From the Principal
Finally, the students have returned and the energy in the School is palpable!
The start of the year brings new beginnings and possibilities with many students joining our community for the first time along with a number of new staff, who will no doubt add to the dynamic of our School.
We welcome the following staff to the School and look forward to their contribution. It is already clear to me that we attract outstanding people who are passionate about education:
Matthew Bentley – Head of Teaching and Learning
Jessica Carroll – Science Teacher
James Duncan – Junior School Teacher
Trevor Dunne – Head of Junior School Sport
Kevin Fenger – Innovative Design Teacher
Rebecca Hutchings – Preschool Teacher’s Assistant
Simon Johnson – Co-Subject Coordinator HSIE
Elia Lanzuise – Canteen Assistant
Katherine Moses – Music Teacher and MIC Strings
Brigida Nocera – Mathematics Teacher
Matthew Price – Junior School Teacher
Charlotte Putman – Visual Arts Teacher
Trishna Rai – OOSH Coordinator (2IC)
Joh Sawa – Gap Year Student
Stacey Smith – Dean of Teaching and Learning (P-6)
Ebony Stewart – HSIE Teacher
Romy Tobiansky – Junior School Teacher
Chloe Vandervord – Science Teacher
Joel Watkins – Junior School Teacher
Lisa Wright – Learning Support Aide
I have been given an incredibly warm welcome to the community and am very much looking forward to the myriad of school events this term. A priority for me in my first year is to get to know the School and whilst this obviously includes all stakeholders, a key focus for me will be our students. I look forward to having lunch in groups with our Year 12 students this term, to get to know them as leaders of the School and to learn from them. I will also be visiting our Year 7 students when they are on camp at our High Country Campus in Week 2.
I enjoyed the opportunity to speak to the students at our range of start of the year assemblies. The focus for me was to share with them what is important to me, what has shaped the person I am, why I wanted to join the Redlands community and some key expectations that I have of them as students of the School.
I am passionate about leading through purpose and will always seek for us to live out our vision. The challenge is for us to seek to enable every single student to ‘shine’ to grow and develop their individual gifts and to become confident in who they are, the skills they possess and what they have to offer the world beyond our school gates. To do so requires a culture that sets high expectations, prioritises wellbeing and support, encourages innovation and creativity and inspires students to connect with what drives and motivates them.
I have confidence that our senior students will lead the School with distinction in 2020 and they set a very positive tone through their speeches at our opening Secondary School Assembly. School Captains, James Reid and Isabel Simpson, shared themes that the Prefect group had chosen to focus on throughout the year, being Positivity, Courage and Celebration.
During the holiday period there was significant work undertaken on the construction of the New Learning Hub, as well as maintenance works on both campuses. The internal fit out of the New Learning Hub is continuing on all levels and the project is on schedule to be ready for occupation by students by the start of Term 3.
I encourage all parents and carers to register for our Twilight in the Piazza function on Friday 21 February and look forward to seeing many of you on the night.
Please read this important Health and Safety update from Deputy Principal, Ms McGarry – https://redlands.fireflydigital.dev/article/from-the-deputy-principal-5/
Mr Stephen Webber
Photo caption: Fun adventures and new friends on the first day back at school.