As we approach the end of Term 1, I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on our journey so far. The past few months have been filled with academic challenges, enriching events, and celebrations of our diverse community.

First and foremost, I want to emphasise the critical role of attendance and establishing good routines to support learning. Attending classes regularly, not only ensures that students remain up to date with the curriculum but also cultivates a sense of responsibility and commitment. By establishing consistent routines, students can effectively manage their time, balance their academic and extracurricular commitments, and ultimately thrive academically. I want to remind our parents/carers and learners, of our study lines and tutorial sessions. These sessions are targeted individually to students in each learning area, help them stay up-to-date and to address specific academic challenges they may be experiencing. It has been pleasing to see so many students taking up these opportunities, with the library being used by many on a regular basis. By embracing these study options, students can take ownership of their education, demonstrate initiative, and excel in their academic pursuits.

This comes as a timely reminder, as in Term 2 parents/carers and students will be receiving their progress reports at the end of Week 3. Opportunity for parents/carer and their young person to engage in learning conversations with teachers will follow on Wednesday 29^th May from 3.30-6.30pm. As we transition into Term 2, I urge parents to continue reinforcing the importance of attendance and supporting their children in establishing effective study habits. Together, we can empower our students to reach their full potential and excel in their academic pursuits.

Throughout Term 1, we had the privilege of hosting several events that celebrated the diversity that enriches our lives. Harmony Day was a highlight, where we came together as a community to celebrate our cultural differences and promote inclusivity. It was a wonderful reminder that regardless of our backgrounds, we all belong and contribute to the vibrant tapestry of our school. Additionally, we recently had the pleasure of hosting our Achiever Evening, where we celebrated and recognised the outstanding achievements of our young adult learners from 2023. It was a joyous occasion filled with pride and admiration for the hard work and dedication demonstrated by our learners.

I am thrilled to share with you the outcomes of our recent External School Review, which provided valuable insights into our school's strengths and areas for growth. The purpose of this review was to assess various aspects of the College, including leadership and teacher practice. I am delighted to report that the findings reflect positively on our college community, affirming the dedication and commitment of our staff, students, and families. Here is a snapshot of some of the commendations and affirmations highlighted in the review:

Commendations:

Strong Leadership: The review recognised our strong, supportive, and effective leadership team, which plays a pivotal role in driving school improvement initiatives.

Focus on Whole Learner: Our school's commitment to focusing on the holistic development of students was acknowledged, emphasising the importance of addressing both academic and socio-emotional needs.

Culture of Support: The review noted a culture of support embedded within our school, where students feel respected, cared for, and valued by staff members.

Responsive Teaching: Teachers were commended for their responsiveness to feedback and their dedication to continuous improvement in their teaching practices.

Affirmations:

Evidence-Informed Approaches: There is a relentless focus on implementing evidence-informed approaches to supporting student connection and wellbeing, ensuring that our strategies are based on proven methodologies.

Engagement Initiatives: Our school has developed a range of initiatives tailored to engage students according to their individual learning needs and personal interests, fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.

Whole-College Focus on Reading: Reading is prioritised across all learning areas, supported by professional learning opportunities and discussions aimed at enhancing literacy skills.

Collaborative Learning: Collaboration time is prioritised, allowing staff members to meet regularly and learn from each other, ultimately enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.

These commendations and affirmations not only validate the hard work and dedication of our school community but also provide valuable guidance as we continue to strive for excellence. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together and look forward to furthering our journey of continuous improvement.

The panel also outlined some key recommendations which provide valuable insights into areas where we can focus our efforts in the coming years to sustain our improvement trajectory.

One key recommendation is to build an expert teaching team through collective professional inquiries that support the continuous refinement of high-impact teaching practices. This involves several components:

Building Leadership Capability: We aim to build the capability of our leaders to lead this work effectively, providing them with the necessary skills and resources to support our teaching staff.

