Ripley Valley State Secondary College eNewsletter

Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to a new school year and what I hope has been a positive and productive start to the new year for you and your family. A number of significant milestones will occur in our college throughout 2024 including; our first cohort of Year 12's to graduate, the completion of our purpose-built Performing Arts Centre by mid-year, the review and creation of our College Strategic Plan for 2025 - 2029 and our 5th year anniversary celebrations! To help commemorate these milestones a number of events will be held throughout the year to celebrate these great achievements and occasions.

Ripley Valley State Secondary College opened in January 2020 and since then, we have embarked on a journey to provide quality education for all students and to fulfil our college motto of Achieving Excellence Together.

2024 marks both our 5th year anniversary and the graduation of our first year 12 cohort. To celebrate this memorable occasion, the Student Representative Council is pleased to present an opportunity for students, families, staff, and local community sponsors to be a part of history through our Paver Fundraiser.

One way that families, students and businesses may wish to participate in these celebrations is to purchase a "5th Year Anniversary" paver. These professional paver's will be laid in both Foundation Park and the foyer of the new Performing Arts Centre and can be ordered via the following link: https://ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au/calendar-and-news/news/celebrating-our-5-th-year-anniversary

Orders for these pavers will close in early April and if businesses would like to purchase larger paver's that include your company logo this can be done by contacting the administration office for further details.

As we commence the year I would encourage all new and existing families to build upon the great work already started at Ripley Valley State Secondary College as we continue to fulfil our college motto of Achieving Excellence Together.

Yours Sincerely,

Brendan Krueger

Foundation Principal

5th_Year_Anniversary_Fundraiser_Invitation.pdf

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Welcome back to the 2024 school year! I am looking forward to getting to know all of our Year 9 students and their families as well as continuing to work with our Year 10 students and their families after a wonderful Year 9 experience last year.

It is my great pleasure to introduce you to our Year Level Teams for Years 9 and 10 in 2024.

As we commence the year, it is timely that we revisit some of the procedures that are in place at our College to ensure we can maximise the partnerships between parents/carers, teachers and students.

Transport

We understand our families are experiencing issues with school buses due to an increase in enrolments. The College has been in contact with Westside Bus Company and Translink who operate these services. If you would like further information or to raise your individual concerns please make contact directly with Westside Bus Company on 07 3288 1333 or email customers@busqld.com.au.

We have included maps of the Bus Routes on our website and I encourage you to review this information with your student, there have been no changes to bus routes from 2023. Please be aware that there are different bus routes in the morning and the afternoon, and review this information carefully.

https://ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au/our-college/maps-and-transport

Arriving at School

The College does not provide supervision of students prior to 8:45am.

Due to ongoing construction works there are often tradespeople engaged in work in various buildings before school commences to ensure minimal disruptions to learning.

Parents/carers are reminded to not drop students at school prior to 8:00am.

Homework

Homework is issued by classroom teachers, students in Years 7-9 can expect to receive 5-10 hours of homework to complete each week. Year 10-12 students are commencing their Senior Schooling journey and may receive up to 10 hours of homework each week. It may consist of revising work learnt that day, completing activities through STILE or Education Perfect on the student laptop or working on assessment tasks as they are issued across the term.

The amount of homework issued often increases across the term as students work independently at home towards the completion of assessment tasks and study for exams.

Homework will be recorded in your child's diary and can also be found on Daymap. I encourage all parents/carers to check their child's diary to familiarise yourself with the layout, important calendar dates and see how many RV stamps your child has collected for displaying the College Values. When homework is issued via Daymap, it is accessible to parents/carers through their Parent Portal accounts. Information about how to sign up to your account has been emailed to all parents/carers and is also available on our website.

It's important to set healthy habits and routines around homework completion in Junior Secondary, to ensure your child has their study skills well developed before commencing Senior Secondary studies.

I recommend setting aside one hour each day, to spend 15 minutes completing homework or revising for each of their four lessons that day. This ensures a routine is established early in the term, and your child is set up for success.

Communication

Our College uses a variety of modes to communicate with our parents/carers and we encourage you to contact your child's teachers about their progress. Our first parent/teacher interviews will be held in early Term 2. Our Communication Policy sets out our modes of communication between parents/carers and teachers. It's important to keep in mind that our teaching staff's priority is to be in the classroom with your children and it may take them up to 48 hours to follow up on any communication that is received. Our website, social media pages, Daymap and Schoolzine are frequently updated and used to distribute general information.

