Principal's Post
From the Principal
Ringwood is always a busy place and the last two weeks have been no exception. The Ringwood Rocks Respect carnival celebrating National Youth Week was a great highlight. Congratulations to the Wellbeing team and large group of student leaders who made it all happen. I hope that you enjoy the photo highlights that appear in this newsletter.
In continuing with the theme of respect, there have been many opportunities to commemorate Anzac Day that have involved our students. Our Year 7 and 8 student ambassadors participated in a schools’ service run by the Rotary Club of Ringwood at Ringwood Lake and another group at the Legacy service at the Shrine of Remembrance.
Our school assembly on Tuesday was led by our students and focussed on commemorating the service of Australian men and women. This year’s centenary of Anzac focus was on Villers- Brettoneux and the western front in France.
Symphonic Band did a superb job in presenting the music befitting for such a commemorative ceremony and was highlighted by the playing of the Last Post and Rouse.
On Anzac morning, I was joined by a number of our school leaders in Ben Holland, Ciara Lumsden and Samantha Olsen for the Ringwood RSL Dawn Service in Ringwood at the Clocktower. Lest We Forget.
We were joined at the assembly by members of our Heritage and Alumni group who then remained for the induction of Mr Gavin Fry a past student of Ringwood High School from 1958 to 1964, into our Heritage Hall of Fame.
The link with the Anzac story is quite unique. Gavin is a noted author, museum director, curator and artist. Gavin has been closely associated with the planning, development and direction of many museums throughout Australia. One period of his working life of great significance between 1980 and1986 was the oversight of the development, design, conservation and curation of photographs, film and sound, artworks, models and craft collections for the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, a collection of over 750,000 pieces
Ringwood Secondary College’s Information and Open Night was held on Wednesday as one of a number of activities that highlight the educational options for students at our school. This evening, supplements the program of school tours that runs throughout the school year. The weather was kind to us this year and it was a pleasure to highlight our new learning environments and outline plans for the future the turnout was again substantial with estimates of over 600 people in attendance. The demand for places at Year 7 for 2019 will again be exceptionally strong, with applications closing on May 11, 2018. Further details regarding enrolments can be located on the college website.
I am very proud of our students who are fantastic representatives of the College and very positive in their outlook and perspective. I would particularly like to thank our teaching staff for their efforts in preparing for the evening and particularly acknowledge the work of Mrs Leah Pritchard, Ms Anna Urbano, Mrs Karen Carden, Mr James Barut, Mrs Kim Watson, Ms Marissa Lee, Ms Faith Stepniewski, Ms Jessica Friend and Mrs Voula Margellis.
Many of you would now be aware that the NAPLAN online testing for Year 7 and Year 9 students commences on the week beginning May 14 and will occur at various times over a two-week period.
NAPLAN Online will result in reduced time between testing and reporting, increasing the ability of teachers to use the results to inform teaching practice. The ‘tailored test’ design adapts to correct and incorrect student responses providing a more precise understanding of student ability. Incorporating the use of technology, allows for a more engaging test design and a wider range of item types.
This term we welcome to the Ringwood Secondary College community two new members of staff as teachers of Maths and Science in Ms Gabrielle McNeice and Ms Neeru Salwan.
Shortly, we will commence elections for the newly created positions of student representatives on school council. Two of our students will be given the opportunity to become members of our main governing body and ensure student voice is more formally recognised.
The annual Student Attitudes to School Survey will also be conducted in the next fortnight as a further opportunity to capture and respond to student reflections about their learning at Ringwood.
For all those who are interested, copies of the 2017 Annual Report and 2018 Annual Implementation Plan will be posted on the College website on May 1st : http://www.ringwoodsc.vic.edu.au/college-strategic-plan
Michael Phillips
Principal