RSS Newsletter 2025 Issue 7

Principal Report

Celebrating Semester 1 Success and Looking Ahead! 

As we begin Term 3, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate the outstanding achievements and rich learning experiences from the first half of the year. 

We are incredibly proud of our students’ Semester 1 report card results. These reflect the consistent effort, curiosity, and dedication our students bring to their learning each day. Congratulations to all students for their achievements – and a big thank you to our teachers and families who support them so well. 

This term has started off with lots of exciting extra-curricular activities. Our students were treated to a vibrant and engaging Musica Viva performance, which brought music and culture to life in a truly memorable way. In addition, we were fortunate to host Queensland Cricket and Touch Football development sessions, giving students the chance to build their skills and confidence in a fun and supportive environment. 

To help families stay connected to their child’s learning, we’ve continued to provide Parent Curriculum Overviews each term. These overviews outline key learning areas and topics, enabling parents and carers to support and extend learning at home. If you have any questions about curriculum or content being covered, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher.  

A reminder that Parent-Teacher Interviews will be held on Tuesday 5th August. This is a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and next steps in learning. If Tuesday does not suit your family, please reach out to your child’s teacher to arrange a time that works for you. 

Looking ahead, Book Week is coming up in Week 6, and we’re excited to celebrate the joy of reading with a range of activities throughout the week. The highlight, of course, will be our Book Week Costume Parade on Friday 22nd August. We can’t wait to see our students dressed as their favourite book characters—start planning those creative costumes! 

I would also like to remind families about the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. Every day counts when it comes to learning. Students who are frequently absent or late can miss valuable instruction, class discussions, practical activities, and opportunities for group work and feedback. These gaps can impact both academic progress and social connection. In high school, it is the student’s responsibility to follow up with their teachers and catch up on any missed work—it is not the teacher’s role to chase students for this. We encourage families to support strong attendance habits to ensure every student gets the most out of their schooling. Thank you for your continued support. We’re looking forward to another successful and engaging term ahead! 

Our current attendance percentage is 87.3%.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please know that my door is always open. 

Until next time, 

Rebecca 

From the Deputy Principal Desk

It’s hard to believe we’re already in Week 3 of Term 3—the year is flying by! After a busy end to Semester 1, it’s been great to see students return from holidays with such a positive attitude and strong focus on their learning.

We’ve started the term with a strong PBL (Positive Behaviour for Learning) focus on "Play fairly and include others", and it’s been fantastic to see so many of our students following this expectation. Break times have been positive and inclusive, with students playing well together and showing respect and kindness in the playground.

Across classrooms, students have settled back into learning routines and are showing a strong commitment to doing their best. It’s been great to see the pride so many students are taking in their work and the positive atmosphere that’s developed across the school.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to share details about an upcoming event that will benefit our students and wider community. In Week 1 of Term 4 (Tuesday 7th – Friday 10th October), we’ll be running a dedicated Careers Week for our high school students. This will lead into the Richmond Regional Jobs and Community Expo on Saturday 11th October, coordinated by our local police officer, Braden Daly.

The Expo will be held at the Richmond Turf Club and feature a wide range of organisations, including:

• Queensland Police Service (Dog Squad and POLAIR)
• Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
• Queensland Ambulance Service
• The Australian Defence Force
• A variety of local and regional employers

It promises to be a fantastic community event with live displays, roping competitions, and hands-on activities. Throughout Careers Week, we’re aiming to bring some of these visiting providers into the school to run presentations and workshops with our high school students.

We’re also preparing for Year 9 and 10 students to participate in Work Experience during Week 10 of Term 4. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to step into real workplaces, develop job readiness skills, and explore future career pathways. Forms have already been distributed, and we encourage families to start discussions about possible placements. If you can offer a placement or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We appreciate the continued effort from families to ensure students are attending regularly and on time. Every day at school matters, and strong attendance helps students stay connected to their learning and peers.

It’s been a pleasure to see so many of our students showing kindness, effort, and responsibility in and out of the classroom. The pride and ownership our students are taking in their learning has been a real highlight this term.

Thank you to everyone already supporting our programs this term. I’m really looking forward to seeing everything come together and will continue to share updates over the coming weeks.

As always, if you ever have any questions, ideas, or just want to touch base, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to have a chat.

Warm regards,
Scott Jeffery
Deputy Principal

Head of Department - Curriculum

Welcome back to Term 3! 
Classrooms have been buzzing with activity this term with lots of engaging learning experiences occurring across subject areas. Teachers have been working with me as Head of Curriculum on how they differentiate for the individual learning needs within their classroom each lesson. This focus on learning needs, whether great or small, leads to improved student outcomes, increased confidence and feelings of success and accomplishment for our students. It also ensures we are considering how to best engage our students in their learning and looking for opportunities for contextualisation of our units of work.  

Curriculum in the classroom 

This term in English, our P-6 classes will be expressing an opinion or persuading an audience, whilst some classes will be completing a narrative study and creating their own adaptations. In our secondary classes, our 7/8 students are studying the life and infamy of Ned Kelly, while the 9/10 students are exploring court room drama and creating their own interview scripts.  

