From the Principal

This week we have been celebrating Book Week across the Junior and Senior Campuses with guest speakers, competitions, literature circles and, of course, our book themed dress up day on Tuesday, where once again I dressed as Gandalf from my favourite book growing up, The Hobbit. My highlight this week was spending Tuesday reading stories to classes from Kindergarten through to Year 4 and then speaking to both Prep and Junior School students (as Gandalf) at their respective Book Week assemblies.

As many of you are aware, I am an English teacher and both of my parents were English teachers, as well. So, it is not surprising, that I have a personal passion for reading, literature and the imagination. While I love all of the festivities of Book Week, what is most important to me is the reminder for our students of the power of books and the importance of reading.

At their respective assemblies, I spoke to Prep and Junior School students about the “magic” of reading and the “power” of becoming lost in a story and being transported to another world. I remember being spellbound by this magic as a child, whether it was listening to my father read Irish fairy tales from his homeland and being transported to ancient Eire or reading The Hobbit and being transported to Middle Earth and a land of wizards and hobbits; orcs and elves.

Years ago I heard acclaimed Scottish writer, Andrew O’Hagan, give the opening address at the Sydney Writers’ Festival, and I believe his words, which I have previously shared, still effectively capture the power of literature.

“Literature is not something you do in your spare time, but the beat of time itself, and we will feel that pulse in every major area we turn to…. This is what we do if we are truly alive. This is what we do if we live close to our imaginations. And how do we do that, how do we keep company with our imaginations, what do we do to be so alive? It’s easy – we read books.”

Happy Book Week.

ISA Finals

Last Saturday, I had the great pleasure of watching our Girls 1^st XI Hockey team as they convincingly won their semi-final to move to this week’s ISA grand final. I wish them, and all teams competing in ISA Finals this weekend, all the best, and I look forward to getting around to as many games as possible to cheer on our teams this Saturday.

Giving Day

A heartfelt thank you to the many members of our community – parents, students, staff, Directors and alumni – who made our Giving Day yesterday such a success. Whether it was through generous donations on the day and by matching donors, working the phones in the old “telethon” style or selling baked goods on the day, yesterday was a true celebration of Redlands and a powerful community connected event. As of Thursday morning, we had far surpassed our original goal and had raised over $520,000 for both the expansion of High Country Campus and the Coralie Amos OAM Means-tested Scholarship. Well done to the entire Redlands community!

Mr Sean Corcoran

Photo Caption: It was a pleasure to read stories dressed as Gandalf to classes from Kindergarten through to Year 4 for Book Week!

Secondary Sport

Last week I spoke with Year 11 about their Sport and Cocurricular involvement for the final 18 months of their schooling journey, I spoke about grit and how it relates to not just their school sport experience but also their academics. Sport in general holds a pivotal role in shaping young minds, transcending the pursuit of victory on the field/court. As we move into the ISA Finals this week, while winning may offer a momentary sense of achievement, the true value of sport lies in the development of character, which aligns with the school’s core values of honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion, fairness and moral courage.

Honesty is instilled through the discipline of playing by the rules, acknowledging mistakes, and accepting outcomes with integrity. In sports, honesty isn’t just about telling the truth; it’s about being true to oneself, understanding that short cuts may lead to a short-term win, but it undermines long-term growth and self-respect.

Respect is a cornerstone of sportsmanship. Through sports, students learn to honour their opponents, coaches, teammates and the game itself. Respect teaches them that every player, regardless of skill level, contributes to the collective experience, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and included.

Responsibility comes into play as students understand the importance of their roles, both individually and as part of a team. They learn to take ownership of their actions, recognising that their effort, attitude and commitment directly impact not just their own success but that of their peers. This sense of responsibility extends beyond the playing field/court, influencing how they approach their studies and future careers.

Compassion is cultivated as students experience the highs and lows of competition. They learn to empathise with teammates in moments of failure, offering support and encouragement, and to celebrate others’ successes without envy. Compassion in sports teaches students to value relationships over results, a lesson that holds immense value in all areas of life.

Fairness is fundamental in ensuring that every game is played on an even field. Sports provide a controlled environment where students can experience the importance of justice and equality, understanding that fairness isn’t just about following the rules but also about advocating for what is right.

Moral Courage is developed as students face challenges and adversities. Whether it’s standing up for a teammate or making a difficult decision, sports provide countless opportunities for students to act with bravery and integrity, even when it’s not the easiest path.

‘Excuses make today easy, but they make tomorrow hard. Discipline makes today hard, but makes tomorrow easy.’

-Motivated Mindset

Redlands Secondary Sports Calendar

• Thursday 22 August – Football End of Season Presentation Dinner
• Saturday 24 August – ISA Finals
• Saturday 24 August – Rugby End of Season Celebration
• Wednesday 28 August – Hockey End of Season Celebration
• Thursday 12 September – Netball End of Season Celebration
• From Week 6 – Summer Season commences

Redlands Concussion Protocols and Updates

Following the publication of the AIS Australian Concussion Guidelines for Youth and Community Sport, the School has released a new Concussion Procedure along with a Concussion Referral and Clearance Form and a Graduated Return to Sport Framework. These documents can be found on Redlands Pulse and are linked below:

• Concussion Procedure
• Concussion Referral and Clearance Form
• Graduated Return to Sport Framework

In addition, we have published a Concussion Information Sheet which summarises how concussion is managed and the pathway a student must follow to return to competition.

• Concussion Information Sheet

Key points include:

• recognising red flag signs or symptoms of concussion (call 000 immediately)
• a student suspected of concussion must follow the graduated return to sport framework before they can return to competition
• a parent/carer is now required to take their child to a healthcare practitioner within 72 hours of the incident for the initial consult and again after 14 days symptom-free (at rest) before the resumption of contact training

Please read the procedure and if you have any queries on how a student will be managed following a suspected concussion, feel free to reach out to the designated Concussion Officer for each campus.

The following staff members have been designated as the Concussion Officer for each campus:

• Ms Mia Lundquist (Secondary School)
• Mr Eddy Atkins (High Country Campus)

Fitness Centre

Reminder: ALL students who are attending Open Gym sessions must have signed up via clipboard and be added into a session prior to attending.

Session start times are as follows:

• Year 11/12 Start 6:30 am
• Year 9/10 Start 6:45am
• Year 7/8 Start 7:00 am

Football

Support Redlands Football at the Grand Finals!

A huge congratulations to four teams for making it to the Grand Finals this weekend! The Girls First XI, Girls Junior A, Girls Junior B, and Girls Junior C have fought their way to the top, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements.

Now, it’s time to show your Redlands spirit!  We encourage all students, families, and friends to come along and support our teams in these crucial matches. Your cheers and encouragement could make all the difference as they compete for the championship titles.

Game Details – Saturday, 24 August at Valentine Sports Park (235-257 Meurants Ln, Glenwood):

• Girls Junior A: 08:30 a.m. vs. Central Coast Grammar School Junior A, Synthetic Field #3
• Girls Junior B: 08:30 a.m. vs. Chevalier College 2nd XI, Field #5
• Girls Junior C: 09:45 a.m. vs. Barker College 7, Field #4
• Girls First XI: 12:15 p.m. vs. Barker College 1st XI, Showfield #1

We look forward to seeing you there in full voice to support Redlands Football! Feel free to bring some signs so the players can hear and see your support!  Students attending are required to wear full winter uniform.

Let’s come together to celebrate and support our amazing teams on their road to victory!

Hockey

Netball

Grand finals are here! Well done to the 7 teams who have progressed through to the finals, a huge effort from everyone! Congratulations to the following teams who will compete at the Genea Netball Centre this weekend:

• Senior 3rds
• Inter C
• Junior A
• Junior D
• Junior E
• Junior F
• Junior G

Last Saturday’s games were nothing short of thrilling, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats. Kudos to all the players who gave it their all, regardless of the game’s outcome. Your determination and grit truly showcased the dedication each of you has invested throughout the season.

