RSC News - Ringwood Secondary College

RSC News
The Newsletter of Ringwood Secondary College
Issue Number 2 Online address: www.ringwoodsc.vic.edu.au/newsletters February 26 , 2010
RINGWOOD SECONDARY
CONGRATULATES OUR 2010
PREFECTS
Phone: 9870 2002 Fax: 9879 5414 Email: ringwood.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au Home Page: www.ringwoodsc.vic.edu.au

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
Term 1 - 2010
Quick Calendar
Week 6
Monday March 1
Friday March 5
Week 7
Monday March 8
Tuesday March 9
Friday March 12
Week 8
Thursday March 18
Friday March 19
Music and World Tour student
Photos - 7.30am
Year 8 Wellbeing Day
8A - 8B - 8C
Labour Day Holiday
Year 8 Wellbeing Day
8D - 8E - 8F
Year 7 Adventure Park
Twilight Working Bee
5pm - 7.30 pm
Student Photos - 8.50am
Year 8 Wellbeing Day
8G - 8H - 8I
From the
Principal ...
Prefects Induction 2010
One of the rituals or traditions of our school since its inception in
1954 has been this program. Family and friends joined with our Year
7 and Year12 students last Wednesday on this important occasion.
Our former international Prefect from 2005 and now a teacher at
Ringwood SC Samantha Asbury was an excellent speaker. Our Head
Prefects for 2010 in Andrew Amos and Natalie Tyler represented the
other school leaders with distinction and provided some useful insights
into leadership from a student perspective.
The Next Meeting:
PCTA March 16
Council April 13
Heritage March 22
Music Association March 15
Ladies Auxiliary March 16
Policy & Education March 17
The next Newsletter will be issued on March 19
Proud Supporters of Ringwood
Secondary College Netball
PSW – Shop Times
Thank You
Ringwood SC Uniforms will be available from the PSW East
Store
18-20 Railway Ave, Ringwood East 3135
Ph: 9879 5500
Email: ringwood@psw.com.au – Website www.psw.com.au
Shop Hours:
Monday – Friday 8.30am – 5.00pm
Saturday – 9.00am – 5.00pm
We look forward to the continuing efforts of the prefects as they
work with others across the college community in 2010. The full list
of prefects for this year are:
Mikaela Kos
Welfare
Darcy Krenn Welfare
Shannon McDade
Sport
Chris Thompson Sport
Laura Deith Music
Sam Wearne Music
Andrew Amos
Performing Arts
Mairead O’Brien
Performing Arts
Ashleigh O’Donoghue Performing Arts
Emily Richards International
Timothy Simpson-Williams Technology/E-Learning
Jeremy Thompson Junior School
Amy Malander Junior School
Caitlyn Jeffress Junior School
Dylan Prescott Middle School
Jill Absolom Middle School
Jarrod Rodda Challen9e
Natalie Tyler Maroondah Education Coalition
Madeline Arnott
Environmental
Adrian Ferres Environmental
College Production 2010
There was great excitement with the announcement of this year’s
production of Gershwin’s acclaimed musical, Crazy for You. The cast
was announced at the beginning of the week and rehearsals will
commence in earnest soon.
Page 2

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
College Council Election 2010
Any parent who is interested in nominating for college council.
Please contact Karen Carden in the college office and I will provide
further information.
Council determines strategic direction and sets policy as the two
major areas of its responsibility.
Year 9 Program
Our year 9 students are currently being challenged at their camp
being held at Campaspe Downs near Kyneton. There is a strong
emphasis on team building, problem solving , collaboration and
cooperation built into the varied program of indoor and outdoor
activities.
Positive Start To 2010
We have been very pleased with the excellent start to the year
made by the majority of students in terms of organization, work
habits, focus and involvement in learning.
Little things matter too. Correct wearing of uniform, getting to class
on time and ensuring appropriate materials are brought to all classes
are all important in maintaining a positive climate.
Yr 12: MEC Involvement
Our Year 12 students were privileged to attend a Seminar Day at
Swinburne Lilydale. Over 640 Year 12 students across the Maroondah
cohort mixed to experience the wisdom and advice of successful
ex-students from Elevate and Bob Hillman as chief assessor of
English. Please ask your Year 12 young person about the day and
particularly skills they observed and tips for a successful survival.
Prefects Induction
Traditions and expectations abound. Our cluster of Year 12 leaders
promised to “put the welfare of the college above all else” and
this augurs well for a safe and respectful community. To all prefects,
our Head Prefects – Andrew and Natalie, and to our ex International
Prefect of 2005, Samantha Asbury, who addressed the gathering –
we say thank you. No college can ever overlook the example set by
its senior students and the prefects have a special role in fostering
cohesion, inspiring trust, modelling good habits and promoting
key events. Each prefect portfolio liaises with staff and assists in the
interaction of student engagement. We look forward to initiative
and collaboration especially with our new portfolios of MEC, Technology,
E Learning and CHALLE9E
Mrs J. Ward
Assistant Principal
Parent Teacher interviews will be held towards the end of term and
during week 1 of term 2. A new online booking system will be used
and details of access and information will be mailed home to all
families during the coming fortnight.
