Dear Parents/Carers,

As we enter the month of August you may be forgiven for thinking "Where has this year gone?"  It seems like only a few weeks ago I was welcoming the new Year 7's to our College and yet this week we have started our annual School Tours and Enrolment Information Sessions, welcoming the current year 6 students who will commence with us in 2024. 

As this year races towards the Christmas holidays, our college maintains its focus on improving student outcomes and planning for future success in 2024.

It has been encouraging over the past few weeks to meet and talk to many parents and students who have attended our Parent Teacher interviews, Pathways Preparation meetings (Year 9) and SET plan meetings (Year 10) as we have discussed their progress to date and set goals for their future.  Your involvement and partnership with the College in this process has been impressive and the end results our students achieve is testament to this collaborative process.  

Our Stage 3 building works continue to progress on schedule for handover in 2024 (J block refurbishment and infill by January and the Performing Arts Centre by June).  In addition to these building works our College is also planning for the significant milestones of our first cohort of graduating Year 12's and our 5th year anniversary.  Both of these significant events will be celebrated and further details as to how you can be involved in these celebrations will be shared over the coming weeks and months.  

While we may feel at times that life just seems to fly by, it is always reassuring to know that it is often the little things we do each day that make the greatest overall difference.  A warm smile, a welcoming hello or polite thank you are often the little things in a busy day or world that make a big difference.  

Thank you once again for partnering with the college and doing lots of little things to make our College the great place it is to learn and work.

Yours Sincerely,

Brendan Krueger

Foundation Principal

Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments

Ripley Valley SSC recognises that some students may have a disability, impairment and/or medical conditions or experience other circumstances that may affect their ability to read, respond to and participate in assessment. Access arrangements and reasonable adjustments (AARA) are designed to assist these students.

Access arrangements are action/s taken by the school so that a student with an eligible impairment that may not be covered by the definition of disability can access assessment.

Reasonable adjustments are action/s taken by the school so that a student with an eligible impairment as a result of a disability and/or medical condition and experiencing other circumstances creating a barrier to the completion of assessment can be assessed.

More information can be found in the AARA section of the QCAA website, including a  helpful video explaining the AARA process and an Introduction to AARA FAQ Fact Sheet for parents/carers and students. 

If you believe that your student would benefit from an AARA in years 10-12 and they do not have one currently in place, please complete AARA (including Illness and Misadventure) Form on the Ripley Valley Student SharePoint page and attach a completed Confidential Medical Report Form.

How You Can Make Technology an Ally (& Not the Enemy!)

We’re excited to announce that on 16th August Elevate Education will be hosting its second free webinar of the term for parents.

Elevate Education works with our students, delivering high impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series you will learn how you can help better support your children at home through reinforcing the skills they learn at school.  

Wednesday 16th August @ 6:30pm
Click here to register for free

Here's what Elevate will be covering:

✅Technology addiction and how to reduce technology dependence 

✅Practical strategies and apps to minimise procrastination 

✅How to help your child use technology productively to enhance their learning 

Elevate will be covering further topics throughout this term. If you are interested in joining their other webinars, please see the topics below.

✅ How To Help Your Child Improve Their Note Taking - 30th August @6:30pm

✅ How You Can Support Your Child During Exams - 13th September @6:30pm

Todd Robson

Deputy Principal - Year 11 - Pathways & Partnerships

trobs20@eq.edu.au

Excellence Academies:

Our third and final Excellence Trial will take place on Friday 8th September with registrations now open. Please also complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) for enrolment at the same time. If you have any questions, please email: excellence@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au.

Football Excellence:

Students in the Football Academy have three match days remaining. Please refer to the list below regarding details of the remaining fixtures. Match day emails with fixture details and team lists be sent out in the week leading in to each matchday. Please look out for an email from Mr. Sharma bksha0@eq.edu.au  

Round 8 

• Robina SHS @ Springfield United FC – Wednesday, 16 August 
• Teams – All 
• Travel – Students find their own way to and from venue 

Round 9 

• Pimpama SSC @ Springfield United FC – Thursday, 24 August 
• Teams – All except Senior Girls 
• Travel – Students find their own way to and from venue

Ignite Excellence:

This term in Ignite students are working on CSIRO CREST awards for Innovation and Scientific discovery, as well as their own chosen passion projects. These include the effectiveness of sunscreen, solar heating and cooking, investigating species endemic to nearby wetlands, sustainable cities, and creating chapter books, both fiction and non-fiction. We cannot wait to share these with you over the coming term.

The work the students have done on the Reimagine Swanbank project has come together into the masterplan which has now been released to the community for feedback. Many of the students' ideas have been incorporated into this vision and it is very positive to see CleanCo and the community supporting our young peoples' voice in this way. By following the link below, you will be able to understand the process used to develop this masterplan and provide feedback on it to help improve the area moving forward. Reimagine Swanbank.

