From The Principal

It is wonderful to have the energy of the students back on campus, with the anticipation of all that lies ahead for us in 2022. The campus is not the same during the holiday break and while the time is valuable in terms of preparation and professional development, the real heartbeat of the School has returned this week.

A most sincere and warm welcome to all new members of our Redlands community. While we are still waiting to be able to hold events on campus, I do trust that you will still feel a sense of connection and belonging at this important time of transition. Always know that there is support available and that your questions will be addressed.

I appreciated the opportunity to speak at our Junior School and Secondary School assemblies earlier this week and to highlight our focus on the statement ‘no one on the outer’. I know from student and parent feedback that we are good at welcoming new members of our community; however, we must never be complacent. I encouraged all of the new students to be themselves, to value their unique personalities, gifts and talents and to resist any feeling that they need to change to fit a social media stereotype.

Thank you for your support in the implementation of our COVID safe protocols and in processing a large amount of information to start the term. Even with all of the strategies we have in place, we were aware that there would be circumstances in which students and or staff may unknowingly be on campus when they may have been COVID positive. When a COVID positive case is identified we will send a letter to parents and carers whose children may have been in contact with the confirmed case, so that you may monitor for potential symptoms, in alignment with the NSW Health requirements. As you are aware, the focus of our COVID safe plans has always been on minimising the risk of further transmission in this situation.

Having served the School with distinction for 19 years, Joy Daley recently decided to retire from her position as Head of Drama and Theatre. Joy commenced her career at Redlands in 2003 and has seen the Drama and Theatre program grow in strength and numbers. Her significant contributions to the School Musicals and to the Gala Arts Festivals has resulted in highly-acclaimed and professional productions providing many students the opportunity to showcase their exceptional talents. I know that you would all join me in thanking Joy for her passion in supporting so many students to thrive in the Performing Arts.

It was wonderful to have the opportunity to celebrate with the Year 12 Class of 2021 and their parents at our rescheduled Valedictory celebration on Tuesday evening. A common thread to the various speeches and presentations highlighted how resilient, determined and united the cohort had been throughout their time at the School and especially over the last two tumultuous years. It is in times of adversity and challenge that we often find our true strength and we are proud of the way the whole group responded and led the School. To achieve a record set of academic results in the circumstances, with 41% of students achieving an ATAR of over 95 and 54% of students achieving an ATAR over 90, is truly remarkable. The success of the group is so much more than this and it was fantastic to celebrate their broad range of achievements and legacy.

Mr Stephen Webber

Photo caption: Class of 2021 School Captain, Piper Allen, addressing the audience at the Valedictory celebration on Tuesday evening. Well done to all of the students recognised on the night.

Community Update

A very warm, albeit socially distanced, welcome to the new school year to our new families and welcome back to our current families. We trust that you were able to enjoy a happy, healthy and peaceful time with your family over the holiday period.

In times such as these we give thanks for the strength of our Redlands community and we continue to work in partnership with parents and carers to make this time as positive and enriching for our community as possible.

We recognise the vital relationship between home and school and provide opportunities for parents to actively engage with the School. The Redlands Parents and Friends Association (RPFA), Parent Contact Groups (PCGs) and Friends of Groups (FoGs) all come together as passionate and dedicated volunteers to selflessly support our School and the wider Redlands community. All of these important groups of committed and passionate volunteer members highlight the vital role our wider community plays in the growth and prosperity of Redlands. These community groups provide a wonderful opportunity for us all to stay connected, included and informed.

Coming together as a community on campus remains a challenge at this time but we look ahead with hope and optimism that restrictions may be eased through this term. Our annual Twilight Drinks event has been postponed at this stage with on campus events not possible in the short term. We continue to assess our planned community events in alignment with advice from NSW Health and the Association of Independent Schools of NSW. While we review our proposed events we encourage a continued connection to the significant and diverse experience of our PCGs, Class and Year Group Parents who support our community.

