5 June 2025

Principal’s Report

Halfway Through an Exciting Term!

As we reach the halfway mark of the term, it’s incredible to reflect on just how much we’ve accomplished already. It has been a busy and exciting half term filled with wonderful events that have brought joy and energy to our school community. 

From the fun and laughter of PJ Day and the Teddy Bear’s Picnic to the enthusiasm and teamwork displayed at our Lightning Carnivals; these moments remind us of strong and cohesive school community we have. National Simultaneous Storytime was another highlight, reinforcing the joy of reading and the power of storytelling for our students. 

Our Year 10 students are entering an important phase as they begin receiving visits from Kelmscott and Lesmurdie Senior High Schools. They are in the fortunate position of being able to carefully consider the unique options, that each schools present, to choose one that aligns best with their future aspirations—it’s an exciting time, and we encourage them to make the most of this opportunity to explore what each school has to offer. 

Thank you to our staff, students, and families for the ongoing support and enthusiasm that makes our school such a vibrant place. As we move into the second half of the term, let’s continue embracing every opportunity, working together, and making the most of the learning and experiences ahead. 

Wishing you all a fantastic week ahead!

Kind Regards,
 Lauren Findlay

Premiers Reading Challenge

Have you registered yet for the Premiers Reading Challenge? Don’t miss out as there are some fantastic weekly prizes to win, plus top students and schools are also rewarded!  This year the challenge is open to all students from Kindy to Year 12.

The 2025 challenge runs from 7 April to 27 June.

Jump on this link to sign up and register the books you are reading.

Good Luck, and happy reading!

Chaplain’s Chat

Parent Support

To find a session near you simply enter your suburb, view upcoming sessions, and register online.

Kind Regards
Nicole Tiller
School Psychologist

Please note:
I work at Roleystone Community College on Monday to Wednesday.

Helping Your Child Build Strong School Attendance Habits

Dear Parents and Caregivers

We know that conversations about school attendance can sometimes feel sensitive or challenging. Please know that Roleystone Community College is here to support you every step of the way—and we hope the information below helps you feel more confident and equipped as you navigate this important topic.

Why Attendance Matters
Regular school attendance is one of the strongest predictors of a student’s success. When children attend school consistently, they are more likely to stay engaged, develop positive routines, and perform well both academically and socially. We understand that occasional absences due to illness or emergencies are sometimes unavoidable. However, even infrequent absences—like missing just one day a week—can quickly add up and impact a child's progress in meaningful ways.

To put it into perspective:

• Missing 1 day a week = 5 days a month, or nearly a full school week.
• 5 days a month = 40 days a school year—that's 8 full weeks of learning missed.
• Over the course of their education, this can add up to more than an entire year of missed school.

These missed days can create learning gaps, make it harder for students to keep up with their peers, and affect their confidence and motivation.

Talking with Your Child About Attendance
Here are some tips for having a supportive and productive conversation about school attendance:

• Start with empathy
  Acknowledge how your child might be feeling. Let them know you’re bringing this up because you care about their well-being and future.
• Share the facts—gently
  Use examples to help them understand how small absences can build up over time. Keep the tone encouraging rather than alarming.
• Ask open-ended questions
  Explore how your child feels about school. Are there specific challenges they’re facing—social, emotional, or academic—that might be contributing to their reluctance?
• Connect attendance to their goals
  Talk about what they want to accomplish this school year or in the future, and how being present in class can help them get there.
• Offer reassurance and support
  Let them know you’re there to help. Whether they’re struggling with friendships, schoolwork, or something else, they don’t have to face it alone.
  

RCC is committed to partnering with our families to help every student thrive. If you have any questions or would like to explore additional resources or strategies, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your child’s success is our shared priority.

Natasha Burke
Associate Principal

Building Program Update

Recently Digital Media Teacher Daniel Holliday showed off his drone skills to his students and filmed a timelapse video of the ongoing work for the build of the Gymnasium and Performance Arts building.  Its an incredible ariel view of the project and shows just how much work has been done already.

Kindy 2026 Applications

Don’t miss out on a 2026 Kindy spot at Roleystone Community College.  Applications need to be received by Friday 25 July (the first Friday in Term 3)

Pre Primary Re-Enrolment

Interhouse Cross Country Carnival – Friday 13 June

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to announce that the Interhouse Cross Country Carnival, which is just around the corner! On Friday 13 June our students will showcase their athletic abilities, sportsmanship, and teamwork.