Evidence-Informed Observation and Feedback: Implementing an evidence-informed observation and feedback framework, including peer observation, mentoring, and coaching, will enable us to provide targeted support and development opportunities for our teachers.

Formative Assessment: Utilising formative assessment techniques to measure the effectiveness of teaching practices and inform next steps ensures that we are constantly adapting and improving our instructional methods to meet the needs of our students.

Another critical recommendation is to embed Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) that are responsive to the individual needs of all students and enhance their wellbeing, attendance, engagement, and learning outcomes. By implementing MTSS, we can provide a tiered approach to support, that addresses the diverse needs of our student population and ensures that every student can succeed.

As we move forward, these recommendations will serve as guiding principles for our continued improvement efforts. By focusing our attention on building an expert teaching team and embedding responsive support systems, we are committed to providing the best possible educational experience for all our students.

Looking ahead to Term 2, I am filled with optimism and excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead. Together, we will continue to foster a nurturing learning environment where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to achieve their goals.

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to your child's education. Looking forward to a great Term 2. 

Our Student Association group has now been established for 2024. They have started the year by developing a student survey to help inform their focus events and initiatives for the year. This group will sign the constitution at a ‘Leaders Lunch’ in early term two. Thank you to our student leaders who give up their time each week to engage and improve our school.

Co-Chairpersons – Ally J and Pryia S

Co-Secretaries – Kyra B and Teka M

Rosny mob Seat – Coen W

Environment Seat – Nikolas S

International Student Seat – Thinh

General Members –

Pippa B, Archie B, Lachlan B, Daniel C, Olivia G, Lilly J, and Amber L

The Rosny College School Associations' Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on: 

• Date: Thursday, 2nd May
• Time: 5:45 PM
• Location: Rosny College – please arrive at the school admin office

During the AGM, there will be an opportunity for those interested in taking on a role as an office bearer within the School Association to express their nomination. If you are passionate about contributing to the betterment of our college community and would like to take on a leadership position, nomination forms can be acquired by contacting our college administrative team at rosny.college@decyp.tas.gov.au or via phone on 6244 9200.

Following the AGM, there will be a brief School Association meeting where we will delve into specific agenda items.

Your participation and input are invaluable to us as we strive to create a nurturing and enriching environment for all members of our college community.

For any inquiries or to receive a nomination form, please don't hesitate to contact our college administrative team.

Rosny College’s teaching staff are currently working with a focus on lifting reading comprehension across the school as part of their Quality Teaching Framework (QTF) and School Improvement priority.

Darren Sangwell (Assistant Principal) asked the Line 2 Graphic Art class to design Reading Comprehension logos that could be used by staff and students as a visual element to represent each reading strategy. It was their first real world commission of the year so far. All students in the Graphic Art course participated in the commission work and all designs were very effective.

Ultimately, Darren and Elizabeth Delaney (QTF Coach) chose Talon B’s designs as they visually aligned with the Department's stylised school values logos. You can now see Talon’s logos on all the reading strategy posters displayed in each learning area.

Congratulations Talon and both Level 2 and Level 3 Graphic Art Students.

The stage is getting set for our 2024 musical ‘CATCH ME IF YOU CAN’ to fly in!

Our 40-student cast have been working hard to learn their steps, songs and lines ready for the first public show on the 6^th of June. While lots has been happening on the stage – even more is happening behind the scenes with our costume team, set building and technical team working to bring all the Musical elements together.

Tickets will be on sale via trybooking.com in Term 2.

Follow our Rosny College social media to see all updates about the show:

FACEBOOK: Rosny College and Rosny College Performing Arts

INSTAGRAM: @rosnytas and @rosnymusical

Can you make a camera out of a rockmelon, a letterbox, or a watering can?

The answer is yes, and a whole lot more!

