Foundation

Science Week

“At Redlands we encourage students to be observant and fascinated about the world around them. With over 600 students in Yrs 7-10 and 70% of students studying a Science for their HSC/IB, we are very fortunate to have such fabulous and well equipped laboratories which are adaptable spaces providing for a range of hands-on teaching and learning experiences.” Mrs Sarah Harrison, Head of Science.

“Science at Redlands, having first taught it here thirty five years ago, is reflected in the enthusiasm of students. Our focus on practical work means Science has always been popular. We have been fortunate to have some passionate teachers with real world experience in their fields and a talent for enthusing their students. In parallel with our curricular subjects, we have run Engineering and Astronomy Clubs, Science Weeks and an Olympiad program which has enjoyed success at the very highest levels – Gold and Silver medals in international competition. Science HSC and IB courses remain strong, as do cocurricular activities. The future looks bright for Science at Redlands”. Mr David Randall, Dean of Studies – HSC.

“My love for science started early but became the focus of my education after competing in the International Science Olympiad program at Redlands. After winning a gold medal at the IESO 2015 and a silver medal at the IBO 2016, I went on to persue a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Genetics and Physiology (Honours) at the University of Toronto, Canada, where I had the opportunity to conduct research and continue to foster my scientific skills. I will be starting the Doctor of Medicine program at the University of Toronto this August, a medical school ranked 5th globally.” Zoe Thompson, Class of 2016, Dux IB, School Captain and Bands Captain.

Some Redlanders in Science based fields include:

Legacy Gift of Class of 2020

The Yr 12 tea towels have arrived and will be distributed next week via students if you pre-ordered one or two. With only a few tea towels left, don’t miss out on this collector’s item. 

buy here

Purchases of the remaining limited stock can be made in Yr 12 Tutor Groups next Tuesday, an eftpos machine will be available. Thank you everyone who has participated and supported this wonderful student-led initiative.

For more information please contact Caroline Jane, Alumni Manager and Yr 12 parent.

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

Photo caption: Class of 2016 Science Olympiad recipients.

From the Principal

By now parents and carers would have received the link to our Strategic Planning survey, which has also been sent to Year 7-12 students, staff, Directors, Members of SCECGS Redlands Ltd and alumni. The feedback that we will gain from our school community is essential as we progress through the development of next strategic plan and collectively look ahead to our future. Thank you to those who have completed the survey and I encourage everyone to take the time in their busy schedules to provide this most valuable feedback.

Educational research has shown that feedback from students on their experience of teaching and learning can be more valid than some other forms, such as peer or professional observation. Given that students are in the classroom for all lessons and that they are the ones learning, this is probably not surprising. This year, Head of Teaching and Learning, Matthew Bentley has led the introduction of a series of Student Voice surveys, which students in Years 5-12 are completing over the next two weeks. The information from these surveys will provide rich and valuable feedback to our teachers and form an important part of their professional growth plan process. The surveys also send an important message to our students that we value their opinion and feedback on their learning.   

Over the next two weeks, staff are also taking time to visit each other’s classrooms during our ‘Go Open’ initiative in which staff actively invite colleagues to visit their lessons and share their professional practice. There is a strong collaborative culture amongst staff in the School which leads to broader conversations about different pedagogical approaches and a strong desire to learn from each other.

I appreciate that many of you would have been disappointed to receive my recent communication regarding further modifications we have been required to make to our cocurricular program. As you are aware, it is challenging to plan and program in such a changing landscape; however, the leadership team always thoroughly addresses the updated advice, considers the health and wellbeing of students, staff and the broader community and reviews our risk assessments accordingly. We are very conscious of the wellbeing of our students and the importance of physical activity, a key reason why we have continued with our sports training program, the running of fixtures that meet the updated requirements and the exploration of other possibilities for internal sport activities. We are also continuing to explore creative alternatives for our Year 12 end of year events.

Please continue to provide feedback or any questions through to feedback@redlands.nsw.edu.au as this has continued to assist us in our planning and communication.

Finally, one of the joys of my role is seeing the mentoring and role modelling of older students with younger students across the School. I thoroughly enjoyed attending last week’s Redlands House Seniors Sports Carnival and observing how much our students in Preschool enjoyed the guidance, encouragement and support of our Year 6 students. It was a special morning!

Mr Stephen Webber

Photo caption: Victorious in the Yr 7 House Debating competition, Dumolo debated against Cowper that “Parents should restrict the amount of time that students spend on technology outside of school hours”.

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RPFA

Redlands Silver Linings Cookbook

We hope you enjoyed last week’s recipes, here are this week’s:

Dumplings
Soba Salad
Swiss Roll
Tom Kha Gai

Book Club

We will be discussing The White Girl by Tony Birch – recently shortlisted for the Miles Franklin award, “a story of good, evil and the legacy of Australia’s colonial past” on Thursday 10 September from 7.30pm. 

2020 RPFA Committee

rpfa@redlands.nsw.edu.au

President: Michelle Tea
Vice President: JP Forrest
Secretary: Jo Lloyd 
Treasurer: Christine Walsh
Committee: Anna Maria Stillone, Annette Swann, Jean Martin, Kate Kesby, Malcolm Pascoe, Maria Kinsela and Tina Shacklock

Head of Secondary School

Covid-19 Arrangements and Updates

As communicated by Mr Webber in his letter to parents yesterday, we have recently received advice from the NSW Chief Health Officer in regard to further restrictions on school activities and programs for the remainder of this term in order to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in the community. Unfortunately, this advice has forced us to have to cancel or postpone a number of events scheduled for this term, including the remainder of many interschool winter sports seasons, as well as a number of different music ensembles and performing arts groups. More specific information about the status of these and other activities can be found in the individual sections of Note Day. We are of course disappointed that students will not be able to fully participate in these cocurricular activities which bring them (and those of us who get to see them flourish in these events) so much joy. However, we are working hard to alter as many scheduled events as possible to still be able to run them in a modified and safe form. For example, we now plan to conclude many of our winter sports seasons this Saturday with internal fixtures within the same Year Group and opportunities to celebrate the contributions of our Yr 12 students. As we work through events scheduled for the rest of this term and the remainder of the year, we will update parents about any altered arrangements, including in regard to any scheduled or rescheduled camps for Term 4. Our priority will be to ensure that our Yr 12 students still enjoy a fitting farewell and celebration of the culmination of their Redlands journey over these coming weeks. We thank you again for your continued patience and support.

