Head of Secondary School
Yr 12 Student Leadership Model 2020-2021
Over the first half of this year, we have been developing an updated Yr 12 Leadership Model which we have communicated to all staff and current Yr 11 students this week. This model has been born out of months of review and feedback from members of the Executive, the Secondary School Leadership team, key staff (including the current Yr 11 Year Advisors and the University and Careers Advisor), current students and past students. It has also been informed by data collected from recent Yr 12 Student Exit Surveys. While this review has confirmed the many strengths of our student leadership system, it has also revealed some areas for improvement which we have attempted to address with this updated model.
Yr 12 students have a significant responsibility as leaders in the Secondary School. They act as role models to all students across both the Junior and Senior Campuses; they have a substantial impact in creating a positive and supportive culture at school; they can influence people and policies and affect productive change; and they serve the Redlands community in many and varied ways.
At the heart of the Redlands leadership model are the values of servant leadership as articulated in Robert Greenleaf’s book, Servant Leadership. Yr 12 students should strive to be servant leaders whose true leadership in the community can be seen in their service to others. Servant leadership is an inherent principle in our Anglican ethos as illustrated in the Gospel of John 13:16 where Jesus washes his disciples’ feet and says to them, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” Our student leaders are also authentic leaders who live the values of the School and whose actions speak louder than their words. In addition, they work collectively and collaboratively with each other and with teachers and staff to create a positive culture across the School.
We regularly review our Yr 12 student leadership model with the aim of ensuring it is true to the principles of servant, authentic and collaborative leadership, as well as to the core values of the School. In recent years, we have received feedback from senior students, parents and staff that the current model limits the opportunity for Yr 12 students to “let their light shine” in terms of leadership in their last year of school by setting a limited number of Prefects at the beginning of Yr 12 who carry out duties and other responsibilities at School, thus not allowing other students the chance to illustrate their leadership potential over the course of their final year at the School.
Therefore, for 2020-2021 we will be trialling an altered Prefect model. The school-wide leadership positions of School, Arts, Sports, Service, Environment and House Captains will remain the same and similar selection processes for these positions will take place as in previous years during Term 3 (2020). In addition, individual sport and activity captains will also be the same and selected via similar processes by the end of Term 3 (2020). These positions will be announced to the community at the end of Term 3 (2020) in the same manner as previous years.
However, School Prefect positions will not be finalised at the end of Term 3 (2020). Instead, all Yr 12 students will have the opportunity to opt in to be considered for a School Prefect position over the duration of Yr 12 (from Term 3 2020 – Term 3 2021). Any student who opts in to be considered for School Prefect will have the opportunity to take on the leadership responsibilities of a School Prefect over their final year of School, such as gate duties and assisting in assemblies. Then, towards the end of Yr 12 (Term 2 or 3 2021 – final timing to be decided), all students who have opted in to be considered for School Prefect and continued with the role over the course of the year will submit a written application for final confirmation of School Prefect based on their actions over this final year of schooling. Students who apply for School Prefect will be judged based on published criteria and expectations for the role. There will not be a set number of students who are confirmed as School Prefects towards the end of Yr 12; instead, the final number of students who are confirmed as School Prefects will be based on their merit and if they have successfully met the published criteria.
We believe that this model will allow all Yr 12 students the opportunity to illustrate their leadership over the course of Yr 12 and show their worthiness as a potential School Prefect, based on their actions over this final year of their schooling. In addition, this model better exemplifies the School’s values of “Responsibility” and “Fairness” by allowing all students the opportunity to take on the responsibilities of leadership in their final year of schooling and be judged by their actions over the course of the year. We will review this model throughout 2020 and 2021 before determining if and how it might continue in future years, and we look forward to hearing student, parent and staff feedback on this model in the days, weeks and months ahead.
We hope this updated Yr 12 Leadership Model will create more opportunities, more inclusiveness and more connectedness for the Class of 2021 and we look forward to seeing them shine as school leaders in the months ahead.
Gala Arts Update
We know that one of the biggest disappointments for students during this Covid-19 pandemic has been the cancellation, alteration or postponement of the cocurricular activities and events in which they passionately participate. A key focus for the Secondary School Leadership team and other key staff from Sports and Cocurricular areas of the School over the past few months has been evaluating if, how and when we might be able to reschedule these events. Unfortunately, due to limitations imposed by venues, the calendar and Covid-19 restrictions, this has been quite challenging. However, we have been pleased to see many of these activities start up in recent weeks and we hope to see more performances and competitions, even in altered forms, in the weeks ahead.
