Year 7

Welcome Back 

It has been wonderful to see all of our students return to school for the final term of Year 7. This term is short but busy. We start off with our Yearly Examination block in Week 3 then jump into our exciting and hands-on STEAM days. We have our vaccinations scheduled for the end of November and will be engaging in a range of Service Learning activities taking students to the end of the Term 4 and the final week of Year 7. 

UN Voice Survey

On Tuesday 15 October, Year 7 and 8 students from Redlands participated in the United Nations Youth Voice Competition. This public speaking competition encourages critical thinking and problem-solving to address issues affecting our community, country and the world.

Students explored topics ranging from the negative impacts of tourism to languages at risk of extinction. They not only showcased their speaking skills but also pitched innovative and creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

The following students participated in the preliminary round held at James Ruse Agricultural High School.

Aryana Mishra Mall
Sophie Wong
Hugo Steadman
Oscar McHattan
Aaron Oh
Connor Price
Lachlan Carter
Clementine Roumanoff
Natalie Bain

“Tourism has a cultural cost. It leads to wear and tear on famous landmarks. I’m sure everyone has seen walls in gorgeous locations marked with names and dates. Take a look at Uluru. Despite pleas from the Indigenous people, tourists used to climb Uluru, which is considered deeply disrespectful because it’s a sacred site. This has been banned since 2017, but the damage and disrespect over many decades still linger. Tourism offers incredible experiences and economic growth, but it also brings significant challenges to nature, humanity, and culture. With stricter regulations and more conscious travel choices, we can diminish these effects. The key is balance, responsibility, and respect for both people and the planet.” – Aryana Mishra Mall (Yr 7)

Smart Devices 

This term there will be an intentional focus on ensuring a smart device free environment in the Secondary School to enhance students’ social, wellbeing and academic performance by minimising distractions to promote a more focused learning environment.  

• Smartphones are not permitted in any setting while students are at School or engaged in School related activities during Term 4.  
• Smartphones are to remain in student lockers and students will not be permitted to have their smartphone on their person at any time during the school day – this includes lessons, tutor, recess, lunch, sport training, sport games, the Dance Academy, school-associated travel and all cocurricular activities, including those occurring after school.  
• There will be no exceptions or exemptions (excluding those students who need to log medical details on a smartphone).  
• Parents who need to urgently contact their child during the school day should phone the Secondary School Office on 02 9908 6407 and refrain from texting, calling or emailing their child while they are at school.  

Upcoming Service Opportunities

Mary’s House Walk 

Mary’s House Services was founded in 2015-16 by a dedicated group of residents from Sydney’s northern suburbs. The Mary’s House refuge was established to address the significant gap in government funded services and to save lives in the region by providing support for women and children to feel safe, hopeful, and empowered to begin rebuilding their lives. 

The Walk 

Sign up here to join the Redlands Team.  

• It’s free for students: register and come along to walk for awareness.  
• Do that little bit extra and raise some money for Mary’s House/ask people to sponsor you to walk. 
• Get your family/other adults to come along: $85 registration 

Indigenous Literacy Foundation 

Literacy provides a fundamental step of building context, comprehension and understanding, whether it is written, visual or auditory. For kids who miss that foundational step in their literacy journey, it has a lifelong impact.  

In remote Communities across Australia there is often no infrastructure such as libraries or bookstores. Access to reading material is extremely limited and this impacts the achievements of Indigenous children. 

ILF’s three programs, Book Supply, Book Buzz and Community Publishing, focus on ensuring access to quality resources, including books in First Languages, publishing Community stories and supporting Communities and families to lead the entire process to ensure leadership, ownership, and authenticity is held with Community Elders and residents. 

What can we do? Bring in a book and a gold coin donation in Week 2 if you’re in Year 7/10 or Week 3 if you’re in Year 8/9/11. 

Then on Friday 1 November, you will get to enter the Great Book Swap and pick up a new book to read and enjoy.  

Important Dates 

Ms Abby Walker
Yr 7 Advisor
9968 9818
awalker@redlands.nsw.edu.au