Science Week

It has been great to see Science Week celebrated in the Secondary School this week, even if some of the planned activities have had to be altered or modified. This year’s Science Week theme is Deep Blue: Innovations for the Future of Our Oceans. Students across the Year Groups have been partaking in a number of different activities exploring the issues affecting our oceans. Our online Science Week Assembly on Tuesday allowed students and staff the opportunity to hear from current students, teachers, alumni and scientists in the wider community about their experiences in Science and what they have learned from their studies. We heard from Associate Professor Michael Bowen who is currently researching pharmacotherapies for brain disorders at the University of Sydney, as well as Dr Charlie Veron, a marine scientist who has been called the “Godfather of Coral” for his research into coral on the Great Barrier Reef. (An interview with Dr Veron was also aired this week on the ABC television series, The Fight for Planet A: Our Climate Challenge.) In addition, we heard from two of last year’s graduates, Isabel Binnekamp and Chloe Church, about their current studies in Science at university. It is wonderful to see Science studied in so many different ways around the Campus – last week I got to see multiple watermelons explode outside of my office as part of Yr 8 Science experiments! Click image to view video.

I would like to thank the Yr 11 students who put together the assembly, as well as the Science staff, who have organised activities for this week. 

Student Feedback Surveys

This week we have asked students across Yrs 7-12 to complete anonymous student feedback surveys in each of their classes as part of our quest for continuous improvement of our teaching practice. We hope that this data will provide us with a rich opportunity to reflect on our practice both individually and collectively, as well as to better support the learning needs of our students.  

Mr Sean Corcoran
Head of Secondary School
scorcoran@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9870

Careers

Cambridge University Open Day

To be held virtually on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September, this Open Day will include a regional Q&A session with an Australian student studying at Cambridge. Please register here. 

Cambridge University International Model United Nations High School Conference

This conference will take place on Saturday 19 September in a virtual format for students aged 15-18 years. Applications are now open and close on Sunday 13 September. Register here.

Virtual Open Days This Weekend

ANU will start their Open Week on Saturday 22 August through to Friday 28 August, register here. 

University of Canberra, Saturday 22 August from 9.00am to 4.00pm, register here.

University of Sydney Webinars

These will be held after school and are open to any student. Topics include Occupational Therapy, Exercise Physiology, Your Future in Business, Scholarships and a Science Student Panel. Register here.

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

Chaplain

Gratitude transforms our perspective of life. As we systematically recall all we have to be grateful for, we tend to focus on the positive and good. This can build resilience and our ability to face the not so perfect or normal world.

One Yr 12 student, Aleisha Lawrence in her Solo Performance piece, produced an inspiring background of gratitude with lists of beautiful things that people appreciated and lifts one’s spirit, making them happy. The list was impressive; from the smell of fresh coffee to the bracing feel of diving into the cold water. I was engrossed and encouraged as I roamed the fourth floor of the Learning Hub reading such a wonderful spectrum of gratitude. On leaving the Learning Hub, I was rejoicing in the beauty of life and my concerns faded significantly.

The bible calls the message of Jesus the Good News. I think it is the best news and news that is needed now more than ever. The good news bubbles with gratitude. God sees our broken and tainted world and hearts and refuses to leave us in that darkness. I am grateful that even though I live with brokenness, there is healing. God knows our potential and values us, loves us and calls to us. I am grateful when I feel isolated that his love is unshakable. Jesus death and resurrections invites us into his kingdom of light where death is but a doorway. I am grateful as I mourn knowing that there is more and better to come. God adopts us as his children, giving us a new life and another family. I am grateful as my identity is firmly established and so I know who I am in the safe arms of the heavenly Father. Jesus entrusts his followers to continue to bring healing, truth and peace to the world. I am grateful as my life has eternal significance and meaning.

As we continue to work and live in a world of change and restrictions, may I encourage you to take some time out as a family and make a list of all the things for which you are thankful.

Ms Bronwyn Lihou
Senior Campus Chaplain
blihou@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9830

Ms Fiona McKenzie
Junior Campus Chaplain
fmckenzie@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9897

Year 12

School Attendance

We have noticed that some Yr 12s are starting to become a little relaxed with their arrival times and lesson attendance. Whilst we are so impressed with how well they handled their Trial Examinations, there is still plenty of learning left in the classroom. These last few weeks of school play a crucial role in their final examinations and will provide them with important feedback and learning content from their teachers.

Science Week

It is National Science Week and, despite some of the usual events not going ahead this year, the Redlands Science Department has been celebrating and sharing their passion for the subject. The National Science Week theme this year is Deep Blue: innovations for the future of our Oceans. 

No matter where you live on our blue planet – you’re connected to the sea. But the seas are under threat. The industrialisation that has occurred in the oceans over the last century mirrors the events that triggered mass extinctions on land. Industrial scale fishing, habitat destruction, species loss and pollution have placed the ocean in peril. The very nature of the sea is being irretrievably altered. By international standards, Australia is a marine conservation leader. It has the world’s largest coral reef, the best managed fisheries and potentially, the greatest network of marine protected areas on the planet. However, the crisis of ocean change lapping on our shores has critical implications for the future of our country and our way of life.

