nutrition concepts in relation to an adolescent athlete. Students will revise the concepts of food groups, well-balanced diets, water consumption and more. Practical component – European Handball |
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Year 9 |
We Are All Unique In this unit, students will analyse the impact that attitudes and beliefs about diversity have on communication connections and wellbeing. Students will discuss topics related to cultural identify, gender, disabilities and more. Practical component – Newcome ball and volleyball |
General Notices:
- We care about the safety of your children and as a result have a very clear “No Hat, No Play” Please ensure your child is complying with the uniform policy to ensure they do not miss out on these outdoor learning experiences.
- Interschool sport trials will be commencing in Week 3. Mr Dunn will regularly send out information regarding these trials within the student notices section of Daymap.
- We are looking forward to our Cross Country event that will take place at the end of Term 1. If your child wishes to be competitive in this sport, please encourage them to start their training for this event.
SCIENCE
Year 7
In year 7 science we are kicking off 2021 with Biology which will see students exploring the diversity of life on Earth. Your child will be developing food chains and webs, analysing ecosystems and exploring the effect of human and environmental changes on different organisms. So, don’t be surprised if you find your child looking through their garden bed at home to find all the different organisms.
Year 8
In year 8 science, students will start the year studying Chemistry. Students will explore the physical and chemical changes of different substances. This is an exciting term for year 8’s as they get to engage in practical lessons in the science lab. Students will start the term by learning how to safely use a Bunsen Burner and work towards achieving their Bunsen Burner Licence.
Year 9
In year 9 science, students will be learning about Physics. Students will describe models of energy transfer. They will also explore the social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments and have a go at predicting how further scientific developments may affect people’s lives in the future.
General Notices
- We are lucky enough this year to be welcoming a Science Technician, Savita Saini, who will be supporting our science classes with all practical lessons. Mrs Saini comes to us with a wealth of previous experience and will be able to offer your students engaging, hands-on learning experiences.
- In line with the College’s uniform policy, if students are not wearing the correct leather shoes they will not be permitted to engage in any practical lessons in the science lab. Please ensure your student is always complying with the College’s uniform policy to ensure they do not miss out on these learning experiences.
MATHS
|
Year 7 |
Measurement and Geometry Students will start the year exploring the concepts of measurement and geometry. They will revise concepts of classification of shapes, perimeter and area and will learn new concepts including volume, parallel lines and angle theorems. |
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Year 8 |
Number and Financial Maths In unit 1, students will explore the key Number skills within the year 8 curriculum. Students will learn about rates and ratios, negative and positive numbers and rational and irrational numbers. Students will also explore financial maths and the concepts of Profit and Loss. |
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Year 9 |
Linear and Non-Linear Relations Year 9 students will be solving problems involving linear and non-linear equations. Students will be using Cartesian planes to plot linear graphs, calculating gradient and midpoint and sketching linear and non-linear graphs. |
Enrichment Program
We are so excited to be commencing the Maths Enrichment Program in 2021. All students in year 8 will engage in two lessons per week with a targeted focus to improve their numeracy skills. These sessions will support students in understanding the foundational numeracy skills that are necessary in their life, they will explore maths in real life contexts and just have more time to find confidence within the Maths classroom.
General Notices
Please ensure your child has a scientific calculator and brings this to school for every mathematics lessons. To ensure our students are proficient in mathematical communication, we will not be using laptops every lesson – for this reason they are still required to provide a personal calculator and cannot rely on the laptop for this.
Tess Reeves
HoD
Welcome back to an exciting new year, with many new faces. Our Creative Industries team has grown with new teachers and new subject offerings. Including Visual Arts, Digital Media, Food Technology, Drama, Design Engineering and Design Manufacturing.
I would like to introduce our teaching team:
- Mr Lynn - Digital media and Design Technology.
- Mr Scott who specialises in Music, but will also be teaching Digital Media.
