Head of Secondary School

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Redlands Parent Webinar

All parents are invited to a Zoom webinar next Tuesday 3 November, 7.00-8.00pm.

Principal Mr Stephen Webber will be presenting on feedback from the Strategic Plan survey and future direction and there will also be short presentations from our three Heads of Section. In addition, Matthew Bentley, Head of Teaching and Learning will provide an update on the Redlands Learning Platform and the Student Voice survey.

Please reserve your virtual place by clicking here. The Zoom link will be sent prior to the event.

Innovative Design Exhibition/Fashion Show

The annual HSC Major Works exhibition for Design and Technology, Textiles and Design, and Yrs 10-11 Textiles fashion show is planned for Wednesday 4 November. Due to COVID restrictions, parents are unfortunately not able to attend, however a video of the event will be uploaded to Redlands Pulse the following week.

Thank You

This Friday 30 October is Teacher Appreciation Day and for the last few years the parent and student communities have used this day as an opportunity to express their gratitude and appreciation for all Redlands staff members in the form of a Staff Appreciation Morning Tea on the day. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions we are unable to hold this morning tea this year as we have in previous years. However, on Tuesday our new student leaders went around to various staffrooms to deliver individually wrapped biscuits for each staff member throughout the Redlands community to say “Thank You” for their efforts this year. This gesture of appreciation by the parents and students meant so much to all of us and the personal deliveries by students made it even more special. So, on behalf all of the staff in the Secondary School, I would like to say “Thank You” to you. We are fortunate to be part of such a special Redlands community.

Summer Sports Update

It was great to see many of our summer sports teams commence their ISA seasons last weekend. I know many students have been waiting since early Term 3 to return to interschool sports, and we saw great spirit and many excellent results across the courts and fields on Saturday. We are trying to best support and manage parent attendance at these fixtures and ask parents to refer to communications from the Sports Department for specific arrangements at individual venues.

Camps

As communicated at the beginning of the term, we are pleased to note that our school camps are able to recommence this term. Accordingly, we will now run our Yr 8 Camp to Yarrahapinni and our Yr 10 Camp to Myall Lakes in Week 5 from Monday 9 – Friday 13 November and information has been sent to parents regarding arrangements for these camps. In addition, while we are unable to have our Yr 9 students travel to Arnhem Land for their camp, we are pleased to have been able to arrange for an indigenous cultural immersion experience on campus for Yr 9 students in Week 6 from Tuesday 17 – Friday 20 November and more information will be sent to students and parents about this experience.

In addition, we have been able to reschedule this term’s postponed Yr 11 Camp to Week 2 of Term 1 next year from Monday 1 – Friday 5 February. We are thrilled that this valuable and much loved camp experience will now occur for our new Yr 12 students at the beginning of next year. We will ensure academic deadlines are rescheduled so that students can get the most out of this experience and more information will be sent home to Class of 2021 students and parents in the coming weeks. Finally, the rescheduling of the Yr 11 Camp to the beginning of Yr 12 has meant that the Yr 7 Camp will be moved to the following week from Monday 8 – Friday 12 February.

Leadership System

On Tuesday our new student leaders introduced themselves and their vision to our school community through an assembly video that was played to students during Tutor Period. I commend our new student leaders for their vision of inclusivity, optimism and opportunity as focus areas for Secondary School this year and their slogan of “Press Play” as a way to encourage students to get involved and have fun. These aims are a wonderful response to the challenges we have faced this past year and I look forward to seeing their initiatives take shape over the coming months.

Today I spoke to all of our rising Yr 12 students about the leadership roles they will be playing in our new leadership model. The vast majority of them have put their name forward to be considered for a School Prefect this year and they will have the opportunity to take on many of these responsibilities over the coming months. Over the remainder of this term and next year, all of the students who have nominated to be considered for School Prefect this year will be performing various gate and playground duties in this role. We are hopeful that their theme of inclusivity will extend to the whole Year Group having the opportunity to take on these leadership responsibilities.

Yrs 7 – 10 Examinations

This week, students in Yrs 7 and 10 have been sitting their Yearly Examinations and next week, students in Yrs 8 and 9 will be doing the same. Assessments such as these are an important tool in assessing students’ learning and we would hope all students prepare and revise accordingly so that they are giving their very best effort and are achieving their own personal bests. However, it is also important that students and parents see these examinations as just one in a number of different assessments of student learning over the course of the year. The final results and marks are not nearly as important as the habits of and approaches towards learning that students have developed over the course of the year or will further develop in the reflection and evaluation of their learning after these assessments so that they can best develop strategies for future improvement. We encourage all students to continue to develop this type of “growth mindset” towards their learning at school and I hope students in Yrs 7-10 put into practice this approach over the coming weeks.

CanTeen Bandana Day

Last Friday 23 October, the Secondary School was awash with bright colours as many staff and students were wearing bandannas that they bought throughout the week as part of CanTeen’s Bandanna Day. I would like to acknowledge our new Service Captains, Laura Sidoti and Harrison Winton, as well as many other rising Yr 12 students who helped lead this initiative. The money we raised will go to CanTeen to provide many different support services for young people aged 12-25 who have been affected by cancer.

Mr Sean Corcoran
Head of Secondary School
scorcoran@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9870