The Yr 12 HSC Science Extension students presented their Student Research Projects to the Yr 11 HSC Science cohort and our Deputy Principal Ms McGarry, Head of Teaching and Learning Mr Bentley and Dean of Studies Mr Randall. This is the culmination of the Yr 12 students’ study of the nature, development and processes of Science through the development of their own research question, methodology and analysis of data.

Mr Edward Atkins
Yr 12 Advisor 
eatkins@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9909 3133

Year 11

Students Driving to School

If your child has attained their provisional licence and would like to drive to and from school there are procedures that they will need to adhere to. Firstly, students must attend the Secondary School Office and obtain a yellow form. The yellow form is then signed by parents, Head of Secondary School and me. Students will need to provide a copy of their licence. If families wish for their child to drive siblings to school, a blue form needs to be filled in.

Please can I request the support of parents where driving to school is concerned, Redlands works incredibly hard to forge strong connections with our neighbours and wider community. Students parking illegally or over local residents’ driveways quickly erodes any good faith in the school. In addition, students are not permitted to leave the school grounds to move their car during the school day, even at break times. Please encourage your son or daughter to arrive at school early each morning so that they can find an all day park.

Yearly Examination Period

A reminder that examinations begin next week on Thursday 24 August – Friday 4 September. Students may come and go in accordance with their examination timetable. It is the student’s responsibility to be prompt to their exams and be prepared with the required stationery. Should students wish to remain on campus to study, they may use the break out area of the fourth floor of the new Learning Hub or attend the Roseby Library. Students will be encouraged to work quietly and independently, so as not to disturb any exams that are running during their study breaks. Full school uniform is required during the exam period and students are reminded that if they are leaving school to go home, they must go directly and not loiter around the shopping precinct.

Science Week

During recent weeks, Science students from 11DR and 11CY worked collaboratively to produce a high-quality video for the Prefects Assembly to celebrate and recognise Science Week. The National Science Week theme for this year was entitled Deep Blue: Innovations for the future of our Oceans. James Barrelle, Olivia Donoghue, Indiana Grace, Alexander Holtheuer, Emma Mahon, Kira Prado, Megan Price, Natalie Watson, Olivia Wintle and Lauren Wong all assisted with the editing and post production of the video. A special mention to Emma Mahon and Indiana Grace who interviewed eminent scientists and facilitated discussions on global warming and its effects on the ocean. Well done to these students. 

Ms Sarah Matthews
Yr 11 Advisor
smatthews@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6494

Year 10

Tutor Time

This week is Science Week so students have spent time during Tutor Group learning about innovation for the future of our oceans. Activities included taking part in a quiz, with a prize awarded for the highest marks, and watching a video produced by Yr 11 students on topics such as Climate Change and its effects on the ocean.

Minimal Standards Testing

Dean of Studies, David Randall, spoke to all students this week regarding the upcoming mininimal standards testing that is taking place for all Yr 10 students as a requirement from NESA for high school students. Parents have been emailed regarding these tests, with Mathematics and Reading taking place on Monday 7 September and Writing on Tuesday 8 September. Any further questions, please address them to David Randall.

Vaccinations

A reminder for all parents who wish their children to receive the upcoming vaccinations to sign and get their child to return the form as soon as possible. Vaccinations are taking place on Tuesday 1 September.

Photos

On Monday 24 August (Cowper and Dumolo) and Wednesday 26 August (McDouall and Roseby), students will be having a photo taken in their House groups for a memento of their times spent with their peers.

Sporting Achievements

Congratulations to Hugh Sellar, Willem McCormack and Jack Walsh who played for the Firsts Rugby team last Saturday and had very strong games. Also, congratulations to Hunter Mennie, who was an instrumental leader when he captained the 16As.

Ms Rebecca Mountain
Yr 10 Advisor
rmountain@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462

Year 9

Appropriate Use of Technology

Technology access is available to all students as part of the teaching and learning programs offered at Redlands. The use of technology in the classroom provides students with valuable learning opportunities. Access to the online world can be incredibly useful in allowing immediate research and access to rich and varied resources; it can also present some personal challenges. 

Under the Redlands ICT Responsible User Guidelines and Secondary School Technology Usage Policy,  known incorrect use of technology will attract an appropriate response from teachers. However, young people also need to learn how to personally manage their digital devices, along with the distractions created by social media and other temptations.

Parents are able to assist in the management of appropriate use of technology at school by:

• Speaking openly about the importance of classroom engagement, the personal implications of misuse of technology and the impact it can have on the learning of others.
• Implementing clear technology agreements in the home. 
• Engaging with strategies which would best support your child. Some students choose to limit their distractions through the use of applications on devices which prevent them from accessing the distractions. Once the app is downloaded to the device it actually blocks Instagram, YouTube etc. Students can’t access these sites, even if they try to delete the app.
• Reporting specific concerns of technology misuse directly to the classroom teacher. If preferred, concerns can also be shared with the Subject Coordinator or Year Advisor. 

The eSafety Commissioner offers some excellent and accessible parent resources to assist in establishing, maintaining and developing healthy habits. The following articles are particularly useful:

• Taming the Technology: How to use parental controls and other tools to maximise online safety in your home.
• Time Online: Help your child achieve a healthy balance in their online and offline activities.
• Online Gaming: Online games can be great fun for your child, but make sure you can help them manage the risks.

The eSafety Commissioner also offers live webinars for parents, at no cost. Webinars explore the latest research and are a great way to learn how you can help your child develop the skills to be safer online. All sessions are delivered by eSafety expert educators. During September, age relevant topics cover: popular apps (TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube), time online, gaming and house rules. Don’t forget to register online.

Yr 9’s Physical Activity

Ms Marita Jansons 
Yr 9 Advisor
mjansons@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9819

Year 8

This Week

It is Science Week! The National Science Week theme this year is Deep Blue: innovations for the future of our Oceans. 