Our last trial day for Ignite Academy 2024 is coming up on Friday 8th September (Week 9). This will be your final chance to test for our Ignite Academy program for 2024. The EOI for this process is currently open, so please refer to our school social media for more information. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Dance Excellence:

Our Dance Excellence Academy class has moved onto their second unit of learning for the year. This semester, our students are focusing on the contemporary style and developing their technical skills in this genre. The class has been working on flexibility, parallel alignment, spinal rolls, backwards rolls and side bends. A portion of each practical lesson is dedicated to technique as it underpins the foundation of each style of dance. The team has also been learning their contemporary routine which has been entered into our Term 3 eisteddfods. 

• Ipswich Performers Dance Festival: Monday 14th August 
• Lockyer District Dancing Festival: Friday 8th September 

This term, we have also offered "Come and Try" sessions for any current RVSSC students who are interested in trailing for a 2024 Dance Academy position. These sessions were run in Weeks 1 – 4 at lunch breaks and have been immensely popular. We had a whopping 26 students at our Week 4 session! During the Come and Try sessions students learn a jazz routine to the Academy standard so that they can start to feel more comfortable with nominating for a trial. On our trial days we put the students through stretch & strength, technique, jazz and contemporary sessions. We look forward to seeing all of our trialists on September 8th. Remember this is the last chance to trial for a 2024 position. 

Head of Department - Junior Schooling & HPE - Year 7A to 7D

jdunn232@eq.edu.au 

2023 Student Resource Scheme (SRS) 

Thank you to those families who have already made payments or set up payment plans.

For those families who are paying the Student Resource Scheme (SRS) in instalments, the 3rd and final instalment was due for payment Friday 4th August.

3rd Instalment payment amount

• • Year 7, 8 and 9 $225
  • Year 10 $165 + electives
  • Year 11 $162 + electives

Payment Options

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.

Phone payments using Credit/Debit card – Call 1300 631 073 Option 2. You will need your Customer Reference Number (CRN) and Invoice Number from the bottom left corner of your invoice.

In person at the office– The payment window will be open for EFTPOS, cash or cheque payments Monday to Friday 8am – 12pm (other times by appointment).

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 date you want the payments to start and how often you would like the payments made e.g. weekly ($27.00 over 25 weeks) or fortnightly ($56.25 over 12 fortnights).

Centrepay Deduction - Payment by Centrepay deduction can also be arranged through Administration.

Michelle Mills

Business Manager

SSBI: Free NBN for families – application process

The Australian Government has established the SSBI and is partnering with the NBN Co to provide free home internet for one year for up to 3000 unconnected families of Queensland state school students. The Department of Education is a nominating organisation to assist families to apply.

Nominations are due by 1 September 2023 so eligible families can be notified of the outcome and have time to register with a participating internet provider by the national deadline of 30 September 2023. 

To be eligible for SSBI, a family must:

• Have a child living at home that is enrolled in a Queensland school in 2023.
• Not have an active internet service at home. Having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility.
• Be referred by a nominating organisation.
• Agree their child/ren has access to a device and has the digital skills to use the internet safely or be supervised.
• Live in a premises that can access the National Broadband Network via a standard connection – this will be checked by NBN.

If you would like further details, please make contact with our Administration.

Parent Access to Daymap

Don't forget to download the Daymap App so you can do everything on the move!  Instructions on how to Download and set up the Daymap APP can be found on the Ripley Valley SSC website under the support and resources tab.  Daymap Parent Portal can be found here:

https://ripleyvalleyssc.eq.daymap.net/daymapconnect

To have your password reset, or for any other log in issues with Daymap please email the IT team on:

tech@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au 

School Laptop Expectations - Being prepared for learning

We are seeing an increased number of students coming to school with laptops that have not been charged. Please ensure you have a system at home to help remind your child to put their laptops on charge each night so that they are prepared for learning each day.

Chargers are NOT allowed at school as they are a safety hazard. Student laptop batteries are made to last all day - and if they are not lasting a school day, they need to visit Tech Support.

Students are also required to bring their laptop case to school each day, and have the Ripley Valley sticker on their laptops at all times as it provides extra protection for their device. Cases are $35 to replace, and stickers are $10 to replace. If you have any questions please email:

tech@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au 

Todd Robson

Deputy Principal - Year 11 - Pathways & Partnerships

trobs20@eq.edu.au

The Mathematics department has had a great start to Term 3 with high student engagement in classroom activities. Last week, our IGNITE students in years 7 and 8 participated in the Australian Mathematics Competition. Congratulations to all students who participated! We look forward to celebrating their success when the results are published. Thank you to Miss Mahipus for supervising the students during this competition.

We are approaching the assessment period for this term and students have already been informed about the assessment mode and time.

