From the Principal
Welcome back to the start of another new term and in particular to our 27 new and returning students. I know that they and their families will receive a characteristically warm welcome from the Redlands’ community.
My thanks to all staff who were involved in the Year 12 HSC and IB study workshops over the break and to those involved in running cocurricular activities. We are looking forward to our first round of ISA and IPSHA Winter Sport this weekend and whilst spectators are unable to attend at this stage, I know that the students are very much looking forward to the fixtures.
Further congratulations to our Girls 1st Basketball team who, after winning the ISA competition, have finished as the 2nd ranked Independent School team in NSW, following games against Pymble Ladies College and St Luke’s Grammar School yesterday. The team defeated Pymble but could not get over a very talented St Luke’s team. They have had an outstanding season and can be very proud of their performances and how they have represented the School.
We started our term on Monday with a staff Professional Learning Day, during which all staff enjoyed a presentation by Dr Peter Ellerton (Queensland University) on Critical Thinking and Classroom Practice. His presentation reinforced the significance of our Redlands Learning Platform and the importance of teaching our students to think critically, with the emphasis on this being a pedagogical process rather than a curriculum project.
Staff were then able to select from a range of workshops, presented by their peers, with over 80 of our staff involved in presenting on the day. The range of topics and the quality of the presentations was outstanding, with the entire day highlighting the expertise of our teachers. I enjoyed attending sessions on the importance of high-quality feedback for students, developing students’ entrepreneurial skills and an overview of our unique Winter School program.
My thanks to our Head of Teaching and Learning, Matthew Bentley and Dean of Teaching and Learning P-6, Stacey Smith for their drive and vision in making the day possible and to all staff who presented and shared their knowledge and expertise.
As we continue to face some uncertainty with the current COVID-19 situation, and looking ahead to events planned for the remainder of the year, we will continue to keep our community informed and the Critical Incident Management Team will regularly review the latest advice from NSW Health and AISNSW, as well closely communicating with fellow schools. The priority will continue to be the safety and wellbeing of all members of our community.
Mr Stephen Webber
Photo caption: Year 3 students were involved in many fun activities during STEAM week on the topic ‘How Can we Minimise the Impact of the Bushfires this Summer?, predominantly using recyclable materials.