RSC Update - Term 1, Week 1

New RSC Public Platforms

Welcome to the first RSC Update for 2022.  We hope you like the new fortnightly newsletter format, courtesy of Schoolzine.  This format provides you with greater control over the newsletter content - use the filtering "tags" to select a region, sector or category of interest.  

Along with the new RSC Update, the Regional Sport Coordinators have developed a public website, located at https://sport.education.tas.gov.au.  This website will feature additional articles, our events calendar and previous editions of the newsletter.  Please bookmark this page and share it with any other contacts who might be interested in our content.  We will begin promoting the site to our broader school communities soon.  

Sport and physical activity providers can also use the "Submit Content" feature to share articles and events for future RSC Updates and our events calendar.  We recently contacted all State Sporting Organisations and local clubs, associations and groups to promote this service and outline the school operating environment for Term 1.  

Those who received the update last year have been automatically subscribed to this new version.  If you have changed schools, please contact the Regional Sport Coordinators.  Similarly, if you have changed roles and no longer wish to receive our newsletters, please use the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the newsletter.  

Please subscribe if you are a new school contact and wish to receive future editions of this newsletter, direct to your inbox.

Finally, we also encourage you to download and install the Schoolzine app (available for Apple or Android).  Select "Asia Pacific" on the region screen, and "Tasmania" from the drop down list on the next screen.  The "Regional Sport Coordinators" should then appear.  You will then be prompted to create a Schoolzine account to access the app.  Please refer to the installation instructions for more details.  

Our new app will allow you to receive notifications when new content is added and you can also view a region-specific stream of events and information.  

COVID-19

We understand that the border re-opening and subsequent Omicron wave of infections has presented a challenging environment for the start of the 2022 school year, with the top priority to safely open our schools and ensure continuity of learning.  

Resources

The Regional Sport Coordinators appreciate that our HPE teachers and sport coordinators may be required to deliver content differently due to staff and student absences, and/or COVID-19 restrictions. 

The Regional Sport Coordinator's section of the Intranet includes a "Sport and Physical Activity Programs and Resources" page.  The top section of this page includes a link to a spreadsheet containing collated Health and Physical Activity resources that can be used to support flexible and home-based learning if needed.  Resources are available for primary and secondary sectors.  

Note: The bottom section of the Sport and Physical Activity Programs and Resources page includes additional links to on-demand programs and resources for all sectors.

Primary staff are encouraged to check out the GymZoonasium site, which offers schools a free trial of their range of exercise, motor skills and yoga sessions, which can be delivered via an interactive whiteboard or any other internet-connected device.  All resources are mapped to the Australian Curriculum and Early Years Learning Framework.  Check it out!

Advice - Sport, HPE and Physical Activity in Schools

The Regional Sport Coordinators have updated our Sport, HPE and Physical Activity in Schools document, which provides guidelines on conducting various types of sport and physical activity opportunities in a COVID-safe manner, operating within the current DoE and Public Health guidelines.  We encourage all HPE teachers and sport coordinators to review this document and share relevant information with school leaders.  Please note there are specific recommendations for the first five weeks of Term 1 to accommodate an expected rise in COVID-19 infections and implications for staff, students and school communities.  

The Regional Sport Coordinators trust that this document will assist with decision making around school and regional events in Term 1 (e.g. Swimming, Athletics Carnivals), and we are ready to assist schools and school sport associations with practical solutions to any resulting operational or scheduling issues.  

Please see the below upcoming opportunities for your students, and once again please don’t hesitate to contact the Regional Sport Coordinators should you have any questions or require support in facilitating sport and physical activity opportunities for your students.

The Arrogone Archers Club would like to invite local schools to particiate in archery at Gerrard Street Reserve, Moonah.

The club can cater for classes of approx 20 students at a time and can deliver adhoc sessions through to a term program, flexible to meet the needs of your school.

General costs as follows, and see the attached flyer for more details:

• Single session - $300 (Base price)
• Two Sessions (same day) - $500 ($250 per session)
• Three sessions (same day) - $600 ($200 per session)
• Term commitment (minimum four sessions held on different days)
  • Single sessions- $960 ($240 per session)
  • Double sessions each day - $1600 ($200 per session)
  • Three sessions each day - $1920 ($160 per session)

Information regarding free school cricket programs available for this term. 

Imperial Futsal once again invite schools participate in their 5-aside futsal tournament at Aurora Stadium, Creek Rd.

• Grades 7-10, boys and girls
• Friday March 18
• Aurora Sports Stadium (Tas. Netball Centre), Creek Rd, New Town
• Cost - $150 per team
• Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm (subject to number of entries)
• Deadline: entries close Friday 4-March

See the registration form below for full details and to nominate your teams.

