Wellbeing & Engagement 

What a fantastic first term it has been at Rangeview! 

I feel so privileged to have shared so many amazing experiences with the staff, students and families at the school over the last ten weeks. With the wonderful and thoroughly deserved news that Marika Ferguson will move into the substantive Principal role, I am so happy to be able to continue at the school as we move into Term 2.

The last two years have disrupted so many things in education as a whole, so it has been such a thrill to see engagement levels at Rangeview once again thriving. Students at school everyday, assemblies, whole school events, parents and carers involved onsite again - the community aspect of a school really does set the tone for students coming to school with positive attitudes. Thank you to everyone for the support across the term; we can’t wait to welcome the students back for Term 2 and continue to offer as many opportunities as we can to support student wellbeing and engagement.

Harmony Day

March 25th gave us a beautiful, sunny day to celebrate our cultural diversity and spread the message that we are all equal. The students (and staff!) looked fantastic dressed up in their costumes or the many splashes of orange we saw across the school. I was so proud to see all students demonstrate a real understanding of inclusion, diversity and respect towards others. 

The highlights for me were learning all about the cultural backgrounds of our students, the visit of Aunty Irene and the traditional Aboriginal smoke ceremony at our assembly, the costume parade, and the Bollywood dance workshop. It was such a joyful day and this is a feeling we’ll be looking to maintain at Rangeview for the remainder of the year!

Student Leadership

I have previously shared that one of the most enjoyable roles for me this year has been working with our brilliant 32 student leaders. Last week, I had the pleasure of taking our School and Voice Captain to the annual GRIP Leadership Conference, where they interacted with many other schools, participated in activities and did some serious ‘leadership learning’. Today, the same leaders are attending the Shrine of Remembrance for the annual Legacy ANZAC Day Student Commemoration Service. 

All student leaders have represented the school incredibly well this term and I congratulate them all for their efforts in setting the right example to all of our younger students!

Other Events

When we talk ‘engagement’, there are a number of factors that come into play. Friendships and connections, the impact of teachers and ES staff, favourite subjects, and so on… but a significant element of engagement with school comes from extra-curricular activities. 

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been lucky enough to see all of our Year 3-6s participate at the Athletics Day, along with all levels taking part in the SEDA Inflatable Days. Lego Club is up and running, Band and Choirs are sounding amazing, and I know from my walkthroughs of classrooms, our teachers are offering other unique experiences (outside of the regular curriculum) based on student voice and interests. I am really proud of the hard work our staff have consistently put in across the term to ensure the first full term for a long time has been the best they could possibly make it for our students. 

The Fathering Project

A couple of weeks ago, we hosted our Rangeview Social Soiree, which included a presentation from dads Chris Roche and Simon Tan about The Fathering Project. We are excited to get this program back up and running across the year! 

If you are interested in finding out more information, you can register on The Fathering Project website and receive updates via email. This week, some simple tips were shared for our father figures out there - set the challenge for yourself to be present with your kids and do these over the holiday break!

1. Be positive and intentional with your communication

- Intentionally make your interactions with nephews, nieces or your children's friends enthusiastic and encouraging.

2. Seek out other father figures for your own children

- It's always good for your child to have other positive role models in their life. Whether it's your mate, a sports coach or teacher.

3. Be a role model

- Children look up to positive role models, each having a different impact on boys and girls. 

I hope all members of the Rangeview community have a relaxing, safe and happy holiday break, and I look forward to seeing you all back on Tuesday, April 26th.

Liam Sommers

Acting Assistant Principal