I would like to welcome everyone to the 2023 school year, especially our 136 new Grade 7 students. We have also a number of new students in Grade 8-10 over the last few weeks, taking our total enrolment up to over 560 students. Over the past 7 years, our total enrolment has increased by approximately 160 students.

We have been fortunate enough to welcome 16 new staff in 2023.

They have added so much experience and knowledge to our teams and we know that their previous schools are missing them.

We have had a great start to the year, with students already fully engaged in their learning. Our vision “Inspire today, to empower tomorrow,” gives us a strong direction and focuses on ensuring we give our students the important skills that require them to be successful in today’s workforce. Our Motto, Realising Potential, highlights that active participation in school or community life has a significant positive impact on a person’s wellbeing. We encourage students to keep making the most of their opportunities at school. 

It is important that our whole school community aligns their actions towards our values. The values highlight the behaviours we expect to see from students, staff and our community. We keep each other accountable to these values and understand that our work in this area has helped us build a strong culture, based on high expectations.

 The focus value for this term is ‘Best Effort.’ Please talk with your child about the different ways they can display this value in different aspects of their daily life.

Communication and Whole School BBQ

Your child’s teachers and teaching assistants have been working tirelessly to plan a learning program that caters for your child. If you have any questions or need to give teachers information in relation to your child’s education, please organise a meeting with your child’s teacher. Teachers can be contacted via email or by booking an appointment through the front office. 

Communication will also take place via our School App – Schoolzine and our School Facebook Page.

This year we will have a whole school BBQ which will offer an informal way for you to meet with your child’s teachers and discuss their learning program for the year. This will be held on Tuesday 21^st of March. More information will be sent out closer to the date.

2023 Staffing

Below is a list of our leadership team and principal teachers.

2023 Leadership Team

Our leadership team for this year

Principal – Mr Tom Murray

Assistant Principal – Mr Daniel Franks (Senior School)

Assistant Principal – Mrs Danika Hess (Junior School)

Quality Teaching Coach (Literacy) – Mrs Anne Thomas

Pedagogical Coach – Mrs Courtney Hizartzidis

Grade 7 AST – Miss Casey Frimley

Grade 8 AST – Miss Karla Reeves

Grade 9 AST – Mrs Josie Lutwyche

Grade 10 AST – Mrs Sarah Elliot

11/12 AST – Miss Amber Loone

Grade 7 Maths PLT – Mr Claye Symmons

Grade 9 Maths PLT – Mrs Sandra Farr

HPE Team Leader – Mrs Kaylah Rataj

RP Team Leader – Miss Meg Lutwyche

School Business Manager – Mrs Annette Durose (Term 1) Mrs Viv Hicks (Term 2 onwards)

2023 Principal Teachers

7A Mrs Pace

7B Miss Frimley/Miss Hooper

7C Mrs Rabe

7D Mr Symmons

7E Mrs Cooper/Mrs Dalle-Nogare

7F Mr Saunders

8A Mr Yeates

8B Miss Garner

8C Miss Reeves/Mrs Baxter

8D Mrs Stubbs

8E Mr Hizartzidis

9A Mrs Allen

9B Mrs Bellchambers

9C Mrs Lutwyche/Mrs Hawkes

9D Mrs Farr

9E Miss O’Halloran

10A Mrs Elliott/Miss Howard

10B Mr Crabtree

10C Mr Connors

10D Mr Robinson

10E Mrs Wiseman/Mrs Hizartzidis

10F Mr Pears-Cavanagh

2023 Prefects

During the second half of last year, our current Grade 10s worked through a leadership process to nominate for Prefect in 2023. These students stepped out of their comfort zone and put themselves through an application, speech and voting process. I would like to thank all students for embracing this opportunity and giving it their “Best Effort”. Below are the elected prefects for 2023.

Our prefects are:

Lily Bennett, William Blake, Maya Bramich, Ryan Brown, Tyla Burke, Elle Campbell, Spencer Connelly, Abbey Dean, Matilda Fidler, Kalel King, Ari Lawes, Annabel Leary-Burke, Chloe Loone, Jack McGregor, Colby Savage, Aimee Smith, Lily Snell and Toby van Essen. 

NAPLAN 2023

Students will be sitting NAPLAN between 15 and 27 March 2023. The National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning at school. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for, and students are not expected to do so.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance; however, students and parents may use individual results to discuss progress with teachers.

This is the first year NAPLAN will be held in March, having previously taken place in May. This change was made so school systems would have access to results earlier in the school year, so they can be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year.

Why NAPLAN is conducted online?

NAPLAN online provides a better assessment and more precise results.

One of the main benefits of NAPLAN online is that it uses tailored (or adaptive) testing. This means that students receive questions better suited to their abilities, so they can show what they know and can do.