Click here to download the Imperial Futsal Registration Form

Challenge yourself and swim for youth mental health. Laps for Life takes place from 1–31 March, 2022 to raise money for young people living with a mental health challenge.

Whether you're new to the water or a competitive swimmer, get involved any way that suits you. You can team up with family or friends, or participate individually.

• Swim ANYWHERE you like - laps at the local or school pool, hit the beach or take part in an ocean swim!
• Swim AS FAR as you can - set a goal that suits you, and use the handy lap calculator to decide how many sessions you'll need.
• Swim WHENEVER it suits you - you don’t need to swim every day, just pick the days and times that suit your lifestyle.
• Swim WHATEVER style you want - whether its freestyle, butterfly or doggy-paddle, just get swimming!

The challenge goes on for ONE MONTH and supports the one in four young people with mental

The Southern Tasmanian Table Tennis Association (STTTA) regrets to inform schools and students of the decision to delay their Term 1 Junior Program due to COVID-19.

Schools may however still hire the Table Tennis Centre, based at Kingborough Sports Centre, to conduct class programs.

Casual School Hire

• • 10 table facility for $40 per hour
  • Access to STTTA's equipment
  • Contact secretary@sttta.org.au for bookings and availability.

Please see STTTA's notice below outlining the suspension of their Junior Schools program in more detail.

See the Southern Tasmanian Table Tennis Association website for more details.

KIDDO has all you need for your early years (birth to 8 years) Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) program, from lesson plans, session building tools, planning resources and assessment tools.

Develop not just skills but children's confidence and motivation to be active as well! Improve student physical literacy levels to help nuture a love of physical activity that will last a lifetime.

• Set priorities and goals for the school year and each term, using the Sport Australia Physical Literacy Guide for Schools.
• Use KIDDO's scope and sequencing and FMS development documents to help plan the year. 
• Become familiar with focus skill's teaching cues, skill criteria and teaching strategies with KIDDO's FMS skill resources.
• Plan KIDDO activities for the weeks ahead and discover new favourites. Reflect on your focus skills and choose activities that will engage all children.
• Invest in yourself and school staff by upgrading your KIDDO Membership to access all of KIDDO's evidence-based and time saving resources including:
  • curriculum-linked lesson plans
  • professional development
  • FMS assessment and reporting tools.  now

Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) have published a free eBook to help people with disability to become more physically active.

Around 1 in 6 Australians (4.4 million people) live with disability. People with disability are generally less active due to the additional barriers they face, and this increases their risk of chronic diseases and poor health outcomes. 

The eBook outlines a variety of disabilities that are common to Australians and the role exercise can play in managing the disability and helping with daily living.

ESSA accredited exercise professionals and allied health professionals have compiled this ebook to both provide exercise advice, and to support and resources people to improve their health and well-being.

The Tasmanian Institute of Sport (TIS) has partnered with Paralympics Australia (PA) to develop Para-sport pathways within the state, with the aim to provide more targeted support for developing and emerging Tasmanian Para-athletes and coaches.

The project has been made possible through funding from Communities, Sport & Recreation Tasmania.

The TIS is seeking additional Expressions of Interest for the Junior Talent Program - see details below:

Para-Sport Junior Talent Program: A talent ID opportunity for talented junior Tasmanian Para-athletes aged 10-18, exposing them to the high-performance environment. Participants will be exposed to elite level training facilities and sessions to develop their knowledge of basic strength & conditioning, performance habits and will connect them with former Paralympic and scholarship athletes.

The first session for the program was held at the beginning of February. Athletes participated in an introductory strength and conditioning session, followed by a presentation from three-time Paralympian, wheelchair athletics athlete, Sam McIntosh (T52 100m & 400m). TIS Para-archer Kevin Faulkner also joined the session sharing his experience and knowledge. 

Additional sessions will be conducted during school holidays in 2022.  

Please note the program will be available in the Hobart region in 2022, with a view to expanding to other regions in future years.  

Expressions of interest are open for the next session, to be staged on Tuesday April 26.  Please contact Ilene Carr (Sport Program Coordinator) to register your interest.  

More information is available on the TIS website.  

• • • • Sunday 13-Feb 3-4pm
      • Sunday 20-Feb 3-4pm

All equipment and gear will be supplied, and activities will include general paddling skills followed by some games and fun at Forth.

Come and try sessions will continue on Sundays, and once established a Thursday afternoon session may be included.

All interested parties, please contact Russell Horton for more information, waivers and to provide medical information.