RSS Newsletter Issue 9 2023
- From the Acting Principal
- Deputy Principal
- Head of Department - Curriculum
- Goodbye from Ms Phillips
- Student Achievements
- Positive Behaviour for Learning
- Wellbeing Professional - Kelly Hansen
- RSS Alumni - Ready for the Future
- Book Week
- Longreach Athletics Carnival
- Library
- Chappy Charlie
- Community news
From the Acting Principal
I would like to thank the whole school community for welcoming me so warmly to Richmond State School. I am very privileged to have been given the opportunity to work with such dedicated staff and students and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the next week.
FREE DRESS DAY
Congratulations to our students for upholding the 4 school rules and reaching 70 000 Happy Vouchers! This is a wonderful effort and we should all be proud of our students and their commitment to Richmond State School’s Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Safe and Be a Learner.
CYBER SAFETY
Richmond State School Adopt-A-Cop Officer Mel will be holding ‘Think You Know’, a Cyber Safety presentation for all interested secondary students and parents on Wednesday, 13th September. There will be a student session in Session 4 and then a parent/carer session from 2:45-3:45pm. I strongly encourage all secondary students and parent/carers to attend this very beneficial and informative session. A permission note has been sent home with further details.
Wishing you all a safe September holidays and ready for Term 4 to resume Tuesday 3rd October.
Warm Regards,
Liz Bailey
Deputy Principal
I would like to take this opportunity to announce the appointment of Mr Chris Smith as Deputy Principal at Richmond State School. Mr Smith will be joining our team as of Monday 16th October 2023 until the conclusion of Term 4.
Hi my name is Chris Smith, I am originally from St George in South West Queensland. Having completed my studies at USQ in Toowoomba, I returned to St George as a Visual Art teacher for 4 years. In 2012 my wife and I relocated to Stanthorpe where we started our family with two children that are now 7 & 8 years old. Here at Stanthorpe I have continued working as an Art teacher and Head of Department. I’ve also had various stints as the Acting Deputy Principal here at Stanthorpe State High School and the nearby Clifton State High School. I thoroughly enjoy living and working in rural communities and find the social connections help strengthen the bonds of learning and support. I look forward to the opportunity to join Richmond State School in Term 4.
Head of Department - Curriculum
Year 9/10 Electives in 2024
In recent weeks our Year 8 students have been given the opportunity to decide, with the help of their parents, which elective subjects they would like to study in years 9 and 10 at Richmond State School. The elective subjects that students choose to study in year 9 and 10 do not have to indicate what subjects they study in years 11 and 12. For 2024 the students have voted to study the electives of Food Specialisations, Materials and Technology Specifications and Food and Fibre Production.
We have been working very hard to make these elective subjects as relevant and student-centred as possible, while still ensuring full coverage of the Australian Curriculum. I have been having ongoing discussions with the current year 8 and 9 students (with some eager year 7’s listening in) around what topics interest them, particularly in relation to Food Specialisations and we have created learning experiences tailored to their interests. One of the amazing benefits of Richmond State School is we are able and more than willing to have students input in what interests them. In Semester 1 next year in Food Specialisations, students will have the opportunity to learn basic kitchen operations and basic home baking techniques while gaining their Level 1 in Food Safety and look at professional kitchen operations and design healthy lunch food. In Semester 2, students have chosen to take their taste buds to Europe where they will design a menu, prepare and cook meals for a European banquet to share with their peers before exploring South American food where they will create a menu, prepare and cook meals to sell to staff.
The students are also very eager to continue in the workshop in Materials and Technology Specifications where students can expect to continue to learn how to use all of the hand, power and plant equipment and refine an increasing number of technical joinery techniques. In Semester 1 year 9 students will design and create a serving tray and a step while year 10’s will design and construct a picnic box and a toy box. In Semester 2 year 9 students can expect to construct a bird box and a side table and Year 10 students will design and construct a timber board game and a pallet project of their choice.
Work Studies at Richmond State School
Our year 9 students have been completing work studies all year and will continue to do so in year 10. This year the students have explored different career possibilities and the path towards their career aspirations. They have also explored the importance of teamwork and collaboration and health and safety in the workplace. They have created a cover letter and resume, investigated formal and informal recruitment processes and have been practicing their formal job interviewing skills. Before the end of the year students will have registered for their Unique Student Identifier (USI) which they will require for any nationally recognised training within Australia and complete their Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) qualification, giving them a qualification that they can use to gain employment before they leave Richmond State School.
Goodbye from Ms Phillips
To the Richmond State School community, thank you!
On the 30th of September 2021, I drove into the town of Richmond to begin a 12 month contract at Richmond State School. Ironically, on the 30th of September 2023, I will be driving out of Richmond, marking the end of 24 months, two amazing years in total, following an extension onto the initial contract.
This experience has provided me with the opportunity to enrich my skills and knowledge as a teacher and Education Leader. In a reciprocal, I hope I have been able to share some new learnings, ways of working, thinking and knowledge to your children and the school staff.
As I reflect on my time here with tears in my eyes having to leave, I find myself beaming with proudness to be able to boast to others that Richmond State School is an amazingly unique school. One that encompasses local ethos, culture, history and community values with modern curriculum to provide supportive opportunities for all students to achieve. It has been an absolute privilege and pleasure to be part of the Richmond State School community and having had the opportunity to teach nearly every student from prep to year 10 during my time in Richmond. I look forward to hearing, reading and following the Richmond kid’s educational journey over the coming years!
My sincere thanks goes out to you - the parents, carers and network of community members who welcomed, accepted and took trust in me whilst in my position at Richmond State School. Your support was truly appreciated.
Till we cross paths again, take care and remember to ‘never stop learning; for when we stop learning, we stop growing’ (J. Lewman). Regards, Cheryl Phillips.
