Year 8

Week 8 – Rock and Rolling through the Week

This week we kick started things off with some energy through a phenomenal performance from resident Yr 8 guitarist, Andy Budden. Andy jammed out for us with a 7-minute Blues based electric guitar track as we entered Redlands Hall for our Year Assembly on Monday. His stage presence and confidence were wonderful to see and everyone had their heads bopping along to the beat. The cohort offered a suitably thunderous round of applause!

A special surprise also awaited me and our Assistant Year Advisor, Ms Wang, at the end of the assembly, as a collection of students surprised us by offering us thanks for the time and effort we had put into organising and supporting the cohort on our recent camp. Beyond the flowers and giant ‘thank you’ cards that were created, the gratitude and appreciation shown were a beautiful indicator of the thoughtful, compassionate and value-minded young people we are developing at the School.

Yr 9 Moonbah Program 2025

During our Stage Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Corcoran, Principal, and Ms Van de Peer, Head of Secondary School, spoke to Yr 7 and Yr 8 about the new Moonbah Experiential Learning Program. Excitingly, our current Yr 8s will be trailblazers in this space, being the first cohort, in 2025, to engage in this immersive learning experience at our High Country Campus in Moonbah, near Jindabyne. A collection of Yr 12 student leaders also shared their amazing experiences spending a term at the High Country Campus during their time at Winter School. They spoke of great experiences, camaraderie and wonderful personal growth, as they navigated living away from home and together with peers for a term.

It certainly looks like it will be an amazing opportunity for adventure and new learning for our cohort – as they step outside of their comfort zone and into that space ‘where the magic happens’ – and I look forward to seeing how students will embrace this experience. Student were informed that further information about the Moonbah program can be found by visiting the FAQ section on Pulse.

Redlands Musical – Legally Blonde

Good luck to everyone who is part of the Legally Blonde Musical this week. A huge amount of effort goes into making this show a success so thank you to everyone who has given their time and efforts over the past few months. We can’t wait to see the show.  

A huge shout out to our Yr 8 Musical team listed below!

Angus Baird, Leo Campbell, Phoebe Dawson-Damer, Sienna de Saxe, Emma Foley, Joshua Freer, Anabelle Kendrigan, Matthew Krapovnitskiy, Ady Lee, Clem Leroux, Amelia Rudland, Phoebe Sun, Elliot Taylor, Astrid Vincent, Mackenzie Willis.

2024 Secondary School Cross Country Carnival

Next week, Yr 8 will need to stretch their legs and lace up their boots because we have the Secondary School Cross Country Carnival! The event will be held on Thursday 28 March 2024 at the Macquarie University Sporting Fields, Culloden Rd and Talavera Rd. This is an outdoor event. 

The Cross Country Carnival is a compulsory event for Year 7 and 8 students. The Carnival is a significant school event that contributes to House and School Spirit. Students who are unable to compete will still attend to support their friends and offer assistance with the event. If your child is unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances on the day, please email ssabsence@redlands.nsw.edu.au by 9.00am. 

As this event is held off-site, it is a requirement that parents and/or carers complete the EdSmart online permission for your son or daughter. 

Redlands buses will transport all students to and from the event and all students are to arrive at school at the regular time.  

Further information, including the specific program and timings, can be found on Pulse. 

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

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.

Term 1 Key Dates and Upcoming Events:

  • Redlands Musical: Thursday 21 March to Saturday 23 March
  • SS Cross Country Carnival: Thursday 28 March
  • Easter Long Weekend: Friday 29 March to Monday 1 April

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