Head of Secondary School

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Weekly Reflections

Week 4 has provided us with some wonderful opportunities to engage with the students about our values. I have spoken with both Year 7 and 8 this week about the values which guide our actions and language. Specifically, we have considered respect and responsibility, and how we can embody these values, and live them authentically, inside and outside of school.

Our Stage 4 students were able to identify the following opportunities for inhabiting the values of respect and responsibility:

• listening to each other, accepting an array of viewpoints and perspectives, celebrating difference in our community
• respecting each other’s physical space and body, and maintaining a respectful distance
• considering others around us and how we look after our physical spaces by picking up our rubbish, or someone else’s and valuing the wealth of resources we have at Redlands
• using language that is inclusive and respectful of all people
• thinking before we speak, use profanity or mock each other (in person or online)
• demonstrating courteous behaviour on the bus and in the community, for example, by standing up for others on the bus, and not bumping into people on the footpath because we are looking down at our phone
• thanking our teachers, sport coaches, canteen assistants, anyone whose job it is to look after us
• taking responsibility when we make a mistake – owning our actions

Reflecting on the Value of Honesty in Chapel

Our focus on the Redlands values has been represented in this week’s online Chapel service. Our new Subject Coordinator for Christian Studies Ms Susan Tymoszuk prepared a beautifully reflective online Chapel service for Secondary School students this week on the value of honesty. Supporting her were Emma Canton Yr12 and Ava Atkinson Year 7.

COVID-19 – Moving Forward

A communication regarding the School’s response to recent State Government announcements about Covid-19 restrictions will be provided by the Principal tomorrow.

I can confirm that next week, we will continue with our slightly modified timetable, which increases the students’ recess and lunch times. Given that wet weather is expected yet again next week, we will be resetting the wet weather locations for each Year Group, and relying on the support of our Sport Coaches to offer students opportunities throughout the day to expend energy. Students will be notified via an iLearn Global Announcement on Friday and throughout next week, so they are clear about the opportunities on offer when it is raining, and where to go at recess and lunch.

Shrek The Musical

Rehearsals for Shrek are now well underway. Students completed the first run of Act One in Week 3 and we are extremely pleased with the dedication and focus the students have brought to each rehearsal. Production and makeup workshops commenced last week; the collaboration, excitement and passion bought to every rehearsal by every student from the stage to backstage bodes well for a superb production ready for Opening Night on Thursday 24 March.

Year 12

Yr 12 have been strongly focused on completing assessments in the past couple of weeks. They have been working well together and catching up with teachers when they require support.

Tomorrow, I will meet with Year 12 during Tutor Time to provide some key updates which will include Privileges, Camp and the Holiday Workshops.

School Events

There are a number of online and in-person events over the next few weeks.

Yr 11 Information Webinar: Wednesday 2 March

Parents, Carers and Year 11 students are invited to attend this very important Webinar next week. Please do attend and hear from the team who are supporting your children to achieve success.

Yr 7 Transition Session Webinar: Tuesday 1 March

Yr 7 Meet and Greet: Monday 14 March

Student Representative Council

Mr O’Leary, Head of McDouall House, leads our Student Representative Council.

Student membership across Year 8, 9 and 10. Year 7 students will be elected in the coming weeks.

During the first SRC meeting, the students introduced themselves and were provided with a SRC handbook. Year 10 students were elected as co-chairs and co-secretaries and will chair and minute the meetings moving forward. An activity was launched to raise various issues impacting students to be discussed, such as wet weather arrangements. Students were also tasked with consulting with their tutor groups about what issues they would like the SRC to address in future meetings.

Next week the SRC students will attend a secondary school youth conference.

Sport Celebrations

It was great to see our Summer Representative teams back in action last Saturday in Basketball, Tennis and Touch Football.

While there are too many teams to mention individually, we value and appreciate all the students who are regularly attending training and fixtures in support of their teammates and the school.

Well done in particular to the Girls Basketball 1^st V who beat Chevalier 1^st V 63-25, and to the Jnr A team who beat their Chevalier opponents 74-6. It was great to see our new Year 7 teams representing Redlands in Basketball, winning two out of three games.

Across the Touch Football fixtures, the Boys had a successful day, winning three out of four games against various schools.

I hope all students involved in Summer Representative Sport enjoy the opportunity to get involved for the final few weeks as the season re-starts.

Japanese Language Buddy Program 2022

In 2022, we welcome some new initiatives offered by our Japanese teachers and senior students to support students’ learning in Japanese this year.

Firstly, Year 11 and 12 IB students are running a Japanese tutoring service as a Junior Sensei every Monday Lunchtime in L14, at Japan Club. These are new initiatives run by our senior students.

Also, Japanese Study Centre is run by Abe sensei every Tuesday and Wednesday morning; 7.30-8.15am in Learning Hub Level 2.

Year 11 & 12 IB students’ comments:

“We are Year 11 and 12 IB students offering Japanese help and tutoring during Monday lunchtimes in L14 every week. We are inviting students in Years 7-10 if they are interested in participating in a range of fun activities such as origami, watching movies, support with home learning, assessments and more. We can provide a personalised program, supporting and extending your Japanese language skills. We are able to share our useful Language learning strategies as language learners. Please come along!”.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Japanese language and culture, please see Abe Sensei nabe@redlands.nsw.edu.au or Okawa Sensei yokawa@redlands.nsw.edu.au or Jiang Sensei wjiang@redlands.nsw.edu.au for more information! Or, simply turn up at Study Centre or Japan Club next week!

Ms Gemma Van de Peer
Head of Secondary School
gvandepeer@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9811