Head of Preparatory School
Parent/Teacher Meetings
As per previous correspondence, Parent/Teacher Meetings will be held for the Preparatory School between Monday 5 August and Friday 9 August (Week 3, Term 3). Bookings opened on Wednesday 26 June. To book a time please go to www.schoolinterviews.com.au and follow these instructions: enter school event code b7xht; choose teachers; choose times.
When you click finish, your interview timetable will be emailed to you automatically – check your junk mail folder if you do not receive your email.
For parents who don’t have access to the internet, please contact your teacher directly via email or the Student Planner to organise a suitable time and day. Interviews are 20 minutes and spaces are limited. If you require more time, please contact your teacher directly to make alternative arrangements. Parents can change their interview bookings, any time prior to the closing date, by re-visiting the www.schoolinterviews.com.au website, and using the event code. Remember to use the same name and email address you used when you made your original booking. Parents wishing to change their interview times after the closing date, should contact their child’s teacher.
Environmental Action at Redlands – Mufti Day Friday 28 June
Throughout Term 2, the Student Representative Council (Yrs 3-6) has been focusing on environmentally friendly strategies to help Redlands become eco-friendlier. In an effort to help our Australian community, students have come up with the idea of raising funds for farmers experiencing the detrimental effects of drought. To help raise awareness for Australian farmers, the Student Representative Council will be hosting a mufti day on the last day of Term 2, Friday 28 June. Students from Preschool to Yr 6 are invited to dress in earthy colours and to bring a gold coin donation for farmers in need. All funds will be donated to Rural Aid Australia, an organisation which strives to provide support to farmers and rural communities in times of need.
As a reminder, could all students wear enclosed footwear and appropriate clothing for continuing with Sports classes and outdoor play.
Yr 2 – Sleeping Bag Day
As part of the preparations for Yr 2 Camp, Yr 2 will be having a Sleeping Bag Day on Friday 28 June (last day of Term 2). On this day, all students will need to bring a book of their choice from home and a sleeping bag to school. During the day, students will have quiet reading time, unroll their sleeping bags, remove shoes and climb in and curl up with a book. As well as being a lot of fun, this will give the children the opportunity to practice unrolling and packing up their sleeping bag in preparation for camp. If you do not have a sleeping bag, please consider borrowing one for the day. Alternatively, your child can roll up a blanket and pack it in a pillow case. No pillows are permitted or needed for this event.
Yr 2 Camp – Parent Information Session
On Thursday 19 and Friday 20 September (Week 9, Term 3), Yr 2 will be heading off on their first Redlands Camp! This experience is part of the progressive, sequential outdoor education program at Redlands which is designed to maximise social and emotional growth. On Tuesday 6 August, we will be holding a Parent Information Session to provide you with more detail around the outdoor education program at Redlands and the specifics of Yr 2 Camp itself. This way, we can work together to prepare your child for a successful and enjoyable camp experience. Please note the details below if you wish to attend:
- Date: Tuesday 6 August
- Time: 8.30-9.30am
- Venue: Arnold Library, Junior Campus
Preparatory School Reports
Written reports are provided by the School twice a year, at the end of each semester. This report is confidential between the School, parents and student. Reports for each student are being finalised and these will be uploaded to Redlands Pulse/Student Details. We expect this will occur during the first week of the holiday break. Parent teacher meetings will be offered again in Week 3 of Term 3 allowing for further discussion of learning growth. Information pertaining to these meetings will be emailed before the end of this term.
In evaluating and assessing student learning, individual progress has been measured against specific learning expectations (skills or indicators) as outlined in the NSW Board of Studies syllabus documents. For each subject studied, your child has been given an academic descriptor which assesses them on the learning that they have covered at the time the report is written.
As you read through the report this semester, it is important to celebrate and acknowledge areas of strength as well as discuss some areas for improvement with your child. Recognising academic achievement is significant, but even more essential is your child’s approach to learning and their qualities of mind and character. Research tells us that acknowledging the effort a student applies to their learning assists with motivation and self-confidence. A positive conversation filled with praise will always reap more reward and set the tone for a successful beginning to Semester 2.
Positive Behaviour 4 Learning Information Session
Last Thursday, Dean of Students Sam Kourakis led a session to further update families in regard to the Positive Behaviour Support for Learning approach that the School has been implementing on the Junior Campus this year. I received some wonderful feedback from a parent, that I wanted to share with you.
