Year 9

Yr 9 Term 3 Modified Assessment Calendar

This will be shared directly with parents as soon as it is finalised.  For students, it will be posted in iLearn Yr 9 Pastoral Page. 

Weekly Remote Learning Schedule

This is shared via Ms Gemma Van de Peer to parents each week and published for students in iLearn Yr 9 Pastoral Page as well as in iLearn announcements. Students are expected to check this schedule each week to ensure they are aware of the Zoom-free periods.

Zoom Expectations

Zoom expectations were reinforced with students this week.  It is the expectation that each student have their camera on each lesson, have their full head and shoulders in the camera screen, be wearing appropriate PE uniform and have their name properly printed as their blank screen image.  Meeting these basic expectations each day will ensure students and teachers can focus on academic and pastoral care appropriately. 

Please continue to send any reasons for missing classes or full days to SSAbsence@redlands.nsw.edu.au.  In addition to the daily attendance automated notifications, year advisors are also following up with unexcused absences or patterns of absence for students.  The communication from parents regarding attendance is extremely helpful and appreciated. 

How To Stay Positive About Your Schoolwork – a message from Dr Prue Salter

It can be difficult to stay positive at all times about your schoolwork, particularly if you have challenges whether they be personal or whether you are grappling with something like online learning. When we allow pressure and stress to build we can get into bad habits and let go of good habits. As a result students can feel even more drained and exhausted.

The key to being positive and managing negative emotions such as anxiety and feeling down and depressed in any pressure situation including schoolwork and exams is to “fuel up”. “Fuelling Up” is about boosting wellbeing factors in your life. You need to boost the wellbeing factors in your BODY, MIND and EMOTIONS.

BODY: Here are some things you can do to boost the energy in your BODY 

Get Better Sleep

Feeling good all starts with getting the right amount and type of sleep. Start with a good night-time routine. Stop anything that stimulates you such as caffeine or TV or computer, iPad or phone screens etc. Try a warm drink such as chamomile tea and use essential oils such as lavender oil. Having a soothing bath or shower can also help along with gentle stretching of tight or tense muscles. If you still feel you are not getting a “good” sleep be sure to see your doctor.

Eat in Moderation

Never skip a meal, especially breakfast. Breakfast replenishes your body and helps you start your day full of energy. Eat three main meals, and two to three snack meals a day. Eating five to six times in a day keeps your blood sugar levels balanced, giving you an overall sense of well-being needed for focusing on your tasks and responsibilities.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise, at least three times per week for a minimum of 30 minute sessions, can virtually “soak up” stress chemicals in your body and help you to relax and even sleep better. Brisk walking, aerobic classes, swimming, bike riding, or jogging are great exercises to release stress buildup and relax your body and mind to either start or end your day right.

MIND: Here are some things you can do to THINK more positive

Change your Thinking and Perceptions

Write down your top 5 fears and worries. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Then ask yourself, “IS THAT TRUE”? Usually fears and worries are not based on reality but on imagined scenarios that have little to no evidence. If it’s something that can’t be changed bring acceptance to it. It is what it is for now!

Change your Focus

Have you noticed that what we worry about we make bigger and keep closer to us by the way we think and focus. Try this…make your fears and worries SMALL in size (5 cm in height) DARK in brightness and as far away as possible in DISTANCE. When we change the size, brightness and distance of the things that upset us in our minds it reduces the intensity of the emotion.

EMOTIONS: Here are some things you can do to FEEL more positive

Acts of Kindness

Make a list of 5 acts of kindness you can do every day. Make them simple acts of kindness that are easy to do such as saying thank you etc. Do these 5 acts of kindness every day for 6 weeks. The research shows that people that do this and think of 3 good things in their life (as above) have a dramatic positive boost in their mood.

3 Good Things Exercise

Every day at the start and end of your day think of 3 good things that happened. Write them down. Then think about either WHY those good things happened or how it MADE YOU FEEL when those good things happened.

Start Ticking Things Off Your List

Pick something small and achievable to start with that you need to do for school and get it done. You will feel much more positive when you start doing things. Do a few more easy things to get your confidence up then tackle a more challenging task.

 Some of the units you may find particularly useful are:

Study Tips by Prue Salter, BA, BMath, DipE., MAcc, MEd, PhD

Enhanced Learning Educational Services.

Learn more at www.studyskillshandbook.com.au.

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Ms Alissa Ynson
Yr 9 Advisor
aynson@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9865