Head of Junior School
Redlands Parent Webinar
All parents are invited to a Zoom webinar next Tuesday 3 November, 7.00-8.00pm.
Principal Mr Stephen Webber will be presenting on feedback from the Strategic Plan survey and future direction and there will also be short presentations from our three Heads of Section. In addition, Matthew Bentley, Head of Teaching and Learning will provide an update on the Redlands Learning Platform and the Student Voice survey.
Please reserve your virtual place by clicking here. The Zoom link will be sent prior to the event.
Yr 6 2020 into Yr 7 2021 Orientation Day Reminder
Date: Wednesday 25 November
Time: 8.30am–3.00pm
Location: Senior Campus
Dress: Plain Clothes
The Yr 7 2021 Orientation Day will now take place on Wednesday 25 November. Students should be dropped off at and picked up from the Junior School as usual and their teachers will escort them to and from the Secondary School.
More information pertaining to Orientation will be emailed to all families in the coming weeks. Please note that students not continuing to Redlands Secondary School do not attend the Orientation.
We look forward to welcoming our soon to be Year 7s!
Redlands Spirit of Christmas Cards
Thank all our creative artists who participated in the Redlands Spirit of Christmas Card competition. With over 60 entries from the Junior Campus, the judging panel enjoyed the beautiful range of diversity reflecting the multi-cultural backgrounds we enjoy here at Redlands.
With so many wonderful submissions, the final judging was very difficult! The judging panel comprised of Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge, Head of Preparatory School; Ms Fiona McKenzie, Junior Campus Chaplain; Ms Paula Reinhold, Junior School Visual Arts Teacher; and Mrs Caroline Jane, Alumni and Community Relations Manager.
Ten artworks were selected to feature in this year’s Redlands Spirit of Christmas card set of 10 images. Congratulations to all the winners who will be acknowledged with a gift of appreciation during assembly next week with the Junior School winners and their entries listed below.
Yasmin Allan and Bianca Neill 6W
“We were inspired by an Australian Christmas. Just because we don’t have snow doesn’t mean we can’t have a fabulous celebration. We chose a koala who are in danger and are worth protecting, we want to protect the Australian Christmas too.”
Samantha Beck, 5Y
“An Australian Christmas, perfectly captures the unique 2020 Australian Christmas to me as it highlights our endangered koalas from the recent summer bushfires where many of their lives were lost. koalas were hurt and their habitats destroyed. My card design is also particularly special as the koala wears a facemask, which represents the COVID-19 global pandemic. Although I highlight two sad events – I hope my artwork brings laughter, joy and Christmas spirit.”
Elizabeth Grinham, 5R
“I have done this artwork because my family always goes to the beach on Christmas Day. There is always someone dressed up as Santa!”
Anya Price, 5W
“A reindeer symbol of strength, kindness and joyful spirit which we are all in need of in these tough times.”
Aimee Kang, 4B
“Santa gets bored of flying sleighs sometimes. He decorates the Christmas tree then surfs to your house. That’s why your house may be slightly wet in the morning.”
Julia Bush, Milli (Milehna) Meyer and Fiona Russell, 3Y
“We chose to draw a Christmas tree with presents around it because it represents the Christmas spirit and tradition. It is when Jesus was born.”
Viraj Tandon, 3B
“I have made a portrait of Mother Mary and Baby Jesus in the Byzantine style. Mother Mary is cradling Baby Jesus in her arms. They are both wearing crimson and gold robes and surrounded by a divine halo.”
The Redlands Spirit of Christmas Cards are available to purchase here. Cost: $25 / pack of 10 or $40 / pack of 20. Delivery expected from Week 5. All proceeds are being donated to Anglicare Toys ‘n’ Tucker Appeal.