• Year 7 and Year 8 will be doing an exam on algebra.
• Year 9 will be working on an assignment applying the skills learnt in class to a real-life scenario.
• Year 10 Extension Maths, General Maths and Foundation Maths classes will also be assessed with an exam.
• Year 10 short course numeracy students are working on their journal and extended response that will be due in Week 9.
• Year 11 students are currently working through Unit 2 content. Essential Maths students are currently working on their problem solving and modelling task due in Week 7. Mathematical Methods and General Maths students will be doing the Unit 2 exam on Monday of Week 10. Students who successfully complete Unit 2 in their respective subjects, will earn 1 QCE point.

General Notices:

• Mathematics tutoring is available every week. Tuesday at 1st break and Thursday at 2nd break in CG01. All students are welcome. 
• All students should be prepared for class, every lesson by bringing a scientific calculator, notebook, stationary and a charged laptop. Please support your students to be prepared for learning to ensure we can maximise our teaching & learning time. 

Haranoop Singh Goraya

Acting Head of Department - Mathematics - Year 9A to 9D

hsgor0@eq.edu.au 

Our Year 8 students have been involved in another College first this term when they continued their exploration into Particle Theory and States of Matter by observing and performing dry ice experiments. Students were able to watch teachers demonstrate some of the properties of dry ice including sublimation, it's ability to change the acidity of water and extinguish flames. Students were then able to create bubbles of carbon dioxide gas and observe the dense gas falling out of the cup. Student feedback was that this was an exciting learning opportunity and it was wonderful to visit so many classrooms to see students so engaged in their Chemistry studies. 

In Week 6 it will be National Science week. The theme for 2024 is Innovation. We will be celebrating this on the oval at our College on Tuesday 15th August at second break. Students will have the opportunity to fly water rockets and discuss the innovative advances in the space race and rocket technology. Our Year 7 students will also have the chance to build bionic hands and discuss artificial limbs. This should be great fun and we would love to see your student on the oval to participate. 

A reminder that we are heading into assessment periods and students will be preparing assignments or revising for exams. If your student is unwell or absent, please submit an extension request so that we are able to make arrangements to support their learning. We look forward to finishing the term strong and continuing our explorations into the world around us.

Ellen Grant

Head of Department - Science - Year 8F to 8I 

egran55@eq.edu.au

Dance Academy

Our Dance Academy students have commenced their unit on contemporary dance. This semester they will work on three tasks; performance, choreography and responding. In our performance task the team has learned a contemporary routine that they will perform at two eisteddfods this term. This task has focused on technical skills such as spinal rolls, backwards rolls, side bends and parallel alignment. The students have been working hard on their expressive skills and communicating meaning in their dance routine. We wish them all the best for the Ipswich Performers Dance Festival next week!

7 Dance

We are thrilled to share that Year 7 dance students have successfully completed their first assessment for the subject; a challenging theory exam that tested their knowledge of dance elements and terminology. We congratulate each student on their hard work and dedication throughout this initial phase of the dance curriculum. The theory exam aimed to equip our young dancers with a solid foundation of understanding in dance theory.

Now that the theory exam is behind them, the students will embark on an exciting new journey in their dance education—the practical assessment phase. During this period, they will focus on the application of their theoretical knowledge to physical movement and expression. The students will start learning and rehearsing their choreographed class routines for their first practical assessment.

The practical assessment provides an opportunity for our young dancers to showcase their creativity, artistry, and technical skills. As they immerse themselves in the world of dance, they will grow in confidence and develop a deeper understanding of the power of movement to communicate emotions and stories.

9 Dance

Welcome to our Year 9 dance students! Our semester 2 class have already deep dived into musical theatre! They are working on a blended theory and prac model where they complete two theory lessons per week and one practical lesson. In theory, students are analysing and evaluating a dance routine from Matilda the musical. Students have had to understand the skills required for analysis by breaking this cognition down into description and interpretation. The class enjoyed learning to describe lollies before applying these skills to the elements of dance. Analysis and Evaluation are cognitions that can be applied in all other subjects. Along side the responding task students have started learning their musical theatre routine which will be assessed at the start of term 4.

11 Dance

Year 11 Dance students have been investigating how the integration of the environment that a dance is created for and presented in shapes how meaning is communicated. These environments include physical spaces, such as a conventional stage or a specific site, and virtual spaces, such as film or digital platforms. In all instances, the environment is integral to the dance; that is, the use of dance concepts and skills to communicate the intention of the dance would be altered if the dance was presented in another environment. Students are now in the creative process of choreographing Hip Hop routines to be filmed on locations of their choice and to communicate the meaning of acceptance, inclusion or diversity.

8 Drama

With a new semester comes a new rotation of elective subjects for the Year 8 cohort! It has been wonderful to see the energy and enthusiasm that the Semester 2 Year 8 Drama classes are showing so far. This term, students are learning about the Elements of Drama through their study of Indigenous Theatre. Students have been reading the Indigenous Theatre play, 'Honey Spot' and demonstrating excellent critical thinking skills as they discover some of the socio-cultural issues that underpin the text. Engaging their creativity and communication skills, students are learning how to control their focus, build tension and create symbolic moments in performance. This myriad of skills will be used as they develop their assessment, a group performance of 'Honey Spot', which Mrs Dixon, Miss Doorley and Ms McLeod are so looking forward to seeing!

