This is Redlands

It was a pleasure to welcome parents and carers to our Junior School Open Morning earlier this week. Our Yr 2 and Yr 6 tour hosts did a magnificent job in guiding our guests through the Junior School, whilst openly sharing their experiences as a Redlands student, and our talented musicians charmed all with their wonderful performances.  A common thread in my discussions with visiting parents and carers was how impressive it was that our students were valued and known as individual learners and how they are challenged to develop and grow their unique passions and talents. 

The sold out Redlands Arts Luncheon is just around the corner and we are delighted to be able to share the Redlands Online Auction items with our wider school community in order to bid.  The auction has some spectacular items up for sale that include accommodation packages, food and beverage vouchers, wellbeing experiences, beautiful artwork and much more. The auction is open to all and will close on Wednesday 26 May at 2.30pm. A reminder that proceeds raised from this unique event will be directed to the Belinda Oxley Scholarship in acknowledgement of her dedication to Redlands and passion for education.

My thanks to those who donated uniforms, and to the Redlands Uniform Shop and the ever active and passionate Redlands Parent and Friends Association (RPFA) for their collective effort in fulfilling the recent Second Hand Uniform Sale. This initiative enables us to recycle pre-loved uniforms back into the community whilst raising valuable funds for our means-tested Scholarship Fund.

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.

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

Head of Secondary School

Challenge and Success

This week I have been thinking a lot about struggle and its impact on the individual. What prompted this was some recent study I engaged in with some of my Redlands’ colleagues, in a Harvard Project Zero Cultures of Thinking course.  We spent time discussing one of the key principles, that ‘Learning occurs at the point of challenge’. This principle really resonated with me, especially in terms of our focus on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills, and the personal skills and characteristics students need if they are to navigate struggle inside and outside the learning space.

Another way to think about this is ‘if we are not struggling, we are not learning’.  Whilst I have long known that challenge is necessary to support students to learn deeply, the possible impacts on wellbeing and a person’s sense of self, is most certainly worth our ongoing attention, and review.

So, what do we know about struggle and challenge? Interestingly, it may come as a surprise to learn that students report that they actually like and value a degree of cognitive complexity as well as the feeling of being pushed and challenged—as long as it is accompanied with support. But then what if the student is also managing personal challenges? Family challenges? Friendship challenges? Physical challenges? Psychological challenges? What if every lesson they attend on a given day presents significant challenges? How then, does a teenager navigate this space? There are no simple answers and a co-ordinated and collaborative approach is required to support the individual student. And at some point in their schooling, nearly every child requires this support. Often, I meet them, and get to know them, at this critical time. For me, this is a privilege.

When our Yr 12 cohort focused on mental health and wellbeing in this week’s Student-Led Assembly with Yr 10-12, it was affirming to witness the development of their wellbeing literacy, and their positive approach to navigating challenge and struggle. They presented a short film on ‘grey days’ and ‘blue skies’ via a Headspace video. It was brief, to the point and positive. It offered students a simple language to navigate a complex issue and it normalised the typical feelings that people experience as they traverse the vicissitudes of life. Then they moved to humour. Using a Game Show format, replete with chocolate and carrots (for the dairy-free/vegan/non-chocolate eaters) they poked fun at themselves. This gentle mocking of themselves in states of stress, tiredness and mild hysteria was an accessible way to highlight to students in Yr 10 and 11 that feeling down, or feeling out of sorts, is normal. They showed that these periods are usually only temporary and that with the support of each other, and other resources like Headspace, grey skies disappear and blue skies re-emerge. The assembly wasn’t long and it wasn’t overly complex or full of lengthy speeches. The Yr 12 leaders successfully modelled perspective-taking, the value of humour and offered approaches for managing stress and struggle. They didn’t diminish challenge and they didn’t complain about it. Instead they showed that everyone experiences it and some of the best ways to cope.

And continuing on the theme of outstanding achievements, our Yr 9 da Vinci Decathlon team recently placed 1st overall in the Yr 9 Division, competing against 71 other teams in NSW. The Redlands team placed in 9 out of the 10 disciplines – 1st in English, 3rd in Ideation, 5th in Art and Poetry, 6th in Mathematics, Cartography, Legacy, 10th in Science, Creative Producers and 13th in Engineering. They have now been selected to participate in the National da Vinci Decathlon in June and we wish them all the very best in this next level of competition.

Next week is a busy one in our Calendar. On Monday, we have the Paul Dillon Parent Information Session which will be exploring vaping. On Wednesday, we welcome our Yr 10 parents and students to the Information Evening on Subject Selection and on Thursday we hold our first Parent Tech Information Session. Finally, Friday offers the excitement and joy of the Musical Festival, being held at The Concourse, Chatswood. I look forward to seeing parents and students on the various evenings and celebrating in the talents and opportunities provided by these School events.

Head of Secondary School Interview

Hear our School Captains Piper Allen and Theo Mirrlees-Black interviewing me here.

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

Head of Preparatory School

PREP SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS

‘Give Me Some Space’

This week some of our Prep students participated in the National Simultaneous Story Time. They listened to the story ‘Give me some Space’ written and illustrated by Philip Bunting. The most exciting thing was that it was read to students around the country at the same time by NASA astronaut Dr Shannon Walker from the International Space Station! What a thrill to be part of this and all Yr 2 students and One Blue class enjoyed the book and stretched their thinking when they considered the enormity of space! Please enjoy some of the One Blue responses below to the experience and also photos from our Yr 2 cohort. I had the privilege of reading the book to Yr 2 and unpacking some of the content with them.

The message is to keep Earth safe because there’s no life on other planets and if the world was ruined, we couldn’t go anywhere else – Charlie Elworthy.

She called her fish Neil after Neil Armstrong who was one of the first men on the moon – Sienna Lepone.

I thought it was amazing. We saw she was in space because she and the book floated and there is no gravity in space – Max Papageorgiou.

The book was expressive and interesting because it helped us learn about space – Ava Healy-Smith.

The main message is that anyone can go into Space – Zoe Stevens.

Save the Date: Prep Parent Cyber Safety Webinar, Tuesday 1 June 6.30pm

Redlands invites parents to register for the Prep Parent Cyber Safety Webinar.  We are excited to offer this webinar tailored for parents of students in both Redlands House and Prep Yrs K-2. The session will be led by Yasmin London, from ySafe, a specialist in the field of cyber safety and social media education. Yasmin draws on research and her own experience in cyber law enforcement to explore what parents should know to support their children’s digital safety and wellbeing. The session offers practical advice, resources and tips for parents as they navigate their child’s first experiences in the digital environment. Please register here for this event closes on Monday 31 May at 8pm.  Registered attendees will receive the Zoom webinar link and access on Tuesday 1 June. 

OOSH News: June-July Vacation Care 2021

If you would like your child to attend the June-July Vacation Care program, please visit the OOSH page on Pulse from Monday 24^th May in order to preview all information pertaining to the holiday activity schedule and daily requirements. The Flexischools website www.flexischools.com.au will be open on Friday 28 May at 12:00pm to make any bookings. Please use the Prep and Junior Vacation Care icon for children in K-6. Feel free to contact the OOSH coordinator, Courtney Evans, with any Vacation Care or After School Care queries.

Courtney will be handing out new medical information forms to OOSH registered families from next week. These forms are a requirement from ACECQA and need to be updated annually. We thank all families for taking the time to complete these within in a two week period. Please note that even though OOSH exists within Redlands, it operates under a different body for regulations and procedures, this governing body is known as ACECQA (Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority).  

Prep Camp Information

This year we a planning a Yr 1 Day Outdoor Education Day to replace the old Yr 1 Camp.  It will take place in Term 3 with further details to be advised. The skills and purpose will be exactly the same in that the focus will be upon team building, resilience and having fun outdoors, where students can challenge themselves.

The Yr 2 overnight camp is changing to a two day outdoor adventure learning experience off campus. The students will go home at the end of the day and come back to school the following day for their next adventure! Please be assured that the same outdoor education experience will remain for Yr 2 students. This Yr 2 camp is scheduled for 16 and 17 September, with further details to be advised. Please note there is no change to the Yrs 3-6 camp structure.