Communication_Policy.pdf

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Assessment Planner

All students will receive a hard copy of their Assessment Planner during 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.

NAPLAN is now in Term 1!

The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has consulted with the States and Territories and decided to move NAPLAN to Term 1 from 2023.

This means that all students in Years 7 and 9 will be undertaking preparation activities for NAPLAN during Week 4 prior to the NAPLAN tests in Weeks 8 and 9.

Our College's NAPLAN schedule is included in the image below.

If you do not wish for your student to participate in NAPLAN, please contact me at epren3@eq.edu.au or Ms Taletha Champs at tcham22@eq.edu.au

Uniform Expectations

During our Week 1 Year Level Parade, Year 9 and Year 10 students were reminded of our Uniform Expectations. We would appreciate the support of our parents/carers in reminding our students of the following:

Hair below shoulder length is to be tied back
Nails are to be natural colouring and no longer than 5mm
Bracelets, Bangles, Anklets and Facial Piercings are not permitted
Earrings must be small studs or sleepers and no more than 2 per ear

Our Year 10 students are looking so grown up in their Senior Uniforms. As it is their first time wearing these uniforms, it is timely to remind you of our expectations:

The Style One Shirt is worn tucked in and with a belt
Belts are to be plain black with a silver buckle no wider than 30mm
Students are to wear the House Uniform on Wednesdays
- House Shirt
- Sports Shorts (Junior Uniform item)
- Navy Socks
- Black Leather Shoes

Emily Prenzler

Deputy Principal - Year 9 and 10 - Teaching & Learning

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to another wonderful year at Ripley Valley State Secondary College! I hope that you all enjoyed a relaxing break and have returned excited and energised for the year ahead. To our new Year 7 students, I trust that your transition to High School has not been too overwhelming, and that you are starting to find your place with the College.

Already we find ourselves in the midst of an eventful calendar with several key activities on the horizon. Our first day back was marked by our Welcome Parade where we greeted new staff and students to the College, and distributed Senior Jerseys to our first cohort of Year 12 Students. Thanks to all those parents and special guests who attended and helped to celebrate this important event. Throughout the first week all students were inducted into the Ripley Way – unpacking our expectations and processes, as well as our core values of Respect, Responsibility and Perseverance. The end of the week culminated in House Day, where students developed their sense of belonging and competitive House spirit by participating in a range of House based events and activities. Students were also introduced to their Year Level Teams, including their Deputy Principal, Heads of Department and Year Level Coordinators. The contact details for these Year Level Teams are provided below for your convenience. Please feel free to reach out to us as you need.

Year 7 Team

Year 8 Team

Upcoming Events in Term 1

School Photos: On Friday 9^th February all students will have their photos taken in the RaptorDome. Please ensure you are familiar with the uniform, jewellery and makeup policy prior to this day. Further information about this event will be emailed out in the coming days.
Student Leadership Investiture: On Monday 19^th February all student leaders will be inducted into their positions as part of our Investiture Ceremony. This will involve House Captains, Junior School Captains and Vice-Captains, Peer Mentors, and all other members of the Student Representative Council (SRC). Year 7 students will be given the opportunity to apply for SRC positions over the next few weeks, and further information will be sent home regarding this process and event.
End of Term Rewards Day: On the 28^th of March (last day of Term 1) students will have the opportunity to participate in the Rewards Trip. Information regarding this event will be discussed on parades and will be sent home throughout the Term. In order to qualify students must have maintained the following throughout the Term:
- 95% Attendance
- No Suspensions and no more than 2 Administrative Detentions
- Completed all assessment

Finally, I wish all students an enjoyable and rewarding start to the year and hope that you are able to achieve you goals and New Year resolutions. I look forward to working with you and your child in 2024 and celebrating their successes throughout the year.

Daniel Pym

Deputy Principal - Year 7 and Year 8 - Culture and Engagement

Welcome to the start of 2023 and I hope your holiday season was both enjoyable and relaxing. As our College continues to grow we find ourselves each year looking at the path ahead with excitement and enthusiasm. This year marks an important milestone for our college with our first cohort of year 12 students who will graduate in November.

Whether our students are on an ATAR pathway, undertaking vocational training at school or with an external provider, participating in our Health Academy or participating in school-based apprenticeships or traineeships, they are afforded opportunities to chase their dreams and passions. These diverse and varied pathways aren’t possible without the countless hours of work completed by teachers and support staff to plan and prepare these classes. As such, a huge thank you must go to all the teachers and staff who have been involved in planning and preparing for this phase of our students’ educational journey.