While on campus events are not possible, it was a genuine pleasure and privilege to be able to attend the Year 12 2021 Prize Giving Ceremony and Valedictory Dinner earlier this week at Luna Park. I have been inspired by the resilience and endeavour demonstrated by this impressive cohort of students in their final years at Redlands, closely supported of course by their families and teachers who shared in the evening’s celebration. We look forward to following the journey of our 2021 Valedictorians as our newest cohort of Redlanders.

It is always a pleasure to hear what our Alumni community have been up to and I was inspired to read of the impressive achievements of Class of 2016 Alumni and Sports Captain, Molly Parker. Molly recently received the Northern Beaches Australia Day Young Citizen of the Year award, having dedicated over 500 hours of her time to Surf Life Saving. Molly’s inspiring story, along with an update from the Foundation team, can be enjoyed here.

A reminder that all COVID-19 related communications to parents and other relevant information is posted on the COVID-19 Page of Redlands Pulse.

I remain grateful for the continued guidance and support our community provides and, as ever, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Community Engagement team should you have any feedback, suggestions or questions.

All the best for 2022.

Mr Grant Birse
Head of Community Engagement
9908 6406
gbirse@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Foundation

Welcome

A very warm welcome to all our Redlands families! I trust you all had a relaxing break and managed to reconnect with your families and friends in person. A special welcome to all our new families who have joined our vibrant and diverse community of students, staff, parents, Alumni and past parents. Last year we were very fortunate to host several community and fundraising events and we are planning to do the same this year once the situation allows.

School Developments Programs

I would like to thank all the families who kindly supported the School last year and made donations to Scholarship, Building and Library funds. All support is greatly appreciated as it helps us to develop and grow areas that are important to our students and staff.

In 2021, the School received $555,000 in donations to the Scholarship, Building and Library Funds. We are very proud of our supportive community and thank all who have made a contribution!

All donations and fundraising efforts helped us to achieve last year’s target in raising funds for the means-tested scholarship honouring the legacy of long-standing and respected educator Belinda Oxley. Belinda joined our staff in 1995 as a Yr 2 teacher and fulfilled many important roles at the School over 23 years, including Dean of Early Childhood, up until her passing in 2018. This scholarship has been advertised and is also included on our website HERE.

Our goal is to award one means-tested Redlands Foundation Scholarship annually for the entire six years of a Redlands Secondary School education. Due to the generosity of the Redlands community, we currently have one Yr 10 student benefitting from the opportunities a Redlands education offers and one student who has been awarded the Peter Lennox Scholarship has just commenced in Yr 7. The Belinda Oxley Scholarship will be awarded to a student commencing in Yr 7 2023.

This year, we are excited to be raising funds for another mean-tested scholarship named after Dr Sue Morey, AM, who graduated from Redlands in 1959 and made a significant impact and contribution to our society through her commitment to public health. We will share more information about her impressive life journey later this term.

Molly Parker – Young Citizen of the Year Award

We are incredibly proud of Molly Parker (Redlander 2016, Sports Captain), who received the Northern Beaches Australia Day Young Citizen of the Year award! Molly has dedicated over 500 hours of her time to Surf Life Saving in various roles. In the last 12 months she has been the Vice-Captain on patrol at North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club and become one of five female jet-ski operators on the Northern Beaches. She is also one of the only female UAV/drone operators on the Beaches and was the first female IRB/Rescue Boat Captain at North Steyne SLSC. Molly also volunteers on the after-hours call out team and working as State Duty Officer at the Surf Life Saving Support Operations Centre, where she is in charge of critical incidents and corresponds with the Westpac helicopter, liaises with NSW Police, Ambulance and Fire and Rescue. Well done Molly and what an inspiration to our students!

Jarryd Hughes – 2022 Winter Olympic Games

All the best to Redlander Jarryd Hughes, who has been selected to represent Australia at the Beijing2022 Winter Olympic Games! This is Jarryd’s third Olympic Games competing in the Men’s Snowboard Cross, after winning a silver medal at 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games. Congratulations Jarryd, we are exceptionally proud of you and will be cheering you on!

Mrs Dana Casimaty
Director of Development
dcasimaty@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9858

RPFA

Welcome Message from the President

Welcome to the new school year at Redlands! I hope you all had an enjoyable and restful summer break despite the circumstances. Hopefully we have an uninterrupted and successful year ahead. The RPFA Committee is upbeat and committed to playing its role in building a vibrant community at Redlands in 2022.

