Welcome back to Term 3. I hope all children and families had a restful break and are now ready for a busy term ahead. I have been really pleased in the way students have started this term and the dedication shown to improving learning outcomes.

School Culture

At our final assembly last term, I talked about our school culture and how proud I am to work in a school that has developed such a positive environment. I truly believe that having high expectations in relation to behaviour and learning has been our most significant shift. The greatest lever for this was working with our school community to create our 4 school values.

The values outline the behaviour we expect to see from all our students, staff and families. We know that if everyone makes each other accountable to these values, we will continue to have a great school where everyone can reach their full potential. Our focus value for this term is Inclusiveness.

Grade 6 Parent Information Evening

Our Grade 6 Parent Information Evening is being held on Thursday 17^th August from 6.00pm to 7.30pm in our school hall. Our prefects will have active roles at our information evening. It is a great night where we get to showcase the wonderful things that RHS has to offer. It also gives us a chance to meet prospective students and their families. Can I ask current parents to encourage families of next year’s Grade 7 to come along and learn about the education we provide at RHS?

Harding Miller

Harding Miller Education Foundations Scholarship applications are now open.

The Harding Miller Education Foundation provides scholarships to girls in public schools who are experiencing economic disadvantage. Girls currently in Year 8 are encouraged to apply for Year 9 scholarships beginning in 2024.

The Harding Miller Scholarship is a toolkit of resources for girls to support their academic achievement from Year 9 through to Year 12.

The scholarships are valued at over $20,000 and include:

A personal coach

High quality laptop with mobile broadband

Financial support for education expenses and tutoring

Online homework support

Career development and study skills program

Please see Mr Murray, Mrs Hess or Miss Reeves if you are interested in applying.

Applications close on Wednesday 13th September, 2023.

Years 11 & 12 at Reece High School

At Reece High School, our Grade 10 students have started investigating what 2023 will look like for them. Reece High is working closely with Don College and the Mersey/Leven Collective to make sure that our students are well informed about the course options available to them, so their transition is as smooth as possible. You are most likely aware of the Tasmanian government's plan for extending Grades 11 and 12 into high schools. We are working alongside  Don College, Devonport High School, Latrobe High School, Ulverstone Secondary College and Sheffield School to investigate alternative programs for all students. These programs are personalised to the individual student’s needs and may include study at their high school. Work has begun, reviewing student data, to identify those students who may need additional support in order to complete Grade 12. The aim is to assist all of our students to complete their Tasmanian Certificate of Education. If you feel your child may struggle with the transition to Don College and might benefit from an alternative transition process, please contact Mrs Sarah Elliott (Grade Coordinator) at school on 6420 8100 or alternatively, Miss Amber Loone (AST Year 11 and 12) on 6420 8100.

As we welcome back Grade 7 students from their holiday break into Term Three we are very impressed with the work students have produced across the last two weeks. Students have begun a new unit in English titled ‘Scare Me Silly,’ which centres around narrative texts. They will be learning about the text structures and features that help create suspense in both visual and written texts. In addition to this, they will be learning how to write texts that contain powerful descriptions which create effective imagery.

In Mathematics students have been developing skills in statistics by collecting analysing categorical and numerical data. They have identified examples of discrete and continuous data in various real-life context examples. Furthermore, describing data and shape of data has been a focus. Next they will be learning about a new measurement aspect: volume.

During HASS students have been learning about the Punic wars, with staff educating students the Roman army and their gradual expansion of the Roman empire into Europe. Although, along their way to expansion they face their nemesis Hannibal, the defender of Carthage. This week students will begin their latest assessment analysing primary and secondary sources and how they inform us about the Ancient Roman Empire. Our next units will focus on civics and citizenship and liveability, where we will learn about our political system and what makes a place good to live in.

In Science, students have started the Space Unit.

In Community Connections we are working on what it means to be inclusive, and how our value looks as Reece High students; it has been fantastic to see many demonstrations of students including others, giving people a ‘go’ if they are unfamiliar, and accepting the unique strengths and talents of others around them.

Grade 7 Pinch Pots

At the very end of last term 7A, B & E finished their taster course for Visual Art by painting their ceramic pinch pots. Here some examples of their hard work and talent!

Myha  – National Judo Champion

Myha competed in the National Judo Championships on the Gold Coast from June 9-12^th. She competed in the Senior Girls Division. Over the tournament, Myha had 3 fights and won the championship. This is the second year in a row that Myha has won the gold medal! Well done Myha, all your hard work and dedication has paid off. Congratulations!

In Science in Grade 8 we have been looking at energy types, energy transfer and energy transformation. This week we have gone to the lab to conduct an investigation. Students had to complete a science laboratory report including the aim, hypothesis, method, variables and discussion. Whilst they were at the lab, students investigated the effect of changing the drop height on the bounce height of a ping pong ball and a tennis ball. This involved students dropping the balls from various heights and recording their bounce height. Once the investigations have been completed, students will write their discussion referring back to the energy types, transfer and transformations.

Poetry in Action

On Monday 3^rd July, Grade 9 students attended the Poetry in Action performance titled ‘Words of War’. Ellen, Jason, and Pallavi entertained us with their moving renditions of war poems from Siegfried Sassoon, Jessie Pope and Wilfred Owen. These poems, as well as many of the themes and concepts relating to World War I, will be studied with students across the last two terms.