Head of Junior School
On Monday, our Yr 6 students enjoyed an inspiring visit to the UNICEF headquarters in Pyrmont. For weeks leading up to the trip, Yr 6 students have delved deep into the intricate world of bushfires and earthquakes. They have explored the scientific aspects behind these events, examined the environmental factors contributing to their occurrence and analysed the roles and responsibilities of various organizations involved in responding to such crises.
Midway through their study, the students received a video brief from UNICEF Australia sharing their concern over potential breaches to the rights of the child due to a potential earthquake in Melbourne’s CBD and worsening fire conditions in Yamba, NSW. The teams were tasked with thinking critically about which specific right of the child might be most at risk during their chosen scenario and developing innovative solutions to safeguard that right in the face of a natural disaster. In addition to selecting a scenario and a right, our students also chose a stakeholder who would be responsible for implementing their proposed solution, which invited consideration into the perspectives and capabilities of the stakeholders they selected.
At UNICEF HQ, the students set up their solutions akin to a science fair. They shared their innovative ideas with UNICEF representatives and engaged in discussions about the real-world application of their plans. It was a remarkable moment of collaboration and learning as our students received valuable feedback and insights from experts in the field of child rights and disaster preparedness.
The ultimate objective of this project was to develop comprehensive disaster preparedness plans that would not only address the immediate safety of children but also ensure that their rights are protected during and after the disaster. It was both inspiring and heart-warming to witness Yr 6 rise to the challenge and produce innovative ideas that could make a real difference in the lives of children in crisis situations.
We are thankful that so many parents were able to join us at the Gallery Walk in the morning and see first-hand the thoughtfulness and effort that went into the projects. Redlands is the first school to co-create a program of this kind with UNICEF Australia and we look forward to exploring the potential to scale something similar with the education sector more broadly.
We are very grateful to the dedicated staff at UNICEF Australia for their support in nurturing the next generation of responsible and compassionate global citizens and I extend my gratitude to Ms Green, the School’s Innovation and Entrepreneurial Strategist, and the Yr 6 teachers (particularly Ms Coome), for their leadership and vision for this unique project that we hope many schools from across Australia will benefit from.
Yr 5 Bathurst Excursion
Earlier this week, Yr 5 enjoyed a wonderful experiential learning trip to the Bathurst Goldfields and Hill End connected too their studies on the Goldrush Era. This enriching two-day experience connected to their studies. From student recounts, panning for gold themselves and the mine visit were highlights for many of the students.
My thanks to Ms Jones for leading the trip with a capable team of staff in support and in her absence, to Ms Osborn, for her preparatory administrative work.
Gallery Walks
Students in Years 3 and 6 have been delighted to welcome parents and carers to their classrooms this week to showcase and share highlights in their learning this term. Tomorrow, Yr 4 have this opportunity which Yr 5 enjoyed last term. These gallery walks have also been important ways for us to give parents and carers a closer sense of your children’s learning and from my conversations with some families, I know that this has provided you with a valuable sense of your child’s learning this term.
CIS Athletics
Congratulations to all of our students who competed with great passion and commitment in Tuesday’s searing heat for HICES at the CIS Athletics Carnival. Trained by our specialist athletics and relay coach, Richard Frost, the students should be very proud of this level of representation and additional details can be found in the Junior Sport section.
Yr 12 – Farewell and Thank you
It was both a pleasure and a privilege to attend Year 12’s Farewell Assembly and Valedictory Dinner yesterday; a perfect balance of celebration, recognition, emotion and formality as their time at Redlands draws to a close.
Many of the cohort are students who spent their formative years in the Junior School, so to see them as the confident young adults they now are, is both humbling and inspiring in equal measures. As has now become tradition, as Year 12 filed out of their final assembly in Dunnet Hall, our P-6 students and teachers formed a wonderful guard of honour for them that snaked its way up through the Prep playground and into the piazza area.
The beautiful words spoken from Yr 12 students and teachers at the two events spoke volumes about the personal connections and relationships that form between teachers and students and can be so impactful and last long after students leave us. We can all remember those teachers, right?
I wish this group of students all the very best as they prepare for their final examinations next term and thank them for their leadership this past year, some of which has been very visible on our campus too.
OOSH – R U OK?
In our OOSH after school group last Thursday, the students were involved in a delightful activity connected to the relevance of R U OK? Day.
The students were asked them to take a balloon and write their name on it. They then tossed their balloons around until they were all mixed up. The students were given thirty seconds to find the balloon with their name on it but only two were able to find their own balloon. The educator then told them to take the balloon closest to them and give it to the person whose name was on it. In less than ten seconds, everyone was holding their own balloon.
The educator then explained the aim of the activity with the balloons representing happiness. We won’t find it when we’re only searching for our own. But if we care about someone else’s happiness…it will ultimately help us find our own.
We asked them “What makes you happy?” Some of them answered:
Ripley: Family, friends and games
Jakob: Family and Roblox
Toni: Being with my friends and family and food
Allegra: My family, friends and my dog
Alice: My family and my creations
Amy: Roblox and friends
Daniel: Roblox, playing with my friends in the afternoon
Blake: Games, my mum and dad and friends
Fletcher: Family and sports
Junior School Term 4 Science Club
Parent Survey
Response requested by Friday 6 October
As a School we continue to pursue a journey that positions Redlands as a leading contemporary and innovative school inspiring students to adapt, create and thrive in our complex global community.
At the heart of this journey is our community. We recognise the vital role our wider community plays in the growth and prosperity of Redlands and remain committed to providing opportunities for feedback on our performance. With this in mind, we are inviting you to complete a short survey of your feedback. The survey should only take a few minutes, is anonymous, does not collect any personally identifiable information. Thank you for your consideration and contribution within this important process that can be completed here.
Time for a Break
I do hope that the two-week break provides students and families with quality time to rest and recharge. Redlands is a busy school, as it should be, so the down time is particularly important for both students and teachers to return energised for the final term of 2023.
We look forward to welcoming the students back for Term 4 on Monday 9 October and a reminder that summer uniform is expected and blazers optional.
2024 Term Dates
Term 1 Tuesday 30 January – Friday 12 April
Term 2 Tuesday 30 April – Friday 28 June
Term 3 Tuesday 23 July – Thursday 26 September
Term 4 Monday 14 October – Wednesday 4 December
Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022