Students in Yr 8 have already been testing the scientific methodology with the question ‘How many rubber bands does it take to implode a watermelon?’  This is a mass Science experiment where the data from 250 schools will be collected and analysed. Photos from this experiment were included in last week’s Note Day. 

Students in Yrs 7 and 8 are also watching the preview of the film Blue, with a class discussion followed by  designing a poster around issues relating to our oceans.

Term 3 Assessments

Currently, Yr 8 students are in the midst of a few assessments due between this week and next week. It is a timely reminder for students to revisit their time management skills. Dr Prue Salter has several resources on her Study Skills website to support students during this busy time. Please note that the updated Yr 8 Assessment Calendar is on Redlands Pulse for parents and in the Yr 8 Pastoral page under Key Information for students. Study Skills Handbook can be found here. Username: redlands; Password: 68results.

Yr 8 Pastoral Program

Following on from last term’s theme of Getting Along where students were introduced to their character strengths and noticing character strengths in others, Yr 8 has started Term 3 with the theme: Resilience, Wellbeing and Happiness. This term will include lessons on the following topics: Emotions and their Temperatures, The Key of Resilience, Catastrophising, Coping Skills, Rational Thinking, Mindfulness, Gratitude and Kindness. 

This week, students will focus on their Emotional Thermometer and they will revisit the Catastrophe scale. Yr 8 students first saw these two diagrams in Yr 7. Our Pastoral team keeps a copy of these dynamic posters in our office space as it is a fantastic reminder for all ages to stop and reflect on incidents that happen, how they make us feel, what we then think based on our feelings, how our body reacts and the consequences of those reactions.

These posters may support conversations at home regarding student incidents and reactions that arise throughout the year.   

Ms Alissa Ynson
Yr 8 Advisor
9968 9863
aynson@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Year 7

Yr 7 Learning Management Alerts

At Redlands, we have a program developed to assist tracking students’ academic task management. In Yr 7 this program is known as Learning Management Alerts. This program assists students, parents and teachers in monitoring and supporting student learning. 

Teachers will issue Learning Management Alerts whenever they feel a Yr 7 student may be at risk of falling behind. A notification will be sent to the student briefly outlining an action the student can take in order to catch up the task. Our intention is to stimulate informed and supportive discussions during Tutor Time and at home to assist students to catch up and continue to productively manage their workload. We are aiming to start every Monday with a clean slate.

Some key points:

• Learning Management Alerts are not a punishment. They are a form of support for everybody associated with the academic progress of Yr 7 students.
• Learning Management Alerts are by no means a supplement for student planning systems, nor a comprehensive overview of upcoming assessment tasks. They simply highlight areas that require immediate attention in order to meet the requirements of a particular course at any point.
• It is vital that students take responsibility for their high school studies by contacting their teachers themselves if they feel the information in the database is inaccurate. 
• If a student is feeling overwhelmed, they are encouraged to contact their Tutor, Assistant Year Advisor or Year Advisor immediately.

Yr 7 House Debating

Week 4 was an exciting week in the ‘Debating World’ for Yr 7. Each House provided a team and the competition was exciting.

• Our first debate, Roseby Vs Dumolo: “That teachers should be made to wear a teachers uniform at school” – Winner: Dumolo
• Our second debate, Cowper Vs McDouall: “That school principals should be chosen by students” – Winner: Cowper
• The decider, Dumolo Vs Cowper: “Parents should restrict the amount of time that students spend on technology outside of school hours” – Finals Winner: Dumolo.

Every student involved in House Debating is to be commended not only on their efforts on the day of the debate, but their preparations in the lead up. Extra special thanks are also to be given to Ms Simone Bryant who organised the event, Mr Ben Peate for his technical expertise, the Senior students who worked with each team in preparation, the House Mentors, and of course, our adjudicators, Ms Anna Rolon, Ms Rachel Beggs, and Mr Conrad Del Villar.

Science

In Science, Yr 7 demonstrated a scaled version of our Solar System. You can’t see the planets because they are so small in comparison to our soccer ball sun; however, the distance scale is still apparent. How exciting Yr 7.

Ms Lisa Vale
Yr 7 Advisor
9968 9837
lvale@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Head of Junior School

COVID-19 Update

Further to Mr Webber’s letter to all families yesterday, we continue to review and follow this week’s updated health advice from the NSW Chief Health Officer and its flow-on implications for our programs and activities.

As noted in the letter, all Junior School interschool sporting fixtures have been cancelled for the remainder of Term 3 by the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA), under whose umbrella we play our representative sports fixtures. The only sport that will continue is our Friday night Netball competition which is organised by a local community sport association, Northern Suburbs Netball.

Below is a short summary of Junior School programs and activities and their current status:

We will continue to review and adapt to updated advice and continue to provide as many opportunities as we are able to in this current climate.

An additional letter will be sent outlining all aspects of Junior School Sport before the end of this week and also placed on Redlands Pulse for your reference.

Student Health Matters

We are grateful for our community’s continued vigilance and support in ensuring any student with symptoms of COVID-19 remain at home and return once they have received a negative COVID test result. Connected to this, even if students return a negative COVID test result, they should stull remain at home if they still have any cold symptoms to avoid any risk of them passing on cold symptoms to others who then might have to go through the same process of time off school and COVID testing. Thank you for your support with this matter.

Canteen Update

There has been a lot of positive feedback on the updated Junior Canteen menu and I encourage families to visit the Canteen page on Redlands Pulse for this information.

From today, due to the overwhelming popularity of the new sushi range, orders through Flexischools for sushi should be made before 9.00pm on the day before.

Our Redlands Canteens also use as much recycled and environmentally-friendly products and packaging as possible and sourcing biodegradable, sugarcane and ecofriendly products to provide a cost effective, sustainable food packaging solution for the School.

And excitingly, one of their next projects is to use the Learning Hub rooftop garden on our Senior Campus to grow herbs and vegetables for the menu.