A Request from Yr 2 students Katerina Abe-Apostolou and Gabby Walker: Please send your Bread Tags to School

Here is their report:

Gabby and Katerina are going to collect plastic tags from bread packets. There is an organisation that helps people by making plastic wheelchairs from these plastic tags. Could people bring the plastic tags from home and in the office there will be a milk carton to put these in. Each Friday, Gabby and Katerina will come to take the milk carton so that we can take it to the organisation. Then, we will donate the tags to the charity who will make the wheelchairs in Africa. Everyone please collect and bring lots of tags. Thank you for brining lots of bread tags it means to much to us. Thanks so much from Katerina and Gabby. Thanks.

Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge
Head of Preparatory School
abreckenridge@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848

Secondary Sport

Secondary Sport Redlands Pulse

AFL

Intermediate Girls

The Inter Girls played a fierce Manly Bombers side. It was great to see the girls improve their physicality around the contest and see some strong tackles made. The girls also showed major strengths in structure, pressing up the ground and putting pressure on the opposition. Kicking and hand passing also improved, which has been an ongoing focus point for the girls.

Junior Girls

The junior girls came up against Queenwood on Sunday and competed extremely well despite the scoreline. The girls have vastly improved their skills and knowledge for the sport since the start of the term and are becoming more competitive against these experienced teams. Lucile Thompson was a standout on the day, finishing with a goal to add to her dominant midfield performance. Lexi Rowe also found a lot of the ball and used her speed to make several impressive runs down the wing. As the girls continue to expand their skills at weekly training sessions, then these great performances will continue to happen.

Intermediate Boys

Redlands skipped out to an early lead and led from the front all day, withstanding a late fight back from a determined Barker which went down to the final siren.  So many great individual highlights from what was a very physical match but the one that stands out in my mind was Charlie Parker calmly kicking a goal from a set shot about 40 metres out after the siren in the second quarter. The boys ultimately won 55-51.

Junior A Boys

A dominant performance over Saint Ignatius. From the first bounce the boys were up and about against a competitive opposition, yet they were able to sail away comfortably and show positive signs for a strong season to come. A strong individual performance from Charlie Stephens had him bagging 8 goals in 2 quarters, displaying his high footy IQ and encouraging all the boys to put a solid 4 quarters of footy together

Junior B Boys

The boys came out and competed hard against a strong Shore side. While kicking 4 goals and 16 behinds the boys were able to pull away from the competition in the closing seconds of the game, a close but thrilling match, resulting in a big win.

Football

Round 3 was another great round for the Redlands Girls Football program, winning two games in the 1^st and Junior A Girls, finishing the game with a draw in Inter A division and one loss for the Junior B team who came up against a very strong St Spyridon team. Many of the boys teams came up against St Andrew’s Cathedral School where we saw a mixture of results with the 13A and 14A sides winning very convincingly. The 1^st Boys finished the day with a 1-1 draw and St Andrew’s managed to take the lead in the 2^nd, 16A and 15A divisions. The 13Bs came up against a very strong St Patrick’s team in what was a great test for the boys.

Best of luck to all teams in Round 4 of the ISA competition this Saturday 22^nd May.  

A reminder that at Macquarie University there are to be no animals (no dogs) at any point. 

Hockey

During Round 3 of the ISA Hockey season, the 1^st Girls team travelled to the Central Coast. In a tough fixture the teams were very evenly matched, however the Central Coast team finished on top with a 1-0 win. The 2^nd Girls travelled to Bowral to play against Chevalier College where they were met with some very unforgiving weather. A tough match up saw the Redlands team leaving with a 3-0 loss but it was a great contest and challenge for the girls. The Junior Girls also travelled to CCGS and had their toughest match of the season to date. They came up against a very well matched CCGS team but found a way to get ahead to finish with a 2-0 win, continuing their undefeated streak.

Best of luck to all teams in Round 4 this Saturday 22 May.

Netball 

There were some tough matches over the weekend with a number of teams playing away at both St Andrew’s and Central Coast Grammar, as well as some teams travelling to Oakhill College. Our 1st VII took on the might of Oakhill College 1, who in recent years have been dominant across the Division 1 Netball competition. This match, from all reports, was an outstanding game of Netball and despite going down by 5 points, the girls held their own and will look to peg one back when they meet again in a few weeks. Our Senior 3 team had a very close match against Barker College, and with a spider dropping from the roof of NBISC into centre of the court to spice the game up a little, this match went back and forth with the girls unfortunately going down 32-33. Our Juniors bounced back from their tough defeat last week to Barker with a cracking game against CCGS on Saturday to stay in the top half on the draw. 

There have been some changes to the ISA Netball Draw, please ensure you check the Redlands Rhino each week to confirm your fixtures. 

The draft draw on Redlands Pulse – Netball which has the updated draw, however game times may vary each week 

Rugby

Redlands Rugby had some brilliant results over the weekend, travelling to Oxley College to play in cold and windy conditions. Our Under 13s started the day off on a positive note, leading the entire match and, with a late comeback from Oxley, managing to hold on to a wonderful 2 point victory. This was our Under 13s first official match for the season and it was brilliant to see the boys celebrate. Special mention to Henry Preece for his first game as Captain and also to Christopher Stevens who kicked 4 from 4 at goal. The Under 14s followed this up with another nail-biter of a match, trading tries back and forth until they eventually  came away with a narrow 2 point victory as well. Our Under 15s followed on from their strong match against BMGS with dominant win against Oxley. Lead by strong performances from Daniel Lev and Alfie Leach, the team was able to control the ball for most of the match, running out to a convincing victory. For our Opens and our Under 16s it was two very different styles of matches. The Under 16s played a modified 7s match, with Oxley unable to keep up with the speed of ball movement that Redlands was able to produce and, with players like Josh Hicks and Will Pearson running in multiple tries, the game was never in doubt. The Opens came up against a robust Oxley side with strong ball runners throughout the team. The defence shown by the group was tremendous but, under fatigue, Oxley were able to get out to a safe lead. It was a credit to all of the students who stepped up to represent our Open side, especially the Under 16s who backed up after their own match.

This weekend sees fixtures against Central Coast Grammar and St Augustines with the game times as follows;

Redlands Under 13s vs CCGS – 08:00am Campbell Field Macquarie
Redlands Under 14s vs CCGS – 09:00am Campbell Field Macquarie
Redlands Under 16s vs CCGS – 10:00am Campbell Field Macquarie
Redlands Under 15s vs St Augustines – 8:30am Pittwater Park Field 4

I would like to also formally congratulate the following students who were selected in the Under 16s ISA Representative Squad. Joshua Hicks and William Pearson both trialled brilliantly, representing Redlands to the highest level. Both of these boys will now have the opportunity to represent the school and the ISA at the NSW Schoolboys Championships where they will have the chance to be selected further into the NSW Rep Pathways.

A reminder that at Macquarie University there are to be no animals (no dogs) at any point. 

Tennis

Last week our ISA teams had a very successful round against SACS, Oxley and Chevalier. This week also saw our Development Squads start up. We look forward to seeing these students tennis skills develop over the season.

There are no COVID restrictions at any venues this week. Please continue to sign in to venues with the Service NSW QR code.

Just a reminder, please email Eliza Peirce directly regarding injury/illness that eliminates you from a training session. Unexplained absences will result in a lunch time detention. If you are rostered to play on Saturday and fall ill on Friday, please notify Eliza Peirce no later than 12.00pm on Friday to ensure a substitute can be found.

Wet weather notifications can be found on twitter @RedlandsSport, if you cannot find wet weather information, please turn up to your venue regardless, this applies to training and matches.

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts”

– Winston S. Churchill 

Ms Alison Cox
Head of Secondary School Sport
sports@redlands.nsw.edu.au

All Sports contacts can be found on Redlands Pulse.​

From the Principal

It has been fantastic to see the Head of Secondary School, Ms Gemma Van de Peer, immerse herself in the life of the School and form strong connections with students and staff in a short space of time. Her energy, drive and passion for meeting the needs of individual students has shone through, as has her determination to work collaboratively with staff with a focus on continual improvement. Whilst we are pleased that we have been able to welcome more parents on site this year, we were conscious that some parents, who had not yet met Ms Van de Peer, might enjoy the opportunity to get a better sense of her as a person. Who better to ask the questions than School Captains, Piper Allen and Theo Mirrlees-Black, who have worked closely with Ms Van de Peer this year and first met her as part of the interview process last year. I trust you will enjoy this video.