As we head into the finals, please remember to adhere to the Redlands Secondary School ISA Code of Conduct (for players, spectators and officials). Students wishing to support their peers at the grand finals must wear full school uniform.

Best of luck to all the teams competing this weekend, and a massive congratulations to the Redlands Netball program for an outstanding season!

Lastly, as the season draws to a close, don’t forget to purchase your tickets for the End of Season Awards Dinner that will be held at the Dee Why RSL.

Rugby

Snowsports

It’s been a very successful week of State interschools, with students from K-12 competing. A big congratulations to all the students with great achievements and a special mention to below

• Felicity Schlederer & Eva Fitzhenry – 2nd Place Slopestyle
• Julius Keller & Alfie Leach – 3rd Place Moguls.
• We are looking forward to the last few days and many more great results.

Tennis

It was a fantastic end to the ISA Tennis Season with the Finals played at Gosford on Saturday.

Redlands had 6 ISA teams compete in the Finals, with 4 teams winning and 2 teams coming runners up – what a fantastic effort by all teams!

It was great to see Redlands 3 win their match with such a young team of players, showing very positive signs for the future.

It was a superb effort by Redlands 7 with Year 11 students leading by example and showing that playing a Rep sport in Years 11 and 12 whilst studying can be very rewarding.

Redlands 8 had a very tightly fought match, narrowly winning on games, what a great effort.

Redlands 9 had a great season, unfortunately losing to Oakhill College who were just a bit too good on the day.

Well done to Redlands 10, another great effort by a team with a good variety of young players.

Bad luck to Redlands 11, narrowly losing in the Final after a great season of tennis with huge improvement and commitment throughout this team (Michelle had to leave early but played early so she could finish her matches).

All our participants had a fantastic day!

The Winter Tennis Presentation Morning will take place at the Mosman Lawn Tennis Club from 9:00am – 11:00am this Saturday. This will be a great morning to celebrate the 2024 Winter Tennis Season for all competitions (ISA, Internal and Development). Please come along and enjoy some refreshments and brunch, we encourage players and parents to bring along their tennis racquets and enjoy the Mosman Lawn Tennis Club facility for the morning.

Well done to all students who participated in Winter Tennis.  Thank you for a great Season.

Touch Football

Community Update

A heartfelt thank you to the Redlands community for making yesterday’s Giving Day a great success.  We are fortunate at Redlands to have a community with a strong and generous tradition of service and giving with students, parents, staff, alumni, Directors and friends of the School proudly supporting the enrichment of our students’ lives in many ways. 

Whether it be through regular donations or by giving one of the most special gifts of all, time, it was wonderful to see all of these special groups come together yesterday within the Giving Day team in support of the High Country Campus expansion and our means-tested scholarship in honour of Redlander Coralie Amos OAM.

We are of course deeply grateful for the incredible support of our matching gift donors, who enabled the tripling of all donations received yesterday, along with our Giving Day team who worked for and with our community to advocate within this important campaign. For a more detailed wrap up of our Giving Day, please visit the Foundation section.

It was a pleasure to welcome visiting parents, grandparents, students and carers onto the Junior Campus today for our Junior School Open Morning. Students from Year 6, supported by our leadership team, hosted small group tours, answering questions and providing a wonderful insight into life at Redlands for our guests. Redlands reputation as a leading school of choice for families both nationally and internationally continues to grow. Through personalising each student’s development and growth, our students leave school truly life ready and prepared to adapt, create and thrive.

On Monday 2 September we look forward to hosting our Junior and Prep School Dads at our Junior Campus Father’s Day celebrations with coffee in the Piazza from 7.45am, followed by classroom visits.  Bookings for this always special event can be made here.

Thank you for your continued guidance and support and as ever, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Community Engagement team, or to me directly, should you have any feedback, suggestions or questions.

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

Foundation

Inaugural Giving Day – Thank YOU

Wow what a tremendous effort resulting in a great success! The morning started with Secondary School student helpers distributing leaflets at the Junior Campus. The positivity from our community and excitement was in the air. Volunteers, students and staff who joined us during the day demonstrated incredible passion for the School and its advancement. Due to the generosity of our matching gift donors, all donations were tripled until the bonus target reached, initially $490,000 further increased to the super bonus of $510,000. The original target was exceeded by 30% resulting into almost $521,000 from 386 donors, 76% contributed to the High Country Campus expansion and 24% to the Coralie Amos OAM means-tested scholarship. Thank YOU!

Please share the excitement with us????

The Power of Connections – LinkedIn Workshop

Enormous thanks to Noah Pincini RL 2020 for sharing his in-depth insights with the Year 12. He explained the benefits of leveraging LinkedIn network after graduation and how to remain connected.

A Redlander is for Life! You now belong to a global network of more than 10,000 alumni. Everyone becomes a Redlander after graduation. They have access to many unique benefits and are invited to their milestone reunions.

As a community, we value the relationship we have with each other. Our students past and present, families, staff and members of local and global communities are valued and included through a shared connection with Redlands.

With a dedicated engagement program that includes local, interstate, and international reunions we are proud to support our alumni well beyond the school gates.

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

Redlands Parents and Friends

Festival of Redlands – Shining a Light on 140 Years – Saturday 19 October

The countdown is ON – just over 8 weeks to go until the gates of the Junior Campus open to host the Festival of Redlands.

As the big day inches closer, our vision for a day put on for and by our community is slowly coming to life:

• Kids (and adults) alike can bring out their inner Spiderman as they scale the Giant Climbing Wall.
• The handball battle to end all handball battles will take place on the courts. Stay tuned for more details and contact us to register your interest to support.
• Go back in time to see how you would’ve looked as a student across the years with the photo booth and treasure chest of various iterations of the school uniform over the years.
• Weren’t able to make it down to Thredbo this year? Not to worry, Friends of Snow Sports is making sure you can still carve it up!
• All of the Sports have submitted their EOIs for what games they will host. Watch this space!

Contact us if you would like to find out more about current opportunities to be involved with bringing the Festival of Redlands to fruition and the RPFA will be in touch!

As we gear up to celebrate this major milestone, some of our alumni from across the years have messages to share:

“Happy Birthday Redlands! I am so appreciative of all the opportunities I had and people I was able to meet during my years at Redlands. Here’s to many more years of fostering new talents and creating life long bonds,” – Zoe Thompson (Class of 2016)

Inaugural Giving Day

Yesterday we launched our major philanthropic campaign here at Redlands, Giving Day. This special event aimed to raise funds to upgrade and expand our High Country Campus, and further support the Coralie Amos OAM Scholarship Appeal.

We had just 24 hours to reach our goal of $400,000, with donations being TRIPLED on the day thanks to our generous matching donors.

Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of our entire community, we exceeded our target, raising over $520,000! It is just incredible what can be achieved for our students when we all come together.

Upcoming Parent / Family Get-togethers 

Contact us to list your event.

Walks on Tracks

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

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

Walks start at 8.40am and are roughly 1 1/2- 2 hours. For those with the time, we love to stop for a coffee afterwards. In case you’re running late, just text Ann Marie so they can wait for you. Walks for his term:

Any questions, please contact Ann Marie on 0406 691 533.

Book Club

The Redlands Book Club is a group of Redlands parents – past and present – who share a love of reading. New members are always welcome! The Book Club meets twice each school term to discuss a book, rotating among members’ homes. Occasionally, outings are also organised to events, movies or shows that are tied in with books. If you would like to join Book Club, or simply want to know more, please contact Monica or Sabiha.

We are pleased to announce the dates for our Term 3 Book Club meetings:

• Thursday 22nd August 7:00pm – to discuss The Women by Kristin Hannah
• Wednesday 11th September ~10:30am (exact time TBC) – to discuss The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock

Please save these dates in your calendar!

We are looking for a meeting spot for our next meeting. Please contact Monica or Sabiha if you’re able to host.

