From the Principal
As the term draws to a close and I write my final Note Day article for the term, I do so with deep gratitude for the way in which our school community has responded to the challenges this year.
The staff have remained resolute and determined to provide high quality educational opportunities for our students, always seeking to improve, take on feedback, collaborate and be creative. It has been a dynamic and evolving process and one that has required flexibility of thinking and honest evaluation and reflection.
Our students have found a new appreciation for the connectedness they share through their schooling experiences. The importance of their relationships and support for each other has been amplified. They have had to remain positive and adapt to new ways of learning and collaborating. Our Year 12 cohort have had to quickly move on from their disappointment of not being together on campus in their final year, to look for ways to connect, to bring the School together, to share their sense of fun and humour.
To all parents and carers, I thank you for your open communication, for your words of encouragement and support, which have meant so much, and for taking the time to send in your feedback, which will continue to help refine our remote learning program. At our recent RPFA online meeting, I was so impressed by the focus of the group on how the school community can reach out and support those in need. Adversity often brings out the best in people and has a way of focusing our attention on what is really important.
Thank you sincerely for your exceptional efforts in supporting your children through this new period of remote learning. It brings new meaning to the sense of our School and parents working in partnership for the benefit your children.
As we head into the term break, I wanted to reiterate the message conveyed by the Chair of the Board, Glenda McLoughlin, regarding support for our families during this time. Please get in touch with our CFO Brad Weatherstone bweatherstone@redlands.nsw.edu.au if you are experiencing financial hardship, and a period of bursary assistance or a deferred fee payment plan would enable you to continue the enrolment of your children at the School at this time. We will be sending out the Term 2 Fee Statements next week with a payment date by Tuesday 12 May (which is two weeks later than the Term 2 Fees payment date advised last year), so please advise our CFO if you need any assistance.
Redlands House Assessment and Rating
We were delighted to be advised this week that our Redlands House Preschool was once again rated as ‘Exceeding the National Quality Standard’ in all seven areas of assessment by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). This is the highest possible rating that can be achieved and we acknowledge the work of our exceptional Redlands House team, most ably led by Mrs Huon and Mrs Fellowes before her move to Queensland.
In closing, I shared an excerpt from a prayer by Brother Richard Hendrick in this week’s online Secondary School assembly for the students and in some of our parent webinars. It resonated with me in terms of the wisdom in the words and the hope and optimism conveyed. I share it with you now as a message that transcends faith traditions and one you may appreciate at this time.
It reads, in part:
So we pray and we remember that:
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
As we head into the holiday break and Easter this weekend, may God bless you and your families at this time, and I look forward to us reconnecting through our remote learning program after the break and ultimately and more significantly, when we are all back on campus in person.
Mr Stephen Webber
Photo caption: We are joining our Preparatory School and Redlands House students in wishing the Redlands community a happy and joyful Easter.
