Head of Preparatory School
Welcome to Term 4
We start this term with new hope and as we edge closer to our return to On-Campus Learning dates.
Redlands House, TG. Kindergarten and Year 1 – 18 October
Year 2 – 25 October
Staff are planning for a safe and smooth return to On-Campus Learning for our youngest learners. Please know that as students return, their social and emotional wellbeing is so very important to us, and we will be using many opportunities next week to start the discussion around what it is going to be like for students as they come back on campus. Some students will walk casually back through our doors without a care in the world and others will need support in reconnecting with their peers and with the school environment. To support all our students returning, our Week 2 Grade Assemblies and wellbeing class times will focus on returning to school and the feelings that will be associated with it. Don’t forget you can access great resources on our Pulse page that provide conversation starters and helpful parenting strategies when dealing with anxiety or worry.
Please be aware that our staff are currently working on what the online support learning will look like for those students who don’t return to on campus learning. More information around the logistics involved in the return to school process will be sent to all families next week.
Term 4 OOSH
K-6 OOSH will not be available from 5 October to 15 October (weeks 1 and 2) but will return as grades stagger their return from 18 October onward. Bookings can be made via OOSH bookings email from Monday 11 October. Please be aware that numbers will be capped.
OOSH K and 1 – Students can access from October 18
OOSH Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 – Students can access from October 25
Week 2 Request for On-Campus Learning for Children of Essential Workers
Parents who are essential workers can lodge a request for on campus learning support for the weeks of 11 October – 15 October. Booking requests close again at 8pm on Friday 8 October at 8pm to allow sufficient time for staffing to be organised based on the numbers.
https://forms.gle/S1SsNiKyfm4EFPMm6
2022 Kindergarten Orientation Parent Information Session
We look forward to our first 2022 Kindergarten Parent Information session next Wednesday. The Leadership team along with Chloe Davis (Prep After School Sport Coordinator) will welcome our new cohort of parents to Redlands Prep. If you know any new Kindergarten families who will be starting next year, please encourage them to join either of the Zoom sessions.
Wednesday 13 October, 5.00pm – 6.00pm
Meet and Greet, Parent Information Session for Kindergarten 2022
Zoom Link – https://redlands.zoom.us/j/98831256914
Wednesday 20 October, 5.00pm – 6.00pm
Welcome to InitiaLit, Parent Information Session for Kindergarten 2022
Zoom Link – https://redlands.zoom.us/j/94667670186
On-Campus student Orientation sessions will be organised as more information is provided to us by NSW Health.
2022 Term 1 After School Prep Sport Update
In exciting Sports news, Expression of Interest (EOI) for Term 1 2022 Prep After-School Sport will open on Monday 22nd November at 1:00pm. In Term 1, the following sports will be available:
- Tennis (Monday & Friday)
- Football (Monday)
- Basketball (Monday & Friday)
Registration for all sports will take place in an EOI Form (one form for all sports) through a link on the Prep Sport Pulse page. All Prep families will be notified via email one week prior to registration opening and again once the EOI form is live. Please ensure that the school has your preferred contact email on your Student Details (Engage) records.
Each sport has limited spaces available for each Year Group. This is to ensure a quality experience is offered to students with a low student-coach ratio. It is anticipated that spots in all sports will fill very quickly. Spots in each sport are offered on a “first in, first served” basis. A waitlist will be created for those that miss out.
Registration is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email from the Prep Sport Administrator. Families will be informed either way regarding the result of their EOI Form. Families must re-register each term and registrations DO NOT roll over. This registration process gives equal access to sport programs for all Prep School families each term.
For more details, please visit the Prep Sport Pulse page or contact prepsport@redlands.nsw.edu.au
Term 4 Library Borrowing
The Lucy Hill Library will be staffed from Monday 18 October which means our family book loaning can resume. However, before this commences, we need to make sure all outstanding library loans from Term 2 are returned please. For this to happen in a COVID-safe way, please return any library books you currently have by placing them in the Prep Returns Box on the table outside the Junior School Entrance by Friday 15 October. When all your books are returned, you may then email Mrs Roberts at vroberts@redlands.nsw.edu.au notifying her that you would like a bag of 10 new books. You may request specific titles or get a ‘lucky dip’ as we did in Term 2. Mrs Roberts also will need families to nominate if you are planning to pick books up on a Tuesday or Thursday. The books will be placed on a table outside the Prep Reception for pick up.
School-Wide Parent/Carer Survey
The input and feedback from our community are important to the success of our continuous school improvement process as we aspire to enhance the learning experience for everyone at Redlands. All parents and carers were sent a letter on Tuesday confirming that Redlands will be once again using the Perspectives: Your school in focus suite of surveys developed by AISNSW to support our school improvement endeavours as the School successfully conducted this survey with all stakeholders in 2019. The information gathered will assist in furthering the growth and development of our school community, and the survey results will be used to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. These surveys have been specifically designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of stakeholders’ perceptions of five important areas: School Environment, Teaching and Learning, Student Wellbeing, Leadership and Community. All parents, carers, staff and Year 5-11 students will be invited to participate. The parent/carer survey will be available from 25 October to 7 November and is conducted online, taking approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge
Head of Preparatory School
abreckenridge@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848