Kids Giving Back

Kids Giving Back is hosting a mega cooking marathon on 22 September. As the children prepare meals for Sydneysiders in need, they can have fun with friends and bring to life their school values of moral courage and compassion. If you are interested in keeping the kindness cooking – please contact Daniella.

The Week in Pictures

A great coffee catch up this week for 2R, with a Birthday Celebration to boot!

Year 11 parents having coffee at Le 76 Patisserie.

Year 9 parents having a coffee at The Boathouse Balmoral.

Do you have event pics you want to share? Please send them to RPFA Note Day.

RPFA Committee

President: Brittne Whitelaw
Vice President: Carrie Taylor
Secretary: Jennifer Mast
Treasurer: Joe Russo
Committee: Monika Crennan, Michelle McDonald, Lisa Middlebrook, Karen Nicholson, Emma Okhovat, Sophia Stewart-Kasimba 

Head of Secondary School

Giving Day

Wednesday’s Giving Day was a testament to community at Redlands. We sincerely appreciate all of the parents, carers, alumni and friends who supported the School and the High Country Campus development through their generous donations. I would like to make special mention of our exceptional Student Representative Council who supported by selling donuts in the Fahl Garden at lunch time. There was far too much sugar and I am pretty sure some fairly hyped up individual (students and staff – myself included!) in period 5. Below is a quick snapshot of the SRC who paused their sales briefly for a photo with the Redlands Rhino.

Celebrating Book Week and Australian School Library Day

This week, our School has been abuzz with excitement as we celebrated Book Week, a cherished time for students and staff to immerse themselves in the joy of reading. Roseby Library has been the heart of our festivities, with activities ranging from Blind Date With A Book, student book club and creative writing workshops, all designed to inspire a love for books. On Australian School Library Day, we highlighted the vital role our library plays in fostering curiosity and learning, ensuring that every student has access to the resources they need to thrive. Thank you to all staff and students who joined in the celebration—here’s to many more chapters of discovery and adventure!

Dynamic Feedback and Reporting Project

Over the past year we have been reviewing our feedback systems because we know that timely feedback is one of the most significant influences on student growth. You will know that we have a range of feedback mechanisms in the Secondary School such as semesterly reporting, Student-led Conferences, Records of Academic Discussions and iLearn assessment feedback. After broad consultation with a range of stakeholders, we will trial the following changes this semester to enhance effective feedback at Redlands for current students in Year 7 to 11.

Formative Assessment Feedback

In response to requests for personalised, actionable, timely and transferable feedback, all Semester 2 assessments will provide online teacher comments within three weeks via iLearn. Teachers will use plain language and focus on next steps for each student.

Dynamic Feedback (Personalised Alerts)

We will expand our use of RADs (Records of Academic Discussion) to offer on time personalised guidance, recognition of growth and opportunities for extension. Parent feedback and our internal iGrow Learning Analytics Platform have confirmed that RADs are a valuable and effective feedback mechanism for our students, hence our aim to further expand their use.

Semesterly Reports

Semester 2 reports will retain the Semester 1 format, covering academic results, grade distributions, outcomes, approaches to learning, self-assessment, pastoral comments, attendance and cocurricular involvement. Summative academic comments will be replaced by formative comments in iLearn for each assessment, in response to the survey and focus groups confirming that multiple formative comments throughout the year are more valuable than a single, curated summative comment at the end of the year.

Learning Conversations and Collaborative Goal Setting

We will pilot iGrow Coaching Conversations with focus group parents, using our unique Learning Analytics Platform. This trial aims to strengthen teacher-parent connections through collaborative goal setting and visibility of your child’s holistic growth. We aim to ascertain whether these conversations and holistic goals are deemed more valuable than curated summative Tutor comments.

Overall, our goal is to maximise valuable feedback for our students in order to enhance their academic learning and holistic growth. We appreciate your trust in this exciting next iteration of feedback at Redlands and the honest and reflective feedback parents and students will provide throughout this pilot period.

To read the full communication about the Dynamic Feedback and Reporting Project from Director of Learning and Growth, please click here.

ISA Sport Finals this Weekend

Congratulation to all our teams that have made the ISA Finals this weekend.  We wish our students all the best for their final matches this weekend!  Go Redlands!

Congratulations to the following Tennis Teams that won their ISA Finals last weekend:

• ISA 3
• ISA 7
• ISA 8
• ISA 10

Transition Connection Sessions: Year 6 and Year 10

This past Wednesday, our Year 10 students participated in an exciting new initiative designed to support Year 6 students as they prepare to transition into Secondary School in 2025. These Connection Sessions, held in the Arnold Library, are part of a broader effort to ensure a smooth and confident transition for our younger students as they embark on this new chapter of their educational journey.

After gathering feedback from families and students, we developed a series of initiatives to help Year 6 students connect with current Secondary students, familiarise themselves with the Senior Campus, and build confidence in navigating their new environment. The Connection Sessions are a key part of this initiative, offering a “soft start” for the Year 6 students.

During these sessions, Year 6 students were grouped with Year 10 mentors in small, relaxed settings. The activities included fun connection games designed to help the younger students begin building relationships with their older peers. This informal environment not only allowed the Year 6 students to gain valuable insights and advice but also helped them feel supported and welcomed as they prepare for the transition.

Our Year 10 students were thrilled to take on this leadership role as peer mentors, and their enthusiasm was evident as they guided and supported the Year 6 students. This initiative not only benefits the Year 6 students but also provides our Year 10s with a valuable opportunity to develop leadership skills and contribute positively to our school community.

We are confident that these Connection Sessions will play a significant role in helping our Year 6 students feel more comfortable and prepared as they move toward Secondary School. We look forward to continuing these initiatives throughout the semester.  

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

Cocurricular Clubs

FUSE Cup Reflection – Ines Tan (Year 7)

I had an exciting time at the Fuse Cup on Tuesday, competing in Mario Kart against other schools and bonding with boys in Year 7 and Year 8. The Fuse Cup is an eSports Club event where students in Years 5 to 8 participate in a safe, inclusive, and structured school-based competition, promoting positive gaming behaviours and digital well-being.

During the event, we played 11 heats of Mario Kart to determine the top four players who would advance to the quarterfinals. After a break, we had timed races, providing a second chance for the top five players to enter the quarterfinals. In the timed races, we competed to achieve the fastest time on one of the three laps. Following this, we had semifinal matches and finals to determine the winners.

My favourite part of the event was during the timed races, where the other boys were supportive, offering tips and strategies to help me improve my time. Although I didn’t make it to the quarterfinals, I appreciated the support and encouragement. I had a great time at the Fuse Cup and hope to do even better next year.

Explore Creativity and Sustainability at Textiles Club – Thursdays at Lunchtime

The Textiles Club is in full swing, and we warmly invite your child to join this club which is held during lunchtime on Thursdays in LH 1.6.

Our Sustainable Textiles Project involves students working on designing and making pajamas from recycled materials. This hands-on activity not only fosters creativity but also encourages environmental responsibility. By using patterns to custom-make their pajamas, students are developing valuable skills in design and craftsmanship while learning about the impact of their choices on the environment.

The Textiles Club offers a wonderful opportunity for students to engage in a fun and educational activity outside of their regular classes. It’s a space where they can explore their artistic talents, collaborate with peers, and be part of a project that contributes positively to our planet.

We believe that participating in the Textiles Club will be a rewarding experience for your child. It’s a chance for them to enhance their creative abilities, gain hands-on experience, and be part of a supportive and enthusiastic community.

We look forward to welcoming new members and sharing the joy of textiles with them!

The Regular August/September Magazine – Monday Lunchtime

The Irregular Club is a student run online news publication. All students are welcome to join The Irregular to contribute their ‘story’ to the school’s news flow!

The Irregular’s goal is to provide a space for sharing content relevant to students and to allow for student commentary on school life, and broader community and world concerns. 

The Irregular Newspaper club meets in LH2.6 during Monday lunchtimes.

