RANDWICK HIGH SCHOOL 07 March 2025

A very warm welcome to all as we officially launch Randwick High School. With around 300 year 7 enrolments and a total student body of 1512, we are growing quickly. Our students have been very quickly and ably adjusting to the new co-ed campus and classrooms. Classes are settled into patterns of study and are working towards their first assessments for the year.

On the sporting field, we have enjoyed a Swimming Carnival, performed well at the Zone and are preparing now for participation at a regional level in swimming. Our Knockout teams have worked well together in training and in their first round matches. Most importantly, we are seeing extremely high levels of participation and engagement. Sport is an important pillar of our co-curricular programs at RHS.

More than 500 people visited the school on Open Night this year. Our student and staff tour guides showed our community who are looking to enrol at RHS around the campus, walking through learning displays, a performance by our band, visiting our new facilities and enjoying a P&C BBQ to finish off. The weather was beautiful and our campus, our students and staff shone beautifully!

Welcome to the start of an extra exciting school year! It has been wonderful to see our students return, ready to embrace the opportunities ahead for our new school. On the first day back, I reminded students that change can be difficult for everyone, staff, students and parents alike, and how important it is to be understanding and kind to one another as we adapt. Overall, it has been amazing to see that student have been empathetic and engaged.

A special welcome to our Year 7 students and their families as they begin their high school journey with us. Transitioning to high school is a significant step (regardless of a school merge!), and we are committed to ensuring every student feels supported and confident in their new environment. Our Year 7s have already demonstrated enthusiasm and resilience, and we encourage them to ask questions, get involved, and make the most of all the opportunities available to them. We have already covered their first swimming carnival, swim school, grade sport tryouts, school band involvement and many auditioned and are involved in our annual school show. This week, our Year 7 students have also participated in the 'MyResilience' Wellbeing Program, designed to help them build confidence, tenacity, and self-awareness as they navigate the transition to high school. Students identified 5 key strengths and learnt about how they can use these positive qualities both in the classroom and as they adapt to high school, especially when developing new peer relationships. Additionally, we had a fantastic Meet the Teacher BBQ, providing families with an opportunity to connect with staff and engage with the school community. It was wonderful to meet our families and hear many stories of positivity and success.

For our Year 12 students, this is a defining year as they embark on their final stage of schooling. We have been incredibly proud of the leadership they have demonstrated in our transition to our coeducational setting. We know that with dedication, perseverance, and support from their teachers, families, and peers, they will achieve great success. Moving forward, we encourage Year 12 students to set clear goals, stay organised, and make use of the resources and support available to them. Senior students can now access Edrolo for their subjects (online learning subscription funded by the school), and we are looking at opportunities to provide Year 12 with enrichment and support this year. We look forward to celebrating their achievements throughout 2025.

Expectations for Uniform and Devices

A strong school culture starts with consistency and high expectations. We appreciate the effort students and families have made in ensuring that our school uniform is worn correctly. Uniform fosters a sense of belonging and pride, and we expect all students to wear it with respect. We do expect that all students should be wearing black leather school shoes, which is also a WHS requirement. If there are any concerns regarding uniform requirements, please reach out to the school.

A reminder that mobile phones, earphones, and other personal devices must be placed in pouches during school hours. This policy ensures that students remain engaged in learning and are free from unnecessary distractions. We appreciate your support in reinforcing this expectation at home.

Lockers and Student Support

To assist students in organising their materials and reducing the need to carry heavy bags, lockers are available for student use. Application forms are available on the school website.

If you have any questions, feedback, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. We are here to support every student and ensure they are happy, valued and connected.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to a fantastic year ahead!

Warm regards,

On 18 of February, senior members of our high school leadership team—Ursela, Kai, Linda, and Adam—attended a prefect afternoon tea at St Catherine’s High School. The event brought together students from various schools, all passionate about leading their communities toward a better future.

The event began with an insightful discussion about school initiatives, where prefects shared their key leadership goals for the year ahead. Ideas included fostering stronger interactions between genders (for co-ed schools) and year levels to create a more cohesive school environment where students support each other’s success. We found this idea particularly relevant, as the beginning of 2025 marked the amalgamation of the boys' and girls' schools into Randwick High. As a result, we agreed that “Unity” would be our central focus.

What’s A Party Without a Little Fun?

