This year a consulting firm, Imageseven, surveyed parents and staff and interviewed some people in our community to help RHAC improve our communication. I recently received some extensive reports from Imageseven which will help to improve what we do, how we do it and how we communicate to the school community. The responses were treated anonymously and therefore Imageseven provided me with broader statements and findings.

I thought parents would appreciate reading some of the feedback that I received.

Parents value breadth of opportunity, including academic extension, drama, music, camps, leadership and co-curricular experiences but some feel these strengths are not always consistent or fully realised.

I am encouraged that our parents value the range of opportunities the school offers their children. However, I am unsure in what ways some of these opportunities are ‘not always consistent’. The report did not reveal this.

While parents were appreciative of the range of opportunities for their children, there were also some general comments about improving ‘programs’. It was difficult to be sure whether these comments related to teaching programs or programs to provide additional opportunities for students.

The executive team are currently working on a document outlining RHAC’s additional opportunities, which we will provide to parents’ next term.

It would help our school if parents could write to me directly ( [email protected] , write ‘feedback for Mr Hartley’ in the subject line) to share their thoughts on which additional programs or student opportunities they perceive are not always consistent.

The College’s Christian foundation and values-based culture are viewed positively, particularly where they translate into respectful behaviour, clear expectations and a strong sense of community.

I was encouraged to read that our parents value our Christian foundation and commitment to values. In relation to student behaviour, some parents believed that RHAC was too strict, while a few other respondents felt the opposite. However, the overall impression I gained from the Imageseven reports was that most parents appreciate our high expectations of students and commitment to caring for those in need.

Learning support is a major strength, with several parents highlighting differentiated teaching, accessible staff and strong support for students with additional or varied learning needs.

Parent sentiment on communication is mixed: teacher accessibility is seen as strong, but broader communication is sometimes experienced as too frequent, too general, poorly timed or lacking sufficient clarity.

The executive team were concerned about the mixed opinions on the effectiveness of communication between school and home. We have spent a considerable amount of time considering how we can communicate with home more effectively.

A practical initiative to improve how we communicate with our families will be to provide parents with a full calendar of events for the term, which will be sent at the end of the previous term. This detailed document will be the source of truth for all events that are known at the time the document was published. We plan to trial this approach from Term 4.

3 main strengths according to parents:

1. Academic programs
2. Academic performance
3. Campus environment

3 main areas where parents would like to see further improvement (in order of priority)

1. Academic performance
2. School programs
3. Teaching quality (not as significant to parents as 1&2)

It was interesting that parents see programs and academic performance as key strengths, yet also would like to see further improvement in these areas. As I have mentioned in previous newsletters, our academic results have been consistently improving over the last few years. Last year's HSC results were the best in the College's history. In a recent newsletter, I celebrated some significant advancement in the NAPLAN test results. However, it is always good to aim to keep achieving better academic outcomes even when we are already doing well.

The executive team are currently working on a whole College booklet sharing valuable information on student achievement in a range of areas in the Junior and Senior Schools.

I thank our parents for their thoughtful contributions to the survey earlier in the year. I am confident that the initiatives I have described above will address some of the identified areas for improvement. This is my last newsletter for the term. I trust that our students will have a great last week of school and that families will have a restful and enjoyable winter break.

In a world saturated with social media and constant ‘connecting’ online, it is ironic that so many young Australians report feeling terribly lonely. A recent study I read, found that 40% of young people between the ages of 18-25 report feeling lonelier than ever before. As humans, we have a deep desire to be truly known and meaningfully connected to those around us. In Psalm 139, we read a remarkable truth that each of us are, in fact, deeply and personally known by the God who created the whole world. The One who made the earth and stars, the mountains and oceans, is also the One who has made each person specially and uniquely. In the Psalm we read these words:

You have searched me, Lord , and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
(Ps 139:1-5)

The Psalmist reminds us here that God knows us intimately – even to the point of knowing our thoughts and words before they are spoken. And he gives us a beautiful picture of God ‘hemming us in’ in front and behind us. The God of the Bible is not a God who is far off and distant. Nor is He a God who is unconcerned with His creation. Rather, He is a God who knows us completely. Further on in the Psalm we read these words:

For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
(Ps 139:13-16)

