Head of Junior School
Welcome Back
It has been wonderful to welcome back our students this term and for the first time in over four months, we were permitted to gather for a short assembly on the first day of term. As I said to the students and staff present, I have really missed the opportunity for us to collectively gather as a Junior School.
On Monday, our staff returned for a rich and engaging day of Professional Learning. After an opening keynote presentation via Zoom from Dr Peter Ellerton from the University of Queensland on Critical and Creative Thinking, we explored how we know students are thinking in our classrooms, how we plan for student thinking and how we give feedback on the quality of student thinking. Following this session, the highlight for me was the involvement of over 80 Redlands staff who presented 33 different workshops to colleagues. The opportunity for academic staff to lead workshops and select others that were of interest to them was inspiring for us and truly reflected the vast depth of knowledge amongst Redlands staff.
Calendar
An updated Semester 2 calendar has been placed on Redlands Pulse and can be accessed here for your reference. As updates are confirmed, we will seek to update this calendar with the date of the update marked on the front page.
Tuesday Clubs
We are pleased to confirm the resumption of our Tuesday Cocurricular program which can also be found in the Junior School section of Redlands Pulse. Please refer to this letter which outlines the continuation of Clubs that were stopped mid-Term 1 and also the Clubs allocated for Semester 2. Students will be reminded which Clubs that they had signed up for and new students will be able to sign up for Clubs by contacting Mrs Fairfax in the Junior School Office.
Participation in Programs with Kids Giving Back
Over the break, I was thrilled to receive an email of acknowledgment for Junior School students Feargal Lambert (Yr 3), Ruairi Lambert (Yr 5) and Zoe McKeown (Yr 5) who had participated in programs involved in Kids Giving Back, a charity whose mission is to create the next Generation of Generosity. As young volunteers, their enthusiasm and engagement in embracing the concept of making a contribution back into community shows a wonderful degree of empathy.
Student Writing Recognition
This week, I spent time listening to a piece of writing created by Yr 5 student, Caroline Brown. Caroline was one of a number of Redlands students who had submitted an entry in this year’s Whitlam Institute’s What Matters Competition and we were thrilled to hear that she has been shortlisted – a brilliant achievement in itself! Caroline will also share her piece with our students in our next assembly.
Curriculum Camps
Further to Mr Webber’s pre-term letter, I can now confirm that our planned rescheduled camps for Yrs 3, 4 and 5 have been cancelled for 2020. Whilst students and staff will be disappointed, the decision aligns with AHPPC and the Department of Education guidelines. We will, however, be organising a day of outdoor games and activities on site for these three Year Groups later this term, which will encompass a lot of team building and initiative exercises that they would have experienced on camp, which will be led by the School’s Head of Outdoor Education, Mr Gregory.
Return to Interschool Sport and Debating
Last Friday saw our three Netball teams from Yrs 5 and 6 begin their competitive season in the Northern Suburbs Netball Association. It was great to see them compete again with two excellent wins from the three games and this weekend sees Interschool Debating, Football, Rugby and AFL resume as students and families involved will have been informed separately.
School Photos
Junior School class and individual photos will take place on Thursday 6 August.
Orders for photography packages from Advanced Life can be placed securely online here using our School’s unique 9 digit order code which is: WG5 WJZ 1J5
Late fees/additional charges will be applied for purchases ten days after our photo day.
All children are required in their full school Winter uniform, including blazers. Please ensure shoes are polished and socks are correct length. Girls need to have hair tied back with navy elastic, ribbon or scrunchie. Only gold or silver studs may be worn. Where students have PE on this day; for this day only, they should also bring their PE kit separately and will be guided to change in the changing rooms in small numbers to ensure adequate distancing.
Should you have any queries concerning the online ordering process, please direct them via email to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.
Mrs Fairfax in the Junior School Office can also assist with any general enquiries via email or on 9953 6022.
International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS)
For over 30 years, International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS), have taken place in schools throughout Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, the Pacific region and South Africa. ICAS is an initiative of Educational Assessment Australia (EAA), a not for profit organisation owned by the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
At Redlands, it is optional for Junior School students sit these tests in Term 3. Assessments occur during class time within a supervised area of the Junior School. No particular preparation is required and all students receive a certificate and an individual student report indicating which questions they answered correctly, their total score as well as their average compared with the rest of the students in the state/region.
For additional information and registration details, please read the letter on Redlands Pulse and any questions should be directed to the Dean of Administration, Ms Atkins. All applications close this Friday 26 July.
STEAM Week
Yr 3 students were involved in activities for STEAM week on the topic ‘How Can we Minimise the Impact of the Bushfires this Summer?’ Students discovered what the impact of bushfires were, built a creative solution and then shared their ideas to a panel of judges. The project was completed at the end of Term 2, largely using recyclable materials.
Term 4 Departure Notice
This is a final reminder that those families who are planning on leaving the School during or at the end of Term 4 are required to give notice to the Principal via an email to registrar@redlands.nsw.edu.au by this Sunday 26 July 2020.
As per our Conditions of Enrolment emailed to all families in December last year with the 2020 Schedule of Fees, there will be fees in lieu payable for any notices of departure received after this date.
If your family is experiencing current financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19, please contact our Chief Financial Officer at bweatherstone@redlands.nsw.edu.au to see how the School may support your child’s continued enrolment at Redlands.
This article from the Deputy Principal contains information regarding Emergency Management at Redlands and the associated Lockdown and Evacuation Drills, and the Community Code of Conduct.
Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022