Dear Parents/Caregivers,
I hope you have all had a wonderful week.
Parent Teacher Night
Thankyou to all of our parents and carers who took the time to attend our parent teacher night for Years 7, 9 and 11 last night. As always, the hall was buzzing with happy, engaged families. I always value the opportunity to meet informally with parents during these events to receive updates and feedback about their daughter’s learning journey. I appreciated all of the positive feedback that I received about the quality and dedication of our staff at Riverside. This, of course, came as no surprise to me but it is always lovely to have it reinforced from a parent/student perspective. As a learning community, we are genuinely committed to school excellence and the ongoing improvement of all aspects of school life’ learning, sport, performing arts and leadership. We look forward to continuing to work with your daughters in Term 3.
Year 7 Reports
The final round of reports has been given out to Year 7. I know I don’t need to suggest that you take the time to read and celebrate your daughter’s achievements this semester, but I will! Sit with them, discuss their results, discuss the teacher comments and seek their perspective on their learning and achievements. I met with Year 7 earlier this week and complimented them on their seamless, confident transition to Year 7. They are a wonderful bunch of students who have enhanced the learning and co-curricula culture of our school. They deserve whatever rewards and positive affirmations that will be coming their way.
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)
Riverside Girls High School is currently participating in the annual Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD helps schools identify and support students with disabilities by collecting information on the adjustments they need to learn effectively. The NCCD data informs funding and work by schools and ensures that all students receive the appropriate resources and support to thrive in their education. Thankyou to our Learning Support Coordinator, Ms Turner and Learning and Support Teacher, Ms Heugh, as well as all of our teachers, for their support in collecting this data.
To Year 12 – have a wonderful productive, relaxing, holiday, taking the opportunity to make the most of the time you save travelling to school to build into your study schedule. There are only two more lots of holidays between you and your HSC. I say this, not to stress you, but to remind you that you have the time and opportunity to truly prepare yourselves for the main event, beginning with your Trial HSC exams in Week 3, by revising study notes, completing past HSC papers under strict timed conditions, finalising your memorisation of syllabuses, writing and memorising practice essays and smashing out as many multiple choice questions as you possibly can. Eat well, sleep well, exercise/relax well and be spend quality time with your family and friends.
And to all of our wonderful families, have a fabulous weekend and an amazing holiday. It has been a big term and one for which we all deserve two weeks to chill and reflect on.
Stay safe and stay well.
Louise McNeil, Principal
Year 8 student, Poppy N, was delighted to be able to attend the swearing in of our 28th Governor General, Sam Mostyn, AC, earlier this week.
90th Anniversary Cookbook
Thank you to everybody who have submitted their recipes so far. School holidays is the perfect time to prepare your favourite meal and submit your recipe and photo.
https://online.schoolbytes.education/published_forms/5077/5f4fc93d-6b12-471a-8f14-eda238201113
HPGE
SRC Term 2 Recap
Big Sister Little Sister
This term we kicked off the Big Sister Little Sister Program here at Riverside for our Year 7s, 9s and 10s. Year 7s are paired with 'big sisters' to encourage connections between year groups at our fun and interactive activities during lunchtimes.
We started off with a 'get to know your sisters' session alongside an interactive presentation to spark discussion and healthy debate. We found that pineapple doesn't belong on pizza and Marvel is better than DC amongst other insightful questions.
Everyone also jumped onto the dance floor for our Just Dance event where we got up and moving as our hall transformed into a disco!
Finally, to finish off our first term, this week we had our pizza and trivia event! Students enjoyed a pizza lunch while testing their knowledge on our teachers, movies and Taylor Swift.
Thank you to the wonderful P&C for funding this event, the many happy faces wouldn't have been possible without your generosity. Thanks to the office staff, Mr Russo (Year 7 Year Adviser), Ms Miller (Head Teacher Wellbeing) and teachers for your support. Finally the BSLS student team, you bring these events to life :) Until next term, have a wonderful holiday. Aimee C
O’Harris Fundraiser
From 20 - 24 May, the O-Harris student representatives collaborated to hold a series of activities that raised money for the selected charity, the World Wildlife Fund. This week of fundraising truly represented the spirit of Riverside and our ability to positively contribute to society and promote school spirit.