Parent Curriculum Overviews 

I encourage you to read the Parent Curriculum Overviews sent home this week (and included in this newsletter) so you are aware of what your child is learning. These overviews were also emailed to all parents, so please contact us if you did not receive this so we can ensure we have your correct contact details.
The assessment calendars attached to the overviews are great to keep on the fridge. If you know that your child will be away for a reasonable excuse during assessment, please communicate this with their teacher so that they are able to provide every opportunity for your child to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding for the term. We welcome any feedback you may have on how we can improve the Parent Curriculum Overviews and Assessment Calendars.   

Thank you for your continued support of your child’s education.  

Kind Regards, 

Mrs Rachel Evans 

Head of Department - Curriculum

Awards

Student awards are given to students who have followed the 4 school rules and gone above expectations to develop their learning skills.

Congratulations to all of our Award Winners in Weeks 2 and 3.

Parent Teacher Interviews

If you are experiencing difficulty with booking Parent Teacher Meetings, please contact us so we can make the booking on your behalf.
Phone - 47 686 333
E-mail - admin@richmondss.eq.edu.au

Sport

State Cross Country

Devon represented the Northwest at the state cross country titles in Nudgee ,Brisbane on the 19th & 20th July. 

On Saturday he competed in the 4 km cross country run with 122 other runners his age group Devon finished in a time of 17 minutes 38 seconds with an average speed 4:24 minutes per kilometre. 

Sunday, he competed in a 1500-metre time trial. The time trial was mixed ages and genders. Devon placed 5th in his age group, he was only 59 seconds behind the winner of his age group.

The Northwest group consisted of roughly 30 members, the biggest Northwest team ever with the highest race numbers at the event to date.

Devon was accompanied by his father Mr Wayne Milne.

Congratulations Devon.

Queensland Cricket

Thursday 24th July, we had 2 representatives from Queensland Cricket come to our school to facilitate a skills and drills workshops for the students. Each class got to participate across the day. Students worked on their throwing, catching, batting and fielding techniques.

Jump Rope for Heart

Jump Rope for Heart is designed to get students skipping to good health, while raising funds to help the Heart Foundation fight heart disease

Richmond State School is taking part in the Jump Rope for Heart program in Term 3. We are skipping every week to improve our skills and raise money for heart research. All families have been sent an email with the program information. If anyone would like to donate to our page, please follow the link https://www.jumprope.org.au/fundraisers/richmond-state-school-2025

Thanks in advance for your support. If you have any questions, please Contact Miss Baartz.

Touch Football

Students had the opportunity to further develop their skills in Touch Football with coaches from Queensland Touch football. Students were broken into three age groups and given an hour with the coaches. 

Thank you Miss Baartz for all the work you put in to ensure our students experience a variety of sports!

Musica Viva 

Musicians from Musica Viva showed students that you can make music with anything. We were shown how to use ordinary items from around the house and garden and turn them into instruments, with some amazing sound.

Bullying. No Way! Week – Taking a Stand Together

In Week 5, our school is proudly participating in Bullying. No Way! Week, a national initiative that empowers students, staff, and families to stand together against bullying in all its forms. Through class discussions, activities, and whole school events, we’re building a culture of respect, inclusion, and kindness. Everyone has the right to feel safe at school, and this week is a reminder that bullying is never okay. Together, we’re making our school a stronger, more supportive place for every student. Let’s say it loud: Bullying. No Way!

If you have concerns about bullying or would like to discuss support options for your child, please don’t hesitate to contact Ms Clare, the Provisional School Psychologist, for confidential advice and assistance via email cbros23@eq.edu.au or phone on 0476 245 220. 

Available: Monday to Tuesday at Richmond State School

Clare Brosnan

Provisional Psychologist

Student Wellbeing Program | North Queensland Region

E: cbros23@eq.edu.au M: 0476 245 220

School opinion Survey

We want to hear from you in the School Opinion Survey. We encourage parents and caregivers to have their say, so we can shape better learning environments for our students. Links have been emailed to all participants. Need more info? Visit the School Opinion Survey webpage or contact your school administration.

https://qed.qld.gov.au/.../schools/schoolopinionsurvey

Goodbye Toni

Over the holidays Toni finished her time with Richmond State School.  After 6 years of keeping our gardens immaculate, maintaining equipment and helping out wherever she is needed, Toni has moved to Charters Towers. You will be missed Toni, we wish you all the best for all your future adventures and don't forget to call in if you are in Richmond.

Current Employment Opportunities

Richmond State School currently has a part time temporary Teacher Aide position available for 2025. If you are interested, please submit your resume to admin@richmondss.eq.edu.au or drop it off to the Administration Office. Any questions regarding this role, please contact Megan Thorncroft or Rebecca Flick.

Important Notices

Sufficient Lunches

Please ensure your child/ren have enough food to cover both breaks. There is an increasing number of students requesting extra food for second break. The school maintains a supply of emergency food items that may not frequently align with individual preferences.

