Newsletter

Wendy will be working as part of our Learning Enrichment team, focusing on supporting EALD (English as an Additional Language or Dialect) students. She brings with her a wealth of experience in this area, and we are confident she will make a valuable contribution to our school community.

This term you will also see Michelle Tranchida in the Primary Reception. She steps into this role from her current Teacher Aide position while Sandy Williams enjoys some well-earned Long Service Leave. Be sure to say hello when you're next in reception!

Anna Kissock will be replacing Michelle in her Teacher Aide role during this time, and we thank her for stepping into this important support role.

We warmly welcome Wendy, Michelle, and Anna to their new, or temporary positions, and wish them all the best for the term ahead.

Unfortunately, the new crossing supervisor scheduled to begin this term is no longer able to take up the position. We are once again seeking someone to fill this important role. Details about the position are included in this newsletter, or you’re welcome to speak to our Primary Reception staff for more information.

Have a wonderful week.

Kerri comes with vast and rich experience and fulfills a new role at our school as our EALD Teacher. We are looking forward to learning with and from Kerri and making her welcome within our school community. Here is an opportunity to get to know a little more about Kerri:

What is a brief background of your educational experience?
Classroom teacher for 14 years, mainly overseas (England, Taiwan, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong). When I moved back to Australia in 2014 I worked in student support at Melbourne Uni and then in the curriculum space at QCAA and the Broncos (Community programs). 2022 I moved back to Rocky and worked at RATEP ( Remote/ Rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teacher Education Program) before joining the team here.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I really fell into teaching. I had great ideas about wanting to be an artist, but my mum advised me that maybe I would be better off ‘teaching’ art, so I went to Uni and gave it a go. After the first few years of teaching, I found I really loved being around young people and loved helping people learn.

How do you like to spend your time outside of school?
I spend a lot of time at the beach, running around with my kids and having BBQ’s with my family here. Any down time I can grab, I normally spent it reading or weaving.

What is a memorable moment you've had with a student or colleague?
It would be going to into China with my high school volleyball team when I was at the Australian International School Hong Kong. One of the many highlights was getting to meet other expat teachers working in China and having time to get to know my AISHK colleagues and students on a deeper level as people.

What is something most people might not know about you?
I am the eldest child in my family and was born and raised in Rocky.

If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
I think David Unaipon would be awesome to have dinner with because it would be so interesting to talk to him about his inventions and how he used his cultural knowledge as a base for his designs.

With sports, Maths Teams Challege, Eisteddfod and many other cocurricular activities happening, many of our Year 7’s are juggling their school work with a many other commitments.  We wish them the best of luck in all of their endeavours!

In Form and Tutorial, we have continued our focus on Growth Mindset. In Tutorial lessons, we are looking at what Growth Mindset it, and applying it to goal setting through the S.M.A.R.T Goal structure. This reminds students that, to help them achieve their goals, it’s important to ensure their goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. As I’ve chatted with students during the lesson, it’s been wonderful to see how many of them do have clear goals that they are working towards. In Form lessons, we’ve been taking inspiration from others who have used Growth Mindset. So many of our role models, idols and inspirations failed before they reached success – some multiple times!  By taking inspiration from them, we are reminded not to give up when things get hard, or we reach a setback.

At the end of week 2, I sent an email home to families about the Year 7’s collecting non-perishable items for the Hands of Support. Hands of Support in an initiative organised by the Rockhampton Regional Council that looks to support the homeless, at risk of homelessness and those at risk in our community. This collection is now underway, with items being collected next week. A huge thank you is offered to everyone who contributes to this cause. Every item will make a difference to those who need it most.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Many are completing drafts, revising content, and managing increasing academic demands across multiple subjects. We encourage you to speak with your children about their schedules and support them in planning effectively for this busy period.

In Form and Tutorial sessions, students are continuing their exploration of Character Strengths and Leadership qualities. This Thursday, they will take part in a courtroom-style investigation—an engaging activity designed to highlight the importance of listening carefully, considering all perspectives, and asking thoughtful questions before making judgments. While we anticipate plenty of fun and laughter, it will also serve as a valuable reminder of the importance of empathy and reflection.

A particularly exciting aspect of this unit has been witnessing students draw connections between the different skills they’re developing. For example, they’re beginning to see that a lack of resilience often has a ripple effect—not only impacting themselves, but also those around them. With recent camp experiences fresh in their minds, this has been a perfect opportunity to explore these interpersonal dynamics in a meaningful and practical way.

To the Year 9 students who chose to attend and participate in ANZAC Day ceremonies, I would like to extend my gratitude for your involvement and my congratulations on the way you conducted yourselves. You represented both yourselves and the school community exceptionally well.

The What About Me programme has officially commenced in Year 9 form classes, with students being introduced to a range of presenters and topics. I encourage you to engage in conversations with your children about what they are learning, as this will help reinforce the key messages we are aiming to impart and provide insight into the themes we are exploring.

