Head of Junior School
Junior School Speech Day 2022
We are delighted to announce this event will take place at 11am on Wednesday 7 December at the Big Top, Luna Park. All students are expected to attend this final formal occasion of the school year with every student performing at least one item on stage. Further details of arrival times for the event will be communicated to families soon. The event lasts for approximately 2 hours and culminates the school year at Redlands.
In each Junior School class, six prizes are awarded as outlined below:
- Two prizes for academic excellence
- Two prizes for outstanding progress
- Two prizes for citizenship
Each year, class teachers award these prizes based on their observations over the whole year and in conjunction feedback from specialist teachers who teach them too. In addition, there are some major prizes awarded in Yr 6 only. All of these prizes will be presented at Speech Day which will also be the occasion for the announcement of our 2023 student leaders.
Please note that every student will be required to have their school blazer for this formal event.
2023 Student Orientation – Tuesday 8 November
On Tuesday, we were excited to welcome over fifty new students who will join the Junior School in 2023 as part of their process of orientation into Redlands. Our current students welcomed their soon-to-be peers with warmth and friendship, as many of the new students commented on to me in the final session I spent with them. All of them left having made a new friend or two, an aim of both theirs and ours for the morning.
As part of the day, Yrs 2, 3, 4 and 5 also moved up a year to the Year Hroups that they will be in next year. This allowed them some time with different teachers, new students, and begin to get a feel of new learning spaces and expectations. Students rotated around each classroom doing a series of engaging activities and from speaking to many students and observing them, I know that this time was hugely beneficial for many of them.
On the same day, our current Yr 6 students spent an important day on the Senior Campus as part of their transition to Secondary School next year. Joined by their parents for the first part of the day, I spoke with many of the group the next day who shared excitement about the opportunity to forge some new friendships with new students joining in Yr 7, spending time in a range of exciting specialist classes and also simply wandering around the Senior Campus and starting to familiarise themselves with soon-to-be new surroundings.
2023 Student Leadership Nominations
In the coming weeks, our Yr 6, 2023 student leadership self-nominations will commence for our current Yr 5 cohort ahead of their transition into Yr 6 and the Junior School student leadership role that come with this move.
- Junior School Captains (one girl and one boy)
- Arts Captains (one girl and one boy)
- Sports Captains (one girl and one boy)
- Environment Captains (one girl and one boy)
- House Captains (one girl and one boy per House – 8 in total)
Students will also be able to nominate themselves for Wellbeing, Technology or Library student leadership roles for next year in this process and these positions are finalised in Term 1 of Yr 6.
As part of the process, students will hear from some staff leaders and also from some of the present Junior School student leaders who will share their experiences as well as students in Yr 6 who have shown great leadership this year without necessarily having a badge; an important message for all students to hear too. Yr 5 will also have a chance to ask questions in this process.
The Yr 5 teachers and I then provide the students with more specific information about the requirements of each role and the School’s expectations of its leaders. Knowing the year group well, I know that we will have no shortage of potential school leaders who I know would be very capable representatives of the student body in 2023.
Students, as well as teachers who know them, will have the opportunity to vote and then these captains will be formally announced for the first time at Speech Day on the last day of this term by our Principal, Mr Webber, and me.
Student Wellbeing Survey
One of the key drivers of the Redlands Strategic Plan is the further development of a positive and supportive culture of wellbeing. Connected to this, and as a new initiative this year to help us achieve this aim, you may recall that in Semester One, students in Yr 3-12 took part in the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) Social-Emotional Wellbeing Survey.
This survey is a confidential, strength-based survey which assesses and measures the overall wellbeing of students, allowing us to measure the effectiveness of our pastoral care programs, identify social and emotional needs of specific student groups and compare data with other schools conducting the survey.
The aim is to administer this survey regularly so that we can track the development of our students’ wellbeing over time. Next Tuesday, Redlands students in Yrs 3-12 will complete the survey in their classes and as before, if any student is uncomfortable taking this survey, please let your child’s class teacher know in advance.
Junior School Wellbeing Day of Activities – Friday 18 November
Next Friday, our Junior School students will be enjoying a day of wellbeing activities and fundraising that focus on the wellbeing of our students, teachers and our wider community.
