Year 7

Week 2 – Pressing our Noses back to the Grindstone.

Week 2 has been a whirlwind of activity at Redlands for Yr 7. Winter sport has begun with gusto, with many energetic performances in sport on the weekend; students preparing for Gala Arts auditions; and the cohort getting into preparing for and completing a range of assessments in their languages. This week we had assessments in Chinese, Japanese and Latin; next week there are assessments in French, Spanish and Science. While we have only been on campus for a little over a week, for many it feels like the holidays are in the long distant past!

A quick reminder that the dates and details of subject assessments can all be found through the ‘assessments’ tab on the Year 7 Core Page on iLearn. I encourage parents to familiarise themselves with this page, so students can be encouraged to plan ahead for any pressure points in the term. This is certainly something we have been reaffirming in Tutor academic care sessions.

Additionally, we have already had a few students experience concussion in our Winter Sport season, so please make sure you are familiar with the protocols in place for caring for students after a concussion incident. The school’s concussion guidelines document can be found on the Senior School Sport page on Pulse.

Even with the busy start to Term 2, students are still finding innovative ways of having fun and bonding. A few of our girls decided to become very literally connected by tying their shoelaces together at recess. Luckily, their Year Advisor is adept at using tweezers and nails to pull apart complicated knots – even though that was never part of the job description!!

Meanwhile, a few students did some wonderful work in supporting the Platinum Ladies lunch on Wednesday. This lunch celebrates our Redlands alumni, giving them a chance to visit the school and reminiscence on their past experiences as students. Thank you to Ina Guan and Grace Walker-Barker who offered a wonderful musical performance during the lunch, entertaining the ladies and adding a wonderful tone to the event.

A big thank you must also be extended to Lauren Rolfe and Laura Huang who both shared with the cohort their experiences of high-level sporting competitions over the holidays, offering presentations on their respective events during our Year Assembly. Congratulations to Lauren who represented the Junior Australian Softball team in New Zealand, winning the ‘Easter Classic’ competition; and congratulations to Laura who competed at the National Championships of Synchronised Swimming in Perth, her team coming third for their team routine at event!

 

This week also saw students complete an important social and emotional wellbeing survey, conducted by ACER. This survey allows us to gain a comprehensive review of student wellbeing, to help us plan targeted support for Year groups, to ensure we can help students remain happy, healthy and successful. The survey was anonymous but allows us to see trends across Year groups in the school.

Finally, I want to remind everyone of the wonderful collection of co-curricular lunchtime clubs we have within the school. This week, I visited the Esports club, where students were involved in a tightly contested competition in Mario Kart. Such competitions are preparing Year 7 and 8 students to partake in the FUSE Cup, an international Esports competition that is focused on providing young students with an opportunity to participate in safe, inclusive, supportive and structured school-based Esports competition, while developing positive gaming behaviours and furthering their digital wellbeing. Year 7 and 8 students will compete in the Fuse Cup in June at St Lukes Grammar, Dee Why.

 

Key Dates and Upcoming Events:

  • Week 3: Year 7 and 8 Respectful Relationships Presentation (Period 5, Thursday 11/5)

See below for more information.

  • Week 5: Vaccination Catch Ups (Wednesday 24/5)

An opportunity for students who missed Term 1 vaccinations to be vaccinated. Further information will be forthcoming.

  • Week 7: School Athletics Carnival (Thursday 8/6)

A fun day where students will connect in House groups and compete in a variety of track and field events.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICES:

Yr 7 and 8 Respectful Relationships Presentation – Thursday 11 May:

Redlands has been updating our PDHPE and student wellbeing, relationships and sexuality curriculum, and to support our school curriculum all students will be involved in a series of workshops and presentations on the topic of respectful relationships.

Presentations will be delivered by the team at In Your Skin.

The content is designed to support young people to develop healthy and positive relationship skills. Students will be encouraged to actively consider their relationship values and expectations, and to develop a healthy and realistic sense of self and ‘other’.

Presentations are sex positive, evidence-based, with an awareness of all genders and sexual identities with a focus on harm reduction. In Your Skin’s approach is refreshing and informative, fun and realistic.

Our pastoral team has identified some resources for parents that might be useful in understanding some of these issues and engaging in discussions with your child.

 

Forbes Fundraiser

A Message from Yr 11 – As some of you may know, Forbes is a small town in NSW, neighbouring Lismore, which went through dire levels of flooding last year. They have slowly been recovering from flood levels reaching a 70 year record!! The environment is devastated and the community is still in desperate need of some assistance from those who can help. 

This drive started in the end of Term 1 and is continuing through the beginning of Term 2. Please bring in anything you can manage and it will go a long way!!

Items to include could be:

seedlings 
canned goods 
Non-perishable foods
notebooks and school supplies
cutlery, utensils, frypans, cutting boards, bowls
financial aid
first aid kits
clothing
sewing items
tools (old hammers)

We will have boxes set up every morning at the front and back gates starting Wk 2 or in the Student Services Centre throughout the day.

Thank you everyone in advance for the consideration and donations! 

Mr Jimmy Tod-Hill
Year 7 Advisor
jtodhill@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462