In tutorial lessons, we continue to examine themes of leadership, with recent sessions focusing on team building and the responsible use of technology.

As we move into the busier part of the term, I encourage all families to review the Term 2 assessment schedules and map these into the school diary. This will help ensure students are well-prepared for upcoming assessments, which are often a time of increased stress.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

If your child has not many volunteer hours for their Certicate 1, I am continually emailing students with opportunities to gain these hours. All students are required to complete their hours by the end of 2025. Last week, the School held the Annual Farmers Challenge to raise funds for rural communities. The event was a resounding success and did an exceptional job of bringing day and boarding students together. In our tutorial lessons over the next two weeks, Year 10 students will be focusing on self-sabotage and goal setting, which go hand in hand. Hopefully, most Year 10 students are now working towards some S.M.A.R.T. goals in the weeks and months ahead. All students were supported in establishing goals, so I encourage you to discuss with your child the goals they set during this process. In the coming weeks, Year 10 students will be visited by Heads of Department to provide insight into their subject offerings for senior schooling. These visits will be supplemented by short, subject-specific video clips to help our students make informed subject choices this term as part of their SET Plan interviews. If you have not set an interview time for your SET Plan please do this as a matter of urgency. Every student must do a SET Plan interview to map their future.

We are almost halfway through the term and getting closer to assessment due dates – please check in with your child to ensure they are coping with the workload. If your child needs further assistance, please contact me to organise paid tutorials with the Learning Enrichment Centre.

Work experience is on offer again for the June/July school holidays, if your child is interested in partaking, or your business would be willing to take students on, please contact the senior school office, or myself. Entries for work experience close June 1. This opportunity allows our students a chance at experiencing a role, to fully understand whether it is one for them or not. I encourage all our students to trial as many industries as possible.

Students are encouraged to drop into my office at any time of the term – if they are feeling stressed or just want to say a quick hello, they are always welcome. Please reach out if your child is struggling, and rest assured all concerns are handled in a confidential manner. Subject changes are available for a short period of time between the Unit One and Unit Two transition. To make subject changes, students must ensure they complete all aspects of the subject change form, have relevant staff sign off on it, and submit it to The Head of Year, which then goes to Ms Reniece Carter for the final approval before the request is changed. Students are encouraged to meet with Ms Larissa Burnett prior to subject changes, to discuss career requirements and pathway options.

Please support the school, and community by keeping sick children at home. If they are concerned about schoolwork, we can organise support provisions for them while absent. The most important thing is our students are well and able to undertake their studies to the best of their ability. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Further to this, if students are absent during their exams, or for three or more days, they must have a medical certificate. For absences that are three or more days, that are pre-planned, please ensure an extended leave form is completed for this. Students can collect these from the Senior School Office.

Have a wonderful fortnight!

Coupled with their academic responsibilities, many students have also been involved in other co-curricular activities over the past couple of weeks. It is commendable to observe numerous students dedicated to their co-curricular activities and appreciative of the significance these pursuits hold for their mental well-being, even when they do not directly contribute to their post-school objectives. Additionally, with Eisteddfod this week and next, these busy Year 12 students will likely find themselves time poor at this time of the year. Given the time management needed to find success when leading such busy lives, it is important students are using the tools that have been taught across their schooling years to manage their time effectively. Follow this link: https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/time-management-tutorial/best-time-management-tips-for-students for 10 tips for time management.

Last week, the Drought Awareness and Formal committees held the annual Farmer’s Challenge and Bake Sale fundraiser where over $1300 was raised for Dolly’s Dream and Farm Angels. To further highlight and promote the need for kindness and understanding, the School recognised Do It for Dolly Day this past Friday, with students wearing blue ribbons in recognition of this important organisation. Many of these events and opportunities continue to be ‘lasts’ for the Year 12 students therefore I encourage all students to participate or assist in any way possible in anything upcoming. The Farmer’s Challenge is always a fun, energetic and joyous occasion and it was wonderful to see our Year 12’s heavily involved in not only the running of the event, which Stetson, Charlie and Vihansa did very well, but also entering teams or promoting the event to younger grades, as well as providing baked goods for the bake sale.

With Formal coming up at the end of the term, Year 12’s commenced their Formal dancing lessons last Tuesday with Miss Ellie from the DMTA. The students did so well, picking up three of the dances really quickly. They were clearly having a lot of fun in the process also. These lessons will continue on Tuesday afternoons up until Formal.

Cricket
Congratulations to all award winners at Friday night's RGS Cricket 2024/2025 season Presentation Dinner in the Spaceframe.