Thank you Ms Phillips,You will be missed.
Student Achievements
Congratulations to all award recipients. You have been recognised for your hard work and dedication to learning & our school.
Term 3 Week 7
Term 3 Week 8
Term 3 Week 9
Positive Behaviour for Learning
The students at Richmond State School have successfully reached their goal of 70 000 Happy Vouchers. This means that all students will have the option of wearing free dress on Friday 15th of September. Please remember that free dress will need to meet our expectations of ‘sun safe’ and that logos, images and text are school appropriate. Students must wear closed in shoes to meet our safety regulations. On Thursday and Friday Week 10, 14th and 15th of September, students will have an opportunity to engage in our Master Class program. This program gives our students a unique opportunity to engage in activities that are not normally offered in day-to-day learning. Everyone at Richmond State School is very grateful to the external community members who have given up their own time to run classes this term.
Master Classes will include:
- STEM – Bridge Building
- Sensory Play
- Mindfulness Activity
- Dance
- Golf at Richmond Golf Club
- Macrame
- Cooking
- Roping
- Water Colour Painting
- Paper Craft
- Sketching
- Tie Dye Shirt Making
- Boxing
- Nature Collage
Students will select their Master Classes during our Monday morning PBL lesson.
Wellbeing Professional - Kelly Hansen
Hi Richmond SS community,
I want to thank you all for welcoming me here at Richmond and I wish you all the very best.
Kelly Hansen
RSS Alumni - Ready for the Future
My Name is Keegan Nelson and I’m a proud past student at Richmond State School. I started preschool in 1997 and went through to grade 10 finishing in 2006. During those years I was fortunate enough to be taught by some of the most passionate teachers, and they still reside in Richmond to this day.
Being a young boy growing up on the land school wasn’t a major interest for me, but going to see my friends, playing sports and having a great time made it all worth it. I made many friends to which I’m still very close to today. I will be forever grateful for the opportunities and support R.S.S showed me in my years of schooling.
During my last year of school at RSS I was completing a school-based apprenticeship for Light Vehicle Mechanic. My parents enrolled me into All Souls Charters Towers to complete grade 11 & 12. I was offered a full-time position as a Light Vehicle apprentice at the end of grade 10 with the local mechanic shop. I had to make the hard decision to either complete grade 11 & 12 or continue my apprenticeship as a mechanic. I completed my trade in 2009 and I’m very glad I made the decision to stay and enter the workforce. Since then, I completed my Cert 111 in meat inspection and Cert 111 retail butchery.
Today I’m running my own business with my wife and loving every day. Nothing makes me prouder to say my full education was at Richmond State School. As a business owner in Richmond, R.S.S is so important to our little town & businesses. They can provide school based apprenticeships and empower our next generation to follow their dreams.
A little bit of advice for all attending R.S.S and future attendees. You’re only at school for a short time of your life, you will whinge to your parents you don’t want to go to school it’s not fun, boring, you hate it! Now as an adult I wish I was back at school some days. You never stop learning even when you finish school. You will look back one day and remember those teachers and what impact they made on your life.
So put 100% into everything you do and watch the rewards come your way.
Book Week
Each year The Childrens Book Council of Australia hold book week to celebrate the achievments of Austrlian Authors and illustrators below is some history on the childrens book council. Read, Inspire, Grow was the 2023 theme. Throughout the week Mrs Ybema, Miss Jana, Miss Oliver and Chappy Charlie ran the following activities for students to participate in: Colouring in, how to plant a seed, You Inspire Me, listening to the reading of Dr Dog and a scavenger hunt. Friday after breakfast club the students and staff engaged in a costume parade. Thank you to the students and parents for getting involved with such a fun event, check out the gallery of photos.
A massive shout out goes to Mr Theodore for his amazing decorations and his helpers who gave up their time to finish his vision. The library was tranformed into a magical garden. We are already planning next years MAGICAL week.
The CBCA presents annual awards to Australian books of literary merit, for outstanding contribution to Australian children's literature.
The CBCA was founded in 1945 when Australian children’s books were few, and Australian authors and illustrators were virtually unknown. The following year, 1946 the The Book of the Year Awards, an annual award to promote books of high literary and artistic quality was established. These awards are now the most influential and highly respected in Australia.
Each year, across Australia, the CBCA brings children and books together celebrating Children's Book Week . Throughout the year, the CBCA works in partnership with authors, illustrators, publishers, booksellers and other organisations in the children’s book world to bring words, images and stories into the hearts and minds of children and adults.
Australian children’s literature enriches our nation and reaches children across the world through international editions.
Dress-up Parade
Longreach Athletics Carnival
Longreach Athletics Carnival was held on the weekend of the 19th-20th August,students represented the school for mid-west hoping to be chosen in the North -West team. Members of the Richmond Athletics Club also participated in the sunset carnival. Congratulations to everyone who particpated, helped out and travelled to Longreach.
Longreach carnival
Library
Amazing changes for the library, we have upgraded our system to Oliver 5, this is a web based system that allows users to access from any device. We are still learning all the amazing features Oliver 5 has to offer. One of the most exciting things, is the ability for students to access from home, to research titles in the library and also see what current loans they have out. Students need their individual login to access these features. If you would like this information please contact library staff.
Below is a link for you to explore Oliver 5, remember if you would like to see certain titles, send an email to library@richmondss.eq.edu.au ,we will do our best to try and get those titles.
In term 4 week 2 we are hosting a buy one get one free book fair, if you are looking for gifts or just to upgrade your home library, come and check it out.
Chappy Charlie
Week 10 Chappy Charlie will be flying out to Richmond State School to spend the last week of term with the students. Chappy is really looking forward to spending time with the children and catching up with parents throughout the week.