Below is the August/September issue of the The Regular newsletter. 

Celebrating Book Week With Book Club

The Redlands Book Club, hosted every Wednesday lunch in the Library, is a fantastic opportunity to meet with fellow book lovers to discuss the wonderful fictional worlds through which we traverse. Alongside following a traditionally structured “book club” approach, where we read books about unique monthly themes (August’s is fantasy!), we also propose bookish initiatives, such as Hot 100 book lists and school-wide reading challenges, to inculcate in Redlands a culture of reading, allowing us all to reap its many marvelous benefits! So, join us at the Roseby Library during lunchtime on Wednesdays to be part of Redlands’ very first book club!

Mihika Nair (Year 9)

Nick Walker
Coordinator of Activities
nwalker@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Year 12

Key Dates

• 22 August Transition to Alumni LinkedIn Student Event
• 26-30 August Yr 12IB Final Orals
• 28 August Yr 3-12 HSC Visual Arts Exhibition Opening Night
• 5 September Money Confidence Student Event
• 18 September Yr 12 IB Visual Arts Exhibition Opening Night
• 19 September Yr 12 Final Chapel Service
• 23 September Yr 12 Thanksgiving Assembly
• 24 September Yr 12 Breakfast Cruise and Activities Day
• 25 September Yr 12 Farewell Assembly and Valedictory Prize Giving Ceremony and Dinner
• 26 September Last Day of Term 3
• 14 October First Day of Term 4
• 16 October – 8 November Yr 12 HSC Exams
• 21 October – 11 November Yr 12 IB Exams 

Yr 12 managed their Trial Examination period with maturity, focus and balance. We are very proud of their efforts and for taking this time seriously yet also seeking support and seeking connection with friends to help in maintaining some balance throughout a stressful period. 

Consistent Practice and High Expectations for Yr 12

We know students thrive with routine. As Yr 12 navigate their Trial Examination results, continue their revision and prepare for end of year celebratory events, we want to ensure students maintain consistency with their school presentation, engagement and effort. We appreciate these items being incorporated in conversations at home as well.

Students:

• Ensure you are physically prepared to be present at school and to mentally perform at your best during the school day by following the Redlands Uniform Policy. Wear your uniform with pride through the end of the year.
• Reflect on Trial Examination Feedback by celebrating your accomplishments, identifying a few key areas to revise and then incorporating action items into your study plan.
• Continue to update your Career Plan through our University and Career Advisors, including gap year plans

Morning Tea with Mr Corcoran

This week, Yr 12 will be joining Mr Corcoran for a new tradition at Redlands, Morning Tea with the Principal. Mr Corcoran has invited all Yr 12 Tutor Groups to join him for conversation, celebration and reflection throughout Wks 5 – 8. Each Tutor Group has been invited to the Secondary School Conference Room in Liggins to meet with Mr Corcoran and enjoy a selection of beverages and snacks.

Students are looking forward to this new opportunity and photos in future Note Day articles will showcase these events. Thank you to Mr Corcoran for starting this new initiative and welcoming the students of the 2024 cohort to join him for this opportunity.

Transition to Alumni LinkedIn Student Event

This morning, Mrs Kim Flatman, Alumni Community Engagement Coordinator, and Alumni Noah Pincini spoke to the cohort about the incredible Redlander community beyond Yr 12. Students were encouraged to create their LinkedIn Profile now or post-graduation to begin connecting with other alumni for opportunities across the globe. It is incredibly meaningful and valuable to stay connected after graduation and to provide contact information to the school so students can be invited back to alumni events and be provided various information for future possibilities.

Throughout the year, Yr 12 have had the opportunity to participate in Alumni presentations and discussions where Mrs Flatman arranged for students to connect and ask questions of our Redlands alumni who were able to come back and visit the school. We look forward to inviting back our current 2024 cohort as alumni to speak with younger years in the future and provide them the same opportunity.

Ms Alissa Ynson
Yr 12 Advisor
aynson@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9865   

Year 11

Week 5 is Book Week! 

This week, the Redlands Library team is celebrating Australian School Library Day, a significant event across Australian schools. Conveniently, it is wedged within Book Week, which celebrates the love of reading. Therefore, the entire week has been all about promoting the incredible resources that school libraries like our offer, highlighting the importance of qualified library staff and the impact libraries have on the school community at large. All week, students have been taking part in the festivities and sharing in the joy of literature within Roseby Library, as well as some of their timetabled classes.

Year 11 Pockets and Colours for 2024

Year 11 Pockets and Colours for 2024 are currently being finalised, and there is the opportunity for students to request replacement authorisations for Pockets or Half Colours earned in 2023 or before.

This form needs to be filled out by students for each separate request.

Awards for 2024 will be finalised later this Term and do not need to be requested. Students will be able to have the replacement Awards, along with any 2024 Awards, and any Leadership Positions, embroidered on their blazer in the October holidays.

An email will be sent later this term confirming all the Awards able to be embroidered once requests have been checked and 2024 Awards finalised.

Year 11 into Year 12 Key Information – Information for HSC Students

Key points discussed by Ms Lucy Benjamin this week during Core:

Timeline

Weeks 7 and 8: Exam Block
Weeks 9 and 10:

• Review feedback from your teachers carefully and use it to guide your Year 12 decisions.
• In Week 9, Mr Barry will send out a subject selection survey – please complete it by Wednesday, 25 September (Week 10).
• You need to indicate whether you’re exiting a subject or not making any changes.
• Then, choose any new subject(s) you wish to pick up.
• Remember, 11 units is often the optimal number.

Things to Consider

• What subjects do you love and enjoy? You’re more likely to succeed in those.
• What are your future plans? Consider the subjects you might need.
• Which teachers do you need to consult? If you’re considering dropping a subject, speak with that teacher. For Extension subjects, have a chat with the relevant teacher.
• A note on English Standard: Your English teacher will discuss with you if they feel Standard is the best option. If you think it’s right for you, raise it with your teacher or Mr Del Villar.
• You cannot pick up a new 2-unit subject at this point in the HSC.
• Extension subjects available include: English Extension 2, History Extension, Science Extension, Maths Extension 2 and Language Extension courses.

Important Reminder: You cannot pick up English or Maths Extension 2 without having studied Extension 1 in Year 11. Likewise, you cannot begin English or Maths Extension 1 in Year 12.

What’s Important?

• You don’t have to drop any subjects – you can take all your current subjects into Year 12.
• You need a minimum of 10 units for the ATAR and HSC.
• While there isn’t a strict ‘magic number’ of units, having more units gives you more flexibility when choosing your best 8 units (your ATAR is calculated from 2 English units plus 8 others).
• The choice is ultimately yours – avoid making decisions based on what your friends are doing.
• If you’re feeling unsure or have questions, there are plenty of people you can talk to:
  • Mrs Benjamin
  • Ms Vale and Dr Regis
  • Your subject teachers
  • Careers Advisors
  • Your parents

Preliminary Exams – Why They Matter

• They’re a practice run for the HSC.
• They help you identify what works for you and what doesn’t – make changes for Year 12.
• If a subject doesn’t go well, it doesn’t mean you have to drop it – you still have a year before the HSC, and much can change.
• Early Entry offers use Year 11 results as a key indicator of your suitability for courses. The Preliminary Exams are your final assessment point and determine the grades sent to NESA.