Major award winners for last season were:

* Senior School Cricketer of the Year - Sam Gassman

* Junior School Cricketer of the Year - Lawson Paine

* Club Player of the Year - Henry Lau

* Female Cricketer of the Year - Evan Sullivan

Other individual awards acknowledged on the night were:

* 5 wickets in an innings - Riley McDonald, Lawson Paine

* Hat-trick - Tom Macrae

* Centuries - Henry Lau, Riley McDonald

* RGS Cricket Club 2024/2025 Team of the Year - Henry Lau, Lawson Paine, Riley McDonald, Abhinesh Sivashankar, Griffin Bennett, Harry Wright, Adelaide McArthur, Euan Austin, Evan Sullivan, Oliver Bennett, Sam Gassman, Archie Clifford.

The dinner also acknowledged graduating Year 12 cricketers - Tom Macrae, Riley McDonald, Luke Frame, Sam Gassman, Parker Childs, Hamish McArthur, and Josh Peckett.

Congratulations to all team individual award winners.

Thank you to all this season's coaches, volunteers, sponsors, and supporters. Enjoy the off-season and we look forward to seeing RGS teams back in the field for the 2025/2026 season.

Cross Country - RDSS
Congratulations to RGS Secondary School students who recorded top 10 finishes at the RDSS Cross Country in Rockhampton last Tuesday:

13 Boys
10th Parker North

13 Girls
10th Naviah Cook

14 Girls
8th Chloe Mullen
9th Macy Ford
10th Olivia Corrigan

14 Boys
2nd Archie Becker
6th Edward Dingle
9th Brayden Ponton

15 Boys
1st Lawson Paine
3rd Thomas Baillie
8th Spencer Swaffer-Selff

15 Girls
5th Alexis Daley
8th Radinka Jayasuriya

16 Girls
3rd Mila Kronk
10th Lila Darling

16 Boys
2nd Krit Bhattarai

17 Girls
2nd Ava Roche
4th Anabel Morrison
5th Micky Simmons
7th Chaarvi Mishra
8th Isabella Lloyd

17 Boys
2nd Ryan Hendrie

18 Boys
4th Benjamin Baillie

18 Girls
2nd Melissa Lehmann

Football
The School hosted the annual Bill Turner Cup at Southside United Football Grounds recently which is a national soccer competition for U15 soccer players. Thanks to the hard work of Mr Berry there were five teams that participated including Emmaus College, The Cathedral College, St Brendan’s College and Chanel College. RGS performed well throughout the carnival, with one game from four tough games, with Chanel College eventually winning through to the next round.

Show Cattle
The RGS Show Cattle team competed in the Baralaba Show on the weekend. Results were:

Paraders
• 16 years & over: Charli (2nd), Skeet (5th), Olivia (Top 10)
• 15 years: Kate (3rd), Polly (5th)
• 11–15 years: Skye (Top 7)

Led Steer
Multiple RGS steers made the Top 10 in some very large classes.

RGS Denver not only won his weight class but also took out Champion Led Steer of the Show for the second time!

The team will next compete at this weekend's Callide Dawson Show in Biloela.

Tennis
The School recently participated in the Qld Secondary School Team Tournament held at Victoria Park with an Open boys’, Year 7-9 Boys’ and Year 7-9 Girls teams participating. The age group were combined on the day with the Open Boys winning all their matches and the junior teams performing well in all their games even when placed against Open players from other schools.

Notifications of Achievements
Due to the vast array of core and non-core sporting activities that students participate in, can all students’ sporting achievements be emailed through to Mrs Coetzer, the Sports Administrator – [email protected]

Shooting
Congratulations to Quaid Blyton who is the Queensland Junior Champion in double barrel clay target shooting and has been selected in the Qld team to attend Nationals next year.

Touch Football
Congratulations to the following students selected in the CQ Bulls touch football teams to play at the National Youth Championships at Coffs Harbour in October:

12 Girls - Piper Neven (Year 7)
14 Boys - Nate Turner (Year 9)
14 Girls - Hollie Foot (Year 9)
16 Boys - Ben Mosby (Year 11)

Trampoline
Congratulations to Naviah Cook (Year 7) who recently competed in the Queensland State Gymnastics Championships where she received a second for Individual Trampoline and third for Synchronised Trampoline. Naviah also qualified for the Queensland State team that will compete at the Australian Gymnastics Championships in July.

Rockhampton District Representatives
(Please note that all Rockhampton and Capricornia representative recognitions are updated in the newsletter once final teams are provided to the School)

Cross Country
Archie Becker, Edward Dingle, Lawson Paine, Thomas Baillie, Alexis Daley, Mila Kronk, Krit Bhattarai, Ava Roche, Anabel Morrison, Micky Simmons, Ryan Hendrie, Benjamin Baillie, Melissa Lehmann.

Capricornia Representatives

Rugby 7’s
Evan Sullivan, Elvie King, Zafeera Gibson, Scarlett Gear.

Water Polo
Ty Lynch, Jean Haviland, Lauren Moody, Lily Moir