9 Drama

In year 9 Drama, students will examine the conventions of Melodrama including the stereotypical stock characters of a Hero, Villain, Heroine and faithful sidekick. Students will learn how to employ acting skills of physicality and vocality while using improvisation techniques to create engaging scenes. Such scenes will follow the Melodramatic narrative structure using Provocation, Pangs and Penalty. Students will then view a recorded live performance and analyse the actor’s manipulation of Elements of Drama and Melodramatic conventions to create engaging dramatic action. 

11 Drama

Delving into the world of magic and the supernatural, this term; Year 11 Drama students are exploring Realism, Magical Realism and Australian Gothic Theatre. These unique styles of Drama are used to engage audiences in deeper meaning about our society and our world, reflecting shared lived experience and challenging audiences to empathise with the stories of others. Students have been using critical thinking skills to analyse a play text, 'Jasper Jones', and create their own dynamic vision of how this could best communicate symbolic meaning to modern audiences. These creative and innovative thinkers have experimented with site-specific performance working outside the classroom and applied practical directing skills in preparation for their most in-depth assessment yet. Ms McLeod is so excited to see the incredible directorial visions and acting performances that these students create!

Certificate courses

Next year we are introducing the Certificate II in Dance! This pathway qualification provides individuals technical skills and knowledge to prepare for work in the live performance industry. The qualification is designed for those with a foundational level of lyrical, jazz or ballet dance techniques. The students may have experience in amateur performances, community events, or have attended dance classes. They will be at the beginning of their career developing performance skills in various genres with job prospects as a trainee dance performer in the industry. The course will have a large focus on practical skills and some theoretical knowledge in a defined context. It will incorporate artistic expression and expressive techniques in performances for audiences. All students completing this certificate will be required to perform live performances at eisteddfods as a representative team for RVSSC. For more information about this new subject, please email Miss Doorley at ddoor4@eq.edu.au 

Extra Curricular

Drama Troupe

After a semester of honing their improvisational skills, it is now time for RVSSC's Drama Troupe students to showcase their talents in the oldest form of improvisation – Commedia Dell' Arte. Translating simply to Comedy of the Art, this historic Italian style has informed comedic performance for hundreds of years. The stock characters have exaggerated and hilarious quirks that have inspired many modern characters from Bart Simpson to Sheldon Cooper. Students have been manipulating their physicality and vocality to bring these traditional characters to life in a way that will delight modern audiences. This has meant that our rehearsal room is full of laughter as they learn the art of slapstick, demonstrate status, and generally revel in the joyful silliness that Commedia brings. The Drama Troupe ensemble are eagerly preparing performances for the upcoming RVSSC Showcase – we hope to see you there!

Vocal

We are thrilled to announce the outstanding success of our RVSSC Vocal Ensemble at the P&C Christmas in July Bingo Night!

Our talented students gave some remarkable performances that made the Music Department proud. Thanks to the P&C's generosity, the event also raised funds for performance uniforms for our Vocal Ensemble, Stage Band and Concert Band. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the P&C for their support in nurturing the arts within our school.

Congratulations to our exceptional Vocal Ensemble for their captivating performance, and thank you to all who contributed to this memorable evening.

Creative Generation

Congratulations to all our students and staff involved in Creative Generations 2023 in their 4 performances at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Thursday 13^th July – Saturday 15^th July. It was an amazing experience for all involved, and many memories and friendships were forged throughout the CGEN rehearsals and performances. Thank you to the parents, carers, and staff who gave many hours to support our students in this wonderful experience.

The show will be aired on Network 10 at 12 noon, Saturday 28 October 2023. If this is something you and your student might be interested in getting involved with in the future, then keep an eye out for the 2024 C-Gen information that will come out in Term 4 this year.

Showcase

Showcase preparations are well underway and all of our student performers should now know what items they will be in. A list of important dates and rehearsals can also be found below. Remember to put Friday 13th October into your calendar for our annual Showcase event!

We are thrilled to let you know that tickets for our upcoming showcase will be on sale Monday 11th September at 10am!

Ticket prices: 

Adult $8

Child $5

Family (2 x adult and 2 x child) $25

Prepare yourself for a night filled with awe-inspiring performances and unforgettable moments. Whether you're a fan of music, dance or drama this showcase promises to be an event to remember. Stay tuned for the big day when tickets become available, and get ready to secure your spot as these tickets will be in high demand. We would hate to see you miss out on this incredible night.

A reminder ALL dance students (Squad, Academy, class dances, cheer and pom) performing at showcase are required to attend a rehearsal on Saturday 26^th August from 8am - 12pm in the Raptordome. Please arrive at 7:45am dressed in full sports uniform. Attendance is mandatory. Please contact Miss Doorley, Miss Starkey or Mrs Dixon if you are unable to attend ASAP.

