From the Principal
Yesterday we welcomed back students from the Class of 2023 for the Academic Achievement and Growth Assembly where we recognised a large group of HSC and IB students for their academic success last year. In addition to celebrating the outstanding individual academic results from last year’s students, I am also pleased to see our continued focus on growth and “personal bests” shine through in this assembly as we recognised students who attained the greatest growth in their academic performance from Year 10 to Year 12, as well.
This assembly is always one of my favourite events on the Redlands calendar. Not only do we get to catch up with some of last year’s graduates and hear where their journeys post Redlands have begun to lead them, but our current Year 11 and 12 cohorts get to hear some advice and helpful tips from our most recent graduates as they reflect on their recent experiences.
These reflections from recent graduates Sabrina Blasco, Briar Carter and Jamison Houchell struck various chords with me this year.
One message some of them shared is that there will be challenges in the final two years of schooling and it is normal for students to face moments of self-doubt, low motivation and disappointment. However, in these moments, it is important for students to remember they are not alone and to use their strong support networks of family, friends, teachers and other staff to help them through the challenging times.
A second message which resonated with me was the pride these students felt not for their own individual achievements but for the collective achievements of the wider cohort, highlighted through Briar’s reflection pride in all students in her Extension 2 English class earning a top band result or Sabrina feeling the collective sense of accomplishment when all of the IB students gathered together after they completed their Extended Essays.
And my final takeaway from the assembly was once again being reminded of how special the rapport between students and teachers is at Redlands. I have worked at a number of different schools with wonderful students and teachers; however, the relationship between students and teachers at Redlands is the strongest I have experienced, and it shone through in the collective pride felt by all yesterday,
I am confident the current Year 11 and Year 12 students in attendance would have also taken these and other messages to heart.
Mr Sean Corcoran
Photo Caption: Congratulations to the Class of 2023 and thank you for joining us at the Academic Achievement and Growth Assembly held this week.