Dear Parent/Carer, 

Congratulations to the many award recipients from last week's 2nd Annual Awards Evening. It was a pleasure to have so many students and their families attend this evening and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students in their chosen fields of academic, sporting and cultural pursuits.  It was also encouraging to have so many special guests attend our Awards evening and celebrate our students' achievement including our Federal and State members of Parliament, Ipswich Mayor and both divisional councillors.  As always, I believe that by working together - parents, students, staff, business and community we help fulfil our school motto and purpose of Achieving Excellence Together. 

As part of the Awards ceremony we announced the new Junior College Leaders for 2022.  Special congratulations to Issac and Ella as the new Junior College Captains, Kripa and Alex as Vice College Captains and Abay, Bella, Ngozi and Cherie as the new Sporting House Leaders. As these Year 8 students prepare for their new roles in 2022 I also want to thank the outgoing Junior College leaders for their hard work and efforts throughout 2021.  They have performed their tasks admirably and we look forward to the creation of our new senior leader positions and peer mentor positions for year 10 students in 2022.  All new positions and Student Council applications will occur in early 2022 and be unveiled at our Student Investiture Parade in early Term 1, 2022.

In other news, our College was recently announced as 1 of 50 new secondary schools in Queensland to trial a GP in school.  This innovative service will allow students/families to access a 100% bulk billing, qualified GP on school grounds 1 day per week.  Our college is already well along in our planning and preparation for the GP to commence duties in Term 2, 2022.  Further information and details on this service will be provided early next year.   

As our year quickly draws to a close I want to thank the many parents, businesses and staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the year to provide outstanding opportunities and support to our students.  Without you, our College would not be what it is and I truly appreciate the hard work, patience and passion of all involved.   

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Krueger

Foundation Principal

Michelle Mills

Business Manager

I.T @ RVSSC

Purchase option – Available for year 9 families

The school will be disposing of a number of devices currently being used by the Year 9 students.  Families have the option to make an offer to purchase one of these devices.  The reserve price will be $250.00, the laptop will then be for use at home only. Damages will be fixed as per prices above, and laptops will be factory reset for pick up by families on the last day of term 4 (10^th December 2021).

To make an offer Email – administration@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au with the amount of your offer, (you must also disclose any interests or links with Education Department employees if applicable)

Once purchased from Ripley Valley State Secondary College; technical support and insurance ceases and no warranty is implied or given.   The device is for HOME USE ONLY, and not permitted at school. Students will receive their new laptop (which they will use from year 10-12) within the first few days of school 2022.

Please remember that if you have any issues regarding your laptop or accessing work you can contact our Tech team at tech@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au anytime. 

Parent Access to Daymap

THIRD PARTY WEBSITE - PERMISSION FORMS

Thank you to those families that have returned the Third Party Website consent form. If you have not yet completed, can you please do so ASAP.  Please click the link below

Congratulations to Makiah and Liam who WON the 2021 QLD State Championships in Rocket League last week. We are so proud of the hard work that they put in to their training! The boys walked away with approximately $600 worth of prizes each on the day and demonstrated Respect, Responsibility and Perseverance throughout the difficult competition.

We are looking forward to another amazing year in eSports next year with teams being entered into regional, state and national competitions in the following games:

• Rocket League
• Smash Bros
• Mario Kart
• Just Dance
• League of Legends
• Overwatch

Trials for these competitions will begin in Term 1 next year and open to students from grade 7-10.

Angela Waugh

HOD - Digital Technologies  | Pathways & Partnerships |  IGNITE

RVSSC Student Page

A reminder to check out the RVSSC Student Page. Assessment is ramping up again, so it is a great time to remind ourselves of the tips and tricks to study well, and achieve our best!

The Student Support Services Committee have also been adding sections to the page to help students know:

• What’s happening around the school
• Information on Student Wellbeing

The Student Toolkit has lots of tips and resources to support students with:

• How they learn
• How to ask for help
• Positive affirmations about learning
• How to use Learning Tools through Microsoft software
• Links for extra support and online tutoring.

The snapshots below let you see what is available and I would encourage sitting down with your child and exploring what is there.

If you have any feedback or ideas on other things we should include let me know by filling our this short survey form:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=xccAZrUWr0uekzI72MAdugqYLdXclitPolxdFq1wAX9UMlIwWlFGRk8zRVpSQjlGOUI4QUJRQ1JDTS4u

 Home page

 Student Toolkit

Student Toolkit (scrolled up) 

Personalised Learning Plans

All students’ Personalised Learning Plans will be sent home at the end of this Term for you to review.

