Riverside Currents Week 6 Term 4 2025

From the Principal

Dear Parents/Caregivers, Year 9 Camp It has been a big week for Year 9 with them attending camp at the Great Aussie Bush Camp in Kincumber. I went up to visit them yesterday to witness for myself the fun they were having. I may have even participated in the Giant Swing and Archery – thankyou to Amelia T and Sophie B for encouraging me to join them on the swing and for giving me the responsibility for pulling the release cord – I have never gasped and laughed so loudly! Camps are an important rite of passage in a students’ school experience. The outdoor learning provides students with the opportunity to push their limits, create new social connections and take a break from the routine and pressure of classroom learning. Year 9 camp also focuses on providing opportunities for students to develop a broader skillset to prepare them to enter senior schooling with a new or renewed sense of self-confidence, a wider social network, problem solving skills and, hopefully, a sharper focus on their learning, having had the chance to take a break from the wider school community and just be locked down with their cohort for a few days. We look forward to welcoming them back today with many stories to tell. Thankyou to Ms Campbell for organising the camp and to her trusty crew of accompanying teachers – Mr Zabakly, Ms McNeil-Dean, Ms Millington and Ms Chilcott. They all seemed to be enjoying the activities, too. Year 10 Transition for Success Week Year 10 will participate in the Riverside initiative, Transition for Success, in Week 8 (beginning Monday 1 December). The purpose of this week is to provide students with insights into the courses they have chosen for Stage 6 through taster lessons; to revisit the basics of our whole school learning strategies, such as PEEL (to scaffold and model best practice in academic writing) and Learning Intentions Success Criteria (LISC) to remind students of the purpose of LISC in making explicit the purpose and learning goals of the lesson; pathways planning with the Careers Adviser, Ms Soares, in collaboration with Macquarie University; a study skills session delivered by Elevate; as well as a wellbeing day at Luna Park, organised by Ms Aldred. Thankyou to Ms Mihailou, for coordinating this day, along with all of our teachers for providing this wonderful opportunity for Year 10 to prepare for their HSC studies. Year 9 Peer Support Training An important part of our leadership development program at Riverside is building leadership capacity through formal activities, such as training peer support leaders. A big thanks to Ms Campbell and her team of teachers and support staff who had a big day today training groups of Year 9 future leaders in skills that they will need to be effective leaders; their first gig being to support our Year 6 students in their transition to high school in 2026. Orientation Day This leads into Year 7 Orientation Day which is held statewide on the same day in all public schools – Tuesday 2 December 2025. We look forward to welcoming our Year 6 students from no less than 20 primary schools to join us in a day of workshops to introduce them to life as a high school student. The day will begin with an assembly for parents and students, led by Ms Hendriks, the Year 7 Year Adviser 2026. Parents will be introduced to Head Teachers and have the opportunity to listen to current Year 7 students share their stories of high school. Year 6 will then go into school groups and be accompanied by their peer support leaders who will spend the day with their group and continue as their peer support leader next year. It is a huge comfort for students transitioning into an unfamiliar school environment, particularly primary school to high school, to have a familiar face awaiting them and greeting them at their first day of high school and beyond. It is always an emotional day for parents but one that we look forward to. Thankyou to all of our peer support leaders in advance for putting your hand up to be our “big sisters”.

HSC Showcase ENCORE

Our very own Freya N has been selected to perform her song, Take Me Home, in the HSC Showcase, Encore. This is the highest level of HSC achievement for Music students and happens after a rigorous, multi-staged shortlisting process, beginning with the HSC performance. Congratulations to Freya and to Ms Wang, who has been her passionate, dedicated Music teacher since Year 7.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Louise McNeil Principal

From the Deputy Principal

Please remind your young person the importance of tapping on and off with their school Opal cards when at the start and end of their journeys. Tapping on and off is vital, not only for ensuring fare compliance, but recording passenger numbers as well. This patronage data plays a critical role in planning and maintaining ferry and bus services, helping to ensure services are provided when and where they are required the most. Thanks for your support of this service. Melissa Gleeson Deputy Principal

Second Hand Uniform Shop

Riverside Toy Drive

White Ribbon Day

Year 10 Elevate Parent Information Night

In just under a month we have the Year 10 Elevate Parent Information Night. It will provide valuable tips and strategies to help your child succeed academically and is paired with the Effective Study Habits Workshop that Year 10 students will be partaking in during their Transition to Success week. Date: 2 December Time: 5:00 PM Location: School Library An RSVP link has been emailed to Year 10 parents.

Ms A Mihailou

Faculty News