Event Details:

Date: Friday 13 June
Location: Roleystone Community College Oval

Keep an eye out for updates on the Roleystone Community College Facebook page and share the information with family and friends who would like to join us in cheering for our awesome students.

Getting Involved:

We encourage all students to participate and do their best. The Interhouse Cross Country Carnival is not just about individual achievements but also about participating to earn points for your House!

What to Bring:

Students will be representing their House and need to wear their coloured House shirt; we also encourage them to wear colourful accessories to show support for their House. Students are reminded to wear appropriate running shoes, correct school uniform including house shirt, and bring a water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the event.

If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact the school office or refer to the updates on our Facebook Page.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and we can't wait to see you all at the Interhouse Cross Country Carnival on Friday 13 June.

Health and Physical Education Team

Assembly Years 4-6 – Thursday 15 May

Hosted by Year 6, Room 5.8

Room 5.8 journeyed through the historic moment of time to the creation of the famous ocean liner, the Titanic. We embarked on a journey with a play on who created the Titanic, why and its short journey through the North Atlantic Ocean before meeting its peril in the icy water. The students spent time making the props from cardboard and practising their play for all to see based on one of our two week reading topics.

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Merit Certificates

Congratulations to all the students who received a Merit Award. Keep up the great work!

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Aussie of The Month

Aussie of the Month award is…

Congratulations to Year 4 student, Cyrus Ellerby, who was awarded the Aussie of the Month for May. His citation reads, ‘Cyrus celebrates the successes of others, collaborates with classmates, and offers support in a friendly and positive manner. He shows the values of Respect, Mateship and Giving others a Fair Go.

Well done, Cyrus, you are a worthy winner.

Golden Broom winners

The Golden Broom is…

Congratulations to Mr Bullimore’s class for winning the Golden Broom! These students have displayed wonderful teamwork and contributed to keeping their block, classroom and the school neat and tidy.

Teddy Bears Picnic

Earlier this term, our Kindy – Year 3 students had a wonderful surprise, when a giant teddy bear came to play at the Teddy’s Bears Picnic. It was a beautiful morning for a picnic, and our students loved every minute of it as well the PJ’s Free Dress Day!

Meanwhile our Year 4-10 students got to enjoy free dress too, with many sporting their PJs.

Thank you to our wonderful P&C for organising the event, setting up the gorgeous picnic areas and for making all the yummy honey sandwiches!

It was a great success!

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Yr 9 Lightning Carnival

On Tuesday 20 May our Year 9 students headed to the Lightning Carnival to participate in Basketball and Netball.

Our netballers won four out of five matches and moved to finals play off, where they finished third overall in A division.  Highlights included spectacular goals, incredible defensive plays, and moments of great teamwork. Special thanks to our referee, and former student Kyla Gray.

The boys’ basketball teams had a bit of a wait to get their day started but played with enthusiasm and determination. They tried their best throughout the day. Team 1 finished with one draw and three losses in B Division, Team 2 finished with one win and four losses in C division.

Thanks to our Year 10 students for assisting with umpiring, scoring, and helping Mr Poole run the event on the day.

The carnival was a huge success, and all students represented the College outstandingly.

HPE Team

National Simultaneous Storytime

It was wonderful to see our primary students engage in the National Simultaneous Storytime session on Wednesday 21 May. This is an annual event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy in libraries, classrooms, and communities around the country all at the same time. Students enjoyed whole group reading sessions of this year's book 'The Truck Cat' by Australian author Deborah Frenkel and participated in activities in their classrooms, based around the text.

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Years 2 and 3 AFL Clinics

Kicking Goals and Having a Ball!

On Monday 26 May, our Year 2 and 3 students took part in an action-packed AFL clinic, hosted by the Western Australian Football Commission. This marked the second year the clinic has come to Roleystone.

From fun games to learning skills, our students were all in – having fun, learning, and showing off some impressive footy skills. The energy was high, and it was fantastic to see everyone giving it their all while sharpening their skills.

A massive round of applause to Mrs Norman’s Year 3 class, who absolutely smashed it! The instructor was impressed by their handballing skills, especially with their non-dominant hands, calling them the best class he’s seen all year!

Mrs Smyth

Busy students in Kindy 2!

Recently the Kindy students were surprised to see insects had taken over our obstacle course! Each student needed to find an insect and bring it back to class. We then observed the way they looked and discussed the similarities all the insects have. We learnt that insects have three body parts, two antennae’s and six legs! 