We can't wait to see you there! Stay tuned for more updates.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Saturday 26th August DANCE & CHEER rehearsal 8am - 12pm

Thursday 7th September FINALE rehearsal 3pm - 5pm

Thursday 5th October TECH RUN 3pm - 5pm

Saturday 7th October FULL CAST rehearsal 8am - 12pm

Thursday 12th October REHEARSAL TBC 3pm - 5pm

Friday 13th October DRESS REHEARSAL 8.45am - 2.45pm

Friday 13th October SHOWCASE! Doors open at 5.30pm for a 6pm start

EXTRA - CURRICULAR

We offer many extra-curricular groups in the Performing Arts across Dance, Drama, Music and Instrumental Music. Students enter these groups via audition.  For those students who may have an interest in the Performing Arts but are not quite ready to trial for a team, we will be offering fun "come and try" activities across the Term at lunch times. Keep an eye on notices for these events.

Below is a copy of our extra-curricular training schedule. 

Jessica Starkey

Head of Department - Performing Arts

Head of Year 7E to 7H

jxsta12@eq.edu.au

Year 8 Art

Year 8 students have made an amazing start to their new elective rotations in visual art. Students have learnt a wide range of drawing techniques and processes which they have started to apply to a large-scale drawing of extinct animals. Great work Year 8’s, we are all looking forward to seeing your final masterpieces.

Year 9 Art

Our Year 9 artists are on fire, exploring Surrealism like never before. Students are applying their understanding of colour theory and painting techniques to create re-imagined famous Surrealist works with a twist. From Dalí's melting clocks to Magritte's enigmatic scenes, the Year 9’s are breathing new life into classics while showcasing their own creativity. Get ready for an exhibition that blurs the lines between dreams and reality.

Year 10 Art

Year 10 Visual Art students have embarked on Unit 3 centred around the concept of Land, Sea, and Sky. Through engaging in yarning circles, these students have acquired the skills to exchange thoughts and ideas, particularly focusing on places that hold profound personal significance. They have delved into both contemporary and traditional Aboriginal Art, where they've explored aerial viewpoints, symbols, and abstract representation; all in the pursuit of creating artworks representing their chosen locations. This exploration is now being channelled through drawing and printmaking methods such as dry point etching and lino prints. Stay tuned for the end results.

Year 9 Media

Exploring the world of visual storytelling, Year 9 Media students are immersing themselves in the art of Macro photography. Through the captivating lens of their cameras, they're delving into the miniature universe of LEGO and mini figurines. By focusing on intricate details and capturing the essence of these tiny subjects, students are honing their skills in composition, lighting, and perspective. This hands-on experience not only showcases their creativity but also teaches them the power of close observation and storytelling through imagery.

Year 11 Art

Year 11 Art students are taking their creative talents to the next level with a unique project: designing a student diary cover for 2024. Guided by a client brief, students are blending, composition, materials, aesthetics and functionality to represent the school. Stay tuned to witness which students work is selected to be printed and distributed to all students next year. 

Get ready to witness innovation in action as the Year 11 General Art students unpack the unit concept Art as Code. They've created experimental folios demonstrating their understanding of colour, data and abstraction to create an experimental folio and are planning and creating resolved artworks that challenge conventional artistic limits. Great work Year 11’s.

Lorinda Stiles

Head of Department - Creative Industries and Food Studies - Year 8A to 8E
lstil21@eq.edu.au

YAGERA eSPORTS

Ripley Valley students set off on an exciting event of Yagera eSports tournament at Forest Lake State Secondary College on Friday the 4th of August 2023.  Students were engaged in Super Smash Bros, Just Dance, Mario Kart and Chess. Our students demonstrated great sportsmanship and College values throughout. Students also demonstrated their gaming skills and outsmarted their competitors on several rounds in Mario Kart and Smash Bros from other schools.

• Our Mario Kart players in the Year 9 and Year 10 category won two rounds in a row. Luna Phillips and Indigo Hall won the girls competition and were super thrilled with their victory. Cobey McKenzie and Nathan Hill followed the winning streak and won the boys competition.
• Just Dance got our young gamers to just dance off any tournament related pressure and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

James Gerchow

Acting Head of Department - VET and Digital Technology - Year 11

jgerc6@eq.du.au

James Gerchow

Acting Head of Department - VET and Digital Technology - Year 11

jgerc6@eq.du.au

Dear parents,

Our SSS team continue to support students with small group interventions to help with personal growth including Girls group, Boys group and Rock n Water.  Participants are referred by teachers and parents but some students also self-refer.  It is great to see our students developing self-awareness and aiming to show up as the best person they can be.  Starting soon is the Love Bites program facilitated by our two Youth Workers. Permission slips will be sent home in the coming weeks.

Recently, I have been working with a handful of students in Year 10 on the STAR mentoring program which is a 1 on 1 mentoring program for students at risk of disengaging.  It has been satisfying to see improvements in students.  A key resource in this program is the My Wellbeing Journal by Lauren O’Brien and this might be a resource of interest to any parents wanting to build resilience in their adolescent. 

