Head of Early Childhood

Head of Early Childhood

Act for Kids

To prevent potential harm, it is crucial young children learn to identify when they don’t feel safe and know safe adults who they can ask for help. Our Yr 1 students have begun their six week protective behaviours program called Learn to be Safe with Emmy and Friends. This program is run by trained specialists from Act for Kids, a company whose vision is to promote safe and happy children, free from child abuse and neglect. The implementation of a new PDHPE syllabus guides our teaching practices under the title of Health, Wellbeing and Relationships and connects with the Act for Kids Program. The strand Health, Wellbeing and Relationships focuses on students developing the knowledge, understanding and skills important for building respectful relationships, enhancing personal strengths and exploring personal identity to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others. Students develop strategies to manage change, challenges and how to protect themselves and others in a range of situations. These are all staged at developmentally appropriate times for students from K-Yr 12.

Bullying No Way! Take Action Every Day

On Friday 15 March schools across Australia are being called to become involved and take action on the 9th National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA). The theme for the 2019 NDA is Bullying No Way! Take action every day. This theme builds on the 2018 journey to Imagine a world free from bullying, by inviting school communities to turn big ideas into action. Prep students will be given a wrist band in Week 8 when the Junior Campus will join with their buddies for activities and also discuss relevant themes during Circle Time. Some of these have been identified and are shared in the image below.  These action areas relate to bullying prevention and student wellbeing, providing further opportunity to focus on the big changes we can make to create safer communities for everyone. Families may like to view the Allen Adventure video or download The Allen Adventure app. This is an interactive story about Allen, a young visitor from another planet, who is new to school and learning how to get on with his Earthling classmates. Suitable for children three to eight years. The Bullying No Way website gives some further information for families and caregivers.

Flexischools and Uniform Shop

Flexischools is a nation-wide ordering system with Fridays generally the most popular day for orders. At times, on Friday morning the system can be inundated and therefore problematic to place an order. To avoid frustration, we would recommend ensuring you order on Thursday evening rather than Friday morning. One of the benefits of using Flexischools to order from the Canteen is that the orders can also be placed days in advance, in fact you are able to set a reoccurring order if your child would like the same items. If you would like to set a standard order, you can do this until the end of each term because the food selections change termly. The Canteen staff are already working on a delicious new menu for winter – any suggestions for healthy options are always appreciated and considered.

Redlands Uniform Shop are pleased to announce the launch of online ordering through Flexischools. We understand some of our busy parents often struggle to get to the shop during opening hours and we hope this service will make it easier for you to order and pay online.

We will offer three delivery options:

  • Pick up from the Uniform Shop
  • Delivery to your child’s classroom in Preschool, Prep and Junior School
  • Delivery to your home address (additional costs and conditions apply)

Those of you who have used the School’s Canteen online ordering will know how easy it is. If you have an existing Canteen account with FlexiSchools, you will have immediate access to commence ordering uniforms.

If not, you will need to register. Simply go to www.flexischools.com.au and follow the prompts. Or download the Flexischools app and register. You will be asked to enter your children’s names and classes – it only takes a few minutes. No need to top up your FlexiSchools account as payment can be made for the order by credit card at checkout.

If you have any problems, please give us a call on 9968 9850. 

As we near the end of Term 1, it’s a good time to start thinking about winter uniform. Please avoid the last minute rush and either order online or come in and see us for a fitting. Don’t forget we are open until 6.00pm on Thursdays.

Teddy Bears’ Picnic

Redlands will again be supporting the Children’s Hospital at Westmead through their Bandaged Bear appeal. On Friday 22 March, the Junior Campus will hold a Teddy Bears’ Picnic (Preschool included) with buddy classes enjoying lunch together as part of the day’s events and they are encouraged to make a gold coin donation. The Prep School are asked to bring in a teddy, while the older Junior School students will have the opportunity to purchase merchandise. This is a particularly special fundraiser for many in our community and I know that our collective donation will have a significant impact on the lives of many families.

 

International Day Celebrations

On Wednesday 10 April, Prep will be celebrating International Day. Students may wear any costume or clothing of their choice that reflect another country or culture. A reminder that closed-in shoes and sun-safe clothes are required. The Prep School will be participating in an international dance and cultural incursion, where each Year Group will choose a country to focus on and learn a particularly dance.