As I met with our year 11 and 12 students this week, I encouraged them to continue to work on being the best version of themselves. In his book Legacy, James Kerr shares about the simple act of sweeping the sheds performed by the senior All Blacks players. In this, players do not look to others to clean up after them, but rather make sure they leave the change rooms clean and tidy themselves. This principle is about personal discipline and is about not expecting somebody else to do your job for you. My challenge to our students was to decide on the legacy they wanted to leave behind as the senior cohort of Ripley Valley State Secondary College.

As we head in to 2024, I look forward to continuing to work with the year 11 and 12 students and their families to help them leave an inspiring legacy for others to follow.

Todd Robson

Deputy Principal - Year 11 - Pathways & Partnerships

trobs20@eq.edu.au

Welcome back to the 2024 schooling year!

I welcome all new and existing families to our Ripley Valley SSC College Community. I hope your students are excited and looking forward to a brand new schooling year. There are many key events that happen throughout the year in the Junior Secondary World, however, I want to touch upon the 'bigger' events that happen each term.

Excellence Academy Trial Days:

2024_Excellence_academy_trial_day_3_Instagram_Post_Square_.png

In Term 1, 2 and 3, the College hosts 'Excellence Academy Trial Days' which sees students new and existing who are interested in applying for one of the College's successful Excellence Academies. The following Excellence Academy Trial Days are as follows:

- Trial 1 - Friday 22nd March (Week 9, Term 1)

- Trial 2 - Friday 7th June (Week 8, Term 2)

- Trial 3 - Friday 6th September (Week, 9, Term 3)

Students who are interesting in applying to participate in one of the Excellence Academies can do so via the link below:

https://ripleyvalleyssc.schoolzineplus.com/form/596

Year 9 PPP:

As a part of Ripley Valley State Secondary College's commitment to student success, all Year 9 students and their parent/carer will participate in a Pathway Preparation Plan (PPP) meeting. This meeting is a critical aspect of the transition into the Senior Phase of Learning. The Pathway Plan is finalised at a compulsory interview held with a member of the College's Leadership Team. At the interview Year 9 students and their parent/carer will have the opportunity to discuss future pathways, study options and career goals for your child's future education.

All previous presentations, materials and resources can be found on our College website by clicking the link below. The PPP Meetings will be held on Wednesday 24th July (Week 3, Term 3).

Senior Secondary Information Night

Year Level Structures:

Every student at the College is a part of a Year Level Structure that helps support the student in many aspects, these covers:

support student wellbeing
complex case management
major, minor behaviour referrals
suspensions
monitor student outcomes
track academic, behaviour, attendance student data
referral to student support services (SSS) team

If you require anymore further information, please reach out to me via the email contact below.

James Dunn

Head of Department - Junior Secondary - Year 7A to 7E

jdunn232@eq.edu.au

2024 Student Resource Scheme (SRS)

Following are the SRS parent information letters for each year level which outline the inclusions and cost of the 2024 SRS.

Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9

The invoices for the 2024 SRS will be emailed to all families by Friday the 26th January, 2024. These invoices will be for the full amount payable for the year ($675 for Year 7,8&9), payment plans are available, see payment methods below for details. The payment plans will be able to be set up once the invoices have been generated.

If you have elected to pay in instalments, the 3 payment due dates are

1st instalment due Friday the 16th February
2nd instalment due Friday the 10th May
3rd instalment due Friday the 9th of August

Year_7_2024_Student_Resource_Scheme_SRS_Parent_Information.pdf

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Year_8_2024_Student_Resource_Scheme_SRS_Parent_Information.pdf

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Year_9_2024_Student_Resource_Scheme_SRS_Parent_Information.pdf

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Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12

The invoices for the 2024 SRS will be emailed to all families by Friday the 2nd February, 2024. These invoices will be for the SRS base amount of $500 (Year 10) and $484 (Year 11 & 12). Subject fees will be invoiced separately for each of the elective subjects that the students have selected. These fees are outlined in the SRS Parent Information letter below. Payment plans are available and will be able to be set up once the invoices have been generated.

If you have elected to pay in instalments, the 3 payment due dates are

1st instalment due Friday the 16th February
2nd instalment due Friday the 10th May
3rd instalment due Friday the 9th of August

Year_10_2024_Student_Resource_Scheme_SRS_Parent_Information.pdf

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Year_11_2024_Student_Resource_Scheme_SRS_Parent_Information.pdf

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Year_12_2024_Student_Resource_Scheme_SRS_Parent_Information.pdf

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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 paymentplan@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

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 English faculty extends a ‘very warm’ (pun intended on this sweltering first week back) welcome to our college community.

