Head of Preparatory School
Welcome to Term 3
A big welcome back to Term 3 to all our Prep families and I trust you enjoyed a break to routine. I would like to welcome the following families to the Redlands community this week and thank our current parents who have so warmly embraced them.
1B – Ripley Jackson
2R – Wilbur Price
2Y – Imogen Scattini
2B – Claire Wendon
Staff Information
Due to the current situation in Melbourne, Miss Stellina Sim has not been able to return to Sydney. We will as a school and staff find an appropriate way to farewell her in the next few weeks. We wish Stellina all the best with her new job. We welcome Miss Hannah Patton into the 2 Yellow class for Weeks 1-3 and then from Week 4 onwards, Ms Amber Wilson will take over in the full time capacity on 2 Yellow. I know the Redlands community will welcome both teachers warmly.
Pick-up and Drop-off Logistics
I encourage all families to read the email sent from Sarah McGarry last week on behalf of Stephen Webber outlining the latest updates regarding COVID-19 guidelines. For our Preparatory families, it is important to know that the pick-up and drop-off logistics have not changed this term. K-2 students are to be dropped from 8.00am in the underground car park or at the front of Prep School Reception. It is very important that our Kindergarten families do not arrive before 2.30pm in the afternoon to join the car line as our Redlands House families are picking up their children at that time. You will be asked to move along if you are early. Temperature checks are still taken before school in three locations in the morning – in the car park area, Prep Reception and at the Murdoch Street gate for those who walk to school.
Prep Assemblies
I am excited this term to return to face to face Prep Assembly times on Thursday afternoons. We will endeavour to use a 15 minute window to come together and celebrate our Assembly time where key messages will be shared, and Positive Behaviour 4 Learning Awards presented. A slight change this term is that Assembly will be held fortnightly. On the alternate week, our students will have their wellbeing time together. Students who gain their Award on the alternate week will be acknowledged the following week when we are altogether.
Term 3 Clubs
Prep School will once again be offering a Clubs program for Yrs 1 and 2 in Term 3. Students who would like to attend are able to choose from a variety of options, running Wednesdays from 3.00 to 4.00pm. If you would like your child to take part in the Clubs program in Term 3, for which there is no additional cost, please refer to the letter being emailed to families on Monday. Prep will once again be using the Trybooking system to organise the registrations, which will be made on a first in, first served basis. Children are required to choose one club only for Term 3. Clubs will commence in Week 3 (Wednesday 5 August) and will finish in Week 9 (Wednesday 16 September).
Calendar Items
Term 3 calendar events are constantly under review and as decisions are made, we will communicate them to you as quickly as we can. Both Grandparents and Special Friends Day and Yr 2 Camp have been cancelled, with further details regarding Yr 2 Camp cancellation immediately below. Parent interview times are also under review at this stage. Watch this space for calendar updates.
Curriculum Camp
Further to Mr Webber’s pre-term letter, I can now confirm that our planned rescheduled camp for Yr 2 has been cancelled for 2020. Whilst students and staff will be disappointed, the decision aligns with AHPPC and the Department of Education guidelines. We will, however, be organising a day of outdoor games and activities on site later this term, which will encompass a lot of team building and initiative exercises that they would have experienced on camp, which will be led by the School’s Head of Outdoor Education, Mr Gregory.
Parent Borrowing
Our wonderful Librarian Victoria Roberts and Library Assistant Fiona Bertinshaw worked tirelessly throughout the Remote Learning period providing many books to families to ensure that our learners were provided with a wide variety of authors, information books to read and enjoy. As we have now returned to face to face teaching, it is timely to return to the guidelines around parent borrowing from our spectacular Library. The Prep Library has always encouraged multiple books to be borrowed by families and this encouragement for home reading doesn’t change. If you would like to borrow multiple books from the Library, we ask that you borrow a maximum of ten books only. These books will be provided to you in a material library bag that is to be used when returning the books please. For health and safety reasons, baskets will no longer be accepted as a way to transport the books home.
OOSH News
From 12 July charging OOSH fees returned and families are reminded that if they hold a place in the OOSH that full fees will be applicable. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the dedicated OOSH and Vacation Care team. Over the past few months they have adjusted their programs and kept this invaluable service going for Redlands families.
Term 4 Departure Notice
This is a final reminder that those families who are planning on leaving the School during or at the end of Term 4 are required to give notice to the Principal via an email to registrar@redlands.nsw.edu.au by this Sunday 26 July 2020.
As per our Conditions of Enrolment emailed to all families in December last year with the 2020 Schedule of Fees, there will be fees in lieu payable for any notices of departure received after this date.
If your family is experiencing current financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19, please contact our Chief Financial Officer at bweatherstone@redlands.nsw.edu.au to see how the School may support your child’s continued enrolment at Redlands.
This article from the Deputy Principal contains information regarding Emergency Management at Redlands and the associated Lockdown and Evacuation Drills, and the Community Code of Conduct.
Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge
Head of Preparatory School
abreckenridge@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848