LB: What year did your family join RHAC?

• Owen commenced at RHAC in 2004. He was in Year 1.

LB: What are your memories of the College at that time?

• In 2004, the College was a small and intimate community. It consisted of only Block A and B which are now demolished  to make way for the new multi level building. The area surrounding the College was all bush land.

LB: What was the experience like for each of your children?

• Our children embraced all aspects of college life. Involving themselves in all opportunities presented to them, whether that was sporting endeavours, leadership or school service trips. All of these opportunities and the life long friends they have met through the College have helped shape the adults they are today.

LB: What changes have you seen over the time you have been involved with the College?

• The major change has been the transition of the founding Principal Mr Fowler to a new Principal, Mr Hartley. To see the growth of the College community has been immense both in the student population and the associated infrastructure. With the growth has come the separation of the Junior and Senior school campuses. We have also seen many teachers come and go, but in saying that, there are some that still remain today.

LB: Any highlights or funny anecdotes?

• Over the 21 years, there have been countless highlights but too numerous to mention.

LB: If you had to describe the RHAC experience in 5 words or less, what words would you use?

• Impactful, Compassionate, Community, Service and Balanced.

LB: Anything else you would like to add?

• As the College growth continues, may it remain inclusive to all facets of College life and student abilities. That being academic, sporting, creative arts and extra curricular.

Thank you to Theresa and Tony for these reflections. We hope that you will continue to be connected to the RHAC community and come and see the new Senior School building when it is opened!

To all in our College community, have a wonderful break over the next two weeks. We look forward to your return (Monday, 14th October) for a positive end to the year in Term 4.

God knows we need rest. The first mention of God’s rest is in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. After God has finished creating the universe and our world, the bible says: “By the seventh day, God had finished the work he had been doing so on the seventh day he rested from all his work” ( Genesis 2:2). Later in Matthew 11:28 , Jesus says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”.

I just finished listening to a fascinating podcast with Carlos Whittaker, author of Reconnected, about spending 7 weeks living screen free in a community that didn’t use mobile phones or any computers. He talked about his experience of, what he called, detoxing from his phone and finding time for reading books, talking with people and enjoying a slower pace. He assured listeners that he hasn’t stopped using his phone, but he has changed his phone habits.

• He charges his phone in the kitchen and not near his bed.
• He purchased an alarm clock for his bedroom.
• He “lets myself wonder a lot longer before I Google to find the answer”.
• He doesn’t look at his phone for the first hour of the day.
• All the meals with his family are done without screens.

As we are the greatest influencers on our own children, I imagine that making these kinds of changes would make a huge difference to how they use screens. I know that some people choose to turn their phone off one day a week just to have a rest from welcoming the world in through their screens. Whether you are feeling weary and burdened or just looking forward to a change of pace, my prayer is that you and your family will have a well-earned rest and perhaps even spend a little less time looking at screens and more time looking at the world around us and being with friends and family.

So to, as Christians, no matter how bad this life gets, we have something to look forward to. Our very own resurrection from the dead to eternal life. One without suffering, pain, or tears. We long for that new creation. The even better news, is that victory over death was won for us by Jesus. His own death and resurrection gave us the victory. It is a victory that Jesus won on our behalf because we were powerless against it. He did what we could not do.

The following bible passage describes this hope and victory that Christians look forward to in the future.

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Term 4 calendar will be sent to Junior School families in a separate communication from Dr Kaye Chalwell.

Monday, 14th October

• Term 4 commence
• Y6 Planetarium Incursion

Tuesday, 15th October

• N/A

Wednesday, 16th October

• Stage 3 HZSA Afternoon Sport (Sem 2)

Thursday, 17th October

• N/A

Friday, 18th October

• Crazy Hair Day
• Stage 2 HZSA Afternoon Sport (Sem 2)

Monday, 21st October

• Todd Woodbridge Cup Regional Playoffs

Tuesday, 22nd October

• N/A

Wednesday, 23rd October

• Y5 Camp CRU Lake Macquarie
• Pre-K Teddy Bears Picnic (3-day Program)

• Stage 3 HZSA Afternoon Sport (Sem 2)

Thursday, 24th October

• Y5 Camp CRU Lake Macquarie

Friday, 25th October

• Y5 Camp CRU Lake Macquarie

• Operation Christmas Child Box Packing

• Pre-K Teddy Bears Picnic (2-day Program)

• IPSHA Debating Gala Day

• Stage 2 HZSA Afternoon Sport (Sem 2)