Virtual Open Morning

Our Open Morning for prospective families took a new virtual look this week as nearly 150 families enjoyed a series of short videos and live presentations with leaders from across the School. As many current families would have experienced first-hand, these open mornings allow families to get a wonderful feel and lens into our School and whilst the medium was different this time, the videos, in particular, still allowed them to get a strong sense of our School.

October Vacation Care

If you would like your child to attend the October Vacation Care program, please visit Redlands Pulse to preview the activity plans. The Flexischools website will be open from 12.00pm on Monday 7 September for bookings using the Prep and Junior Vacation Care icon.

If you have any Vacation Care or OOSH queries, please can contact Trinetta Newbond (OOSH Coordinator) on 0413 764 443.

Student Writing Success

We were thrilled to be notified that Caroline Brown (Yr 5) achieved the Runner-Up Award in the Yr 5/6 age category in this year’s Whitlam Institute’s What Matters Competition. Caroline shared her topical piece, COVID-19: A Child’s Voice, with the Junior School in a recent assembly, and I know parents will also enjoy this reflective piece of writing.

Visual Arts Success

Congratulations to Aimee Kang (Yr 4) whose recent submission in the illustration competition for JK Rowling’s soon-to-be-published book, The Ickabog, has been shortlisted from over 18,000 submissions around the world for this competition.

In addition, Aimee’s drawing of her friend was also shortlisted earlier in the year in the Young Archie competition, organised by the Art Gallery of NSW, another wonderful achievement.

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

Head of Preparatory School

COVID-19 Update

As you would be aware, over the last few weeks there have been some updates to the NSW Government guidelines in the wake of recent cases in NSW schools. Please ensure you have read the communication that was sent by Mr Stephen Webber yesterday. 

For the Preparatory School, changes will affect us in the following ways:

• Prep Assembly will be via Zoom
• Choral will be conducted in a modified teaching form
• Yr 2 swimming program to Lane Cove Pool will still go ahead
• Book Week celebrations are postponed until Term 4 
• Students will be encouraged to continue to socially distance at cocurricular activities and Clubs.

Our priority is to ensure our students are safe and that we can keep as much operating as we can on the Campus. Thank you again in assisting  to make this happen by being vigilant at all times and observing the current guidelines. We continue to ensure all our students and staff are temperature checked daily, hand sanitiser is available, there is regular hand washing and that our students refrain from sharing food or drinks. As a staff, we also try our best to encourage social distancing when required.

K-2 Parent Teacher Zoom Interviews

Our parent teacher interviews will go ahead via Zoom in Weeks 7 and 8. You would have received the information of how to book your session this week. We have tried to make the times more flexible for both our teaching staff and for our families. The sessions will be 15 minutes in duration and will focus on where your children are currently at in their learning and what are the next steps in moving forward. If you would like to talk with me directly, please book a session to talk with me.

Vodcast This Week

This week our community Vodcast is discussing comprehension questioning and techniques that you can use when reading to and with your child. Trudi Hepers has put together some lovely positive ways that encourage dialogue around a shared text. The key, of course, is to keep the love of books alive, encourage students to read their choice of books and to not treat reading as a chore. 

Vodcast

I have received  positive feedback from our first vodcast. It is a lovely way to connect with our school community. We continue to endeavour to find ways in which we can include our families via Zoom and Redlands Pulse and share the learning happening in the Prep School.

October Vacation Care 

If you would like your child to attend the October Vacation Care program, please visit Redlands Pulse to preview the activity plan. The Flexischools website will be open on Monday 7 September at 12.00pm to make any bookings. Please use the Prep and Junior Vacation Care icon. If you have any Vacation Care or OOSH queries, please contact the OOSH Coordinator, Trinetta Newbond on 0413 764 443.

Sushi Ordering

Sushi has become a very popular item for lunches and we are thrilled that so many students are enjoying this healthy lunch. Due to the numbers now being ordered, the cut off time to order sushi will be by 9.00pm the evening before supply. All other Canteen ordering will remain thew same.

Yr 2 Maths

Yr 1 Persuasive Language

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

Redlands House/Transition Gold

New Staff Member

We are very excited to welcome Miss Trishna Rai to the Redlands House team. Trishna is now the Redlands House Late Room Coordinator, she will oversee that planning for Late Room and Vacation Care at Redlands House. Trishna has worked at Redlands for many years in the OOSH program in the Prep Schoo and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role. We know she will enjoy her time and will be a great addition to the Redlands House team. Trishna can be contact via email on trai@redlands.nsw.edu.au.

Transition to School

For children and their families, the transition to school is a significant milestone in a child’s education. If children have a positive experience in starting school, they can meet future changes throughout their education with trust and confidence. To assist in this transition, the Senior classes will be visiting the Prep School over the next few weeks to familiarise themselves with the playground, classrooms, bathrooms and canteen. Next term, the children will have the opportunity to spend some time in the Kindergarten classrooms and experience what it is like to be in the Prep School for a morning.

October Vacation Care

If you would like your child to attend the October Vacation Care program, please visit Redlands Pulse to preview the activity plan. Flexischools will be open on Monday 7 September at 12.00pm to make any bookings. Please use the Redlands House Vacation Care icon. If you have any Vacation Care or OOSH queries you can contact the Late Room Coordinator, Trishna Rai.

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

Secondary Sport

School Sport is Still Alive!

As you would be aware we have made the decision to cease interschool winter sport activities based on the advice from NSW Health. As communicated by our relevant Sport Administrators we will be continuing with internal school fixtures and trainings where possible and will begin to transition to our summer rep and non-rep sports over the coming weeks.