“Last week, I had the privilege of attending another exceptional Redlands presentation for Junior and Preparatory School parents, this time focused on Student Wellbeing. What I particularly love about these sessions, is that parents are provided with actionable ways they can support their children, that align with the language used by teachers, and the overall Teaching and Learning culture embedded at Redlands. Insights and information on relevant resources, such as the OECD Learning Compass, which outlines a Vision of Future Education, and SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) model were also shared. If you haven’t come across these yet, I encourage you to refer to Sam’s presentation on Redlands Pulse as they are very relevant to our children in their rapidly changing world. As a parent, it’s always wonderful to see what the students are doing themselves, and this session offered an opportunity for that too. A great video, put together by SRC students on how they are helping drive a safe and respectful environment in the playground, was both entertaining and impressive. A final parent reminder was to really listen to one’s children when they have a problem, rather than jumping in straight away to solve it. Sam gave some easy, but impactful, ways to do this, such as, guiding a child with ‘what happened next’ style questions to help them find their own resolution, and then to pick up on that strength and reinforce the positive outcome. Sometimes a child’s problems are a way to build connection with parents and allow us to just ‘be’ together – not everything is a teachable moment.”
Cashless Canteen
The Junior Campus Canteen has been using the very popular online ordering platform, Flexischools, for 12 months. Recently, the Canteen acquired an Eftpos machine which will assist families if they would like to buy hot chocolates and breakfast in the morning. The overarching goal for the Canteen is for it to run completely cashless, in order to improve efficiencies and allow for better planning of requirements by having all menu items on the Flexischools platform. Beginning at the start of Term 4, all students who would like to purchase a snack or a Recess and Lunch order will be required to order this on Flexischools. An option for families with older Junior School students is to acquire a prepaid debit card giving them the opportunity to learn important budgeting skills. Spriggy is an example of one of these cards.
Yr 2 Strings Concert
Congratulations to each and every student involved in the Yr 2 Strings Concert last Monday afternoon. I would like to acknowledge the teachers and students; it is a significant achievement performing to an audience after learning an instrument for only six months. Thank you to Mrs Sywak, Acting MIC Strings, Mrs Luck and all the Strings tutors for the wonderful effort that has gone into making the Strings program such a success.
Term 3/4 Departure Notice
As we are approaching the mid-point of the year, this is a reminder that those families who are planning on leaving the School at the end of Term 4 are required to give notice to the Principal via an email to registrar@redlands.nsw.edu.au by Saturday 27 July.
As per our Conditions of Enrolment emailed to all families in December last year with the 2018 Schedule of Fees, there will be fees in lieu payable for any notices of departure received after this date.
Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop will open during the school holidays on Monday 1 July, Thursday 18 July and Friday 19 July 8.00am–4.00pm.
Appointments are essential and can booked online here.
Staff News Term 3
Miss Eliza Pierce will be working on our Jindabyne Campus in Term 3 and Mr James Duncan has been appointed to take her classes during this time. Mr Duncan comes to Redlands with significant Primary Years’ experience, teaching Sport and PDH in Australia and more recently in the United Kingdom. I would like to thank Mrs Julia Booth who has guided the younger students in their Music lessons and Choir whilst Mrs Anderson has been on Long Service Leave. We are delighted that Mrs Booth will continue her appointment with Redlands as a Music tutor and look forward to welcoming Mrs Anderson back in Term 3.
Lost Property
There is an accumulation of jumpers, hats, drink bottles and lunch boxes in Lost Property. As we come to the end of Semester 1, any unnamed lost property will be disposed of, to begin a new semester with an empty box.
Thank You
After an industrious semester, I extend my sincere thanks to all in our community who have contributed to the growth and development of the students in the Preparatory School. I thank the teachers who have placed an enormous amount of effort into the individual needs of the children. It has been wonderful reading through every student’s report to see the gains they have made, and this is due to the collaborative efforts of both families and staff. Please do take the time to reflect upon the encouragement teachers have provided students in the General Report comment to reach individual goals for Semester 2.
It is tremendous to see the amount of Preparatory students who will take part in the annual Redlands Cup Ski event over the last week of the holidays. This year, I am looking forward to spending some time down in Thredbo and watching the students thrive in another environment. Thank you to those families who give so much of their time to assist the School with this event, which has grown significantly in recent years.
For those travelling over the school holiday break, I wish you safe travels. Take time to rest and rejuvenate before Term 3 resumes on Tuesday 23 July. Please note that the Preparatory School Office will reopen on Monday 22 July.
Redlands Gala Ball – Only a Few Tables Left!
Tickets are selling fast to this not to be missed event on the Redlands social calendar! Fantastic entertainment and a band to dance to, as well as incredible prizes to be won.
All proceeds raised will be dedicated to the means-tested Redlands Scholarship Fund. This Fund creates life-changing opportunities for exceptional young people to realise their full potential, when a Redlands education would otherwise be out of reach. For further enquiries, please visit our website or contact Jenni at jdejager@redlands.nsw.edu.au.
Mrs Audrey Fellowes
Head of Preparatory School
afellowes@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848