Exam Procedures

• Exams will be held on Level 4 of the Learning Hub.
• Arrive 15 minutes before each exam’s start time.
• You only need to be at school for your exams. Arrive just before and leave immediately after. If you have two exams in a day, you can study in the library between them.
• Studying on Levels 2 or 3 of the Learning Hub is not allowed at any time – noise travels up and disrupts exams.
• No phones or smartwatches are allowed in exam rooms.
• Pencil cases and water bottles must be clear or they won’t be permitted.
• No sport uniform.
• Exams aren’t an excuse to skip other commitments like sport – these must continue as usual.
• If you’re running late, the exam will start without you. If you know you’ll be late, email Mrs Benjamin, Ms Vale, and the absence email to inform the school.
• If you’re unable to attend an exam (remember, NESA advises that the only valid reason is if it’s unsafe to take it), contact Mrs Benjamin, Ms Vale, and the absence email as early as possible. Follow the illness and misadventure procedure on the day of the affected exam and attach a medical certificate that specifically states why you couldn’t take the exam (generic statements like ‘unfit for school or study’ won’t be accepted). Without this, you’ll receive a 0 for any missed exam. This process is not optional.
• Illness and misadventure applications must be made on the day of the missed exam, not after.
• If you attempt an exam while unwell and believe your performance was affected, follow the same process: I&M form and medical certificate.
• Any missed exams will be rescheduled within the exam block.

Box of Books

We are pleased to announce our continued engagement with Box of Books for the provision of digital and physical education resources for Year 12HSC Term 4. Our school booklists are now open for you to complete your order.

To ensure you receive your physical items in time for the start of term, please place your order by Friday, 6 September 2024. For orders placed after the due date, the availability of items for start of term delivery cannot be guaranteed.

Steps to order: 
1. Visit Box of Books Shop to log into your existing parent/guardian account or create a new account if it is your first purchase. 
2. Add each student, including school email if possible, and nominate school and year group 
3. Select the items you wish to purchase from the booklist shown 
4. Use the checkout to organise postage direct to your nominated address and complete payment

Some families may already own some of the required textbooks in print, either from older siblings who previously studied the subject or purchased separately outside of Box of Books. In such cases, if the “Digital on BoB” option is available on the booklist, you can choose to purchase and access only the digital version through Box of Books instead. It’s important to note that without the digital version from Box of Books, your child won’t have access to additional resources and enhancements provided by the teachers. The booklist specifies the necessary materials for each subject and their required format, so please read all notes carefully.

Digital texts that have been purchased can be accessed through the student’s Box of Books portal. We strongly recommend students sign in to Box of Books prior to the start of the year to ensure their textbooks and publisher interactives (e.g. online quizzes) are set up before classes commence.

Please click here for more information on accessing your digital resources

For further assistance, please see this short informative guide on How to Purchase Books or contact the Box of Books team through the in-app.

Ms Lisa Vale
Yr 11 Advisor
9968 9837
lvale@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Year 10

Future Think Careers Day: Yr 10 Support

Last Friday, the Yr 8 cohort took part in a new initiative – the Future Think: Career Clusters Challenge Day where dove into hands-on, real-word scenario activities that explored their strengths through six Career Clusters: Makers, Linkers, Guardians, Informers, Coordinators and Innovators.

The day included collaborative challenges that encouraged students to use their strengths in creative ways. By focusing on skills rather than specific jobs, we are helping our students build confidence and adaptability for any career path they choose. This was aptly facilitated by the following Yr 10 students who worked closely with the Yr 8 students to think creatively, independently and collaboratively:

• Genevieve Holt
• Scarlett Giddings
• Mackenzie Drew
• Grace Buzas
• Frankie Richardson
• Etta Buggy-Axton
• Marcus Richardson
• Heidi de Saxe
• James Collyer
• Imogen Kroon
• Lilian Chen
• Elizabeth Whelan
• Alexandra Fitzpatrick
• Leela Gohill
• Audrey Nitschke
• Bruna Hirohashi
• Yvie Marjoram
• Saffron Simpson
• Liv Dijkstra
• Dian Wichgers
• Holly Smith
• Maria Smith
• Millie Salmond

Year 10 Leadership Project: Yr 6 Connect with Yr 10 

On Wednesday morning, the first of the Yr 6 and Yr 10 groups had the opportunity to connect in the Arnold Library. This session was fun, engaging, and facilitated by Yr 10 students who led a variety of connection games. The informal and relaxed setting allowed the students to begin building rapport with the Senior School students, gaining insights into each other in a supportive and enjoyable atmosphere. It was wonderful to see the students laughing and connecting over a range of games and great conversations. Year 10 students are very much looking forward to the next session! Thank you to the following Yr 10 students who volunteered their time to support our current Yr 6 students through this initiative: 

• William Birse
• Genevieve Holt
• Millie Salmond
• Zara Anderson
• Lachlan Price-Pontifex
• Holly Smith
• Dian Wichgers
• Marcus Richardson
• Oliver Parker
• Duncan Black-Middlebrook
• Audrey Nitschke

Chapel Focus: Dadirri

Today in Chapel, Ms Phillips focused on the First Nations practice of deep listening, an almost spiritual skill, based on respect, that’s called ‘Dadirri’. In Aboriginal dialect, this means ‘inner deep listening and quiet still awareness and waiting.’ Yr 10 students were called to reflect on this practice, and consider how they might integrate it into their own lives. 

 Term 3 Key Dates and Upcoming Events

• Wear it Purple Day – Week 6: Friday 30 August
• R U OK? Day – Week 8: Thursday 12 September
• 2025 Student Leaders Announcement – Week 8: Friday 13 September
• End of Term 3 – Week 10: Thursday 26 September

Mrs Lucienne Willis
Yr 10 Advisor
lwillis@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Year 9

Navigating My Online and Offline Worlds

Our pastoral program this term continues to focus on navigating the challenges of having both an online and offline world. We have taken a two-fold approach of asking students to consider how they are presenting themselves and their digital persona, as well as providing students with the opportunity to investigate some of the potentially harmful behaviours that they may come into contact with.

This week in Tutor, students were asked to examine the website of the eSafety Commisioner and investigate some of the current issues and behaviours that they need to be aware of when engaging online and the strategies that can be used to protect against these. 

Some of the current issues that students investigated in Tutor this week include:

• Online Hate: Online hate can be defined as any hateful posts about a person or group based on their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or gender.
• Disturbing Content: Coming across something you’d rather not see when you’re online. It can include content that’s disturbing or distressing because it shows a seriously violent or offensive event. You can do something about it.
• Trolling: Trolling is when someone posts or comments online to deliberately upset others. 

It is always worth reminding ourselves of the need to be vigilant online and it was good to hear the discussion had this week about these issues.

Book Week

This week, the Redlands Library team is celebrating Australian School Library Day, a significant event across Australian schools. Conveniently, it is wedged within Book Week, which celebrates the love of reading. Therefore, the entire week will be all about promoting the incredible resources that school libraries like our offer, highlighting the importance of qualified library staff and the impact libraries have on the school community at large. All week, students have been taking part in the festivities and sharing in the joy of literature within Roseby Library as well as some of their timetabled classes.

Mr Tobias Horan
Yr 9 Advisor
9968 9872
thoran@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Year 8

Week 5 – Thinking about our Future: Career Clusters Challenge Day

Last Friday, the entire cohort took part in a new initiative – the Future Think: Career Clusters Challenge Day. They dove into hands-on, real-word scenario activities that explored their strengths through six Career Clusters: Makers, Linkers, Guardians, Informers, Coordinators and Innovators.

Students began by taking an online quiz to discover their cluster strengths (parents / carers interested in exploring their own Career Cluster strengths can take the quiz here: Career Clusters Quiz), then teamed up in their clusters to tackle authentic challenges, guided by industry experts:

• Linkers – Social media and digital strategist Claire Ward 
• Makers – Fashion powerhouse Denisse Vera 
• Coordinators – US Diplomat @Li Ping Lo 
• Informers – Alex Long from Wayside Chapel 
• Guardians – Redlands’ very own Mia Lundquist 
• Innovators – Medtech expert Polina Nesterova

The day included collaborative challenges that encouraged students to use their strengths in creative ways. By focusing on skills rather than specific jobs, we are helping our students build confidence and adaptability for any career path they choose.

Thank you to the incredible Careers team, Justine Fowler and Clare Hurst, as well our Innovation and Entrepreneurial Learning Strategist, Liz Green. I would also like to thank the passionate Redlands educators who led the rooms and activities, including Kathy Reid, Lauren Costello, Wendy Duckworth, Meagan Barr, Phoebe Poon, Kirsten Phillips, Vicky Argyrakis, Bevan De Vries and Vanessa Wang.