Here we read the beautiful truth that we were known from our very beginning and that it was God who knit us together in our mothers’ wombs. We were not hidden from God in that ‘secret place’ but we were known and woven together. The Bible consistently presents the truth of a Creator God who knows us and purposefully made each one of us – we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Being known and purposefully created by the God of the universe reminds us that we are treasured and precious. And, in the Lord Jesus, we see this reality take flesh as God humbled Himself and took on human flesh to walk on this earth. His love for His world took Him to the cross where He willingly laid down His life to pay for the sins of the world. Jesus’ death and resurrection demonstrates how deeply valued each person is. His offer for all to turn to Him as Lord and Saviour is an offer of true forgiveness, connectedness and relationship that will last for all eternity.

May we teach the young people in our care that that they are deeply known by the God who loves them. May we point them to Jesus, the One who gave His life for them so that they may know Him. And may the words of this Psalm spur us on to value one another deeply as we recognise that each one is ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’.

Our staff are committed to supervising students while they are on the school site; however, there are limits on the College’s capacity to provide active supervision. To help parents and carers understand RHAC’s supervision arrangements please click on the link below or refer to the parent handbook.

Unfortunately, some parents have been driving up the driveway too early to pick up their children. This is particularly stressful for Pre-K parents who have to park and pick up their children at 3:00pm.

Please note the following times for car pick-up:

• Pre-K parents can drive up the Gate 5 driveway and pick up their children from 2:50pm.
• K-2 parents can drive up the Gate 5 driveway and wait for directions from staff from 3:15pm.
• K-6 parents can drive up the Gate 5 driveway and wait for directions from staff from 3:25pm.

Please do not drive up the driveway before your designated time as this holds up the traffic for other parents.

• Pre-K parents from 2:50pm
• K-2 parents from 3:15pm
• K-6 parents from 3:25pm

Additional parking guidelines are provided in the Parent & Carers Handbook below.

Information correct as of the time of publication.

Information correct as of the time of publication.

NSW Health will be onsite at the College on the morning of Monday, 22 June 2026 to provide vaccinations for students who missed their scheduled vaccinations earlier this year.

Parents and carers can find more information about the vaccination program and provide consent online via the NSW Health website:
https://engage.health.nsw.gov.au/engage

If you are unable to complete the online consent process, please contact Mrs Catherine Abbott, College Nurse , and a paper consent form can be sent home with your child.

Consent must be given online via the link below.

‘Amazing Me’ specialises in providing primary-aged children, parents, and educators with positive, empowering, and developmentally appropriate education. Developed by Rowena Thomas, a primary school teacher with over 30 years’ experience in sexual health education, the program is grounded in a respectful, engaging, and age-appropriate approach.

Each year, thousands of children and families participate in ‘Amazing Me’ programs, supporting young people to better understand themselves, their bodies, and the world around them in a safe and supportive environment. Rowena is passionate about equipping children and families with the knowledge, confidence, and language to navigate these important topics together.

Program: Amazing Me – Family evening
Date / Time: Thursday 23rd July at 7pm-8.10pm
Location: online via Zoom
Cost: $35 + GST

Bookings: Via Humanitix - Click the link below

About the RHAC P&F Association

The P&F exists to foster community, connection, and contribution among College families and the broader College community. We aim to encourage a strong sense of involvement within the College and to give back through social activities, community events, and fundraising initiatives.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work. If you’ve been considering how you can get involved, this is your opportunity. All parents and carers are warmly welcome to attend, regardless of their level of involvement with the committee.

We welcome your support in planning and participating throughout the year, as many hands truly do make light work. Businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities or in supplying goods or services are also encouraged to reach out.

To get involved with the P&F, please contact us via the email below.

Kind regards,
Mrs Sneha Pandey
President – RHAC P&F Association
[email protected]

We have recently corrected the naming of our newsletter issues. Unfortunately, this process affected the links to past issues  for this school year. You can view all previous newsletters using this link . Thank you for your understanding.

Join our vibrant, dynamic, and caring team in a welcoming, friendly, and professional environment.

RHAC welcomes applications from qualified candidates for both teaching and non-teaching positions. Click below to view our current vacancies.

The 2027 term dates have been published and can be accessed below and via our website.