We have had a busy term two with a wide range of student activities. This has included Knock Out Football and Volleyball competitions, Stage 1 Outdoor Education local canoe expedition and a bushwalk at Mt Crawford, Stage 2 Outdoor Education surf trip, Riverland and Adelaide Cross Country, a visit from the Spanish Embassy, presentations from organisations including Ski for Life, MFS, Australian Defence Force, SAPOL, SA Ambulance, and Universities, SANTOS Aboriginal Power Cup, Global Languages Competition, calves visiting for 'Cows Create Careers' program, Year 6 Transition visit, Mountain Bike Championship, lunchtime sport competitions and much more!

Shark Tank Win!
Congratulations to Mrs Atsaves’ year 10 Enterprise 'River Rats' team who won the National Title in the Shark Tank eSchool Competition in the general category. Well done to Students Cooper S, Ollie L, Leela W and Grace A for this significant achievement – see the article in this newsletter for more details.

World's Greatest Shave

Last newsletter I congratulated staff and students who participated in the World's Greatest Shave. At that stage we had raised just over $3000. We are excited to announce that our fundraising team has achieved a total just short of $5500 for the Leukaemia Foundation! This is an incredible effort from our school community.

Thank you to teacher Rachel Dunn for instigating this fundraiser, to the many helpers that assisted, to staff and students who raised the money, and many thanks to Invictus Barber Lounge Renmark for assisting on the day.

Personal Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

As part of our Positive Behaviour for Learning program, we have been delivering a PBL lesson to students every two weeks. Examples of these PBL lessons have been 'being on time and ready to learn' and 'speaking with kindness'. Rewards points are issued to students who display these behaviours and, due to student success they have earnt school wide rewards this term including a sausage sizzle earlier in the term and hot chocolates at lunch time today. By demonstrating our school values of Respect, Connect and Achieve, our students have earnt 10,274 rewards points this year!

NAIDOC week
The first week of the holidays from 7 July to 14 July, is National NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. This year’s theme is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud, and this is explained by the National NAIDOC committee: The fire represents the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous cultures, passed down through generations despite the challenges faced. It is a symbol of connection to the land, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As we honour this flame, we kindle the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving, and sharing the cultural heritage that enriches our nation. 

We will be undertaking some activities at school and we encourage our students and families to get involved themselves in the community NAIDOC week activities held in the first week of the holidays.

Subject offerings in Semester 2
Students in year 9 to 12 have recently confirmed their subject choices for next term. We are offering two new SACE units for semester two in collaboration with St Peters College for Cyber Security and the Department for Education and Adelaide 36ers collaboration for a 'Leadership Through Sport' program.

$200 Discount on 2025 School Fees
As part of the 2024-25 State Budget, eligible families will receive a $200 discount per child on their public school’s materials and services charge for 2025. This is double the discount provided for 2022, 2023 and 2024. Please see the below parent letter from Minister Boyer for more details.

Australian Business Week
Australian Business Week (ABW) is here again for year 11 students next week. During ABW students are in teams of 12 and assume management roles to run a virtual company, making important business decisions as they compete against other teams. For these year 11 students the program replaces the regular curriculum for a week, allowing students to immerse themselves in the experience for maximum learning potential. It can count for 10 credits towards their SACE so it requires commitment and significant effort for the week but it’s a terrific learning experience and is also great fun!

Future Planning Expo
Please mark in your diaries our Futures Planning Expo night for Wednesday 21August. This is an important night for students currently in year 9, 10 and 11, providing information and support in planning for senior school pathways in 2025 and beyond. It will be a chance to have a look through our school's different learning areas and to ask questions of staff around subject choices. Keep an eye out for more details early next term on our Facebook page for more details.

Uniform
As the weather is getting colder, the standard of our uniform has slipped for some students. Please use some time in the holidays to have a good look for uniform jumpers and uniform suitable pants, or purchase a new one ready for term 3.

• Tri State Graphics - 216 Renmark Ave, Renmark. Phone: 8586 5815.
• Yates Menswear - 127 Murray Ave, Renmark. Phone 8586 6121.

Enjoy the break, and stay safe! Senior students make the most of the two weeks and we will see you all next term!

Mat Evans
Principal