Listening in Chapel

On Monday, our School Chaplain, Ms Phillips, encouraged our cohort to reflect on the value of listening. As she explained to the group, we each have two ears but only one mouth and this should be a reminder to us of the importance of listening to others to value what they have to say and also listening to ourselves, to ensure we are taking care of our own wellbeing. Year 8 were challenged to engage in a minute of silent listening in the Chapel as a way of fostering this important skill.

eSports and the Fuse Cup

On Tuesday, six Yr 7 and six Yr 8 students from the eSports club represented Redlands at the FUSE Cup at Monte Sant Angelo. Out of 43 Competitors, we had nine students place in top 16, four students in top eight and two students in the final (of four). Sam Parsons in Yr 7 came 3rd and Henry Richardson in Yr 8 came 4th.

The day was a lot of fun for the students as they not only competed responsibly in competitive computer games but they also gained important knowledge on how to exercise and stretch and take breaks effectively and they learned how much money the gaming industry make and how they make it.

Well done to all the Yr 8 students who represented Redlands: Henry Campbell, Joshua Freer, Lucas Keall, Zac McHattan, Henry Richardson and Charlie Tilden. Thank you also to the wonderful eSports staff who accompanied the students.

Giving Day

Thank you to our Redlands community for coming together on Wednesday and donating in support of our inaugural Giving Day. I also want to applaud those students who volunteered their time to help support the successful operation of this day, in particular our Yr 8 SRC members Lily Musgrave-Kresa, Charlie Lee, Jack Reid and Kate Rintoul, who helped to boost the Giving Day proceeds by selling donuts during lunchtime.

The Irregular Club

The Irregular club is the school newspaper club and, newsflash, they are happy to report that they are becoming a bit more regular in the news they produce – because the news never sleeps! The team are now releasing bi-monthly summaries of key events that are happening around the school, including some fun facts and focuses on feature pieces. Make sure you check out the July / August edition of The Regular  HERE. A big shout out to Yr 8 students Liv Law, Natalie Bain and Aimee Kang who have been spearheading this project. 

 Term 3 Key Dates and Upcoming Events

• Yr 8 Geography Excursion – Week 6: Friday 30 August
• Wear it Purple Day – Week 6: Friday 30 August
• R U OK? Day – Week 8: Thursday 12 September
• 2025 Student Leaders Announcement – Week 8: Friday 13 September
• End of Term 3 – Week 10: Thursday 26 September

 Mr Jimmy Tod-Hill
Year 8 Advisor
jtodhill@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462

Year 7

Week 5 is Book Week! 

This week, the Redlands Library team is celebrating Australian School Library Day, a significant event across Australian schools. Conveniently, it is wedged within Book Week, which celebrates the love of reading. Therefore, the entire week has been about promoting the incredible resources that school libraries like our offer, highlighting the importance of qualified library staff and the impact libraries have on the school community at large. All week, students have been taking part in the festivities and sharing in the joy of literature within Roseby Library as well as some of their timetabled classes. 

Fuse Cup 

Congratulations to the following students Alex Read, Antony Vass, Calvin MacNab, Ines Tan, Lachlan Baulderstone, Sam Parsons and Ross Skelton who attended the Fuse Cup at Monte Saint Angelo School on Tuesday this week. Out of 43 Competitors, Redlands School had 9 students place in top 16, 4 students in top 8 and 2 students in the final (of 4). Sam Parsons came 3rd and Henry Richardson came 4th.

The day was a lot of fun for the students. They also learnt about how to exercise and stretch, taking breaks and how much money the gaming industry make and how they make it. 

Student Reflection:

I had an exciting time at the Fuse Cup on Tuesday, competing in Mario Kart against other schools and bonding with boys in Year 7 and Year 8. The Fuse Cup is an eSports event where students in Years 5 to 8 participate in a safe, inclusive, and structured school-based competition, promoting positive gaming behaviours and digital well-being.

During the event, we played 11 heats of Mario Kart to determine the top four players who would advance to the quarterfinals. After a break, we had timed races, providing a second chance for the top five players to enter the quarterfinals. In the timed races, we competed to achieve the fastest time on one of the three laps. Following this, we had semi final matches and finals to determine the winners.

My favourite part of the event was during the timed races, where the other boys were supportive, offering tips and strategies to help me improve my time. Although I didn’t make it to the quarterfinals, I appreciated the support and encouragement. I had a great time at the Fuse Cup and hope to do even better next year. Ines Tan – Year 7 

The Irregular Club 

Read the July / August edition of The Regular HERE. A huge thank you to the following Year 7 students who have contributed to this club, in particular Aryana, Avisha and Despina for their summary of the Taylor Swift Era’s Tour. 

Yr 7 Digital Citizenship – Phone Audit 

This week during Tutor Time, we focused on helping students manage their screen time more effectively. Year 7 started by tracking daily and weekly screen usage, and identified which apps consumed the most time. Students set personal goals to gradually reduce their screen time to under an hour per day, with stricter limits during weekdays to better prioritise schoolwork. 

Year 7 also explored the built-in tools on their phones, such as setting app time limits and enabling “downtime” to restrict access to non-essential apps during study times and before bed. Students were encouraged to create screen-free zones at home and minimise distractions by turning off unnecessary notifications or keeping their phones on silent during critical activities.

To ensure ongoing improvement, we discussed the importance of reflecting on their phone usage each week.  Your continued involvement and encouragement at home will play a crucial role in helping them achieve a balanced and productive lifestyle. 

Giving Day

Thank you to our Redlands community for coming together in support of our inaugural Giving Day and to those very generous members of our community volunteered their time within this important day. Thank you to the following Yr 7 Students Kody Benoliel, Despina Corneli, Bear Whitelaw and Scarlet Kohn for helping support the Donut Sale during lunchtime with all proceeds going towards Giving Day.

Key Dates

Ms Abby Walker
Yr 7 Advisor
9968 9818
awalker@redlands.nsw.edu.au 

Head of Junior School

Book Week

Book Week at Redlands has been celebration of stories, imagination, and the joy of reading. The theme, Reading is Magic truly came to life, especially on Character Dress-Up Day. The excitement was tangible as students and teachers transformed into their favourite literary characters. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly our School Principal, Mr Corcoran, who wowed everyone by embodying Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings! His impressive costume and inspiring message in our special Assembly reminded us of the power great stories have to transport us to other worlds. Events like these remind us of the importance of reading, not just as a fundamental skill, but as a gateway to creativity, enjoyment, empathy and lifelong learning. My thanks to our Teacher Librarian, Mrs Wiebe and her team, for organising a wonderful Book Week.

UNICEF

Our Year 6 cohort has recently been engaged in an in-depth study of natural hazards and disasters, focusing on their impacts within Australian communities. We were fortunate to have UNICEF visit on Monday this week, providing our students with an immersive learning experience. Through this, they had the opportunity to ‘step into’ the shoes of a child directly affected by a bushfire. As part of the exercise, students developed empathy maps to articulate what such a child might feel, think, say, and do. This activity helped them anticipate the challenges and emotional responses often encountered by children in these environments and encouraged them to think critically about potential solutions.

In addition to this enriching experience, we were visited by SES parent volunteers on Tuesday who shared firsthand accounts of what it is like to live through a natural disaster. We were also privileged to receive a short recording from Redlands parent David Campbell, featuring his co-host from the Today show, who has previously been the face of media coverage for some of Australia’s most devastating natural disasters.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers for their time and for sharing their invaluable experiences with our students.

