RSS Newsletter 2025 Issue 1
Principal
Dear Richmond State School Community,
I am truly honoured to have been appointed as the permanent Principal of this incredible school and to become part of such a welcoming and vibrant community. Term 1 has begun on a positive note, with 108 students, new staff members, plenty of rain, and engaged learners diving into an exciting curriculum.
As we move through 2025, our focus will be on ensuring that we, as a school team, are working collaboratively on the right priorities at the right time. We are dedicated to supporting each student individually, helping them demonstrate growth and achieve excellence in their own unique way. Our efforts will also include reviewing, renewing, and revitalizing our systems and processes to ensure that Richmond State School continues to thrive for years to come.
In essence, our vision for 2025 is to build Unity, develop Clarity, and achieve Excellence. I invite every one of you to be part of this vision by joining the P&C team or offering your feedback and ideas on how we can collectively work toward these goals. The next P&C meeting will be held on Monday, February 17th at 5:15 PM in the library. We would love to see you there—attending doesn't require taking on a formal role, but rather an opportunity to be a part of our efforts to improve access and outcomes for all our students.
Family and Community Afternoon
We warmly invite all families and community members to join us for an afternoon tea, where you’ll have the chance to meet our current staff and hear about our plans for 2025. You’ll also be able to visit classrooms and see the fantastic learning that has already taken place this year. Please RSVP for catering purposes so we can ensure enough refreshments for everyone. I look forward to seeing you there!
Chewsday and Breakfast Club
We are grateful to have continued funding this year to support our popular Chewsday lunches and Friday Breakfast Club. It’s heartening to see so many parents coming in for coffee and a chat on Friday mornings. I encourage everyone to stop by if you have a moment—we have talented baristas on staff serving up delicious coffee, and it’s a great opportunity to connect with others in the community.
Miss Lynnie Henry has joined our cooking team as the lunch and breakfast coordinator. Lyn has been working with Megan and Julie to come up with a whole term menu of Chewsday lunch items. Please find the Menu Plan attached to this week's newsletter. As the year continues, we will endeavour to provide a nutritious and tasty lunch menu for students with the occasional sweet treat.
Today for Valentines' Day we had an extra special breakfast for students, staff and families. On the menu for students were pikelets with Nutella & cream, fruit, yoghurt cups, toast & juice. Our parents were also treated to some scrumptious scones with jam & cream, savoury croissants, raspberry & white chocolate muffins and coffee.
Student Leaders/Student Council
Congratulations to our student leaders who have demonstrated excellent public speaking and leadership skills as they present parade every Monday morning.
Student Council speeches and voting will take place next Monday in classrooms. Get working on those speeches.
I am looking for a parent or community volunteer to become a member of our Student Council team to offer support and guidance on community service, volunteering, and fundraising. If you are interested in being part of this team, please email me with your expression of interest.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or ideas—you’re always welcome to connect with me or the staff.
Looking forward to a fantastic year ahead!
Warmest Regards,
Miss Rebecca Flick
Valentines day Breakfast
Head of Department - Curriculum
Welcome to 2025! It has been a great start to the new school year as we welcome new staff and students to our school. We also have slightly different class compositions this year.
I am very excited to be the Head of Department – Curriculum at Richmond again this year and look forward to all of the exciting opportunities and progress that our school will make throughout 2025. I have been teaching 9/10 History this term and loving it! It is so rewarding to be in classrooms with our students, witnessing their progress and being part of their progress.
Our teachers have had a busy start to the year, creating inviting classroom environments and planning engaging learning for their students. We are so lucky to have a dedicated staff team at Richmond, and their hard work, consideration and investment in our students is noticed and appreciated.
Communication between home and school
While children are generally resilient, events happening outside of school can impact their attitude, behaviour, self-regulation and work ethic at school. Things like moving house, the death of a pet or family member, or a change in routine can disrupt their days at school. It is important to communicate any changes happening at home with the school so we are able to best support your child & your family. In this newsletter you will find a current teaching staff list that details our teachers, the year levels & subjects they teach and their contact information. We encourage families to maintain regular contact with their child’s teachers to ensure that we are on the same page and supporting the student to achieve their goals. In return, we will keep in regular contact with you to update you on events happening within the school, and your child’s teacher will update you on your child’s progress throughout the year. This term, we will be having Parent Teacher Interviews in Week 8. We will provide more information closer to this time.
Reading
Did you know that reading for pleasure is the greatest indicator of a child’s future success? More than their family circumstances, parents’ level of education or their income. Teachers are often asked by parents - ‘What can I do at home to support my child?’. And the answer is simple – read! Reading with your child is the number one thing you can do to support their development. The benefits of reading are endless – reading can:
- Expand your child’s vocabulary and imagination
- Improve their self-confidence and self-esteem
- Stimulate their brain and helps them develop critical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills
- Enhance their memory and concentration
- Improve their academic success
Tips to encourage reading in your home:
1. Make reading a habit – set aside time every day for reading and make it a fun and enjoyable activity.
- Create a reading environment – create a coxy and comfortable reading environment for your child. Provide a variety of books, magazines and reading materials that cater to your child’s interests. Reading doesn’t always mean pictures books or novels. Students could help you in the kitchen by reading a recipe, or the instructions for a new game.
- Lead by example – set an example for your child by reading yourself. Children are more likely to develop a love for reading if they see their parents or caregivers reading regularly.
- Encourage discussion – encourage your child to discuss what they have read, ask questions, and express their opinions. This can help in the development of their critical thinking ad communication skills.
- Celebrate achievements – celebrate your child’s reading achievements, such as completing a book or mastering a new reading skill. This can boost their confidence and motivation to read more.
(Source: https://lionstory.com/blog/articles/why-reading-is-essential-for-your-childs-future)
Reading is crucial across all aspects of learning and life. We encourage all families to read with your child/ren for at least 20 minutes per day.
Kind regards,
Mrs Rachel Evans
Updating your child/s details
At the beginning of term all families should have received an 'Update your Details' package. This package included our updated Internet Access Agreement, State School Consent form and update your details form. To ensure we have the most current details for your child/ren, please complete these forms and return them to the office at your earliest convenience.
If your child/ren require routine or emergency medication whilst they are at school, we must have additional forms completed and the medication. Medication must be in its original container, be in date and have your child's details label on it. If you have any questions regarding Medication, please see Megan in the Office.
Awards
Awards are an acknowledgement of your hard work and dedication to your studies.
Congratulations to recipients who received awards in week two & three.
Awards - Week Two and Three
School Photos
School photos will be taking place over 2 days on the 25th & 26th February. Please make sure your online orders are placed for sibling photos by 3:00pm Monday 24th February.
Term 1 - Chewsday Menu
Parent Curriculum overviews
Classrooms
Students hard at work in their classrooms.
Prep/One
3/4 B English
Uniforms
Well done to everyone wearing the correct uniform to school! It looks great when we are all in uniform - it also means we are sun-safe and ready for all the different activities at school.
Please make sure your child has a wide-brimmed hat for school.
The picture below is from our Student Dress Code Policy, which can be found on our school website: https://richmondss.eq.edu.au/SupportAndResources/FormsAndDocuments/Documents/student-dress-code.pdf
If you are needing to purchase uniform items, an order form can be found on our website or in the Administration Office. The uniform shop will be open for the purchase of uniforms at dates yet to be confirmed. If you require uniforms outside these times, please fill in an order form and leave it at the administration office we will contact you about collection dates and place.
2025 School Calendar
Tuckshop
Lunch Specials
Community News
