Term 2, Week 5 - Junior School

Uniform

As we head into the cooler months it is a timely reminder that all students must wear the correct college uniform. We have had an increase in the number of students requesting a uniform pass and while this is the correct process we would prefer if students attending each day in full school uniform.

Please remember that under no circumstances are students permitted to wear a hooded jumper and no pass will be issued for such items.

Please refer to the uniform policy on the College website or contact us if you have any concerns about the uniform

iPads

There have been a few issues lately regarding the use of iPads in the school. If the WiFi is dropping out the IT department needs to know the following information;

Who is having the problem (the name of the students)
What time and day did it occur
Which classroom was the problem in

This can be done by emailing support@ringwoodsc.vic.edu.au either by a parent, student or a staff member with the above details. IT will then have enough information to pin point the issue.

If an iPad has hardware or screen issue please resolve the issue directly with Apple. If unsure you may contact the IT department to clarify where to go. All iPads have AppleCare+ and they can be taken to an Apple Store to get replaced.

IT Services will assist in support around the software, system and school connection issues however hardware issues need to be addressed at home.

Open Night

It was an absolute pleasure to be involved in the College Open Night. As always this provides us with a chance to showcase our school. Whilst there were a number of students who helped on this night I want to highlight the efforts of two Year 7 students. Mylee James and Olivia Slade provided a first hand account of their experiences so far at Ringwood Secondary College in our official presentation on stage. Talking in front of a combined 750 people can be a daunting task however these young ladies showed poise above their age in speaking clearly and confidently. A number of parents spoke to me on the evening and commended how lovely it was to hear from the students themselves. Well done Mylee and Olivia on an excellent contribution to our College Open Night.

Year 7 Transition

The changes to the transition program have so far proved to be a big success. Our students are actively engaged in their classes and have already built a strong connection to the College. Our focus of keeping students in their classes early in Term one allowed this connection to strengthen. As a part of the transitional process students attended a workshop on Thursday 11th May looking at Study Skills. This session was run by Elevate who have been developing students skills in key areas of studying and preparation for tests and exams for 15 years. With ten workshops running concurrently it was great to see all groups actively engaged with the presenters and the content. It would be great if all parents or guardians could reflect on this session with their child over the next week or two. A follow up session has been planned for early in Term 3 which will look at how to organise their time within a specific task. This will provide all Year 7 students with a solid platform moving forwards into Year 8 and beyond.

Assembly

At our recent Year 7 assembly we were treated to a performance from a group of girls who had recently competed at a dance competition taking out first place. Performances like this help us to recognise the efforts of all students’ success not just the academic side of their school experience. The year 8 assembly will take on a similar look as another group will also perform during this time. This assembly will also see the much anticipated ‘down ball’ competition between staff and students as well and we all know how the last one ended up. Whilst an assembly provides us with an opportunity to convey key messages to all students it also allows us to continue to build a positive rapport with our students. The Junior School students are doing well and as a Coordination team we are very pleased with their focus and attitude.

Fidget Spinners

At the time of writing we have done the following to address the use of a fidget spinner in class. All Junior School students have been told that we will not ban fidget spinners from class at this stage however this is a possibility if they are misused. The rules for these are quite simple, if a teacher instructs a student to put their fidget spinner away they must do so straight away without any arguing. There is a place for these items in education however the moment they become a distraction to teachers, other students or an individual this distraction must be removed. I hope that we can continue to use these in the manner they were designed for. A reminder that these spinners are a students’ own responsibility.

Jonathon Rogers

Junior Sub School Leader

Community

Teen Fitness

Stage School Australia