The first game of the afternoon was trivia, covering essential knowledge every student leader should have—sport, music, and general facts. Some of us quickly realised that our historical knowledge could use a little brushing up (turns out the Titanic did not sink in the 1600s—sorry, History teachers!). But, what we lacked in accuracy, we made up for in enthusiasm.

Next up was a classic round of charades, where we put our acting skills to the test. While some performances could have won an Oscar, others might have left the audience scratching their heads. Regardless, it was a great way to break the ice and share a few laughs.

Following the games, we had time to mingle, discuss SRC-related topics, and exchange ideas about leadership. As the event wrapped up, we gathered for a final round of photos to commemorate the day.

A huge thank you to St Catherine’s for their hospitality and for inviting us to such a fantastic event. The opportunity to engage with fellow student leaders in a lively and meaningful setting was truly rewarding. In fact, the event was so inspiring that we’ve already started planning a prefect afternoon tea of our own!

Open Night

Swimming Carnival

My Resilience Program Year 7

Melbourne Dance Workshop

Randwick High Schools first inter- state Dance tour was an outstanding success!

This week a selected ensemble of Senior Dance Elective students had the incredible opportunity to attend the annual 'Melbourne Dance Tour'.

48 hours in Melbourne consisted of inspiring dance workshops and technical classes at 3 high profile dance studios, where students participated in workshops led by industry professionals. The tour, offered a unique chance for students to immerse themselves in the vibrant dance culture of Melbourne, gain insight from industry professionals, and enhance their technical and creative skills. All teachers commented on how quickly the students grasped the choreography and how creative they all were.

In addition to the technical workshops, the students had the opportunity to engage in discussions about the future of dance, the challenges of being a professional artist, and the importance of creativity and discipline in dance training. These conversations were invaluable, providing our students with deeper insights into the professional world and giving them the motivation to continue pursuing their passion for dance.

Students visited 'VCA' (Victorian College of the Arts) and observed students during class, as well as being taken on a highly valuable campus tour by the Dean of Dance. RGHS dance alumni, Tash Pickering completed her studies in 2024 graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at VCA, we are very proud of Tash and her achievements.

At the Channel 10 studios, students were part of the live audience for 'The Project'. This experience was particularly valuable for students studying both Dance and Entertainment Industry

Well done, dancers!

Thank you to sensational Susan Thorne, Shane Hawkins and Truclam for their assistance and support

Senior Dance Elective

On Thursday 13 February, Senior Dance Elective students attended an evening performance of Callback at the Seymour Centre. Callback is a showcase of exemplary works from the 2024 HSC Dance examinations.

Randwick Girls’ Dance graduate Lily Martin's Core Composition, performed by Year 11 dancer Simran Gill, was selected for this prestigious event.

Titled Serpentine Paradox, this work shows the contrasting nature of a snakes cunning predatory traits with its vulnerability when shedding its skin.

We congratulate Lily and Simran on this amazing achievement.

Little Fish Big Fish Year 7 Program

Randwick High School P&C is a group of parents, carers, staff & community members who work together to provide opportunities for all students at RHS. We meet on the third Wednesday of the month during school term at 7pm. All welcome!

It was lovely to see so many new faces at our first P&C meeting of the year. We heard parents are keen to connect, so to help kick this off, we will soon be hosting a Trivia Night. Stay tuned for more details.

A federal election is due very soon, and as our school is a voting centre, we we will soon be calling on volunteers to help host an Election Day BBQ.

The school has a very smart new school uniform! You can order the uniform online (www.midford.com.au). Volunteers are staffing the uniform fitting room, which is open on Tuesday morning between 8-9am in the Music Block, north of the Canteen.

Students are welcome to continue wearing their old high school uniform for the next two years. The P&C will host a second hand uniform sale on Monday 17 March. If you have any donations for the 2nd hand uniform sale, please leave these items at the office ASAP.

And follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates!

AGM/P&C Meeting Weds 12 March | Library.

Interested in the work we do for the school community and keen to join in? All parents, carers and staff are welcome to attend our AGM on Wednesday 12 March in the library, when all positions will be deemed vacant. The AGM will precede our regular P&C meeting, which is a great opportunity to hear from Principal Belinda Conway about the latest school updates and for parents to discuss new projects or ideas for the P&C.

We are here to advocate on behalf of parents & carers, so if there is anything you would like raised or if you have any ideas, please get in contact us via Facebook, or Instagram or email rhspandc@gmail.com.

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.

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