We hope to be able to reschedule the very popular Twilight Drinks for later in the term; this is a great event to meet other parents in your year as well as the School Executive and teachers. A number of scheduled events can be found in the sections below.

We have organised an optional zoom session for new Yr 7 parents for tomorrow Fri 4 Feb from 1pm. The purpose of this call is to introduce new parents to some key contacts in the RPFA, provide the opportunity to meet other new families and answer questions that you may have as you settle in.

Please also look out for more information on the upcoming Second Hand Uniform Sale in the next few weeks. In line with the School’s sustainability plans, we are also working on options for recycling of old uniforms.

We are currently in the process of putting together an amazing group of year and class representatives, who will hopefully be able to organise morning teas, drinks and other get togethers soon. If you are interested in being a rep, please send us an email signalling your interest here! Offers to get involved or suggestions on what you would like to see are always welcome.

Meanwhile, if you do have any concerns or need any help, please feel free to reach out to anyone on the Committee directly and we would be more than happy to assist, or you can reach me directly by email or on 0448 804 364.

Wishing you a great year ahead!

Walks on Tracks

Weekly guided walks around the northern Sydney area are organised by an RPFA volunteer. This is a great way to meet other Redlands parents and get in shape, plus a wonderful way to spend a morning discovering the many paths of the Sydney area.

The invitation for walks is open, so if you have friends or family who you think would like to come along, please feel free to bring them. Dogs are also welcome on most walks.

Our first walk for the school year will be on Wed 9 Feb from Balmoral to Chinamans Beach. Meet outside the Balmoral Boatshed at 8.40am.

Any questions, please contact Ann Marie Kimber or call 0406 691 533.

Book Club

Come along and enjoy the lively conversation of other Redlands parents from all around the world with a common love of reading. The Book Club meets twice each School term, rotating among members’ homes. There is also an annual visit to Sunday Writer’s festival (May) and sometimes to movies that are tied in with a book discussion.

Our first meeting for 2022 will be a morning meeting on Wed Feb 23 to discuss ‘Still Life’ by Sarah Winman.

If you would like to join, please contact Katherine Dixon or call 0432 619 890 for further information.

2022 RPFA Committee

President: JP Forrest
Vice President: Brittne Whitelaw
Secretary: Rebecca James
Treasurer: Annette Swann
Committee: Declan Hourihan, Jennifer Mast, Jo Lloyd, Karen Nicholson, Kate Kesby, Lisa Middlebrook, Maria Kinsela, Monique Scattini

Head of Secondary School

Students and staff have exhibited great joy and elation being back together again this week, marking the start of a new term, and a new academic year. Personally, I have enjoyed conversations with students and staff which have typically been about where we travelled, or didn’t, during the holidays and how COVID has, or hasn’t, affected our families. Shared experiences always bind us and it seems this year, we have more than ever, to share, and with which to form close connections.

We gathered for our first Zoom Assembly early on Monday morning as there was much to convey about how we will safely navigate these first few weeks of term. I am always thankful to lead such a positive-minded community – one where people step in for each other, look out for the other, and value compassion and respect. Indeed, my key message to students and staff at the commencement of this year was again about Redlands values and how they can guide us during periods of uncertainty and challenge.

Once more, I also took advantage of the opportunity to remind students of our High Expectations, High Support mantra, which covers all aspects of schooling at Redlands. Despite the dynamic start, it is going to be a great year. As a staff, we are confident the students will do amazing things. They will successfully navigate challenges, with our support. I reminded them to utilise the people/adults in their life whose job it is to support and stretch them and concluded by assuring them that in 2022, we’re not going to ask them to do anything they can’t do, but also affirmed for them that they are capable of more than they think, and that our role as educators is to help them exceed expectations.

I encourage you to read the following information about our COVID-Safe Start Procedures. I also want to personally thank you for your adherence to our processes. Your responsiveness is significant and appreciated. We value the strong partnership with you, especially during this dynamic time.