- Ms Mons Wolff -Visual Arts
- Mrs Kemp - Visual Arts
- Mrs Montel - Food Technologies
- Mr Ezzy - Music and Instrumental Music
- Ms Starkey - Dance and Drama
- Mrs Stiles - Design Engineering and Design Manufacturing
We are looking forward to meeting all the new students and welcome back our foundation students.
Item Request for Art:
Year Eight Art students will be having endless fun experimenting with ephemeral art this term. In order to play with line, form, shape and pattern found in natural objects, we've been busy collecting leaves, seeds, seedpods, sticks, stackablee stones and feathers.
If you have any interesting natural items in your backyard for our collection, we'd love to have them! Not only are we collecting leaves, seeds, seedpods, sticks, stackablee stones and feathers, we are also collecting bottle caps, ring pulls and any multiples of flat, coloured plastic items for a special 'end of unit' project in week 10. We have a special box in administration for donation drop offs.
DANCE
Welcome back to 2021! As our school progresses into it’s second year I am looking forward to all the opportunities on offer in the Creative Industries department. We are excited to be offering Dance in years 7 & 9 and Drama in years 8 & 9. In our year 7 Dance unit, Just Dance, we will be focusing on introducing students to Dance in High School through the genre of Popular Dance. Year 9 students will move onto their Emotion in Motion unit where they will explore conveying meaning through Contemporary Dance. Both cohorts will work on performing a teacher devised routine, responding to a dance through written work and creating their own routine in the choreography task. In year 8 Drama we will be looking at Children’s Theatre in the unit Child’s play. Students will have opportunities to respond to and create their own Drama works. As semester two rolls around and year 9 Drama comes on board students will be studying Daytime Soaps. They will be creating their own Soap Opera as well as responding to work of others. I feel very privileged to be teaching both of these subjects this year and look forward to working with the students.
DANCE SQUAD
The RVSSC Dance Squad will be up and running again in Term 1. We had such a successful year in 2020 with the Foundation Team and I can’t wait to see our progression this year. The Dance Squad will have opportunities to perform at in-school events. The big ticket items here are Awards Night and Creative Industries showcase.
If your child is interested in joining the team they will need to come along and learn the audition piece in week 2 and 3 before auditioning in week 4 (further info around these sessions is listed below). Once the team is announced we train on Wednesday mornings from 7.15am – 8.15am. Just a reminder that everyone must re-audition each year for the team.
I look forward to working with the students this year to see them grow and develop in the Creative Industries – Miss Starkey
Instrumental Music
Students who are interested in participating in the instrumental program in 2021 will need to complete an expression of interest form
which have been sent to all students via email. This form is required for all students including those who studied instrumental at the college last year. Instrumental lessons will commence in week 3 and larger ensembles in week 5. Auditions for Drumline will be held in week 4.
In 2021 the college be starting a new student interest group called Performance Tech Club. The aim of this group is to educate and instruct students on performance technology and how to use it practically. These students will assist with all major events that require performance technology within the college in 2021 on a rotating roster. Due to number restrictions an application and selection process will apply. Students interested in the Performance Tech Club will need to attend a meeting in F12 Friday First Break.
Choir
Do you like to sing?
Want to try something new and learn a new skill?
An information session about our school choir will be held in the Music Room, Tuesday 9th February (Week 3) 2nd break.
Rehearsals will be on Friday lunches starting Week 3.
No experience is required, our choir is open for anyone who is willing to learn to sing, or continue to build their vocal techniques.
Design Technology
This year we are excited to introduce Food Technology to year 8 and 9 students along with Design Engineering and Design Manufacturing. These subjects will include medium to high risk activities that will require parent permission. Teacher will email further details in the next two weeks. If you have any questions please contact me via email or phone.
Lorinda Stiles
HoD Creative Industries
lstil21@eqeduu.au
Dear Parents and Guardians,
A warm welcome to the new school year to everyone. I hope you all had a relaxing and healthy holiday and feel refreshed to begin your next learning chapters. My name is Lisa Henderson and I am the Guidance Officer at RVSSC, working from Monday-Thursday.
