Head of Junior School
Junior School Staffing News
Looking forward to Term 2, I share some staffing news for the Junior School community, parts of which have already been shared with parents of classes concerned.
We are delighted to have appointed Mrs Stacey Clarkson as Mrs Mieke Johnson’s maternity leave replacement. A Bachelor of Education graduate from Massey University in New Zealand, Mrs Clarkson taught in primary schools in New Zealand for a number of years before moving to the UK, where she taught from 2010 to 2017 at Donhead Preparatory School, a K-6 Independent School in London. At Donhead, Mrs Clarkson taught in both Yrs 5 and 6 and also held the leadership position of Assistant Head Teacher for her last five years there. She has recently relocated to Sydney with her husband and young daughter and is very excited to continue her teaching career at Redlands.
With Mrs Catriona Ling taking Long Service Leave in Term 2, we welcome Mrs Fiona Rugg to take on her Numeracy Enrichment teaching role. Fiona is an experienced teacher with particular expertise in Gifted Education and also has a passion for STEAM education. Mrs Rugg spent time teaching alongside Mrs Ling this morning and will do so again next week as part of her handover process and getting to know the students in her classes.
Mr Bill Baugh is also taking Long Service Leave in Term 2 and we welcome back the familiar face of former Junior School teacher, Emily Darcy, to take up this part time role for Term 2. Emily is already working one day a week in the Prep School as their Numeracy Enrichment teacher and spent time with Mr Baugh and his students as part of their handover.
Our e-Learning Coordinator, Ms Jeanine Kobylinski tendered her resignation as she takes up a permanent position at another school. We are currently reviewing how we can support the needs of this role in this interim period ahead of Mrs Winrow’s planned return from maternity leave later this year to this role.
I also draw your attention to share that Ms Helen Louridas, our Ballet and Dance Administrator, leaves Redlands at the end of this term. Mrs. Louridas will be a familiar face to many on this Campus and we wish her well in her future endeavours.
The Significance of Sleep in Learning
There are many contributing factors in enabling our students to be at their receptive best as learners, a number of which we have a direct ability to affect. One that falls slightly out of our remit (apart from perhaps being on camp!) is the relationship of sleep to productive learning. This has been widely researched and there is recognition that the quantity and quality of sleep can have a profound impact on learning and memory. As you would imagine, a student who comes to school tired generally cannot focus as attentively in class or be in a position to actively engage in learning or receive information. Consequently, learning can become an inefficient process for them. This is certainly something we see from time to time in our classes and hence, I hope that you find some of the information below valuable, just as I did for my own children and myself.
I read an article which highlighted the role of sleep on our overall health and wellbeing and also analysed a study from the National Sleep Foundation in the United States, which has slightly revised the amount of sleep everyone needs.
The research now has a minimum and maximum range, and a recommended section for optimal health which can be used as a good rule of thumb. One of the new things introduced is the “may be appropriate” range, which acknowledges that individuals do vary in their sleep needs. Another big change they made was to recommend more hours of sleep for babies, children and teenagers, with recommendations as below:
| Category |
Age Range |
New Recommended Hours/Day |
Previous Recommended Hours/Day |
| Newborns |
0-3 months |
Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours |
previously it was 12-18 |
| Infants |
4-11 months |
Sleep range widened to 12-15 hours |
previously it was 14-15 |
| Toddlers |
1-2 yrs |
Sleep range widened to 11-14 hours |
previously it was 12-14 |
| Preschoolers |
3-5 yrs |
Sleep range widened to 10-13 hours |
previously it was 11-13 |
| School age children |
6-13 yrs |
Sleep range widened to 9-11 hours |
previously it was 10-11 |
| Teenagers |
14-17 yrs |
Sleep range widened to 8-10 hours |
previously it was 8.5-9.5 |
| Young adults |
18-25 yrs |
Sleep range is 7-9 hours |
new age category |
| Adults |
26-64 yrs |
Sleep range did not change; remains 7-9 hours |
remains 7-9 hours |
| Older adults |
65+ yrs |
Sleep range is 7-8 hours |
new age category |
While their sleep table above is a good overview, the research also talks about the importance of lifestyle factors which may be impacting your sleep. Some of the factors they suggest would support a good night’s sleep include:
- Having some sort of routine before you go to bed every night so your body understands that the series of activities leads to sleep
- Avoiding screen time which acts as a stimulant before bed
- Not to have mobile phones and/or computers in your bedroom
- Avoiding food for two hours before bed time
- Making sure your bedroom is dark enough, comfortable and the right temperature
I hope this summary provides some thought for you and your family and if it helps you get your child to bed at an appropriate time and away from a screen, please do use my name and reference this article!