Monday, 14th October

• Term 4 commence

Tuesday, 15th October

• Rep Sports

Wednesday, 16th October

• Stage 5/6 Music Excursion - Hamilton

• Rep Sports

Thursday, 17th October

• Y9 Elevate Session - Kickstart Your Study

• Rep Sports

Friday, 18th October

• Rep Sports

Monday, 21st October

• Y11 Leadership Camp (Y12 2025)

• Rep Sports

Tuesday, 22nd October

• Y11 Leadership Camp (Y12 2025)

• Rep Sports

Wednesday, 23rd October

• Y11 Leadership Camp (Y12 2025)

• Rep Sports

Thursday, 24th October

• Rep Sports

Friday, 25th October

• Various extra curricular activities

• Rep Sports

New Books

Our new books this term have been busy being borrowed and returned many times already. Students have been given the opportunity, this week, to borrow an extra book for holiday reading and I would like to again encourage you to read with and discuss your child’s reading with them.

This is a wonderful way to instil a love of reading and learning.

Holiday Reading

Below are the details for the the SORA reading app (mentioned in our previous newsletter).

This week, many students have shared their exciting holiday plans with me and as an avid reader myself, I know just how cumbersome it can be to take enough physical books when travelling, and even though I am definitely a paper book fan, there is a place for digital reading as it can assist with this problem.

The app has a large range of both audio and ebooks. We have set the app to only allow appropriate texts for K-6 for our students to use. The app works on a borrowing system much like borrowing the physical book. After borrowing, students have access to the book for a period of 2 weeks at which time they can renew for longer if no-one else has it on reserve.

If parents are unsure if a book their child would like to read is at an appropriate content level, they can check if it is available on SORA, if it is not, there is a good chance the book is not suitable for younger readers. Each book on SORA has an information section that includes recommended age.

To log in, students need their school email address and password. You can log in via the web or download the free app to your device.

Sora is an award-winning digital reading app that empowers K-12 students to discover age-appropriate ebooks, audiobooks and more from their school library. Backed by the largest, most diverse catalogue of digital books available to schools, Sora provides students with access to curriculum titles and leisure reading. The app is available to download to your device and with the student school email address and password, our students are able to use the app for free.

Overdue Books

We have a small number of very overdue books.

When these books are not returned or we are notified that they are lost, an account is generated for the replacement cost of the book (plus an admin fee). We regularly send reminders to try to assist parents to avoid this happening, but understand that sometimes books go missing.

The holiday break is a great time to search for any missing books.

Year Group Stalls

To help make this year's Spring Fair a success we need your help. We are asking for people to either coordinate a Year Group stall or assist by helping to prepare, setup or be involved in running one of these Year Group stalls on the day. We would also appreciate assistance from those who would be willing to help in a more general capacity on the day with activities such as setup. If you can assist, please complete the Volunteer Expression of Interest form here .

Here is a list of the stalls for each Year Group:

• Pre-K Sand Art making
• Kindergarten – Cake Stall
• Year 1 – Lolly Stall
• Year 2 – Drinks Stall
• Year 3 – Plant Stall
• Year 4 – Snow Cone Stall
• Year 5 – Fairy Floss Stall
• Year 6 – Milkshakes Stall
• Year 7 – Dutch Pancake Stall
• Year 8 – Popcorn Stall
• Year 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 – BBQ & Hot Chips Stall

Donations towards the stalls or the Silent Auction

Can’t help or make it on the day but still want to contribute? Consider making a donation to support Spring Fair stalls in our school community. Every contribution, large or small, propels us forward to continue to provide more accessible facilities and a welcoming environment for our students and community.

We are very grateful for your consideration to provide a donation to help benefit the fundraising efforts from this year’s Spring Fair. If you’re able to get involved we kindly request donations of items or services from our school community that could be auctioned off.

Here are some examples of silent auction items :

• Gift Certificates: For local restaurants, shops, or entertainment venues
• Unique Experiences: Tickets to events, vouchers for classes, or tours
• Handmade Goods: Crafts, artwork, or custom creations
• Special Services: Photography sessions, tutoring, or personal coaching
• Themed Baskets: Filled with goodies around a particular theme
• New items: Homewares, Tech and Gadgets

You can drop off items at either the Junior School or Senior School Reception. For digital gift vouchers, please send directly to [email protected]

Your generosity and support are greatly appreciated, all proceeds will benefit our school. We look forward to showcasing the amazing items donated by our wonderful community.

Make sure you follow RHAC's social media pages for updates.

Community, Connection and Contribution

Our P&F Association is run by volunteer parents with the goal of creating a sense of community, connection and contribution amongst our College families. The proceeds from this year’s Spring Fair will be put toward building new amenities on the main oval, an initiative that will have a direct impact on all year groups at the College. We are excited to have our families involved and please do all that you can to get involved however big or small you can.

Thanks so much from the P&F Association.

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