Head of Secondary School

• Print

Senior Campus Update

We are pleased to announce that the rooftop of the Learning Hub is now available for school use moving forward. While students are not permitted to be in this space without supervision, teachers will be able to use this space for classes and other activities with their students. We are still awaiting full occupancy of the outdoor podium in front of the Learning Hub, and I know the students are looking forward to having this additional outdoor space available to them later this year. Finally, over the last few weeks of Term 4, Buildcorp will begin work on the next phase of their works which is building an access road along the western boundary of the school between Waters Rd and Military Rd. Like other major projects in recent years, we have aimed for as much of the construction work as possible to occur in the school holidays and most of this stage of the works will occur during the summer break. In addition, we have waited until HSC and IB Examinations, as well as Yr 7-10 Yearly Examinations, have finished before commencing these works. Please note, however, there might be some changed accessibility and impact along the western boundary of the Senior Campus over these last few weeks of the year as these works commence. 

Staffing Update

We are excited to confirm some of the new pastoral leadership positions for 2021. The Yr 7 Year Advisor will be Mr Eddy Atkins and the Yr 7 Assistant Year Advisor will be Ms Lucienne Willis, while the Acting Yr 12 Assistant Year Advisor (while Mr Walker is taking on the Acting Yr 9 Year Advisor position until the middle of next year) is Ms Rachel Wilson.

Flexischools

As you have been made aware, we have commenced online ordering in the Senior Campus Canteen this year and we are strongly encouraging students to use this system for purchasing food in the Canteen for the remainder of this term. 

From the beginning of Term 1 2021 we will be moving to a more complete pre-order system in the Secondary School. This will mean that if students want to purchase a hot or pre-prepared meal for Recess or Lunch, they will have to use the online purchasing system, Flexischools. While there will still be some snacks available for students to purchase in person at Recess and Lunch, the majority of meals will only be available for students to pre-order via Flexischools.

This arrangement will allow for:

• a more extensive menu for students to choose from
• certainty for students that meals will be available for them to pick up in the Canteen
• less wastage of food in the Canteen

Many parents would be currently using this arrangement in the Junior School which has had positive feedback.

CANTEEN ORDERING – FLEXISCHOOLS

Parents and carers can create a Flexischools account for their family and link a credit card and student number to the account. Students can submit orders up until 8.30am to ensure they are available for them to pick up at Recess or Lunch. We would encourage all students and parents to create an account and start using Flexischools this term to ensure they are fully prepared for this change next year. More details regarding online Canteen ordering are available on Redlands Pulse. 

Yr 6 Connect and Chat

As part of our transition program for our incoming Yr 7 students in 2021, current students from Yrs 7 and 11, as well as key academic, pastoral and cocurricular staff, visited Yr 6 classes on Monday morning to “connect and chat” with our incoming Yr 7 students from the Junior School. It was wonderful to see and hear the excitement and curiosity of the Yr 6 students, and we attempted to best answer their many and varied questions. However, I was also struck by the positivity, enthusiasm and thoughtfulness of the Yr 7 and Yr 11 students as they shared their insights and experiences from Secondary School. We look forward to welcoming all of our incoming Yr 7 2021 students to the Secondary School for their Orientation Day on Wednesday 25 November.

NAIDOC Week

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is Always Was, Always Will Be and recognises that First Nations people who have occupied and cared for this country for over 65,000 years. To celebrate NAIDOC Week some of our new student leaders will be working with our Yr 7 students during Tutor period tomorrow sharing resources, information and reflections with them. A special acknowledgement to Julia Parker who has recorded an interview with Dr Dennis Foley, a Cammeraygal elder, to be shown during these sessions, as well.

Remembrance Day

As you are well aware, 11 November is a special day as we, as a nation, celebrate the armistice which signalled the end of World War I and remember those who have fought, served and sacrificed their lives for our country. Yesterday we commemorated Remembrance Day as a Secondary School community with a minute’s silence at 11.00am. Tutor Groups had special reflections during their Tutor periods and our Principal, Mr Webber, along with our School Captains, Piper and Theo, rang the Redlands School Bell in Liggins Courtyard to start and end the minute of silent reflection for students in the playground.  

Mr Sean Corcoran
Head of Secondary School
scorcoran@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9870