Head of Preparatory School
Kindergarten 2024 and 2025
It was lovely to welcome current parents of Redlands House Seniors and TG students as well as new faces to our 2024/2025 Kindergarten Information session this week. It provided us all with an opportunity to connect and start sharing information as to how Kindergarten works as well as what the transition from Preschool to the Preparatory School looks like.
It was wonderful to share the importance of student agency and voice via the student interview with Billy and Amber (Year 2) as well as the A Day in the Life of a Prep School student video (filmed and edited by Harper Fielding and Henry Partington, Yr 5).
For Redlands House families who didn’t make the session, please know that there will be other orientation sessions that will occur later this year. I encourage you to come along to those to start forming connections with the Prep school and to answer any questions that may be starting to pop up.
A Message from OOSH
Parents and carers are reminded that children are to be picked up from OOSH no later that 6pm. Sadly, we are finding that some parents are consistently picking their children up after 6pm. As we have communicated before, this is not fair on our OOSH staff who need to go home to their own families or must catch public transport. Our OOSH staff understand and appreciate there are circumstances where a parent may be running late due to traffic, this is unavoidable and, in most cases, a one-off event.
To provide some boundaries to this situation, in the event of reoccurring lateness, 2 ‘late’ reminder emails will be sent. Unfortuantely, if the child is picked up for a third time after 6pm, the OOSH enrolment will be cancelled.
On a brighter note, last week, OOSH had a visit from Gillian Henery, Junior Campus nurse. She discussed first aid with our OOSH students, and they practised some first aid techniques with them. After discussing with students what they would do in an emergency or how they would contact their families, it was noticed that quite a few of our students did not know their parents phone numbers or their address. It is a good idea for families to make sure that phone numbers are known and that students can provide their address to a first responder if ever needed.
Upcoming Events
Mother’s Day – Monday 15 May, 7.45am
We are delighted to host a Mother’s Day Celebration where mothers can come together for coffee and conversation.
Join us from 7.45am in the Piazza (Junior Campus), where baristas will serve freshly brewed hot beverages, accompanied with some refreshments. Students will enjoy a complimentary juice popper.
This year, our activities will include:
- A Redlands photo booth for you to take a happy snap with your children
- A special performance by our prep students at 8.20am
- In-class activities in Prep and Redlands House from 8.45am
To assist with catering, please book your attendance here:
How to Handle Big Emotions K-6 Parent Workshop
Please join us in the Arnold Library on Thursday 23 May at 8.45am to hear from our Junior Campus Counsellors as they share tips and strategies on handling the ‘big emotions’ that can sometimes become overwhelming for our students. Please click the link to register.
Prep Fun Run
When: Friday 19 May
Where: Junior Campus Oval
What to wear: PE uniform for the whole day
What to bring: Normal food for the day. Lunch orders will be as normal
Timing: Normal school day drop offs and pick-ups
11am-12pm: Year 1 and 2 (Walk the course, run in small groups)
12pm-1pm: Kindy (Walk the course, run in small groups)
Students will be collected from their classroom, taken to the oval for their event, and then return to their classroom for their regular learning activities.
Spectators: Parents and caregivers are welcome to watch from the side of the oval. A designated area will be marked out for you.
Wet weather: In the event of wet weather, a notification will be pushed out via the Redlands app.
Staffing News
It is with great sadness that Mrs Claire Hunt, PA to the Head of Preparatory School and Prep School Receptionist, will be leaving us at the end of the term.
Claire has decided to spend more time with her family, return to her writing and enjoy travelling with her now adult children. Claire has worked at Redlands for seven years and for so many of our families, has been the immediate face and information sharer for so long. She has cared for and listened to so many students and families over the years, we will miss her. We will of course farewell Claire with style at the end of the term.
Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge
Head of Preparatory School
abreckenridge@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848