Not all students will have one of these plans, but if your child does, we ask that you read through the strategies and comments with them.

Here are some questions to help guide your review:

• Do you agree with the strategies of support being used in the classroom?
• Does your child feel the support is helpful for them?
• Do you have any suggestions for teachers to consider to better support your child?
• Does your child want to add something to their plan?

Your feedback in these plans are crucial for our teachers to ensure the strategies in place are working for your child. We value your child’s input as well into their plan. As they move through secondary, they will become their own advocate for their learning and support needs.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us at Student Services studentservices@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au or 3819 5333.

Upcoming Parent Information Sessions:

1 Day Parent/Carer Workshop - QLD

• Description

This is a workshop for parents, full time carers and grandparents.  Join other local families to learn more about autism and ways to strengthen the home-school partnership.

Learn about:

Diversity of autism

• examines parent’s knowledge of autism and how autism directly impacts their child at home and school
• investigates a range of practical strategies to use at home and school to improve learning outcomes

Understanding Behaviour

• examines the function/purpose of behaviours
• recognising that understanding behaviour is the key to supporting children on the autism spectrum
• explores tools and strategies for Positive Behaviour Support

Working Together

• examines ways for parents to strengthen partnerships between home, school and community
• increases awareness of support and services for families and how they can be accessed
• explores ways parents can advocate more effectively for their child’s needs
• helps parents develop a plan for moving forward

https://www.positivepartnerships.com.au/workshop/?eventtemplate=16-1-day-parent-carer-workshop-qld&event=540

 

Transitions to High School:

For existing and new families that have children beginning with us next year, here is a fact sheet explaining transitions and questions you might like to ask us about high school:

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Rhiannon Kemp

Head of Inclusion

It is so great to write to you during the middle of Term 4. It is crazy to think that we are nearing the end of the year! It was so lovely to be able to celebrate our award recipients during the awards night last week - congratulations, in particular, go to the students who received subject awards. 

This week we also celebrate our fantastic teachers as part of World Teachers Day on 29 October. As I reflect on the work of my teaching team this year I am in absolute awe of their commitment, perseverance and hard work. Being a new school, we have immersed ourselves in curriculum writing and refinement. This year our teachers have done a complete re-write of all curriculum documents to ensure that we are delivering the absolute best curriculum possible. All of our teachers have engaged in Professional Development on moderation practices, with emphasis put on Australian Curriculum alignment. This has seen teachers spend countless hours having to refine, or in many instances, re-write all year plans, unit plans, assessment items, exemplars, marking guides and rubrics. This work does not go unnoticed and speaks to the high calibre of teachers that we have at Ripley. They have done all of this work, whilst still juggling their full teaching load, playground duties, extra curricular activities and always prioritising your childs' support, engagement and enjoyment in class. I am so proud of my team and just want to publicly acknowledge their work ahead of World Teachers Day.

Between now and the next newsletter update we will be approaching the deadline for assessments and exams. Please ensure you review the parent portal on Daymap frequently to check on upcoming assessments and reach out to your child's teacher if you would like to check your child's progress or ask for an update.  

Tess Reeves

HoD Maths, Science & HPE

tsmur0@eq.edu.au 

Showcase Performance IS ON NEXT WEEK!!!

• Our Showcase is on Thursday 4^th December at 6pm in the Raptordome. Doors open at 5pm and ticket sales will be cash only at the door. Tickets are $5 per seat – children on laps are free. Family passes for $20. Student performers do not require a ticket. We only have 500 seats so in the event that we do sell out we will be offering free standing space at the back of the hall. All ticket sales go towards the Creative Industries Performing Arts Department.

• Below is a pre-registration form for audience members. This does not guarantee you a seat – it is purely for our purposes so we can gauge how many audience members to expect.

  https://ripleyvalleyssc.schoolzineplus.com/form/180

• Once you have your ticket and are inside the Raptordome please feel free to view the Visual Art display set up by our year 7, 8 and 9 students and wonderful Art teacher Ms Vidotto.
  
  
• This year our show will have an interval and our P&C will be selling food during this time. Cash & eftpos available at the P&C Canteen.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to sharing our hard work with you next week!

Creative Generation—State Schools Onstage (CGEN) continues to give students, teachers and school communities the opportunity to be involved in a professionally produced, award-winning arena spectacular. Since its inception in 2005, the large-scale event has grown from a cast of 550 students to now more than 1,500 and is nationally renowned for its outstanding and vibrant display of state school talent.

