Assistant Principals 

Welcome back to Term 4!

Without students, schools feel like empty shells holding the memories of voices and hearts and energy. So, it was with much anticipation that RSC welcomed students back into face-to-face learning. Teachers and students alike have probably melted into their couches after school each day but the excitement on campus was, and is, palpable. The shock short return to remote learning also acted as a tangible reminder of how very adaptable and flexible we have become. For some students, being out of their oodies and into their uniform has helped their focus and for others, the joy at seeing their friends and having a more varied rhythm to the day has fostered new focus for study. In classes, teachers have been using routines to help students re-connect to each other and to their learning. In the hall, gym and senior school, senior students continue to tackle their VCE examinations with energy and passion.

November has always been a period of assessment and transition and it continues to be, however, its form will be slightly different. The examinations will now be class based assessments allowing students to be in more familiar classroom environments. This also enables faculties to use these assessments as learning opportunities and provide feedback to students, something which is more difficult to do during traditional examinations. For both year 11 and year 10 students, these assessment cycles are important times for learning about how to prioritise study, reflecting on which approaches to study work best, and how to be deliberate and strategic when completing timed assessments.

Transition from year 11 to 12 and 10 to 11 will take a similar form but be slightly shorter than previous years. Once again, the decision here was made in order to maximise the time available so that teachers and students could re-engage and re-invigorate the learning. It is important that the hard fought lessons this year are held close by students into next year: focus matters, attendance matters and submission matters.

Reconnecting to schooling activities and school rhythms will take a bit more time but students are urged to wear uniform correctly and see their House Co-ordinators for uniform passes as they wait for new uniform items. We ask for continued vigilance in the correct wearing of masks (over the nose) when indoors and when social distancing is not possible.

In closing, I note also that this week marks our first week without Michael Phillips as our ship’s captain. Whilst more formal celebrations will take place next year, in an on-line meeting tribute (replete with a specially designed background from Mel Muller), the staff acknowledged Michael’s powerful contribution to RSC over his 24 year tenure. We are the richer for his work with us and we gratefully acknowledge his commitment to public education.

Agatha Fedrizzi 

on behalf of the Assistant Principals

James Barut and Matt Tucker