Reporting Absence

If your child is going to be absent from school, please email ssabsence@redlands.nsw.edu.au or the Redland App as soon as possible on the day of their absence and provide details to support us to correctly record their absence. This absence may be due to a pre-scheduled appointment, or due to non-COVID related illness.

Reporting Absence due to COVID-19 Positive RAT/PCR or Household Contact Status

If your child/ren cannot attend school because they, or a Household Contact, have tested positive to a RAT/PCR test, we require specific information from you. Can I strongly encourage you to please support the Secondary School Office Team by reporting your child/ren’s COVID-related absence via this LINK, which takes you to a Googleform, allowing you to provide essential information such as:

The date a positive RAT was recorded
The date the student was last on campus
Sibling status across the School
Other information which enables us to support your family

If you do use ssabsence@redlands.nsw.edu.au or the Redlands App to report a COVID-Positive or Household Contact status, we will ask you to provide further details, by clicking on the LINK to provide this additional information. Thank you for your understanding and support as we currently require an additional level of detail from you to support our processes and sustain the wellbeing and safety of our community.

Siblings and Household Contacts

Please note that if a sibling or any member of your Household (known as a Household Contact) tests positive to a RAT/PCR, then all other siblings must also remain at home and self-isolate for 7 days from the date the positive test was recorded.

Anomalies and Exceptions

If a child or children in the family have already had COVID, isolated for 7 days, and are no longer exhibiting symptoms, they can return to school.
If a child or children in the family have already had COVID, isolated for 7 days, and are no longer exhibiting symptoms, they should not do another RAT test for 28 days from the final day of isolation. These children do not need to complete a RAT on Monday and Wednesday before school for 28 days after their final day of isolation/no symptoms.

Requiring Further Guidance about COVID-19 Regulations?

Please reach out to us via phone – we are happy to answer any questions you have and provide guidance. You can contact us on 9908 6407.

Welcome to New Students and Staff

It was great to see smiling faces of new students this week and hear their stories of their first few days at Redlands. Friendships are being formed, relationships with teachers developed and slowly they are defining their way around the campus.

I have also had the pleasure of hearing from some of our new staff members, who have been incredibly busy this week, familiarising themselves with new programs but more importantly forging relationships with students.

‘I have really appreciated how welcoming the entire community is; I’ve had such positive interactions with students, staff and parents and in some ways, I don’t even feel new anymore!’ Lucy Benjamin, Dean of HSC

‘It has been so lovely meeting all the Redlands students this week, they have been inquisitive in lessons and friendly outside the classroom. Although I have hit the ground running, I have felt very welcomed into the Redlands community, supported by the leadership and all staff.’ Susan Tymoszuk, Subject Coordinator Christian Studies

‘I am really loving the community I have already found at Redlands. The English staffroom is full of bright and bubbly personalities, and much kindness and generosity. The students have immediately welcomed me, making me feel a part of the school, and I am inspired by their respectful and caring demeanours. (Shout-out to Yr 11 Roseby White!) But geez, life has also been very busy!!’ Jimmy Tod-Hill Assistant Subject Coordinator English

We have some new Deans in leadership roles in the Secondary School

Ms Anna Marie Rolon is our Dean of Studies (7-10) and responsible for the Teaching and Learning in Stages 4 and 5. You will know Anna Marie as our former English Subject Coordinator and Redlands parent. If you have any questions or feedback, Anna Marie would love to hear from you. She has stepped energetically into her new role and already created some exciting student learning resources and updated student learning processes. In the coming days, she looks forward to publishing a new iLearn Course called Connected Learning, which will provide dedicated support to students who are learning from home due to a COVID-19 positive RAT/PCR or Household Contact status. You can reach Anna Marie at arolon@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Ms Lucy Benjamin is our Dean of HSC and responsible for the teaching and learning in Yr 11 and 12 HSC courses. Lucy is the former Head of English at Queenwood and has strong experience in leading and teaching both HSC and IB Programs. Lucy has commenced her journey at Redlands with enthusiasm and is already making strong connections with students, staff and parents. She looks forward to supporting our HSC students in an individualised way, harnessing their strengths and interests, so they can achieve success and leverage the interconnected aspects of their HSC programs of study. Lucy is already scheduling meetings with students and parents, so please reach out to her if you have any HSC questions. You can reach Lucy at lbenjamin@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Mr Bruce Barry is our Dean of Academic Administration and responsible for the timetable, external testing, staff leave/absence and the School calendar. Bruce is an experienced timetabler, honing his timetabling expertise at Northholm Grammar and The Kings School, in recent years. It has been a hectic start for Bruce, as it is for all timetablers, at this point in the school year, when students are reconsidering their choices and making changes to their program of study. Bruce will work closely with the Dean of Studies, Dean of HSC and Dean of IB, Mr Darren Taylor, to bring flexible and efficient systems and processes to the Secondary School. Bruce teaches Computer Science and has been warmly welcomed by the Innovative Design Faculty.