To commence the fundraising week, a lolly jar guessing game was held in the Quad, which engaged students to purchase tickets to place their predictions. With such a wide range of lolly guesses, there could only be one winner! Once all guesses were accumulated and accounted for, it was thrilling for students to eagerly hear the announcement of the lolly jar game winners over the school speakers.
Then on Wednesday, delicious breakfast goodies such as pikelets, muffins, juice and hash browns were being sold in the Quad. These food items were freshly prepared and provided by the wonderful SRC leaders in the hospitality kitchens. The aromatic scents of freshly made breakfast that filled school halls showed commendable results as Riverside students lined up before school and during Recess 2 to make purchases. This breakfast bake sale undoubtedly made a significant contribution to the success of O-Harris’ fundraising.
As a way to show awareness towards the chosen charity and the O-Harris house colours, students were encouraged to wear a splash of green in addition to their uniforms on Thursday. Riverside Girls High School most definitely had a fantastic turnout of bursts of green, ranging from ribbons, socks, headbands and many more.
Due to the wonderful generosity of every student and teacher at Riverside who contributed, the O-Harris committee was able to raise an outstanding $390 that would further be dedicated to conserving endangered wildlife and their environments. Additionally, these events would have never been successful without the specific involvement of the O-Harris co-captains, Lily P and Mollie P-B! Their diligent and organised efforts have been recognised and made an impact not only on the school but also on the greater community.
International Students Excursion to Luna Park
A few weeks ago, all Riverside international students and a couple of their Riverside friends travelled by ferry to Milson's Point, Luna Park, to enjoy some well-deserved R and R time away from the rigours of learning. Despite the gloomy grey sky and lunch time drizzle, Luna Park did not disappoint. The girls were fearless and thoroughly enjoyed the rides that had them almost airborne and moving at superhuman speeds. Four hours of fun, lollies in their bellies, and strengthened friendships meant the girls all ended the day with smiles as wide as the face above the gates of Luna Park!
Iris S' testimonial:
We all had a fun experience at Luna park. We got to bond and know each other better and even though the rides were scary, especially the roller coaster, it was absolutely amazing! We tried almost all the rides and even the wet weather conditions did not stop us from enjoying ourselves as we ventured into Coney Island which was actually fun too.
A big thank you to Ms Peterson who made it all possible even when she was sick. Thank you for your effort in organising this fun day out!
Faculty News
CAPA
Year 10 Photographic and Digital Media
The Year 10 Photographic and Digital Media classes have been exploring the exiting process of Stop Motion Animation. All the girls did a fabulous job, and the works will all be screening at the Riverside Arts Night later this year.
Videos by, Lotte T and Ashleigh L
Ms Hearne
Co-curricula Activities
Volleyball Schools Cup Tournaments
Over the past two weeks, 4 of our volleyball teams competed in the Schools Cup Tournaments held at Sydney Olympic Park. Each team played at least 4 games against other government, independent and catholic schools from across the state, as well as duty (refereeing) other school’s games. A huge congratulations goes to all members of each team; everyone tried their best with a huge theme of teamwork and commitment throughout the entirety of the day. I’m proud of each player’s level of enthusiasm, hard work, and resilience up against all different forms of competition. As our first competition of the year, this was the first time most teams were playing together in a game setting. Our Juniors (Year 7 & 8) ranked 2nd in their pool, after winning most of their games, as well as our Intermediates (Year 10) also ranked 3rd in their very competitive pool! We also had two more intermediate teams from Years 9-11 who played fantastically, winning some of their games too. The level of improvement I saw on the court from each team as the day went on was phenomenal! A huge thank you and shout out to their amazing coaches, Jeremy L and Hannah Y! Their guidance, feedback and support provided the students with a very enjoyable and valuable experience. After the holidays, we will resume training, leading up to another Schools Cup Tournament in Term 4 this year.