After a long break, we are all ready to meet our new classes and get straight to work.

We have a number of new units to teach across the junior school with our implementation of version 9 of the Australian Curriculum.

We are also excited for our year 12 students who will begin submitting their first assessments from week 3 this term!!

I would like to welcome a number a new staff to our growing faculty.

Firstly, Ms Dwyer who will be teaching English and Humanities. Ms Dwyer is looking forward to meeting all of her students and seeing everything Ripley has to offer!

We also welcome Mr Angus Bessai who is an English and Humanities teacher with 8 years’ experience. He has taught at Spinfex College in Mt Isa and at Bundamba State Secondary College. He is excited to join the Ripley community and will be teaching year 7 English, year 9 English, and year 11 General English.

We are also excited to welcome Mrs Goldthorpe who has been teaching for nearly 18 years. Mrs Goldthorpe brings to our college a wealth of experience from her roles as English HOD, STLaN, UDL and writing improvement coach.

Lastly, we welcome to our team Ms Mallet. Many of our students will know Ms Mallet from her role as a teacher aide here at Ripley. We are excited Ms Mallet has joined our team as an English, Humanities and Dance teacher.

We look forward to working with you throughout the year to maximise the success of our students. In the words of Helen Keller, ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much’.

Ms Jasmine Diesing

Head Of Department | English | Year 10

jbunt18@eq.edu.au

Welcome to 2024 school year! I would also like to welcome new staff to the mathematics department - Ms Elyse Morris, Mrs Debbie Jarred, Mrs Richelle Ivanko, Mr David Misihairabwi, Ms Clarence Jeanny and Mr Ryan Exelby.

Mathematics department will be working with the students and parents/carers to ensure that students are ready to learn and engaging in classroom activities. As a department, we expect students to be equipped for every lesson. Please be aware that the students will need the following equipment for maths lessons.

All students MUST have their own scientific calculator. This is so they can become familiar with how to accurately use their specific device ahead of assessments.
Notebooks and general stationary will be required every lesson.
Charged laptops - please support your child/ren to ensure they establish routines for charging their laptop overnight.

Homework policy:

All students will be receiving weekly homework for maths. Students in years 7 - 10 will be receiving homework tasks, through Mathspace. Teachers will regularly check homework and contact home for non-completion of homework. Students can also use the Mathspace platform to consolidate their learning.

Maths tutoring:

Tutoring will be available for all students on Tuesdays (1st break) and Thursdays (2nd break) in C01. Tutoring will be run from week 2 - week 9, every term.

We look forward to working with the students and yourself in order to set our students up for success!

Haranoop Singh Goraya

Acting Head of Department - Mathematics - Year 10A to 10D

hsgor0@eq.edu.au

The Science faculty and myself are so excited to be beginning the 2024 school year! We are all looking forward to getting to know the students in our classes as we meet them this week.

Our new Year 7 students will be diving straight in and studying Chemistry. They will be learning about all the different types of equipment we use in secondary school laboratories and use these to separate mixtures of solutions. Our Year 8 students will be exploring Earth Science and exploring Rocks and Tectonic Plate movements. Year 9 students will start the year with Physics and learn about how energy transfers through different mediums. Each grade will have an assignment and further details on these tasks will be published on Daymap shortly.

In Senior Science, our Year 10 Applied Science students will be exploring Chemistry focussing on Rates of Reaction in practical contexts. Biology students are diving deep into understanding cells and function while Chemistry students will be exploring the chemical and physical properties of the elements on the Periodic Table. Our Physics students will be looking at Newton's Laws and Forces while Psychology are focussing on the Mysteries of the Brain. We are excited to be delivering these new programs this year.

This week all classes will cover a safety induction in the laboratory and teachers will address the classroom rules that we follow in order to prevent accidents or injury when conducting experiment. Students will be asked to wear aprons and safety googles, tie their hair up and be respectful and listening while at work benches. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your student's classroom teacher or myself.

Looking forward to another fabulous year of learning about the world around us!

Ellen Grant

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

egran55@eq.edu.au

Humanities

Welcome to a brand-new year in the Humanities Department! This year, we will be working towards some new and exciting projects, as well as maintaining all that we implemented in 2023.