From Mrs Ward ...
Debutante Ball – March 13th
Michael Phillips
Principal
How excited they are! How awkward at first and then a minor miracle
occurs. They listen; feet co-ordinate; mind and body connect.
They learn. This VCE social is open to all Year 11 and 12 students
who may be part of a Debutante table or attend en masse. Outsiders
must be seated at a Deb’s table. Tickets will be available next
week from Mrs. Ward, Cost is $70 pp
Ladies Auxiliary
A reminder to families to collect Second Hand sale monies if you
have forgotten to do so. Unclaimed amounts will go to Ladies Auxiliary
in March. On March 16th at 7.30pm we have our own AGM
and new faces are invited to the Conference Room. This year we
have exciting plans for our Shoe Extravaganza, Car Boot Sale, Health
Expo, Canteen at Production as well as a term sale of uniform on the
1st Tuesday of each term and the ‘monster’ sale in December. We
are a great group who are supportive of all events in the college
Heritage
Year 7 students will provide information re former connections to
RHS/RSC. This college values its history and traditions especially as
3 of the original 4 houses – Noorook, Karalla and Woorkarrim – have
been “resurrected” as the 3 communities of the college for sport,
pastoral care and involvement.
Many projects are planned for the year and we need folk to identify
photos, assist with events, help extend the data base, connect with
ex-students for our Halls of Recognition and generally help keep
the spirit of the college vibrant. It is staggering how many of our
current families have a direct link from former years.
From Mrs Hughes ...
Progress Reports
Please note that teachers will be preparing Progress Reports for all
students in Years 7-12 in the coming weeks. These reports will be
distributed prior to the end of Term 1 and two afternoon/evening
sessions for parent/teacher/student interviews are planned.
For students in Years 10-12, the interviews will take place on Thursday,
25 March and the interview session for students in Years 7-9
will be held at the start of Term 2 on Thursday, 15 April. Both sessions
will operate between 4.00 and 7.00 pm. On both days, all students
will be dismissed at 2.30 pm.
This year we are introducing an on-line booking system for families
to arrange interview times with teachers. Information about this
process will be communicated shortly.
We strongly recommend that parents take this opportunity to meet
with their child’s teachers to find out how they are progressing.
Years 7 and 9 NAPLAN Testing
All Year 7 and 9 students will be participating in the NAPLAN (National
Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy). This program
replaces the AIM testing which students at these levels have
previously completed. The tests will be held on 11, 12 and 13 May.
The NAPLAN will assist teachers to identify students’ strengths and
weaknesses in Literacy and Numeracy and enable them to adjust
teaching strategies to provide appropriate support.
Mrs J. Hughes
Assistant Principal
Page 3

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
From Mr Salisbury ...
Congratulation to the school community on a fine start to the academic
year. I regularly hear staff report on how well behaved and
motivated their classes are and I’ve been equally delighted with the
pleasant tone around the school. Each year our students complete
an Attitude to School Survey and one of the most pleasing aspects
of their feedback is how safe they feel at school. The students rate
us in the top 10% of the state, a statistic we should all be very proud
of.
Some key points/reminders
Uniform: Thank-you to parents who support the college by ensuring
students are in full college uniform-it’s really appreciated. A
small number of boys are wearing T shirts beneath polo tops. Similarly,
a handful of students are wearing non-polishable shoes and
over the week we will be asking them to purchase black polishable
shoes.
Whole school assembly
A fortnight ago we conducted our first whole school assembly for
2010. Despite the oppressive conditions, the students’ behaviour
was impeccable and it was a delight to introduce the College Prefects
to the school community. We welcomed the Year 7 students
to the college and I’m sure it was an eye-opener for them to see the
full school population, close on 1440 students, in one location.
Emergency Evacuation Drill
On Monday 15th February, the school practised an emergency
evacuation. The students behaved extremely responsibly and had
no difficulties adjusting to a new meeting point away from the college
oval.
PCTA - Parents, Citizens and Teachers’ Association
On February 16, the PCTA meet for their first meeting of 2010. During
term 1 the committee organises the Deb Ball and in term 2 the
Education Forum. Our next meeting is March 16th, 7.30pm, College
Conference Room and a warm invitation is extended to any parent
interested in being a part of this dynamic group.
the next couple of weeks. Please make every effort to come along.
Parents from other forms are always welcome. We have made
tremendous inroads over recent years on improving the college
grounds and with everyone making a small contribution we can
continue to improve the teaching and learning environment.
Mr C. Salisbury
Assistant Principal
School Council Report
Council President Neil Morcomb and College Principal Michael Phillips
welcomed council members back for 2010.
Council meeting nights – Some council meeting nights will be
flexible this year to enable all members the opportunity for attendance.
The Annual Implementation Plan 2010, was presented to council
and endorsed by council.
Ringwood Trade Training Facility (RTTF) – 29 Students are completing
their two year program this year. 25 Students are enrolled
in Certificate 2 Engineering which is a major increase on 2009.
Calendar – The 2010 School Calendar has been released. It is a full
year and a couple of important upcoming Events include;
5th March – World Performing Arts Tour begins.