Link My wellbeing Journal

I am also providing information for parents on the Partners in Parenting - Education (PiP- Ed) program. This is a free resource, a set of evidence-based parenting guidelines, which could be beneficial in supporting both school staff and families with students experiencing school refusal.

The guidelines contain practical strategies for parents to respond to their child’s school attendance difficulties. This organisation is currently conducting research to better understand how useful these guidelines are, and how they could be improved.  If you would like to be a part of this research, please get in touch.  The study is approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC; Project ID: 37577). You can find out more and download the guidelines at: 

https://www.parentingstrategies.net/

SET Plan

It was an absolute delight to meet with families during the Year SET plan process and to see the array of Senior Schooling options on offer.  Griffith recently provided information on “Griffith Eng”, a two-year part-time university course for Year 11 and 12 students, run through our GUESTS (Griffith University Early Start to Tertiary Studies) At-School program.

Year 6 to Year 7 Transition

Lastly, Ripley Valley SSC staff have been working behind the scenes to ensure the 2024 Year 6 to 7 transition is a smooth one for our new students.  If you have not submitted enrolment paperwork and your child will be attending Year 7 at our school in 2024, we urge you to do so.  There are many ways our School Support Services team will be supporting your Year 6 child with the jump from primary to high school but for now I’d like to promote our small group interventions.   

In Term 1 of 2024, our support staff will be facilitating small groups programs for students who need extra support settling into a new environment and we need your help identifying who might benefit from these programs.  Please read the descriptions below and email the Guidance Officer on jingr34@eq.edu.au so we can reserve a spot for your child.   Our small group programs are popular, so to avoid disappointment, please reach out as soon as possible. 

Girls Group

Who: Girls in Years 7, 8

When: Maths and English Extension Lines

Where: SSS - J207

What: Girls’ Group has been developed and facilitated by the RVSSC Youth Worker, Alicia Pickerill who has a background in Psychology and program development. Girls’ Group is designed to offer a fun and engaging way for female student to explore a range of topics including; self-esteem, confidence, friendships, body image, self-care, mindfulness and goal setting. Throughout this program, students will utilize arts and crafts to create and develop their own reflective journal that they can keep and reflect back on as needed.

Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP)

Who: Students in Years 7 and 8

When: Term 4: English and Maths Extension Lines

What: RAP was developed to build resilience and promote positive mental health in teenagers. The program specifically aims to prevent teenage depression and related difficulties. It engages participants to think about what it means to be resourceful, as well as develop new strategies that will build their resilience. The program addresses issues such as managing stress, managing emotions, building self-esteem, promoting family harmony, and keeping peace with others.

Rock and Water Program Who: Students in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 When: Thursday on rotating roster Where: B Block (Community Hub) What: Rock and Water is a program designed to decrease bullying and depressive feelings, and increases self-esteem, self-regulation and social acceptance. It also aims to build self-confidence, self-respect and self-reflection through psychophysical training. Rock and Water is delivered as a course of lessons consisting of different exercises and games.

YSC Boys Group

Who: Boys in Years 7 and 8

Boys group is a program designed around building community within a small group of students while exploring a range of topics together such as: Confidence, Respect, Responsibility, Purpose and Perseverance. These are all topics that young men have heard before, however boys group aims to go deeper into why these topics are important and what they truly mean for each student personally. All exploration of topics have been designed to be engaging, fun and will be explored through discussions, videos, activities and interactive games.     

boys.jpg

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Janet Ingram

Guidance Officer

studentservices@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au 

It has been a busy few weeks for RVSSC's Defence student community, with a number of commemorations attended and Defence Week activities to keep us busy.

Exercise Talisman Sabre Tragedy

RVSSC extends its condolences to family, friends and work colleagues of the four Australian Army personnel who died in the MRH-90 helicopter crash, and acknowledges the effect this incident will have on the greater Defence Force community.

RVSSC has a significant Defence family community, and are aware that many of our ADF families have had partners and parents involved in this exercise. The impact of this event has served as a reminder of the price that can be paid by our Defence members and their loved ones in times of conflict and in peace.

As a mark of respect to the servicemen who died and as an expression of our deep empathy and compassion for their families, a bouquet of flowers was laid at our Cenotaph in ANZAC Way, at the front of the college, in their memory.

The flowers were gathered from the gardens of Ripley Valley SSC.  Native flowers represents the Australians servicemen who died in the service of this country. Statis and Rosemary represents the remembrance by those left behind, for their service and ultimate sacrifice.  Magnolia represents the peace that we all seek.

Any ADF families, directly or indirectly affected by this event, can seek support or information by contacting the Defence Member and Family Branch (DMFS) hotline on 1800 624 608 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046.

The Battle of Fromelles

On the 19^th July, Mr Krueger, two Defence student representatives and myself attended the 107^th commemoration of the Battle of Fromelles. 