We will be embracing the newest version of the Australian Curriculum in Years 7 to 9, while implementing aspects of both Senior Subjects and the Australian Curriculum into our Year 10 offerings. In addition, we now offering almost all of the Humanities subjects in Year 11 and 12. We are definitely growing within the faculty!

This year we also welcome new Humanities teachers to the team, and they are looking forward to working with your children, as well as with you.

I am looking forward to reaping the fruits of our productive and collaborative efforts this year, and I hope that they bring pleasing and successful outcomes for you and your children.

Cecilia Hall

Head of Department - Humanities and Languages - Year 7F to 7I

chall213@eq.edu.au

Japanese

あけましておめでとうございます- Happy New Year

We welcome everyone and especially Year 7 to Ripley this year. The Japanese students looked invigorated after the holidays.

Students can look forward to excursions, food and culture lessons. Our excitement is rising towards preparation of the first Japan trip in April 2025 which is open for Year 9-12 students.

Some of the cities that we will visit include Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima. Exciting activities that students could enjoy in Japan during our tour for 12 days might include visiting Disneyland, Hiroshima Peace Park, Nijo Castle (the residence of the Tokugawa era shoguns) and the gold-leaf covered Golden Pavilion, Meiji Jingu, Sensoji temple. Additionally, they might learn about a Geisha who is in training, practice to make okonomiyaki and walk through Sanjusangendo Temple – Japan’s longest wooden structure. The most popular event is a 2-3 night homestay with a family.

I am presenting information about the trip on the Tuesday 13^th February in the Lecture Theatre RVSCC at 4:30pm and again at 6:00pm.

You are welcome to come to either of the sessions.

The trip is estimated to cost at least $5000. The following is a payment plan for those that are interested:

22^nd March 2024 $500 deposit (non-refundable) paid

18^th June (end of term 2) $2500 paid

10^th September (end term 3) $3750 paid

30^th November $TBA depending on numbers.

Georgina Wellwood

Japanese Teacher

gawel0@eq.edu.au

Welcome to 2024, this year we have some exciting, fun projects to push students creative and critical thinking, we are excited to share the journey with students, parents and careers.

For those new to our school the Creative Industries Faculty is made up of Design Technologies, Visual Arts and Media Arts. Our subjects create pathways for further education in Creative Industries, Film, Media, Journalism, Photography, Marketing, Design, Architecture, Graphic Design, Hospitality, Trades, Building and Construction, Engineering.

In our subject students have the opportunities to learn new skills using a wide range of tools and equipment. Including 3D Printers, Laser Cutter, Kiln, Cameras, Greenroom, CAD Software, CNC Router, CNC Plasma Cutter and much more. All of this wonderful equipment can have an element of risk when learning how to use them. It is a requirement that we have parent consent for a number of our classes this is so that as parents you understand the risk associated with the class and cost of equipment.

Below is a link to our Design Technologies Parent Consent form - All students studying Design Technologies, Design Engineering, Design, Engineering Pathways or Construction are required to have this completed before beginning practical activities. If your child is studying more then one of these subjects, they are only required to complete the form once.

Design Technologies Parent Consent

Below is a link to our Media Parent Consent form - All students studying Media Arts, Applied Media or Film, TV and New Media are required to have this completed before beginning practical activities.

Media Arts Parent Consent

MEET THE NEW MEMBERS OF CREATIVE INDUSTRIES TEAM

Leonie Bailey - Design Technologies
Mrs Bailey bring a wealth of experience in Junior and Senior design technologies; she has a passion for the workshop and is looking forward in sharing this to our students.

Nathan Meredith - Design Technologies
Mr Meredith is not new to RVSSC, however he is new to the Creative Industries Team. Mr Meredith is joining the year 7 Design Technologies is looking forward to the change in pass from the Science Lab.

Emma Sauer - Media Arts, Film & TV
Mrs Sauer is a highly experienced junior media arts and Senior Film & TV Specialist teacher. She loves to teach genre and is looking forward in introducing some fantastic new media programs and experience for our Media students at RVSSC.

Bec Wolgast - Media Arts, Film & TV
Ms Wolgast is currently off on a wonderful adventure creating a documentary and will be joining us in semester 2. She is experienced in all things media from Junior to senior and everything in between. She is passionate about Esports and looks forward to creating partnership between these subjects.

Tony Pavey - Media arts, Digital Solutions
Mr Pavey has a passion for photography and technologies. He has experience in graphic design, web design and photo journalism. This semester he will be sharing his knowledge and skills with year 9 Media and Senior Media Arts in Practice.