I sincerely congratulate the Yr 9 team which placed 1^st  Overall in the Yr 9 division of the da Vinci Decathlon, competing against 71 other NSW teams. The Redlands team placed in 9 out of the 10 disciplines – 1^st in English, 3^rd in Ideation, 5^th in Art and Poetry, 6^th in Mathematics, Cartography, Legacy, 10^th in Science, Creative Producers and 13^th in Engineering. They have now been selected to participate in the National da Vinci Decathlon in June and we wish them all the very best in this next level of competition.

Congratulations also to our Yr 5, 6, 7 and 10 teams which also placed in various categories in this NSW competition, with the Yr 5 team placing 2^nd in Engineering and the Yr 6 team placing 3^rd in Cartography.

There was a huge buzz on Junior Campus this week as we held our first full Open Morning for some time, with a large number of tours led by Yr 2 and 6 students. I was so impressed with the confidence of the students and how proud they were to show people around their school. Parents I spoke to at morning tea couldn’t speak highly enough of how articulate, passionate and enthusiastic their tour guides were. It was also wonderful to have current Yr 11 students, Julia Saunders and William Thomas, share reflections on their time at the School, having started many years ago in Kindergarten and Preschool respectively. I always come away from Open Mornings feeling exhilarated as it enables me to stop and reflect on all the positivity happening within the School. Hearing students and staff conveying this to prospective members of the community is very powerful.

Mr Stephen Webber

Photo Caption: Yr 10 students enjoyed visiting a range of industries during their recent Industry Day.  You can read more about their experiences in the Yr 10 section on Note Day. 

Foundation

Congratulations to Arts Cards competition winners

The winners of the Arts Cards competition were presented with their awards in the Prep and Junior School assembly over the last two weeks.

Redlands Online Auction with wonderful prizes including artwork, family holiday house and many more is now open until Wednesday 26 May. VISIT HERE.

All proceeds generated from these initiatives will support the means-tested Belinda Oxley Scholarship.

Second Hand Uniform Sale

Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers who are involved in preparing the Second Hand Uniform Sale. Your contribution is greatly appreciated as you are not only looking after our environment but also supporting the means-tested Belinda Oxley Scholarship.

Industry Visits

On Friday 14 May, Yr 10 students attended their Industry Day. A total of 13 companies hosted 155 students between them, five of whom were Redlands Alumni and Community workplaces recruited by Caroline Jane, Redlands Alumni Manager and included Connected Culture (Zoe Gomez, Class of 2017), We are Kindred (Elizabeth Renkert, Class of 1993), MHPD Architects (Benjamin Johnston, Class of 1991), Snowy Mountains Hydro (Redlands parent) and The Agency – Jon Snead (Redlands Community partner).

Industries included Accountancy, Architecture, Construction, Engineering, Fashion, Finance, IT, Law, Marketing, Performing Arts, Real Estate and Technology. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with students, staff and hosts all benefiting from this unique opportunity.

“Thank you for accompanying us throughout our visit to The Agency on Friday, it was a truly wonderful and eye opening experience. Overall, the visit to the Agency was exciting and informative and I am glad that I had the opportunity to take part in it”  Joseph, Yr 10.

Picture references below: We are Kindred, Connected Culture and The Agency – Jon Snead.

Yr 12 Legacy Gift

Our Yr 12 Legacy team have very industriously organising their fundraising initiatives for this term, including the Yr 7 Movie Night and the Yr 12 Tea Towel project, where the students and staff are contributing their individually drawings. The Tea Towels will be available for purchase later this term and throughout Term 3.

Yr 7 Movie Night is on Friday 4 June in Redlands Hall. The movie screening is Ratatouille, a 2007 USA comedy, computer-animated film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Tickets are $15 per student, including popcorn and filtered water. Students are encouraged to bring their own drink bottles for refilling. This event will be supervised by Yr 12 students and Redlands staff.

For more information and to purchase tickets click here (open to Yr 7 students only).

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

RPFA

Parent Get-Together Reminders / Quick links

Wednesday 26 May Redlands Arts Luncheon – Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron from 11.30am. Wait List only
Thursday 3 June Yr 6 Parents Night (rescheduled) – Neutral Bay Club from 6.30pm
Friday 11 June Yr 10 Parents Drinks & Canapes – The Public, Cammeray from 6.30pm

As part of the Arts Luncheon, there is also an online auction with exciting items including holiday stays in the Snowy Mountains, wine tasting in Mudgee, original artwork by Ken Done, as well as dining experiences, fitness sessions, photo packages and more, all in support of the Belinda Oxley Scholarship. The auction is open to everyone and will close on Wednesday 26 May at 2.30pm.

Second Hand Uniform Sale

Online sales close this Friday 21 May at 3pm to enable time for our volunteer packers. If you are in Prep or Junior School and provided your child’s details on the order, it will be delivered to the classroom. All other orders will be available for collection at the Uniform Shop from 9am Monday 24 May during their normal operating hours. Due to a glitch as we attempted the new process to enable us to capture delivery information, we have had to refund some items. Our apologies if you were affected by this.

Please remember to collect all orders by Friday 28 May 4pm.

Donations will be accepted again in Term 3 during weeks 2 and 3.

RPFA Rules

The RPFA has updated its Association rules (formerly the Constitution) which will be voted upon at the next RPFA meeting on 1 June. All parents are welcome to attend the meeting. Please indicate if you are interested in attending no later than this coming Monday 24 May so we can secure an appropriate meeting space. For more information, please contact the RPFA.

Walks on Tracks

Next week’s walk on Wednesday 26 May will be from Balmoral to Chinamans Beach – meet at the Balmoral Boatshed at 8.40am.  For more information, please email Ann Marie Kimber or call 0406691533.

Book Club

The next book club meeting will be an evening function during the week commencing 7 June (exact date and venue to be confirmed). We will be discussing Shuggie Bain, winner of the 2020 Booker Prize, by Douglas Stuart. 

New members are very welcome. Please contact Katherine Dixon further information.

2021 RPFA Committee rpfa@redlands.nsw.edu.au

President: Michelle Tea

Vice President: JP Forrest
Secretary: Jo Lloyd 
Treasurer: Annette Swann
Committee – Anna Maidon, Anna Maria Stillone, Christine Walsh, Karen Nicholson, Lilian Li, Maria Kinsela, Monique Scattini, Sally Swan

Careers

NIDA Open Day

Whether you are interested in acting or working behind the scenes, find out what makes NIDA one of the world’s top performing arts schools. Join online or at NIDA on Saturday 12 June from 9am-4pm for live sessions with teachers, Q&As with alumni, backstage tours, free workshops and more! Register here now.  

TAFE NSW Campus Tours

Campus tours are back! The perfect way for students and parents to experience TAFE facilities and campus life. Complete the online form and your local TAFE NSW representative will contact you. 

Sydney College of the Arts Portfolio Day

This will be held online and in person on Tuesday 8 June. Sessions are one hour in length and begin at 4.00pm, 5.00pm or 6.00pm. A great opportunity for prospective students (applying to any Fine Art course) to receive personalised feedback on their art practice prior to submission.  Register your interest here.  

University of Sydney Information Sessions

Languages at Sydney

Learn all about opportunities from studying languages at university: Wednesday 26 May online from 4-5.15pm.  Register here.  

Your Future in Business & Student Panel – Live Q&A and Presentation

Hear from current students about how to boost your employability skills and gain access to real-world opportunities on Wednesday 2 June from 4.00pm-5.00pm.  Click here for more information.  

Pathways to Medicine and Health Degrees

This online webinar will give options to students who don’t achieve their first choice. To be held on Wednesday 9 June from 4.00-4.30pm.  Please register here.  

Economics at Sydney

This online webinar will give you an overview of Economics degrees and majors as well as admission requirements and scholarships. To be held on Wednesday 16 June from 4.00-5.00pm.  Register your interest here.  

Ms Simone Salier
Tertiary Education and Careers Advisor
ssalier@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9867

Year 12

HSC Information Session

On Wednesday during Tutor Time, our HSC cohort were addressed by Mr Randall to assist them to map out the next weeks until their Trial Examinations. The advantages of attending the Holiday Study Sessions were discussed and hints and tips for making academic progress at this time were shared. The Study Sessions Timetable was emailed to parents but students can locate this on the Yr 12 iLearn Pastoral Page.

Paul Dillon

Paul Dillon will again be attending Redlands to present to students, staff and parents on Monday 24 May.

