Redlands Parents and Friends

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2025 Is Alive!

On behalf of the RPFA, we extend a HUGE welcome to all the new students and their families joining Redlands this year. We trust everyone enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and New Year break, with the kids recharged and eager for a fun-filled school year.

2025’s social calendar commences with one of the highlight events of the year, Twilight in the Garden on  Friday 21 February. Held outdoors (weather permitting) on the high school grounds, it’s a wonderful evening that brings together parents and teachers from across the school community.

Reserve your tickets here.

Term 1 also marks the beginning of class get-togethers organised by our dedicated army of Class Parent volunteers. These events provide wonderful opportunities for new parents and their children to strengthen connections with classmates and meet other parents.

Be sure to check this section weekly for upcoming important dates and events.

We wish everyone a hiccup-free start to the term. The RPFA team is super excited to see you all soon.

Second Hand Uniform Sale this Saturday

Did you discover this week your kids grew out of their summer uniforms over the school holidays? No sweat, we have you covered. The Second Hand Uniform Sale this Saturday, 8.30 -11am is a fantastic opportunity to grab some extra summer basics.

• When: Saturday 1 February, 8.30 am -11am.
• Where: RPFA Unit, 1 Monford Place, Cremorne (just around the corner from the Uniform Shop).

Our Second Hand Uniform Sales provide great value for families and also give each of us an opportunity to contribute to the benefits of recycling. We sell hundreds of perfectly good clothes that may otherwise end up being wasted and thrown out, eventually into landfill. The Second Hand Uniform Sales are a great way to make the most of what the world has already produced, help your wallet and do an extra little bit for sustainability as well. As always, funds raised are contributed to the means-tested Redlands Foundation Scholarship Fund.

Junior and Senior School Parent Year Representatives 

We are currently in the process of putting together an amazing group of parent year and class representatives for the Junior and Secondary Schools in 2025. 

Year Reps (Secondary School) and Class Parents (Redlands House and Junior School) are vital for the fabric of the Redlands community as they help organise social events, facilitate community communication and welcome newcomers to the School. Serving in these roles is a great way to get to know other parents and have fun helping build community.

If you are interested in being a class parent in the Junior School or Year Representative in the Secondary School, please reach out signaling your interest for Secondary School or Junior School (for JS, indicating your class as well, thank you)

More details on the role of Secondary School year reps are available here. 

Offers to get involved or suggestions on what you would like to see are always welcome!

Upcoming Parent / Family Get-togethers 

Contact us to list your event.

Walks on Tracks

We’re back on track for 2025!

Weekly guided walks around the northern Sydney area are organised by Ann Marie, a wonderful RPFA volunteer. This is a great way to meet other Redlands parents and get in shape, plus a wonderful way to spend a morning discovering the many paths of the Sydney area.

The invitation for walks is open, so if you have friends or family who you think would like to come along, please feel free to bring them. Dogs are also welcome on most walks, look for the ???? below .

Walks start at 8.50am and are roughly 1 1/2- 2 hours. For those with the time, we love to stop for a coffee afterwards. In case you’re running late, just text Ann Marie so they can wait for you. Walks for the rest of this term:

Any questions, please contact Ann Marie on 0406 691 533. See you walking!

Book Club

The Redlands Book Club is a group of Redlands parents – past and present – who share a love of reading. New members are always welcome! The Book Club meets twice each school term to discuss a book, rotating among members’ homes. Occasionally, outings are also organised to events, movies or shows that are tied in with books. If you would like to join Book Club, and learn where we are meeting this month or simply want to know more, please contact Monica or Sabiha.

We look forward to kicking off the year with our first book club meeting next Wednesday 5 February at 11am, where we will be enjoying catching up after our long break and discussing Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. All new and old members are welcome, regardless of whether they have read the book!

The books planned for Terms 1 and 2 of 2025 are:
 
·         Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
·         The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
·         At the Foot of the Cherry Tree by Alli Parker

Volunteer Five

Stay tuned next week and weeks to come to meet your Friends of Groups (FoG) volunteers and learn about the fun these groups have supporting sport, theatre and other student interest groups.

Supporter Gear

Free Delivery to the Uniform Shop for pick up now available!

Get kitted up for summer sports and cocurricular comp season! Parents, carers and family can proudly represent our students in supporter gear!! Order your cap and polo here. Can’t wait to see all the supporters carrying the blue and gold in 2025. Go Redlands!!   

A New Home for Old Uniforms

Last year, we found a new home for our old boys blue shirts and grey shorts. We packed and shipped several boxes to a charity in North Sydney, and we’re excited to report that the uniforms have now reached a school in South Sudan! We hope to send our old girls summer dresses there later this year. Additionally, many of our boys white shirts were delivered to a school in Thailand.

While we’d love to send all our old uniforms overseas, the costs and logistics of shipping large quantities have been challenging. Still, we’re grateful to have found homes for so many of them. Thanks to all who helped make this wonderful initiative a reality.

The Week in Pictures

Do you have event pics you want to share? Please send them to RPFA Note Day.

RPFA Committee

President: Brittne Whitelaw
Vice President: Carrie Taylor
Secretary: Jennifer Mast
Treasurer: Joe Russo
Committee: Daniella Aburto, Tara Boris, Ali Levitch-Edwards, Michelle McDonald, Emma Okhovat, Kathryn Parsons, Sophia Stewart-Kasimba.