To be a united, Christian learning community committed to taking opportunities, serving and achieving.

I warmly welcome our new staff:

• Junior School teachers – Mrs Arthur and Mrs Contigiani
• Junior School teacher’s aide – Mrs Roycroft
• Science teachers – Mr Halai and Ms Kaur
• TAS teachers – Mr Prasad (Head of Department) and Miss Parkinson
• English – Ms Alchin
• Maths – Mr Park and Mr North
• HSIE teachers – Mr Leenman and Mr Howells
• Senior School receptionists – Mrs Lavelle and Mrs O’Donohue

Traditionally, RHAC has held launch nights at the beginning of each year. This year our launch nights will be on the following dates:

• Years 7 to 10 – Wednesday 7 February, 6pm - 7pm
• Years 11 and 12 – Tuesday 13 February, 6pm - 7pm
• Junior School (K-6) – Thursday 15 February, 6pm-7pm, starting in classrooms and concluding in the auditorium.

These 3 separate events have slightly different purposes.

The Year 7 to 10 night will explain the College’s vision, values and our approaches to learning and student wellbeing. What we will share on the night is available on the College website or will be outlined in newsletters during the year. We hold this event because some parents, particularly new parents, appreciate hearing directly from school leaders.

The Year 11 and 12 evening is coordinated by our Head of Senior School/Deputy Principal, Mrs Bromley, and our Head of Curriculum, Mr Johnston. The evening provides parents with specific, valuable information about Stage 6 processes, assessment requirements and offers an overview of the HSC.

The Junior School event will commence in classrooms, where parents will meet their child’s teacher and get to know other parents. Following this, there will be a session in the auditorium to explain RHAC’s vision and values and the Junior School’s approach to learning and student wellbeing. Dr Chalwell will write to Junior School parents prior to the evening to explain how the evening will work and how parents can find the appropriate classroom. I encourage parents to arrive by 5.50pm so that they will have time to park and find the classroom before the session starts at 6pm.

The College is committed to establishing positive parent/teacher relationships in the first half of the year. Therefore, we have structured parent/teacher meetings (often referred to as parent/teacher interviews) in late term one. Following positive feedback from many parents last year, we will continue the same approach to these parent/teacher meetings in 2024.

There will be a full day of parent teacher interviews (Pre-K to Year 12) on Wednesday 27 March . Students will not come to school on this day. The Senior School will also offer interviews in the evening on Monday 25 March. Later this term our Head of Operations, Mrs Sharon Hogan, will write to parents inviting them to book appointments with teachers and will explain how the parent/teacher meetings will work.

I trust that these structured opportunities will establish positive connections between school and home for the rest of the year. If parents would like to contact any teacher before or after the parent/teacher meetings, they are very welcome to write to the teacher directly. There is a section in the Parent and Carer Handbook which explains how parents can contact their child’s class teacher. The handbook includes a chart that shows parents the best person in the College to contact to address questions or concerns they may have. A link to the handbook is provided every week in the school newsletter in the important links and resources section.

I trust that students, parents and staff will have a great Term 1.

With the students returning to school this week, it brought great joy to see the students from the trip and as I have been speaking to a number of them, it has been wonderful to hear how much the trip meant to them, especially for many, the service portion of the trip. It reminded me of the following passage from the Bible.

In Proverbs 11:24-25 it says;

²⁴ One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

²⁵ A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

My prayer is that our hearts will continue to grow in generosity toward others, especially to those who are truly in need and that we would be deeply thankful for the blessings that God has given us to enjoy.

Blessings.

Monday, 5th February

• N/A

Tuesday, 6th February

• N/A

Wednesday, 7th February

• N/A

Thursday, 8th February

• N/A

Friday, 9th February

• N/A

Monday, 12th February

• JS Leader Induction Service

Tuesday, 13th February

• JS Swimming Carnival (Y3-6)

Wednesday, 14th February

• N/A

Thursday, 15th February

• JS 2024 Launch Night (K-6)

Friday, 16th February

• N/A

Monday, 5th February

• N/A

Tuesday, 6th February

• N/A

Wednesday, 7th February

• N/A

Thursday, 8th February

• Y12 Annual Service for Prefects of Anglican Schools

Friday, 9th February

• N/A

Monday, 12th February

• Swimming Carnival (Y7-12)

Tuesday, 13th February

• N/A

Wednesday, 14th February

• N/A

Thursday, 15th February

• Y11-12 Drama OnStage Excursion

Friday, 16th February

• N/A

Ensemble rehearsal commencement:

Intermediate Band, Performance Band, String Ensemble, JS Choir, Cantabile and JS Percussion Ensemble will commence rehearsals from Week 2 (Monday 5th February) . Please refer to the ensemble timetable below to check the time and the venue for the rehearsal.