As A Guidance Officer I work with students, parents and school staff to promote the academic, personal, and social development of all students. Topics may include personal situations that students may need support with, leading enrichment programs, diagnostic testing as well as career planning and other transitions after school.
Students can make an appointment with me through our Student Sharepoint page, Daymap, or by emailing me directly. Students can also be referred by a teacher or their parents by contacting the school office on 07 38195333.
I am here to help students achieve their goals, as well as provide support for the parents and teachers.
Who’s chatting to your kids?
At the beginning of a new year it may be timely to revisit information about our students and their use of online sites to communicate with friends and family. Many of the sites that students access to communicate with their friends contain areas where they can post personal information about themselves including their name, age, location, photographs, and contact details. Please take some time to discuss the on-line safety tips, provided by Queensland Police with your children:
https://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/cscp/personalsafety/children/childprotection/
Parents key to helping their kids with bullying
Starting high school can be a tricky time for students and their parents. It can be a time of upheaval for friendships, where young people making the transition to high school may lose touch with close friends and navigate new friendships. Sometimes the line between regular friendship issues and bullying becomes blurred. Parents can play a critical role in helping their children address bullying and ReachOut is an organisation that has provided valuable information and support to parents and individuals around bullying. For instances of bullying, we strongly recommend the use of Stymie, an online notification tool where students or parents can make anonymous reports that are sent directly to our Principal, Deputies, House Coordinators and Guidance Officer.
Below are links to ReachOut and our online reporting tool STYMIE for both parents and students.
http://au.reachout.com/tough-times/bullying-abuse-and-violence/bullying
https://parents.au.reachout.com/
Lisa Henderson
Guidance Officer
2021 Student Resource Scheme (SRS) Payment methods
The invoices for the 2021 SRS have been emailed to all families. These invoices are for the full amount payable for the year which is $675.00. Following are some payment method examples
Instalments – 3 equal instalments of $225.00 which will be due 19/2/2021; 7/5/2021 and 30/7/2021
Individualised payment plans by Direct Debit - Set and forget. If you would like to set up a direct debit payment using your bank account or credit card, email bsm@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au with the $ amount you would like to pay, the date you want the payments to start and how often you would like the payments made eg weekly/fortnightly. As an example – a payment of $29.50 per week commenced on Friday 19 February will pay the SRS in full before the final due date of 30 July.
How to pay
BPOINT – Use the link in the box at the bottom left corner of your invoice, this will take you directly to the payment screen to enter your details. Paying in instalments? No problem, just enter the amount you are paying and then continue.
Phone payments using Credit/Debit card – You will need your Customer Reference Number (CRN) and Invoice Number from the bottom left corner of your invoice. Call 1300 631 073
In person at the office– The payment window will be open for EFTPOS, cash or cheque payments Monday to Friday 8am – 9:30am and 2pm – 3pm (other times by appointment).
Centrepay Deduction - Payment by Centrepay deduction can also be arranged through the office.
Michelle Mills
Business Manager
Welcome back to 2021! We are looking forward to an exciting year. To kick things off we have got our annual House Day on Wednesday week 2. This is where students will participate in house spirit activities and foster positive relationships within their house groups. Year 7’s will be engaged in House Day for periods 1 -4 with years 8 & 9 joining in during period 3 & 4. Students are required to wear their house shirt and school hat along with the rest of their full school uniform. It is highly recommended that students bring a water bottle with them for the day. Students can bring their own lunch but there will be an SRC BBQ at second break. Sausages, drinks and snacks will be available but it will be cash only. All funds made will go towards the Student Representative Council.
House shirts are available in the uniform shop for $42.50. They are compulsory and must be worn every Wednesday. If you do not know what house your student is in please make contact with your child’s Access Teacher.
At the end of last year we announced the School & House Captains. Now we move onto finding our Access Leaders. Each Access Class will have one leader and this student will also be a part of the Student Representative Council. Applications will open Friday week 2 and close Friday week 3. More information about the application process will come out next week. The student investiture will be at 8.45am on Monday week 5. All student leaders will receive their badges at this ceremony.