Yr 12, 11.05am-12.55pm
Last year at school: What do I need to know about alcohol and other drugs?
By their final year of school, many students will either be driving or about to get their licence. To ensure these young drivers are as prepared as possible, information about drink driving and the process of random breath testing (RBT), as well as roadside (RDT) or mobile drug testing (MDT) will be provided. Some basic facts about ecstasy/MDMA will also be provided, including the impact that being caught with an illicit substance can have on a young person’s life, as well as the importance of seeking help as quickly as possible should something go wrong.

Parents: 6.00-7.30 pm
Vaping – ‘short and sweet’: What do parents need to know?
Vaping (the use of electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’) has become a growing issue for many parents across the country. Vaping is a new phenomenon, with the first e-cigarette being invented in 2003. There continues to be a debate around whether the use of these devices can assist smokers quit their habit or are simply a ‘gateway’ to smoking for young people. As such, when teens are confronted when caught with these devices they can be met with comments like “But it’s only vaping” or “At least I’m not smoking” and parents have little or no idea how to respond. This session will provide up-to-date and accurate information on the use of e-cigarettes and vaping, as well as some possible responses that parents can use should their child attempt to challenge them in the vaping area.

Click here for more information. 

Yr 12 Formal

Parents, you should have received a letter with information regarding the Yr 12 Formal which will occur on Friday 18 June. Students are encouraged to speak directly with Dr Regis, or email her if they have queries regarding this event. 

Yr 12 Parent Function

The Yr 12 Class Parents warmly invite you to attend a cocktail party whilst students are at the Yr 12 School Formal.

Venue: Firegrill, 151 Clarence St, Sydney
Date & Time: Friday 18 June from 7pm
Cost: $60

Bookings can be made at the following Trybooking Link by midday, Thursday 10 June.

Junior School Concerts

During weeks 5 and 6, Yr 12 Music students are supporting our younger Junior School students as an audience for their mid year concerts. This cross grade initiative is a wonderful testament to the kind hearted spirit which is evident in students of our Year Group. 

Ms Sarah Matthews
Yr 12 Advisor
smatthews@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6494

Year 11

This week sees us over half way through the term and the time has flown by, with many assessments in both the HSC and IB Programs. During Tutor time, the students have been focusing on learning about the differences between addiction and dependence and how this impacts our physical, emotional, social, financial and cognitive health. In addition, students have begun exploring their understanding of the components of sexuality, such as biological sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, in their exploration of diversity in our world. They have watched the Ted Talk ‘Fifty shades of Gay’ to help expand their knowledge of the LGBTQ+ community. Next week sees Paul Dillon visit Redlands to talk to Yr 11 students about alcohol and cannabis and what to do if something goes wrong. Parents are also invited to an evening session where Paul will be talking about vaping.

Junior Campus Open Morning, report by Billy Thomas

On Tuesday morning, Julia Saunders and I had the opportunity to give a speech at the Junior Campus Open Morning. We both spoke about our favourite things about Redlands, as opposed to our least favourite. I spoke about how Redlands has a warm, fun and diverse community, and covered things from teachers, to sport, to Winter School. For me, the best part about Redlands is that it is easy to enjoy learning. Learning within the classroom isn’t strenuous, like it is so often portrayed, but something that is fun, and something that I look forward to. Afterwards, some parents had questions for us about Winter School and the relationship between the IB and the HSC at Redlands. For example, there seemed to be some confusion about whether a student who did the HSC could apply to overseas universities and we let them know that they can. Many parents seemed to be quite excited about Redlands, and I look forward to seeing their children join the School. Overall, it was a valuable experience, and I am grateful for my chance to speak at the Junior School.

Hockey Sports Report, by Sophie McMillan

This weekend the first team and juniors took a trip up to the Central Coast to play our third game of the season. Despite a very rushed start, due to some bad traffic on the way up, the junior team played some excellent hockey and it was great to see the improvement and comradery on the field. I would like to say a big congratulations to the juniors who fought for a well-earned win. I found the way they played together very impressive and I am looking forward to seeing where the season takes them. The first team then played a tough game against Central Coast Grammar School. This season the first team gained lots of new players and I hadn’t played with many of them before so I was nervous entering the season, unsure on how I would adjust to the new team. However, over the course of the past few weeks I personally have gotten significantly closer with everyone on the team and I think I can say the same for the other members. As our team has grown closer there has been a noticeable improvement on the pitch and I think this was particularly evident in this week’s game, as we displayed strength and great tactics on the field. Despite losing 0-1 after a hard-fought match, I am so proud of the way the team played and it was incredible to see the way everyone’s confidence has grown over the span of only a few weeks. Even after some bad injuries, falls and some questionable umpire decisions, I never once saw the team’s perseverance and spirit fail and I think this is the mindset that will lead us to victory later in our future rounds this season. For myself, I am excited to play the rest of this hockey season and I think that while myself and the team still have a lot to learn, the improvement already this season has been exceptional, and I am looking forward to learning and growing together as a team as the season continues.

Have a great week!

Ms Rebecca Mountain
Yr 11 Advisor
rmountain@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462

Year 10

Student Achievement

Congratulations to Sienna Wessels who was selected for the Emerging Talent Pathway program for Snowboard Cross by Snow Australia. Sienna was accepted into the Perisher Winter Sports Club full time program. 

ISA Rugby success for Josh and Will!

On 4 May Joshua Hicks and William Pearson along with two other Redlands students trialled for the Under 16 ISA Representative Sides. In wet and soggy conditions both of these boys were brilliant, playing across multiple matches with students from top Division 1 schools. As the day came to a close, both students were on all team selectors list. Will was selected for his dominant ball carries and also for his efforts in his kick and Josh was one of the top defensive players on the day and was highlighted by coaches for the way he looked for work across the field.

Both Josh and Will were selected into the final game between Possibles and Probables and, with strong performances, were each selected into the ISA Under 16s Representative Squad for 2021.

From here they will attend a training camp in the Blue Mountains where the final two squads will be selected by the coaches including our very own Yr 10 Tutor – Mr. Jack Gooding, the Head Coach of the 16As side. After selections, both teams will compete in the NSW Schoolboy Championship weekend where they will have opportunities to be selected into the NSW Under 16s or Gen. Blue 16s Representative pathways.

Well done Josh and Will!

Paul Dillon – Monday 31 May

Coming up on Monday 31 May, Yr 10 will have the opportunity to meet with Paul Dillon as a year group to learn about alcohol and risk-taking. Below is an overview of the presentation.

Young people, alcohol and risk taking: Looking after your mates

Focussing primarily on alcohol, this introductory session attempts to debunk some of the myths in this area, particularly around how to look after friends. Accurate, up-to-date and credible information will be provided to assist young people to make healthier choices. The latest prevalence rates of alcohol and other drug use by secondary school students, will be discussed, with an emphasis on ‘positive norms’, i.e., how many young people choose not to drink alcohol or use other drugs. Basic life skills will also be discussed around alcohol-related emergencies, including knowing when to call an ambulance.

Vaccination Forms

Just a reminder that the purple Meningococcal forms need to be signed and handed in as soon as possible at the Student Services Centre. Vaccinations are coming up on Wednesday 2 June.

HSC and IB Senior Studies Information Evening 2022

All Yr 10 parents received a letter last Friday from Ms Gemma Va de Peer regarding the HSC and IB Studies Information Evening.  The Senior Studies Information Evening will be taking place on Wednesday 26 May 2021 from 6:00 pm in Redlands Hall. Please plan to arrive at 5:45pm. From 6:00 – 7:00pm  there will be formal presentations, followed by a subject forum in the Lang Gym which will give both parents and students the opportunity to meet and discuss Yr 11 and 12 subjects with specific Subject Teachers.

As stated in the letter, the purpose of the Information Evening is to give parents and students details about the HSC and IB Programmes, an idea of the combinations and options available within each program at Redlands and an opportunity for parents to discuss in more detail with subject specialists the requirements and nature of the individual courses in each programme. 

A link to the letter can be found here.

Yr 10 Industry Day success!  

This year, 13 companies participated in this annual event: Buildcorp, Microsoft, Snowy Hydro, Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers, The Agency, EY, Griffin Theatre, Clayton Utz, Connected Culture, We are Kindred, Practera, MHDP Architects and Camphin Boston.

