Facilities

Thanks to all who attended last Thursday’s working bee. We had a ripper night and a big welcome to several new members of the committee. The main focus for the evening was relocating ornamental pears from the soon to be demolished Science building to the back of the hall.

The STEM Centre works have begun on a small scale with much of the asbestos removed over the past weekend. This will continue during the weekend of the 28/29 May. Most of site fencing is now in place.

Other recent work includes

Salvaging additional items of value from the Science/Technology rooms
New blind installation in rooms 115 and Careers meeting room
Roller door installation on the Senior School locker pod
Installation of steelworks for an operable wall in the Automotive building

Chris Salisbury

Facilities Manager

Brekky Club

"Brekky Club is up and running again for Term 2! Our wonderful chaplains and student volunteers are busy every Wednesday morning flipping pancakes and pouring hot chocolates for the early risers of RSC.

This is always a fun way to meet new students and experience the welcoming college community. - Kaila Bergmann, Chaplaincy Prefect"

Hello to the RSC Community from your College Council

Greetings and we hope you are all well.

Council have been very busy…..however, we have so enjoyed being busy in a face-to-face way! We are all enjoying operating in our “new normal”, being able to actually meet in person after 2 long years on Zoom. We are working well as a team, as we realize each stage of our master plan, guided by our Future Directions Paper, and we look forward to an exciting time this term installing our new RSC Principal, with the process re-commencing this week.

Council is so much more than just the formal “meeting” process. The time before and after our meetings is just as important, and offers valuable opportunities to informally chat, network, collaborate, share new ideas, forge friendships and learn about each other and why we are all driven to join our college council. Each parent & DET member bring something unique to council, as well as contributing their skill sets, experience and strengths, as we share our common overall goal of improving the students educational experience at RSC.

It has been a very challenging Term 1 for us all, as we navigate around the Covid situation, and we know this continues, causing further challenges for the college with staffing and student absences, with the merry-go-round of interruptions, as many of us ending up finding it is “our turn” to have the virus. On a positive note, however, Term 2 has started on an energetic and uplifting note with so many positive and exciting events and goings-on at the college.

Council had our first Term 2 (May) meeting last Wednesday where many things were discussed and a lot was achieved. I would firstly like to acknowledge our Acting Principal Maria Allison. Council would like to thank Maria for her tireless and many hours of hard work as she “steers the RSC ship” through these very challenging times. With the DET reforms around parent payments, the ongoing effects of the pandemic, the up-coming DET reforms to VCE / VCAL, and with the exciting commencement process of our new STEAM building, Maria has done a remarkable job for our college, as we move forward and embrace so many opportunities coming our way. Thank you Maria!

(STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Visual Arts and Mathematics).

Our meeting on Wed night began with Council welcoming our special guest from the Region, SEIL Kerry Anderson. (SEIL – Senior Education Improvement Leader). Kerrie introduced, explained and initiated our next “round” of the New RSC Principal Selection Process. It was very positive and exciting as Kerry assured Council with optimism that this round will attract suitable applicants for the role of Principal as we move forward at the college. Members elected Ian Roadnight as the Council Parent representative on the selection panel. We are sure Ian will provide wise, well rounded parent and council representation for the RSC Community.

I then reported to council about our exciting new and updated version of our Future Directions Paper and presented the paper to council. Members will read the paper and give feedback over the next few weeks, then council will publish the paper to the college community. The Future Directions Paper is a fluid, ever changing document as gives positive and clear information about our master plan priorities and goals.

As we moved through the agenda, we heard from Agatha Fedrizzi. Council would like to acknowledge and thank Agatha, who has been a ball of energy and enthusiasm and has worked tirelessly for many hours collaborating and consulting with the College and Indigenous community, including the student body, to create a vision and then a design for the physical naming of our senior building, ‘Yanna Mudjirr’ (Stepping Stones). This well designed signage will be placed on the building at the student’s entrance. Council and RSC are planning a special day to have a formal naming ceremony to commemorate & celebrate the signage of ‘Yanna Mudjirr’ onto our beautiful senior building. Please see the final design below…..thank you Agatha!

The Council Student Representative, Noah Philp, gave a fantastic, well planned and detailed report to council on behalf of himself and Jackson Smith (our second Council Student representative). Noah reported on all of the student news from the junior, middle and senior school cohorts. Council requested that Noah and Jackson consult with the SRC and student body, seeking student input regarding the college tie. Noah and Jackson also brought forward many ideas to council, of which council provided positive feedback & encouragement to our hard working & enthusiastic student representatives.

Council then heard all the different reports and had some positive discussions in response to:

The Acting Principal’s report – Maria Allison

The sub-committees reports – Sarah Szubanski, Ian Roadnight and Terry Bebe

Ringwood Training’s report – RT Director Shayne Van der Heide

Shayne spoke very positively of the new upcoming DET VCE / VCAL reforms and how the reforms attracted an exciting visit by the Premier Daniel Andrews and the Minster for Education James Merlino. Please see the link to the video from the visit.

Senior Secondary School Certificates - Ringwood Training (vimeo.com)

Overall it was a productive and positive meeting, with our newer council members settling in well and starting to see how the wheels turn at the college. We look forward to meeting with many of you at our upcoming RSC events, such as Jazz night, school athletics and other school community events!

Take good care and go well

Teresa Lodge

College Council President

Reunion: Class of 1972