To support this, we have partnered with Bear Cottage, a children’s hospital in Manly with whom Redlands has had a long connection with. Connected to this, we were delighted to welcome some of their team to our assembly this week including Beau the therapy dog who was a big hit with our students. Two of our Yr 4 students, Poppy Pope and Amelie Cadman, came and saw me last term about fundraising for Bear Cottage, and will be part of the organising team.
On Friday, as well as a number of fun activities that the students will be involved in, we will also be raising money through a variety of fun stalls and games at lunch time. We will also host an optional sausage sizzle for students.
Bear Cottage merchandise will also be available for sale as per the flyer if your child would like to purchase any of the merchandise.
What do students need to know or bring on the day?
- Plenty of gold coins for lunchtime stalls and activities
- Lunchtime stalls will include ice-cream cones, fruit kebabs, chalk art drawing and Bear Cottage merchandise for sale
- $2 for an optional sausage sizzle which will be run by some of our class parents
- Zooper Doopers will also be available for those students who are dairy or gluten free.
- All students should wear PE uniform on the day
- In the event of rain, we will still be going ahead with a wet weather plan as required
- Please note that if your child has allergies or is gluten free, they will be able to use their coins on non-food related activities.
We look forward to a fun Wellbeing Day!
Ruby the Redlands Rubbish Turtle
In our assembly this week, the students, staff and I were inspired to hear from Yr 4 girls Clare Burke, Isha Gupta, Aisha Hu, Coco Noakes, Emily Robertson and Amelia Svensson.
The girls had come to see me recently to raise concerns about the increase in rubbish they had noticed in the playground with students not putting rubbish in the correct bins (or even any bins) which are clearly labelled and in many places around the campus, which the SRC worked to help have installed.
The girls’ message in assembly was a strong one, creating awareness of the problem and also provided the rest of the students with guidance on how to reduce the plastic we bring to school and not just on waste-free Wednesday.
The girls also shared how plastic impacts our oceans and sea creatures in particular, which led them to create a visual prop made out of chicken wire and stuffed with plastic that the girls had found and collected around the Junior School.
And so, Ruby the Redlands Rubbish Turtle was created and will be displayed as a reminder to our community about doing the right thing.
Thank you to the girls for their leadership and actions to support the school and this wider issue.
Strings Concerts
On Monday, we were treated to a wonderful K-6 Strings Concert with many Junior School students involved in some wonderful performances. As was the case for the MIP concert last week, we were thrilled to have parents and guests amongst our audience for this special event and I extend my appreciation to the Music teachers and tutors for their guidance of the students and of course, to the students themselves for giving us a special concert.
Yesterday, a group of Prep and Junior School musicians performed at Bougainvillea Retirement Village after school treating the residents to a memorable performance. This group were scheduled to perform at the postponed Spring Fair so it was lovely for them to perform for an appreciative audience and for us to be able to connect with our local neighbours in this way again after the challenged of the last two years.
Anglicare’s Toy’s ‘n’ Tucker Campaign
We are delighted to once again support Anglicare’s Toy’s ‘n’ Tucker Campaign, knowing the positive impact donated gifts will make to so many in need. On the Junior Campus, gifts can be donated at either Junior or Prep receptions until Friday 2 December.
Due to COVID, we have not been able to have gifts collected in person and as always, we thank you for considering supporting joining Redlands in this special Christmas cause.
Redlands Ballet & Dance Academy Concert
Wednesday 16 November
Thursday 17 November
Friday 18 November
Please join us for the Redlands Ballet & Dance Academy’s 2022 big return to the stage.
The curtain will rise at The Concourse, Chatswood to celebrate what has been a wonderful year of Dance at the Academy.
We have an array of spectacular performances over three days. Our production of Twelve Days of Christmas (Seniors) will bring out the festive spirit in everyone and our baby ballerinas (Kindy – Year 6) will steal the show in Pictures at an Exhibition.
Invite friends and family, and come to more than one performance to experience all we have to offer.
To buy tickets CLICK HERE
For more information on the End of Year Performances CLICK HERE
Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022