Head of Secondary School
The Medium Close Up
Teaching film techniques and the various screen shots to my Yr 7 English class this week brought home the realisation that we have been looking at each through the lens of the medium close up shot for 10 weeks now. People’s faces, their backgrounds and their camera angle can tell us a lot, however.
This screen shot of Ms Putnam’s Yr 8 Tutor group engaging in some online mindfulness was taken very early on this term, and I have been holding onto it ever since. It brings me such joy! The faces of the students and Ms Putnam are delightful and the entire scene beautifully reinforces the sense of community at Redlands. Tomorrow we farewell each other and the term in a series of Year Group Assemblies followed by a short Secondary School Assembly. It will mean once more viewing each other through the lens of the medium close up, which nonetheless affords us the opportunity to connect and celebrate our shared experience at this time.
Term 4
There are many wonderful events scheduled to take place early next term, such as the final Yr 12 Student-led Assembly and the Yr 12 Secondary School Farewell Assembly. We are also looking forward to celebrating the beginning of Yr 12 with our current Yr 11 cohort and inducting the 2022 leadership group of Captains and Prefects.
The IB and HSC Examinations take place, marking a significant end to schooling for our Yr 12 students. And we are able to welcome back the students in a staggered fashion across the final weeks of the term.
A full plan of Term 4 will be published before we return to school in Term 4. The first four weeks of Term 4 are published below for your information.
|
Week |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
1
|
4 October |
5 October |
6 October |
7 October |
8 October |
|
Labour Day – Public Holiday |
– Yr7-10 Remote Learning commences – Yr 11 Online Examinations commence – Yr12 students return to learning on a modified timetable (home/school)
|
– Yr11 Examinations |
– Yr11 Examinations |
– Yr11 Examinations – Yr12 Student-Led Assembly |
|
|
2 |
11 October |
12 October |
13 October |
14 October |
15 October |
|
– Yr11 Examinations |
– Yr11 Examinations conclude |
– Yr12 Final day of official lessons
|
– Yr11/12 2022 Leaders notified – Yr12 SS School Farewell Assembly
|
Yr11 Induction Assembly |
|
|
3 |
18 October |
19 October |
20 October |
21 October |
22 October |
|
– Yr7 Assessment block starts – Yr10 Assessment block starts
|
– Yr7 Assessment – Yr10 Assessment |
– Yr7 Assessment – Yr10 Assessment |
– Yr7 Assessment – Yr10 Assessment – Yr11 Leadership Training
|
– Yr7 Assessment Block Ends – Yr10 Assessment Block Ends – Yr11 Leadership Training |
|
|
4 |
25 October |
26 October |
27 October |
28 October |
29 October |
|
– Yr8 Assessment block starts – Yr9 Assessment block starts – Yr12IB Exams commence |
– Yr8 Assessment – Yr9 Assessment – Yr12IB Exams |
– Yr8 Assessment – Yr9 Assessment – Yr12IB Exams
|
– Yr8 Assessment – Yr9 Assessment – Yr12IB Exams |
– Yr8 Assessment block ends – Yr9 Assessment block ends – Yr12IB Exams |
NAPLAN
Parents of students in Yr 7 and 9 will shortly receive the 2021 NAPLAN results via mail. NAPLAN is a point-in-time assessment that allows parents to see how their child is progressing in literacy and numeracy against the national standard and compared with their peers throughout Australia.
Interestingly, the NAPLAN 2021 summary results data published by ACARA on 25 August reports that the global COVID-19 pandemic has had no significant impact on students’ literacy and numeracy achievement at the national or state level. In addition, the long-term trend data reveals a steady improvement in most literacy and numeracy outcomes, with a number of year levels and domains showing a gain in learning equivalent to a school term since testing began. There have been some steadily improving results across all areas and levels, and most notably the ongoing downward trend in writing in Yr 5, 7 and 9 has begun to reverse, fattening and showing signs of an upward trend. This is positive news given the efforts taken to support student writing improvements, through formal and informal tasks, and teacher modelling within and across subject disciplines.
If you’d like to explore your child’s NAPLAN results, please make contact with the Dean of Studies, Mr Randall, early next term.
Wellbeing in the Holidays
Last night we met with Yr 11 students and families to explore a number of important events for Term 4. Ms Jansons, Dean of Students, reminded us all of some key features to monitoring and nurturing our wellbeing over the holiday period. Ahead of the holiday period, we are reminding students of the following:
Look after your brain and body. Make sure to take time to relax and connect with others.
Study, but keep it in perspective (if in Yr 11 or 12). For students in the senior years, it’s important to make a plan, take lots of down time, and find your allies (parents, study buddies).
For students in Yr 7-10, move outside, step away from the screens and engage with nature. Read a book or meet up with friends for a walk or swim.
Feeling worried? We all do sometimes. Remember to draw on previous skills (positive self-talk, control/uncontrollable, self-care, stability rocks) and employ them. But if you are still feeling shaky, then seek support. Visit the counselling iLearn page and reach out to us.
And most of all, enjoy the opportunity for a break! This holiday period, more than any other, we all should prioritise opportunities for self-care.
Stay well and enjoy the break from school.
Ms Gemma Van de Peer
Head of Secondary School
gvandepeer@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9811