We did not make this decision lightly, and the current COVID environment has meant we had little choice. On the upside, this decision has shone a light on the importance and value we place on sport within our school community. Sport carries significant benefits for not just our physical health but also social cohesion, mental health and emotional wellbeing. All attributes of a Redlands education that are highly valued within our school community and more broadly in society. It is for this reason many families will be aware that some club or community based sporting programs are continuing. This is because these sport programs provide a huge amount of value to the local and state economy, not just in financial terms but the opportunity cost of community connection and mental health. These tough decisions and actions have made it very clear that sport in Australian society is much more than taking high flying marks, kicking winning goals and scoring game winning tries. Sport is about mothers talking to each other on the side line sharing tips about parenting teens, the conversations a father has with a son on the way to a rugby match in the car, a mother sharing an inspiring story about the first time she played netball as a young girl, it is about volunteers helping set up tents and cook the BBQ for their clubs, not because they have to, but because they want to contribute to the local community they are a part of. It is the brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents, teachers, coaches, umpires, friends, mums and dads who live in a community coming together to enjoy each others company through the unity of sport. A connection which holds a deep seeded sense of value greater than the competition itself. Sport is a vital part of our social fabric and will remain so now and into the future.

We will continue to offer sport to inspire our students to achieve life readiness, albeit in a different format and under certain conditions. For we know and are extremely passionate about its value to your sons, daughters and our school community.  

Sport Updates

Please refer to Redlands Pulse for a full list of details related to changes and cancellations to sport as well as an up to date fixture list for this weekend.

Sports staff will contact relevant students and parents with information relating to Summer sport registrations. Summer sport trainings and trials are scheduled to commence in Week 7, commencing Thursday 3 September.

AFL 

Boys

Redlands Bs faced a tough St Ignatius outfit on Saturday. It was clear from the start that the boys from St Ignatius had turned up ready for a hard, competitive game, something all Redlands AFL teams need to embrace. After a slow first quarter, the Redlands boys worked into the contest and battled hard for the remaining three quarters to ensure St Ignatius had to work hard for their win. Persistence throughout the last quarter allowed for some late goals which provided the boys with some reward for their effort.

Redlands As came up against St Patricks for the second time this season. From the outset, our midfield asserted their authority on the contest and were able to give Redlands a clear advantage moving the ball forward. It was a true team performance that saw all players have solid contributions to the four goal win. Special mention to the following boys who ended up playing in both games and tried hard all day in challenging conditions: Fletcher, Sam, Alex, Krishna, Harrison, Andrew, and Owen

Girls 

It was another tough day for our girls against a well organised and experienced opposition. Despite the end result, the coaches could not fault the effort from our girls who tried hard throughout the four quarters and really started to implement some of the key concepts that the coaches have been communicating during training. It was impressive to watch all girls remain really positive throughout the game and finish the day with a smile on their face. Well done girls.

Football

Boys 

It was a tough day out at St Patrick’s College for most of our Football teams, with St Pats proving again they are a dominant force in Division 1 Football. The 1st XI continue to improve each week and, despite going down 0-2, looked much the better of the two sides. The 2nd XI had a tough 2-5 loss, after going down by two to start the game. They did well to claw back into it. The 16As had a great match at home to St Pius X, with both teams trading goals and the match finishing 2-2. The 15As had a narrow 0-1 loss to St Pats. The 15Bs had a tough 0-3 loss. A huge thank you to those boys who played both the A and B match on Saturday. The 14As had been working hard this season with some strong wins, but St Pats proved too strong on Saturday. The 13s have been impressing all this season with some dominent wins the last few weeks however, unfortunately the As went down 2-3 and the Bs went down 1-4. 

Football – Girls 

The 1sts played against Barker in another Grand Final re-match. Redlands were looking for some redemption after a 3-1 loss to Barker in the first game of the season. In the first half, the Redlands girls were able to create some fantastic opportunities, however were unable to convert. Their great defensive pressure held Barker scoreless at half time. Early in the second half Barker were able to create an opportunity for a header from a corner kick, scoring the first goal of the game. Shortly after Redlands were able to add a goal of their own, levelling the game 1-1. With less than 15 minutes to play, both teams were unable to add any additional goals to their tally, finishing the game 1-1.

The 2nds played against St Paul’s 1sts in what was expected to be a close game. The girls played some great football in the first half, showing week after week that they can compete with the 1sts teams. With a great first half, the team was in a great position moving into the second half of the game finishing with a 3-2 win.

The final match of the day was the Junior As, playing against St Paul’s Junior A team. Dominating possession from the start of the game, the girls were in great form, showing once again that the future of Redlands Football is very exciting. The team were able to create great opportunities on the offensive and the defensive ends making it very tough for St Paul’s. Finishing with a 3-0 win, it was a great day for the Redlands Girls Football program.  

Hockey

The Juniors played against Barker with a tense start to the game, it was a 2-1 lead to Barker early in the game. A fantastic team effort saw stellar performances from all players and Redlands were able to add a few more goals to their tally. With multiple goal scorers and fantastic defence, the team managed to hold Barker at two goals for the game. Scoring an additional six of their own, the game finished with a 7-2 win for the Redlands Juniors.

Netball

ISA

Our 1sts played a closely fought match on Saturday against St Paul’s Grammar School. With scores even after both the first and second quarter, our girls broke away in the third quarter, implementing some excellent structured plays to secure a dominant lead going into the fourth quarter. St Paul’s produced some good passages of play in the final quarter bringing the scores closer again, but our girls held strong to take the win 57-55.

NSNA 

Congratulations to our 8A and 8B teams who had dominant wins over Loreto and Rangers respectively. Well done also to our 7C team who had an excellent win against WGHS. All our NSNA teams have played impressively every weekend and it has been great to see them implement newly learnt skills and plays into their games each weekend.

This Saturday sees Round 6 of the competition with all teams playing at the same time as last week; however, some games/fixtures are still waiting to be finalised.

Please check Redlands Pulse on Friday as well as both email communication and the NSNA website to confirm the fixture for each team.

Any player absences (both training and games) need to be sent to Ms Howard prior to the game or training so that coach and supervising staff members can be informed. 

