PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
I have been so pleased with the start to 2021. The College grounds ring with the happy noise of young children and young adults as they begin or continue their learning journey at The Riverina Anglican College. The addition of over 140 new Year 7 students and 175 new Junior School students has certainly added a feeling of renewal and growth and it has been exciting to watch them settle into College life.
In the Junior School, we have officially welcomed 11 new staff:
Jacklyn Baxter - Teaching Staff
Megan Green - Teaching Staff
Suzanne Heffer - Teaching Staff
Samuel King - Teaching Staff
Georgina MacDiarmid - Teaching Staff
Josephine McAleer - Teaching Staff
Jodie Noble - Support Staff - Assistant to the Head of Junior School
Suzanne Petts - Support Staff - Teacher’s Aid
Katherine Rodham - Support Staff - Teacher’s Aid
Brooke Tilyard - Teaching Staff
Kate Wickson - Teaching Staff
In the Secondary School, we have also officially welcomed 11 new staff:
Kylie Cashen - Teaching Staff - Mathematics
Janayah Christoff - Teaching Staff - TAS
Rachel Hislop - Teaching Staff - English
Christopher Ingold - Secondary School – Head of Secondary School
Tiffany Lashbrook - Secondary School - PDHPE
Sarah Lehman - K – 12 - Director of College Wellbeing
Kira Lough - Teaching Staff - Science
Nanette Medau - Support Staff – Teacher’s Aid
Melody Montague - Teaching Staff - English
Kelly Shaw - Secondary School - HSIE
Maryanne Voss - Teaching Staff – Head of HSIE
Every few years, the College has reoriented and reorganised Homerooms and Homeroom teachers in the Secondary School – the last time being in 2018. In 2021 the Secondary School students have been organised into House-based groups for Homeroom with students from Year 7 to Year 11 in each group. We have also changed the terminology to better reflect our focus each morning - these groups are Mentor Groups and each Mentor Group is assigned a teacher who will act as the Mentor for the students in their care. Mrs Johnson has become the Head of PDHPE and Mr Richardson will be working with Mr Ingold, Mrs Lehman and the Wellbeing Team in a different capacity as Guidance Counsellor and Mr Fuller and Mrs Kjaer have finished their time as Head of Year and Assistant Head of Year respectively. This staff movement has allowed us to begin to transition our wellbeing processes to be House-based. Mrs Liakatos and Mrs Bowen will remain as Head of Year 12 to ensure a smooth finish to the current Year 12 cohort and Mrs Smith and Mr Mannion will take Year 10 through to graduation.
Mr Ingold and the Heads of House will be in touch with you in the coming days to introduce themselves and discuss the exciting times ahead for students, staff and families. You will also be contacted by your child’s Mentor.
The Heads of House are:
Blackwell House – John Petts
Browning House – Lauren Kelly
Fox House – Elizabeth Passlow
Sheppard House – Jennifer Jenkins
Stanley House – Justin Buckley
Willsher House – Alice Mattingly
The House Prefect Induction Service this week was a wonderful event with our 24 new House Prefects sworn in by myself and presented with their badges of office by their Head of House. It was a privilege to welcome these students into their new roles and I look forward to working with them throughout 2021.
And finally…and somewhat inevitably, I have entered the world of Instagram with principal_at_trac. My posts will endeavour to provide you with a different view of our wonderful College – from my perspective. Students, staff, families, events and the day to day interactions I have at The Riverina Anglican College. As Colin Wright – Head of History – reminded me today “teachers are the original influencers” – and in this spirit - I shall do my best.
Have a terrific next couple of weeks and I look forward to the easing of restrictions in the near future and to welcoming you onto our campus.
Paul Humble | Principal