The objectives were clear: for Yr 10 students to familiarise themselves with the physical workplace, network with employees and learn more about the range of job opportunities currently available as well as future projections in each organisation.

The feedback from employers was a credit to our Yr 10 students. Some examples below:

• “They are wonderful students and had some really exciting ideas for future theatre productions”

• “The students that joined Snowy Hydro for the day were exceptional young people and you should all be very proud of them. We had a great day full of innovative thinking, fun and laughs as they absorbed aspects of our business”

• “The girls were delightful and really impressive. Two of them have already emailed their CVs wanting weekend jobs, which is very impressive!”

• “All the students were really engaged and keen to learn, especially for Yr 10, everyone here (including the partner) were really impressed at them and some of the questions being asked.”

  Careers advisor – Simone Salier 

Below are a series of reflections by a few of our Yr 10 students reflecting upon their incredible day at their chosen company. A big thank you to Cressida Rigney and Simone Salier for all their organisation in the lead up to Industry Day and all our Yr 10 Tutors and supervisors who accompanied Yr 10 on the day. 

Camphin Boston

As part of our Industry Day experience, my group visited the small, chartered accountancy firm of Camphin Boston located in Sydney’s CBD. Although a career in finance is an aspiration I haven’t really considered before, I enjoyed finding out more details about what accounting involves, how it plays a significant role in assisting businesses maximize their potential and maintain a noble reputation as well as listening to the valuable advice of university students employed through a cadetship at the company and their manager.

We engaged in two practical tasks during the program. The first one entailed placing segments of a balance sheet into the right positions and we were presented with key yet comprehensive information about assets, liabilities, and owner’s equity, allowing us to consolidate our understanding of successful business management, or even more broadly the benefits of maintaining financial records whether as a business or just as an individual. The second activity involved calculating a sample taxation return where all claimable deductions are subtracted from one’s assessable income, which will be useful in the near future when we will all reach the threshold for paying taxes.

I was grateful for the insight Camphin Boston’s partner Mark Edwards provided regarding what recruiters often look for, including excellent communication skills that are vital in developing positive, secure relationships with clients and all-rounder capabilities where participation in sport, service or any other extracurricular activities can often highlight one’s commitment and growth in social or interpersonal skills. Besides, Kieran introduced us to the concept of ‘networking’ or simply put, talking, asking questions of and listening to people who have previously studied or worked in a field that you are intrigued by, and how this can be productive through informing decision making or acquiring more knowledge to adequately equip you for the given career. Two ways it is possible to do so are by setting up a LinkedIn profile or getting to know parents within the school. 

Consequently, on behalf of our group, I would like to sincerely thank all of the Camphin Boston colleagues for taking the time and effort to educate us not only about their own firm but also the wider workforce, as well as the Redlands staff who organised and contributed to this event. 

Written by Sarah Kumpulainen

Microsoft

As part of our Industry Day experience, my group and I visited the office of multinational technology company Microsoft in the Sydney CBD. The visit provided us with an invaluable insight into the company’s internal functioning, dynamics and experiences as well as potential future opportunities. As someone interested in technology and its role in our lives, I really enjoyed learning more about its advancement and was inspired to seriously consider working in a tech company like Microsoft. Some of the emerging technology, including adaptable consoles and devices equipped with iris scanners, was particularly inspiring for me as they gave those with disabilities the opportunity to participate in and engage with others online. I found the Q&A session with a panel of current interns very informative and eye-opening, as they were all absorbed into Microsoft’s employment framework despite coming from such different and varied university courses and qualifications. They all gave us relatable and relevant advice and tips to success before we stuffed ourselves with the impressive spread of food provided, attempting to sample each different food on offer! Experimenting with ‘hololenses’ at the end of the day was definitely a highlight, as we doubled over with laughter, taking turns to frantically stab and snatch at the air in hope of operating the augmented reality keyboard, finally defeating the enemy in RoboRaid or eventually managing to rotate that stubborn flower! Aside from our many unparalleled experiences within Microsoft, preparing for the day was also an extremely valuable learning experience as we practised dressing professionally for work and navigating to the office via public transport, as well as familiarising ourselves with public transport, street names and stations in the city.

Written by Isabella Havryk

Buildcorp

I really enjoyed speaking to the managers at Buildcorp throughout the day separately in the smaller groups. I found it really interesting how different departments of Buildcorp come together to be a collaborative workplace. One of my highlights was the CEO Josephine Sukkar’s presentation on how Buildcorp was established and her presentation on Buildcorps Diversity. I found it interesting how Josephine’s life has shifted in what she wanted to do because personally I sometimes find myself slightly closed minded in making decisions. I believe my peers and I were well engaged and surprisingly attentive throughout the day, largely due to their interesting presentations, really optimising the amount of information we could learn from the experienced speakers.

Written by Harley Van der Pluijm 

Connected Culture

For industry day I went to Connected Culture where we were asked to create a marketing campaign for a specific business, in which we chose tbh skincare. I really enjoyed this experience, especially the freedom we were given, and creativity of producing a marketing campaign which I had never done before. I think that for me being a part of this business for a day was extremely important as it opened my eyes to different careers in the pathway of marketing, which I had never even thought of before and now am considering doing in the future. I loved being able to work in a group and collectively learn more about how marketing works, I also know that my whole group and I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the workplace as it wasn’t boring and instead full of creativity, new ideas and a lot of fun.

Written by Phoebe Cunningham

MHDP Architects

I enjoyed learning from the architects from MHDP about the different processes in designing a house, and all the different factors you have to consider. It was really nice to talk to the people who worked there, learning from their experiences and gaining a broader idea of what it fundamentally is to be an architect. My favourite part was when we were given the opportunity to present our ideas to the group and the actual architects.  It was really interesting to see how other people developed their building from the brief as we split up to do the elevations, digital model, and the material mood board. It was great to see what we had been able to accomplish over the day. I think our group was very engaged at the beginning, and after lunch, but in the hour or so before lunch we were quite distracted, particularly as designing the floorplan was challenging.

Written by Eloise Trueman 

Griffin Theatre 

I found my industry day visit to the Griffin Theatre truly eye-opening and insightful; not only because of what we were taught, but additionally, because of the extremely informative, heartfelt, and confronting performance staged at the end of the day. We began the day with a brief tour of the theatre, immersing ourselves in the environment, and picturing what it would be like to perform there ourselves. We were then introduced to four representatives from the company whose main role was contributing to the production of the performance; mainly through the sponsorship, stage design, marketing and advertisement of the show. In addition, they gave an authentic and meaningful acknowledgement of country, going far beyond the superficiality of merely acknowledging the owners of the land, but additionally stating that it was ‘not something they took lightly’, which soon became evident in their production of Dogged’ later that evening. In the afternoon, we were all invited to watch their production of Dogged, which conveyed the difficult bond between the Indigenous Australians and the English colonisers, and also the broken relationship between contemporary humans and nature itself. This performance was not only amazing because of the actors and what they were trying to convey, but also because of the new knowledge we had attained today about all the elements that went into the production of the performance, which completely enhanced our perception of the piece overall. In summary, I found my industry day extremely beneficial and enlightening, and I think that next year’s Yr 10 group will thoroughly enjoy theirs too.

Written by Claudia Lalich

Thank you

Mr Nicholas Walker
Acting Yr 10 Advisor
nwalker@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9909 3133

Year 9

Important Events

Yr 9 Gaming Support

On 7 May 2021, an Engage notification was sent to all Yr 9 parents with additional resources for support from home around gaming and gaming addiction.  When Yr 9 students were surveyed on what topics they found most important to address in regards to Cyber Safety, students reported gaming addiction to be quite a problem.  While we aim to monitor game usage at school and at home, teaching students the skills to manage their time wisely and realise the impact gaming can have on their lives and development will be more beneficial for student’s social and emotional learning in the future.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s Tutor or Year Advisor for further discussion on this topic. 

Yr 9 Dodgeball Competition

A huge thank you to Luke Barwise, Joseph Hooper, Liam McFarlane and Alex Tanner for their initiative and planning of the competition and helping to run these daily events last week. Congratulations to Dumolo Blue for winning the final competition round and will be enjoying a pizza lunch as a prize.  Students have already started planning another competition for Term 3 and we look forward to more students getting involved and leading these opportunities. 