Student Reflections on the UNICEF visit:

When UNICEF came and visited us, we had a lot of fun. They taught us the importance of helping children in need as well as the dangers and effects of bushfires. We were immersed in our learning as it was informing and enjoyable. We created empathy maps and saw what it was like to step into a child’s shoes during a bushfire. What would you do, say, think and feel if you were them? What would you do if you were in the middle of a bushfire? We also created fabulous posters on how you would feel if you were in a bushfire or a solution to bushfires. You got to use textured paper, stickers and cutouts of news articles based on bushfires. These activities were fun and informative. We got to put all our bushfire knowledge to the test and create amazing pieces of work. Thank you UNICEF for teaching us about bushfires and how fortunate we are compared to other children?

-Emily Robertson

When UNICEF came to our school to visit us, we had a lot of fun. They taught us about the 54 children rights and what they do as an organisation. They also told us about bushfires, the effects and dangers. We created an empathy map, stepping into the shoes of another child after a bushfire. There were categories like say, think, do and feel. We had to write what we thought the child was feeling, saying, thinking and doing at that time. Then we had to make a poster on what you would do if you were in the fire or the solutions on how to stop it . We used texters, paper and newspapers (cutouts). We got to learn a lot about bushfires, increasing our knowledge about them. This will help on our UI project later this term. We ended up with two wonderful pieces of work. Overall, we had a wonderful time learning and making things with UNICEF. Thank you so much UNICEF for visiting us and teaching us about the amazing bushfires. We are very fortunate to have them visit us.

-Stanley Huang  

Representative Debating

Congratulations to both our Representative teams who have won 3 out of 4 debates in the SDN Competition and have made the knockout stage of the Australian National Virtual Competition.

We are very impressed with their improvement in arguments, rebuttal and identifying clashes. We wish both teams best of luck for the upcoming debates.

Visual Arts 3-12 Annual Exhibition 

Father’s Day Celebration

We are excited to invite you to join us in celebrating Father’s Day on Monday 2 September from 7.45 am at the Junior Campus Piazza.  Please note that bookings will close on Wednesday 28 August, reservations are necessary for catering purposes.

In the event of rain, the celebration will continue as planned, with arrangements made to accommodate refreshments undercover.

Term 3 Parent Presentation

Mr Ian Holden
Head of Junior School
iholden@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022

Head of Preparatory School

Book Week

A Message from Mrs Roberts

This week the magic of reading has been brought to life throughout our Prep School with a variety of engaging activities. Tuesday’s Magic Hat Day was a huge success, with students and teachers embracing the theme and sharing their own unique “magic” throughout the day.

Year 1 students took centre stage at our Prep assembly, showcasing the Book Week theme, Reading is Magic, through their creative outfits and presentations. The assembly featured a special appearance by Gandolph (Mr Corcoran), who delighted the audience with a poem celebrating the joys of reading. Additionally, classes 1B and 1Y captivated us with their poetry recitations, and everyone joined in a lively rendition of I Like Books led by Ms McInnes.

Our Mystery Readers have been making surprise visits to classrooms, while lunchtime activities have been designed to inspire and excite our young readers. Be sure to check the Prep School foyer screen for highlights of the week’s events, including cheerful faces, magical hats, wands, and the various Book Week activities.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mrs Roberts and Dr Hui for their efforts in making Book Week such an enjoyable and magical experience for everyone involved.

Let’s Celebrate our International Prep School

If you’ve recently walked through our Prep Reception, you might have noticed our vibrant world map, which highlights the diverse origins and residences of many of our Prep students. This map beautifully showcases the rich diversity within our Redlands Prep community and serves as a reminder of the importance of appreciating, respecting, and learning from one another.

It’s been exciting to see how the map has sparked lively conversations about countries, cultures, flags, and oceans. I’ve particularly enjoyed hearing about the meaningful discussions families are having with other families as they explore the map together, fostering genuine connections.

I encourage you to stop by and experience this engaging display for yourself.

Save the Date

Father’s Day Breakfast

We are excited to invite you to join us in celebrating Father’s Day on Monday 2 September from 7.45 am at the Junior Campus Piazza.  Please note that bookings will close on Wednesday 28 August, reservations are necessary for catering purposes.

In the event of rain, the celebration will continue as planned, with arrangements made to accommodate refreshments undercover.

Term 3 Parent Presentation

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

Redlands House and PreKindergarten

Senior and PreK Sports Carnival

We are excited to announce that on Wednesday 4 September, our Senior and PreK students will be participating in a small athletics carnival on the Prep School Oval from 11:30am to 12:30pm. This special event is a wonderful opportunity for our students to spend time in the Prep School environment, helping to prepare them for their transition to Kindergarten. We warmly invite parents and families to join us, watch the events, and cheer on the children as they take part in this fun and important occasion.

Please mark your calendars—we look forward to seeing you there!

Father’s Day Breakfast

We are excited to invite you to join us in celebrating Father’s Day on Monday 2 September from 7.45 am at the Junior Campus Piazza.  Please note that bookings will close on Wednesday 28 August, reservations are necessary for catering purposes. Families are welcome to join us on this day, for open classrooms from 8.30am to 9 am.

Parent Teacher Learning Discussions – Seniors and PreK

Parent Teacher Interviews for families of Senior and PreKindergarten Students will be held next week, from Monday 9 September to Friday 13 September. Interviews can be booked by following this link. Bookings can be made from Monday 2 September until Friday 6 September at 9am.  If you’re unable to attend these interviews in person, we can arrange for the interview to be conducted via Zoom. Please book in and advise your teacher directly if you would prefer a Zoom interview session.

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

Athletics Carnival

Over the last week I have been told by multiple students that the wait from last week’s carnival to our Sport Assembly this week to hear what house won the carnival was excruciating, and they were put out of their misery on Tuesday.

At our Junior School assembly this week there was a huge reaction when Roseby were announced winner for the 2024 Athletics Carnival. Congratulations to Roseby House on their win for 2024 led by Camilla and Charlie who captained the winning House on the day.

Thank you to those parents and carers who were able to attend Tuesday’s assembly as it was a nice to fill Dunnet Hall for our school assembly. And in a special mention for a student who did a great job off the track, Imogen Scattini from Dumolo was acknowledged for all her hard work helping at the carnival as she had the most important job of the day, making sure house race bibs came off at the end of the race and brought back to the start line so those students in the stand could see what house was coming first. Well done and thanks Imogen.

Our 2024 Athletics team  who will be representing Redlands and competing at HICES was also acknowledged at our assembly and a full report will be in next week’s Note Day.

Winning House

• 1st Place Roseby 1853 points
• 2nd Place McDouall 1761 points
• 3rd Place Cowper 1687 points     
• 4^th Place  Dumolo 1642 points    

Age Champions Athletics 2024

Congratulations to the following students who were named and presented age champion and runner up at our school assembly. 

House Spirit

Well done to all houses for their efforts in house spirit with Cowper coming out on top for Athletics.

Redlands Athletics Carnival Photos

As you would be aware, we organised for a professional sports photographer to attend the Junior School Athletics Carnival to take some photos for parents and the school. There are some great shots 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. They will be uploaded as soon as possible by the company.

Available in the next few days

Log In Here

• Click prompt to Access Gallery
• Select – Redlands Icon
• Select – 2024 folder
• Select Event i.e. Junior Athletics Carnival
• Enter: Name & Email Address
• Enter Password: Dunnet01
• Select- View album

 There’s a whole range you can choose from. Prints, Personalised Prints, Canvas, Framed Photos, Digital Images to mention a few.

Term 3 2024 Upcoming Key Dates

These have all been updated on Pulse for your viewing and preparation These events can also be located in our school sport calendar. Information for our Junior School Athletics Carnival is now available on Pulse on our Athletics Page. The program for the Athletics carnival should you wish to attend to view parts of the day can also be found here as well the parent information package on the day.

A training program has also been uploaded to the Athletics page as a resource for any family who would like to do some preparation with their child for the upcoming Athletics Carnival. This can be downloaded from the FILES section on the Athletics page.

The  Junior School Parent Information Booklet has also been updated for Term 3- this can be viewed here Parent Information Booklet

Please don’t hesitate to view our Sport Information page on Redlands Pulse if you have any questions pertaining to Sport.