We then began to wonder what else we could learn about insects. Some great wonder questions were:

“What do butterflies eat?”
“How do bees collect pollen?”
“Do butterflies play with other butterflies?”
“Do ants eat chocolate?”

Over the term we will find out these answers. As part of our Kindy curriculum, students’ need to be confident learners and inquire! This was a fantastic starting point!

We also created loose part insects! Our creations were aimed to show the knowledge we had observed. Our insects tried to have three body parts!

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Hungry caterpillar fun!

Kindy 2 have begun their new Talk4Writing text and believe it or not, it has a very hungry caterpillar!

Students enjoyed crawling through the tunnel like a caterpillar and grabbing some of the food on the other side.

Over the next few weeks, the students will learn a story about a hungry caterpillar who eats too much food and unfortunately becomes sick. Luckily, he eats a nice green leaf and feels much better. They will use actions and pictures to help create their own stories.

Mrs Ashboth

Pre-Primary/Year 1 in Room 2.1

As part of our work with The Resilience Project, our class went walking around our school wearing our gratitude glasses. We saw all the amazing things we have at Roleystone CC.

We are grateful for:

• The drink fountains (Flossy)
• The nature playground (Keegan)
• The obstacle course (Aaron)
• The painted snake with letters and numbers (Hayden)
• The monkey bars (Lia and Harlen)
• The trees and the bushes (Hudson and Ava)
• The foot path (Hunter)
• The canteen (Freddie)
• All of our friends (Isobel)
• The new gym that is being built (Georgia)
• The basketball court (Alaia)
• Mrs Edmunds (Eve)
• Mrs Brookes (Tyla)
• Our classroom (Lilyana)

Mrs Brookes

Numbers Up!

The Year Ones in Room 2.6 have been completing a Mathematics investigation, 'Number's Up', exploring the different combinations that add up to ten, using two, three and four numbers. We practiced writing number names as we made playing cards, then had lots of fun putting our skills into practice by playing Number Up with our buddies. 

Ms Moon

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So Much to Measure!

Students in Year 3 have been busy measuring. There are so many things we can measure, either their length or mass. And we’ve even found that our weights are very different on the moon.

We’ve learnt the importance of accuracy and found out some amazing facts. Did you know that an ostrich can be nearly as tall as an elephant.

Mrs Norman

Rooms 4.1 and 5.5 Geography Hook

On Thursday 22 May the lucky students in Year 4 kicked off their Geography journey with a vibrant, adventurous African Safari and a sophisticated, scrumptious snack at the European Cafe experience. There was frolicking, fun and fascination! We look forward to exploring countries in the continents of Africa and Europe as part of our learning this term.

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Ancient Egypt Comes to Life!

Our Year 5 students have been unwrapping the mysteries of ancient Egypt in reading– they've even learned how to make a mummy! What's more, they created one in class using a tomato. Stay tuned for the fascinating (and possibly juicy!) results!

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Year 5 Incursion: Life in a New Land

On Tuesday, our Year 5 students were taken back in time with a visit from the History House Museum, exploring the early days of Kelmscott and its surrounding areas. They looked at old photos of pioneering figures, held artefacts including an old brick mould and double handled saw and were captivated by stories involving local landmarks. These included James Stirling, the first Governor of the Swan River Colony who founded Kelmscott in 1830, Henry Martin, a pioneering cattle farmer who famously sheltered bushranger Moondyne Joe in Clifton Hills and Thomas Saw, the farmer who built the still-standing Narrogin Inn in 1856!

Mrs Fletcher, Miss Kell and Miss Yaksich

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Science in Room 5.6

I SPY- Spot as many butterflies as you can in the following images.

We have been discussing animal adaptations, in particular camouflage in Room 5.6 and its importance for predators and prey for survival.

Ms Kell

Room 5.3 Explores Australian History Through the Rabbit-Proof Fence.

As part of our Australian history studies, Room 5.3 recently viewed the film ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’. This powerful story, based on true events, follows three Aboriginal girls who escape a government settlement and make a courageous journey home by following the rabbit-proof fence that stretches across Western Australia.

The film deepened students' understanding of the impact of European colonisation, particularly the experiences of the Stolen Generations—Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families. Students engaged thoughtfully with the film’s themes, as we discussed the lasting effects of past government policies on First Nations people.

Mrs Fletcher

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Drama News!

Over the last few weeks, students have been diving into Drama with enthusiasm—exploring new skills, building confidence, and bringing their creativity to life on stage.

