We find ourselves halfway through Term 3 already, with a lot to communicate to you.

Lately, staff energy has been directed toward the Year 10 into 11 transition process, with numerous visits to local high schools and a recent well-attended Preliminary Enrolment evening for non-associate schools. We held our Learning Conversation afternoon this week. Other events on our calendar include Rosny Stock, Book Week, Wear It Purple Day and the wonderful restaurant running out of the Clarence Cricket Club. All this is against the backdrop of a strong focus on teaching and learning and academic achievement, with all classes having a close eye on the end of the academic year and the things that need to be achieved before then.

It has certainly been an exciting term in which to start my new appointment as Principal at our College, and I feel very fortunate and privileged to lead this school community. I look forward to building positive relationships with our staff, students and families; working together to drive our school improvement agenda and improve our students' learning outcomes.

Our School Improvement Agenda

Rosny College has set a clear direction for improvement. We are focused on the key priorities of providing:

• High-quality teaching and learning and;
• A positive and engaging learning environment in which students are well known, feel safe and are supported.

Over the course of this term and next, substantial work will be undertaken regarding our school improvement planning, including what we will action now and our plan of action for next year.

We are currently working as a leadership team to ensure that we have a strong, united and effective approach to improvement.    

We are looking forward to the benefits that our current foci will bring to our students' learning and look forward to keeping you informed of these.

Wellbeing survey

Students in our school will be taking part in the annual Student Wellbeing and Engagement Survey.

The wellbeing of our students is of the utmost importance to us. Our school's priority of ensuring that we provide a positive and engaging learning environment in which students are well known and feel safe, strongly aligns with this. As we know that when students feel a sense of connection and belonging, then they are more likely going to engage positively in their learning. 

The wellbeing survey provides valuable information through student voice that helps inform our school improvement priorities and actions.

We encourage all students to complete this important survey. Further information regarding this has been sent in recent student reports. If you prefer your child not to participate in this survey, please return the Decline to Participate form included in the information sent.

Transition 11 into 12

Our Year 11s start their transition into Year 12 in the coming weeks. This will primarily occur during their Support Group time, where students will have the opportunity to meet with teachers from learning areas and course-specific counsellors to assist in their learning pathways.

I encourage families to engage in conversation about your young person's course selections and learning pathways. If families would like to be part of these conversations with our course counselling team, please contact the College to arrange an appointment.

Communication

Rosny College aims to communicate and convey important information to parents/carers regularly and in a timely and concise way. When we communicate well and have strong links, then student outcomes are enhanced. Ways in which we regularly communicate with you include:

• Rosny College Facebook and Instagram
• Newsletters - twice a term
• Through our website
• Schoolzine App - sZapp
• Phone call - (03) 6244 9200
• Events such as our Learning Conversation afternoons
• Email

School Zine

Please sign up to our SchoolZine app. This app will allow you to access newsletters, check the school calendar for upcoming events and receive other notifications. 

Email

We intend to use email more effectively in 2023 and beyond, which will include using it to share student academic and attendance reports. When the time comes for you to complete validation forms for 2023, please pay special attention to include an email address that you use regularly.

Rosny College School Association

I would like to invite any parents/carers and/or community members to express their interest in being a part of the Rosny College School Association.

A School Association aims to be a productive team that supports the continual improvement of student learning and the school.

Some of the main School Association functions are:

• To participate in the development of school policies
• To participate in :
  • Establishing and reviewing school objectives and priorities, strategic direction and values
  • Planning of financial arrangements necessary to fund objectives, priorities, strategic direction and values and
  • Evaluate the school's performance in achieving these
• To participate in the formulation and implementation of plans for the improvement of the school.
• To foster the school community's understanding of the value and benefits of education

I invite interested community members to contact our school office to express an interest.

Based on the interest received, we hope to hold a School Association meeting early Term 4. At this meeting, ongoing meeting dates and times will be decided upon. This will allow time for any interested people to consider taking on the following School Association positions and to submit their nominations prior to the AGM:

School Association positions:

• Chairperson
• Deputy Chairperson
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Members

Further information regarding positions and the nomination will be sent out once the date of AGM is decided.

A quick word on attendance

It is indisputable that there is a strong correlation between regular attendance and positive student learning outcomes. At College, every minute of attendance counts. With the end of the academic year fast approaching, I encourage all students to make a conscientious effort to attend all their classes. 

The Education Act specifies the reasons a young person can be authorised not to attend school. Reasons include:

• Sickness/incapacity
• Medical, legal or related appointments
• Natural disasters or extreme weather preventing your child from attending their enrolled school safely.
• Terminal illness of an immediate family member
• Bereavement of a person your child had a significant close relationship with
• Having witnessed or subjected to family violence
• Being a participant or official at a recognised National or International sporting, academic or cultural event
• An application for home education has been received by the education register, and provisional registration granted.

If your young person is absent for a reason not listed above, the absence will need to be recorded as an unauthorised absence. This means that:

• The Principal will receive notifications about the number of unauthorised absences for each student
• The school may send you a letter notifying you of the number of unauthorised absences for your young person

It is important that parents/carers contact the school on (INSERT number) to explain absences from school. It would be appreciated if this could be done on the day of absence (as early as possible) or, if known, before the day of absence.

Student academic reports

Reports were given to students in Support Group on Wednesday 17 August or mailed home on the following days where students were absent. Please contact our office if you require another copy of your young person's report.

Andrew Woodham
Principal, Rosny College