Year 8

Welcome and Welcome Back 

A very warm welcome and welcome back to all students, parents and carers. We have a few new faces joining our cohort and also into our Pastoral Team. 

We welcome the following students:
Josie Cable, Charlotte Hoskin, Imogen Kroon, Yvie Marjoram, Joanna McMinn, Julian Murray, Stella Nicholl and Liam Riddell

We welcome the following staff: 
Phillip Arthur – Cowper Yellow
Natacha Brochard – Dumolo Red
Jeslyne Fung – McDouall Blue (Shared) 

Student Achievement 

Congratulations to Elizabeth Whelan who competed at the NSW All Schools Athletics Champions at the end of 2021. Elizabeth finished 3rd in the 12 years Hammer Throw and now qualifies for the Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Well done! 

Uniform

As we begin the new school year, we appreciate your support in maintaining our uniform standards by ensuring that the uniform is clean and in good repair. Students are expected to have neat hair, of a natural colour, and are not permitted to wear makeup. In terms of jewellery, small studs or sleepers are permitted. It is a particularly appropriate time to check that the hem length of girls’ dresses reaches the knees and whether shirts and trousers still fit, after the summer holiday period. We also ask parents to ensure that all student items are clearly labelled.

Please note that in Terms 1 and 4, blazers are optional and in Terms 2 and 3, blazers are a mandatory part of the uniform. Blazers are also required for special days which will be announced ahead of time.

Hats are strongly encouraged when playing outside at lunch or recess. Sunscreen is available from the Sunsquirt Kiosks on the Senior Campus, the Secondary School Office or Nurse’s Office.

Lockers and School Bags

All students will be assigned lockers on the first day of school. Students are responsible for bringing a lock to secure their locker. Bags are not to be brought to class for safety reasons and to support traffic flow around the school. Students (Year 7-10) should secure their bags in their locker at the beginning of the day and carry only the materials they need for their immediate classes, returning to their locker during the breaks in the school day, to retrieve other items.

Technology and Mobile Phone Usage

Technology is used for learning purposes only. Students in Years 7-10 should keep their mobile phones in their lockers throughout the day and are not permitted to have them out in the playground at recess or lunch. When necessary, teachers will direct students to use their laptops and/or mobile phones in the learning space. At recess and lunch, students are to leave their devices in their locked locker. At this time, students are encouraged to REST with each other; to Refresh, Exercise, Socialise and have Time-Out. If students wish to engage in academic activities at lunchtime, and require their laptop, then they should do so in the Library.

Mask Wearing

  • While on campus, appropriate face masks are required to be worn by all students from TG-12 and all staff in both indoor and outdoor settings.
  • Students should wear their own masks to school.
  • Masks are also required on both Transport NSW buses and Redlands buses. The three Redlands bus services will commence on Monday 31 January 

Visitors to Campus

  • We are asking non-essential visitors, including parents, to not come onto campus over the first month of Individual exceptions will be communicated by Heads of Section, such as some orientations.
  • During drop offs and pickups, parents should remain in their car if They should also observe physical distancing with other parents if walking to and from campus.

Cleaning and Hygiene

  • Students must use the hand sanitising stations when arriving on campus and when entering classrooms.
  • Bubblers will be closed; however, water bottle refilling stations will be available.
  • The enhanced cleaning regime will continue with classrooms, bathrooms and high touch surfaces.

Cocurricular Activities

With the above measures in place, it is our aim that as many cocurricular activities as possible will resume from the start of the year. We are undertaking individual risk assessments for each activity to determine whether or not they can run and if so, the risk mitigation strategies required, to run them as safely as possible.

Online Canteen Orders through Flexischools

Purchasing food from the Canteen is made via a pre-order system, called Flexischools. All student meals need to be pre-ordered via Flexischools using the app or website, prior to 8.30 am. Parents and carers create a Flexischools account for their child via the following link. https://www.flexischools.com.au/  

Key Dates

Term 1 – Monday 31 January – Friday 8 April

Term 2 – Wednesday 27 April – Friday 24 June

Term 3 – Tuesday 19 July – Thursday 22 September

Term 4 – Monday 10 October – Wednesday 7 December

Mr Edward Atkins
Yr 8 Advisor 
eatkins@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9909 3133