Mosman Literature Youth Awards

The Mosman Youth Awards in Literature competition, organised by Mosman Library Service and sponsored by local organisations, has been developed to encourage students from Kindergarten to Yr 12, to write their own original stories or poems on their chosen topics. Teachers in Preparatory School will be promoting and discussing this opportunity with their class and directing them to their parents for assistance to access entry forms. For more information, please go to this link. Forms must be signed by a parent or guardian ahead of the closing date of Thursday 30 May. For more information, please contact Mosman Library Service on 9978 4091.

Class Interruptions

Now that we have settled into the year, it would seem timely to remind all parents that students and teachers begin their school day at 8.20am and are therefore busy with important morning procedures. If you are late to school, have something that you would like to drop off or if you are collecting your child during school time, could you please come through Prep Reception and speak to Claire or Wendy and they will sign you in and happily deliver any item for you. Please refrain from walking directly into the classrooms once school is in session. I thank you for understanding the importance of school procedures as a workplace safety matter and also ensuring that all children’s needs are taken into consideration.

Preparatory School Snowsports Parent Information Morning

I look forward to seeing those of you who are interested in the Redlands Snowsports program for an information session on Friday 15 March in the Lucy Hill Library at 8.30am. All parents are welcome to meet the Coordinator of Snowsports Mr Bruce Campbell, who has had a long association with the School. This session will be your opportunity to learn about this very special program and ask any questions you may have.

Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC)

As mentioned in previous correspondence, the Lucy Hill Library staff have placed information on the Redlands Pulse about the 2019 Premiers Reading Challenge. The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge has begun for 2019 and Mrs Roberts and Mrs Bertinshaw have placed log in details in the back of all Student Planners. Parents are encouraged to go to the online link to start entering books and students have until the last day of August to have all their books entered. Students are encouraged to experience 30 books, either by reading themselves, shared reading of the book or having the book read to them.

The Library staff and all teachers look forward to promoting and supporting students with this reading challenge for 2019.

Preparatory Parent Teacher Meetings

The online bookings have now closed for Preparatory Parent Teacher meetings in Week 8. If you did not have a chance to make a booking online, please contact your class teacher for a mutually suitable time. As previously corresponded, there will be no Clubs next week due to these meetings.

Redlands Inaugural Sports Luncheon

The Redlands Inaugural Sports Luncheon, celebrating 120 years of Redlands Sport, will be held towards the end of this term on Friday 5 April between 12.00 – 4.00pm at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli.

This Luncheon is open to all Redlands parents and alumni and provides a great opportunity to celebrate the integral value of sport to the Redlands community and its students of the past, present and future. We are delighted to announce our guest speakers, all past Redlands students, who will share their very inspiring journey during this luncheon:

  • Karyn Gojnich (née Davis), Class of 1978 (Olympic Sailor, Redlander and former Redlands parent)
  • Janusz Hooker, Class of 1987 (Olympic Rower)
  • Lachlan Mackay, Class of 2000 (Rugby: Australian Wallaby)
  • Holly Crawford, Class of 2001 (Olympic Snowboarder)

Tickets are $130 per person and include a gourmet two course meal and beverages. Limited spaces are available and bookings can be made here. I hope to see many of you there as we recognise this milestone in the history of Redlands Sport.

Mother’s Day Classic

Interested Redlands families are encouraged to register for the Redlands team on the Mother’s Day Classic website. There are 59 days to go until the big day on Sunday 12 May. This is a wonderful family-oriented event with categories for serious runners through to fun runners of all ages. All proceeds from this event are donated to Breast Cancer Research. 

Don’t forget to purchase your Redlands pink caps and a new pink Team Redlands tshirt from the Uniform Shop, with all profits going to the Mother’s Day Classic charity.  

To register your interest in joining the Redlands team, please click here. Please note that you will need to complete the registration process, nearly all the way to the payment stage before you can select to join the Redlands team and the password is ‘Shine’.

Thank you to the Redlands Parents and Friends Association who will again have a tent at the event as a meeting point.

Easter Working Bee

Mrs Audrey Fellowes
Head of Early Childhood
afellowes@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848