Online testing also allows us to provide a wide range of accessibility options to support students with disability to access NAPLAN.

Feedback from students is that they find the online test more engaging.

Parent information brochures and other resources

Your questions answered on NAPLAN and what it means for your child: NAPLAN information brochure for parents and carers

The link will take you to the official National Assessment Program (NAP) website.

Resources (nap.edu.au)

Please contact the school if you have any further queries.

It has been a busy start to 2023 for year seven students at Reece High School. On Wednesday the 8th of February, students arrived looking very smart in their school uniform and a little nervous about their first day of high school. However, it didn’t take long for students to settle in and find their way around the school. In English, students are learning how to build an argument and communicate their thinking on a topic through their “Convince Me’ unit of work.  In Maths, students are reviewing ‘number’, focusing on multiplicative thinking including factors and multiples. In HASS, students have started a unit of work that is designed to give them an overview of the ancient world. They have been learning about the methods historians and archaeologists use to collect evidence about the past.

Last week, Grade 7 students spent two days out of the school learning how to:

• be safe around water environments
• kayak
• use a surfboard
• accurately fit and use a PFD
• administer basic First Aid

We had excellent weather for both of these days participating, learning and making new connections with our class mates.

Over the next few weeks Grade 7 Principal Teachers will be contacting you to introduce themselves. However, below is a list of your child’s Principal Teacher email addresses if you wish to contact them at any stage.

This is Grade 8

We have had a great start in Grade 8; welcoming new staff, new students and new experiences in our classrooms!

We welcome Mrs Caitlin Baxter, Miss Hayley Garner, Miss Amy Courto and Mr Matt Eeles to Grade 8. Also coming back from the senior school is Miss Merissa Keygan and Miss Reeves has changed roles from the Support Teacher role.

On Thursday of last week, Grade 8 had their Beach Day at the Bluff. Despite the overcast weather, we had a great day. The HPE Team organised a great day with a variety of land and water activities for our students. Students of Grade 8 participated in basic First Aid, learning about DRSABCD, dry rescues, volleyball and cricket, just to name a few activities. Mr V and Grade 8 staff were impressed with the thoughts and ideas that the students came up with when carrying out their dry rescues.

We are looking forward to heading out to Hawley this week and experiencing all the fun that the HPE staff have organised for us at the Surf Carnival.

Welcome to Grade 9 in 2023!

Our Grade 9s have transitioned to the senior school well and are to be commended on this effort. It’s hard to believe that we are already into Week 3 of Term 1. I would like to start by introducing the Grade 9 Team which consists of Alice Bellchambers, Casey Allen, Bernadette Hawkes, Sandra Farr and Phoebe O’Halloran. We also have many support staff working in Grade 9 this year, more info will follow with our Welcome to Grade 9 letter to parents. Over the first few days of school, students have been working on getting to know the routines of Grade 9 and their new teachers. As a team we have been really impressed with the way in which students have come to school ready to learn whilst demonstrating our school values of Best Effort, Respect, Responsibility and Inclusiveness. The Grade 9 team have launched a team point challenge where students will be working in house groups to encourage community spirit and, best effort, our focus value for Term 1. Students can earn points for their house and the winning house will be rewarded with a prize at the end of this term. We are also focusing on attendance in Term 1 using a visual attendance wall. We hope to highlight the importance of being at school in order to achieve high levels of learning for all. Being present at school is the first step in this journey.

I would like to extend a special welcome to our new Grade 9 students and I look forward to seeing students making the most of their opportunities throughout 2023.

Josie Lutwyche

Grade 9 Leader

Welcome back Grade 10s and parents, to the start of a fresh new year.  As always it has been a hectic start to the year with the Surf Carnival and Beach Week occuring in the first three weeks.  This term the Grade 10 students have been excitedly studying linear equations in their mathmatical classes.  In English classes Grade 10s are looking at their values in text unit.  In Science the students have found it difficult to contain themselves with the excitement of the periodic table.  In HASS the students have been studying 20^th Century history. 

Hope all is well at your house; the Guinea girls and I are looking forward to meeting you at the up coming barbeque to meet your child's teacher.

The Guinea girls

Please note the above are not the actual photos of the Guinea pigs, since we don’t have permission from there Chillian parents we can not use their actual images, which reminds me please make sure you have returned the permissions slips for Meningococcal immunisation form, photos and ICT agreements.

This year we are drafting a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for Reece. We are seeking expressions of interest in joining our RAP Working Group (Families, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students, Community Members and RHS Staff)

A RAP is a formal statement of commitment to reconciliation. A school can develop a RAP using the Narragunnawali platform to register and extend on existing initiatives or to begin a new journey.

