Year 9
Welcome back to Term 2! I hope you have all had a restful and happy time as a family and that your child has returned back to Redlands refreshed. It is certainly great to see them all again. We had such a busy first term, ending with an amazing camp. Term 2 is also very busy but a bit shorter as it is only 9 weeks.
Interesting Article of the Week
Teachers returned to Redlands on Monday, and spent the majority of the professional development day led by Dr Judith Locke, author of The Bonsai Child. She enlightened us on many issues, in particular how parenting has changed considerably over recent years and how that impacts the school environment. The interesting article this week is based on this concept and the 60 Minutes episode from last Sunday that some of you may have seen.
Camp
I am sure your child returned home thoroughly exhausted at the end of camp in Week 11! I hope they enjoyed the experience, and also learnt many life skills and developed new friendships and respect for each other. There has been overwhelmingly positive feedback from both the teachers/Tutors and the Outdoor Education Group leaders who ran each group. Feedback that has been received has demonstrated the caring nature the students showed to each other and their Tutors, the willingness to get involved in everything, and the leadership skills developed over the course of the week. It was heart-warming to hear these comments.
Commerce Market Day Fundraising
Yr 9 Commerce students were able to raise almost $3600 on Market Day last term, which was distributed to a few worthwhile organisations such as Room to Read and Guide Dogs Australia. This is a fantastic achievement and something the whole Year Group should be very proud of.
NAPLAN
Yr 9 students are expected to participate in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) to assess literacy and numeracy skills. Testing will take place on Tuesday 14 May (Language Conventions and Writing), Wednesday 15 May (Reading), and Thursday 16 May (Numeracy) from 11.05am to 2.35pm. Students need to bring a school calculator on Thursday 16 May for the Numeracy Test part A that requires a calculator. Students will be provided a pencil to complete all tests. Further information about NAPLAN can be found in the NAPLAN parent information brochure. Following the tests, all parents across Australia will receive results in a common reporting format. It is important for you and your child to know that NAPLAN is not a pass/fail test. It simply looks at what level students are achieving in literacy and numeracy against National Standards and compared with student peers throughout Australia. More information is available on the National Assessment Program website.
Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize Collection
The Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize Collection can be viewed for the first time at Redlands. The Collection, created as a direct result of the acquisitive prize over 22 years, is a remarkable collection of artworks which provides a unique and valuable teaching tool and includes pieces from Imants Tillers, Ben Quilty, and Lindy Lee amongst others. Parents will also have an opportunity to meet Cameron Robbins, the contemporary artist who is leading the Redlands Konica Minolta Artist in Residence (RKMAIR) program 2019. Cameron will be at Redlands 6-17 May, working with students and staff creating a site responsive artwork on the Senior Campus. Tickets are available here. Drinks and canapés will be served during the evening. This is a parent only event. For more information, please visit our website.
Uniform
Students across all Year Groups have been spoken to by senior staff this week about the expectations for winter school uniform. They are aware of the regulations as set out in the Student Planner and some have been spoken to about the need for changes, such as haircuts, removing jewellery, wearing long-sleeved shirts for the boys and needing longer skirts for the girls. Please have a conversation with your child over the weekend to ensure they are meeting the uniform expectations.
I hope you have a great week.
Ms Rebecca Mountain
Yr 9 Advisor
rmountain@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 6462