Debating

The debating teams have worked tirelessly this season.  The final teams have been posted and we wish them all the best with their final rounds of debating. 

FED Debating Team: Ahnu Guan, Rafferty Heard, Sophia Rolon, Scarlett Thorpe, Jocelyn Wang and Johnny Wang

ISDA Debating Team: Sholto Mirrlees-Black, Krishan Price, Anneke Steele, Daisy Thomas, Annie Zhang, Jack Petering

da Vinci Decathlon

The Year 9 team achieved an impressive 1st place overall in this year’s da Vinci Decathlon, placing in 9/10 disciplines! This incredible group of Yr 9 students is listed below along with their rankings in each subject.

Students: Heidi Colleran, Ahnu Guan, Jack Keogh, Sholto Mirrlees-Black, Conor Petersen, Krishan Price, Johnny Wang and Annie Zhang

Performance results out of 72 teams  

English – 1st
Ideation – 3rd
Art & Poetry – 5th
Mathematics – 6th
Cartography – 6th
Legacy – 6th
Science – 10th
Creative Producers – 10th
Engineering – 13th

As a result they have been selected to participate in the National Decathlon in June.  This is absolutely amazing! Mr Christian Baker congratulated them at the Yr 9 Assembly this week and further recognition is on the way. We wish this team all the best!

The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students.  Students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: engineering, mathematics and chess, code breaking, art and poetry, science, english, ideation, creative producers, cartography and legacy.  

Journalism for Justice

The Pastoral Program this term involves students choosing a topic of social injustice to research as a Tutor Group and create a piece of journalism (print or digital) to share with the cohort at the beginning of Term 3.  Research is already underway across many Tutor classes and students have chosen a wide variety of topics and perspectives. It is critical for students to recognise the small actions they take each day contribute to these global issues. 

This week’s year meeting highlighted two groups that have already started to look ahead to service and leadership opportunities for the cohort to continue pursuing: saving our oceans and the ongoing sexism initiative. It is incredible to hear from students and incorporate their voice as much as possible to take ownership of how we make these changes together and bring awareness to these important topics.

Ms Alissa Ynson
Yr 9 Advisor
aynson@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9865

Year 8

Pastoral Focus – Positive Psychology and Social Emotional Blockers

This weeks pastoral focus was to build on social awareness and character traits introduced in Term 1. Yr 8 have been introduced to what holds students back from fully accepting themselves, and embracing challenges in a positive light within a supportive environment. Through a variety of activities, students focused on how they recognise emotions, the influences on our emotions, consequences for emotional responses in a variety of contexts, and then, how do we deal with positive compliments or those characteristics we are most proud of.

Paul Dillon Parent Seminar

Monday 24 May
6.00-7.30 pm
Redlands Hall

Focus – Vaping – ‘short and sweet’: What do parents need to know?
Vaping (the use of electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’) has become a growing issue for many parents across the country. Vaping is a new phenomenon, with the first e-cigarette being invented in 2003. There continues to be a debate around whether the use of these devices can assist smokers quit their habit or are simply a ‘gateway’ to smoking for young people. As such, when teens are confronted when caught with these devices they can be met with comments like “But it’s only vaping” or “At least I’m not smoking” and parents have little or no idea how to respond. This session will provide up-to-date and accurate information on the use of e-cigarettes and vaping, as well as some possible responses that parents can use should their child attempt to challenge them in the vaping area.

Key Dates

Public Holiday – 14 June
Athletics Carnival – 17 June

Ms Lisa Vale
Yr 8 Advisor
9968 9837
lvale@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Year 7

e-Learning 

On Thursday, Yr 7 were involved in a session looking at their ICT usage and best practices to help them navigate the demands of Secondary School. Ms Wendy Duckworth showed the cohort how to save files correctly, iLearn (assessment and notifications) and managing school emails. 

We also look forward to hosting Yr 7 Parent Information Sessions – How can I support my child from a digital perspective? These sessions will be face to face and include content such as navigating iLearn, setting and managing assessment notifications, eSafety and managing distractions on the device.

Please click here to register for one of the following sessions:
Tuesday 25 May 8:00am – 9:00am
Thursday 27 May 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Tuesday 1 June 3:30pm– 4:30pm

COVID Safe details and the room location will be sent with a confirmation email.

Student Achievement 

We congratulate Leah Chung who received a Highly Commended Award in The Nan Manefield Young Writers’ Award at the Stanton Library, North Sydney. The Nan Manefield Young Writers’ Award is for young people 11 to 18 years and is judged in five age categories. In each category there are major prize winners: Winner (1st), Highly Commended (2nd) and Commended (3rd). Well done, Leah. 

Congratulations to Mia Kwintner who placed 3rd whilst representing New South Wales in the U15 Trampoline Team in Power Tumbling at the Australian Gymnastics Championships. Mia is now ranked 9th in Australia across all age divisions. What an amazing effort indeed.

Movie Night for Yr 7

The Yr 12 Legacy Gift team are hosting a fun Movie Night for Yr 7, Friday 4 June – to welcome our new Secondary School students to Yr 7, whilst raising funds towards the year 12 Legacy Gift to school this year, including a donation to the Belinda Oxley Scholarship Appeal.

Please book online HERE no later than 4pm on Thursday 3 June.

Entry $15 per student includes Movie Screening “Ratatouille” and popcorn.

5.00pm:
Arrival at Redlands Hall, students are welcome to change into mufti / comfy warm clothes and bring a pillow / blanket

5.20pm:
Movie Screening of Ratatouille in Redlands Hall (1 hour 50 mins)

7.20pm:
Students are to be collected from Liggins Quad 

This event is exclusively for Yr 7 students only.

A portion of the money raised will go towards the Yr 12 Legacy Gift – means-tested Belinda Oxley Scholarship Appeal – to support and contribute to our diverse and inclusive community. This initiative was launched by our Principal Dr Lennox in 2010 and currently three scholarships have been granted as a result of contributions made by our community.

For further information please contact Caroline Jane, Alumni Manager, cjane@redlands.nsw.edu.au or 9908 6483.

We look forward to hosting this fun evening for your students.

Mr Edward Atkins
Yr 7 Advisor 
eatkins@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9909 3133

Head of Junior School

JUNIOR SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS

Cyber Safety  

Following on from the recent student workshops led by ySafe, this week saw two highly engaging and informative sessions for Junior School staff and then for our parents, both led by ySafe’s acclaimed Executive Director, Yasmin London, a specialist in the field of cyber safety and social media.

Whilst some of the statistics may have been both surprising and confronting, the sessions provided some really clear guidance in our schoolwide approach to digital citizenship by an organisation known to be a leader in this field and who are certified by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner.

Connected to this and in partnership with ySafe, Redlands is pleased to launch a Cyber Safety Hub specifically for our community; a treasure-trove of current, research-based information and assistance for our families and staff. Yasmin shared this new Cyber Safety Hub with staff and parents and I encourage every family to take the time to explore this valuable resource to support you and your child, which includes a range of relevant topics such as:

• Cyber safety guides
• Managing screen time
• Creating a safe home
• Gaming
• Setting up parental controls
• App and Game reviews

What would your children say about your use of technology? Yasmin also talked about the need for adults to model respectful use of technology given that most adults are online every day and provide children with instruction for the safe and balanced use of technology.

We know that this is an ever-evolving landscape and look forward to continuing this important partnership with ySafe to support our students and wider community navigate the way through this important aspect of our current and future lives and most importantly, help to equip our students with the tools and information to keep themselves safe in an online environment.

Yr 3 Camp

The weather has been kind so far to our intrepid Yr 3 campers and I am currently enjoying a great day with them at Vision Valley with activities aplenty keeping us busy and healthily challenged. As always, I am grateful to our staff team for their care of the group and we look forward to welcoming the students and staff back to Redlands on Friday afternoon.

UPDATED RETURN TIME: Please note that we now expect the group to return at 2.15pm on the Murdoch Street side of the campus.

Nan Manefield Young Writers’ Award – Maya Turton

We were delighted to hear that Yr 6 student, Maya Turton, received a Commendation for 3rd place in her age group in this year’s Nan Manefield Young Writers’ Award for young people aged 11 to 18 years old. As well as a certificate, Maya has received an invitation to an online Writing Masterclass with current Australian Children’s Laureate, Ursula Dubosarsky. All entries will be on display in the Stanton Library in North Sydney for the next month and winning entries will be published on the library website here. Congratulations, Maya.