13th March – Debutante Ball
Staff – Council welcomes all new staff to the college and those who
have returned from extended leave.
Post school placements have been going very well for the class of
2009 with over 95% receiving their first round offer.
The College Council elections are to be completed by 31st March,
2010.
Regeneration Project – The initial cost plan has been approved by
DEECD for RSC.
The Hill Street car park project is progressing well with upcoming
meetings between RSC, Maroondah Council and the traffic consultant
company.
Canteen – Council encourages the use of the college canteen by
students and staff and acknowledges the commitment and effort
of those who work there.
Mark Morewood
School Council
Litter program
Our litter program is up and running and the effects are obvious to
all. What a pity 10-20% of our student body continue to litter! Their
actions are selfish and totally antisocial.
Facilities Committee
On Wednesday 17th our highly dedicated Facilities Committee began
planning improvements for college facilities, 2010. Any parent
interested in joining this dynamic group should contact Mr Salisbury.
Meetings occur once a term and there is an emphasis on getting
things done! All welcome.
Working Bee 12th March
Our first College Working Bee is scheduled for Friday, 12th March.
It is a twilight working bee running from 5.00pm to 7.30pm. Drinks
and hotdogs will be supplied during the evening. A range of activities
including basic carpentry, watering, weeding, pruning, mulching
and planting should provide something for everyone. We roster
our working bees to spread the load and ask parents to attend at
least one for the year. Students from all A and B forms will be provided
with an information page, ie. 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B, …..12A, 12B over
New Staff
Hi, my name is Michelle Austin and I am currently studying a Diploma
in Community Development and Welfare Work at Swinburne
University of Technology. This is my last year of studies as well as my
second year placement. Placement is like work experience, where
I get an opportunity to gain more skills and knowledge and take
what I have learnt in theory and apply it practically within a workplace
setting. The Well-being Centre has kindly given me an opportunity
to complete my second year placement here at Ringwood
Secondary College. I am delighted to be here and I look forward to
meeting you all as I have heard Ringwood Secondary College has
an amazing bunch of students and an excellent team of staff.
Page 4

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
The Year Levels...
Junior School
Year 8 Poetry - Steven Herricks
Who would have thought poetry and poets could be so entertaining?
Year 8 students were enthralled by Steven Herricks’ wit and presentation,
journeying with him as he revealed memorable characters,
Debbie and Joe, and giving us glimpses of his life as a poet. It is a
hard life. For every book he sells he receives $1.75!
Steven showed the audience how to engage readers through
words, voice and body language, and the techniques he used to
write his poetry.
His animated presentation has given Year 8 students a wonderful
and innovative entry into the world of poetry.
Mrs Stathatos
Middle School
Calling all parents
As part of the ongoing evaluation of CHALLEN9E, we are seeking
expressions of interest from parents who may be interested in
participating in focus groups to address key aspects of the program.
We would like to convene three different groups in each of terms 2,
3 and 4 to seek feedback, aiming to use the data gathered to guide
future planning and directions.
Each session will take approximately ninety minutes on a designated
Wednesday evening and be facilitated by the CHALLEN9E
Leaders, Ben Moody and Marjan Mossammaparast.
If you would like to participate, please email challen9e@ringwoodsc.vic.edu.au
by Wednesday March 3 to let us know.
As we wish to limit the focus groups to 12 parents at a time, a ballot
may be conducted to confirm participants once expressions of
interest are received.
The dates will be as follows:
Group 1: Wednesday May 12
Group 2: Wednesday August 18
Group 3: Wednesday November 3
All sessions will be at 7.30pm in the College Conference Room. Further
details, including key questions for discussion, will be advised
when participants for each group are finalised.
We continue to encourage feedback to the program at any stage via
the above email address, or by phone through the Middle School
Office.
Ben Moody and Marjan Mossammaparest
Challen9e Leaders
Subject Reports
Mathletics Program: Yr 7-10 students
A reminder to parents that the $10 per student (Yr 7 – 10) Mathletics
levy was due at the end of last year. Many students have yet to
pay and we risk losing access to this very valuable program. The
$10 fee is a considerable saving on the $99 charged for individual
registrations.
If you are unsure as to whether you have paid, please ask your child
to check with their Maths teacher, who has a list.
Advantages of the Mathletics program are:
• Students enjoy the on-line interactivity of the program and are
more motivated to do the work
• Immediate feedback to teachers, students and parents is provided.
• Students can access the site 24/7 from any computer, as they have
their own username and password
• The program can be tailored to complement the existing textbook
curriculum and has easier or harder examples as required.
• Additional skills practice, revision, testing opportunities and extension
opportunities are provided.
• Students are able to work at their own pace.
• Students can click the on-line support if they have difficulty with a
question. This is a visual, step by step explanation of how to do the
particular question.
• Topic area questions can be repeated by students until they
achieve an agreed level of competency (Students get a different set
of practice questions when they repeat the section of work )
• Students can engage in Live Mathletics with students from around
the world – improving their basic skills.
• Hall of Fame certificates recognise and reward participation and
achievement.
