Head of Junior School
JUNIOR SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS
Junior School Learning Review Meetings
Next week sees our on-campus Junior School Learning Review Meetings with parents and teachers meeting face-to-face in classrooms to review your child’s learning and progress so far this year. Please be reminded to scan the QR code upon arrival and sanitise your hands. Of course, should you be unwell or have any COVID symptoms, please rearrange your appointment time directly with the class teacher.
Student Representative Council Update
In our assembly this week, our School Captains, Caroline Brown and Alex Heller, spoke on behalf of our Junior School Student Representative Council (SRC), sharing two student-led initiatives for our students to embrace. With a girl and a boy from each class peer-elected to represent each of our 18 classes, this group of 36 students meets each fortnight to share their respective classes’ views and look at ways to have their collective student voice heard. These sessions are chaired by Caroline and Alex with Mrs Clarkson there to guide, as needed. Thereafter, Caroline and Alex meet with me to update me on the meeting’s ideas.
The students have introduced two new suggestion boxes which have been ordered: one where students can recognise each other in a ‘Noticing Kindness’ box and the other box will allow for them to suggest ‘Ways in which we can improve our School’. Student voice and empowerment are important aspects of our School and I look forward to sharing some of the students’ ideas in future editions.
April Vacation Care
If you would like your child to attend the April Vacation Care program, please visit the OOSH page on Redlands Pulse in order to preview all information pertaining to the holiday activity schedule and daily requirements.
The Flexischools website will be open for bookings on Friday 12 March from 12.00pm. Please use the Prep and Junior Vacation Care icon for children in K-6. If you have any Vacation or After School Care queries, please contact our OOSH Coordinator, Trinetta Newbond.
International Day: Tuesday 30 March
Redlands will once again celebrate International Day on Tuesday 30 March in the final week of term. This will be a time for our community of 51 different nationalities to join together to celebrate both our rich, cultural diversity and international awareness. The event aligns with similar events on the Senior Campus and Year Groups will also be incorporating international perspectives in curriculum lessons. Teachers will also be contacting parents who may be able to share their knowledge and experiences through a range of activities on the day.
As always, I am sure that the school will be awash with vibrant colour as we celebrate the day with students encouraged to wear national costume or colours from any chosen country on this day with a reminder that enclosed shoes and sun-safe clothes should be worn.
Bandaged Bear Teddy Bears’ Picnic
We are delighted to support the Bandage Bear Appeal again this year, a charity that has a poignant place in the hearts of many at Redlands. There is something special about children helping other children and we look forward to supporting the charity raising money for The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Next Friday 19 March, all of our Junior Campus students from Preschool to Yr 6 will enjoy a Teddy Bears’ Picnic with buddy classes enjoying lunch together and students are encouraged to make a gold coin donation.
This is a particularly special fundraiser for many in our community and having visited the Children’s Hospice, Bear Cottage, which is affiliated to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and the hospital itself, I know that our collective donation will have a significant impact on the lives of many families.
Redlands Swimming Team
Congratulations to our 31 Junior School swimmers who competed for Redlands in the HICES Swimming Carnival this week. With regional schools from as far as Orange, Blue Mountains and the Central Coast, our swimmers enjoyed the healthy competition and finished in a very creditable 3rd place in the top division. Well done to all who competed at this level.
Clean Up Australia Day
In our assembly this week, we were delighted to recognise the large number of Junior School students who joined forces with Redlands Secondary School students at last Sunday’s Clean Up Australia Day at Balmoral Beach.
One of the participants, Chloe Petering (Yr 6), spoke passionately and articulately in our assembly about the importance of shining a light on this environmental issue every day and not just on this one date in the year.
Thank you to all of the students involved and for making a difference in our community; we are very proud of you all.
Mosman Youth Awards in Literature
Over many years, Redlands students have enjoyed participating in the annual Mosman Youth Awards in Literature, a competition in prose and poetry writing. Over these years, our students have enjoyed a great deal of success in this annual competition and I share this year’s details for parents and students to consider.
Class teachers will be encouraging student involvement with this literary opportunity ahead of the closing date of Thursday 31 May. Please note that entry forms must be signed by a parent or guardian and not a teacher if the entrant is under 18 years of age.
For an entry form or more information, please click here or call Barry O’Keefe Library in Mosman on 9978 4091.
Spanish News – Education Perfect Languages Championships
Once again, our Junior School students will join others from all around the world learning languages, earning points towards awards and prizes for themselves, while helping Redlands to shine on an international platform.
The Championships start on Tuesday 16 March at 4.00pm and end on Tuesday 23 March at 4.00pm.
All Junior School students are automatically registered to participate and to compete they will need to answer Spanish language questions on Education Perfect. Points are awarded for all questions except self-marked questions and dash. Further details of the competition can be found on the Education Perfect website or on the EP app.
Certificates will be awarded to students with 500+ points and Junior School students will also have the chance to win gift vouchers and other prizes in our own school-based challenge.
I encourage all students to participate to improve their Spanish skills and have fun in this exciting and motivating competition. ¡Buena Suerte!
Belinda Oxley Scholarship – Design a Card Competition
As you may be aware, our next Redlands means-tested Scholarship has been named after Belinda Oxley, a much loved teacher from Redlands who influenced so many students in the pursuit of the Arts, and more closely the Visual Arts.
A fundraising Luncheon for Belinda’s scholarship will be held on Wednesday 26 May. The Prep and Junior Schools have been asked to participate in a Design a Card Competition to assist. Please click here for more details about the Competition. I strongly encourage as many students as possible to participate in this very important event.
All submissions must be received by the Junior or Preparatory School office by Wednesday 21 April (Term 2, Week 1). Artwork selection will take place on Thursday 22 April. Selected artworks will be announced in the following week’s Note Day and all artworks will be featured on Redlands Pulse in Term 2.
Students who have their artwork selected will receive a free pack of cards and surprise gift!
Balmoral Swim for Cancer Schools Relay Challenge
Redlands has registered to compete in this year’s 2021 Balmoral Swim for Cancer Schools Relay Challenge taking place on Sunday 21 March at Balmoral Beach. Whilst primarily for secondary-aged swimmers, the race is open to Yr 6 if students in this Year Group wish to enter a team.
How it works:
- Each team has 4 swimmers
- Each swimmer swims a leg of the relay 200m
- Participants can swim in their school year category, or an older category
- Entry cost is $15 for each swimmer
The Schools Relay Challenge is a community-based initiative where schools help raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Institute, increase awareness of this important cause and importantly have fun participating in an open water swim relay.
There is also an opportunity for families to donate here as we raise money for this worthwhile cause.
Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022