Year 9

Gala Arts

Gala Arts, the School’s Annual Creative and Performing Arts Festival, is an outstanding showcase of the remarkable and diverse talents of Redlands students spanning Years 7 to 12. This event was established with the dual purpose of highlighting the creative talents of Redlands students while fostering friendly Inter-House competition and House spirit.

On Friday 21 July, Redlands students took to the stage at The Concourse, Chatswood and inspired the audience with outstanding performances in Dance, Instrumental, Theatre and Vocal categories. Each performer captured their artistic prowess with energy, emotion and grace. Additionally, the foyer proudly exhibited Visual Arts photography works that reflected this year’s theme, Extra-Ordinary. Winners from each category were revealed at the conclusion of the evening, adding an element of excitement and recognition to the occasion.

Participating in Gala Arts and embracing performance challenges goes beyond the applause and recognition. It is about empowering Redlands to discover their full potential, build confidence, cultivate empathy, and become well-rounded individuals prepared to take on life’s diverse challenges.

Congratulations to all Yr 9 students who auditioned but didn’t make it into the showcase – bravo for challenging yourself to reach new heights! I would like to particularly congratulate the following students who competed in the following sections:

Dance

Dante Minassian: Let Me Love You

7-9 Photography Finalists

Alexandria Fitzpatrick
Scarlett Giddings
Bianca Maxwell
Francesca Richardson

Particular congratulations goes to Scarlett Giddings who was the overall winner of the VA Photography section 7-9 with her image Bike; and Dante Minassian who won the Dance section with his breathtaking lyrical piece Let Me Love You.

Year 9 Dance Achievements

Yr 9 Design Thinking Process

Our Yr 9 students have started the term strong with their Design Thinking project. Having received their teams and specific challenges to solve, we welcomed an impressive line-up of subject matter experts into the Redlands Learning Hub on Wednesday afternoon. The Yr 9 cohort were able to ask them all sorts of questions about their challenge area. Specialist interviews allow the students to quickly upskill in a topic and gain key insights into relevant history context and innovations. While these interviews were designed to offer a systems level overview of the issue and technical knowledge, many of our teams will also undertake what we call ‘user’ interviews which are designed around the people who would be potentially using their product, service or idea. You may well be asked to participate in one!

The challenges are varied, ranging from ‘How might we avoid discarding uneaten food?’ to ‘How might we redesign the Liggins courtyard so that it provides an accessible, comfortable and sociable place for the Redlands community?’

We’d like to extend our gratitude to the subject matter experts who will continue to work with our students as they move through ideation and into prototyping potential solutions before finally pitching their team’s idea back to their subject matter expert. With thanks to Ben Perry from Plantabox, Kate McHugh from KitchenHand, Shaun Christie-David from Plate it Forward, James Petering and Tom Richardson from Redlands Rowing, Vicki Condon from Raise and Dr Phil le Page.

We’d also like to commend our Yr 9 cohort who were curious, courteous, and engaged throughout the process. We are looking forward to guiding them through the next stages.  

Ms. Elizabeth Green: Innovation & Entrepreneurial Learning Strategist

ICAS Science

The 2023 ICAS Science competition will take place on Friday 25 August in school. Entry for students in Years 7-10 is voluntary. This year parents will sign up and pay for students directly in the ICAS shop. This needs to be completed before Monday 31 July. The cost of the test is $19.25. Please see the access details below.

Access details for parents:
Your Parent Payment System code is: YGA135
Your parent page link is here

News from the Counselling Team- Parent Support Workshop 3

Weathering the Storm: Responding to teen anxiety and depression

Join us for a talk specifically designed to support parents and caregivers who have young people with diagnosed anxiety and depression, as well as those who display signs and symptoms of these conditions. 

During this session, we will explore your crucial role as a parent in responding to mental health issues, helping you to support them in times of distress by gaining a deeper insight into your teenager’s experiences.

Our aim is to equip parents and caregivers with a comprehensive understanding of the signs and symptoms to be mindful of, knowing when to be concerned, and learning practical strategies you can employ to support your young people. We will also provide valuable information on helpful resources and guidance on how to seek out support when needed.

DATE: Tuesday 1 August 2023 5.30pm – 7.00pm

5.30pm Nibbles & Drinks 
6.00pm Presentation  
7.00pm Conclusion

AUDIENCE: Parents of Yr 7 to Yr 12

Registration link: here 

Term 3 Key Dates

Please note some key dates for Term 3 below for your reference.