In Term 4 we will be taking the year 9 students on the very first RVSSC school camp to Emu Gully. It will run in week 8 from Monday - Thursday. Please mark this date in your diaries.
The Rewards Vault will opening in week 2. This is a way for students to "cash in" their RV stamps that they receive in class for displaying positive behaviours. The Rewards Vault is full of lots of goodies from lollies, to sporting equipment, IT gear and stationery. This year the vault will be out in Foundation Park on Mondays and Thursdays at second break.
We look forward to an exciting (and busy) 2021! James & Jess.
James Dunn
House & Sports Coordinator (Goolman and Perry)
Jessica Starkey
House Coordinator (Blaine and Flinders)
Welcome Defence families, old and new, to a new year at Ripley Valley State Secondary College. Even though it has just begun, 2021 is already shaping up to be another year of new experiences and challenges for all of us.
I would like to take the opportunity to say a big ‘Welcome’ to all of our new Defence students and their families. I am looking forward to meeting you all and being able to offer information, support and advice as you need it during the course of your time at RVSSC.
If you are an enlisted ADF family, whether that be Regular Force, Reservist, on exchange from a Foreign Force, a Linear enlistment or are transitioning out of the military, your family can access all manner of support through the Defence Community Organisation (www.defence.gov.au/DCO/About/). If you have not already done so, you can register as a Defence family by contacting the school office on 3819 5333.
The Defence School Mentor Program, which is provided by the Defence Community Organisation, aims to provide a point of contact for your family should you need assistance accessing particular support programs. It also offers an extra tier of support for your child as they post in and out of schools and cope with parental absences.
I will be holding a Defence Student Gathering at second break in weeks two, four, six, eight and ten. Defence students can come along if they wish and enjoy air conditioning, (great in these warmer months), music, activities and snacks. Students are also welcome to bring their laptops. It is a great way to meet other students who share a Military background and helps me to develop a supportive relationship with the students.
I am really looking forward to meeting our new Defence families along with our catching up with returning students. It promises to be an eventful year.
Tracey Cooper
Defence School Mentor
Ripley Valley Cluster Schools
Chaplain News
Welcome back to a new school year. I am looking forward to meeting all the new and returning students & parents/carers.
If you don't know me, my name is Kristian Atkins, and I have the privilege to serve the community of RVSSC as the school chaplain on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
As a school chaplain, my role is to provide emotional, spiritual and social support to the students and wider school community. One of the ways I provide support is with one-on-one pastoral care conversations. If you would like me to provide support for your child, please email me at katki121@eq.edu.au.
On Tuesday the 9th of February the Breakfast Club program will start up again. Breakfast Club will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:15-8:45 am. This is an excellent way for the students to engage with one another over food or milo and doesn't cost them anything. If you want to volunteer for this, please feel free to email me.
If you want to help out the chaplaincy service here at RVSSC, you can do that by volunteering at Breakfast Club, giving financially by donating by following this link: https://www.suqld.org.au/donate/ripley-valley-state-secondary-college-chaplaincy-tax-deductible/. Another way you can help is to join the Local Chaplaincy Committee (LCC) that meets roughly once a term and oversees the chaplaincy service both here at RVSSC and the primary school. The Local Chaplaincy Committee is the supporting and guiding body behind the Chaplaincy Service helping to shape it to meet the wellbeing of the school community. If you would like to attend and be a part of the committee, we have our next meeting on Thursday the 4th of February at 4 pm here at the school.
I'm looking forward to an exciting year ahead.
Take care
Travelling on public transport is an important part of school life for many students. A step-by-step guide helps you to plan the journey, choose the right student travel card or assistance, set up auto top-up on a go card, work out the fare based on zones and know about roles and responsibilities for safe travel.
View the Public Transport Guide for Parents on the TransLink website.
Travelling on public transport is an important part of school life for many students. A step-by-step guide for parents is available to help you navigate all student travel information: www.translink.com.au/travel-with-us/school-travel/guide-for-parents
