From the Leadership Team
Around the Grounds
It has been a busy couple of weeks at school, with a whole host of activities being enjoyed.
Students in Year 6 had their first overnight, leadership-focused camp this week and came back to school, as usual, exhausted but with some great memories and tales to tell. The staff who attended were thrilled with the students and their willingness to get involved and push themselves to try new things and take on challenges.
This Year 6 camp is at Camp Adanac and involves a long bike ride that is the culmination of their Bike Education program from Year 3. There are also a range of water-based activities and team-building games that help build their relationships for a year that is always equal parts excitement and terror. We know how important connections are in providing networks that support us and help us get through our most difficult times and school camps are such a special way that students develop these strong, lasting connections.
Last week, Year 5 students had the opportunity to attend the Formula 1 Grand Prix, where they engage in a wide range of STEM-based activities in the F1 Experience area, as well as getting to see some of the warm-up races, such as the V8 Supercars. There were some very excited students (and parent helpers!) who attended, providing yet another varied experience for students to taste and enjoy.
One of the things we try very hard to do at RNPS is provide a variety of activities that a range of students will engage with and learn from. Even if students aren't especially keen on motorsports, being able to visit and experience activities like this helps them see and value the many opportunities that are available to them now and in their futures. And for those who love motorsports, this will have been the highlight of their school year and may be the little spark that lights a fire for their future.
NAPLAN
Well done to our Year 3 and Year 5 students who have completed 2 of the NAPLAN tests this week, with another 2 next week.
Even with the very frustrating technical issues that were experienced nationwide, students have attacked the challenge with a positive mindset and determination to show their best self, which is all we can ever ask of them.
The tests are only measure taken on one day and are not fully representative of a student's strengths or achievement, but it is important to be able to learn how to perform in more pressured environments.
School Grounds Safety and Security
Many of you will be aware that there were a range of incidents over the long weekend by vandals. Over the last few weeks we have had:
A skylight kicked in by vandals in the Prep rooms
The basketball court covered in diesel and set on fire
Illegal dumping of waste in the carpark
A theft from the builder's compound
Extremely dangerous, potentially fatal behaviour from teenagers on the roof of the auditorium
Thank you to the family who helped this weekend to clean up some broken glass from the basketball court and informed staff of the damage.
If you live close by and visit or pass the school during holidays and weekends, please don't hesitate to contact the Police about any anti-social behaviour or damage that you witness. We don't advise confronting people, but the Police are very good at visiting the school for even minor reports and serve as the best deterrent we have. I think that sometimes people are reluctant to call Police because they think it is overkill, but the minor things you might witness often turn into more serious behaviour or damage once everybody is gone.