Year 9

On Campus Connection and Confidence Days 25 & 26 October

This week, an incredible energy was felt across the school as students returned to campus.  Students reunited with friends and peers, Tutors ran activities designed to support student wellbeing and to fortify coping strategies while students also had a chance to touch base with their teachers prior to Term 4 Assessments.  Students navigated the new bell schedule and enjoyed the Fahl Garden for Recess and Lunch while settling back in to On-Campus Learning.

Yr 9 T4 Assessment Block

Students were briefed on expectations and processes for completing the T4 Assessment Block and the first day seemed to go very smoothly. Most showed up at the recommended time 15-20 minutes prior to the start of the assessment with their Sport uniform on and cameras working. Students have had the flexibility of being at home while completing these assessments and we will prepare to welcome them back to On-Campus Learning next week from the start of Week 5.  Students are wished all the best in demonstrating their knowledge from this last term and finishing their last Yr 9 assessments. 

Maths Help via Aluminate is back!

Maths help provided by a group of senior students can be accessed through the Aluminate iLearn page.  Students can ask questions, request help or engage in various challenge problems with feedback and help provided by students in Yr 11. Encourage your teens to post a question or request help for revision or extension. 

Upcoming Yr 9 Events

Goal Setting one-on-one meetings will take place in Weeks 5 and 6 between students and their Tutors to reflect on Remote Learning, assessment preparation and performance while also looking ahead to possible Yr 10 goals. 

Burn Bright Spark & Ignite Program will be run on Friday 12 Nov 2021 for Yr 9 students with a focus on building self-efficacy. Burn Bright believes in and wants to help harness the potential in young people to develop into authentic leaders who value healthy relationships, wellbeing and serving their community.  This cohort also participated in a Burn Bright Program in Yr 7, titled Recipe for Success. For further information and free parent resources provided by Burn Bright, please see their website: https://burnbright.org.au/parents/.

Yr 9 NAPLAN Student Readiness Testing will take place on 19 November during Period 5.

The Midawarr Program has been confirmed for the 23-25 November. Students will participate in a 3-day On-Country Experience engaging with First Nations community from NE Arnhem Land facilitated by Culture College and taking place on our Redlands Senior Campus. Students chose their t-shirt sizes this week in preparation for the event and further information will come out soon. 

Careers Profiling will take place Term 1 2022.  Students will receive a brief introduction to this process and parents will receive further information prior to summer break this term.

SCHOOLS TV – SPECIAL REPORT: Managing Overwhelm

Willingly or not, we have all been exposed to a piece of bad news that has lingered in our thoughts for days afterwards. This seems to be more common in the current environment than ever before. Due to the pandemic, the world we now live in is a very different place, so it is easy to see why we might feel impacted. It can often seem like there are many stressful events occurring simultaneously, and the hyperconnected nature of our environment means we are constantly being reminded of the challenges we face via numerous media and social media channels. Our connectivity to the digital world exposes us to a barrage of messages that can often leave us feeling overwhelmed.

It is therefore important for children and parents alike to consciously and intentionally learn good wellbeing strategies. Unfortunately, our brains have not evolved fast enough to adapt to the digital landscape we find ourselves in and this often leaves us feeling overwhelmed and can result in increased levels of stress and anxiety. If left untreated or unmanaged, constant stress and anxiety can lead to a number of behavioural issues or health consequences.

The blueprint for parenting, based on our own experiences, is no longer fit for purpose in raising kids as citizens of tomorrow. The combination of constant access to information and having little control over the situations presented, can be stressful and overwhelming. Although we can’t provide our kids with certainty, we can provide them with the skills and strategies to cope to enable them to flourish and thrive, socially, emotionally and academically. It may not necessarily be the information itself that is harmful, but more their inability to process and make sense of it.

https://redlands.nsw.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-managing-overwhelm

Ms Alissa Ynson
Yr 9 Advisor
aynson@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9865