This term, students in photography have been making pinhole cameras out of various objects. Pinhole cameras are a traditional darkroom technique that allows you to capture images using everyday objects. Students have been working on traditional photographic techniques, including film photography, pinhole photography, photograms, and cyanotypes. Next term, photography classes will focus (pardon the pun) on digital photography. Stay tuned for more wonderful photography work coming out next term.

On the weekend of the 23rd and 24th March, interested Rosny College students undertook an overnight Geology excursion to Northeastern Tasmania, in search of adventure and mineral specimens with teachers Dave Wigger, Lee Eiseman and school nurse Lucy Poulton.

After a long bus trip, students settled into the campground at Weldborough and were off for an afternoon of prospecting for gemstones. With not much luck at the first location we moved to a second area that was far more productive. Under the tutelage of Lee (our experienced geologist), students had the opportunity to search for and find, spinel, sapphire, topaz, zircon, jasper and ruby minerals. This involved digging, sieving, sorting and grading tasks which were divided up amongst the different members of the various teams.

All students were able to collect several samples of one or more of these to take home. After an evening meal and good night’s sleep, students packed up their campsites and we headed off to Gladstone for fuel and historical mining sightseeing. We visited Little Blue Lake and the memorial to Chinese Tin Miners. After a little more prospecting we headed back to Rosny. The weather was great, the company better and fun was had by all.

This term the Environmental Science class attended an excursion in Ridgeway and Ferntree to explore and learn about Tasmanian forests with the Forestry Education Foundation. The students used forest surveying techniques and tools that are also used by real field scientists. This excursion allowed students to take what they have been learning about Tasmanian ecosystems in the classroom and apply their knowledge to work in the field. It was an enjoyable day out and about!

The National Mathematics Summer School (NMSS) was truly an amazing experience. With seventy-seven unique students, each with an interest in mathematics, meeting in Canberra at one of the best universities in the nation made for a unique environment and made you want to learn as much mathematics as you could. Staying in dorm style accommodation on ANU’s campus meant that we got to see just how nice the campus is. It also gave us an insight into what it is like staying in dorm style accommodation.

The academic course itself was extremely interesting with a focus on mathematical discovery. This meant that what we would get taught during lectures, would lead us onto many other paths to discover through the problem sets. The mathematics that you are introduced to during NMSS is unlike anything that you get taught throughout school. You have a lecture with the entire group of students where you get introduced to some mathematics, then go into your tutorial groups, where there are eight students to one tutor. There you get given a problem set for each tutorial session that helps guide your discovery of the mathematics that was introduced during the lecture. There were also study sessions each night that were used to complete more questions on the problem sets.

A few other things that I really enjoyed about the experience were:

- The guest lectures: I thought they were so informative about things such as, the opportunities/pathways that mathematics can offer you, how mathematics can be used in the workplace, and how unbelievably endless the field of mathematics truly is.

-  The staff and tutors: They all had such interesting and diverse pathways that mathematics had taken them on, and they were all so kind as to share their own experiences. I found it truly fascinating listening to what some of the staff and tutors had done through mathematics.

-  The fact that we were in Canberra: I really liked the fact that we could explore the city during our free time.

In the lead up to the summer school I started to become very unsure as to what the two weeks was going to be like. Then after a long day of travelling (due to cancelled flights), I was really questioning if I was going to enjoy the experience. As everyday passed by the summer school seemed to somehow keep getting better and better. I can now honestly say that the summer school became by far the best academic experience of my life.

Now, after having some time to reflect on the experience, I have realised how amazing the experience truly was. I have also come to realise how incredibly fortunate I am to have been given such an incredible opportunity. I am extremely grateful, and I truly would recommend the summer school to anybody that is interested in mathematics. To anyone that is considering applying, I cannot recommend NMSS enough.

By Xavier

This term students from our new program ‘Kangaroo Landing’ have been working in the kitchen and garden, watering and caring for plants. Students harvest the vegetables and fruit which they then use for cooking sessions. They are making connections between the food they grow and care for, and how we can turn that into the healthy food that we cook and eat. Sometimes in the kitchen, students are trying certain vegetables for the first time. The students have been enjoying sampling, tasting vegetables, and experiencing the flavour and texture of new foods.