Labelling Student Clothing

We encourage families to write student names on their uniforms and winter wear, as we have a number of clothing items being put in the Lost Property. 

Our Lost Property box is overflowing with clothing, hats and lunch containers. If your child/ren are missing items, please come in and check the lost property as we will be taking the items to Red Cross at the end of Term 3.

Hats

Due to the increase in headlice cases at the school, we will not be offering spare hats to students that have forgotten to bring their own hat.  All students have been provided with at least one free hat from the P&C, and families that have been here since the introduction of our new uniform would have received a hat during the transition which the P&C also provided.

Uniforms

The school's Uniform Policy has been developed and endorsed in consultation with the P&C. Whilst we are reviewing the policy for 2026, it is expected that all students adhere to this policy. If you would like to be part of the 2026 Uniform Policy consultation, please keep an eye out for the P&C Meeting & Agenda notices so you can contribute to this process.

Konomie Island Super Camp 

Exciting times are ahead for our Year 5-10 students; they have only 3 weeks until they go on their Super Camp to Konomie Island. The final plans are in motion.

Any medications must be labelled by a doctor, with all medication forms to be completed through the school office.

No electronic devices are to be taken on camp. This is in keeping with the Department of Education's 'Phones away for the day' policy. Any students found with devices on camp will have them confiscated for the remainder of the camp and will receive a consequence on return to school. If you need to contact your child or they need to contact you whilst on camp, this can be done through the school mobile phone. This number will be provided to parents before the camp.

Attached is a list of items to take. Remember, space is limited, so consider the size and weight of your bag/s.

Any students not attending camp will be expected to attend school during the camp period. They will be provided with work to complete.

Library

Resources

There are a large number of culled resources and books located in the library, they are in good condition with some hardly used. If you or anyone you know is interested in taking them, please email jroge104@eq.edu.au

Book Week turns 80 in 2025

Children’s Book Week is The CBCA’s key highlight national event of the year. This year’s celebration will run from Saturday 16 to Saturday 23 August.

The 2025 theme is Book an Adventure! There will be a costume parade after breakfast club on Friday 22nd August. We encourage homemade costumes for Book Week, and the judges particularly appreciate the creativity and effort that goes into them. During the week there will be activities for students to participate in.

Now is the time to think about your costumes for the parade - which book character will you be?

2025 is also a milestone year for us as we celebrate 80 years of Children’s Book Week! For 8 decades, CBCA has been dedicated to inspiring young minds to journey through the countless worlds that books offer.  

Sora

Sora is an online library for students to borrow ebooks from. Sora can be used via an app that is downloaded onto your device or the website on a computer.

https://soraapp.com/library/eduqueenslandau

When asked for your student's school enter Education Queensland. The only other information needed is EQ ID details. Books read in Sora can be added to the Premier's Reading Challenge tally.

If you need any more information, please contact the school.

Peace Run

On Wednesday 16th July the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run stopped at the school on their way to Hughenden. Mayor Wharton and Deputy Mayor Fox joined us in welcoming the runners.

The Peace Run team introduced their vision and mission that Peace has to be found in all of us and at first in ourselves, only then we can live in harmony.

We learnt about the countries the runners are from, their flags and many more interesting facts. We then had our own mini run around the oval with Mayor Wharton holding the torch. Below is some information about the run.

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run, the world’s longest torch relay, returns to Australia in 2025! Encircling the continent in a-111 day 15,500km journey, an international team of runners will meet with schools and community groups to share how individuals, groups and organisations can dream and build a more peaceful world. 

Since 1987, the Peace Run has traversed over 165 nations on all 7 continents as a dynamic expression of humanity’s universal aspiration for a more peaceful world. The Peace Run is non-political, non-denominational and non-commercial. More than 8 million people have participated, from schoolchildren to luminaries such as Pope Francis, Nelson Mandela, King Charles, Saint Mother Teresa, Muhammad Ali, Prime Ministers, city mayors, sporting, humanitarian and entertainment celebrities.

The Peace Run was inspired by visionary Sri Chinmoy to give everyone an opportunity to express their hopes and dreams for a better world.  Athlete, philosopher, artist, musician and poet, Sri Chinmoy dedicated his life to inspiring people to find peace within themselves. He said, "Lasting peace must begin within the depths of the individual, and from there spread in ever-widening circles as a dynamic force for world change.”

Peace Run

Chewsday and Friday Breakfast Club

Chewsday

In Term 3, we will be offering a variety of freshly made sandwiches. There will be enough sandwiches for all students to have one each, if there are any leftovers they will be offered to students who would like another sandwich.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club is run every Friday with a variety of breakfast options for students. Parents and community members are welcome to join us. Come and enjoy a cafe style coffee!

RSS Parents' and Citizens' Association

Thank you to everyone who attended our last meeting. Special thanks to our outgoing President, Sherreen Johnston, and congratulations to our newly appointed President, Emma Gough. Emma has been a long-time member of the P&C and held various roles within the executive; she brings with her a wealth of knowledge.

Thank you, Emma. We look forward to your leadership.

2025 School Calendar

Tuckshop