Year 7

Yr 7 are Full STEAM Ahead!

This week took Yr 7 into the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics), as they were challenged to consider how they might assess, transform and reuse waste for a more sustainable future. The program, which occurred across all of Monday and Tuesday, was titled ‘From Waste to Worth’, and engaged students in progressing through the stages of the design process to propose a solution to issues of waste and sustainability and Redlands.

The two days offered Yr 7 an exciting and informative experience, beginning in a presentation from guest speaker, Jo Taranto, who explored the disturbing levels of waste produced in Australia, and culminated in polished presentations from a selection of four Yr 7 project group finalists, who had each developed successful presentations and prototypes of waste saving technology. The two days were ably led by fantastic, supportive and enthusiastic Yr 10 volunteers and coordinated by our phenomenal eLearning Coordinator, Wendy Duckworth. It was an excellent, hands-on, collaborative and experiential learning opportunity for the cohort. Thank you to everyone who helped organise and support the two days!

A huge congratulation goes out to our three individual award winners, as nominated by the Yr 10 student support:

  • Ruairi MacLochlainn who, for helping his group work together, stay positive and find the best way to present their information, even when they were not totally finished, won the ‘Eternal Optimist’ award.
  • Clementine Roumanoff who, for her passion and commitment to offering consistently creative and innovative ideas, won the ‘Creative Confidence’ award.
  • Seren Guha who, for bringing her group together, ensuring productivity and allocating and helping with the work that needed to be done, won the ‘Expert Collaborator’ award.

Another massive congratulations goes out to our three runners up project groups:

  • The Bubble Barrier: Jason Gong, Ken Osaki, Clementine Roumanoff and Phoebe Sun
  • Traffic Light: Mathew Krapovtnitskiy, Liv Law, Lily Musgrave-Kresa
  • Clothes Library (special mention): Felix Eade, Hamish Hopkins, Lauren Rolfe and Tahlia Stone

And the biggest of all congratulations to our winning team:

  • The Food Log: Natalie Bain, Georgia Grace and Maddy Moore.

Sporting Success – Olive and Otis

Recently, we have also had some wonderful success amongst some of our Yr 7 students in external sporting pursuits.

Olive Ross-Sampson was recently selected to be in the A Division Girls Under 14 Waterpolo team playing for her club, the Balmain Tigers. They competed in the Canberra Cup a couple of weekends past and won the grand final last week! They are now in training for Nationals in January in Brisbane.

Otis Gait, after competing in the U13 Indoor Hockey State Championships last weekend, has been selected to represent NSW U13 State team at the National Indoor Hockey Championships in January 2024. He’s shown massive determination and resilience to get here following some challenging injuries over the last 18 months and is really excited about the opportunity. 

Party Time and Farewell to Ms Rothwell!

Despite a busy end to the year, it is still very important that we maintain our wellbeing. In Tutor sessions, groups have been exploring the importance of ‘sharpening the saw’. Sharpening the saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset we each have – ourselves! It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in four key areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. Roseby Red and White Tutor groups certainly took this to heart this past week, engaging in a celebration of finishing examinations, moving closer to the holidays and generally just aiming to support each other’s social/emotional wellbeing and mental health. It was a lovely vibe and there was so much food!

At the same time, across the Redlands Learning Hub, McDouall Blue were also engaging in some wonderful wellbeing activities, showing gratitude towards their Tutor, Ms Rothwell, and enthusiastically wishing her the best for her maternity leave. It was a great display of care with the group organising a surprise farewell party for her and offering her a range of thoughtful cards and tokens of their appreciation for her support for them as a fantastic Tutor. We wish Ms Rothwell all the best for her time away from Redlands and bringing her second child into the world!

A Message from Ms Van de Peer – Experiential Learning Program (2025)

In 2025 students in Yr 9 will engage in Redlands’ inaugural Experiential Learning Program at High Country Campus in Jindabyne for an 8-week residential experience.

Currently, we are busy designing and planning so that our current Yr 7 students can engage in an innovative and formative program that enables them to learn about themselves, each other and the wider world. 

As we design and plan for the Experiential Learning Program, we value the feedback of staff, students and families. 

As parents and carers of Year 7, we appreciate your participation in the following survey. Please access at this Survey Link.

The survey closes Friday 1 December 2023. Thank you.

Year 7 Vaccinations – Last Reminder!

A quick reminder that vaccinations run by NSW Health as part of the school vaccination program, will be occurring tomorrow for Yr 7 students whose parents / carers have submitted consent forms. The clinic will be held on Friday 24 November 2023 from 10.35-12.55pm in the Learning Hub. The vaccines offered at this clinic are:

  • Year 7: Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (dTpa)
  • Year 7: Human Papillomavirus (HPV). This is a catch-up opportunity if your child did not have the vaccine at a school clinic earlier this year.

Vaccination will only be provided at school if parent consent has been received. To provide online consent for vaccination. Please view here. The consent deadline is today, 23 November 2023.

For further details, please visit Pulse.

Term 4 Key Dates and Upcoming Events:

  • Week 8: SS Carols
  • Week 9: End of Term and Speech Night at the Star (Wednesday 6 December).

 

Mr Jimmy Tod-Hill
Year 7 Advisor
jtodhill@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462