Filter Content
- Principal’s Report
- Real Schools – One-on-one Affective Interactions: Past, Present, Future
- Important Dates
- Outstanding Attendance Award Recipients – Term 3
- PAT Testing 2025
- Get Ready for 2026 – Uniform Orders Now Open!
- Riverside High School Athletics Carnival – Thursday, 30 October and Tuesday, 4 November
- Closure of Public Access – St Anthony’s Catholic School Grounds
- Mathematics Update – Term 4 Highlights
- CAPTURE – Photography Competition 2025
- Term 4 eSafety webinars
- SunSmart at Riverside High School
- Elphin Junior Badminton 2025
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to Term 4 - traditionally one of the most vibrant and action-packed times of the school year. It’s a term of celebration, reflection, and connection and a time when we come together to mark achievements, enjoy community events, and create lasting memories. From the excitement of our school fair – SideFest, to the joy of our end-of-year celebrations, Term 4 provides opportunities to for all students to shine.
The Power of Presence
As we move into this term, I want to highlight something that underpins every success at Riverside High School: Student Attendance.
Being present at school is about more than just showing up, it’s about engaging with opportunities, building relationships, and developing the habits that shape lifelong success and positive habits for the workforce. Whether it’s a regular school day or a special event like our Athletics Carnival, SideFest, or Year 10 final celebrations, attendance matters.
Here’s why:
Leadership Pathways: Aspiring to be a prefect, transition mentor, or student leader in 2026? Consistent attendance demonstrates commitment and reliability.
Community Engagement: Events like carnivals and festivals are key moments to connect and contribute to our school culture.
Personal Growth: Every day is a chance to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
We understand that life can be busy, but we encourage all students and families to prioritise attendance. It’s one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to support your success. In this week’s newsletter we congratulate the students who received recognition for outstanding attendance in Term 3. Students were presented with certificates in the recent grade assemblies.
PAT Testing – Years 7 to 10
This term, students in Years 7 to 10 will participate in Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) in Mathematics and Reading. These assessments help us to:
- Identify current achievement levels
- Track progress over time
- Inform teaching strategies and learning goals
- Provide targeted support
PAT tests are not pass/fail, they are diagnostic tools to support growth. Please ensure devices are charged and students are ready to give their best effort for the testing period.
SideFest – today, 5:00–8:00pm
We’re thrilled to welcome our school community to SideFest this Friday evening! Join us for a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and community spirit, featuring:
- Food stalls
- Live entertainment
- Crafts and student-led projects for sale
Important Reminders:
- Gates open at 5:00pm (no early access unless operating a stall)
- Parking available near the bus turning circle
- Students must have transport home arranged
- Cash and card accepted at stalls
- Respectful behaviour is expected by all
- Out-of-bounds areas include behind the 7/8 block, Year 8 toilets, and all upstairs classrooms
- Everyone must be off-site by 8:00pm
A huge thank you to Cynthia Pearce, our Business Manager, and all staff and partners who’ve brought this event to life.
Prefect Selection – 2026
The selection process for our 2026 student leaders is underway. We’ve been incredibly impressed by the calibre of applicants, students who embody our values, mentor younger peers, and take pride in representing Riverside High School. Students and staff will vote on Tuesday, 28th October after the student speeches.
Student Free Day – Friday 31 October
A reminder that Friday, 31 October is a Student Free Day, Teacher Professional Learning Day. Staff will be engaged in professional learning focused on reading fluency and moderation of student work samples in preparation for end-of-year reporting.
Year 6 Transition – 2025
Miss Dudley, our AST of Transition, is coordinating visits from our associate primary schools: Trevallyn, Riverside, and West Launceston. We’re also excited to welcome Legana Primary in the future. Families from non-associate schools are encouraged to contact our Administration Team to book enrolment appointments or school tours.
School Starting Time and Attendance
Listed below are the Lesson Times for Riverside High School.
| Home Group | 8:45am - 9:00am |
| Block 1 | 9:00am - 10:15am |
| Recess | 10:15am - 10:35am |
| Block 2 | 10:35am - 11:50am |
| Change-over | 11:50am - 11:55am |
| Block 3 | 11:55am - 1:10pm |
| Lunch | 1:10pm - 1:55pm |
| Block 4 | 1:55pm - 3:10pm |
Home Group starts at 8:45am each morning and it’s where Home Group Teachers record attendance and communicate important information to students about the day, school events, opportunities, and extracurricular activities.
