Year 9
Reminders
Late Arrival to School
As we head towards the end of the year, could I please ask parents to support their young person in getting to school on time and ready to learn by 8.15am. As the term has progressed, many students have been consistently arriving 10 minutes or more late to school. It is important to arrive promptly to school and classes as it directly affects a student’s learning and academic progress, becoming an ingrained bad habit. Students are being supported at school via conversations and reflection activities to consider the strategies they can develop to self-manage and arrive at school on time.
All late arrivals need to be accompanied by a parent note to ssabsence@redlands.nsw.edu.au to be excused. If students are running late, they are expected to own this reason as ‘unexcused’ and there may be a consequence to make up for this missed class time, depending on the regularity and severity of the late arrival.
Thank you for reiterating these expectations with students at home. We appreciate your support in keeping students focused and ready to learn.
Uniform
As we continue on in the term, it is crucial to emphasise the significance of personal appearance and strict adherence to the Redlands Uniform Policy. Maintaining a well-kept school uniform, including a neatly tucked-in shirt, belt, appropriate dress length and no makeup, holds great importance. It conveys dedication and respect for both the school’s uniform policy and the situation at hand. This attention to detail boosts confidence, sending a clear message of adherence to established norms. Creating positive first impressions through proper attire can communicate responsibility and reliability to others. Embracing the habit of wearing the correct uniform instils discipline and underscores the broader life lesson that our presentation matters, impacting our interactions, opportunities, and relationships, both within and beyond the Redlands community. It underscores our ability to adapt, show respect, and cultivate a level of care that contributes to personal and future success. Parents, please support your young person to uphold the Redlands uniform.
Exam Week
Over the course of the last three weeks we have endeavoured to provide our Year 9 students with a variety of examples of what it means to display good study habits. These have included weekly planning, study techniques and effective study with peers.
In our assembly on Tuesday, Ms Van de Peer added three more pieces of insight from our current Year 12s who have been diligently preparing for their final HSC and IB examinations. The first tip was to look to reduce the size of your notes over time, a process she referred to as ‘reduction’, where over the course of revision periods students reduced the size of their notes from a number of pages, to a single page and then right down to a few (two – three) palm cards just before an exam. The second was ‘practice’, which many students are currently doing with additional questions in their texts or provided past examinations. The third was ‘articulate’; explaining your notes out loud and verbalising your content knowledge either to yourself or others. These are all useful tips and something that I encourage students to consider over the weekend in the lead up to next week.
We have also asked students to engage in thought about what their expectations are and the nature of personal achievement beyond a marks/results focus. For many this requires a redefinition of the notion of success and achievement linked to their own personal learning and individual goals.
From an administrative perspective, please ensure that your student goes through the exam schedule and letter so that all expectations are clear once more before Year 9 embark on their exams next week.
Managing Exam Stress
ReachOut is a wonderful resource, providing some practical tips for helping your teen deal with stress in the lead up to examinations. Please see this link for further reading.
Homeland Tour to Arnhem Land on 21-27 April 2024
Redlands will be offering a Homeland Tour to Arnhem Land on 21-27 April 2024. This Tour will be open to current Year 9 and 10 students.
In this cultural immersion, students will revisit and build on the ideas they were introduced to in last year’s Culture College Camp, consolidating knowledge and understanding. After a brief stay at the Gulkula site students will travel to one of the remote Yolngu Homeland areas, usually Nyinyikay. This offers the opportunity for a much more personal, extensive, and detailed exploration of Yolngu culture than was possible on the year group Camp.
Visiting and spending time in a Yolngu Homeland is something few people ever get to experience. Students will be immersed in the living culture of Aboriginal clans of East Arnhem Land, one of the most culturally intact and pristine regions left on Earth. This unique program provides privileged access and interaction with the Yolngu people and their lands of which they have been the traditional owners for over 50,000 years.
This Tour is an opportunity for students who are ready and willing to consider more deeply the knowledge they gained previously and how to effect change for the future. We are proud to be working with Culture College to provide opportunities for connection between cultures.
The cost of the tour is $5,395. A proposed itinerary and booking form can be found on Pulse.
Bookings and payments are made directly to Culture College, so please check their Terms and Conditions on the Booking Form.
Winter School 2024 – Expressions of Interest
Mr Atkins has briefed Yr 9 on the application process for Winter School 2024. Students have been asked to communicate with Mr Atkins directly via email to express their interest in being considered for Winter School 2024. This will need to be completed by Friday 27 October. The Winter School application process involves a few steps for our Yr 9 students over the next 2-3 terms and more information will be provided to those students who put forward their EOI.
More general information can be found of the Winter School Pulse Page.
Years 10-11 Cocurricular Drama Production – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Book Here
Important Dates
Week 4: Year 9 Yearly Examination Block
1-3 November: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – The School Play
Week 9: 5 December Last Full Day of Term 4
6 December: Speech Night
Mrs Lucienne Willis
Yr 9 Advisor
lwillis@redlands.nsw.edu.au