With this in mind, we are very excited to be able to announce that our annual Gala Arts House competition has been rescheduled for next term, albeit in a modified format, at venues at School over the weekend of 19-20 September. The event will take place as separate finals for the different artistic categories and be professionally filmed and edited for release in Term 4. Dependent on Covid-19 restrictions at the time, there may be an opportunity to allow a limited audience but this decision is yet to be determined. Although this year’s Gala Arts will be different from the regular event, we hope it will nevertheless allow for a wonderful celebration of House spirit and will showcase the amazing talent in the Arts we have at Redlands. Student finalists for this year’s Gala Arts Competition will be announced today.
We are still yet to make a final determination on this year’s School musical and we hope to give an update on this event by the beginning of next term.
Staffing Update
We would like to thank Ms Ebony Stewart for all of her efforts in the HSIE Department over the first semester in her temporary position. She will not be leaving us for long as she will be returning to the HSIE Department to cover Ms Abby Walker’s maternity leave from the middle of Term 3.
We are pleased to welcome Mr Tobias Horan to the HSIE Department from the beginning of next term. Mr Horan is an experienced teacher who has taught at independent schools in Sydney and internationally.
In addition, Ms Elizabeth Scott has taken leave until the end of Term 3 and we welcome Ms Danielle Bunday to the Science Department to cover for her. Ms Bunday has experience teaching Science in the UK.
Finally, Ms Melissa Dooley has resigned from her position in the English Department from the end of Term 2 and we thank her for her service to the School and wish her well in her future pursuits. We are pleased to confirm Ms Lucienne Willis will continue in an ongoing role in English moving forward.
Reports Update
Students and parents in some Year Groups have begun to receive their Semester 1 reports over the past few weeks. We hope these reports will give important and valuable feedback to students as they prepare for the second half of the school year. The remainder of Semester 1 reports will be available for parents to access via Redlands Pulse either later this week or next week.
Senior Art Exhibition
Our Redlands Yr 11 and Yr 12 Visual Arts students are excited to be able to partner with Dominik Mersch Gallery in an exhibition of student work in one of Sydney’s leading contemporary art galleries. The Opening Night tomorrow is now sold out, however the exhibition can be viewed over the weekend:
Dominik Mersch Gallery, 75 McLachlan Ave, Ruschtters Bay
Saturday: 12pm-5pm
Sunday: 12pm-4pm
Further information can be found on the attached invitation. We would like to acknowledge our Captain of Visual Arts, Sunday Stephens, as well as our Subject Coordinator of Visual Arts, Mr Mark Harpley, for their efforts in organising this inaugural exhibition.
Term 3/4 Departure Notice
As we are approaching the mid-point of the year, this is a reminder that those families who are planning on leaving the School at the end of Terms 3 or 4 are required to give notice to the Principal via an email to registrar@redlands.nsw.edu.au by the following dates:
End Term 3 Departure: Friday 26 June 2020
End Term 4 Departure: Sunday 26 July 2020
As per our Conditions of Enrolment emailed to all families in December last year with the 2020 Schedule of Fees, there will be fees in lieu payable for any notices of departure received after this date.
If your family is experiencing current financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19, please contact our Chief Financial Officer at bweatherstone@redlands.nsw.edu.au to see how the School may support your child’s continued enrolment at Redlands.
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
- year of schooling
- category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
- level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
- formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
- consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
- develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.
The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal.
If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact Lisa Ole (Coordinator of Learning Support K-12) lole@redlands.nsw.edu.au.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Victoria Butler who won the 2020 NSW Hanyu Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition. In August, Victoria will represent NSW to compete against winners and runners up from other states in the national round of this competition, with the winner of this then representing Australia against the rest of the world.
Semester 1 Reflection
It has certainly been a challenging first semester as we have all dealt with the uncertainty, worry and disruption cause by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, despite this, in many ways for me it has also been the most rewarding and heartening semester during my tenure at Redlands as I have once again seen our community of students, staff and parents pull together in the most supportive, compassionate and positive ways. I have been so proud of the students and how they have faced these challenges. In a recent interview for a prospective student to the School, I was asked by a parent about what I enjoyed most about my role. After a brief reflection, I told this prospective parent that the privilege of working with these young people and seeing how they face the challenges that life can sometimes throw at them, inspires me and gives me hope for the future.
I hope the students and you are able to have a safe, relaxing and nourishing break, and we look forward to seeing the students returning refreshed and ready for Semester 2 on Tuesday 21 July.
Mr Sean Corcoran
Head of Secondary School
scorcoran@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9870