Redlands International Day – Wednesday 11 April
As per the Junior School calendar, our Junior Campus will celebrate International Day on Wednesday 11 April in the final week of term. This will be a time for the community to join together to celebrate both our rich, cultural diversity and international awareness. The event aligns with similar events in Early Childhood but will run a day after the Secondary School event of a similar theme.
Year Groups will also be incorporating international perspectives in curriculum lessons and teachers will also be contacting parents who may be able to share their knowledge and experiences through a range of activities.
As always, I am sure that the school will be awash with vibrant colour as we celebrate the day with students encouraged to wear national costume or colours from any chosen country on this day.
Mother’s Day Classic 2018
There are 38 day to go until the Mother’s Day Classic on Sunday 13 May. Team Redlands currently stands at 30 registrations so we have a long way to go to match last year’s team of 111 runners and walkers. This is a wonderful family oriented event with categories for serious runners through to fun runners of all ages. Proceeds raised from this event are donated to Breast Cancer Research. Redlands pink caps and a new pink Team Redlands tshirt will be available from the Uniform Shop by the end of April.
Register your interest in joining the Redlands Team. You will need to complete the registration process nearly all they way to payment before you can select to join the Redlands team.
Tuesday Clubs
Please be reminded that there are no Tuesday clubs in the first and final weeks of any term, the cocurricular clubs run by class teachers. Hence, the clubs will resume in Week 2 of Term 2, that date being Tuesday 8 May.
Parent Volunteers Needed
We need new members to add to our friendly team of volunteers who assist Redlands students in Yrs 7-12 with exams and assessments throughout the year. We welcome Prep, Junior and Secondary School parents, grandparents, friends and Redlanders. Our volunteers respect confidentiality, are reliable and punctual, patient and relaxed. Legible handwriting is a bonus. If this describes you too, come and join our team! You can choose the exams and assessments for the subjects and years in which you are interested to suit your schedule. No subject specific knowledge is required, you are simply there to read and/or write what the student dictates, and to regulate the time. Bad spelling? No problem – spelling is ignored when there’s a writer. Illegible handwriting? You could be a reader (no writing required) or supervise time for a student or a small group. With your help a student can achieve his or her potential, you will see the kind of exams set across a range of subjects at the various stages of Secondary School, and you will gain another perspective of Redlands. Our students are very appreciative of the support they are given. Our next information session will be held during the last week of term. If you would be interested in finding out more about helping with exams, please contact Saralie Pincini or on 9968 9854.
Thinking Skills for Life
T
T
he Principal, Dr Peter Lennox, invites you to a Redlands community event –
The Inaugural Redlands Life-Ready Symposium with Mark Church of Harvard University, Graduate School of Education.
When: Tuesday 1 May
Time: 6.00-7.30pm
Where: Redlands Hall, Senior Campus
Please join us as Mark Church (Harvard University) shares a short presentation on the thinking skills your children will need to be successful in their future lives. This will be followed by a panel discussion facilitated by Head of Teaching and Learning, Dr Emma Burgess with Mark Church, and Deputy Principal, Ms Sarah McGarry, Head of Secondary School, Mr Sean Corcoran, Head of Junior School, Mr Ari Guha and Head of Early Childhood, Mrs Audrey Fellowes.
Light refreshments from 5.45pm. Book here. Any enquiries, please call 9968 9844 or reception@redlands.nsw.edu.au
Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022
Sight word recognition fosters self-confidence and fluency in reading. This confidence will help your child to persevere through the challenges of reading, as well as fuel their desire to continue reading. This year, Prep students have commenced the Magic Sight Words Program as part of their Home Learning. Information about the program was sent home with students at the beginning of the year and can be found in the front pages of their Sight Word book. Magic Words are the 300 most common words in English and are the most important words when learning to read. The primary focus of the Magic Sight Word Program is to support recognition and practice of high frequency words in a variety of contexts. It is a differentiated program, catering to individual needs and one where students progress at their own pace. It is possible for many children in one class to be on several, different levels. Additionally, sight words are explicitly taught as part of literacy and once a week, each student will read list words with their teacher. When the teacher is comfortable with their proficiency, students will be given the next list of words to acquire. There is no rush for your child to complete the Magic Sight Word Program. Proceeding from one list to another is not a competition, nor is it expected to be a demanding experience. All students will progress from one list to another at different rates and it is important to recognise this. In fact, it is more beneficial to take the time to review words, not only reading, but also writing and playing games with them too. More of these activities can be found in the children’s Sight Word books. The goal is for recognition of sight words in different contexts, such as in home-reading books, in environmental print or in library books. It has been delightful to see the children embrace this Program as they enthusiastically read their new-found knowledge of words with their teacher. Staff have been overjoyed with the children’s eagerness to read their lists and some even asking their teacher daily if they can practice together! As parents, your participation in the Program is significant and I would like to thank you for helping to make this an enjoyable and collaborative learning journey for the children.