Ms Alyssha Clarke is the Acting Subject Coordinator Drama and Theatre role for 2022 and Dr Meta Regis joins the Yr 7 pastoral team as the Assistant Year Advisor, working alongside Ms Sarah Matthews.

We are currently recruiting for a few roles in the Secondary School. Whilst this is not ideal at the start of a new year, it is a reality, and one made more complex by the COVID-19 situation at present. Thankfully, we have an exceptional pool of casual teachers who have stepped into some of these roles while we move through the recruitment process. On Monday in the Assembly I thanked students for their understanding and patience and underlined for students the importance of respect and communication as we anticipate increased teacher absence at this time. Engaging regularly with iLearn in order to locate learning objectives and resources will be necessary.

Information Evenings

Please join us for the following Information and Engagement Evenings, which will be held via Zoom. Please join us with your child/ren and log any questions that surface in the Q&A.

Year 7: Monday 7 February from 6pm (Webinar)

On Monday 7 February from 6pm we will be holding a webinar which will provide important information for parents and carers in supporting their children as they commence the secondary school journey. The link is provided in this edition of NoteDay and a digital flyer will be sent out tomorrow to all Yr 7 families which will also include a link to the webinar. Some useful and frequent questions that new families have will be covered in the webinar including:

How much home-learning should my child be doing?
How will my child be assessed?
What happens if my child can’t complete an assessment?

We will also take parents on a tour of the Yr 7 Core Page which will be an integral part of every Yr 7 student’s academic journey this year. Please join us for this important event!

Year 12: Wednesday 16th February at 5.30pm to 6.30pm (Webinar)

Key communication about curriculum and assessment, the year ahead and optimising success in their final year of senior study will be explored at this Webinar. We strongly encourage all Yr 12 students and parents to attend.

Year 11: Wednesday 2nd March 5.30pm to 6.30pm (Webinar)

Key communication about the Yr 11 HSC and IB courses, the year ahead, and information about being prepared for curriculum and assessments will be presented at this Webinar. We strongly encourage all Yr 11 students and parents to attend.

Year 7

The transition from primary school to secondary school is a significant time of change. To support a successful transition, Redlands hosted a 2-day transition program addressing the worries and challenges of Yr 7, and helping students to respond positively to the challenges they may face. Considering the holistic needs of the student, the program provided opportunities to develop the basic skills of Secondary School. Activities and lessons assisted students to develop social and emotional skills that will enhance their resilience and levels of engagement, and ensure a smooth transition into secondary school. Students have been navigating their change with calmness, and enjoying the opportunity to meet new students and teachers, thereby expanding their connections.

Year 8

I have the pleasure of addressing Yr 8 this week. As well as catching up on their holidays and plans for 2022, I will be reiterating the Redlands values and how Yr 8 can actively live and promote these as a year group. Specifically, we will explore the ingredients for a Strong Start to Yr 8, and specifically:

Our conduct inside and outside school, and at Sport
How to be kind, compassionate and respectful humans
Demonstrating moral courage – what this looks and feels like
Who to approach for additional support and guidance when the going gets tough

Year 9

This term Yr 9 students have been offered the opportunity to engage in an array of leadership opportunities. With a highly busy term ahead, and a strong focus on goal setting, the possibility of engaging in activities which can further develop and demonstrate leadership, communication skills, teamwork and responsibility, continues to be encouraged. Ms Vale was heartened by the number of students who signed up for the different opportunities, including, Clean Up Australia Day (Week 5), International Women’s Day (Week 6), Harmony Day (Week 8), National Day Against Bullying & Violence (Week 8), International Day (Week 10), Bougainvillea – ongoing service throughout the year, and lastly, ‘Healthy Wednesdays’. Leadership will continue to be a key focus or Yr 9, and all students will be encouraged to engage in at least one opportunity on offer.