Check out the link here: https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/

Establishing a diverse RAP Working Group will ensure the responsibility for developing, implementing, and maintaining the RAP does not sit with one person. A collaborative approach will ensure the RAP contains multiple perspectives and represents the diversity of your community.

The RAP Working Group must include:

• Members of the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community (this may happen once relationships have been developed with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community)
• Principal/Director (who will approve the RAP)
• Teachers and educators
• Parents/carers and wider community representative

If you are at all interested, please contact the school office and ask to speak to Gill Brazendale on 6420 8100 by the 10^th of March

Expressions of Interest close on the 10th of March

Welcome back.

The library is all ready for students and staff to borrow. Grade 7s and 8s will visit the library with their class on a rotation basis, with 9s – 12s borrowing with a Library Pass during class times.  (If you have your library card, bring it along too).

If students require IT Support (Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays) or to change their books during class time they will require a Library Pass or a signed note from their teacher. When coming in class time please be respectful and aware of classes working in the library.

All students are welcome to borrow at lunch time - there is a clip board on the main desk to record what you are borrowing.

There are books available from Kinder to Adult levels. Novels; Manga; Graphic Novels; Quickreads; Auto-Biographies and Biographies; Picture Books; Magazines and Non- Fiction.

At lunch time you can read a book, play a game, use the computers, relax with friends or even catch-up with the local news via the daily paper.

You can even request novels, magazines or manga. Just leave a note in the suggestion box. (Coming in the next few days. You will find it on the main desk).

Don’t forget to grab a copy of the Scholastic Book Club brochures and check the Due Back Date.

Remember the Library is a safe space and open for all; make sure you follow our school values – Respect, Responsibility, Inclusiveness and Best Effort; so that everyone feels welcome – this is YOUR Library.

P.S. Check out the new books and magazines (coming regularly) scattered throughout the Library.

Canteen days this year are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

We offer a large selection of foods on Tuesday and Friday and a more basic menu on Thursday. Prices range from $1 through to $5. We take cash or card.

Our Hospitality students plan and cook all food for our canteen and work in the canteen serving at lunch times. This offers them great life skills in handling money, working under pressure and time management.

   By now you should have recieved your child/ren levies for the 2023 school year. Payment options are listed on the invoice. Please make arrangements to have these finalised as soon as able.

In the next couple of weeks we will be doing another girls' trackpant order. Given the time it takes for these to arrive we would like to get an indication of what we need to order. 

If you would like to order girls' pants, could you please notify the office so we can ensure we receive adequate stock. 

Our full uniform price list is below should you need. 

Its been a busy start for our Prefect Board so far this year. Much of our focus has been on making connections across the school, with a  particular focus on our new grade 7s. We’ve been spending some time during breaks in the junior school, talking and playing games, as well as joining in on the grade 7s beach day. Each week this term we will be running various games and activities during a Tuesday lunch. We are also once again doing toasties out of the canteen during Wednesday lunch time.

Our focus for the rest of term will continuing to be around school connection and belonging and we will continue to develop our group goals and ways of working as a board. We are really looking forward to being involved in Grade 7 camp later this term.

This week we have elected our head prefects for 2023. Nominating board members underwent a process which included both an interview and speeches. They all did a great job and can be very proud of the way they conducted themselves during this process. We are excited to announce to our school community that our head prefects for 2023 are Tyla Burk and Ari Lawes. Congratulations!

Beach Week and 2023 Surf Carnival

Thank you to all staff and students for your enthusiasm and excitement during Beach Week in 2023.

Students were guided through water rotations aimed at developing, improving and refining their practical skills and reminded of how to keep themselves safe in aquatic environments.

The key learning focus for each Grade were:

Grade 7: Safe entries, PFDs, Survival swimming, introduction to First Aid with St John

Grade 8: Hazard identifying walk, Draw a line in the sand planning, basic first aid

Grade 9: DRSABCD and wet/dry rescue technique practice

Grade 10: Small group First Aid scenario responses while walking to Coles Beach

There are some spot prizes selected randomly for those that attended Beach Days.

SURF CARNIVAL 2023

We were blessed with waves at Freers Beach this year! Mr Van Essen said it’s the first time it has happened in his 10+ years here at Reece High!

Thank you to all of our flexible and yet competitive young people, it was a great day.

There will be spot prizes in assembly next week for those that gave their Best Effort, attendance on the day and champions will receive $20 gift vouchers in lieu of medallions from Canoe and Surf.

Please keep an eye on the Reece High School Instagram page and our next newsletter for updates and to celebrate our winners.

The biggest winners of the day were STAFF. Congratulations to the staff team who took out the 2023 STAFF VERSUS STUDENTS TUG OF WAR!!!