Effective collaboration helps to create a culture of professional sharing, dialogue, critique and feedback. In both the Junior School and Senior School, teachers collaborate both formally and informally. Our professional learning provides opportunities for teachers to work with teachers they don’t always spend time with, for teachers to observe and be observed to develop their practice, to share successes and challenges, and to share expertise.

In ensuring that our five Teaching and Learning Principles are evident in our daily practices, time for the whole staff to learn, plan and connect is integrated into our Professional Learning program throughout the year. As you may know from previous articles, our teachers are engaging in research groups as part of their own learning projects for 2024, sharing their knowledge and skills with their colleagues to enhance student outcomes.

Collaboration is embedded in the Junior School where classroom teachers meet weekly for Collaborative Planning Time. There is also informal collaboration as teachers talk over lunch about students, their teaching practice and the content they are teaching. In the Senior School this takes place in both Faculty meetings and Year Team meetings, which occur on alternate weeks. Collaboration also happens during our Extracurricular time each fortnight, when teachers from different parts of the Senior School share in planning and organising to lead students in a range of activities.

Providing collaborative opportunities for teachers helps to create a community that is connected and supported. It is a body where each body part brings something of value to the whole body. To further enhance this collaboration and connection, teachers look for ways to connect Junior School and Senior School students. This is one of the joys of being part of a P-12 school.

A few examples of this collaboration and connection are:

• Kindergarten and Year 12 - Over the past few terms, a group of Year 12 students have been spending time with Kindergarten students during their extracurricular activities. They have read to them, helped with organisational tasks and helped them into their cars at the end of the day. The Kindergarten students are currently praying for Year 12 as they prepare for their HSC and organising a special pack for them. At the end of the term, Kindergarten will be part of the Year 12 Graduation assembly.
• Kindergarten and Year 9 - Year 9 Child Studies students have joined Kindergarten as part of their learning program.
• The Shrek Jr musical - which is only a few weeks away - is another great example of collaboration at RHAC. Teachers from the Junior and Senior School are helping to create a wonderful production. In addition, Junior and Senior School students are working together as part of the Tech Crew.
• Book Week - next week during all of the Book Week events our Year 9 Drama students have prepared, and will perform, plays based on award winning picture books for Stage 1 students.
• Sports carnivals - we are fortunate to have student leaders from the Junior and Senior Schools who help to run our carnivals, as well as sharing staff across the College at these events.

In a different part of the Bible, we are reminded that “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labour: If either falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” ( Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ). May all students and staff know that there is someone there to walk with them throughout their school life.

Have a wonderful week,

Mrs Leisa Bromley and Dr Kaye Chalwell

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

²⁸ God blessed them

³¹ And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

In his wisdom, God created us in his own image and he created us as spiritual beings. As spiritual beings made in God’s image, our spirit is connected to both our physical body and to God. We were created for a life that is spiritually connected to God, that gave us direct access to God, given us purpose to our lives and meant we were safe and secure in our relationships with God and one another.

So, what went wrong? In Genesis 2:16-17 God commanded Adam that they could eat of any tree in the garden except from the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. In Genesis 3 they had a choice when confronted by the temptation of the tree, to eat or not to eat, to obey or disobey, to choose God’s way or their own way. They chose to do good in their own eyes rather than to do what God said was good.

To choose other than God’s way is sin.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ( Romans 6:23 )

What went wrong? Sin = Broken spiritual connection to God. The condition humankind finds itself in is that we are therefore born physically alive but spiritually dead. ( Ephesians 2:8-9 )

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

The good news, God has not abandoned us . Romans 5:8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The good news is that it is not up to us to fix the problem - we can’t fix the problem. Only God can reconnect us spiritually. That reconnection is not based on what we do (we will always fall short), rather, it is totally based on what God has done through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus’ death and resurrection is a game changer; it changes everything including how we are seen by God.

If we accept Jesus, as Lord and Saviour of our life, we are:

• alive in Christ (I am in Christ),
• Justified in Christ (I am Justified)
• adopted in Christ (I am Adopted)
• Secure in Christ (I am Secure)

To be secure in Christ means that we are willing to turn to Him and trust Him alone. We give total control of our life to Jesus. Only Jesus Christ can bring about healing and spiritual reconnection with God.