The Attack at Fromelles on the 19th–20th July 1916, was a military operation on the Western Front during the First World War.  The operation was a disaster from the beginning and it is generally believed to be the greatest loss by a single division in 24 hours during the entire First World War. Some consider Fromelles the most tragic event in Australia’s history.

Our school was represented by our Defence Peer Mentors, Jackson Sheen and Ben Coop, who not only laid a wreath on behalf of the college, but were invited to present a speech about one of the 31^st battalion soldiers, Lt George Still.  Lt Still was the only Queenslander to be awarded the Military Cross for Gallantry in that battle.

Korean War Commemoration

On July 27th, Ripley Valley SSC Defence students Lucy Day and Charlotte Bell represented Ripley Valley SSC at the 70^th commemoration of the Korean War, where they laid a wreath on behalf of the College. 

Korean War Veterans and representatives of the Ipswich Korean Community also attended the Commemoration. In a very moving ceremony, Korean dancers performed a traditional dance and played drums.

Korean War veterans were honoured for their service by being presented with a quilt.  The quilts were made by the Australian branch of Quilts of Valour.

Quilts of Valour Australia aims to award quilts to Veterans, Service Personnel of the Australian Defence Force and our Allies as well as immediate family of Veterans and Defence Personnel who have passed. These awards are in recognition of their Service, Sacrifice and Valour for their country.

15 white doves were released to symbolise peace between our two nations.

RVSSC Defence Week

Week 3 was Defence Week at Ripley Valley SSC.  Each year, aspects of life in the ADF are showcased. This year's focus was 'Diversity in the ADF: The People and their Roles’

The students, who attended a whole school assembly, listened to a presentation by myself, and special guest speaker, FSGT Lewis MacIvor about our experiences of diversity as Defence Force members. Students were noticeably engaged by the presentation, and FSGT MacIvor was keep busy fielding all manor of questions from his captivated audience.

A visual display in our library elaborated more on the topic of diversity with a PowerPoint slideshow and items on display.

The week culminated in our first Staff V Students Military Style Obstacle Course challenge, that proved to be a popular, as it was challenging by all who participated. Physical challenges such as two-person carries, commando crawl under cam-nets and performing tasks while wearing military field packs were just some of the obstacles.

The final result was a close one, with 20 students crossing the finish line and staff crossing 22 times.  

This was our first Obstacle challenge which hopefully will become an annual event as part of Defence Week.

ABSENCE SUPPORT

If you are deploying or posting, please let me or your student’s teacher know so we can best support them during this potentially challenging time.

THE DEFENCE MEMBER AND FAMILY HOTLINE

1800 624 608

This is the first point of call for Defence families seeking support, information or connection with their community.

The Helpline can provide assessment, assistance, advice or referral depending on the family's needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information on the Defence School Mentor Program at RVSSC, please contact Tracey Cooper at tcoop203@eq.edu.au or call 3819 5333.

DMFS SUPPORT 

Defence Member and Family Support is a sector of the Australian Defence Force that provides Defence families with numerous programs and activities with an aim to support them as they face the unique challenges of being a Defence family.

For more information on the Defence School Mentor Program you can head to:

https://defence.gov.au/members-families/Family/kids/education.asp

To contact the Defence School Mentor:

Monday Tuesdays and Wednesday 0800 - 1430hrs

Email: tcoop203@eq.edu.au

Phone : 3819 5333

Tracey Cooper

Defence School Mentor

Ripley Valley State Secondary College

Hi Sports Fans,

As we come to the end of our busy period of sport for the year, I wanted to take the time to reflect on the successes that we've had so far in Term 2 and the first half of Term 3. As a College we have performed phenomenally well in all sporting competitions. 

Minor Sports

Yagera Sports

Our Winter Yagera sports has come to a close with all of our teams performing really well. 

Girls Rugby League -  Our first ever girls rugby league team did a great job. They played 3 games and managing to pull out our first ever rugby league win against against Woodcrest SC. The girls dedicated their win to Mr Harvey for his birthday, which was on the day of the carnival. A big thank you to Mr Harvey & Mr Clifford for coaching these teams throughout the last two terms. 

Football - All 3 of our boys football teams fought hard in all of their games. Thank you to Mr Sharma & Mr Phillip for all the hard work you put into these teams throughout the day and Ms Kahotea, Ms Coles and Mr Clifford for helping out with the coaching.

We entered 2 female teams into the competition. A special congratulations goes out to our Year 8 Girls Football team who won their Yagera competition. Congratulations to Mr Vargas for his efforts in coaching this team.  The Year 10 girls played really well, but unfortunately got knocked out of the semi finals by Bellbird Park SSC. A big thank you to Mr Vargas and Mr Dunn for coaching these teams throughout the term and to Ms Hansen for coaching them on the day. 

Netball - The netball was a huge day with 7 teams competing for Ripley. For the first time ever we entered two male netball teams. Both performing well, with both getting knocked out in the semis. Congratulations to the Year 7's for placing 2nd in their competition. The Year 8 girls also did well, getting knocked out in the semi's. A huge thank you to Ms Hansen, Ms Coles, Ms Newton & Mr Clifford for the work they have done in the netball space this year coaching these teams. 

