Hello and welcome to the new year at Richard Gill School. Throughout 2024 our blog posts will continue to be published on the first Friday of each month. In this month's post I reflect on the end of 2023, introduce some new members of our team, look at the term ahead and share news on some very special donations.
Update
Today we welcomed our Year 1 to Year 4 students back for their second day of 2024, with our newest Kindergarten children and families joining us on Monday February 5, which we are very excited to welcome into our school.
In addition to our new students, we're pleased to welcome two new members to our school staff. Mrs. Susan Norman has joined us as a full-time classroom teacher, bringing her expertise to enhance our educational environment. Joining Mrs. Norman is Mrs. Kalli Suckling, our new full-time Student Learning Support Officer (SLSO), who brings a wealth of past student support experience. Both of these additions to our team are expected to contribute significantly to the growth of our school. We express our sincere gratitude to Mrs. Nicole Sherringham for her invaluable service to our school throughout 2022 and 2023, and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.
2023 Reflections
End-of-Year Assembly and Disco
Reflecting on the close of 2023, our "Celebration Assembly" and "School Disco" on Tuesday, December 12, was a joyous occasion where we celebrated the growth, musicianship, and achievements of all the children at our school.
Awards were distributed, encompassing one accolade per class for Music, STEM, Growth, and Effort. Additionally, a special award for School Spirit was awarded to one standout student (congratulations, Oliver). The assembly also provided the opportunity to recognise the accomplishments of our students in previous sports and cross-country events, awarding place ribbons and medals.
RGS End of Year Celebration Assembly, December 2023
Following the ceremony our students enjoyed a disco to celebrate the year coming to a close thanks to the P&F volunteers. It was fantastic to see all the children “let their hair down” and have some quality social time with their fellow classmates.
A heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for the Celebration Assembly. Congratulations to all our award recipients and, indeed, to every student for their remarkable achievements throughout the year. We also extend our gratitude to Mr. Graeme McNeil, who represented Muswellbrook Shire Council as our special guest, adding to the warmth of the occasion.
Community Performance
Our performance at Muswellbrook Fair on Wednesday, December 13, was well received by our families and community members, many of whom expressed their gratitude and well wishes. The staff and I are proud of our students. While it might look like an easy task to some, being able to remember words and sing in unison is no small feat for little ones, especially our youngest and newest students. We are also proud as a school to be taking the lead in offering free live music to our community.
Community Performance, Muswellbrook Fair December, 2023
We look forward to making these types of community performances a regular part of our annual schedule as Ms. Olivia Ellis takes the musical reins from the departing Mrs. Sherringham in 2024.
Ms. Ellis, an exceptional violinist, is also deeply committed to expanding her music education qualifications. Having already completed her Orff training, she achieved Level 2 Kodály certification in her own time over the Christmas break. It's a privilege to have someone so dedicated and passionate about music education part of our team.
Muswellbrook Toy and Food appeal
During the final weeks of Term 4 in 2023, a large number of our families generously contributed to the Muswellbrook Food and Toy Appeal. For over 25 years, Radio Hunter Valley has supported this meaningful initiative, aiding 330 families within the Hunter Valley last year. In 2023, Richard Gill School proudly joined the team.
RGS Food and Toy Appeal Donations, December 2023
The Food and Toy Appeal is more than just charity; it's a testament to Muswellbrook’s community spirit that makes our region special. Everyone comes together to help people of all ages, creating memories that last a lifetime.
Special thanks to our parent volunteers, Jem and Ian, for their assistance and for bringing this initiative to the attention of our P&F and coordinating the collection.
A busy Term ahead
As we head into the new year, our calendar is once again full of exciting events and activities to complement our students’ education and school experience. Here are a few items to look forward to in Term 1:
Clean Up Australia Day (Friday, March 1)
Swimming Carnival (Friday, March 8)
Harmony Day (Thursday, March 21)
Upper Hunter Show Performances (Saturday, March 16)
Stay tuned for all the highlights to come!
congratulations
We're thrilled to highlight the recent Australia Day awards in Muswellbrook, celebrating significant community contributions. Explore the achievements of many deserving winners across various categories here. I am honoured to have been recognised in the Open Category, and must also extend my heartfelt congratulations to Upper Hunter Voices Choral Director, Samantha Cobcroft, for her outstanding contribution to the arts across the region.
In addition, we extend our warmest congratulations to our Chairman, Mr Kim Williams AM, on his new and prestigious appointment as Chair of the ABC. What an outstanding achievement! We are fortunate to have such an experienced Board of Directors, led by Kim, helping to guide the school's vision and future success. Read more about this exciting news here.
Donations
Our school has been blessed with some terrific instrument donations during the summer holiday period.
Firstly, a heartfelt thank you to local residents, Mr Nick Glenn and his wife, who donated a lovely upright piano to the school. This has been placed in our newest classroom as we strive to place a piano in every learning space.
Additionally, thank you to the wonderful David Robertson (and his sidekick Lilly) at Hunter Valley Violins for donating 10 second-hand violins and 1 second-hand cello to our school. These instruments will be invaluable to launching our “Stage 2 String Program” and violin lessons with Ms Ellis in 2024. David and Lilly kindly serviced and set up each instrument, ensuring all had the necessary accessories and a case so students could commence music-making immediately in the new school year.
Hunter Valley Violins
We highly recommend reaching out to Hunter Valley Violins for all your string instrument needs. David and his team are kind, generous, and helpful. Thanks again from the RGS community and thank you to all the individuals who contacted the school in support of the violin donations with various offers.
Enrolment
In 2024, Enrolment is open to Kindergarten, Year 1, to Year 4, with limited spaces in all classes K-4 available. To request an enrolment interview, please contact the school.
Please visit our documents page to view our prospectus, enrolment form, parent info, fee information and more.
Media
As always, I like to share music education advocacy articles each month, with this year being no different. Please enjoy this wonderful article, Playing Music or Singing Is Beneficial at Any Age - by Ria Andriani / ABC Classic
Yours in Music,
Chris English – Principal, Richard Gill School