• Students, teachers and parents can access student achievement
and progress at any time.
To find out more about the Mathletics program go to:
www.mathletics.com.au.
Donna Mackinnon
Mathematics Coordinator
Tutor Group
Tutor Group has begun again, Yeah!!! Participating students are receiving
assistance from selected Senior School students in areas including
Individual Subjects, Time Management and Organisation.
Tutor Group is held in Room 208 on Tuesday afternoons, from 3:20
p.m. – 4:20 p.m. and is available for interested students in Years 7–
10. The cost per semester is $70, which includes tuition and refreshments.
If you are interested, please have your son / daughter collect a formfrom
Miss Martin or your form teacher. If you have any further queries,
please ring the College or leave a message.
Virginia Martin
LOTE
There is a wonderful display of students’ work in the two cabinets
in the library foyer on “Why Learn a Language”. Please spend a few
spare minutes to take a look and enjoy the efforts of our wonderful
French students. Thanks to Ms Hobbs and Ms Gillam for the work
and the effort to get the displays up.
Rosemary Devereux
Page 5

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
Careers
Interviewing of the Year 12’s is underway! In common period, last
week, all students were given a careers bulletin that outlined details
of the careers program for 2010. We are looking forward to working
with this enthusiastic group of students. Individual pathway plans
are a priority and if any students need extra assistance they can call
into the careers room at any time. Parents are encouraged to assist
their son or daughter to research career options and support their
decision making. Do not hesitate to call the college if you wish to
discuss any matters.
Year 10 Work Experience
A reminder to parents and students that this year’s Work Experience
is from June 21st to June 25th, the last week of Term 2. Competition
for quality jobs is fierce and we strongly encourage all students
who have not commenced the process to decide on a type of job
and put together an application as soon as possible. The early bird
catches the worm and we would dearly love every student to secure
a position of employment by the end of term 1. Contact Mrs
Allison if you have any queries. Students are reminded that they
also need to have completed the safe@work modules for Occupational
Health and Safety. Work placement is not possible without
these completed tests.
TERTIARY DESTINATIONS OF CLASS OF 2009
VET
All Vocational Education Training programs have commenced. A
reminder that the final payment is due soon. Contact Mrs Helen
Doherty for details.
Year 12 Reunion-Class of 2009
Year 12 Class of 2009 Reunion
In the first week of term the “Class of 2009” returned to RSC to celebrate
their success as well as share discussions about their destinations
for 2010. Students met with past teachers and spent time
catching up with each other.
Destinations 2010
86% of students gained tertiary placements
65% of students gained University places
21% of students gained TAFE places
14% of students undertaking Apprenticeships or Preapprenticeships
or Traineeships or Working/Travelling
Categories of tertiary study
Agriculture, Animal Studies and Natural Resources: 5
Architecture, Building and Planning: 4
Creative Arts: 26
Education: 8
Engineering and related technologies: 16
Food, Hospitality and Personal Services: 1
Health: 19
Information Technology: 8
Management and Commerce: 23
Natural and Physical Sciences: 11
Society and Culture: 40
Other careers news...
SWINBURNE NEWS...
Art and Design Discovery Day – Swinburne University
Could your vibrant imagination be the basis for your future career?
Aimed at students in Years 10, 11 and 12, this Discovery Day focuses
on courses and careers in art, design, film and television. It’s a great
chance to find out how Swinburne’s courses can combine imagination,
innovation and creativity with business skills.
ART AND DESIGN DISCOVERY DAY
DATE: THURSDAY 8 APRIL
LOCATION: PRAHRAN AND WANTIRNA CAMPUSES (Swinburne Uni)
Page 6
APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINEESHIPS TASTER DAY
Are you keen to find out how a motor racing pit crew operates? Is

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
hospitality your cup of tea?
Whatever trade sparks your interest, make you come along to our
2010 Apprenticeships and Traineeship Taster Day.
DATE: THURSDAY 10 JUNE
TIME: 2.45PM - 4.30PM
LOCATION: CROYDON CAMPUS, 12-50 NORTON ROAD, CROYDON
Monash eNews
Students from Years 10-12 who subscribe to Monash eNews will
receive regular updates via email and SMS about courses, careers,
admissions, scholarships and events in their area of interest at
Monash. How to subscribe- visit www.monash.edu/study/eNews
to register. It’s as simple as that.
students and take a tour of our outstanding facilities.
This year’s Open Day will be run in conjunction with the Wyndham
City Council’s annual Pet Fair, making it a great day for future students,
families and the community.
Course and career advice will be available throughout the day, giving
prospective students and their parents the opportunity to learn
about the various pathways to the University’s new Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine graduate program.
Animal lovers can meet some furry visitors and talk to the veterinary
exhibitors and community groups to find out more about their
special interests.
Enquiries: Telephone: 03 8344 7844 Email us via http://vet-unimelb.
custhelp.com
Trial a Trade day
at William Angliss Institute, 555 La Trobe St Melb. $28 March 20th-9-
.00am-2.00pm. Experience Baking, Patisserie, Butchery, Hospitality,
Cookery etc.