Pre-Primary and Year 1 students have been exploring how to use their voices and movement more effectively in performance. They’ve also had their very first introduction to improvisation, building the courage to think on their feet and respond to new ideas in the moment.

Our Year 2s have been focusing on blocking techniques and stage presence, learning how to use space and movement purposefully on stage. They’ve also been working on delivering powerful dialogue and speaking with expression during performances.

Year 3 students have begun exploring physical theatre, learning how to use only their body language and facial expressions to tell a story through mime. It’s been exciting to see them discover how much can be communicated without words!

Year 4 has dived deeper into improvisation, this time incorporating props as a central part of their performances. They’ve also been building on their vocal expression by bringing well-known stories to life with new twists and character interpretations.

Year 5 students have been developing more advanced dramatic skills, focusing on how to create tension and suspense. They’ve also started exploring character status and power dynamics, learning how subtle performance choices can shift the mood of a scene.

Year 6 have been working on developing character through voice and dialogue, refining how they communicate intention, personality, and emotion. They’ve also been diving into improvised storytelling and scene development, collaborating to build engaging, unscripted performances.

It’s been a joy watching students grow in confidence, creativity, and collaboration. I can’t wait to see how these skills continue to evolve throughout the term!

Miss Fisher

Too much of a good thing?

Are you still seeing hot cross buns while doing your weekly food shop? They’ve been keeping us busy in Music! Across the older primary years, students have been demonstrating their musical performing skills in small groups using our suite of tuned and untuned percussion instruments, creating original interpretations of the ever-favourite, ‘Hot Cross Buns’. Stay tuned for future performances of this and other songs by our Year 3s and 4s on the recorder!

Students from rooms 5.5, 5.6 and 5.7 performing ‘Hot Cross Buns’ in Music!

Meanwhile, students in Years 5 and 6 are learning how to strum key chords on the ukulele, with a goal of accompanying themselves singing.

Our colourful ukuleles!

And students in the early primary years are playing simple melodies on chime-bars to consolidate their understanding of high and low pitches.

Please get in touch if you have any questions or need to share with me information about your child’s learning needs relevant to Music.

Ms Gorman
shelley.gorman@education.wa.edu.au

Health Promotion Students Lead the Way in Primary PE Lessons

Our Year 9 and 10 Health Promotion students recently stepped into the role of teacher as part of their Physical Activity assessment, delivering engaging PE lessons to our enthusiastic Year 4, 5, and 6 students.

This hands-on experience gave our older students valuable insight into what it takes to plan and run a successful lesson. Many walked away with a newfound appreciation for the skills and patience required to teach. Meanwhile, our primary students had an absolute blast. Fully immersed in the activities, they worked closely with their group leaders, sharpening their physical skills while having loads of fun.

A huge thank you to Miss Van Aalen, Mrs Crocker, Miss Kell, Miss Yaksich, Mr Bullimore, and Mrs Azzam for your support and for giving your students the opportunity to be part of this rewarding experience.

Haylee Smyth
HPE Teacher

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Bush Ranger Cadets Tree Planting

During their Week 4 Monday afternoon meeting, the Bush Ranger Cadets rolled up their sleeves and got to work planting a variety of native species around the school grounds. These plants were generously donated by the City of Armadale. From vibrant Kangaroo Paws to hardy Regelias, the Cadets embraced the challenge, successfully planting nearly one hundred small plants and shrubs.

This hands-on activity served as great preparation for their upcoming excursion later this term, where they’ll be heading to Roley Pools to continue their environmental efforts by planting native species along the Araluen Walk Trail.

Stay tuned for an update and some more cool action shots of our Cadets!

Mr Poole

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Year 9 Anzac Day Awards Submission

This year’s students have just completed their entry for the 2025 Anzac Day Schools’ Awards in which they undertook a research project that involved identifying men from Roleystone/Karragullen that enlisted in WW1. The students then created a piece of text that demonstrated their understanding of what these men endured. The final component was a self-reflection about the relevance of Anzac Day to them.

Mrs McVea

Money Talks!

Talk Money with Ecstra Foundation will be visiting Roleystone Community College during Term 3 to work with our Year 5-10 students.

Talk Money is a free financial education program that teaches young Australians money lessons for life and aims to help students be confident when talking about money and to make informed financial decisions.

Delivered by talented facilitators, they offer interactive workshops on “Talking about Money,” “Spending and Saving Money” and “Making Money Work.”