Lorinda Stiles

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

Welcome back to the Performing Arts for 2024!

As we enter a new schooling year I would like to take the opportunity to re-introduce some staff you may already know and also welcome some new teachers to our team.

Jason Coles - Music

Tina Dixon - Dance and Drama

Damika Doorley - Dance

Dale Ezzy - Instrumental Music Coordinator & Classroom Music

Joshua Johnston: Instrumental Music

Tommii Keating - Cheer Coach

Georgia Mallett - Dance

Jocelyn McLeod - Drama

Kiera-lee O'Neil: Music and Drama

Jenna Park: Strings

Dave Turner: Music

I have the pleasure of leading this team in the Head of Department Performing Arts role. My main teaching area is Dance but I have a passion for all of the performing arts subjects and I am particularly passionate about productions that span across the 3 subjects areas.

Here in the Performing Arts we offer Dance, Drama, Music and Instrumental Music as a part of our curriculum. Our Dance Excellence Academy is continuing on into our second year as well see the program completed with cohorts across 7 - 9 in the Junior School. The Dance Excellence Academy has been designed to challenge students with a learning experience in dance that focuses on technique and performance. In the senior space we have introduced a Certificate II in Dance which sits in year 10 for those students who also which to extend themselves and represent the school at regional competitions.

Another exciting subject that has come online this year is the Certificate III in Community Dance Theatre and Events. This subject is for those all-round Performing Arts students who have an interest across the three strands and a passion for event management.

Of course this year we will also be offering a variety of Extra-curricular opportunities for your children. These include:

DANCE

Dance Squad

Cheer

Creative Generation

DRAMA

Drama Troupe

MUSIC

Vocal ensemble

Stage Band

Concert Band

Drumline

Percussion Ensemble

If your child is interested in getting involved in one of our extra-curricular programs then please ensure they listen out to student notices in week one to find out how they can join one of these groups. Some of our representative teams use an audition based process to select students while other groups are an open invitation. We look forward to working with you and your child this year as we continue to deliver programs of excellence in the Performing Arts.

Performing Arts Advantages

85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't been invented yet.

Performing Arts can help.

As technology becomes even more intertwined with our lives, it has been noted that the career paths for many of our current students may have not even been invented yet. While this may seem daunting, there is comfort in the fact that there is a highly sought after set of skills that AI can’t replace. A specific set of skills that can be developed by studying the Performing Arts.

A 17 year study of CEOs and CFOs, “The Demand for Executive Skills” (conducted by delegates from Harvard Business School, the Imperial College Business School in London and Cornell University) has found that soft skills are ranking higher in importance than traditional financial, technical, and operational functions. Topping the list of soft skills required is:

active listening
motivation
clear written and verbal language
problem-solving
adaptability
emotional intelligence
innovation
collaboration

There is now solid research showing how skills that taught every day in the Performing Arts are being heralded as defining abilities required by successful executives and CEOs, regardless of the industry. With future career paths yet to be defined, empathy and creativity are becoming increasingly sought-after skills that are needed to problem-solve and innovate in this new hybrid working world.

Sources:

https://www.delltechnologies.com/content/dam/delltechnologies/assets/perspectives/2030/pdf/Realizing-2030-A-Divided-Vision-of-the-Future-Summary.pdf

https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w28959/w28959.pdf

Jessica Starkey

Head of Department - Performing Arts

Head of Year 8E - 8H

jxsta12@eq.edu.au

Welcome back Ripley Valley Families to a new year from the Health Department.

We look forward to getting to know our new students to the school and getting our existing students involved in all things health.

I would also like to welcome to the Health Department our two new staff members. Ms McGovern joins us after teaching in Toowoomba and who will be primarily teaching Food Specialisations. Mr Exelby is also joining the team and will be teaching across both the HPE and Mathematics Departments. Mr Exelby has a background in Touch Football and is looking forward to taking some teams away to competitions this year.

All students are required to have a hat and waterbottle for HPE lessons as well as at lunch time if they wish to play on the oval. We are very conscious of how hot it has been wish to ensure all students are prepared for class so they can be sunsafe at this incredibly hot time of year.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me on the information found below.

Sam Watt

Head of Department - HPE & Food Studies - Year 10A to 10B

scwat0@eq.edu.au

Welcome back to DigiTech and eSports for 2024! We have a lot happening this year with brand new classes, new teachers and lots of competitions & events throughout the year.