Volleyball - Our volleyball boys competed at Nissan Arena. All teams performed admirably,  unfortunately they did not progress through the round games. A huge thank you to Mr Devin, Mr Dunn & Mr Simmons for coaching these teams and thank you to Ms Coles for stepping in on the day. 

Basketball - Our Year 10's and Open basketball boys competed on home turf for their gala days. They too did not make it through the round games and learnt a valuable lesson on the importance of committing to training. A big thank you to Mr Shaw, Ms Rizvanovic and Ms McKendry for all their efforts in getting these teams game ready. 

Boys Rugby League -  Our junior rugby league boys did exceptionally well, winning 2 out of 3 games on the day. They didn't make it through to the semi's, however were one try off finishing first overall for the round games. It was great to see how much this team has grown in the last two years and we are excited for next year. Thank you to Mr Harvey, Mr Stevenson and Mr Clifford for their efforts coaching these teams. 

Esports - For the first time ever we introduced eSports into the Yagera sport program. We sent away 24 students to compete in a number of eSport games. The students demonstrated great gaming skills and placing second overall. Thank you to Mr Simmons and Mr Sogathur for running these teams. 

Premier Sports Ipswich

Premier Sports Ipswich has kicked off again, this term featuring the sports of netball and football (Soccer). The draw for the remainder of the season can be found below. 

When playing at Ripley, students are expected to be at the games by 3pm. 

When playing off campus, students meet at the event by 3:30pm. 

Major Sports

CBSQ

Good luck to our senior boys basketball team who are competing in the CBSQ Wildcard competition. Our boys need to place in the top 4 of this competition in order to compete at the CBSQ basketball competition. This is one of, if not, the biggest school basketball competitions and we are super pumped for our students to be involved. 

Thank you to Mr Shaw and Ms Rizvanovic for all their work in this space. 

Athletics

In Week 9 of Term 2 we ran our annual two day athletics Carnival. Both days were super exciting events with participation at an all time high. Students competed individually to make the District Athletic team and in their houses for the Athletics 2023 and Spirit House trophies. A huge thank you to all the staff and student helpers who assisted in organising, preparing, setting up and helping throughout the day. It was also nice to see a number of parents come down and support our College's sporting program. It is always awesome to see our College come together to make days like this happen.

Of Course, there can only be one house that wins the Athletics 2023 Carnival:

In Last Place with 3049 Points was Blaine!

In Third Place with 4239 Points was Perry!

In Second Place with 4476 Points was Flinders!

In First Place with 4546 Points was Goolman!

Age Champion is the title awarded to the best three athletes of each age group. Our 2023 Athletics Age Champions are:

District Athletics

In Week 4 of this term we took 50 students to the District Athletics Carnival being held at UQ University. As a school we did really well and all of our students competed to a high standard. A special congratulations to the following students who have made it through to the Met West carnival on the 28th & 29th of August. 

Bronze Sport Awards 

This year we implemented the new sports award system. In this system students achieve bronze, silver and gold awards. To achieve a bronze award, a student needs to participate in three or more sport events for the College. This can include district events, minor and major sports and participation in athletics or cross country. The Term 2 Bronze Award recipients were presented their certificate on assembly in Week 1 of Term 2. 

Silver Sport Awards 

To achieve a Silver Award, a student needs to participate in six or more sport events for the college. This can include district events, minor and major sports and participation in athletics or cross country. The Term 2 Silver Award recipients were presented their certificate on assembly in Week 1 of Term 2. 

Gold Sport Awards 

In order to receive a Gold Sports Award, a student needs to participate in ten or more sport events for the College. The points for these awards restart each year. The Gold Awards are presented at the school Awards Night in Term 4. 

If you have not yet received a Bronze or Silver Award and would like to get some last minute points, the following events have not yet been tallied for the year and will be available for students to compete in to get some last minute points: 

RAD

RAD is a general fitness program that we run at the college. RAD continues to run three sessions a week:

• Tuesday morning 7:15am – 8:10am
• Wednesday afternoon 3pm – 4pm
• Thursday afternoon 3pm – 4pm

There is no sign up process for RAD, just show up and start training! It is held in the college gym, located in the rooms closest to the undercover carpark near the oval. Remember to check Daymap for any changes to sessions throughout the week. 

If you have any question about the above please contact Justin Clifford at jclif117@eq.edu.au or contact the front office.

Justin Clifford

Sports Co-ordinator

jcliff117@eq.edu.au 

REMINDER - OUR CANTEEN IS CASHLESS!!!

On-line Ordering System for the Canteen 

The canteen is a cashless facility, with on-line ordering available.

How to:

• Order from the menu on the MSA ordering system (see link below)
• Top up your students card so they purchase at the canteen directly, using their barcode in their diary.