Rowing

Preseason Training Options

Our preseason training sessions continue into Week 6 with both ergo and water training available to all existing rowers/coxswains. With the changes to winter sport, this will be the final week of preseason training prior to summer sport commencing. The details and sign up links are as follows:

Water Sessions: Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri from 4.00-5.30pm at the Mosman Rowing Club – sign up here.

Note: There is no transport provided for these sessions

Ergo Sessions: Mon, Wed and Fri, 7.00-8.00am in the Undercroft – sign up here. 

Learn to Row

Due to the changes around winter sport and the start date of summer sport being bought forward, we will no longer be looking to hold any learn to row sessions during Week 6. Instead we will be commencing training for all Yr 7 students (and any new Yr 8-11 students without previous Rowing experience) on Saturday 29 August from 7.30-10.00am at Mosman Rowing Club.

Please note that this is not the typical training times for Yr 7 students on a Saturday morning.

Season Commencing

With the conclusion of winter sport having been bought forward, training for the Rowing program will commence from Monday 31 September. Training schedules and locations for all Year Groups can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Tennis

On Saturday, ISA teams 7 and 8 were lucky enough to play their scheduled match against St Andrews and St Pius. Team 7 played some excellent tennis and were able to successfully win 7 out of 8 of their sets. Team 8 played really well, with many of their sets going to a tie-breaker. Unfortunately, it was St Andrews who took home the win. ISA teams 1-6 and 9-10 all played an internal competition with students having the opportunity to practice adapting their doubles match play skills, playing points with a variety of partners. At Lane Cove, our Social League students and Development Squads were enjoying the opportunity to play Tennis. Both the Blue team and White team just won in close matches. 

Information regarding the wrap up of the Winter Tennis season and the upcoming Summer Tennis Season will be available as it comes to hand, stay tuned.

Waterpolo

Our Junior Waterpolo teams have continued to impress throughout this shortened season. Despite a number of players being new to Waterpolo, they have been taking to the games with rapid enthusiasm. Despite some heavy defeats, they have all been learning each game, scoring more goals and moving around the pool with a lot more confidence. 

The Senior teams had some strong games on Monday night with both Boys teams taking on Balgowlah Boys. The Boys B team had a lot of fun in the pool, despite going down 0-8. They had a number of good attacking raids with five shots hitting the crossbar. The A Boys had a much closer game jumping out to an early two goal lead. The Bally Boys looked to come back into the game and scored some quick goals to draw level. The big pool made a bit of difference with the Redlands team coming off two weeks of exams and they began to fade in the 2nd half, unfortunately going down 5-8. 

The Girls B team had a last minute withdrawn opposition so had a bye on Monday night, which left the A team to take on Pittwater High. The girls have been taking great strides each game they have been playing and this was no different. Unfortunately Pittwater have a number of strong players who were able to control the pool and possession well, jumping out to an early lead taking the match 3-7. 

“Obstacles are those frightening things that become visible only when we take our eyes off our goals“. Henry Ford 

Mr Tom Kindred
Head of Secondary School Sport
sports@redlands.nsw.edu.au

All Sports contacts can be found on Redlands Pulse.​

Junior Sport

IPSHA Sport

With Sport now restricted to Year Groups only, there are a few changes that have been reflected in the Term 3 training schedule.

Cancelled

• Monday morning Fitness
• Monday morning Cross Country training 
• Friday morning AFL training 
• Thursday morning Goalkeeper training
• Wednesday morning Football training 

Other Details

• Wednesday 26 August onwards will be sport in grades on site.
• NSNA Netball Competition on Friday night will continue as normal. The Wednesday morning training sessions will continue but Yr 6 will train separately to Yr 5 at the same time.
• Monday afternoon Football (After School Sport) continues as normal.
• Monday afternoon and Friday afternoon Gymnastics continues as normal.
• Saturday 22 August – No sport commitment on this day. 
• Saturday 29 August – Inter-House Football competition – more details on Redlands Pulse. 

Information regarding Wednesday Sport and Saturday 29 August can be found on Redlands Pulse. 

Athletics Carnival Photos

There are some great professional photos online for you to view and/or purchase or download. Please follow the steps below to view this folder that is only accessible to Redlands families.

Log onto http://www.akphotos.com.au/albums
Click prompt to Access Gallery
Select – Redlands Icon
Select – 2020 folder
Select Event ie. Junior Athletics Carnival
Enter Name and Email Address
Enter Password: Dunnet01
Select – View album

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

Snowsports

Friends of Snowsports AGM

The Friends of Snowsports Annual General Meeting will be held (via Zoom) on Monday 14 September at 6.00pm.

The 2021 committee officers will be voted for at this meeting. Zoom link for AGM 

Unfortunately the proposed end of season function at the Kirribilli Yacht Club on 24 September has been cancelled by the Club due to COIVD -19 restrictions.

More Snowsports details and calendar are on Redlands Pulse. 

Mr Bruce Campbell
bcampbell@redlands.nsw.edu.au
Snowsports Administrator
0413764445

or Ms Eliza Peirce
epeirce@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9909 3133

Ballet and Dance

Whilst parents, friends and carers are not permitted into Parkes Hall at this time, we would like to thank you all, and all our students, for your continued support and understanding. Please be advised that students may be picked up after class outside Parkes Hall near the play equipment.

Important Dates

We are thrilled to confirm that the Royal Academy of Dance examinations will be held at Redlands on Sunday 23, Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 August.

Please check the examination dates/times and Redlands Pulse for further information.

As already advised because of the current hygiene requirements, we ask that all RAD students use their own tights, class leotard (girls), white t-shirt (boys) and shoes, and where possible, come to school with their hair in a ballet bun. Academy staff will assist students with hair if necessary – please note we will supply a hair ribbon but students should bring their own hair brush, bun pins, hair net, hair tie etc.  

