Head of Early Childhood
End of the School Year
As I write the last Note Day for 2018, it is the close of another busy, rewarding and emotionally-charged year in the Preparatory School. I would like to thank the Preparatory School community, the wonderful parent body, for their endless support, without which the staff couldn’t have accomplished so many successes with your children. I wish you all a very joyous and blessed Christmas, a relaxing summer break and I look forward to hearing all about your holidays in the New Year. To assist with your planning for the 2019 holidays, please find below the term dates for next year. Could I please ask that all Early Childhood families plan their vacations within the holiday periods, as this ensures a consistent and undisturbed education for your child(ren). I hope that by providing term dates before the 2019 school year allows sufficient time to plan your holidays:
Term 1 – Wednesday 30 January – Friday 12 April
Term 2 – Tuesday 30 April – Friday 28 June
Term 3 – Tuesday 23 July – Friday 27 September
Term 4 – Monday 14 October – Tuesday 3 December
There Are Short Cuts to Happiness and DANCING is One of Them.
Last Thursday evening I had the privilege to be in the company of some very talented students at the Redlands Ballet and Dance Academy’s annual concert. The Christmas story of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker captivated the audience as Clara and the Nutcracker Prince took a journey through the Land of Snow and the Lemonade Sea, where they met some interesting characters. The exquisite ballerinas who made dancing on pointe shoes look like they were walking on clouds and the young men who so effortlessly pirouetted and leapt in the air, and of course, not forgetting, the tiniest of performers who melted our hearts, made for a magnificent performance. The second half of the evening was comprised of jazz, contemporary and tap, and I was so proud to watch our enthusiastic Yr 1 and 2 students who had the audience clapping and cheering as they danced to old favourites, Locomotion and Uptown Girl. Thank you to the teachers whose choreography, staging and costuming were outstanding, the parent volunteers, whose commitment to dance lessons, costume making and rehearsals is tireless. To the performers who danced so beautifully, thank you for giving the audience a gift that will be forever in their memory, long after the performance.
Throughout the past two weeks, there has also been some delightful Musical Theatre and Drama performances by the Prep students. Thank you to the tutors who work closely with the students all year.
Letting Our Light Shine
The Christmas tree is laden with many gifts for the Anglicare Toys and Tucker Campaign. Thank you for your generosity as the students of Redlands, once again, demonstrate how they “let their light shine” by giving to others in need.
Stationery List Information
Orders are made online at www.campion.com.au using the code KK2Y, and should be placed before Wednesday 5 December 2018 to ensure delivery the week ending Friday 18 January 2019. Please note: families who are overseas during January and unable to receive their parcel are permitted to enter the School’s address for delivery: Redlands Preparatory School, 2 Allister Street, Cremorne 2090.
Preparatory School Reports
Preparatory School reports for Semester 2, 2018 are now being processed. It has been a pleasure to read about the progress each student has made throughout the Semester. Reading over your child’s report with them is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate achievements in learning and also look toward areas that may need further development. At this stage, it is expected that all Prep School reports will be available to parents in the weeks following the end of the school year. An SMS will be sent to parents, once the reports have been successfully loaded onto the the parent portal, Redlands Pulse. To access the reports, parents will need their Redlands Pulse username and password. Parents requiring assistance regarding username or password should email pulse@redlands.nsw.edu.au as soon as possible.
Prep Presentation Day
Please refer to the recent email detailing uniform requirements for next Tuesday. If you have any questions regarding this, please talk to your class teacher who will be happy to assist.
School commences at the regular time of 8.20am on Tuesday 4 December and parents are asked to return to Dunnet Hall at approximately 9.45am for a 10.00am start. Please make a note of your seat number to ensure you are seated in the correct place and a reminder that no stilettos or beverages are permitted in the Hall. At the conclusion of the concert, at approximately 12.00pm, all children will return to their classroom and be dismissed from their usual dismissal area. Term 4 concludes directly after the concert and all children are to be collected at this time. As previously communicated, OOSH will not be operating for Prep School on this day.
Prep Presentation Day will be filmed this year and a closed link will be available on the portal for download in the new year.
Staff Update
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Sam Kourakis as Dean of Students P-6 in 2019. Mrs Kourakis’ extensive and positive association with Redlands, will enhance our Junior Campus Leadership team as well as our whole staff, and bring a wealth of expertise to this role.
Ms Shelly Acland, who kindly stepped into the Counsellor’s role after Ms Jo Wise’s departure, is leaving Redlands this year. I would like to thank her for the exceptional quality of care she provided the students, parents and staff through an emotional time in the Early Childhood section of the School.
Ms Susan Watt, Yr 2 teacher, will be leaving Redlands as she takes up a teaching position in an independent school on the North Shore. Susan’s contributions to the Yr 2 team have been generous and abundant, and we wish her well as she continues on her teaching journey.
We are delighted to share that Ms Emily Darcy is expecting her second child early next year and thus will finish in her role as Numeracy Enrichment teacher this year. We look forward to hearing her exciting baby news in the coming months.
Ms Trinetta Newbond has been a wonderful addition to the Prep Teacher’s Aide team this term and we are delighted that she will be taking on this role permanently next year.
We are pleased to have Mrs Penny Guha permanently joining the Prep Learning Plus team in 2019. We have appreciated and enjoyed her presence in the Lucy Hill Library this term.
Finally, we welcome Ms Emma Bladen to the Preparatory teaching team in 2019. Emma has taught in the Junior School section of the School for three years. She brings many years of experience, having worked as a Year Advisor, teacher and Subject Coordinator in the Early Years, both overseas and in Australia.
Arrangements for Day 1, Term 1, 2019
The Preparatory School office will re-open on Monday 21 January 2019. Next year, student and class placement will be available on the parent portal before the first day of school. There will also be a list of classes and students in the Prep Administration and Piazza area on the first day of the school year, 30 January 2019.
Yrs 1 and 2
All children commencing Yrs 1 and 2 are asked to please arrive at school between 8.00–8.20am and go directly to your new classroom, where teachers will be waiting for you.
Kindergarten
All children commencing Kindergarten are asked to make their way to their classroom between 9.00-9.15am. We encourage parents to say a timely goodbye, as this can be an emotional period for all. Please feel free to call School Reception if you require reassurance about your child’s day. Kindergarten will finish at 2.45pm. On the second day and thereafter, Kindergarten will commence at 8.20am at their meeting point.
All children will need to bring their new textbooks and stationery on the first day of school. Teachers will advise on the covering and labelling of books at the beginning of the term. Timetables and Student Planners will be distributed to all children on their first day. These will provide you with information about specialist lessons for 2019. Dress for the first day will be full school, summer uniform for all students.
The Car Line registration for 2019 is now open and all families who have previously used car line will be required to complete a new form for next year. Please access the Car Line form on Redlands Pulse and email earlychildhood@redlands.nsw.edu.au. Please note – There will be no car line operating on the first day of school.
Uniform Shop Opening Hours
The Uniform Shop is open by appointment only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.00am to 2.30pm and Thursday 9.00am – 6.00pm until Monday 10 December, however is not open tomorrow Friday 30 November. The shop re-opens on Monday 14 January 2019.
Vacation Care
Please be advised bookings will close on Tuesday 4 December for the December/January Vacation Care Program. If you would like to make a booking, please visit the Flexischools website.
End of Year Events
Mrs Audrey Fellowes
Head of Early Childhood
afellowes@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848