Head of Preparatory School

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‘Tis the season to spread kindness

As parents and educators, we all want our children to grow up healthy and successful. We also want our children to be grateful for what they have been given and have compassion for those who are in need. Teaching your children the spirit of giving, showing them the importance of thinking of others and modelling kindness are important ways to help children grow into productive and loving members of our world. There is no better time to demonstrate this than in the lead up to Christmas. In the Prep we are starting to get excited about decoration making, holiday plans and gift giving and receiving. After the year we have had, my wish is for our learners to enjoy every minute of the exciting weeks leading up to Christmas.

As the excitement grows, I hope that you will join me in encouraging our students to think of others who may not be as fortunate at this time. Those who may have lost loved ones this year and are hurting, those who may live rough or those who suffer physically or mentally. Our message at Redlands Prep will be to show compassion and to demonstrate their ‘superhero’ characteristics of kindness to those who may need it.

Redlands has a long history of supporting Anglicare and the Matthew Talbot Homeless Hostel. If you would like to join us in encouraging compassion in our students while supporting people and families in need, please read the information below from our Chaplain, Miss Fiona McKenzie.

Supporting Anglicare’s Toys and Tucker is online due to Covid-19. The way we give is different, but the need is the same, if not greater this year. You have an opportunity as a family to choose what you might buy for another family this Christmas. For more information about this watch Anglicare Toys and Tucker video here. The shopping link is here: Toys ‘n’ Tucker website – have fun online shopping! 

Mufti Day Fun 

Donations for Anglicare

On Thursday November 25, Prep students will be dressing up to help us celebrate Christmas together. 

Students are encouraged to come dressed in Christmas themed Mufti clothes (Christmas colours or Christmas Angel wings, Santa hats, stars and sparkles etc This links to our Junior Campus Carol Service. 

Matthew Talbot Homeless Hostel 

Matthew Talbot strives to make the people feel welcome at their service. One easy way to do this is to provide for their basic needs. Help them have warm shower and clean clothes so they know someone cares. 

This is where we can help.  Redlands is collecting basic toiletries, socks and underwear at Prep Reception. These necessities are more than just things, they will providing what people need to feel self-respect. Imagine what a difference we can make for those who need help this season.

Week 8 important details for Prep families

Next week we have some very exciting events planned for our Prep students. Please take note of specific details below.

Thursday 25 November

Carol Service

Students are encouraged to come dressed in Christmas themed mufti clothes to help celebrate Christmas together at our Carol Service.  Please note that the Service finishes at 2.30pm so our Kindergarten car line may start a few minutes late on this day, we thank you for your patience with this.

Friday 26 November

Prep Picnic Day

Our Prep students will be celebrating their Picnic Day at school this year. We have a great day of activities lined up for everyone. Classes will rotate around three activities: Christmas craft making, games on the oval and watching a weird and whacky Science Show! After rotations, students will sit with their grades and teachers and have a picnic together at lunchtime.

After lunch, we are all in for a treat as Mrs Clinton will be teaching everyone a dance in readiness for or first ever Prep flash-mob! The afternoon will then calm down into popcorn eating and movie watching. Normal pick-up time is planned.

What to bring and what to wear:

PE uniform, hat, recess, picnic style lunch, drink bottle and a towel, if possible, to sit on to create a Picnic style atmosphere.

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO CHANGES TO SCHEDULE THERE WILL BE NO LUNCH OR RECESS ORDERS ON FRIDAY 26 NOVEMBER.

 It should be a fun day and an exciting way to be together under COVID safe measures.

Prep Presentation Day

We are excited to be live streaming our Prep Presentation Day with you this year. As you know, the Presentation Day will be different. We will have Year 2 in Dunnet Hall this year while Kindergarten and Year 1 will be watching from their rooms. The power of hearing our students’ voices is important so we will be hearing from some of our Year 2 students throughout the Presentation. I look forward to sharing the experience with you all.

A reminder that all students can be picked up from 12.15pm on 30 November. A staggered carline will aid this process.

Kindergarten   12.15-12.30pm (car park)

Year 1                12.15-12.30pm (Allister st)

Year 2                12.30-12.45pm (carpark)

If you require your child to attend OOSH on this day, please notify OOSH and the staff  will collect you child from the classrooms at 12.30pm.

Term 1 2022 Prep Sport Update

In exciting sports news, Expression of Interest (EOI) for Term 1 2022 Prep After-School Sport (Redlands House Seniors, Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2) will open on Monday 22 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 Engage records. 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. 

Each sport has limited spaces available for each year group. This is ensuring 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.

December-January Vacation Care 2021-2022

If you would like your child to attend the December 2021 to January 2022 Vacation Care program, please visit the OOSH page on Pulse to preview all information pertaining to the holiday activity schedule and daily requirements. The Flexischools website www.flexischools.com.au is open to make any bookings. Please use the Prep and Junior Vacation Care icon for children in K-6. Feel free to contact the Acting OOSH Coordinator, Trishna Rai with any Vacation Care or After School Care queries. 

Lucy Hill Library

A message from Mrs Roberts

Thank you for your support of the Lucy Hill Library this year and we are pleased to advised that around 100 students completed the Premier’s Reading Challenge. These certificates have been printed and will come home with students soon.

Library borrowing has ceased for this year and given the short time left till the school holidays we only have one full week of school to get all the books back on the shelves ready for 2022. Please ensure that your loans and your children’s books come back to the library on 22 November.

Again, thank you for all your support this year and I am so excited about 2022 and all it will bring for our young readers.

Behaviour is Communication

A message from Mr Digiacomo, Junior Campus Counsellor.

It’s not always easy to recognise a challenging behaviour in its early phases. It’s a part of being human that we all engage in behaviour that confronts others at times. Tantrums are common in young children, and some children may exhibit additional behaviours such as ignoring their parents. However, behaviour can become problematic when it is damaging to the child or others, when it prevents the child from participating in life experiences, and when it is persistent and severe. As a parent, your task is to figure out what your child is trying to communicate to you through their actions. What do these actions say about their needs and what’s going on in their lives? With this understanding, you can better figure out how to help your child meet their needs, such as finding strategies to encourage them to communicate in other, more acceptable ways.

Complete an ABC Chart to try to unpack your child’s behaviour.

An example of how to look at some possible unmet needs in this situation:

Twilight in the Garden – Save the Date: 25 February 2022

Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge
Head of Preparatory School
abreckenridge@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848