This term Springboard students also got out and about! In week seven, all of Springboard met up with students from Claremont College who are also enrolled in Preliminary TASC subjects. We met at the Domain for some organised games while making new friends in the process. It was a fun excursion out of the college.

This term has been a busy one for the VET Aged Care & Disability class. Students have been joining the Springboard Preliminary Arts class and supporting students with a range of different Drama activities. This has been a great learning experience for them, as well as being a lot of fun. Thank you to Andy and all the students in the class for having us.

The class has also been completing their first aid course with Jan. This is a critical qualification for students to have as they enter the workforce and a handy life skill. Students have really enjoyed participating in this practical aspect of the course.

The class has also been studying a unit on diversity. As part of this unit, the class participated in a Gumnuts to Buttons session led by our college Aboriginal Education Worker, Cathy Ransom. This was followed by a trip to She Oak Point to participate in a traditional smoking ceremony and a yarn with Cathy about providing a culturally safe environment for residents in aged care and the concept of cultural appropriation.

All this before we prepare to head out into industry in Term Two!

In English Inquiry (Line 4), we have been focusing on how songs make meaning. Commencing with mind-maps to record our discussions about how and why humans make music, the class then used those maps to support writing longer texts, which included a self-interview about our personal relationship to songs and a graphic essay. Along with this, we have annotated songs, pulling apart their structure and identifying specific language features. There has been an emphasis on handwriting as research shows this helps memory and comprehension.

We have also sought to expand our vocabulary around sound and movement by listening to Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and watching a video of starlings in flight, then using word-banks of verbs and adjectives to describe these spectacular visuals and sounds in our writing. Helping us see the power of music in other people’s lives, we have read 'Rolling Stone' Magazine’s article about Taylor Swift’s “Era’s Tour,” the Beatles’ last ever song release and Eminem’s rags to riches life story. Through listening to Eminem’s song “Mockingbird,” which has imbedded within it an 1800s lullaby by the same name, we understood the concept of intertextuality. Students have identified that the backbone of song writing is poetry and so we read Kobe Bryant’s poem “Dear Basketball” to inspire our own poetic writings about places, people and the things we love.

On their first major excursion this year, international students visited Bruny Island. After a brief stop at ‘the Neck,’ they took a Pennicott Wilderness Tour for a 3-hour trip around the south of the island. From amazing rock formations to a colony of seals, everyone was exhausted by the end of the day.

They are looking forward to seeing more of our beautiful state soon with the next trip planned – a day trip to Mount Field.

This term the Outdoor Adventure Recreation classes have soaked up the last of the summer sun by getting outside. The focus has been on water safety, including a swimming and water safety session at Bellerive Beach, snorkelling at Taroona, Tinderbox and Blackmans Bay, and surfing at Clifton Beach. Some of the Adventure Rec classes have also had a go at drain golf and other outside activities. We look forward to more fun, games and learning in Term 2.

Myth: Vaping is safe

Fact: Nope! E-cigarettes contain harmful chemicals, which can cause short and

long-term health effects like vomiting, shortness of breath and lung damage.

E-cigarettes haven’t been around long enough to know all the health risks, but experts think it is likely they will cause mouth and lung cancers in the long term.

Learn more about vaping here: E-cigarettes and vaping | Tasmanian Department of Health

Want to cut down and quit? Some Tips & Hints here: Think you’re ready? Make a plan | Quit Tasmania

Connect with Nurses Kylie & Katherine in the Wellbeing Hub (Rm 427) for more information about vaping & your health, and support to quit.

You can also visit here 2024 Rosny College Student Services Referral (office.com) and complete a Student Services Referral.

Information and images from: E-cigarettes and vaping | Quit Tasmania