Contact: (03) 9606 2111
Study at ADFA in 2011
The Australian Defence Force Academy provides the training and
education for future leaders of the Navy, Army and Air Force. Combining
military and leadership training with a recognised undergraduate
degree from the University Of New South Wales (UNSW).
You will be paid to study-a degree in Arts, Business, Engineering,
Science or Technology.
• No debt
• Free health care and subsided accommodation.
Information sessions are held throughout the year. To check dates
contact Defence Force Recruiting, Level 14, 501 Swanston Street,
Melbourne. Call 13 19 01 to book and visit www.defencejobs.gov.
au/adfa.
GAP Year-Defence Forces
A reminder that applications will close by May!
RMIT
Folio preparation and Career Discovery Courses 2010.
See Mrs Allison for details re courses on Building Design and drawing,
Advertising, Visual Merchandising, Interior Decoration, Graphic
Art, Graphic Design, AutoCAD, Textiles Design, Fashion Design and
Product Design. These courses run at various times throughout the
year.
The Age VCE and Careers Expo 2010-early notification...
April 23rd 10am-4pm, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th 10am-5pm.
Free tickets worth $10 are available from the careers office. First in
best dressed!
Vet Science Open Day 2010
Our open day for 2010 will be held on Sunday 21 March, 10am -
3pm, at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital, 250 Princes
Highway, Werribee
The Veterinary Science Open Day is an opportunity for future students
and the community to go behind the scenes at our state-ofthe-art
Veterinary Hospital in Werribee. You will have the chance to
speak to veterinary staff, join in interactive activities, meet current
Page 7
Careers at the Zoo
Careers at the Zoo cost $39.50 per student. The day includes admission
to Werribee Open Range Zoo, a themed safari tour, access
to behind the scenes areas and animal encounters. Morning Tea is
provided. Please BYO lunch. 9.30am – 3.00pm
April Thurs 8th or April Friday 9th
April Thurs 15th or April Fri 16th
April Thurs 22nd or April Fri 23rd
Please telephone 9285 9406 to make a booking and payment.
Medical consent forms will be sent out with confirmations and will
need to be brought with students on the day of careers day conference.
VET UPDATE
Most VET subjects have started and the students have settled into
the courses quite comfortably. There are approximately 108 students
who have taken the opportunity to meet the new challenges
of the various VET subjects.
Some points to note
• If a student is to be absent from class, he/she needs to notify the
school of their absence. Remember students must attend 90% of
the class to pass.
• Many VET courses will require students to participate in structured
work placement. Students need to complete the forms and then
present them to the Career’s Office and we will get them signed
by Mr Philips. They must also make sure that the correct OHS units
have been completed
• A reminder that the final payment for all VET courses is now due.
Please make the payments to the office asap. If payments have not
been received or arrangements have not been made to pay by installments,
then students will not be able to attend their courses.
Please contact the Career’s Office if you wish to discuss the matter.
Finally we looking forward to the year and watching the students
experiment with their possible career paths. If students have any
difficulties throughout the year please feel free to visit us in the Careers
Office at any time. We hope you enjoy your course and obtain
maximum satisfaction.
Maria Allison and Helen Doherty
Careers Coordinators
International Report
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Last Friday we celebrated the New Year for the Chinese, Vietnamese
and Korean students in our form. We had a yummy morning tea
and we decorated the International Office with colourful lanterns,
flags and posters. Happy New Year to all of our students and their
families who celebrated this important time of the year for them. It
is the year of the Tiger!

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
EXCHANGE NEWS:
THAILAND TRIP 2010
We are hoping to get more students coming on our planned trip
to Thailand in June this year. If you would like further information
please get a form from the General Office or see me in the International
Office (next to Middle School Coordinators) or leave your
name on the list on my door.
Students who have expressed interest already and for those wishing
to find out about our forthcoming trip to Thailand in June need
to come along to a meeting. It will be on Friday 26th February in
room 108 at the beginning of lunchtime.
EXCHANGE STUDENT
We have a new exchange student from Germany. Her name is Antonia
Rabbe and she will be studying year 11 until the end of the year.
Antonia had a shock with the warm weather when she arrived as
back home it had been minus 20 degrees and everything covered
in snow. It hasn’t taken her long to adapt and is enjoying her new
“home”. We hope that her year with us is a great experience and one
she will treasure as much as our previous exchange students have.
Lynda Cody
International Coordinator
Music
Thank you to all who made the Music Recruitment night such a success
and welcome to the yr 7’s and their families who joined the
program last Monday night. As you can see from the photos it was
a huge night!
There are still a small number of vacancies on the following instruments:
flute, bassoon and french horn. Students in years 8 and 9
are also welcome to join. Just see Ms Pero in the PAC as soon as
possible.
Just a reminder that the music photos are next Monday March 1.
Please check the music photo letter regarding the time for each ensemble
and remember that you need to hand your order for photos
to the photographer on the day.
A reminder to those new year 7 students who are in Training Band
or Training Strings, you only need to wear school uniform for the
photos.