I'd like to welcome Mr Angeles and Mr Pavey to our team this year. We are very excited to have them join us and I'm sure the students will enjoy their passion and energy for the digital curriculum.

If students are interested in participating in any eSports games, events or competitions this year then I recommend they speak with Mr Simmons to share their interest. For students interested in Coding competitions, they should make contact with Mr Sogathur to help plan and prepare our teams for the year.

Staff will share more information about upcoming events through Daymap notices so that students can also sign up through there throughout the year.

I wish everyone all the best in their studies this year and across the many extra-curricular teams available.

James Gerchow

Head of Department - VET and Digital Technology - Year 11& Year 12

jgerc6@eq.du.au

Hi, I’m Miss Emily Leschke and I am joining the Ripley team in 2024 as the Guidance Officer for Years 7, 8 and 9.

I am super excited to work with students across these cohorts to assist in the areas of educational achievement, wellbeing and engagement, as well as culture and inclusion.

Support offered can include providing advice and counselling on educational, behavioural, vocational, personal, social, family, and mental health and wellbeing concerns.

I work within the multi-tiered system of support team here at Ripley, working with some of our most vulnerable students and I receive referrals from staff, parents and students themselves!

My Office is located in J-Block in the ‘Student Support Services’ (SSS).

The best method of contact in the first instance, is via email at elesc0@eq.edu.au – introduce yourself (and/or your child, if applicable) and what you are seeking assistance with, then I will be able to get back to you with where to next!

Emily Leschke

Guidance Officer

Years 7, 8, 9

Janet Ingram – Guidance Officer Years 10, 11 and 12

I have worked as a Guidance Officer for 9 years in Central Queensland and the Southeast Region of Queensland. With sincerity, the highlight of my Guidance career has been working for two and a half years at Ripley Valley State Secondary College, and I hope to work here for years to come. I am passionate about building a positive and inclusive school culture where young people can reach their potential. Helping young people become the best versions of themselves by overcoming challenges and setbacks (perceived and real) is central to my practice. It is my reason for getting up in the morning.

Students often ask me what kind of things can they talk to a Guidance Officer about. I reply,” Anything that is getting in the way of your learning right now!” Students often go to their peers for advice but unfortunately young people do not have the life skills to advise on complex issues. A Guidance Officer is an objective adult who can offer other perspectives in a confidential setting and provide support by addressing educational barriers, so the student can get on with the business of learning and shaping their futures.

Being a Guidance Officer in the secondary phase of learning gives me the opportunity to advise students in selecting university pathways and further training or work. Nothing is more satisfying than watching a student end their schooling knowing what work/study will be meaningful for them, and how they will contribute positively to society.

Guidance Officers are registered and experienced teachers with a Master’s Degree in Guidance Counselling. This unique expertise enables us to work in schools and help all students in the areas of academic achievement, social, personal and career development. Guidance Officers do not have the qualifications to diagnose mental health disorders, but we can suspect, in which case I encourage further support from external providers (psychologists) who can provide a deeper and more consistent treatment than I can provide at school. If your child does see a psychologist my work with them does not end. I work collaboratively with teachers, parents and external agencies to negotiate personalized plans which support students with their mental health needs at school.

Due to an increased demand on the Guidance Service, appointments are essential. To book an appointment please email me on studentservices@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au or jingr34@eq.edu.au . Alternatively, you can call 38195333

More information on the services we provide can be found on the school website. https://ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au/support-and-resources/guidance-officer

Janet Ingram

Guidance Officer

Years 10, 11, 12

studentservices@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au

Welcome back to a new school year It was great to see many new faces and to see for the first time a full school of year 7 to 12 students at the Welcome parade on Monday. We are looking forward to getting to know each new student throughout the year.

Student Support through Chaplain and Youth Support Co-ordinators

The role of the Chaplain and Youth Support Co-ordinators is to work directly with students to support them emotionally and socially; and to assist with their engagement with school; working through strategies to ensure students have a positive learning experience. They can provide support with one-on-one conversations. If you would like support for your child, please email:

studentservices@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au

Pastoral Care

For those who don't know, my name is Kristian Atkins, and I have the privilege to serve the community of RVSSC as the school chaplain. I am available at RVSSC, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & 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.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club, one of the extra-curricular programs of the school will start up again on Tuesday the 6^th of February. Breakfast Club runs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 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 Kristian. If your child wants to help out, they can do that by filling out the form that is in the school notices in Daymap.