Year 10

Yr 10 has an extremely exciting year ahead of them as they divide their academic time between core subjects and their electives. Students have chosen four electives to study this year which will provide them with an excellent opportunity to experience learning in areas where they have registered passion and interest. These selections will be instrumental in guiding their subject selections for Years 11 and 12. In Term 2, students will engage in open-dialogues and one-to-one conversations with key pastoral care and academic leaders around subject choices ahead of making their selections. We look forward to guiding and supporting Yr 10 as they commence this process tomorrow with a careers profiling session during Periods 1-4.

Year 11

I have been really impressed with how Yr 11 have commenced their Stage 6 studies. On Tuesday afternoons, many of the HSC students have time to remain at school and engage independently in their learning and revision. We will be providing them with dedicated supervision and support to keep them focused and motivated at these times. We are also encouraging Yr 11 to use any Study Periods or additional time in school to schedule and meet with our Redlands Careers Advisors Ms Clare Hurst and Ms Justine Fowler. Our iGrow data clearly shows that students who perform well in the HSC and IB programs are those who engage actively with Careers throughout their Stage 6 journey.

Our Yr 11 gents have also demonstrated some exceptionally courteous behaviour and conduct on the basketball courts at recess and lunch this week, and I want to commend them on their mature and respectful start to the year. The younger students regularly observe them; their interactions with each other and their supervising teachers, and this positive modelling underscores an authentic alignment with our Redlands values.

Year 12

On Wednesday, Yr 12 engaged in an experiential workshops hosted by Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman. Aimed at redefining stereotypes and more positive versions of masculinity and womanhood, the workshop created a safe space for our young adults to talk with gravity and emotional intensity. Students left the room with strengthened resilience, self-confidence and connectedness to their peer group.

We are actively working to secure new dates for Yr 12 Camp and are mindful of assessment pressures and other commitments as we do this. We will notify Yr 12 students and parents once a new Camp experience is confirmed.

SRC

Next Friday, 11 February, students elected to the SRC will meet for the first time in 2022. Students will discuss leadership responsibilities and help to develop their vision for Redlands, and the role of student voice in Redlands. Students will then be tasked with returning to their respective houses and consulting with them on their needs and wants. The feedback from these consultations will then form the agenda and discussions at the subsequent meeting.

Sport

We are so excited to get Sport up and running and our Sport Team, ably led by Ms Alison Cox, has been working closely with her team to ready Term 1 Sport. Sadly, the weather appears to be working against us as rain is predicted for the next 8 days. Ms Cox and the Sport Team are doing all they can to facilitate Sport where possible, and I know their efforts are gratefully received by all.

In the event that training is cancelled due to wet weather, a notification will be posted on the Redlands Sport Twitter page (@RedlandsSport). In addition, an email will be sent to both students and parents. This will provide information regarding morning and afternoon training along with weekend fixtures.

Thursday Afternoon Sport – Wet Weather Arrangements for Year 7

In the event that Yr 7 sport is cancelled on Thursday afternoon, they will remain at school until 3.10pm and participate in cohort based activities.

Thursday Afternoon Sport – Wet Weather Arrangements for Year 8-12

In order to limit mixing indoors, students in Yr 8-12 who are dismissed at the end of Period 5, because they are not able to attend training, are required to go directly home. Sport coaches and Redlands staff will supervise their COVID-safe departure.

If you have any further questions regarding Sport this term, please contact the sports department sports@redlands.nsw.edu.au .