Home Group Teachers provide pastoral care to students ensuring they feel connected to school and friends and have a significant adult at school to communicate with.
Please know that the Riverside Shopping Complex will not serve students after 8.40am. The complex of a morning is not supervised by teachers, so we are encouraging parents/guardians to ensure their child is dropped at school rather than the shopping complex – we appreciate your support.
Celebrating Student Achievements
Finally, if your child is representing our school in state or national competitions, whether in sports, the arts, academic pursuits, or community initiatives we would love to celebrate their success with our wider community. Please contact the school administration so we can include their achievements in an upcoming newsletter. Together, let’s continue to champion the incredible talents and efforts of our students.
Term 4 Calendar Update
The online school calendar has now been updated to reflect Term 4 events, including our much-anticipated Year 10 celebration activities. Please take a moment to review the calendar to stay informed about upcoming events and key dates. http://riversidehs.schoolzineplus.com/calendar
Jeanna Bolton
Principal
| EVENT | DATE |
| SideFest | Friday, 24 October |
| RHS Athletics Carnival | Thursday, 30 October & Tuesday, 4 November |
| Teacher Professional Learning Day (no students) | Friday, 31 October |
| Long Weekend (no school) | Monday, 3 November |
| RYDA Road Safety Awareness Day (Grade 10) | Monday, 10 November |
| Launceston College Enrolment Day at RHS (11:00am - 6:00pm) | Wednesday, 12 November |
| Newstead College Enrolment Day at RHS (9:00am - 11:00am) | Wednesday, 12 November |
| Presentation Evening (6:30pm - 8:30pm) | Wednesday, 10 December |
| Reports issued | Thursday, 11 December |
| Grade 10 Party Safe Program | Friday, 12 December |
| Grade 10 Graduands Dinner at the Hotel Grand Chancellor | Monday, 15 December |
| Grades 7/8/9 Grade Celebration Assemblies | Tuesday, 16 December |
| Grade 10 Picnic | Tuesday, 16 December |
| Grade 10 Activities Day | Wednesday, 17 December |
| Grade 7/8/9 Picnics | Wednesday, 17 December |
| Grade 10 Graduation Assembly | Thursday, 18 December |
| Last day for students | Thursday, 18 December |
Grade 7
| Abbie K | Thia S | Toby T | Milly B |
| Evie C | Hunter G | Raff H | Jock H |
| Calan Mc | Kallie M | Emily B | Rosa B-H |
| Hayley L | Max N | Mikayla W | Zalie C |
| Ethan L | Isla S | Sophie W | Griff W |
Grade 8
| Eryn W | Samarah D B | Basquiette R | Quinn B |
| Amarli B | Amelia W | Dakota B | Alice G |
| Bianca J | Harriet T | Reynold A | Bruno G P |
| Evan G | Louie M | Nick O | Leyla O |
| Zeke S | Abigail C | Arthur M | Cindy M |
| Hugo S | Millie V E | Ollie Y | Levi C |
| Mascot H | Delilah K | Anika L | Sophie B |
| Ollie H | Sophie H | Linh H | Briley S |
| Indi T H |
Grade 9
| Rory C | Isla K | Sarah M | Lily B-H |
| Zahlia S | Mark D B | Kevin P | Toby R |
| Lynelle C | Grace O | Jasper S |
Grade 10
| Harman B | Jorge M | Milly V | Ben C |
| Bonnie H | Keelan O-Q | Tyson S | Lucy W |
| Mitchell M | Jese C | Clementine H | Sherman L |
| Kevin L | Dasi P | Sophie S | Amelia H |
| Aidan T |
Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) will be carried out with all students from Wednesday, 22nd October 2025 to Friday, 7th November 2025. These tests, mandated by the Department of Education, Children, and Young People (DECYP) are designed to collect evidence as to where students are in their learning and monitor student achievement over time. Additionally, the data collected supports the next steps by informing teaching and learning to set targets and allocating learning resources.
At Riverside High School students will complete PAT in Reading and Numeracy. The tests are completed online during their relevant core lessons. If your child is absent for any of the timetabled tests, they can complete catch-up tests held during the testing window.
PAT is just one aspect of our school’s assessment and reporting process. It doesn’t replace teachers' ongoing assessments of student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress.
