Dear Rosny College Community,

What a year it’s been—2024 has certainly flown by!

As we wrap up the year, it's clear that it has been a year full of growth and achievement.

Recently, we welcomed nearly 560 Year 10 students for our Jump Start Days. These two fantastic days gave them students the chance to dive into the subjects they’ve chosen for 2025 and experience the buzz of college life. The energy around the college was amazing, and it was wonderful to see their curiosity and enthusiasm. Adding to the excitement, there’s already a lot of interest in next year’s musical, Newsies and students got a sneak peek into what it takes to put on a production at the Musical Workshop Day recently. We can’t wait to see it all come together in 2025—it’s going to be incredible!

This year, we’ve focused on making real progress in teaching and learning. We’re thrilled to share that we’ve hit many of our goals, with a projected 83% attainment rate for the Tasmania Certificate of Education (TCE) and TCEA among our departing Year 12 students. Our push to boost literacy across the board has also paid off, with a 12% increase in students passing Level 2 literacy-standard subjects and 94% of Year 12 students on track to achieve their literacy tick. These results highlight how vital foundational skills are, not just for success at college but beyond.

Supporting student well-being has remained a top priority, and it’s heartening to see our efforts reflected in the results of the Student Engagement Survey. We’ve either maintained or improved scores across all well-being domains, thanks to our staff’s dedication to creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where students can thrive. Our shared values—Connection, Courage, Growth, Respect, and Responsibility—are at the heart of our college and have continued to shape our culture. These values are lived every day within our community and are evident in the way our students and staff work together to achieve the best outcomes for our learners. We look forward to continuing to build on these values in 2025.

This year the college has been a hub of energy and engagement, buzzing with a variety of extracurricular activities. From our enrichment programs that extend learning beyond the classroom to learning tutorials that provide support for our learners, we’ve offered countless opportunities for growth and success. Cultural celebrations have added vibrancy to our calendar, reflecting the rich diversity of our college. Special events have brought our community together, not only to connected but to share in learning, and to showcase the incredible learning and achievements of our students. Events such as the many Performing Arts productions, the Art Exhibition, Harmony Week the list goes on. These experiences all adding to what makes learning and “life” at Rosny so great.

2024 has also been a year filled with remarkable academic achievements, which we’ve proudly celebrated during our showcase assemblies. These events have highlighted the dedication, creativity, and success of our students across a range of disciplines, and we are eagerly anticipating our Achievers Award Ceremony early next year, where we will formally recognise the outstanding academic achievements of our learners.

We extend our gratitude to our School Association, Student Association, and the Rosny mob for their invaluable contributions and support throughout the year. Your dedication and efforts have been instrumental in fostering a strong sense of connection and unity within our college, enriching the experiences of our students, and strengthening the vibrant culture that defines Rosny College

To our students taking their next steps—whether that’s further study, work, or another path—we wish you all the very best. Through the support and guidance of our staff, know that you are well-prepared for what lies ahead—we can’t wait to see the amazing things you’ll achieve.

As we say goodbye to 2024, we’re already looking forward to what’s ahead. For families joining us next year or continuing with us, there are some important dates and further information contained within this newsletter so be sure to check it out. Wishing you all a wonderful and safe holiday, and here’s looking forward to another year of growth and success in 2025

Andrew Woodham

Principal

In 2023, Rosny College introduced our college values: Responsibility, Courage, Growth, Respect, and Connection. These values lay the foundation for our college culture, helping all students and community members understand what binds us together and shapes our learning environment.

To strengthen these values and continue to bring them into everyday life, we launched the Rosny College Values Art Competition, inviting students to create artworks representing one of the values. The response was inspiring, with a large number of thoughtful entries. We awarded five $250 prizes to winning entries and added two $100 runner-up awards to recognise the outstanding quality, effort and number of entrances that we received.

A panel led by Chief Judge Dylan Oswin, State Marking Coordinator in the Arts and senior Rosny teacher, alongside Principal Andrew Woodham, AST of Arts Evelyn Murray, AST of Wellbeing and Support Tristan Ferguson, and our School’s Business Manager Emma Burgess, selected the winners. Judging was based on artistic merit and each piece’s connection to the chosen value, as shared in the students' artist statements. The five winning artworks will be displayed in our main entrance as a lasting tribute to our values and celebration of student work.

We are thrilled to share these artworks with our community, and extend our thanks to the Department for Education, Children and Young People’, Culture and Growth team for their support in making this initiative possible by providing us with a values grant.

The Five Values Winners

Juno C. – Life Cycle.

My artwork shows growth through the life cycle of a freesia. The flower begins as a bud, the petals begin to open, it blooms, and then the flower dies. However, this is not the end of the cycle. Before long the flower will bloom again, perhaps stronger, perhaps a brighter colour, perhaps with more buds. This change is part of the flower’s growth, because without the dead petals left behind, there is no way for a new flower to bloom, and no reason to celebrate each flower when it does.

Riley M. – The Connections to Past, Present and Future.

