Year 8

Week 7 – Back to the Real World

After an amazing week away in the Yarriabini National Park region, Yr 8 are back at their studies and well into their school routines. With Language assessments this week and an English assessment due tomorrow, it has been a busy return for students.

This week in Tutor Time we prioritised reflecting on our week away at camp, encouraging students to consider the moments they really enjoyed, recognise the challenges they faced and how they overcame them and look ahead to plan for how they might achieve the most out of future Outdoor Education opportunities.

Students engaged well with their camp reflections, acknowledging the challenging nature of camp, particularly the difficulty of hiking with heavy packs and managing the presence of pesky mosquitoes, whilst also appreciating some of the moments that brought them joy.

  • The most memorable moment was just spending time with my tent buddy talking and laughing; it was really nice.
  • I found camp really fun overall and sleeping in a tent fun. I enjoyed working as a team to figure out the map and which way to go on hikes.
  • I enjoyed surfing and canoeing as I love the water and it was fun and refreshing.
  • The most memorable moment for me was when we were at base camp, it was late at night and me and my friends were lying on the road stargazing. It made us appreciate the opportunities camp had given us, and how incredibly lucky about where we were that there was no light pollution.

Surfing was certainly a great highlight for many, allowing students time to relax in the water, catch some waves and have a laugh with friends. Our next experience away will be next year on the new Moonbah Experiential Learning program and I look forward to seeing the growth the cohort will gain through their time at the High Country Campus.

They say a picture says a thousand words, so below are a collection of camp memories.

 

SRC

Congratulations to our new Year 8 SRC representatives for 2024: Kate Rintoul (Cowper), Charlie Lee (Dumolo), Jack Reid (MacDouall) and Lily Musgrave-Kresa (Roseby). These students have shown great responsibility to put their hands up to support their peers and the School and will no doubt achieve some wonderful things over the next year in their representative roles.

Supporting International Women’s Day

Recently, we have conducted a range of events at the Secondary School to support International Women’s Day. A big shout out to Liv Law and Mack Willis who both volunteered to support school initiatives, helping with ushering and welcoming guests to a morning breakfast and guest speaker session. They were both really engaged and friendly throughout all of it and enthusiastic about supporting the cause.

Assessments and Sport

A quick reminder about navigating assessments that are due on the same day as Sports Carnivals and Cocurricular Events.

For all students in Years 7 to 10 who are absent due to a sports carnival or cocurricular event and have a take-home assessment that falls on the same day, they are still expected to submit the assessment on time. No deadline extensions will be granted. If the assessment is a formal in class assessment or exam and a student will miss it due to the carnival or cocurricular event, they should inform their teacher at least a week in advance so that the teacher can arrange an alternative day and time for the student to sit the formal assessment or exam.

English Writing Competitions

 There are some exciting opportunities for eager students to flex their writing muscles this term and next with the following writing competitions now open for submissions from students in Yrs 7-12:

We encourage all students to have a go at crafting a piece of writing. Whether it is based on work they have done in their English class or something they have composed out of their own interest, writing a piece that is judged externally is a great way to gain validation for effort and skill.

For more details, please visit the websites above or contact Dr Phoebe Poon (Redlands High Potential Learning Coordinator) at ppoon@redlands.nsw.edu.au

National History Challenge

The National History Challenge is a research-based competition for Australian students. It gives students a chance to be historians, researching world history, examining Australia’s past, investigating their community or exploring their own roots. It emphasises and rewards quality research, the use of community resources and effective presentation. The theme for 2024 is ‘Crisis and Response.’ You can discover all the details at the National History Challenge webpage.

If you are interested in being involved, email the History Coordinator, Mr Allen to find out more:  callen@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Balmoral Swim

The Balmoral Swim Schools Relay Challenge is back! On Sunday morning, 24 March, local schools will come together to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Institute and have fun participating in an open water swim relay. Each team consists of four swimmers, and each swimmer will swim a 200 m leg of the relay. Participants can choose to swim in their year category or an older category, and the entry cost is a $20 donation per swimmer.

Not a swimmer? No problem! You can still support the cause by donating to the Redlands fundraising page to help raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Institute. This is a fantastic opportunity to come together, have some fun, and raise funds for a great cause.

See Pulse for more information, including how to register.

Brisbane Exchange Opportunity

A further exciting opportunity to participate in an exchange has presented itself, this time with Clayfield College in Brisbane for the week of Sunday 4 to Saturday 10 August, 2024.

Clayfield has recently expanded its exchange program and will partner with Redlands on this new opportunity. The purpose of the exchange is to provide students with an opportunity to experience a different school community in Australia.

Clayfield is a coeducational day and boarding school north of Brisbane city centre. Redlands and Clayfield have much in common in terms of global mindedness, inclusivity, diversity and instilling life-long preparedness. Their motto is also ‘Let Your Light Shine’!

Expressions of interest are due by Monday 18 March. See Pulse for more details.

 Term 1 Key Dates and Upcoming Events:

  • Redlands Musical: Thursday 21 March to Saturday 23 March

 Mr Jimmy Tod-Hill
Year 8 Advisor
jtodhill@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462