EDITION 4, Thursday November 3rd, 2016 To View Online Click on ' No Images? Click Here' No Images? Click here The Newsletter of the Roxby Downs Area School In this Edition:Regular Items: Principals Report, R-6 Assistant Principal News, Important Dates, Community Notices. Also in this Edition:
IMPORTANT DATES: A range of important dates coming up this term including our final farewell to the year 12 students, the year 12 formal, swimming for years 3-7, year 11 and 12 exams and the year 6 transition and graduation. You can access all the Important Dates and a printable version at the link below. PRINCIPALS REPORT The 2106 school year is quickly drawing to a close for our Year 12 students, who have their last official day on Friday 4th November. Our Year 12 students have been a cooperative group of students. They have been respectful of others, compliant by nature and excellent role models for the whole student cohort over the course of this year. I wish them all the best as they finalise their remaining summative assessment tasks and prepare for final exams which is always a stressful and challenging time. Year 12 results for 2016 will be published online this year in mid-December.
End of Year Celebrations: Term 4 is heavily booked with activities and so I encourage parents to make sure the following key dates are in their diaries: >>The Year 12 Formal will be held on the night of Friday 18th November. >>The year 6 Graduation will be held on Friday 25th November. >>The Presentation Night for Year 7-12 students will be held on Tuesday 29th November, commencing at 7pm. Parents are encouraged to attend to help celebrate the successes of 2016 and to acknowledge our student award winners for 2016. >>The Year R-6 ‘End of Year Concert’ will be held on Wednesday 7th December. Year R-6 Class Configurations for 2017: Final class allocations for Year R-6 students in 2017 will be released at the end of the year, with students finding out the name of their teacher before they go on holidays. We are predicting some changes in student numbers for the beginning of next year as a result of the 7/7 roster for BHP Billiton. If you know your children will not be attending RDAS in 2017 and you are yet to communicate this information to the school, it would be much appreciated if you could do so within the next week. Year 7-12 school Uniform: A reminder to parents of Year 6 students that they can begin wearing the Year 7-12 uniform in term 4 this year. It’s a good idea to purchase the uniform before the end of the year, to help spread the financial impact on the family budget. In 2017, the company that supplies our school uniform is looking to set up an online ordering and purchasing process for parents, with orders being sent up from Adelaide on a weekly basis. The school will continue to have stock on hand for those parents who would prefer to continue ordering through the school. These changes won’t commence until late term 1 2017. Parents and Friends Market: The Parents and Friends are looking to continue the tradition started in 2015, of a twilight market for the last market of the year. The Twilight Market will be held on the evening of Saturday 19th November, from 5pm to 8pm. We hope to see many of you there. Presentation of Learning: We are trialing a new initiative in the final week of school with our middle school students called, the ‘Presentation of Learning’ (POL) on the Monday and Tuesday of week 8. Each student will be asked to present aspects of their learning and achievements for the year to a small panel of invited guests, which may include their parents and a teacher. Students will use the pastoral care lessons during the term to prepare their talk. To facilitate the release of staff to be present on the POL panels, normal lessons will not operate for Year 7-9 students on the Monday and Tuesday; students will only be expected at school whilst they are conducting their POL. R-6 ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Welcome back to another exciting term. We have a very busy 8 week term.
