From the Principal
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
Wear it Purple Day
The theme for this year’s Wear it Purple Day is Bold Voices, Bright Futures. We held an assembly to celebrate this morning and I have included a copy of my speech to the students below. It was a message that went beyond Wear It Purple and I made this clear in my introduction to the assembly. It is an important day for all young LGBTQIA+ students and their communities and we stand together with them to work to make the world a happier, safer place.
SPEECH
Today is a significant day on our calendar as we come together to celebrate and support our rainbow community of LGBTQIA+ students and staff for wear it Purple Day.
It is a day for all of us to reflect on the values of kindness, inclusion and care for all humans and to reflect on our behaviour towards all people, at school and in the community - checking that we respect and embrace diversity, difference and individuality in all that we say and do.
This year’s theme, Bold Voices, Bright Futures, reminds us of the power each of us holds when we speak up with courage and stand together with pride alongside every human we meet in our life’s journey.
Whilst wearing purple is a symbolic gesture to show loudly and proudly that we stand alongside everyone in our school community, regardless of sexual identity, it is way more than a symbol; it is a statement of strength and solidarity that we will never stand by and watch the bullying or discrimination of anyone, thinking particularly today of our LGBTQIA+ friends and community.
Wear it Purple is the declaration that at Riverside we embrace diversity, promote acceptance and strive to create safe spaces where every young person feels empowered to be confident and proud to be themselves, whatever their self thinks, feels or believes.
This year we embrace bold voices, bright futures because when we give bold voices to our LGBTQIA+ community, we guarantee you the possibility of a bright future full of happiness and opportunity.
We guarantee all LGBTQIA+ young people a future where you may be open and honest, free from inhibition or fear.
We guarantee you that you may aspire to and achieve big hopes and dreams that will contribute to your happiness as well as the vibrance and success of the society in which we all live.
We also guarantee that our society will continue to thrive and grow in creativity, intellect and innovation. And when we wrap our arms around our big, broad community of people and the diversity of talents, interests, personalities and capabilities that comes with this, we create a society where we all belong and from which we will all benefit.
We know that many young people face challenges and confusion because of their sexual identity. But by standing together today, wearing purple with pride, we send a clear message: you are seen, you are valued, and you belong.
Let’s carry this spirit beyond today. Let’s be bold in our words and actions, championing kindness, respect, and inclusion every day. Together, our bold voices will light the way to bright futures for all.
To everyone here who identifies as LGBTQIA+ - we see you (if you are ready to be seen), we hear you and we care about you. And today we wear purple for you.
CAPA/TAS Showcase
It has been a huge week again for our Year 12 students, particularly those who have completed and submitted major works, including Design & Technology, Textiles & Design, Visual Arts and Extension 2 English. It was a wonderful exhibition of student work on Tuesday evening in the gym and the hall at the CAPA/TAS Showcase and we always welcome the opportunity to celebrate with our parents. Our Drama and Music students are also having their performances marked by external markers over the next two weeks. We wish them all well during this very intense time.
Ryde Schools Performing Arts Festival
We were very lucky to have the dulcet tones of young choral voices in our school this week as we hosted the rehearsals for the primary and secondary choirs for the Ryde Schools’ Performing Arts Festival to be held at the Opera House in November. It is always a beautiful event and I was very proud to have had one section of the primary school choir rehearsing outside as I escorted the Ryde Network of Principals into the school for our term meeting. They sounded wonderful and gave the school a special glow. Stay tuned for details of the performance.
Fundraisers
It has also been a week of fundraisers with bake sales and lolly guessing. Thankyou to the ever-enthusiastic efforts of our SRC and Write a Book in a Day participants for bringing these wonderful, community-oriented events to our school to raise awareness for important causes as well as enliven school life – everyone loves a good homemade chocolate caramel slice – surely.
SRC – Leadership Induction Friday 19 September 9:30am
And on the SRC, it has been my absolute pleasure to meet with the successful candidates for all of the leadership roles in our school over the past few days. There were some very happy faces. If your daughter has been elected to a leadership position, please put the following date in your diary – Friday 19 September 9:30am – the ceremony will take place in the Hall followed by morning tea. I look forward to working with our new, talented leadership team.
Year 7, 8, 9 HPGE Showcase – Friday 5 September 8:30am
This is a showcase of works produced by students in the HPGE program in Years 7-9. Everyone is welcome to attend to see the standard produced by our gifted students. It will be held in the Library and catered for by Ms McNeil-Dean’s Year 10 Food and Beverage team. Everyone is welcome.
I hope you have all had a wonderful week.
Louise McNeil
Principal
Wear it Purple Day 2025 - “Bold Voices, Bright Futures” 💜
At Riverside, we don’t just talk about diversity - we celebrate it. This year on Wear it Purple Day, our school came together to send a simple but powerful message to LGBTQIA+ students, staff, families, and allies: you belong here, exactly as you are.
We marked the occasion with a formal assembly that reminded us why this day matters. Wear it Purple Day empowers LGBTQIA+ youth to dream big and share “Bold Voices, Bright Futures” - the fitting theme for 2025. It isn’t about ticking a box or wearing a colour for one day. It’s about standing up against homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and interphobia, and showing that everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and proud of who they are. Our community is stronger when everyone is free to be their authentic self.
From Ms Ghorra + The Wellbeing Team
GO Foundation Visit Supporting Our Year 12 2025 Graduates
Riverside was honoured to welcome Jay Wathun from the GO Foundation to meet with our soon-to-be graduating Year 12 students, Matilda T.H. and Sharlae H.