Baby Linus Richards

We were so excited to hear of the safe arrival of Linus Richards, a second child for Junior School teacher, Jessica Richards, and her husband, Guy. Linus and Jess are home and well and we look forward to welcoming them in for a visit next term.

Open Morning

For the first time since August 2019, we welcomed over 100 prospective parents and students on to our campus for this week’s Junior Campus Open Morning. As well as hearing from Mr Webber, Mrs Breckenridge and me, our visitors thoroughly enjoyed hearing from two Yr 11 students, Julia Saunders and Billy Thomas. Julia and Billy articulately shared some of their fondest memories and experiences from their time at Redlands which had started in Kindergarten and Preschool respectively. Having known them both in those younger years, it filled me with immense pride to listen to them speak as young adults as they share their Redlands journey to this point. Our guests were also taken on student-led tours with some of our Yr 6 students partnering with Yr 2 students as tour guides. Many of our visitors commented on our students’ confidence, warmth and their pride in our School and as I shared with our guests, an important aspect of these types of events is the fact that we will have a completely different group of students next time to afford as many students as possible with these types of leadership opportunity.

Da Vinci Decathlon

On Thursday 6 May, two teams from Yrs 5 and 6 participated in the annual Da Vinci Decathlon academic competition.

This year it was held online but remained in the same format with students working as a group to come up with solutions to challenges in a range of disciplines including Art and Poetry, Maths, Engineering, Cartography and Code Breaking. The questions are designed to be challenging, most adults would struggle, and as teams the students have to cope with a number of challenges in the same time slot, students have to decide how to split up and work effectively across the disciplines.

Mrs Hibbert and Mrs Ling who supervised the day were very impressed by how well the sixteen students worked as a team. They also showed commendable tenacity and stayed focused during what was in effect an eight-hour-day on Zoom!

We were delighted to hear that the Yr 5 team came 2^nd in the Engineering Challenge and our Yr 6 team came 3^rd in Cartography.

Yr 5 team: Kate Andrews, Otis Gait, Giorgio Gazzilli, Thys Hulsbosch, Olivia Law, Lauren Rolfe, Samuel Shen and Johnny Shiao.

Yr 6 team: Sam Ashby, Daniel Bond, Caroline Brown, Lucy Goodsall, Kernel He, Alex Heller, Charlie Reeves and Maya Turton.

Congratulations to all of the students involved and to Mrs Ling and Mrs Hibbert for their guidance of the group.

Biggest Morning Tea – Thursday 27 May

We are excited to be part of this year’s Cancer Council event, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. We look forward to hosting this event on campus next Thursday where students will be able to purchase morning tea baked goods and be able to donate money too.

Parents and community members may also wish to support this student-led fundraiser by making a donation at our online fundraising page here.

Belinda Oxley Scholarship – Arts Cards

 We are delighted to recognise our Junior School winning artists for this competition in our assembly this week and these Arts cards can be pre-purchased here. They will then be distributed after Wednesday 26 May.

The online auction is also now open with wonderful prizes such as holiday accommodation, children activities and camps and incredible artwork. This auction will close at 2.30pm on Wednesday 26 May.

Proceeds made from these initiatives will be dedicated towards the Belinda Oxley Scholarship, a means-tested scholarship which is to be awarded to a Year 7 student for the entire Secondary schooling.

Junior Jazz Band

In our continued return to live music, the Junior School were treated to an exceptional performance from our Junior School Jazz Band in assembly. Thank you to Mr Franks and Mrs Richardson for facilitating this wonderful entertainment.

Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School 
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022

Junior School Upcoming Events

Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022

Prep/RH Upcoming Events

Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge
Head of Preparatory School
abreckenridge@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848

Redlands House and Transition Gold

National Simultaneous Storytime

On Wednesday, the Redlands House Seniors and Transition Gold class participated in the National Simultaneous Storytime. National Simultaneous Storytime is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, preschools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 21st successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading.

The book chosen this year was “Give Me Some Space!”  by Philip Bunting and was even more exciting than usual because the book was read online from space by Dr Shannon Walker, an astronaut at the International Space Station. The children loved listening to the story and were fascinated when the astronaut stopped holding the book and it floated in the air.

June – July Vacation Care 2021

If you would like your child to attend the June-July Vacation Care program, please visit the OOSH page on Pulse from Monday 24 May in order to preview all information pertaining to the holiday activity schedule and daily requirements. The Flexischools website will be open on Friday 28 May at 12:00pm for bookings. Please use the Redlands House Vacation Care icon for children in TG and Redlands House. Feel free to contact the Late Room coordinator, Trishna Rai, with any Vacation Care or After School Care queries.

Incursion Week 6 – Larry Brandy

Larry Brandy, an indigenous storyteller will be visiting Redlands House on Wednesday 26 May. Larry will be educating the Seniors and Transition Gold students on the ways of our Indigenous people. He is a proud Wiradjuri man from Condobolin, who likes to involve the children in his performance and encourages them to become kangaroos, emus and hunters as they learn about traditional Wiradjuri culture. Larry likes to use animal masks as well as real artefacts to help involve the children in the performance.

Mrs Chemane Huon
Redlands House and Transition Coordinator
chuon@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9904 1448

Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge
Head of Preparatory School
abreckenridge@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848

Junior Sport

JUNIOR SPORT Redlands Pulse

Round 4 Wrap Up

It was great to get feedback on some of the individual but also team performances from the various sports on the weekend. In terms of some housekeeping items all Redlands students playing in a representative sport on the weekend must have and wear their sport uniform. Any random hats, hoodies etc are not permitted as we have Redlands sports uniform items like these. For the majority of sports, coaches have reported that students are arriving on time 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. As previously advertised, please check the live draw on Friday afternoon at the very latest for changes to your fixtures. Some schools may send changes to times and grounds that they are hosting midweek and these will be reflected in the draw. Students are also asked to check the team lists midweek as coaches may amend team lists between the same sport.

Optional Morning Skills Sessions

There are a variety of morning skills sessions available to students if they wish to attend. These sessions are optional and other cocurricular commitments must be honoured above these sessions. All sessions are from 7 – 8:00am held on the Redlands Junior Campus. For venues, please refer to the Winter Sport Training Schedule. Late arriving students will not be permitted to join the session.

This term we will be offering:

• Wednesday morning – Netball (Yr 3 – 6 Girls) – access by Dunnet Hall
• Wednesday morning – Football (open to all) – access by Murdoch St Oval Gate
• Friday morning – Football Goalkeeper training (open to all) – access by Murdoch St Oval Gate
• Friday morning – Football (open to all) – access by Murdoch St Oval Gate
• Friday morning – Rugby (Yr 3-6 Boys) – access by Murdoch St Oval Gate

Key Dates and Calendar

On the Junior Sport Pulse Page we display upcoming Key Dates for each Term. This has already been updated for Term 2. Just below that on the Pulse page we also have a Sport Calendar that has a more comprehensive view of Sport for this term. If you have any questions about what is on and when, please refer to these documents before contacting us.

Parent Information Booklets

For all Sport information regarding what sports we offer when, how to navigate our documents, as well as information on Uniforms and Carnivals please refer to our Parent Information Booklets on Pulse.

Representative Sport Team Lists

For weekly team selections please refer to the Term 2 Winter Sport team lists. These will be updated on Pulse following each fixture. Please remember that our Redlands Representative teams are fluid, meaning teams may change week to week depending on 3 main criteria: Ability, Attendance and Attitude. Any team movements will be discussed with your child by their coach.

Representative Sport Absences

If your child is unable to attend a training session or Saturday fixture please complete our Sports Absence form located on Pulse. This will allow Sports department staff and coaches to view prior and post fixtures and allow for another student to be contacted to fill in to make up numbers. As mentioned above, unexplained absences will affect your child’s gradings. As Representative Sport is not compulsory at Redlands, we expect all students who have committed to a team, commit to each game and training session for the duration of the season. 

Representative Sport Photos

As you would be aware our Summer and Winter Representative Team Photos take place next week on Wednesday 26 May for most of our Junior School students. In a similar format to last year both Summer Term 1 and Winter Term 2 Representative team photos will take place on the same day commencing at 8:30am. Please be aware that if you child has represented the school (playing matches on Saturdays) in either a Summer or Winter Sport then they will be required to attend the photos in their respective teams. Those students who are not needed in a representative sport photo are still required at school for normal classes and supervision before also going to Wednesday Sport. Our normal Wednesday Sport program will take place as normal that afternoon.