Our End of Year performance is Wednesday the 6th December for R-6 students - it would be lovely to see you there. Bike Education Program: Our Year 4/5 and three 5/6 classes began the Bike Ed program last week. This includes Bike Safety and riding on the road sessions to ensure students understand the road rules. This Program will be run again in 2017- for Yr 4-6 students. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): In 2017 we will be continuing to roll our BYOD in the middle primary section of our school. Last week he hosted our Parent evening and provided some information on requirements for Year 3-6 students. Please contact the school if you require any more information. A great Christmas present if you child is moving into these year levels. Yr 4-7 Swimming: In week 6 and 7 our Yr 4-7 classes will be having swimming lessons. A note will come home next week letting you know the time. Our end of year R-2 Splash Day is Thursday 7th December and the Yr3-6 Pool Party will be Tuesday 5th December. Year 7 Transition: In week 6 our Year 6 students will be placed into 2 groups and have the opportunity to experience some Year 7 subjects as a part of the Transition Program. This will be ran over 3 afternoons for double lessons. Students will have opportunities to go to Technology workshop, Home Economics, CAD (Computing & Design) and PE. Classes for 2017: Last Term, Parents/Caregivers were asked if they wish to request considerations for their child’s placement in class for 2017 to submit their requests in writing to me outlining sound educational reasoning for the request. Requests regarding specific teachers or the type of class structure will not be considered. Class structures and the placements of teachers into teaching roles is the responsibility of the school. Whilst every educational based request is considered, not all requests will be able to be met, given the complex needs of our school community. Please email no later than Monday 7th November. You can email them directly to Jess.NobleBawden282@schools.sa.edu.au or place in a sealed envelope, addressed to Jess Bawden and deliver to the front office. Requests made after the completion of this process may not be considered. Also if you are planning to move or your child/children will not be here in 2017 please contact myself at the school or email me on the above address.
Warm Wishes, Jess Bawden 7-12 ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
RDAS Secondary School is introducing an exciting new programme for the first time this year called ‘Presentation of Learning’ (POL). Students only come to school for their designated timeslot which will be decided soon. Teachers will be busy conducting panels across both days and so they will not be available for other duties. During Pastoral Care this term, students will be busy preparing for POL. They will prepare official invitations for parents, teachers and friends and ensure they are delivered in a timely manner. They will also be preparing their presentation content and practising their delivery. Although the presentation will only last for about 15 minutes, the students will be putting a lot of time and effort into preparation. For many, speaking before a small panel such as this will be a daunting task, for which they will need to be well prepared. Their participation will help their self-confidence immensely and will also help them develop a positive self-esteem. Please take the time to talk with your child about what they are doing and how their preparation is going. We urge all parents to support their child and accept the invitation to attend and help them celebrate their learning. We thank all parents in advance for their support. Presentation
Night – 2016: Various awards are presented at this presentation evening, and our previous year’s DUX is also introduced. The 2015 School DUX was Lochlan Taylor. We would like to see as many parents as possible at our Presentation Night in 2016. Deadlines: The SACE Board only grants these in extreme circumstances but if you feel your child might be eligible, you can find out more at the SACE Website: https://www.sace.sa.edu.au Look for the ‘Special Provisions’ link under the STUDENT Tab. Year 12s: Exams – 2016: RDAS CHOIR The Roxby Downs Area School Choir is made up of Years 5, 6 & 7 students who love music and enjoy singing. We rehearse for 2 lessons per week, learning between 15 and 20 songs per year. Students develop singing skills through practising pitch, rhythm, beat, movement, breathing and voice projection, as well as gaining confidence when performing for an audience. Our choir perform at assemblies and other school events, including concert nights and Presentation Night, as well as various community events, including the World Food and Music Festival and Co-Opera. This requires a lot of commitment from our students and their families, as there is often out-of-school events to attend. The highlight of each year is our Festival of Music Choir Camp. 34 students are selected to represent our school in Adelaide in September. We travel down and stay for 3 nights, attending performances, rehearsing and then performing with 14 other schools to create a massive choir of over 400 students. We had a wonderful time on choir camp this year. The students worked super hard during rehearsals and the concert. My favourite part of the performance was when our students got to Conga joyfully across the stage in front of the curtain while the orchestra played Copa Cabana. They were gorgeous! RDAS