From the Principal's Desk
Athletics Carnival
I congratulate our students on their enormous effort at last week's athletics carnival. What an impressive day we had with students achieving amazing results across all of the events. We are awaiting final results to be sent through for the PSSA Zone Athletics Carnival which will be held next term.
Please see photos from the carnival in our whole school activities section.
PSSA Zone Cross Country on Friday
All the best to our team of students attending the PSSA Zone Cross Country on Friday at UNE. We have a number of students attending so Miss Miller will also be present on the day. Please note that Miss Miller will be assigned a destination or a role on the day so parents need to ensure they have organised transport and supervision for their students on the day. All the best everyone!
Eisteddfod This Week
Students in Upper Division will be competing at the Armidale Eisteddfod tomorrow. Our students are in two small school events, a class ensemble group and choir. The events start at 9.30am.
Book Fair - Thank You
Thank you to those families who were able to support our Book Fair last week. We are able to use the points we collected to purchase more resources for our school library and for our end of year presentation day.
External Validation
Every 4 years, all public, high and central schools undertake an external validation. This is a process where we assess ourselves against the School Excellence Framework and provide evidence and examples to justify our assessments. The process is not an audit, rather an opportunity to reflect and make on-balance judgements about our programs and systems. As a staff, we are all working hard on preparing our submission which will result in a panel discussion in September. Once we have completed the process, we will have a very clear direction in creating our new school plan for the next four years.
Assembly - Next Friday 31st May
Our next assembly will be held Friday 31st May from 2.15pm. As always, we welcome all members of our school community to come along and join us.
Relieving Principal
I would like to congratulate Mrs Dani Clyde-Smith (her maiden name is Cefai as advertised last week) on being successful in her application to be the relieving principal at Rocky River for the rest of this term. Mrs Clyde-Smith will commence working at our school from Monday 3rd June. Up until then, I will work with Mrs Clyde-Smith to ensure a smooth transition occurs to ensure continuity of learning for our students.
Yamaha Music Grant
We received some exciting news last week that a funding application I submitted for the school to receive Yamaha music products, was successful. The school will be provided with just over $3000 worth of new instruments for students to use. These will arrive in the next few weeks. Great news!
Thank you and All The Best!
As this is the last newsletter to be published before my move to Uralla Central School, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank every single person who has been a part of my journey here at Rocky River. What an amazing experience I have had. Thank you for allowing me to make changes and to implement ideas for our amazing students. You have trusted me to lead us in new directions and I have appreciated the flexibility you have given me to do this. I mean it when I say, we really do have the best students a teacher could ask for.
Through a COVID pandemic, a building issue so serious we were evacuated and then building a new school in 3 weeks, to having sports, arts, cultural, academic and even the commencement of a school orchestra program, all have been character building for not only the school, but me personally. Thank you so much to the Rocky River staff who I have worked with throughout this time... you all deserve a medal for putting up with me and my hyperactivity! :)
I will leave the school mobile phone with Mrs Clyde-Smith. The number you have used to contact me in emergencies (0436 942 430) will remain and Dani will have the phone with her should you need to contact her outside of school hours.
Remember, I am not leaving town, so please say "Hi" in the street when you see me and I really hope, I can work with our wonderful students and their families, as they commence the more senior years of their schooling in the future. Thanks again. I look forward to seeing you all soon. - Brad
Have a great week!
Brad Hunt
Principal