CGEN provides students the chance to acquire new skills by working with some of Australia's leading performers in a world-class venue. For many, it is their first time performing on an arena stage, while for others it is a valuable stepping stone in their career as young artists in the performing arts industry.

CGEN rehearsals provide an opportunity for students to display their talents and extend their networks with professional artists. Auditions, workshops and rehearsals give students a taste of the wider performing arts industry that has seen many Queenslanders achieve great success on the international stage.

This incredible program is a unique and rewarding experience for both students and teachers. It celebrates access to the arts and encourages students of all levels of performance ability to get involved.

CGEN 2022 will be staged at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday 14, Friday 15 and Saturday 16 July 2022. Nominations for CGEN 2022 are now open.

Please see Mr Barclay if you are interested in participating. 

Year 9 Design Engineering 

Year 9 DET class have been working through the design process to prototype aerodynamic cars. This week has been a busy week in the workshop shaping and modelling the car design and vacuum forming the finished products. Next week students will test the car efficiency based on its speed weight and distance before making some educated adjustments to improve their cars performance. 

Showcase Rehearsals

1. All performers are to attend a rehearsal this
   Thursday 28^th October from 3pm – 4.30pm in the Raptordome.
   Students will be learning the finale routine. Students who are absent from this rehearsal will not be part of the routine. We will do our best to finish on time so please pick your student up from the Raptordome at 4.30pm.
2. All performers are to attend a technical rehearsal on
   Monday 1^st November from 3pm – 5pm in the Raptordome. This rehearsal is compulsory. Students must attend as it is a chance for us to do a technical run through for sound and lighting plus teach the students how to enter and exit the stage. This rehearsal is crucial so that we can move straight into a successful dress rehearsal. We will do our best to finish on time so please pick your student up from the Raptordome at 5pm.  
   
   
3. All performers are to attend a dress rehearsal on
   Thursday 4^th November from 8.45am – 2.45pm.
   Students will be in the Raptordome all day for this rehearsal. Please arrive at the Raptordome no later than 8.30am so that we can start on time. All performers are required to bring all parts of their costume for this rehearsal. Makeup and hair are not required for this rehearsal. Students will have regular lunch breaks and access to the tuckshop. Please ensure your child/children have enough food and water as it is a massive day. If you are unsure what your child should be wearing for the performance please contact either Ms Starkey or Mr Ezzy ASAP.

Lorinda Stiles

HoD Creative Industries
lstil21@eqeduu.au

Guidance Officer

DEFENCE NEWS

On the 11/11/2021, Ripley Valley State Secondary College will commemorate Remembrance Day with a ceremony that will be attended by students, staff, local dignitaries and ADF personnel.

ADF student representatives along with our Principal, Brendan Krueger, will also attend the official commemoration held in Ipswich by the RSL Ipswich Sub Branch on behalf of the College.

Remembrance Day is considered one of the most significant commemorations on the Military Calendar. At 1100 hours, Australians will observe 1 minutes silence in memory of those who fought, died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts and appreciation of their sacrifice.

If you or your student would like to know more about Remembrance Day or any other Military Commemoration or event, you can log onto https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/

Badges and poppies will be available to purchase next week.  Badges will cost $5, poppies 50 cents.

Open Arms Program – Sleeping Better

Sleeping Better is an educational and skills-based group program to assist in managing disturbed sleep. All current and former ADF personnel, as well as anyone in their immediate families, are able to attend this free two-day program which will be held on 15 & 16 November at Open Arms, Spring Hill. To register for this program, contact Open Arms on 1800 011 046 or visit www.OpenArms.gov.au and search for “Sleeping Better”. Registrations close on 1 November.

Defence Family Helpline and Support Services

The Defence Family Helpline is the first port of call for support to ADF families. Practical and emotional support is available from qualified human service professionals 24/7 by contacting 1800 624 608 or emailing:

defencefamilyhelpline@defence.gov.au

Support the Troops Christmas Care Packages

Every year, Australia Post delivers care packages to our deployed troops sent by the public, including community groups, organisations and individual households. This year’s “Support the Troops Christmas Day” mailing window is Monday 1 November to Friday 12 November. If you, your family or workplace would like to create a parcel to send, the postal address is: 

An Australian Defence Member

AFPO 60

Australian Defence Force NSW 2890

Tracey Cooper

Defence School Mentor

Ripley Valley Cluster Schools

Chaplain News  

I personally can’t believe how quickly this term has gone so far and I am looking forward to the remainder of the term as we wrap up for the Christmas break.

