Riverside Currents Week 7 Term 3 2025

Preliminary Examinations

Our Year 11 students begin their preliminary exams on Monday. These are the final exams before students begin their HSC courses in Term 4 Week 3. We wish them well in their examination preparation and remind them that we are all here to support them during this intense time.

Year 12

There is a lot happening for Year 12 at the moment: Trial HSC exam marking is being finalised; papers are being returned; feedback is being given and final HSC preparations are taking place during lessons. I spoke with Year 12 yesterday to remind them of the importance of looking out for one another at this highly intense time and to ensure they continue to treat each other with care and respect. These weeks are important to prepare for the HSC as well as to build lasting memories of high school.

To mark the end of Year 12, planning is underway for the final week activities from 22-26 September, culminating in the Graduation on Thursday 25 September and Revue on Friday 26 September. These activities have been communicated to students via a year meeting. I would just like to remind all Year 12 students that formal learning will continue until this time with the same expectations of attendance, behaviour (including our no mobile phone policy) and uniform as always. This is a critical time for all Year 12 students to consolidate their knowledge and work with their teachers to prepare for their HSC written exams. I would just like to remind all students to keep their eye on the ball and continue to make good choices about their learning, time management and behaviour.

Amazing Teaching Moments

Each week we hold an Executive Meeting of the head teachers, deputy principals and principal. They are an important opportunity for us to make operational and management decisions for the school but mostly to determine teaching and learning directions and to reflect on the school-determined improvement measures by which we are guided. The Department of Education refers to the principal as the Lead Learner in the school and this is a title of which I am proud and one for which I am determined to excel in my leadership of these strategic directions. In 2025 the school priorities are explicit teaching, numeracy and reading. Every week one of our executive members presents an amazing teaching moment to reflect on the great teaching taking place in their faculty classrooms to promote these priorities, and to inspire their colleagues with strategies and initiatives to drive ongoing improvement in programming and practice across the school. Further to this weekly professional sharing our staff participate in cross-curriculum teams to focus on specific areas of improvement eg. Literacy, Numeracy, HPGE, Data, Primary Links, Communication and Community Partnerships. These teams engage with data and evidence (school-based and external) to lead the development and implementation of initiatives to lead improvement in learning, teaching and wellbeing. I am proud of our talented, dynamic teaching and learning community at Riverside and derive great enjoyment and satisfaction in leading such an intellectual, creative and collaborative group of professionals and students.

I hope you all have a wonderful sunny weekend.

Louise McNeil

Principal

SASS Appreciation Week

As we celebrate this important week we acknowledge all of the hard work that goes to support the running of all school activities, We Riversidians salute our SASS staff for everything they do in their determination to provide exemplary service and support to all teachers, students and parents every working day of the week, all year, no matter what the event or circumstance.

We, at Riverside are indeed very fortunate that we have such a wonderful team of SASS, who perform every task with a high degree of professionalism and pride.

Although each member of the team has their own area of expertise, collectively they are multi-skilled and are often called upon to perform special duties to add a special flavour and efficacy as the situation demands. They just shine in every role.

We thank you TEAM SASS for all that you do and wish you a fun-filled week.

Ms A Misra

International Students Excursion to Taronga Zoo

Once upon a crisp Sydney morning, a band of Riverside international students - set out via bus, light rail and finally aboard a ferry to travel across a sparkling Sydney Harbour bound for a land of mystery, magic, and wild encounters at our legendary Taronga Zoo. Perched high on the hillside, the call for adventure was loud and clear.

As we entered the gates, our intrepid explorers stepped into a living storybook. Paths twisted like secret trails through enchanted tree-lined trails, leading to creatures both wild and tame. Red Kangaroos basked in the sun while koalas dozed high in the treetops, dreaming of eucalyptus kingdoms. The students ventured deeper into the realms of the animal world- past the lions that sat like monarchs overlooking their mini savannah, and the graceful giraffes that towered above them like sentinels of the zoo and the city across the harbour. They were charmed by quokkas, lamas, fluffy chickens and baby lambs. Further on, they braved the shadows of the reptile lair, where ancient creatures whispered tales from a time before time, before following the bright feathers and songs of exotic birds that painted the sky with a kaleidoscope of vibrant colours.

But the day’s most enchanting chapter unfolded at the seal show - a performance of agility, intelligence, and playful spirit. With splashes of water and leaps that seemed to defy gravity, the seals became the heroes of the story, reminding everyone of the magic that exists when humans and animals share trust, respect, and delight. Students cheered, laughed, and leaned forward in awe, completely swept up in the energy of the seals power and grace.

Each step was more than discovery - it was a quest. Students swapped stories of their homelands, compared animals they knew with the ones they had just met, and captured moments of wonder through the magic of photographs. Together, they shared laughter, curiosity, and the thrill of adventure in this enchanted menagerie by the sea.

When the journey drew to a close, the explorers gathered for a final gaze across the shimmering Sydney Harbour. They carried with them not only souvenirs and snapshots, but also memories of courage, friendship, and awe - the treasures of another Sydney adventure.

Mr M Sendov