Performing Arts
Ringwood Secondary College “World Tour 2010”
Janine Pero
Director of Music
World Premiere Concert
‘This is Melbourne, Australia’
Tuesday March 2nd, College Hall, 8.00pm
The world premiere of ‘This is Melbourne, Australia!’ will be performed
in the College Hall on Tuesday March 2nd at 8.00 PM. The
performance is a culmination of the many enjoyable hours that the
students have had since last October devising and rehearsing the
variety show which depicts the history of Australia and, in particular,
Melbourne.
The theatrical performance features instrumentalists, singers, dancers
and actors drawn from the Performing Arts program in the middle
to senior years of the college. We invite the whole college community
to come and support this exciting initiative. To help defray
further the costs of the tour tickets are $5 full and $3 Concession. A
light supper will be provided afterwards.
The Tour:
On Friday March 5, forty-one Performing Arts Students and six Staff
from Ringwood Secondary College will embark on a thirty one day
tour of the world. This is the fourth Performing Arts World Tour that
the college has staged. The success of the previous tours, coupled
with the number of international sister schools that the college
boasts has inspired them to stage ‘World Tour 2010’.
The tour, arranged through Harvey World Travel - Malvern, takes
the students to Calgary in Canada, Berkley in Michigan, USA, Macclesfield
in the north of England, Harderwijk in Holland, Bitche in
France, Usti nad Orlici in the Czech Republic and finally to Chiang
Mai in the highlands of Thailand.
As well as performances at each location, the group will have one
day of sight seeing. The students can look forward to Ice Skating
and the Rockies in Canada, The Ford Factory Museum and an ice
hockey game in Detroit, exploring a haunted English castle and visiting
Shakespeare’s House in England, a double decker bus top tour
in London and the London Eye, a tour of Amsterdam, a bus tour
Page 8

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
along the Rhine through the castles, a boat cruise through Strasbourg,
a walking tour of Prague and, in Thailand, rafting on a river
and riding elephants through the jungle!
The students will also be taking Australian Bush Dancing to each of
the countries to add some Aussie culture to social events and each
participant will be developing a talk that they can give to a group
their own age about Australia.
Mr. Rob Motton, Director of Performing Arts at the college, said, “
This form of international exposure not only develops performance
skills but is a fantastic educational experience. These students will
return with an enriched understanding of differing cultures and a
heightened perspective on life!”
Our Age Group champions were:
Girls
Boys
13 Years Simone Lay Tristan Blizzard
14 Years Erin Danks Aaron Bentall
15 Years Jessica Beveridge Luke Percy
16 Years Samantha Hickman Daniel Haysom
17 Years Jordyn Dell Daniel Hoffman
18-20 Years Mikaela Kos Chris Thompson
“World Tour 2010” is a major initiative in the development of the
college as a Performing Arts Centre.
Robert Motton
Director of Performing Arts
The Sports Pages
IN THE SWIM!
Ringwood’s swimming carnival was held at the Ringwood Pool, as
our swimmers made an early start to the school year.
At the end of the day, the final scores in the House competition
showed Woorkarrim (Blue) as comfortable winners with 717, from
Karalla (Yellow) on 544 and Noorook (Red) third on 447.
The performance of our new Year 7
students was exciting and we look
forward to seeing many of them in
action at the District Carnival.
member.
At the end of the day form relays
grabbed the attention of the crowd
with some close competition between
the year 7’s and the year 8’s.
The staff managed to hold on in a
great finish in the staff/student relay
with a little help from some ex-college
swimming stars Shane Asbury
and his sister Samantha Asbury, who
is back at the school as a new staff
Prior to the final presentations, we were treated to a fantastic diving
exhibition by 2 new year 7 boys – Scott Mullin and James Lillycrap
– who performed some great dives, culminating in synchronised
dives off the 3 metre boards.
Students winning events for the day included: Jess Beveridge, Tristan
Blizzard and Daniel Haysom (6), Erin Danks, Samantha Hickman
and Luke Percy (4), Georgia Ryan, Mikaela Kos, Aaron Bentall, Daniel
Hoffman and Chris Thompson (3), Jordyn Dell (2) and Scott Mullin,
Madelyn Tucker, Emily Arnott, Lana Roden, Zhong Xie, Alistair
Zuk, Mitchell Dell, Adam Percy, Adrian Ferres, Dylan Prescott, Emma
George, Manon Diligent, Jacqueline Smart, Simone Lay and Hannah
Coward.
The pool must have been very fast, because throughout the day
an amazing 13 records were broken, which suggests that we can
eagerly look forward to the district swimming carnival. Tristan Blizzard
led the charge with 6 record breaking swims, while Jess Beveridge
was close behind with 4. Other students to break records
were Daniel Haysom, Adam Percy and Daniel Hoffman.
Many of our swimmers and divers will now represent Ringwood at
the Maroondah District championships on Tuesday March 9th at
the Ringwood Pool where our team will be aiming to win its 18th
successive swimming championship.
A big thank you to the students for their enthusiasm and participation
throughout the day and to the staff who worked tirelessly
in the many jobs required to make the day a most successful one.
Training continues for our swimming team on Monday and Thursday
nights after school in the lead up to the District carnival.