Pastoral Care

One of the many things I do here at the college is to provide social, emotional & spiritual support. If you me to provide support for your child, please contact me at katki121@eq.edu.au

Rock and Water

Rock & Water has commenced again this term. I have enjoyed running the program and getting to know the students involved better. Rock & Water will continue to run until early December.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club has started up again and I want to thank everyone who is involved in making this happen. It will continue to operate every Tuesday and Thursday and if you or your child would like to help out please do not hesitate to ask me.

SU Camps

Scripture Union Queensland, the organisation that employs the chaplains here in Ripley Valley and in hundreds of schools across Queensland is also a camping organisation. If you are looking for something for your child to do over the holidays, following the link. https://sucamps.org.au/?season=summer

Chaplaincy Fundraiser

My role is heavily supported by the generous donations of people within our community.  This enables me to stay at the school and to continue to do the work here within the college. On the 11^th & 12^th of December the Chaplaincy Service here at the school as well as the Primary School will be running a glow stick stall to raise funds for the service. On the 11^th of December we will be selling glowsticks at the Springfield Christmas Carols held at Robelle Domain. On the 12^th of December we are running another glowstick stall here at the College for the Ripley Christmas Carols. If you want to volunteer and help, please contact me.

Mentoring Program

In 2022, the Chaplaincy Service is planning to run a mentoring program here at the college. The mentoring program at the moment is planned to be run on a Wednesday afternoon for 1 hour. The mentoring program will bring in community people to spend 1 on 1 time with a student within our community for 1 hour a week for the year. The mentor is a life mentor and will undergo child safety training by the College as well as SU. The mentor must be over 21 years of age and have a blue card to participate. 

This is a great way for the wider Ripley Community to be involved with the college and to help support students. If you want to be a mentor or if your child is someone who you think would benefit from this program, please contact me.

Kind Regards

House Captains for 2022

At our recent Awards Evening the following students were announced as House Captains for 2022:

Goolman House Captain – Ngozi Eijofer

Blaine House Captain – Abay Chandi

Flinders House Captain – Bella Hogan

Perry House Captain – Cherie Young

Term 4 Rewards Day

Our Term 4 Rewards Day is fast approaching. This year we will be taking students to Wet n’ Wild on Friday 3^rd December. Below are the requirements for students to have met in order to be deemed eligible to attend the Rewards Day. Invitations will go out in the coming weeks.

• 95% Approved Attendance calculated on Daymap for the Year to Date

Students may be ineligible to attend the scheduled event for any of the following reasons:

• Student has received 2 or more Administration Detentions in the relevant Term
• Student has received a suspension in the relevant Term
• Student has failed to pay any applicable Rewards Days Fees by the due date
• Students must be up to date with required payments for the Student Resource Scheme.
• Application of the School Representation Policy by HoD/DP
• All assessment completed and submitted
• Students that have been notified that they are eligible to attend may have this right revoked if any of the above mentioned points apply between the time they are invited up to and including the day of the activity.

James Dunn
House & Sports Coordinator (Goolman and Perry)

Jessica Starkey
House Coordinator (Blaine and Flinders)

Healthy Food Options

Our canteen prides itself on using fresh fruit and vegetables for our meals.  We have a selection of fresh healthy food options every day.  Check out our fridges for salads, wraps, fruit cups, dipper cups and more.

Reward Evening Sweet Treats

Some of our lovely student volunteers helped put together the 300 sweet treat boxes, pictured below, for our most recent Rewards Evening. 

As you can see this was a mammoth effort.  Thanks so much to those students and volunteers who sacrificed their time to pull this off.

Online Ordering System for the Canteen

RVSSC canteen is open first and second break every day. Apart from our freshly cooked daily meal choices we also have an extensive online menu where you have a great menu selection every day of the week. Jump online and pre order for more choices.

Did you know that with our MSA ordering system you can monitor purchases, set spending limits, inform of allergy alerts, check balances and top up student accounts?  Please see link below to access the MSA ordering system

Regards

Chef Claire

Uniform Shop 

Position Vacancy - Wearitto Uniform Convenor

HALLOWEEN MOVIE NIGHT

The RVSSC P&C, in conjunction with Stockland and Providence, South Ripley are running a Halloween Movie Night on Saturday 30th October from 5.30pm.  If anyone is able to volunteer to help out at this event please email:

ripleyvalleysscpandc@gmail.com