Jay’s visit was an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our students as they prepare to take their next steps beyond Riverside. His ongoing support and encouragement reflect the GO Foundation’s commitment to empowering young Indigenous students and creating pathways for their future success.
We extend our sincere thanks to Jay and the GO Foundation for continuing to stand alongside our students and for helping us nurture their growth, confidence and aspirations.
Ms Ghorra - Aboriginal Student Coordinator
Faculty News
Science
Practical lesson in Biology
Exploring the Human Body: Year 12 Biology Students Dive into Dissections
This week, Year 12 Biology students explored the structure and function of human body systems through kidney and eye dissections. By identifying key structures such as the nephron, lens, retina and optic nerve, they brought textbook concepts to life and deepened their understanding of how organs work.
Students also connected their learning to real-world issues, discussing how disorders like cataracts, myopia, hyperopia or kidney failure affect function and considering technological solutions such as artificial kidneys or lenses or LASIC surgery.
I am proud of the curiosity, teamwork and critical thinking demonstrated by my students, who engaged enthusiastically in applying biology to modern medicine and future innovation.
Ms A Nikic
TAS
Making it with Memphis
Our Year 10 Design & Technology class was set the challenge of designing Memphis themed flatpack projects made from plywood. Most of our time was spent designing tabs and slots using Adobe Illustrator, carefully creating individual pieces that would fit together to form a larger, cohesive product. Some of the most popular designs included shelves, jewellery stands, mini bookshelves and plant holders. Even though many of us explored similar ideas, each project had its own unique twist and style, reflecting our individual personalities and creativity. There were also a few other designs like a laptop holder, a mirror and a birdhouse.
Every piece had to be accurately measured and aligned in Adobe Illustrator. A single miscalculation could make it difficult for the components to fit together properly. Once our designs were finalised, we used a laser cutter to cut them out of plywood. Then came the fun part… painting! We used pastel colours to bring our Memphis inspired creations to life, adding vibrancy and character to each piece. This was definitely the favourite stage for many of us. It was so satisfying to see our designs come together with colour.
After the paint dried, we assembled our pieces and applied a layer of clear gloss to seal the paint and give the final product a polished finish. It was incredibly rewarding to create practical items that could actually be used, and to decorate them in a style that was pastel, playful, and personal. This project was diverse allowing us to design freely and add our own unique charm to each Memphis inspired creation!
By Zoe B
English
Crime Story - Creative Writing Incursion
Amidst the relentless rain and misery of grey clouds, the junior school at Riverside Girls were able to enjoy a busy week of investigation and creative thinking.
Coinciding with Book Week, the English faculty hosted Crime Story to run a series of immersive creative writing workshops.
Students were given the opportunity to investigate crimes on the “day shift” and “night shift” which involved rummaging through evidence in a bin, scanning QR codes to research phone numbers and individuals, discover cash hidden inside a clock or a coding chip stashed inside a serviette dispenser.
After the students investigated both scenes and were brimming with inspiration, the presenter targeted specific language devices that can be used to help enrich students’ creative writing and awareness of genre and atmosphere.
Our students were engaged, enthusiastic and really benefitted from learning about writing in a new way!
Thank you to the P&C for subsiding this initiative and to parents for supporting student learning.
Ms M Purisima
Co-curricular Activities
NSW OzTag Champion of Champions State Finals
What an incredible two days of competition, with perfect weather to match! Our junior and senior OzTag teams proudly represented Riverside at the NSW State Finals in Tuggerah on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 August. Facing off against some of the best Government, Catholic, and Independent schools from across the state, our girls showcased their talent with outstanding skill, fierce determination, and exceptional teamwork.
Beyond the results on the field, it was inspiring to see the commitment and sportsmanship displayed by every player. Each game was a true reflection of the hard work and dedication of each player proudly representing RGHS.
It was a memorable 'last' for our year 12 students as they had their final tournament representing RGHS. Thank you, Alicia, Charli N, Charlie V, Maya, Milly & Ruby, for being such awesome athletes and dedicating your time to representing RGHS over the past six years.
A huge thank you must go to our wonderful parent community along with Ms Low and Ms Nagle, who once again went above and beyond to support our girls – from transporting players each day to cheering from the sidelines, providing shade tents (and even staying overnight on the Central Coast).
Your generosity and encouragement make experiences like this possible, and we are so grateful.
REELise Film Festival
On Saturday, we participated in the REELise Film Festival as finalists where we got to be interviewed on the red carpet, talk to other finalists and watch our own film on the big screen at the Ritz Cinemas. Sadly, we didn’t win; however, it was definitely an informative experience for us. We learned numerous things about filmmaking and being in the industry and we definitely got a taste of the things we could accomplish if we went into the filmmaking industry. Overall it was also a really lovely experience, as everyone was extremely friendly at the event and it was very interesting watching the other finalists' films. It was a great achievement being finalists, especially considering it was quite a last minute submission. It definitely gave us something to hope for next year and we will definitely enter again and hopefully go even further!
Isabela M-M, Mila J, Kira S, Evie W
Here are some photos from the festival as well:
Careers
Please visit https://riversideghscareers.com/ for the latest information on careers and life beyond school. You can use this site to locate universities, TAFE and any other type of course across Australia, information about the HSC and job vacancies. Feel free to drop into the Careers office if you have any questions.
Ms J Low and Ms T Soares
Dates for the diary
P&C
If you would like to volunteer for various P&C activities, please sign up via the link below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHE1OojbX6yWoo85D7kbRofz_1TmQOixDenmj-b-AkkxoJ4Q/viewform