If you put your trust in Christ alone, God will not turn his back on you. You are secure, God is our rock and our salvation. We no longer fear separation from Christ, or fear God’s judgement or fear death.

The Apostle Paul writes these words

Romans 8:38-39

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Life will always bring its worries and problems, but to put our trust in Jesus and not in ourselves provides solid ground in which we can stand and face them. The Apostle Paul encourages believers

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Just as Adam and Eve had a choice, to eat or not to eat, to obey or disobey, to choose God’s way or their own way, God offers us a choice, to accept his gift (eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord) reconnecting with Him spiritually or to continue to choose our own path to follow.

In the words of Psalm 34:8 , may I invite you to:

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

• Concert Band – Ethan L
• Symphonic Winds – Jesse C, Samuel E, Hridaya G, Charlotte J, Evan J, Nicholas M, Aaron M, Grace R, Will R
• Male Vocal Ensemble – Jazz E
• Vocal Ensemble – Charlotte H
• String Orchestra – Sophie C, Livia F, Theodore K, Zachary Y
• Jazz Academy – Samuel J, Lynn J, Joyce Z

From Sunday to Tuesday, our students engaged in an intensive rehearsal schedule with their respective music ensembles at The Tops Conference Centre. Their commitment to rehearsals and learning the challenging repertoire chosen by their conductors was commendable. They also enjoyed building relationships with like-minded musicians from other schools.

On Wednesday, the students in Jazz Academy engaged in workshops with professional Sydney jazz musicians James Greening and Matt Keegan before putting on an impressive performance at The Foundry 616.

Our students in the other HICES ensembles then presented a remarkable performance at the Sydney Town Hall, showcasing a diverse range of musical works. The final item in the concert featured a combined choir and orchestra involving all HICES Music Festival students and staff singing ‘This is Our World’ by renowned Australian composer Paul Jarman who conducted the item himself.

Participating in the HICES Music Festival was a transformative and inspiring experience for our students. They developed their musical and collaborative skills while also creating lifelong memories through sharing their love of music with fellow young musicians. We are immensely proud of their achievements and the way they represented the College.

Next year, the HICES Music Festival will be open to students in Years 7-12. More information to come in early 2025.

(Photos: Mr Tyler Barnes. Follow the official HICES Music Festival page for official photos soon)

Monday, 19th August

• Book Week & Book Shop - refer to JS Library News
• Y1/Y5 Learning Showcase - families welcome
• Free online safety education session for parents/carers

Tuesday, 20th August

• Book Week & Book Shop - refer to JS Library News

• Y6 Learning Showcase - families welcome

Wednesday, 21st August

• Book Week & Book Shop - refer to JS Library News

• Y2/Y4 Learning Showcase - families welcome

• Stage 3 HZSA Afternoon Sport (Sem 2)

Thursday, 22nd August

• Book Week & Book Shop - refer to JS Library News

• Y5/Y6 Gateway 8 Competition

Friday, 23rd August

• Book Week & Book Shop - refer to JS Library News

• Y3 Learning Showcase - families welcome

• Y12 & Kindergarten meet-up

• Stage 2 HZSA Afternoon Sport (Sem 2)

Monday, 26th August

• HZSA Athletics Carnival

Tuesday, 27th August

• P&F Father's Day Stall (K-6) - Refer to P&F news.

Wednesday, 28th August

• Stage 3 HZSA Afternoon Sport (Sem 2)

Thursday, 29th August

• Shrek JR opening night

Friday, 30th August

• Shrek JR - evening session
• P&F Father's Day Breakfast - All College welcome. Refer to P&F news.
• Jersey Day - All College. Refer to College news for details.