Ms T Hendricks
Languages Corner
On a cold Thursday morning (4 July), 8T and I were warmed by the savoury and sugary delicacies we all brought for a class party - which was orchestrated by Madame Gregory. We were all very elated and really (especially me) indulged in the crepes coupled with sugar and lemon juice which my classmate, Olivia K, cooked exclusively for the class and kueh bahulu, an all time Malaysian favourite cake that was sweet and buttery, as well as croissants and plenty of chips/chocolates! On top of that, we also had fun dancing and singing our lungs out to the song 'Je suis une pizza', which translates to 'I am a Pizza' - I mean, aren't we all? All in all, the class party that we had today was delightful and will be one of my favourite memories to be treasured and cherished in the future! - D 8T
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart - Nelson Mandela
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 Lemon and Ms T Soares
Year 10 Western Sydney Careers Expo
Year 10 UTS Health Discovery Day
On Wednesday 3 July, 19 students from Year 10 participated in the UTS Health Discovery Day at the UTS City Campus. The day commenced with an introduction to the Health degrees offered at UTS, including Public Health, Nursing and Sport and Exercise Science. The girls were then offered 2 break out sessions where they participated in hands on activities; from constructing a skeleton to cleaning and dressing a wound. A tour of the many city campus buildings around Broadway in the afternoon demonstrated to the girls the advanced, practical facilities that UTS have to offer. On reflection, students said that they were excited about a prospective career in Health and left with a deep understanding of the units studied in these degrees!
Ms J Lemon and Ms T Soares
Ryde Cammeray Culture and Connection Day - Friday 28 June 2024
Our proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at our school were invited to attend the inaugural Ryde Network: Ryde Cammeray Culture and Connection Day. It was hosted by Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre, Wallumattagal Country, on Thursday, 27 June 2024.
This program, endorsed by the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG), aimed to build pride in Aboriginal students from Years 4 through Year 11 around their Aboriginal and First Nations culture. The day included on-country experiences, opportunities for new friendships, and strengthened connections between schools, parents, and their teachers.
A Smoking Ceremony and performance by Didgeridoo player Jack Hickey (Stewart House) and Tyrell, a student from Marsden High School, took place at the beginning to recognise peace and the importance of the occasion. Our students engaged in boomerang throwing and learned how different types are used for hunting. They then explored the natural environment, with Sharlae H connecting with the land her grandmother lived on in the past. Our students Aziza, Natisha, Sunny Rae, Sharlae, Matilda and Lindsay connected and shared stories with their peers.
The event concluded with a phenomenal BBQ catered by Deputy Principal Peter Wilson and Principals Jennifer Riley and Steve Smith. The occasion would not have been possible without the hard work of our admin staff, executive staff, parents, teachers, and the Field of Mars staff. Their dedication to our Aboriginal students and their motivation to deliver a day that encouraged learning, connection, and pride was truly commendable.
Ms Amanda Ghorra (Aboriginal Student Co-ordinator)
#keepthefireburning #Aboriginal #culture #community #rghs #lovewhereyoulearn
Dates for the diary
P&C
Community Notices
Did you know City of Ryde provide a variety of FREE activities for young people aged 12-18 years during the school holidays? This is what you can expect during the upcoming Winter School Holidays:
Leading Ryde: Developing Ideas Workshop - Tuesday July 9 from 1 – 4pm at Lachlan’s Line Auditorium
This dynamic workshop delivered by Australian School of Entrepreneurship offers years a structured avenue to explore and develop innovative solutions for local challenges.
Photography Skills Workshops - Thursday July 11 & Tuesday July 16 from 1-3pm at Anderson Park
These practical workshops are designed to help you learn photography basics, get hands-on practice, and go on a photo walk.
Life Skills Lab: Mastering your Money Workshop - Thursday July 18 from 1.30-3pm at Marsfield Community Centre
This workshop aims to prepare you for the workforce and help you build a successful financial future by helping you with understanding your payslip, superannuation basics, budgeting and savings.
Marsfield Community Centre
To register for these events please visit www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/YouthEvents or scan the QR code on the attached flyers.
Check out everything City of Ryde has to offer this school holidays by visiting School Holidays.