Please note that Stage 1 Choir will commence rehearsals in Week 4 (Monday 19th, February) . More details on how to join this ensemble will be communicated to you on a later date by Mrs Barnett.

The Beginner Band will also commence their rehearsal from Week 3 (Monday 12th February) . Communication in regard to this ensemble’s has been sent out in an email by Mr Barnes.

Unless you have communicated to us last year that your child is not continuing on, your child will be automatically enrolled to the ensemble they were in. If your child is NOT continuing on with ensemble participation this year, could you please email Mr Tyler Barnes [email protected] as soon as possible so that your child’s name can be taken off the roll and you are not charged an Ensemble Fee.

Audition information for Cantabile and JS Percussion Ensemble

Cantabile is an auditioned choir which consists of students from Years 4-6. If your child is interested in auditioning for this group, the auditions will be held during their first two rehearsals on Thursday 8th and 15th of February at 8:00am in K2. For the audition, students are required to prepare a verse or chorus from a song they already know. Please contact Mrs Morris to express your interest or if you have any questions.

JS Percussion Ensemble will also be holding auditions on Thursday 8th, February in Music Space, during Break 2. Students who have been taking private music lessons on drums or percussion for a minimum of 12 months and can read percussion music are able to audition for this group. Please contact Mr Barnes if you have any questions or would like to sign up for the auditions.

Attendance and Punctuality

Our thriving music program relies on the commitment of parents, students, conductors, and teachers. We kindly request parents’ continued support in ensuring students arrive on time for rehearsal with a positive attitude.

If a student is unable to attend a rehearsal, please inform the conductor via email beforehand or on the day of the absence. This helps the conductor make necessary adjustments. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Private Music Lessons

All Private Music lessons will commence in Week 2 (Monday 5th February) . If you have signed up to have lessons, you should have been contacted by your tutor sometime this week with the lesson times. Please let Mrs Want know if you have not heard from your tutor [email protected]

If you would like to sign up for private music lessons, please read the information on Private Music Tuition Brochure which includes the application form.

Also, if you have signed up for Instrumental Hire, you will receive your instruments on your first private lesson or at your first ensemble rehearsal. Again, if you have any questions or issues with this, please contact Mrs Neralie Want [email protected]

Ensemble Fees

We will be running over 20 ensembles at the College again this year. To cover some of the cost of hiring external conductors, accompanists, new music, performance events and other related costs, students will be subject to ensemble fees. The fees will be added to the school account and will be charged twice per year. This will occur at the end of Term 1 and end of Term 2.

It is important to note that the fee structure is set at $75.00 per student per semester, equating to $37.50 per term. This fixed rate remains consistent irrespective of the number of ensembles a student chooses to participate in. Our intention behind this approach is to encourage students to engage in multiple ensembles.

For families that have more than one child participating in ensembles, the sibling discount will apply for second child and any subsequent children, at a rate of $50.00 per child, per semester ($25.00 per term).

These charges apply to all students participating in instrumental and vocal ensembles, with the exception of the Stage 1 Choir.

Thank you and I look forward to a wonderful year of music making with your children this year.

Ensemble rehearsal commencement

All of our ensembles will start in Week 2 (Monday 5th February) . There are a few adjustments made to the previous rehearsal times so please check the Ensemble Timetable below.

Attendance and Punctuality

Our thriving music program relies on the commitment of parents, students, conductors, and teachers. We kindly request parents’ continued support in ensuring students arrive on time for rehearsal with a positive attitude.

If a student is unable to attend a rehearsal, please inform the conductor beforehand or on the day of the absence. This helps the conductor make necessary adjustments. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Private Music Lessons

All Private Music lessons will commence in Week 2 (Monday 5th February) . If you have signed up to have lessons, you should have been contacted by your tutor sometime this week with the lesson times. Please let Mrs Want know if you have not heard from your tutor. [email protected]

If you would like to sign up for the instrumental lessons, please read the information on Private Music Tuition Brochure which includes the application form.