Chaplaincy Committee

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 here at the College. If this sounds like something you would like to attend, our next meeting on Thursday the 15th of February. Please get in touch if you'd like additional information.

Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP)

Later in the term, Kristain will be running RAP for Year 7 and 8 students. RAP is a resilience-building program that aims to prevent the development of depression and other emotional problems in teenagers. RAP is strength-based and positively focussed, and has been developed to be relevant to all teenagers. It engages participants to think about what it means to be resourceful, as well as develop new strategies that will build their resilience. RAP empowers teenagers to effectively deal with stress, conflict, and other difficulties, both now and in the future. The program addresses issues such as managing stress, managing emotions, building self-esteem, promoting family harmony, and keeping the peace with others.

If you want your child to participate in this program, please contact Kristian.

We are looking forward to the year ahead.

Kristian Atkins Alicia Pickerill Jacob Millerick

Chaplain YSC YSC

studentservices@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au

As the new year gets underway, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Defence families, as they join our college's ADF community.

Many of you have students transitioning from primary to seconday school, while others come to us from interstate locations. I have no doubt this is a time big changes for your students, but I am sure that in no time, our new students will feel familiar and comfortable in their new school.

RVSSC currently has over 70 Defence families of serving and transitioning Defence members attending the college, so our new students are in good company.

In the coming weeks, there will be a Welcome Coffee & Chat event for ADF parents, new and existing, to attend.

As part of my role as the college's Defence School Mentor (DSM) I hold the Coffee & Chat group once a term. These catch ups offer ADF parents a chance to connect with other ADF families of the school, the Education Liaison Officer and the DSM in an effort to create a supportive school environment for their students, as they cope with the unique challenges that the Defence lifestyle presents.

Details of the Welcome Coffee & Chat will be announced in the coming days.

INCOMING DEFENCE FAMILIES

If you are a Defence Family (Regular full-time Service or Full time Continuous Service Reservist) that is enrolled at RVSSC, and you would like to formally identify yourselves as a Defence family, you can do so by contacting the college Enrolment Officer.

The purpose of the Defence School Mentor Program is to support Defence students who are impacted by postings and deployments, resulting in extended parental absences or frequent changes of school.

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.

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.

https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families

To contact the Defence School Mentor: Tracey Cooper

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 0800 - 1430hrs

Email: tcoop203@eq.edu.au

Phone : 3819 5333

Tracey Cooper

Defence School Mentor

Ripley Valley State Secondary College

Defence Member and Family Support

https://defence.gov.au/members-families/

Defence Member and Family Helpline 1800 624 608

Hi Sports Fans!

Welcome to another year of sport at RVSSC! We are hoping this is our best yet! There is a number of key bits of information you should be aware of in order to make this year as smooth as possible.

District Sport

District Sport is the sporting pathway to play for Met West, State and eventually national sporting teams. At Ripley Valley we are a part of the central comet district which includes schools from Springfield to inner Ipswich schools. To make these teams you need to participle in the district trials, which can be found on the met west website: https://metwestschoolsport.eq.edu.au/district-sport/our-districts/central-comets

In order to attend these trials students have to be nominated by Mr Clifford. Nominations for these events went out in the beginning of January to parent email and social media and went out again on the college sport assembly and daymap. Nominations are now closed.

If you are invited to the trial, Mr. Clifford will give you your paperwork during school hours. You will need to get your parents to fill this out and take it with you to the trial to give to the coach of the team.

District Swimming is nominations are open until the end of the week. You can nominate by clicking

Yagera Sport

Yagera sport are Gala Day events held in week 4 through to 6. The dates for the carnivals are:

Futsal: 14^th February @ Nissan Arena
Basketball: 20^th February @ RVSSC
Volleyball: 23^rd February @ Nissan Arena
Boys Touch Football: 26^th February @ Woodcrest SSC
Girls Touch Football: 29^th February @ Woodcrest SSC
Rugby League: 1^st March @ Souths Acacia Ridge Rugby League club

The available teams for seasons 1 are below. If your gender/age isn’t available this term, it will be available in season 2, which takes place in term 3. Students are allowed to play in more than one sport; however, the payment is per sport they play. Nominations for Yagera can be found by clicking this link, Nominations close on Friday 11:59pm. The teams that can be nominated are:

Trials begin in week 2. The trial sessions for the trainings can be seen below. Morning trainings begin at 7:30am and finish by 8:15am and afternoon training begin at 3pm and end at 4pm.