Head of Junior School

Head of Junior School

One of the joys of my week is always time spent in the classrooms and I have enjoyed observing students settled, engaged and inquisitive in rich, learning experiences and conversation.

As you will be aware, Redlands has a long association with Project Zero at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education in developing how we create, nurture, embed and sustain a Culture of Thinking in our School and the eight Cultural Forces that the philosophy says exist and defines every learning environment.

I know that class teachers have also shared this information in Meet the Teacher sessions with families this week and these eight forces are listed below with a brief explanation of their significance and as teachers, how we aim to explore how best to leverage them to maximise learning opportunities and experiences for our students remains a key focus for Redlands teachers and will be language that you will see and hear from teachers and your children. It is relevant to any environment and would easily translate into any work space if you wanted to explore it in your own context.

 

Representative Sport Kick Off

IPSHA Code of Conduct

  • Children play organised sports for fun. They are not playing for the entertainment of spectators only, nor are they miniature professionals.
  • Applaud good performances and efforts from each team. Congratulate all participants upon their performance regardless of the game’s outcome.
  • Respect the officials’ decision.
  • Never ridicule or scold a child for making a mistake during a competition.
  • Positive comments are motivational and encourage continued effort.
  • Condemn the use of violence in any form, be it by spectators, coaches, officials or players.
  • Show respect for your team’s opponents. Without them there would be no game.
  • Encourage players to follow the rules and the officials’ decisions.
  • Demonstrate appropriate social behaviour by not using foul language, harassing players, coaches or officials.
  • Comments should not interfere with the running of the game.
  • Focus on the efforts and performance of the children rather than the result.

We are delighted to welcome ONE parent per child at our home indoor venue of Dunnet Hall and TWO parents for home outdoor venues. Please check the information sent by the Sports department on the different rules that different schools will also have for their own venues.

I thank Mr Dunne and Ms O’Sullivan for all of their preparation and I look forward to getting around to supporting our various teams in the coming weeks.

School Photographs

A reminder that Junior School photographs take place next Thursday 17 February. All students are required to wear full school unform including blazers and if they have PE on this day, should being their PE kit in to change into as a one-off. The letter is also on the Junior School page of Redlands Pulse for your reference.

Meet the Teacher Information Evening

The class teachers enjoyed connecting with parents and carers this week at our annual Meet the Teacher Information Evening. I encourage parents to keep the lines of communication between home and school open and we are always here to answer any questions you may have. I express my thanks to the class teachers for their preparation for this important evening at the start of the year and slides are up on Redlands Pulse for parents to refer to, as needed.

Student Masks

Please can parents ensure that children are coming to school each day with a mask. A spare one is advisable to have in bags as well.

Redlands App

For our new families, in particular, please do download the Redlands App from either the App Store or Google Play and once downloaded, please use your Redlands login details to access the App. This App provides a quick and easy connection with the School for all of the important information our community seeks: contact information, term dates, events, sport fixtures, school and absentee notices and other key links – all from the palm of your hand. It also allows parents to subscribe to specific groups of interest without having to see information that may not be of interest to you. 

Redlands ySafe Cyber Safety Hub

In 2021, in partnership with ySafe, Redlands launched our own Cyber Safety Hub specifically for our community; a treasure-trove of current, research-based information and assistance for our families and staff.

I encourage every family to take the time to explore this valuable resource to support you and your child, which includes a range of relevant topics such as:

  • Cyber safety guides
  • Managing screen time
  • Creating a safe home
  • Gaming
  • Setting up parental controls
  • App and Game reviews

Arnold Library Student Use Before and After School

A reminder that we are pleased to welcome Junior School students to the Arnold Library again before school each day from 8am until 8.20am and after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until 4pm. 

Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School 
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022