choir members are often praised for how they look, behave and present themselves, but this year we were told that we were "the standout row". What wonderful feedback and validation for all of the hard work our students put in. We even got a mention on the Channel 9 News Weather Report, which happened live from backstage prior to our performance! Special thanks to Mrs Julie Greenfield, Mrs Annette Speck, and Mr Jason Vonow who attended Choir Camp this year. Without teachers, SSO’s and parents volunteering their time, camps and special events can’t happen, so we are very grateful. From small beginnings we have had students go on to win lead roles in their high school’s musical productions, as well as win scholarships and travel overseas to perform with community choirs. If you are going to be in Year 5, 6 or 7 next year and are interested in joining choir in 2017, keep an eye out for information early in Term 1. Mrs Jayne Winter BIKE ED Year 4/5 and three 5/6 classes began the Bike Ed program last week. This includes Bike Safety and riding on the road sessions. The program develops students confidence and competence as safe bike riders to and from school. The students gain valuable knowledge about road and traffic environments and road rules and are helped to develop responsible bike riding behaviours and decision making skills. Thankfully the weather has been kind, and the kids have really enjoyed the sessions. RDAS AND ARID RECOVERY COMMUNITY EDUCATION GARDEN The RDAS Year 7 HASS class have been designing and creating an Arid Recovery Community Education Garden. Located on land near the Pioneer Drive- Arcoona St intersection, the vacant land is being developed into an Education garden with native plants, pathways, murals and small sculptures. The concept is similar to the Port August Arid Lands Botanic Gardens and aims to provide a range of experiential and learning activities for students and the community. Concepts of conservation, cultivation of native plant species, landscaping principles, tourism and marketing are all being embedded into the learning. The project also hopes to foster a broader understanding of our arid environment with the general community, tourists, and other visitors to Roxby Downs. To date, the students have been learning about plant species native to our region, preparation of seedlings, understanding soil profiles, watering systems, the layout and construction of pathways, and project budgeting. The group will also be working with some local Kokatha representatives in the design and painting of a dream-time wall mural representing the culture and heritage of the traditional owners of the land. The publicity team write regular articles documenting project progress and are creating information brochures for the community and tourists. In the first week of the project a Community Education Garden logo was designed and has now been embroidered onto sun safe work shirts for all participants. Monday August 25th saw the students undertake their first plantings. The students planted 24 plants including Quandongs, Lemon Scented Grass, Eremophila, Mulla Mulla, and Grevilla. Ella, one of the students explained that planting the small plants wasn’t as simple as they had first thought; that there was a real skill in ensuring the plants are removed from their pots without losing valuable soil and root systems. Each of the members of the planting teams were assigned tasks, digging, protecting the plants, mulching and the like. “It was a fun activity and they learnt a lot…it is great learning about native environments and plants in the classroom, and then actually going out to the garden to plant them” said Ella. A special thankyou for some awesome contributions from key volunteers including Cherisse and Geoff Sanders. Thankyou also to George from Outback Landscaping who recently donated a day’s labour and bobcat hire to help clear parts of the area ready for planting! A huge thankyou must also go to Kimberley Solly from Arid Recovery who has been leading the project! Thanks All !
KINDY TO SCHOOL TRANSITION This term we begin to welcome our new Reception students for 2017. The Blue Group is with Mrs Zeptner in Room C 9 on Tuesday’s and Red Group with Mrs Jarman in Room C12 on Thursday’s. This Program enables children to experience a school day by starting with small blocks and build up to full days to prepare them for the next phase of their learning. So far school has been a huge hit for these future students ! RDAS SPECIAL CLASS PEN PAL WEEK WITH ADELAIDE WEST SPECIAL SCHOOL During the last week of term 3, our Pen Pals from Adelaide West Special Education School, along with their parents and carers, made the long journey to visit our Special Class. The students from the Adelaide West Special School and the Roxby Downs Special Class have been writing letters to each other throughout the year. It was wonderful that they were finally able to meet each other in person. Monday morning involved the two classes meeting and exchanging gifts with their pen pals. The look of amazement and excitement on all the student faces as they met each other was incredible. We then went on an exciting history lesson to Woomera, where we visited the Aircraft and Rocket Museum, and the Woomera Heritage Centre. Both places were remarkable, and much history of the town and of Australia was learnt ! The following day both classes went on another history excursion to Andamooka. The Post Office was a must-see, along with the miners huts. We were amazed of the