SUMMER SPORT
Senior students participated in the summer round of District sport
2 weeks ago. The boys and girls tennis teams were comfortable
winners on the day with the boys winning easily and the girls also
getting through. The Softball team were also very impressive in
their final triumph. Of the others, the volleyball teams experienced
some success and the boys cricket team were narrowly beaten in
their final.
The remaining dates for summer sport are
Intermediate: March 15th,
Year 8: March 24th
Year 7: April 16th.
Also not too far away is the Ringwood Cross Country which will be
held on the last day of term one – Friday 26th March. Our budding
runners should be thinking about stepping up their training over
the next few weeks!
Graeme Fox
Sports Coordinator
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Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
First Aid
IMMUNISATIONS
• Cards have already been given out to all Year 7 and Year 10 students.
If your child has NOT brought one home please ask them to
come to First Aid to collect one as soon as possible.
• The immunisation cards need to be returned AS SOON AS POS-
SIBLE as the council is collecting them shortly to ensure we have
enough immunisations on the day for every child that is meant to
have an immunisation.
• It is very important that EVERY student return a card that indicates
YES or NO to the immunisation.
Year 7 will be immunised on March 24th 2010, 18th May 2010 and
7th September 2010.
Year 10 will be immunised on 18th May 2010.
Many thanks to all those that have already returned the immunisation
cards.
Shirley McInnes and Nancy Davies
Welfare
Youth Tobacco Free Day
EACH Youth and Family team in collaboration with the Victoria Police would like to
offer the opportunity for one young person from each school to participate in Rebound.
Rebound aims to intervene early for young people who are experiencing (or re-creating)
instability in multiple environments (family, the justice system, education, housing, peers
etc). A key feature of Rebound is the opportunity to rethink and reconnect with helping
relationships in post-program support.
Youth Tobacco Free Day is being held throughout Australia on Friday
March 19th and it is certainly a good time to think about the
smoking habits of young people.
There is plenty of evidence that shows the earlier a person starts
to smoke the more likely they will become frequent smokers and
more likely to become addicted smokers in adult life. While we
know the figures for Youth smoking has slowed with many boys
now not starting to smoke at all, there is a worrying trend of more
girls taking up and beginning to smoke regularly.
For more information about smoking and young people’s health,
an opportunity to play some games - “smokes and ladders” and enter
a competition, visit www.oxygen.org.au
In Year 8 Health classes this year, a unit that investigates smoking
will be carried out for all students.
Carolyn Cusworth
Criteria:
• Family conflict or instability
• Has come in to, or has the potential to come into, contact with the police
• 13-15 years old
• Willingness to change
There will be an initial assessment interview with student (in person), school and parent.
Program Dates:
Monday 15 th March 1.30 -3.30pm
Monday 22 nd March 1.30 -3.30pm
Monday 29 th March 1.30-3.30pm
Thursday 8 th April 1.30-3.30pm
The program covers:
• positive choice making
• building respectful and positive relationships
• identity
• anger management
• peers
• family
Tuesday 16 th March 9.30 -3pm
Tuesday 23 rd March 9.30 -3pm
Tuesday 30 th March 9.30-3pm School Holidays
Friday 9 th April 9.30 -3pm School Holidays
Day activities may include rock climbing, canoeing, caving and obstacle courses.
So if you know a young person who ticks the following boxes please fill out the attached
Intake form and send to jsteele@each.com or give Jane a call on 9871 1800 to discuss the
referral.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Jane Steele
Stuart Sorrell
Senior Youth and Family Worker Senior Constable
Red Cross has created After the Emergency - an MP3 resource and
website for young people affected by disasters. Visit
www.redcross.org.au/aftertheemergency to see stories from teenagers
who’ve been through emergencies, share your own story, find
information about trauma recovery and get music and messages of
support from Aussie artists like Lisa Mitchell and Bluejuice.
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Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
Community Announcements
The Department of Education and Ringwood Secondary College do not
endorse the products or services of any private advertiser. No responsibility
is accepted by the Department of Education and Ringwood Secondary
College for the accuracy of information contained in advertisements or
claims made by them.
In 2010, after a long anticipation, Boroondara Youth Services will be
beginning the new program 'The Alphabet Kids' for same sex
attracted and questioning young people.
'The Alphabet Kids' will be facilitated by Stephanie Hole (Boroondara
Youth Program Worker) and Anthony Gartner (Youth Worker,
Swinburne University of Technology) and will run from a site in Balwyn.
The group is for young people aged 14-18.
The group will provide the space for those involved to hang out,
make new friends, access support, and work on fun projects.
The group will start up on the Thursday the 18 th of February and will
run from 4-6pm.
To find out more about this program,
please contact Steph on 9835 7824 or email
Stephanie.Hole@Boroondara.vic.gov.au.
Look forward to hearing from you.
HOW TO TALK
SO TEENS
WILL LISTEN
Dads, mums and carers of teenagers,
do you wonder why your teenager is not
listening to you?
Do you want to maintain a connection with
them and know how to deal with their anger?
Are you sick of the battles?
Come along to learn and discuss ideas that will
help you and your teen during this often
tumultuous time.