Connections to Past, Present, and Future, is an artwork that honours the connections Rosny students, teachers, and staff share with the land of the Oyster Bay Nation, home to the moomaremener people. This piece reflects our community's bond with the land and how these connections evolve together. Using Aboriginal symbols and traditional weaving techniques, the work embodies the theme of connection as represented throughout all human history and reveals the importance of this value in holding communities together in the past, in the present and into the future.

Charlie B. – Days I Won’t Forget.

My painting illustrates the Candlestick at the Tasman Peninsula. I believe it links to growth as The Tasman Peninsula’s cliffs, are the tallest ocean cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere, and rise to impressive heights of 200 meters and reach 100 meters deep below the surface—over 300 meters of rugged land formed by natural forces millions of years before us. The rock face has been chiselled away by corrosion, forming these magnificent organ pipe like formations across the surface. Just as the cliffs have endured and evolved through natural forces, our personal growth is shaped by challenges that bring out our unique strengths, formed through our own life journey.

Jessica M. – Desire.

My piece embodies the college value of connection, represented through the closeness of two figures sharing a moment of comfort and peace. Their relaxed body language and gentle embrace reflect a deep bond and the sense of calm that genuine connection brings. This artwork highlights the simplicity and importance of human connection, affection, and relationships, emphasizing their role in a fulfilling and joyful life. The figure with wings suggests that values like connection arise from our highest states of being, embodying purity and love.

Jessica H. – All Connected.

My artwork reflects the value of connection, depicted through two faces entwined by countless strings of light. Although the faces are angled away from each other, they share the same neck and shoulders, bound together as one. The light intertwines them, symbolizing that while we are each individuals, we remain deeply connected through invisible threads—family, emotions, community, love, ambition, and the full spectrum of human experience. This piece highlights how our lives are interwoven, always linked in ways that shape and support us.

The Two Runners Up

Haylee B. – Garden of Personal Growth.

My artwork represents the value of growth and includes growth symbols throughout. You can see it in the people’s hair, symbolizing personal growth through the sprouting plants, as well as in the garden, trees, and the sun shining light on new life. Words like resilience, open-mindedness, courage, listening, and learning pour from the watering can, offering messages that nurture growth. The adult figure waters the younger one with wisdom, ensuring they grow with a strong, open mindset, ready to embrace life’s lessons.

Grace W. – Death and Life.

This artwork symbolises life and death, and how these forces grow together through a circle of life. The lily presented in the centre of the frame represents the growth of new things and life, also seen through a new bud opening. The skill represents how new life forms out of death. We see the lily growing from the nutrients of the skull. The spider reveals how these two elements are connected, and that one cannot form without the other. I have also painted a love heart hidden in the moon, which is shining light over this process.

Other Entrants

The Rosny College Values Art Competition has been a powerful testament to our students’ creativity and commitment to our values: Responsibility, Courage, Growth, Respect, and Connection. The competition not only showcased artistic talent but also deepened the connection between our students and the values we uphold. The winning pieces, on display at the college entrance from 2025 onwards, serve as a daily reminder of the importance of these values in shaping our community. We congratulate and thank to all who participated, judged, and supported this prize, and we look forward to seeing how our values continue to inspire our learning community.

Ruby, Rosny College | Missing a Song.

COMMENDED – Senior Section

The Young Tasmanian Writers’ Prize is a short fiction competition open to Tasmanians in Years 7-12. Kate Gordon (an award-winning Tasmanian author) judged the senior section and Ruby’s entry was one of two to be commended.

Judge’s comments (referring to both commended entries): “Two quite different pieces, featuring history and the fantastic, but both with an eye to the experience of women. Both showed a depth of work, craft and care and I will be excited to see what these talented writers do next.”

This is a very brief extract from Ruby’s story:

The ocean elegantly pushes and pulls at the sandy shore, lapping at the sand like an affectionate animal to its beloved's fragile body. The sun tucks itself neatly behind the horizon, the sky shifting from a shallow water blue to the vibrant warm pink and purple variety of a blossoming reef.

Well done, Ruby, as well as to other students in the College who submitted entries.

Over the course of this year, Japanese students have engaged with and participated in a range of activities to enhance their language learning and cultural understanding. One major element of the Japanese program is language practice with one of our sister schools, Aichi Keisei Senior High. This has helped students to improve their pronunciation and intonation and learn more colloquial Japanese vocabulary, as well as exposing students to different dialects.

Students have also undertaken Japanese cooking classes (making rice seasoning out of Japanese and First Nations ingredients), yukata wearing and calligraphy writing. Some students took part in a Japanese style sports day at a primary school with events that included dekapan (three-legged race with a giant set of pants), ootama (a giant ball), tamaire (similar to hacky sacks), and a soranbushi dance (a traditional Japanese fisherman’s dance), among other events. We have also been privileged enough to have the regular involvement of native Japanese speakers in our classes, adding to and creating robust conversation around linguistics and culture.