Respect and Responsibility at Sport

In Monday’s Assembly I spoke with students about respect and responsibility at Sport. Travelling on the bus, via public transport or walking to venues requires respect for each other, Redlands staff and members of the public. Competing in games requires the same level of respect and extends to the competition. Foul language, sexist or offensive gendered language will not be tolerated. At a diverse coeducational school, we have a privileged opportunity and responsibility to set a leading example to others. The Redlands staff are confident our students will uphold their values and make us proud.

Swimming Carnival

This exciting event in the School Calendar has been moved to Tuesday 14 June and will be held at SOPAC.

Student Super Stars

We had some amazing results at the NSW All Schools which occurred from 9–12 December at SOPAC.

Isaac Brooks (Yr 10)
4^th in the 15 years 800m final: 2:04 (PB) – Qualifications for the Australian Junior Athletics Championships 5^th in the 15 years 1500m final 4:18 (PB) (2s outside national qualifications.)

Elizabeth Whelan (Yr 8)
3^rd in the 12 years Hammer Throw – Qualifications to the Australian Junior Athletics Championships (19.04m) (PB)
14^th place 12 years girls shotput 6.21m (PB)
14^th place 12 years Discus throw (10.89m) (PB)
17^th place 12 years Javelin (10.49) (PB)

Charles Hargrave (Yr 9)
34th place 13 years 200m (PB – 28.43)
44^th place 13 years 100m (14.33)

Jaiden Confessore (Yr 10)
36^th place 15 years 200m (25.89)
46^th place 100m (12.82)

Sebastien Griffith (Yr 11)
8th place 16 years Long Jump (5.95m)
27th place 200m (24.45)

Lachlan Binnekamp (Yr 11)
12^th place 16 years Long Jump (5.30m)
33rd place 16 years 200m (25.07)

Winter School

Next week we will announce the details for Winter School 2022. To begin with, we will have an Information Session for interested students and families, on Tuesday 22 February via Zoom at 6.00pm. Check next week’s Note Day for updated program and application information.

Learning Plus

Our Learning Plus Team, led by Ms Lisa Ole, is in the process of updating all the Learning Support Profiles of students, and have this week been focused on updating the profiles of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This week our teachers were able to engage with some global strategies to support students with ADHD, before embarking on identifying the personal strategies which work best for individual students in their classes.

There are 3 types of ADHD

ADHD Hyperactive Type
ADHD Inattentive Type
ADHD Combination Type

Interesting Insights

Not all students with ADHD will present the same way in each subject.
Some students will be better in some classroom environments and not in others.
Some students may attend better in the morning rather than the afternoon.

Top 10 Adjustments for Students with ADHD

Preferential Seating: Always have a seating plan – place the student closer to you. Where exactly will depend on your classroom.
Visual scaffolds: Prompts on the board, key vocabulary – helps if working memory is impacted.
Movement breaks: A couple of minutes in the middle is a great strategy. The students don’t have to leave the room for a movement break.
Externalise time: When students working quietly have a timer – this works best when it is visible on the wall and lets them know how much time is left and makes a noise. Pointing at the clock isn’t effective.
Break down longer tasks and assignments and frequently check on progress.
Watch the ADHD Inattentive Type – ensure that you have their attention when explaining things. Pause videos, ask questions make comments.
Explicitly prompt students to begin tasks.
Explicitly prompt students to resume tasks.
Allocate students to groups for collaborative tasks: Students with ADHD often have complex relationships with their peers and will work really well with some and not others.
Extra resources: ADHD students often forget things – Disorganisation is part of the disorder, it is not laziness or thoughtlessness.

Parents – Got Time for a Podcast?

Interested in anxiety? ADHD? This podcast, Owning It The Anxiety Podcast, is really useful and the episode Your Anxiety perfectly explained by a neuroscientist is exceptional. It is technical but completely accessible to adults (and contains adult language). If you have an hour for yourself, I recommend a listen. There are some excellent recommendations for supporting young people with anxiety and ADHD.

Students Require a Lock for their Locker

Does your child/ren have a lock for their School Locker? Students have until the end of Week 2 to obtain a lock and then will be required to use it to safely secure their personal possessions. We appreciate your support, as we encourage them to store their mobile phones at recess and lunch and engage in conversation and socialisation, minus technology.

