From the Principal Team

October 25 - World Teachers Day

I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank the wonderful teachers in our school. I first arrived at RNPS in 2017 and it became immediately apparent that the teachers employed here were dedicated to the school and it's students. 7 years on, it remains a pleasure and a privilege to work with a collection of teachers who, despite the many setbacks and challenges that life throws at all of us, remain so committed to doing their best everyday for the children they work with and the other children in the school. 

It is unusual to have a school where the staff remain so determined to stay at the school wherever they might live, how their family changes or how many new faces pop up around them. 

It is this shared responsibility among all our teachers (and the support they provide each other to make this possible) that creates an environment where your children always have people who care for them and have their best interests at heart. 

I have written regularly about how disappointing some of the media coverage of teachers and schools can be and how disconnected from the full picture of working in schools these commentaries can be. Since I first taught a class in 2002, the job and the expectations of teachers has changed dramatically. At RNPS, our teachers are a testament to how many wonderful professionals have evolved and grown over time without ever losing sight of the primary purpose of schooling at RNPS: to help children grow. 

Obviously, at the core of this we have a focus and an imperative to help children develop their literacy and numeracy skills, but beyond that there is their social development, emotional skills, ability to overcome challenges, appreciation and engagement with the world at large, societal norms and routines... our teachers have shifted and adapted their practice over many years to try and contribute in a positive way in all these areas. And manage to do so with a smile on their faces the vast majority of the time.

The teachers at RNPS do an amazing job. As a Principal, it is a pleasure to be surrounded by so many vibrant professionals and, as a parent, you can rest assured that as a team there are always many knowledgeable people working together to help your children. 

So, hats off to teachers on World Teacher's Day and thank you to the stupendous team at RNPS. You make even the hardest things look easy.