Each year, JATNET offers the opportunity for learners of Japanese from around the State to take part in the Annual Tasmanian Japanese Speech Contest. This year, Rosny College was the location for the hosting of the State Senior Japanese Language Competition (Grades 9-12), during term three. The competition aims to motivate and challenge students in their study of Japanese, provide the opportunity to demonstrate their language skills before a panel as well as promote the study of Japanese language in Tasmanian schools. Rosny College students performed very well again this year, taking 1st and 2nd in the Japanese 2 category, 3rd in the Japanese 3 category, and 1st in the High Achievers Program category. Millie, Alice, Patrick and Oliver will receive their awards from the Governor in a reception at Government House this month. We couldn’t be prouder of the students’ efforts and a big congratulations to all those involved!

Rosny College’s annual Art exhibition opened on the 7th of November. It was a fantastic evening and a wonderful celebration of student achievement. With record numbers in attendance, we thank parents, friends, carers and the local community for their ongoing support.

The exhibition has been a culmination of the year’s work for our Visual Art 3 and Art Studio Practice students. The exhibition featured displays across multiple studios, including digital art, mixed media, photography, ceramics, and graphic design. Students studying Visual Art at Level 2 also had their work displayed as part of a digital slideshow, which was shown across multiple screens throughout the exhibition.

We would like to congratulate the students who exhibited; we are extremely proud of all they have accomplished throughout the year. We would also like to thank Sarah Bishop (Co-ordinator of the Schoolhouse Gallery, Rosny Farm) for opening our show, and for the positive feedback from the broader Rosny community. We wish our year 12 art students all the best with their future creative pursuits.

Rosny College Visual Arts team

In October, Rosny College’s Theatre Performance class performed their end of year exam production of Pride and Prejudice. The production was well-received by audiences and provided an excellent opportunity for students to showcase the skills they have been developing across the year.

“The students did a terrific job, working together brilliantly as an ensemble to bring the characters and story to life on the stage,” says Theatre Performance teacher Andrew Holmes. “It was a lot of fun working with the period costumes and employing accents, and I couldn’t be prouder of the efforts the students put in and how they all worked together. It was also a great learning opportunity for the Technical Theatre class, who designed and constructed the set, lighting and sound and ran the Front of House.”

Congratulations to all the students and staff involved in the production.\

The Rosny College Groove Orchestra has had a humble yet solid start during 2024 as at the end of the 2023 the school did not have a stage band. Towards the end of the year, we had solid attendance from Raban (guitar), Levi (bass), Elaina (clarinet), Suze (alto sax) and Katya (alto sax) with thanks to Sarah (trumpet) and Charlie (bass) for their services to the band.

We have been rehearsing regularly at lunch time on Wednesdays and working up a solid repertoire of some simple jazz and funk tunes. We look forward to 2025 when we can expand our instrumentation as well as our repertoire.

The picture is of the Orchestra supplying the background music at the entrance to this year’s ROSCO award ceremony.

Earlier this month we celebrated the work of our Kangaroo Landing Program students (Springboard Program) by releasing a picture book: Imagine. The book tells the story of a student’s journey through the designed and natural world beside the waters of timtumili minanya/River Derwent. It captures a creative way of integrating subject areas to meet out student’s learning goals. Using this project-based program was particularly well suited to our Springboard students with diverse learning, communication, social and sensory needs.

Congratulations to the staff, students and families involved. It is a beautiful book.

Rosny Expedition students were given permission to take part in a trip to the Mystery Creek cave network. The southern Tasmanian Caverneers were kind enough to provide a guide and map resources which allowed students to spend 4 hrs underground learning to use cave maps and learn about some of the geology that made up the system.

After a concerted and conscientious effort throughout terms 3 and 4 in their Engineering and Design 2 class, Max Hoare and Hamish Richards-Jackson were ready for the Tasmanian Solar Car Challenge held at Hobart City High School on the 2nd of November.

As part of their major negotiated project folio they chose to enter this competition due to a strong interest and aptitude in solar car design and construction. There were design challenges to overcome such as a payload of six fruit boxes full of juice to transport and an egg passenger to protect. Many lessons were learnt from the few electrical and mechanical issues that they had, and they overcame some parts problems with hastily organised replacements.

Race day had great weather and thanks go out to Hobart City HS for providing the venue and the excellent staff and students from the University of Tasmania for organising the event again this year. Max and Hamish had a great day, marred early by a few motor issues but these were rectified, and they came back strongly to win a few races. Their overall placing and whether they have made it to Nationals at the University of NSW in early December at the time of writing is unknown.

Good luck to them and congratulations on an impressive effort. Well done.

Congratulations to David Wigger for reaching the finals of the Tasmanian STEM Excellence Awards 2024 in the category of Tasmanian STEM Secondary Teacher of the Year. STEM is the acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

These awards showcased the best practitioners across seven categories from education, research and innovation and industry and were presented by the Minister for the Arts & Heritage, Innovation, Science & Digital Economy, The Honourable Madeleine Ogilvie MP, at the University of Tasmania on Wednesday evening the 13th of November.

David took the opportunity to network and develop contacts with people and organisations for some possible student excursions and joint projects as well as opportunities for students to engage in deeper real-world learning and to foster their interest.

Another successful year has been celebrated at the annual Rosny College Formal. The event was organised by our 2024 Student Association and held at the Tasmania Golf Club on November 22^nd. Enjoy the gallery of our students dressed up to celebrate the end of year 12.