Students must ensure their iPad is charged and brought to school each day of the testing period.
If you have any questions relating to PAT, please contact the school PAT coordinators Kylie Jago AST and Ben Gadsby AST.
As we prepare for the 2026 school year, now is the perfect time to organise your child’s school uniform. Our uniform shop is fully stocked with a great range of sizes to suit all students.
Ordering is easy!
You can place your uniform orders online anytime through the Qkr App, making the process quick and convenient. Prefer to pay overtime? Layby options are available to help you plan ahead.
Whether you're purchasing for a new student or updating for the new year, we’re here to help. For any questions or assistance, please contact us at:
riversidehighuniforms@gmail.com
Families are invited to attend the carnival to watch in designated spectator areas. We would also like to involve our families more at our sports carnivals. If you would like to offer your support at our Athletics Carnival, whether it be recording times for a running event or measuring the distance of a jump or throw, please email Mr Adam Sanders (adam.sanders@decyp.tas.gov.au) so we can discuss how we may be able to involve you.
Important information for you to know:
- Students are required to attend both days of the carnival, with participation the focus.
- Students will have their attendance taken in their Home Group class at 8:45am sharp on both mornings and then again at the end of the day before students are dismissed at 3:10pm.
- Students may wear the Riverside High School sports uniform to school and can then get changed into appropriate House colours. Students are encouraged to wear their House colours with pride.
- The school cafeteria and a BBQ will be available for students to purchase food and drink. Students are encouraged to also bring food and water from home.
- Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their sun safety by wearing a hat, sunglasses and applying and re-applying sunscreen (supplied by the school) throughout the day.
We hope your child has an enjoyable two days participating in the many events on offer. We also hope to see you there supporting your child and watching them participate in the many events being held.
A parent/guardian spectator area under shade will be accessible outside the Drama Hall (northern end of oval). Parking can be found in the car park on the first left turn after entering Brown Fields Lane.
If you have any questions about the carnival, please do not hesitate to email Adam Sanders.
Athletics Carnival Schedule
OFFICIAL START: 8:35am – Arrive and meet HG teacher in Home Room for attendance & briefing.
DAY 1 – Thursday, 30th October
DAY 2 – Tuesday, 4th November
Parents/Guardians have access to BBQ food and drinks.
Parent/Guardian toilets, are in the Gym.
For many years, St Anthony’s Catholic School has permitted public access through the rear of its grounds, allowing passage between Brownfields Lane, Riverside and the Windsor Community Precinct.
Following a recent review under the Child Safe Framework and discussions with Council Officers and Catholic Education Tasmania, it has been determined that continued public access through this thoroughfare presents an unacceptable risk to the safety of students and staff. As a result, the gates at both ends of the accessway will be permanently locked from 13 October 2025. Signage will be installed at each entry point to inform the public of this upcoming closure.
As we head into the final stretch of the school year, students across all year levels are engaging with a variety of mathematical concepts designed to challenge and extend their thinking.
- Year 7 students are diving into statistics and measurement, exploring how data is collected, represented, and interpreted, alongside practical applications of measuring length, area, and volume.
- Year 8 are continuing their focus on measurement, building on their understanding of units, conversions, and real-world problem-solving involving perimeter, area, and volume.
- Year 9 have recently completed units on scientific notation and index laws, and are now shifting their attention to statistics, where they’ll analyse data sets and interpret trends.
- Year 10 are working through trigonometry, applying their knowledge to solve problems involving angles, triangles, and real-world applications such as navigation and construction.
In addition to classroom learning, all students will be sitting their PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests) in Mathematics over the coming week. These assessments help track student growth and inform future teaching strategies.
We’re proud of the effort and engagement students are showing across all year levels and look forward to seeing their continued progress as the term wraps up.
Ms Jago
The Visual Art Department held its annual photography competition, “Capture,” during Term 3. We received a wide range of outstanding entries from students across the school, showcasing impressive creativity and technical skill.
First Prize: Jenny T from Grade 10 was awarded a $200 photo printing voucher, generously donated by Launceston Camera House.
Second Prize: Amy G from Grade 8 won a book pack, kindly provided by Petrarchs Book Store.
Highly Commended: Gemma P from Grade 10 received an art pack and canteen voucher.
Miss Saunders