Thank You to Our Parent Volunteers
Last Thursday evening I joined a number of our Class Parent Reps at our termly meeting, which was again via Zoom. In recognising that not all Class Parent Reps were able to make this evening meeting, I wanted to acknowledge my gratitude to all of these parents who have served our community in roles this year, as well many other parent volunteers and supports such as members of our School Board of Directors, The Redlands Parents and Friends Association and the Foundation Steering Committee, to name but a few of our community groups.
In this unique year, in particular, they have continued to think creatively for ways in which to build connections and maintain relationships within classes and Year Groups and embody the spirit of school community here at Redlands. On behalf of all of our Junior School families and teachers, I thank our Junior School class parents for 2020:
Year 3
Jen Benfield, Catherine Grinham, Jennie Krallis, Rebecca Marshall, Mimi Robinson and Natalie Scott
Year 4
Christine Ambrose, Karen Fastovsky, Tamara Fournier Le Ray, Becky Gait, Cassandra Gorman, Theodora Plouidas, Jane Sheppard and Lucienne Willis
Year 5
Catherine Brown, Nicole Doukas, Lisa Mennie, Virginia Nicholls, Samantha Roger and Beejal Vyas-Price
Year 6
Sara Cartwright, Annie Flynn, Tamara Fournier Le Ray, Helen Jones, Mark Longhurst, Jeanette McLellan, Kylie Riches, Christy Watson and Tiffany Wong
Leading and supporting these parents and the School, we have been very fortunate to have had Jay Cunningham and Rebecca James in the role of Junior School Parent Group Coordinators for 2020 and I extend my sincere gratitude to them for both their dedicated and people-focused leadership and for being such an important conduit between the School and our parent community in this extraordinary year; it has truly made a difference.
Teacher Appreciation Day
As some of you may be aware, this Friday is World Teachers’ Day in Australia and this year and on behalf of the parent community, the Redlands Parents and Friends Association thoughtfully sourced some homemade biscuits from the Buy from the Bush marketplace for every teaching and support staff to enjoy this week on both campuses. This kind and thoughtful gesture from our parent community has been sincerely appreciated by our staff and on behalf of colleagues, I express our collective gratitude to parents for this lovely gesture.
Return of Sport
It has been wonderful to see the resumption of interschool sport again and in particular, having parents attend these games. For most, it has been the first time on campus for many months and I have enjoyed reconnecting with parents on the sidelines. From last week, I wanted to make mention of a couple of teams for different reasons.
Firstly, the Yrs 3/Y4 Mixed Basketball D team were the first game in Dunnet Hall on Saturday morning and despite a 10-5 loss, I was so impressed with their perseverance after trailing 10-0. Some of the team had not played basketball before this term but they listened to the guidance of their coach and worked hard as a team and scored five unanswered points, the final basket going in on the last siren. To a passing observer, their reaction might have indicated that they had won the game given the joy on their faces. Perseverance is a quality that plays a key role in the success or failure in pursuits on and off the sporting field or court and the team really demonstrated this on Saturday.
The other team I wanted to mention was the Yrs 3/Y4 Girls Basketball A team who had a very convincing 36-2 win and I was most impressed by their team spirit and the sportsmanship shown by the team on the court. The sense of fun they were having was palpable and they clearly played well collectively. However, what I noticed was that when their opposition scored their first and only basket, our girls stopped to applaud them, a gesture mirrored by our parents too, which was wonderful to see.
The nature of sport is that it is competitive and of course, we want our students to compete as best as they can each week but we also know the many values that sport can teach and foster too and these types of moments give me far more joy than any winning scoreline.
Yr 4 Learning
Last week, Yr 4 students donned safety glasses and braced themselves for some wild weather. Michael Kniha, Redlands resident horticulturist, demonstrated some of the ways that erosion can impact a landscape. The students watched as wind (the leaf blower) and water (a watering can) weathered sand dunes and created new formations. Michael even uncovered gold and fossils, all in our playground!
Yr 4 parents – if you or your child notice an example of erosion in your neighbourhood, perhaps take a photograph and share with Yr 4.
Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022