Year 9

Welcome Back

This week, Yr 9 students returned to campus with an excited readiness. While many have been challenged to break out of holiday mode with the return of uniform expectations and bell times, conversations between students and staff have been meaningful, positive and energetic, and Yr 9’s approach to school expectations and rules has been mature and appreciated. 

This year, Yr 9 students will be guided by the theme of Experience; here, they will challenge themselves to try new things, take on leaderships roles and engage with a range of growth activities inside the classroom, and socially. In Tutor, we will also focus on supporting students in self-regulating their own learning and social and emotional competencies, and continue to assist them in managing their own distractions and study routines. Yr 9 students will experience positive interactions with others, connected learning experiences and enthusiastic engagement in the wider Redlands community. In Term 2, Year 9 Camp will take place in Arnhem Land – a powerful experience for our Yr 9 cohort. We look forward to sharing more information about this camp as the term progresses.

Students were asked to return this week both physically and mentally prepared for the new year. A few key reminders shared with students this week in-line with the expectations of ‘what it means to be a Redlands student’. These expectations are fair and consistent across all year groups: 

  • School bags must remain in lockers throughout the day.
  • Hair needs to be kept back in a ponytail if long enough to do so.
  • Hair that is kept short, needs to be cut away from the face, ears and collar.  In no way can hair represent a mullet (shorter on the sides and longer across the top and back). 
  • Black leather belts must be worn with trousers.
  • Earrings may be worn as a silver or gold stud or sleeper in the lowest hole in your ear.  
  • Smart watches may be worn as long as they are not connected to the internet during classes.
  • Phones are to be kept in student’s lockers unless they are being used for academic purposes in a specific class – this will be directed by the class teacher. They are not permitted at recess and lunch. Students should not contact parents via their phone during the day – all communication should come through the Secondary School Office. 
  • Necklaces and bracelets are not allowed. 
  • Nike sneakers are not to be worn as school shoes.
  • No facial hair is allowed.

Thank you for your continued support from home in partnership with the school. It is valued, appreciated and essential for encouraging our young people to be the best versions of themselves each day. 

Welcome to Mr Millham

This year, we make welcome Mr Richard Millham as our new Assistant Year 9 Advisor. Hailing from Scotland, Mr Millham is an incredibly experienced educator, and has been teaching IB Geography and HSIE at Redlands for five years. He has previously taught in Sydney, Darwin, Scotland and Hong Kong. Mr Millham has extensive experience in the wellbeing space, most recently having led Year 12 2022 as their Assistant Year Advisor. We look forward to Mr Millham’s encouragement, guidance and excellent sense of humour!

Key Dates

3 February: Debating Trials for New Students

3 February: Principal’s Commissioning

7 February: Swimming Carnival

10 February: Secondary School Photos and Sibling Photos

6 April: End of Term 1

Principal’s Commissioning

On Friday, Yr 9 along with the wider school community will take part in the special commissioning of our new school Principal, Mr Sean Corcoran. For Yr 9, this will be a special experience our students have not had a chance to participate in throughout their schooling. The Fahl Garden will be used for this more formal event on Friday morning for approximately an hour. Students have been asked to bring with them a water bottle, a Redlands hat and sunscreen. Students will report to Tutor Friday morning prior to the commissioning to prepare for the event. Thank you for reminding your teens to prepare appropriately.

Secondary School Individual Portraits and Sibling Photos – Friday 10 February

Secondary School Sibling Photos will take place on 10 February from 7.15 – 8.20am in Redlands Hall. To order Sibling Photos, please click here, enter the password ‘ALLISTER’ and select Siblings Order Form before 8 February. Parents/Carers who have children at both the Junior and Senior Campus and may attend the sibling photo and should accompany their Junior Campus children to school afterwards.  

On 10 February Yr 7 to 12 students will present to the Redlands Hall in classes to have their portrait photo taken between 8.20am – 12.55pm. If your child is unable to have their portrait taken, or if they have an external appointment scheduled during the school day please inform the Year Advisor.  

A catch-up date for missed sibling photos and portraits will be offered on 3 March at 10.10-11.05am in the Learning Hub Level 2, or by appointment with Melba Studios, located in Artarmon.

All students are required to be wearing their full school uniform, including blazers. Boys must be clean shaven with hair that has been cut so that it is away from eyes, ears and collar. Boys and girls with a hair length touching the collar is to be styled and tied-up neatly so that it is away from eyes, ears and collar. Hair is to be tied back with navy and hair coloured accessories.  No hair dye, mullet style haircuts, make-up or nail polish is permitted. No jewellery is to be worn other than one pair of plain gold or silver studs in ear lobes.

Our Standard Portrait and Year Group Package will be automatically billed to your school account and posted directly to your primary contact address following the Year Group photos taken on 7 June. If you do not wish to receive a standard package, please click here to opt out before 10 February.

The Standard Package will cost $40 and consist of: 

  • Year Group Photograph 20 x 30cm
  • Portrait packages containing 7 portraits:

1 – 15 x 20cm

2 – 10 x 15cm

1 – 10 x 7cm

1 – 7.5 x 5cm

2 – 5 x 3.5cm

  • Online access to a high-resolution digital portrait download

If you have any questions, alterations or additional orders, please contact Melba Studios directly on (02) 9438 4566 or email sales@melbastudios.com.au.

Parent Contact Groups:

The RPFA are seeking volunteers to be part of the Parent Contact Group (PCG) for our Year 9 cohort. Members are predominantly involved with organising Year Group social events, such as coffee mornings and dinners. In addition, the reps may also support their Year Advisor/s with any help they may need. Reps are also the conduit for parents to provide feedback to, and ask questions of, their particular School Head, in relation to issues particular to their child’s class/year as well as the day to day operations of the School. PCGs meet once per term with their respective Head of School. This is a great way to become more deeply involved in the school on the community level and meet other parents in our year group. 

Mrs Lucienne Willis
Yr 9 Advisor
lwillis@redlands.nsw.edu.au