• Stage 2 HZSA Afternoon Sport (Sem 2)

Saturday, 31st August

• Shrek JR - matinee & evening performance

Monday, 19th August

• HICES Music Camp
• Rep Sports

Tuesday, 20th August

• HICES Music Camp

• Y11 Study Afternoon

• Rep Sports

Wednesday, 21st August

• Y9/Y10 Gateway 8 Competition

• Y12 Study Afternoon

• Rep Sports

Thursday, 22nd August

• Y10 BStreet Smart - Smarter Safer Drivers
• HSC Showcase Evening - TAS, Music, Drama, VA, D&T, Textiles, Industrial Technology
• Rep Sports

Friday, 23rd August

• Y7/Y8 Gateway 8 Competition
• Y12 & Kindergarten meet-up

Monday, 26th August

• Y12 HSC Music Showcase
• Rep Sports

Tuesday, 27th August

• Y11 Study Afternoon

• Rep Sports

Wednesday, 28th August

• Y12 Study Afternoon

• Rep Sports

Thursday, 29th August

• Y12 Music Excursion
• Rep Sports

• Shrek JR opening night

Friday, 30th August

• Y11 PDHPE Senior First Aide Course
• Various extra curricular
• P&F Father's Day Breakfast - All College welcome. Refer to P&F news.
• Jersey Day - All College. Refer to College news for details.

• Shrek JR - evening session

Saturday, 31st August

• Shrek JR - matinee & evening performance

• We will also be open before and after school for parents to visit with their children from 8:20am - 8:50am and after school from 3:20pm - 3:50pm.
• There will be no stationery, craft/science kits, novelty items, posters, etc
• The sale is strictly books, curated for our school by our book supplier and are of high quality and interest based
• Prices start from $10.00 and range to approx. $30.00
• Card and cash payments will be accepted

• Location: Drama room next to the TLC (F Block) ( click here for map )

• Monday-Wednesday: Pre-K and all Kindergarten classes will have a separate little shop experience in K Block during their Library Lesson time on Tuesday. They will be assisted by their teachers.

• Thursday-Friday: Pre K students will have the opportunity to shop during lesson time on Thursday. They will be assisted by their teachers.

• We have an option for families to purchase a book to donate to our school library. A dedication plate will be placed in each donated book with the family or student name and year of donation

• Students will need to bring their library bag or shopping bag, no bags will be provided for purchases

Please follow the signage around the campus:

CBCA Awards

This week in Library lessons, we finalised our Shadow Judging project for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards .

Students have been reading and judging and based on criteria, the six finalist books in three of the categories;

• Picture Book  - picture books for 0-18 year olds
• Early Readers - picture books for 0-6 year olds
• Younger Readers - novels for 7-12 year olds

It has been an exciting and very rewarding program which the students have enjoyed and been challenged by the idea of judging based on criteria as opposed to personal choice. The official awards will be announced during Book Week, but we can announce our RHACwWinners today.

• Picture Book of the Year - Every Night at Midnight by Peter Cheong
• Early Readers Book of the Year - Concrete Garden by Bob Graham
• Younger Readers - Huda was Here by H. Hayek

Stay tuned in next week's newsletter to hear from some of our students on their thoughts about the experience and these wonderful books.

Book returns

We have a small number of books that are now quite overdue from holiday borrowing. Could you please check at home and send any books back as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Father's Day Stall - Tuesday, 27th August

We will be holding our annual Father’s Day Stall for Years K-6 where students are able to purchase gifts for their Dads, Grandads and special friends. This year, the stall will be held earlier in the week.

Gifts will range from $3.00 - $12.00 and children are able to purchase up to three (3) gifts at the stall. Children will be shown the gifts in their classrooms prior to visiting the stall so they can prepare and have time to discuss with siblings at home to avoid duplication. They will have the opportunity to visit the stall, select gifts and pay for them on the day.

If you wish your child to participate, please send them prepared on Tuesday with:

• No more than $25.00 cash in a snap lock bag or wallet;
• A reusable shopping bag for them to put their gifts in to safely transport home;
• EFTPOS facility will also be available on the day.

Children will bring their gifts home on Tuesday, where they can prepare and wrap them at home.

We need volunteers - Register now

If you’re available to support our Father’s Day events, please register your interest using the link below. We welcome parents and grandparents to support for these events.

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