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

Dance Academy

RAD Vocational Exams

Congratulations to the following dancers who completed their RAD Ballet Exams on Monday.

Intermediate Foundation

• Megumi Ishii
• Sophia Moriarty
• Azina Garrido Bulnes
• Ada Grossman
• Emma Foley
• Michelle Byron

Advanced Foundation

• Mia Allsop
• Evie Krallis
• Amber Kusano
• Juliet Whelan

Advanced 1

• Alicia Green
• Hannah Scott

Eisteddfod Update

Huge success at SPACE this weekend!

1^st Place for the Senior Ballet Performers and 2^nd for the Junior Ballet Performers.

Well done, you all danced beautifully!

Solo Soiree

Shout out to those who performed at the Solo Soiree on 2 August. It was a very special evening with talented dancers spanning from Year 2 to 11. What a treat! We will post some fave photos next week.

SUNDAY 25 AUGUST | ISTD & RAD EXTRA CLASSES 

A reminder that we are holding extra classes this Sunday for those students taking their RAD Ballet exams in September and student taking their ISTD exams later in the year.

Please see our ISTD and RAD Pulse pages for further information (class times, location, what to bring to class).

Sunday 15 September

A date for the diary. We are holding three big events on Sunday 15 September, as below:

Dance Awards 10am-12.30pm

This will be a fun event with performances from our Eisteddfod groups, Year 11 and 12, and our Curriculum dancers will showcase their work. There will also be a chance for audience participation, and we will farewell the Year 12s.

For tickets click HERE

Pea-Nutcracker 1.30pm-2.30pm

Our Redlands House Mini Movers and Ballet dancers will be hitting the stage to perform “The Pea-nutcracker”. We will also have special guest appearances from Junior and Senior Academy students. Further details will be made available soon.

For tickets click HERE

Junior RAD Variation Showcase 2.45pm-4.15pm

Our RAD Ballet Students in Year 3 to Year 6 have the opportunity to perform their variations for friends and family. We are thrilled to have Ms Jasmin Durham (former dancer with the Australian Ballet and RDA coach) in attendance to provide feedback to all students taking part.

For tickets click HERE

Absent or Away from Class

 A reminder to complete the RDA Absent from Class form if your child cannot attend a class – CLICK HERE

Note that for private lessons, please contact your private lesson teacher and cc the Dance Department. 24 hours notice is required for any cancellations. Any private lesson missed with less than 24 hours notice will be charged as a received lesson. For private lessons please do not complete the RDA Absent from Class form.

Any Questions?

Please see our RDA Pulse page for the most up-to-date information on all things dance, and if you have any questions, concerns or feedback please contact us. 

A reminder that if you wish to make an appointment to speak with Ms Revie, please contact the Dance Department.

Ms Gilly Revie
Head of Redlands Dance Academy
grevie@redlands.nsw.edu.au
02 9908 6488 

Dance Curriculum

Important Dates

HSC Dance Practical Examinations

Congratulations to Madeleine Lamport and Summer-Eve Smyth on their completion of their HSC Dance practical examinations yesterday! NESA examiners were at the school yesterday to mark the students for their final HSC Dance works. Thank you to their dancers Imogen Jeffery-Bilich and Sofia Vincent who performed the Year 12 students’ compositions. Wishing the Year 12 students all the very best for their final part of their HSC Dance course, their Appreciation examination in November.

Summer-Eve Smyth and Madeleine Lamport

Madeleine Lamport and Year 11 student dancer Sofia Vincent

Summer-Eve Smyth and Year 11 student dancer Imogen Jeffery-Bilich

Any Questions?

Please contact us at kboase@redlands.nsw.edu.au with any questions, concerns or feedback.

Mrs Katharine Boase
Subject Coordinator of Dance
kboase@redlands.nsw.edu.au 

Drama and Theatre

On the evening of Friday 16 August, the Year 12 HSC Drama Cohort presented their Group Performances in a trial examination format. The audience of friends and family were in for a real theatrical treat. The students, guided by their incredible teacher, Ms Marita Jansons, crafted on some fabulous, engaging, clever and highly physical work drawing on biomechanics and other theorist-based concepts. These performances demonstrated a nuanced understanding of the requirements of the HSC course, including the ability to create a sustained piece of theatre in an engaging and collaborative fashion. Next week on 30 August, the students will present their Group Performances, along with their Individual Projects, for the NESA external examiners who will visit Redlands. We wish them all the best as they complete these performance exams, and congratulate them on some outstanding works thus far.

Year 10 Drama have had a busy week presenting their work, in an analytical fashion, the technical aspects of theatre, such as visual and special effects, costuming and lighting in two works they have viewed. Students as a cohort have attended the STC version of Dracula last month and the school play Away this month. Interesting comparisons about how meaning is created and interesting opportunities for conversations about how theatre makers manipulate the production elements to evoke emotion were created through juxtaposition. I had the pleasure of double marking some students and was struck by the depth of knowledge and research students had completed, standing many in a very positive place should they move into future senior studies within Drama and Theatre. It is evident that their teachers have really unfurled the two performances to engage with that time old question, what is good theatre? Thank you to both Mr Gidney and Mr Hawkins for their excellent work.

In the next two weeks, students in the Year 12 IB Cohort are preparing for their final Solo Performance Examination Performance. This element of the new guide has changed and we are working hard to incorporate the challenges this has presented. Part of this change is the manipulation of the camera for the recordings that are made and sent away to the IB for external marking. This week we filmed a draft performance and were lucky enough to have the visiting delegate of international IB teachers from Japan sit in, not sure if it was all able to be translated but they certainly seemed to appreciate the need for academic capacity and what it takes to convert theorist work into a performance. IB Theatre will complete these performance exams in the Studio, on the 5th and 6th of September at 6.30pm.

Mr Hawkins will be out of school from 22 August to 6 September inclusive. If you have any questions or queries please address them to me as he is off marking HSC drama performances and will no doubt bring back a wonderful swag of ideas and professional development to continue to improve work here in Drama.

Kathryn Smith
Acting Subject Coordinator of Drama and Theatre
ksmith@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Music

Music Awards Dinner

The composition competition isn’t the only thing on tomorrow… we have our annual Senior Music Awards Dinner! We’re looking forward to this celebration of all of our students achievements in co curricular music at Norths Cammeray – see you there at 6pm!

Composition Competition – Due Tomorrow!  

Composition Competition entries are due tomorrow! The final competition in our annual series, Composition Competition a.k.a. ‘Comp Comp’ is a fantastic catalyst for those budding singer-songwriters and composers to get their creative juices flowing! Redlands 7th Album project is now open to receive entries via the iLearn page. Adhering to the specified guidelines, composition submissions are to be uploaded by Friday 23 August 2024.

Junior And Senior Piano Competition 

Please come along for an incredible night of pianistic talent on Friday 30 August!

Curriculum Showcases

Students in Elective Music classes will perform in their showcases in Term 3 and 4. Parents and friends are invited to attend and support the students in their performances and celebrate their achievements this year. Please note the following dates in your calendar:

Term 3 Events

As we prepare for a well deserved break, please see a list below of important Term 3 Music Events to keep your eye on:

Here to help!

Keep your eye on Pulse and the MUSIC EVENTS page to ensure key dates are all on the family calendar and reach out to your campus Music Office if we can assist in any way.

Mrs Jacqueline McGlade  
Junior Music Administrator | juniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au | 9908 6495
CLICK FOR PREP & JUNIOR MUSIC PULSE

Ms Kirsty Hales
Senior Music Administrator | seniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au | 9968 9820
CLICK FOR SENIOR MUSIC PULSE 

Ms Katherine Moses
Junior Campus Music Subject Coordinator (P-6)

Ms Victoria Williams
Secondary School Music Subject Coordinator (7-12)

Mr Mathew Owen
Director of Music Performance (P-12)