Venue            

All photos will take place on Redlands Oval at the following times;

8:30am – 9:30am- All Yr 5 and 6 Team Photos for Summer Term 1 and Winter Term 2 Teams
9:30am – 10:00am – All Year 3 and 4 Team Photos for Summer Term 1 and Winter Term 2 Teams
10.00am – 10.30am – Any remaining photos (Eg HICES Swimming, HICES Cross Country, HICES Athletics)

Students should arrive at school at normal time for regular classes as well as sport that afternoon.

What to Wear             

Students need to wear their PE Uniform along with sneakers/joggers. Unlike previous years students do not have to bring in their sport specific uniform as all team photos will be in PE Uniform.

Format             

I have created a barcode label for every student (an example of which is shown below). Each barcode is linked to their name from Engage. On the morning of the shoot each student will receive their barcode which has been laminated to retain for their photos. Students will have their photograph taken and then their bar code will be scanned by the photographers. This will ensure the correct name, spelling of each position in the photo is recorded.

Photo List            

Photos will be taken for all Summer Sport Teams, all Winter Sport teams along with those ‘extra’ photos such as HICES Swimming, HICES Cross Country and HICES Athletics. Please refer to the link to view the full photo shot for each grade to see your child’s involvement.

Cross Country

Our talented athletes showing their achievements. 

Mr Trevor Dunne
Head of Junior Sport
tdunne@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022

Ms Kirsty O’Sullivan
Sports Administrator
juniorsport@redlands.nsw.edu.au  

Photo Caption: Junior School Captains holding the Cross Country House Champions trophy.

Snowsports

Congratulations!

Sienna Wessels has been selected by Snow Australia to be part of this seasons Emerging Talent Program for Snowboard Cross.

Important Dates

Race Week

We will be staying at High Country Campus (HCC) and there are still spots available. Students in Yrs 7-12 must be willing to race. Students must register to compete in both the Redlands Cup and two events at the Sydney Interschools Championships. Race registration must be completed before a spot at HCC will be considered.

Race Week Bookings

ACCOMMODATION AT HIGH COUNTRY CAMPUS 

OWN ACCOMMODATION

Thredbo Season Passes

Thredbo will be offering discounted season passes to Redlands students this year. Last chance to purchase.

PURCHASE A STUDENT THREDBO SEASON PASS 

Interschools

Interschools has a new website this year. It is a great place to find further information regarding all snowsports events.

Further details can be found on Redlands Pulse – Snowsports.

Bruce Campbell
Snowsports Administrator
0413 764 445
bcampbell@redlands.nsw.edu.au

or Ms Eliza Peirce
Snowsports Administrator
epeirce@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Ballet and Dance

Important Dates 

Class Watching

Class watching is an opportunity for parents and friends to observe their child in their usual ballet and dance class (these are the classes they are enrolled in). Please find the Class Watching dates here on Redlands Pulse.

Please remember to scan the QR Code when you attend Class Watching, or visit the Parkes Hall Building.  

Eisteddfods 2021

Please see Redlands Pulse for information on 2021 Eisteddfods.

Classes This Week

Yr 12 student Sophia Justice inspiring our Grade 1 Ballet class.

Ballerinas:
Back row – Julie Yang  (2R), Sophia Justice (Yr 12) and Alma Kristensen (2W)
Middle row – Reina Sabharwal (2Y), Estelle Cesco (2R) and Avalon Adderton (2B)
Front row – Frankie Holmes (2Y) and Mia Gambotto (2W)

Can’t Come to Class?

Please do not forget to let us know if sickness, injury or change of circumstance has occurred. Kindly email dance@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Ms K Martin
Head of Ballet and Dance Academy
kmartin@redlands.nsw.edu.au
02 9908 6461

Photo Caption: 
“Napauken” – a contemporary dance choreographed by Brianna Law for the 2020 EOY Concert.             Students, left to right:  Jenna O’Reilly, Poppy Justice, Annabelle Harman.

Drama and Theatre

Gala Arts Auditions

The competitors for 2021 will be announced on Monday 31 May. Gala Arts will be held at The Concourse in Chatswood on Friday 23 July at 6.30pm. 

Yr 10 Drama Theatre of the Absurd

Yr 10 students performed in a collection of dramatic and comedic scenes from Theatre of the Absurd in Connections 2021 on Monday and Tuesday 17 and 18 May at 6.30pm in the Drama Studio to a full house of parents and friends each night. It was wonderful to see the growth in performance skills of all our students who enjoyed being able to have a live audience present again. 

Regional Shakespeare Carnival 

Our Yr 11 students Katina Casimaty, Louise Colin, Bella Kendrigan and Sara Vancalkova competed last week in the Regional Shakespeare Festival at Jamison High School. They were placed second in the Regional Finals with very physical adaptation of Midsummer Night’s Dream to the stage.

Year 12 Solo Showcase “To Thine Own Self Be True”

Yr 12 IB students will be presenting their Solo Performance Examination followed by a ‘Question and Answer’ session on Tuesday 1 June at 6.30pm in the Drama Studio. Audience members are encouraged to provide feedback to the students. Spaces are limited and seats can be booked through Trybooking and on the iLearn course page. 

Yr 12 HSC students will be presenting their individual works in performance and design for their final examination at 6pm on Monday 7 June in the Adams Centre. Please join them as they step on to the stage for their solo showcase of major works. Spaces are limited and seats can be booked through both Trybooking and on the iLearn course page. 

Mrs Joy Daley
Coordinator of Theatre and Drama
drama@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9860 

Music

SENIOR CAMPUS MUSIC INFORMATION

JUNIOR CAMPUS MUSIC INFORMATION

Music Events

Senior Music Festival – Student Rush Ticket Sales

In the final week of ticket sales, the School is offering students a 50% discount on tickets to the 2021 Senior Music Festival. For more information contact the Box Office at The Concourse. Please note, that Student ID Cards are required for purchase and entry to the event.

Ticket Sales available NOW 

• Gold $50
• Adult $40
• Junior/Pension/Student/Unemployed $30
• Student Rush $15
• Family (2 adults, 2 children) $110

Semester One Lunchtime Concert Series

Parents are welcome to attend the Junior Campus Studio Concerts at Lunchtimes which continue into Week 6. We look forward to welcoming the Music Community back on-campus after a long hiatus from our Lunchtime concert Series. All parents and carers, are asked to please follow all On-Site COVD-19 Sign-In Expectations. Senior Campus Studio Concerts will commence in Week 7.

Junior Campus Studio Concerts (Weeks 5 and 6)

Senior Campus Studio Concerts (Weeks 7 and 8)

Senior Campus

Redlands Composition Competition

The Music Department is pleased to announce the 2021 Music Composition Competition. This creative opportunity is designed for any aspiring young composer in Yrs 7-12 who is currently enrolled in the either the Academic Music Program, Co-Curricular Music Ensembles Program or Extra Subjects Program. Students are encouraged to continue developing original works for submission mid-Term 3. Application forms will be available from Music Reception from Friday 18 June or can be downloaded from Redlands Pulse under Music.

Secondary Campus Ensemble Rehearsal Attendance

Students are reminded about the importance of regular attendance to all Music Ensemble rehearsals and in meeting goals set at the start of the year in reaching a high standard of performance excellence. Morning rehearsals commence 7.15am and students should be moving to rehearsal rooms by 7.10am. Absence due to camp and/or illness will be the only accepted reason for non-attendance. It is essential that you contact seniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au if you want to enrol or are unable to attend any rehearsals. 

Junior Campus

Junior Campus Ensemble Rehearsal Attendance

A reminder that punctual attendance at all ensembles is an expectation of all students enrolled in co-curricular ensembles. Prep Ensembles commence at 7.45am, with supervision from 7.35am and Junior School Ensembles commence at 7.15am with supervision from 7.05am. The exception to these times are Junior Voices, Guitar Ensemble and Jazz Band which all commence promptly at 7.30am. Attendance is integral as all ensembles have begun rehearsing for upcoming events.

Junior Campus Music Enrolments juniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Download All Music Forms from Redlands Pulse under Music. 

Mr Darren Kuilenburg
Coordinator of Music
seniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9820