Head of Year 9 & 10 News

Celebrating Our Year 9 and 10 Students

It has certainly been a busy few months for our Year 9 and 10 students, with plenty happening both inside and outside the classroom. As we move towards the final part of the year, it is a great opportunity to recognise some of the achievements of our students and celebrate the positive contribution they continue to make to our school community.

Attendance – Every Day Matters

Attendance continues to be a major focus for our Year 9 and 10 students, and there is plenty to celebrate. Our Year 9 cohort is sitting close to 90% attendance for the year, while our Year 10 cohort remains well above 90%. These are fantastic results and reflect the commitment of our students and families to making school attendance a priority.

Every day at school matters. Regular attendance gives students the best opportunity to keep up with their learning, maintain friendships, participate in school activities and feel connected to their school community. Congratulations to the many students who continue to demonstrate outstanding attendance and make the effort to be at school each and every day.

Year 9 Camp – Building Our Village

Our Year 9 Camp was another fantastic experience and an important part of our students’ Rite Journey. A huge congratulations must go to the students who attended and embraced the challenges presented to them. At times, students found themselves outside their comfort zones and in situations that tested their resilience, teamwork and ability to support one another.

Our first night provided an opportunity to come together and “build our village”, strengthening the connections between students and recognising the importance of belonging and supporting one another. On the second night, students were given the opportunity to complete their Solo, an important component of their Rite Journey. It was fantastic to see so many students embrace the experience and challenge themselves.

Rite Journey – Catch-Up Solo

For students who were unable to attend camp, a catch-up Solo opportunity will be offered. The Solo is an important part of the Rite Journey program and provides students with an opportunity to step away from their normal routines, reflect on their journey so far and consider the person they are becoming as they move towards adulthood.

Further information about the catch-up Solo, including arrangements and expectations, will be shared with students and families shortly. We strongly encourage eligible students to take advantage of this opportunity and complete this important part of their Rite Journey.

Behaviour – Creating Calm Classrooms

Sometimes the students doing the right thing every single day do not receive the recognition they deserve. We want to acknowledge the large number of Year 9 and 10 students who consistently demonstrate excellent behaviour, respect and maturity throughout the school.

Positive behaviour has an enormous impact on everyone. Calm classrooms are productive classrooms, where teachers can teach and students can learn without unnecessary disruption. Congratulations to those students who arrive ready to learn, treat others with respect and contribute positively to their classrooms. Your behaviour helps create a better learning environment for everyone around you, and it does not go unnoticed.

Year 9 Dinner – Celebrating Locally

We are excited to announce that our Year 9 Dinner will be held at the Esk Civic Centre on Thursday, 26 November. This year will be particularly special as, for the first time, we are bringing our Year 9 Dinner into our local community.

The evening will provide an opportunity for students, families and Rite Journey staff to come together and celebrate our Year 9 students and their journey throughout the year. We cannot wait to recognise their achievements, reflect on the experiences they have shared and celebrate how much they have grown throughout 2026.

Year 10 – The Final Eight Weeks

A huge congratulations must also go to our Year 10 students, who now have just eight weeks remaining before they transition into Year 11 and begin the senior phase of their schooling.

Throughout their time in our middle years, this cohort has provided a wonderful foundation of positive behaviour and maturity. They have helped set the standard for the younger students following behind them and should be extremely proud of the way they have conducted themselves. We encourage our Year 10s to make the most of their final eight weeks, finish strongly and take the positive habits they have developed with them into Year 11.

There is plenty still to come before the end of the year, but there is also plenty already worth celebrating. Well done to our Year 9 and 10 students, and thank you to the families and staff who continue to support them.