Also, if you have signed up for Instrumental Hire, you will receive your instruments on your first private lesson or at your first ensemble rehearsal. Again, if you have any questions or issues with this, please contact Mrs Neralie Want [email protected]

Ensemble Fees

We will be running over 20 ensembles at the College again this year. To cover some of the cost of hiring external conductors, accompanists, new music, performance events and other related costs, students will be subject to ensemble fees. The fees will be added to the school account and will be charged twice per year. This will occur at the end of Term 1 and end of Term 2.

It is important to note that the fee structure is set at $75.00 per student per semester, equating to $37.50 per term. This fixed rate remains consistent irrespective of the number of ensembles a student chooses to participate in. Our intention behind this approach is to encourage students to engage in multiple ensembles.

For families that have more than one child participating in ensembles, the sibling discount will apply for second child and any subsequent children, at a rate of $50.00 per child, per semester ($25.00 per term).

These charges apply to all students participating in instrumental and vocal ensembles (with the exception of the Stage 1 Choir in the Junior School).

Thank you and I look forward to a wonderful year of music making with your children this year.

This year, we're excited to announce the Spring Fair in September , a major fundraising event in the 2024 calendar. We welcome your support in planning and participating throughout the year as many hands make light work. Businesses interested in sponsorship or supplying goods or services are encouraged to reach out.

I’d like to extend a heartfelt welcome to those families and teaching staff that are new to the College in 2024 and welcome back to existing families.

The P&F contributed to a number of activities over the Christmas break. I’m incredibly thankful to the Executive Committee for their support in these initiatives.

• Non-Competitive Play Space: Late last year, we worked closely with the Junior School leadership to develop a non-competitive play space. Work commenced over the break with a slab and the erection of a small shed to store games and activities provided by the P&F. Thank you to Josh Kerfoot and Nick Cross for taking point on this project. We look forward to sharing more about this great initiative early this year as it progresses.
• New Water Stations: Along with a Government Grant, we spent $20,000 on 3 brand new filtered, chilled water stations around the College. These were installed over the break and we are very thankful to Lionel and the team at Instant Plumbing as well as Josh and the team at Kerfoots for providing their services and labour free of charge, which was a wonderful cost saving initiative for the College.
• Pre-Loved Uniform Stall: We are thankful to Debbie Sills and Louise Golmer for staging a pre-loved uniform stall during the holidays which helped to outfit a great deal of children leading into 2024. If you have pre-loved uniforms in excellent condition which you’d like to donate to the P&F, please hand washed items into Junior School reception marked to attention of P&F

To get involved in the P&F or learn more about the Spring Fair as a business or sponsor, contact us at the email below.

Warm regards,
Matt Perry
President – RHAC P&F Association
[email protected]

• RHAC’s vision, values and approach to learning
• uniform and stationery requirements
• lost property
• a map of the College
• managing student absences
• student illness and well-being (e.g. caring for students who are sick at school, school counselling and reporting student success)
• extra-curricular opportunities
• technology
• communication - flowcharts are provided to assist parents in knowing who to contact, an explanation on how to make a complaint
• parent involvement and the work of the RHAC P&F
• policies and procedures

Unlike other fundraisers, all proceeds raised for the Hills Relay for Life go directly to programs run by Cancer Council NSW in services for patients, carers and families of those affected by cancer. This includes transport services, counselling, treatment support and, in some cases financial support.

What a great way to serve the community, and to have a lot of fun in the process. For those who have not yet had the privilege of participating in a Relay, there is no need to be on site for the whole 24 hour period, or any need to actually run. The aim is to raise money and to support our community. There will be entertainment throughout the whole event, food stalls, activities and an opportunity to camp overnight if you are so inclined. If you are a survivor or carer, we particularly like to acknowledge you and your achievements with a dedicated first lap of the day and morning tea. Please join us.

The battle against cancer is a cause of immense significance, and this event plays a pivotal role in raising crucial funds to support the Cancer Council in its mission to fund research, offer patient support, and provide carer information, and counselling services, among other essential initiatives. In 2023, our dedicated Hills community contributed over $300,000 to this important cause.

We are looking forward to welcoming new team members showing supporting for our friends and family. This year we are going in harder and finishing stronger!

Stay tuned for our updates.

• Registered RHAC Community Team members: 4
• Fundraising Goal: $16,000
• Total Funds Raised: $210.00
• Fundraising Team Member of the Week: Debbie Elliott