Dates March 10th - 31st (4 weeks)
Time 7.30 - 9.30pm
Cost $20
$15 per couple
Presented by Parentzone.
Held at: St Stephen’s Community Living Centre
28 Freeman Street
Ringwood East Contact: 0423 728 864
Website: www.ssclc.websyte.com.au
SMBTEC ICT Short Courses
Sharlene Agnew
Student Welfare Coordinator
Page 11

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
FOR A FREE TRIAL CLASS IN
TEEN HIP HOP, BREAKDANCE OR BROADWAY
CALL
0419 586 198
EXPIRES 07/04/10 MUST BE NEW TO READY SET GO
TEEN HIP HOP CLASS - $8 PER CLASS (TERM FEE APPLIES)
BREAKDANCE - $8 PER CLASS (TERM FEE APPLIES)
BROADWAY CLASS - $8 PER CLASS (TERM FEE APPLIES)
www.readysetgoperformingarts.com
Page 12

Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
Newsletter Article No. 2 February 2010
In 2010 the MEC is continuing to work collaboratively
to improve the educational outcomes for all coalition
students. The following schools form the Maroondah
Education Coalition (MEC).
• Croydon Community School
• Croydon SC
• Heathmont College
• Maroondah SC
Term 1 Activities
Year 12 Educational Seminar February 19 th
The MEC Educational Seminar for Year 12
students from our six coalition schools was again
a successful event that attracted positive feedback
from both students and teachers.
Over 650 students attended Swinburne University
– Lilydale campus and participated in a range of
informative and practical sessions from Elevate,
as well as a presentation from Bob Hillman – VCE
English Assessor & Head of Year 12 at Trinity
Grammar.
The Elevate sessions included:
• Student Elevation
• Path of the Study Sensei
• Time Management
• Memory & Mnemonics
• Norwood SC
• Parkwood SC
• Ringwood SC
All the sessions were well received from students.
Feedback sheets indicated that 90% of students
thought that overall the day was either very useful
(41%) or useful (49%).
Thank you to the
students who
volunteered their time
to represent the
coalition in DEECD &
MEC publications.
The Year 12 Parent & Student Night with
Dr Michael Carr – Greg, February 11 th
This night was again a very
animated and informative evening
with practical advice given to
both parents and students for
‘Surviving the VCE’.
During the day, students had the opportunity to talk to
their peers from the coalition schools as well as to
meet some of the Yr 12 teachers that will be holding
the VCE exam sessions in June and October.
Read Michael’s tips for
coping well in your
VCE year. (next page)
Explore the Michael
Carr-Gregg website.
www.michaelcarrgregg.com.au
Approximately
500 students and
parents attended
the presentation at
Deakin University – Burwood Campus.
Feedback was extremely positive with 98% of parents
and students indicating that the session was either
extremely beneficial (73%) or beneficial (25%).
Some participant comments include:
“Simple to understand and implement points of advicebacked
up with research evidence to emphasise the
point.” (Parent)
“Appreciated the way you spoke to us in a comfortable
but very professional way.” (Parent)
“He was very funny & welcoming. He made me feel
less stressed.” (Student)
“Found the whole presentation informative and
entertaining – made me think of the whole year and its
part in life.” (Student)
Lyn McGoldrick – MEC Lead Learner
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Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
How to stay focused and motivated in VCE
Sleep - research reveals that this is the most important study tool going around. All
students need at least 9.25 hours as long-term memory is consolidated during
stage 4 sleep and the master molecule of mood (serotonin) is replenished which is
why when you don't get enough sleep you wake grumpy.
Eating Breakfast -research from the University of Ulster found that students who
had nothing to eat for breakfast performed very poorly on test of memory and
concentration when arriving at school. Just eating toast boosted their scores. The
biggest boost to cognitive powers was from eating toast and baked beans!
Studying at the same time and the same place each day - the research shows that
if students can get in a consistent pattern of study their bodies acclimatise
Use a kitchen timer - to regulate study time. Study periods should be no more than 50
minute segments and followed by at least a 15 minute break in which students should
relax. This study period should be repeated twice.
Sipping water - the brain is 80% water and students who sip water at least every 20
minutes while studying hydrate their brain, improving their ability to focus concentrate and
stay motivated when it comes to homework.
Eat brain food - during the school year, students should eat fish at least
three times a week, along with eggs, yoghurt and blueberries all of
which have been shown to improve brain function.
Exercise - research has found that students who do 3 lots of aerobic exercise a
week perform much better than those who do nothing.
Part-time work - Research from the USA found that part-time work up to 15 hours
a week, is not detrimental to school performance.
Chewing gum helps with concentration - scientists from the University of
Northumbria, in Newcastle upon Tyne have found that chewing gum improves
memory by 35% brain performance, because chewing raises the heart beat,
which causes more oxygen and nutrients to be pumped into the brain and triggers
the production of insulin, which stimulates a part of the brain involved in memory.
This is very useful to making the most out of homework and studying for tests.
Resourced from Dr Michael Carr Gregg PhD MAPS
Web site: www.michaelcarr-gregg.com.au
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Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
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Newsletter Number 2 February 26, 2010
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