Head of Junior School
JUNIOR SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS
$8,894 Raised for Jeans for Genes Day!
Wow! What a joy it was to come together as a whole school to continue our annual support of Jeans for Genes Day. Our morning Zooms were denim-dominated and I thank students, staff and families for their generosity in raising the phenomenal amount of $8,894!
In relation to this, we received the following message from one of our parents who works at the Children’s Medical Research Institute:
“I just wanted to send a quick note to thank you both for enabling your schools to continue to support the Children’s Medical Research Institute’s Jeans for Genes campaign – even during another Covid lockdown.
The funds raised by this long running campaign not only support the Institute’s Gene Therapy Research unit but now also support all our other research efforts and they really do make a significant contribution to our ability to make new discoveries. Thanks very much.”
Thank you everyone for supporting us make a difference.
STEAM Week
Next week is National Science Week and this will be the inspiration for a number of learning activities, talks and challenges over the week as outlined below. This year’s slogan for the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) Challenge Day is ‘imagine, ideate, tinker and create’.
STEAM Challenges Day
On Wednesday morning during roll call and wellbeing check in time, class teachers will go through the plan for the day and explain the various options. This will also be on Google Classroom for them and there are optional Zoom ‘Create and Chat’ times when they can jump on for assistance and/ or simply hanging out with other students.
Students will be able to choose from a range of design and make challenges to imagine, build and test their ideas. Students will also have the option to work on their own, with a school friend, a sibling or with their family to complete their chosen challenge and submit their designs.
No special equipment is needed; simply dust off the LEGO, gather a pile of recycled materials, tape, string, elastic bands in preparation for bringing ideas to life.
Guest Speakers
We are very excited to have two special guest speakers during the week to talk about how Science, Technology and Data have helped development in elite sport in areas such as technique, endurance and performance.
Next Thursday, Yrs 5 & 6 will hear from Tokyo 2020 bronze medal rower, Cameron Girdlestone on this topic and he is also looking forward to filming a few clips from the rowing sheds in Canberra after he returns there at the weekend after his time in quarantine.
Also, later next week, Yrs 3 & 4 and interested netballers will hear form NSW Swifts and Australian international, Maddy Proud, on the same topic. Maddy is currently preparing for this Saturday’s major semi-final and will know her training schedule for next week on Monday at which point students and teachers will be notified. Maddy has also recently had her first children’s book published, Grace on the Court, so will share her passion for writing too.
Science Week Learning Activities
On their timetables next week, we have allocated an afternoon time for all students to be involved in a range of Science activities which have been organised for them.
Book Week – Week 7
Our plans are well underway to celebrate this year’s annual Book Week the week after next. Our pre-booked authors have confirmed that they will still be able to present to the students via Zoom and Yrs 3 and 4 will enjoy hearing from Gregg Dreise and Yrs 5 and 6 from author, Allison (A.L.) Tait.
Book Character Dress Up Day
As well as a range of literature-inspired activities connecting to this year’s theme of ‘Old worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds’, we will also hold our annual Book Character Dress Up day so you might like to talk to your children in planning your outfits and families would be most welcome to join in too! Some suggestions are listed below based on this year’s theme but of course, students can also dress up as any book character. There is certainly no expectation on costumes as we are mindful of being in lockdown too!
New worlds: NASA Astronaut
Old worlds: A mystery in Ancient Egypt
Other worlds: The Hobbit
Very old world: Dinosaurs
Other worlds: Under the Sea
Other worlds: Monsters!
Other worlds: The World of Wizardry and Magic!
Remote Learning Reminders
As we move into Week 5, we would be grateful if parents might share these timely reminders with children as class teachers will also do:
- Students should be in School PE kit (unless there is a circumstance that precludes this)
- Students should aim to arrive to a Zoom a couple of minutes before the start time. Many are arriving late and missing important teaching.
- Students do not need to have their phone with them during learning time
- Please ensure that students are not using iMessage during learning time
Week 6 Request for On-Campus Learning for Children of Essential Workers
Parents who are essential workers can lodge a request for on campus learning support for the week of 16-20 August. Booking requests close again at 8pm on Friday 13 August to allow sufficient time for staffing to be organised based on the numbers.
Please click for Week 6 request: Junior Campus booking
Please be reminded that any student’s attendance is dependent upon their health. Students must be kept at home if they show any signs of an elevated temperature or a cold. Any student who presents at school with even the mildest symptoms of COVID- 19 will be sent home and not permitted to return before a negative COVID-19 test result and are symptom free. Students must also not attend if they have been identified by NSW Health as either a casual or close contact of a confirmed case.
Competition – Postcards from the Future
Mosman Council have a couple of optional competitions for students who are being invited to have their say on how Mosman should look in 2032. Postcards from the Future is a project just for local primary and high school students with a range of prizes up for grabs. Read more HERE.
Mosman Youth Services Australia
Mosman Youth Services is running a range of online programs and activities to keep young people engaged during lockdown, including a weekly Dungeons and Dragons social group, an intergenerational sketch comp, a diversity and inclusion group and three youth volunteering programs. Read more.
Uniform Shop open Thursdays, 10am-6pm, Click and Collect Only
Due to the extended lockdown period, the Uniform Shop will be open every Thursday between 10am – 6pm to allow parents to order any uniform items they need. Here are the arrangements for Click & Collect:
- Collection of orders only: Thursdays 10am – 6pm
- Orders must be placed via Flexischools
- Everyone collecting orders must sign in with the QR Code, wear a facemask and not enter the shop
Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022