The program is designed for students in Years 5-10 and has been developed in collaboration with education experts and a financial education advisory group.

We’re looking forward to their visit and, if you’d like to know more, you can check out their website at www.talkmoney.org.au.

Ms Bilney

Arts Showcase

Year 9/10 Photography – Creative storytelling through perspective

This term, our Year 9 and 10 Photography students took on a visual challenge exploring the art of storytelling through creative perspective.

They experimented with angles and framing techniques such as bird’s-eye view, worm’s-eye view, mirrors, and shooting through holes to capture images that suggest a deeper narrative. The aim was to produce a single photograph that intrigues the viewer and tells a story without words.

The task encouraged students to move beyond standard compositions and think carefully about how viewpoint and subject placement can evoke mood, curiosity and meaning. The final images are rich in imagination and perspective, highlighting each student’s creative approach behind the lens.

Year 7 Visual Art – Everyday objects, extraordinary art

This term, our Year 7 Visual Arts students have taken their first deep dive into observational drawing by transforming ordinary objects into refined and detailed still life artworks. Working from real-life setups in the classroom, they focused on using the elements of art—line, shape, tone, texture, colour, form and space, while using essential techniques such as shading, blending and layering.

The process helped students slow down and really observe the world around them, building their technical skills and artistic confidence. The results are thoughtful and striking! Proof that even everyday objects can become something extraordinary through the eyes of a young artist.

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Miss Allison
Arts Specialist

The Push-up challenge for 2025 has started!

Roleystone Community College is participating in the push-up challenge this year and we can't wait to see you involved!

Students and parents can participate in any way they want - push up, sit up, star jump, run, and so on, to count reps to reach the goal over 23 days of 3214, the number of people who committed suicide in Australia last year.

It is optional, and runs from Wednesday 4 June to Thursday 26 June.

Students and parents can sign up on the links listed if they are interested. They can complete the full goal of 3,214 or the half goal of 1,607.

If students sign up, they need parent permission and a phone number.

You can keep track of your push-ups or other alternative exercise on the website or on the app. 

We currently have 41 participants and would love to see this number grow!

If you don't want to participate, you can donate to our community page, which all goes towards the push for better foundation to help support people in need of mental health support. We have already raised an amazing $836!!!

Below are the links:

Year 5 Team-

Year 6 Team-

Year 7 Team-

Year 8 Team-

Year 9 Team-

Year 10 Team-

Parents Team- 

Community Page-

Website link: 

The links for the year 5 and 6 teams may not work but you can search them when you register.

If there are any questions, please email School Captains, Marshall Prince, and Olivia Brown on the listed emails.

Marshall.prince@student.education.wa.edu.au 
Olivia.brown11@student.education.wa.edu.au

We are looking forward to seeing everyone pushing for better!

P and C News

Community News

Mulberry Tree Child Care Information

The Fred Hollows Humanity Award

This Humanity Award recognises Year 6 students who follow in Fred’s footsteps by making a positive difference in their community. It celebrates students who show compassion, integrity and kindness in their everyday lives, just as Fred did.

Teachers, principals, parents and members of the community are all encouraged to nominate any Year 6 student who embodies the values of kindness, compassion and integrity.

Whether it’s helping others, supporting good causes or volunteering, no act of kindness is too small to recognise.

The nominations for the Fred Awards will close on Friday 18 July.

For FAQs about the Humanity Awards and an entry form follow the link below.

Documentary hosted by Communities for Children

Dear Friends, Families, and Community Stakeholders.

We warmly invite you to a free community screening of the groundbreaking documentary ‘seen the film,’ hosted by Communities for Children.

This powerful, feature-length documentary explores the often-overlooked journey of parents confronting their own childhood coping mechanisms. Through raw and authentic stories from real parents, the film reveals how healing from trauma and understanding attachment styles can transform parenting and positively impact child brain development.

 Genre: 

• Documentary – Health and Wellbeing
• Classification - M
• Producer - Sam Jockel
• Director - Hailey Bartholomew

Following the screening, enjoy an exclusive pre-recorded Q&A session featuring insights from renowned experts Lael Stone, Joe Williams, and Maggie Dent, who share reflections on the film’s themes of healing, connection, and growth.

This event is a unique opportunity to reflect, connect, and be inspired by the transformative power of emotional awareness in parenting.

Please scan the QR code or follow the link to complete your registration and get your tickets to ‘Seen the Film’ today!

City of Armadale Health News