We wish our students the best of luck with their up coming RAD exams.  

Dance as Sport

Due to the recent Government restrictions, changes may be made to our Dance as Sport program on Thursday afternoons at 2.30pm. Any changes will be communicated.

Be assured we are following the recommended spacial and hygienic requirements in all classes.   

Any Questions?

Please contact us at dance@redlands.nsw.edu.au. We would love to hear from you.

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

Drama and Theatre

Yr 12 Major Works

Yr 12 HSC Drama students will present their major works for Drama on Monday 24 August for the NESA external examinations. Works include Performance, Costume and Promotional Design Theatre Criticism.

The IB Theatre Collaborative projects will be filmed on Monday 7 September and made available for families to view via the iLearn Course page. We wish our students all the very best as they work towards this final stage of their Theatre Assessment.

Drama Competition

The Drama Competition will be held on this term in a digital format. Students will be competing in the categories of Comedy and Drama with contemporary performance pieces. The final date for submission is Friday 28 August with videos uploaded to iLearn. Judging will take place during Weeks 7 and 8 and the winners will be announced in Week 10. House points will be awarded for each submission. Application forms and information are available here.

Yr 11 Production

This term, Yr 11 HSC and IB students will present a series of original self devised works featuring physical theatre techniques of Frantic Assembly, DV8 and PUSH. These creative and engaging performances will be filmed in the Drama Studio and made available for families to view via the iLearn Course page.

Gala Arts Performers Meeting

Notes from yesterday’s Gala Arts student meeting will be placed here for any student who was unable to attend. Please ensure all technical and compere information is uploaded by Friday.

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

Music

Resilient Learners

Across this term, Music Specialist teachers, tutors and conductors have commented on the students’ positive mindsets and ongoing dedication to their music making across the Academic program, Extra Subjects Music program (Individual and Group) and the Cocurricular Music Ensembles.

Students have continued to engage with the various learning platforms and teaching environments, transitioning from online tuition to regular weekly On-Campus sectional rehearsals, and even combined groups in larger venues such as the Edwards Auditorium and Redlands Hall.

While the Choral program, Concert Band and Jazz Band program (Wind and Brass only) are paused for the time being, there are many other learning experiences that will continue to proceed in modified format, with reduced student numbers, shortened rehearsal time and appropriate physical distancing. This includes:

• String program (excluding Yr 3 Strings)
• Guitar Ensemble program
• Percussion Sectionals (Concert Band Students)
• Rhythm Sectionals (Secondary Jazz Band programs)
• Rock Band activities
• Musicianship classes
• Individual Music tuition

The Extra Subject Music program will continue in its current form, including the measured spacing (already in place) for singing lessons.

We appreciate that for students and families, the postponement or cancellation of much-anticipated activities can cause disappointment and disheartenment and we thank you for your ongoing support and understanding. We also recognised that the students have been incredibly resilient and responsive to changing environments, and continue to demonstrate the tenacity to adapt to engaging with online learning materials.

Throughout this term, we have been able to provide students with all the resources they require for ongoing independent learning and practising at home. Semester 2 repertoire has now been distributed to all groups, with a variety of support materials uploaded through iLearn and Google Classroom for the majority of ensembles.

Term 3 Music Program Overview

Information relating to the specifics of weekly rehearsal arrangements can be found on Redlands Pulse. For any additional enquiries or questions, please contact the respective offices.

• Junior Campus Music juniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au
• Secondary Campus Music seniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Student Expectations in the Rehearsal Room

Safety during rehearsals continues to remain our number one priority in the classroom and rehearsal space. All staff and students are expected to adhere to the recommendations pertaining to social distancing expectations.

In consideration of these guidelines, students are reminded to;

• Bring their own instrument (if applicable) to school for use in instrumental rehearsals
• Are organised with their own scores and repertoire as issued by Music Administration

The Music Department has organised all rehearsals and resources to ensure that all students work independently with their own stand. Under no circumstances are students to be sharing a music stand with another student.

Hygiene in the Music Setting and Student Expectations

As part of our return to group settings, this continues to be a well-considered aspect of our overall planning, and students involved in group instruction will follow the guidelines through the spreading out of rehearsals, utilising larger areas and rehearsal spaces to adhered to distancing, where possible. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of musical equipment and resources will be undertaken daily.

Senior Campus

Yrs 11 and 12 Showcases

Yr 12 HSC and IB Music Showcases

• Music 2, Music Extension and IB Music – Monday 24 August (4.30pm)
• Music 1 – Tuesday 25 August (4.30pm)

These showcases will be live streamed so that the School community is able to participate as members of the audience. Details will be distributed to staff and families at the end of this week. The showcases are intended to provide students with additional performance opportunities in presenting their practical portfolios to experienced HSC and IB Music examiners, prior to final submission to NESA and IBO later in the term.

Yr 11 HSC and IB Music Showcase (Revised Date)

• Music 1, Music 2, Music Extension and IB Music – Wednesday 16 September (4.00pm)

HSC Music Practical Examination Marking Dates and Times

The Music Department will be hosting the 2020 NESA Music Practical Examinations in Week 8 (Term 4). We would like to wish all the students the very best in their final few weeks of preparation.

• Music 2 and Music Extension – Tuesday 8 September
• Music 1 – Wednesday 9 September

Semester 2 Competition Audition

• Instrumental Competition Auditions (Term 3, Week 9)

The audition process for Instrumental entries will require students to demonstrate advanced technical skills, personal expression and understanding of style. For the audition, students will only need to present one work. A second contrasting piece will need to be considered at the time of the audition and discussed with the audition panel. This piece will not be required to be presented at the time of the audition but will need to be prepared and presented in advance of the Competition if the candidate is selected as a finalist. Application forms can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Please note: entries are only accepted when accompaniment scores are submitted to Music Reception at the time of the application submission.

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