Head of Secondary School
Hope and Happiness
We farewell Yr 12 this afternoon with a special Final Chapel and Assembly. Safely bringing Yr 12 onto campus and enabling an IRL engagement with each other and their teachers has been the work of many staff over the past few weeks. After a thoughtful Chapel service prepared by Chaplain Ms Bronwyn Lihou, the students engage in a formal farewell assembly with speeches and prizes. A few surprises have been designed to lend an atmosphere of hope and happiness, which is how we will always remember this wonderful Yr 12 cohort. I look forward to sharing some photographs with you in next week’s Note Day.
Week 3
The weeks are flying by and we are readying ourselves on the Secondary Campus for Week 3. The Week 3 Timetable can be found here. Next week, our Yr 7 and 10 students are engaged in online assessments and time has been built into the Week 3 Timetable for Yr 8 and 9 students to engage in Independent Study, ahead of their online assessment block in Week 4. We are encouraging our students to prioritise participation in their final week engaged in Remote Learning by raising their Zoom-hand confidently and enthusiastically for the (hopefully) final few times.
Children of Essential Workers
All students attending school as the children of essential workers need to register by Friday 15 October. It is essential that all students who attend site are registered, even those in Yr 12. This is because we have tight structures in place to ensure the safety of our community and especially our Yr 12 students, at this time. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Please register here.
Online Assessments
In a typical year, all students in Yr 7-10 would engage in an Examination Block at school where they would sit three exams per day. This year, we have modified this learning experience for students so they sit shorter tasks which cover reduced content and skills. The online assessment blocks support student learning by giving them an opportunity to –
- Prepare ahead of time
- Experience a range of tasks
- Practise managing pressure
- Receive feedback on their efforts
- Set goals for future learning
Teachers and IT staff are currently readying students in Yr 7-10 to successfully access their online assessments. If you run into any challenges or difficulties next week, please email isupport@redlands.nsw.edu.au. We have communicated with students that there may be a bump in the road, especially if wifi or internet access wavers, but this bump will be temporary and fixable. These assessments are just another learning experience – it’s important to exert effort but also to maintain perspective.
Below is an infographic designed to support students. We appreciate you unpacking this with your Yr 7-10 child.
University and Careers
Our University and Careers Advisors, Ms Clare Hurst and Justine Fowler have been enjoying supporting our students since they joined Redlands at the start of Term 3.
Last term they met with over 60 students via Zoom
56 Yr 12 students
3 Yr 11 students
1 Yr 10 student
47 requests for transcripts and references for Yr 12 students
50 early university offers for 2021 Yr 12 students
They are currently preparing an exciting Work Exploration program for our Yr 10 students to engage with this term, and also thrilled about getting to know our 2022 Year 12 students, via meetings, and programs designed to support their transition post-school.
International School Library Month
Our School librarians are so ready to celebrate International School Library Month with students when they return to On-Campus Learning. You can find their latest article here.
Canteen – all food, drink and snacks to be purchased online from 25 October 2021
When students return to campus they will be required to order all food and drink via our online ordering system, Flexischools. Many students already confidently use this system, but prior to this lockdown, we still permitted students to enter the canteen and purchase food, drinks and snacks. From Monday 25 October all students (and staff) will only use the online ordering system to make canteen purchases. It’s so easy, it’s more sustainable and our wonderful canteen staff have built an efficient order collection system which will make the process faster, and safer. Please ensure familiarity with this Online ordering via Flexischools system, so that if your child wishes to purchase from the canteen, they have access. Our students on the Junior Campus already use this system and if they can do it, so can we!
Ms Gemma Van de Peer
Head of Secondary School
gvandepeer@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9811