School Diary

All students received their 2022 School Diary on Monday. If you have an opportunity, we encourage you to look through it with your child/ren. It provides a great deal of information and should be a supportive resource. A significant focus over the coming weeks will be to support students to use their diary effectively, to organise themselves and their learning. Students should be taking their diary to every lesson and home with them of an evening.

Ms Gemma Van de Peer
Head of Secondary School
gvandepeer@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9811

Uniform Shop

The Uniform Shop is open on Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8am – 4pm and Thursdays 8am – 6pm.

We would encourage parents to order online through Flexischools, where possible. Orders placed before 5pm will be available after 1pm the following day, Please note that orders placed on Monday will be available on Wednesdays as the shop is closed on Tuesdays.

Orders are now available to be delivered to Prep/Junior School classrooms. Any orders that have not been collected by Friday morning will be sent down to students in their classroom.

If you need an urgent item or need assistance with sizing, we are happy for you to come to the shop and purchase at the door.

A final reminder that students will need to be wearing the new sports polo from Week 4. These are available to purchase at the shop.

If you would like to speak to any of our team, please call us on 9968 9850.

Year 12

Welcome back to Yr 12 Term 1 for the Class of 2022! I hope you all had a relaxing break over the summer holidays. It has been great to see the students back at school this week and we are excited for their final year of schooling. This Wednesday Yr 12 took part in workshops facilitated by Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman. During a two-hour experiential workshop, students sought to disrupt stereotypes and redefine more positive versions of masculinity and womanhood to live by. Each workshop created a safe and non-judgemental environment to build emotional muscle, practicing the capacity to talk with gravity, talking about things of weight and depth and emotional intensity. Students left the rooms with strengthened resilience, self-confidence and connectedness to their peer group.

Yr 12 Camp

As advised in the Principal’s letter to parents last week, the Yr 12 Camp has been postponed until later this term,. Further details will be provided to parents closer to the rescheduled date.

COVID-19 Safe Practices

Mask Wearing

While on campus, appropriate face masks are required to be worn by all students and staff in both indoor and outdoor settings.
Students should wear their own masks to school.
Masks are also required on both Transport NSW buses and Redlands buses.

Hygiene

Students must use the hand sanitising stations when arriving on campus and when entering classrooms.

Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT)

All Secondary School students are required to administer Rapid Antigen Tests twice a week in the morning before coming to school.
Please conduct these tests on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Students who return a negative Rapid Antigen Test will not need to communicate this result to the school.
Students who return a positive Rapid Antigen Test will need to follow the steps as outlined under COVID-19 Positive Cases below.

COVID-19 Positive Cases

Any student returning a positive Rapid Antigen or PCR Test will be required to follow NSW Health requirements which are currently:

Isolate at home for 7 days following the positive test
Leave isolation and return to school after 7 days if they have no symptoms (such as sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath)
If they continue to have symptoms after 7 days, then remain in isolation until 24 hours after symptoms have resolved.
If a student has a sibling who becomes infected with COVID-19 they will need to isolate with them.
Positive Rapid Antigen Tests must be reported to both NSW Heath and the following Secondary School absentee email address: ssabsence@redlands.nsw.edu.au
NSW Health: via the Service NSW App or website (https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/)

Flexischools – Canteen Ordering System

If students would like to purchase a hot or pre-prepared meal for recess or lunch, they will have to use the online purchasing system, Flexischools. While there will still be some snacks available for students to purchase in person at Recess and Lunch, the majority of meals will only be available for students to pre-order via Flexischools.

Online Learning Resources

Learning resources will be provided to all students who are isolating at home via iLearn. Yr 12 students should be independent with following up on their own work and email their HSC/IB Teachers if they need to clarify any of the class work provided. There will not be zoom lessons for any student isolating at home.

Cocurricular Activities

With the above measures in place, it is our aim that as many cocurricular activities as possible will resume from the start of the year. We are undertaking individual risk assessments for each activity to determine whether or not they can run and if so, the risk mitigation strategies required, to run them as safely as possible.

Ms Rebecca Mountain
Yr12 Advisor
rmountain@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462