living conditions where the miners used to live not so long ago. On the way home, Annette Speck (our amazing bus driver) took us on a surprise bus tour of the mine, where we were able to see the enormous and vast mining operations of BHP. On the third day, both classes spent some time together at school, incorporating a visit from Arid Recovery, where we learnt a great deal about the local wildlife and fauna. Wednesday afternoon was when the storms hit, in which we were unsure whether our planned Pen Pal BBQ tea with the parents at the school would go ahead. Wanting to make the most of our time together, we continued as planned, and had our BBQ evening in the dark, (with the help of some torches and some mobile phone lights!) It was a great social evening, with the students and parents wanting to stay on for more laughs and more chatter! It was a wonderful three days together, and many fond memories and friendships have been made. Reception Treasure Hunt Last term Miss Grillo’s, Mrs Jarman’s and Mrs Zeptner’s classes were looking at maps in Geography. On Wednesday the 26th of October after we watched Ben and Holly’s Pirate Treasure, Pirate Pete left some clues for us to find his treasure. We followed his directions and came across where X marks the spot! We dug and dug and to our surprise we found his treasure! Thank you Pirate Pete ! 7-12 Sports Day R-6 Sports Day Mrs Hoffman's Science Whiz Kids! Meet Claire Meatheringham - Food & Hospitality, Home Economics and Humanities & Social Sciences Teacher Born and raised in Adelaide, Claire is in her second year of teaching at RDAS after a formidable career as a chef. Claire has a passion for teaching young people about the importance of enjoying good food. She enjoys students being able to learn new information and food techniques, and the different cultures from around the world. Upon completion of year 12 Claire studied to be a chef, completing a certificate 4 in Hospitality cookery at Regency International College. During the course she undertook a six month industry placement; and at the age 18 worked alongside Kylie Kwong at the Tasting Australia Event. Kylie asked Claire to join her in her restaurant Billy Kwong in Sydney to complete the industry placement. Claire then returned to Adelaide, where she successfully finished her certificate. Claire’s next career move, was to find a suitable restaurant to finish her apprenticeship and become a qualified chef. She worked at the Windy point Restaurant in Adelaide for 2.5 years in both the fine dining restaurant and café. Once Claire was officially signed off as a qualified chef she boarded a plane to London, and embraced the new adventure seeking to further develop her experience and skills; she applied for over 80 jobs, and was finally successful, In what she still considers the best job in the world - Claire became a Pastry chef at 'Ottelenghi'. After her visa expired Claire returned to Australia with a sad heart and continued to work in establishments around Adelaide, Including Sous chef at Auge, and winning numerous awards, The Belair Hotel, and finishing her hospitality career in the iconic Stirling Hotel. Beliefs about the value of education: "The younger generation today, are so privileged with all the education opportunities and pathways that are offered. I strongly encourage students to participate in TAFE opportunities that will see them have a more hands on experience and something to take away for future employment." Why did you become a teacher?: "I have a passion for teaching young people about the importance of enjoying good food. I enjoy students being able to learn new information and techniques about food, and the different cultures from around the world." Any thoughts on the challenges for young people today?: Young people in Roxby Downs are quite limited to what they have access too. There a only a handful of dining establishments, that can offer students a different experience. Unfortunately due to the busy lives in family household, children regularly no longer sit down to a family dinner each night. This has an effect on how people view and appreciate food. Something personal that you don’t mind sharing ?: I have been lucky enough to travel and see different parts of the world including, Fiji, New Zealand, USA, UK, Europe, Thailand, Vietnam. Each year I try and travel somewhere different. This summer holidays, I will be traveling back to the UK. to work in Ottoleghi for a week, to keep up to date with new trends. I will be then traveling to eastern Europe where I will continue to learn snowboarding, in Austria. Through my career as a chef, I have been lucky enough to meet and work alongside some famous people - Kylie Kwong, Shannon Bennet, Adriano Zumbo , and catering birthday parties for Kate Moss and Ed Sheeran. One of the most memorable moments, was catering the Channel 7 Christmas party at Kerry Stokes house in Sydney! RDAS 2016 SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2016 School Magazine – approx. 100 page book printed on Glossy colour pages - is currently being produced and there will be limited numbers available. If you wish to place an order please complete this form and return to the Front Office along with your payment. The closing date for your order is Monday 14th November, 2016. The cost of the Magazine is $20.00 including GST.
A special message for our year 12 students who finish school and head into exams >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Next Edition - Thursday November 24th, 2016 |