Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Journey Blue Mountains
Dear RBHS Community,
As we move into November (the term is flying!), I would like to invite you to a very special event. This year marks the 75th anniversary of RBHS, and we are excited to host a birthday celebration on December 10. Join us for an evening filled with memories and community spirit as we honor our past, rich history and look forward to the future of Randwick High School. It will be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, so mark your calendars! (Please see the flyer for further information and QR code to RSVP for catering and planning purposes).
I’d also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Student Representative Council (SRC) for their successful Halloween fundraiser held yesterday. It was a fantastic event, showcasing the creativity and enthusiasm of our students. Your participation and support help us raise funds for important initiatives within our school community and charities.
As we continue through this exam period, I want to remind everyone that HSC exams are currently underway, and I encourage our Year 12 students to stay focused and confident. In addition, our Year 9 students are wrapping up their exams this week, and I wish them the best of luck. Next week, we’ll see our Year 8 students begin their exams, and I have no doubt that they will approach this challenge with the same dedication and hard work.
Thank you all for your continued support and engagement in our school community. Together, we make RBHS a place where every student can thrive.
Warm regards,
BOO!
NO Tricks, just Treats
Yesterday, 31 October, we had a fantastic turnout for our Halloween fundraiser, with students joining in the fun to support a great cause. The SRC organised a “mufti” day, allowing students to come to school in costume - with a few fun but sensible restrictions, of course. There was an exciting buzz as students got into the Halloween spirit while also picking up lolly bags for $1 and Zooper Doopers for $2, with all proceeds going directly to Beyond Blue in support of Mental Health Month.
A special highlight was the Year 7 “Social Games”, hosted with the Girls’ school. It was a memorable event packed with activities, like musical chairs, costume contests, and fun icebreakers that brought our students closer together. Seeing Year 7 students bond and build friendships was reminiscent of my time in Year 7 all those years ago - time flies too fast.
However, most of all, this Halloween event was a reminder of how important community is to our mental wellbeing. On that basis, as part of Mental Health Month, the event served a crucial purpose, raising over $250 for a very worthy cause, Beyond Blue.
Those struggling with mental health often hide behind smiles, like a mask, making it hard to see what they may be feeling deep inside. Depression often “wears a smile,” too and it’s easy to miss the signs. The only way to truly know what someone is thinking or feeling is to ask. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in the previous 12 months, 1 in 7 children and adolescents aged 4-17 years experienced a mental illness and 1 in 5 Australians aged 16-85 (22% of 4.3 million) experienced a mental disorder.
With that in mind, thanks to everyone who participated and contributed—You made this event both memorable and meaningful.
To finish off, I remind you to ‘Treat Yourself’! This weekend, go out and celebrate, for finishing your exams, completing your homework, a big project or just surviving another week looking after the kids. Go eat out to a fancy restaurant, hang out with friends, go to the movies, or simply read a book. Whatever your treat is, enjoy it to the fullest, because we get caught up in filling the lolly bag to the brim, never knowing what we might get next—one sweet, one sour, or one that expired three years ago. But what we forget all too often is that the real fun comes from who we share it with, making every treat, trick, and surprise, that little bit sweeter.
For those needing extra support, here are some services you can call…Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline: 13 11 14. And don’t forget our in-school counsellor if you are a student who needs someone to talk to.
So always remember those three little words, Are you Okay? And remember to ask your friends whenever you think they may be struggling.
‘Creep it real’
Halloween 2024
Yesterday both Randwick Boys' and Randwick Girls' celebrated Halloween with several coinciding events: mufti day, Zooper Dooper and lolly sale, and a combined Year 7 game session during lunchtime.
It was great to see students involved in all the events, and I wanted to thank everyone who wore their spookiest outfit, donated a gold coin donation, participated in the Year 7 icebreaker/social games, and helped out doing the sweet treat stalls. Special thanks to Ms Conway, Ms Olsen, Mr Nguyen, Ms Vierboom, Mr Maunder, Mr Calandra, and all of the office staff for helping out during the day's events.
The SRC/Prefect Body also voted for a charity to raise funds for Halloween. This year we have decided to fundraise for the Beyond Blue Foundation, an organisation that focuses on the mental health of Australians and provides support to those in need. As a school, we have raised approximately $300 for Beyond Blue. Well done!
World Teachers’ Day - you can still send your Thank You message!
The Randwick Boys' High School P&C would like to give everyone in our school community (students and family members!) the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the amazing efforts of our hard-working staff this World Teachers' Day, Friday 25 October 2024. Please add your message to say thank you, whether to the whole team at RBHS or to a particular member of staff, and let them know how they've made a difference to you, your student, or your family in this big final year of Randwick Boys' High School. If you have a picture of a special school moment with a staff member, you can upload it with your message. As a token of our appreciation of all their efforts on behalf of our families, the P&C will be making a donation to the end-of-year staff function. If you would like to add a contribution, donations of $1 or more are very welcome!
Thank you from the RBHS P&C.
Second-Hand Uniform Sale - uniform items wanted!
The end of the HSC is fast approaching, so we're getting ready for the last P&C pre-loved Uniform Sale of 2024. Now's the perfect time to get your unwanted school uniform items that are still in good condition together so that another family can benefit from them. Please drop your washed items to the School Office - summer and winter uniforms are welcome!
Farewell to our Principal, Mr Lance Raskall
If you would like to send a farewell message to our former Principal, Mr Lance Raskall, you can still do so. Please follow the link below to our farewell card.
Everyone is also welcome to add a contribution to a gift to Mr Raskall from our families.
School Absence Notification System
Regular attendance at school is essential to assist students to maximise their potential. At Randwick Boys' High School, we must ensure our school has effective measures in place to monitor and follow up students absences. We are required under Section 22 of the Education Act (1990) to undertake all reasonable measures to contact parents promptly and within two school days of absence. We have implemented additional measures to ensure we are upholding the NSW Department of Education standards here at Randwick Boys' High School. Our school absence notification system consists of a text message, follow up email and Sentral notification in the parent portal, to minimise unexplained absences. An absence is unexplained if parents have failed to provide an explanation to the school within 7 days. Thank you for your understanding and assistance.