We want to train leaders
who serve and care for others
Whilst RJ actively encourages students to serve and lead others without the "title", there are some formal roles which directly benefit the RJ community.
At RJ, students are encouraged to show leadership through acts of kindness and service, reflecting a Christian ethos. This feature is readily embraced and exemplified by the students:
"A lot of leaders at the School have shown me what it means to serve with or without a leadership title. This is what I want to leave behind as a legacy; to serve not because you are told to but because you want to."
However, whilst RJ actively encourages students to serve and lead others without the "title", there are some formal roles which directly benefit the School community.
Camp/Trip/Sleepover Student Leaders
RJ deliberately involves Senior School students in Junior School activities as much as possible to not only build the RJ community spirit but to also assist the Junior students when they transition to Senior as they will already know some friendly faces. With this in mind, Year 8, 9 and 10 students can apply for leadership positions at the various Junior School Camps, Trips and Sleepovers.
Year 10 students apply early in the year to be a Student Leader on the Year 6 Canberra Trip. Interviews result in two or three boys and two or three girls being selected to travel to Canberra and assist the teachers.
Similarly, Year 9 students can apply to be a Student Leader on the Year 5 Camp in Term 1. Again, two or three boys and two or three girls are selected.
During Term 3, the Year 4 Pyjamarama Sleepover is held at School. Four Year 8 boys and four Year 8 girls are selected to be Student Leaders.
RJ endeavours to give as many students as possible the chance of being involved in these leadership opportunities. It is always a very difficult process to determine selections given the high quality of applicants, so please be understanding of this when your child applies.
Senior School Student Forum
The Forum members are chosen early every year. Each class from Year 7 to 12 selects a Student Leader to represent them at the Senior School Student Forum. The Forum meets weekly and is a great platform to share ideas, with members reporting back to their classes accordingly. The Forum is led by the two School Captains.
Sometimes the Junior Student Forum and the Senior Student Form meet together, when matters which affect the whole school are discussed. At other times the Forums meet separately to deal with matters pertaining to each of the Junior and Senior sections.
Many matters are discussed and suggestions are regularly taken from the Forum meetings to the College Executive, who welcome suggestions and reports back to the Forum accordingly. Many helpful changes have come about because of the Forum.
Captaincy & House Leaders
Year 11 students have opportunities during the year to show their organisational skills and initiative by arranging House Meetings and Sports Competitions. Halfway through Term 3, they can apply for the Captaincy roles, after which interviews are held with members of the College Executive. The two new School Captains, two Vice-Captains and four House Captains are announced on the last day of Term 3 as the Year 12 cohort concludes their time at RJ.
Early in Term 4, the other Year 10 and 11 students are eligible to apply for the roles of House Leader. Students and teachers from each House vote for their House Leaders and a Vice-Captain and three House Leaders are chosen accordingly.
Year 11 students are also invited in Term 3 to consider applying for the role of Chapel Captains, Performing Arts Captains, Service Learning Captains and Sports Captains.
Buddy Program
Our Year 12 students enjoy engaging with our Junior students through our meaningful Buddy program. This includes visiting a specific class in Junior School during some extended Home Group periods and study periods throughout the year. Our younger students love getting to know their buddies and benefit greatly from this special friendship.
General Award System
RJ has a comprehensive Award System that runs across both Junior and Senior Schools. It culminates in a Principal's Award and where this has been achieved four times, the student is awarded a College Plaque on Presentation Night and recorded on the Honours Board. Awards may be carried over from year to year.
The various components are as follows:
Tokens - Awarded in the classroom, playground or during a School activity for good conduct/behaviour. Each Token is worth one point in the House System.
Commendation - Awarded in the classroom (Secondary only) for subject achievement or improvement. Each Commendation is worth two points in the House System.
Service Credit - Awarded by the School Executive and Co-ordinators for a special contribution of time and effort to the life of the School. Each Service Credit is worth two points in the House System.
Special Award - Presented in the classroom when a student has accumulated ten Tokens.
Merit Certificate - Awarded at a weekly Assembly for significant academic achievement/ improvement or when a Secondary student has accumulated five Commendations. Each Merit Certificate for a Secondary student is worth ten House points.
College Service Award - Awarded at an Assembly when a student has accumulated five Service Credits. Also, this Award can be presented at the discretion of the Principal.
Principal's Award - Presented at an Assembly when a student has accumulated twelve Special Awards or six Merit Certificates or three College Service Awards or a suitable combination of these categories, as determined by the Principal. Also, this Award can be presented at the discretion of the Principal and aside from eligibility via the other Award categories.
College Plaque - Awarded at Presentation Night to a student who has achieved four Principal’s Awards.
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that leadership isn’t about having a title – it’s about serving others with purpose and humility. It’s about listening to the voices around you, whether it’s students, teachers, or staff, and using their insights to create positive change.
