From the Principal

It was wonderful to welcome back members of the Class of 2019 to our Academic Achievement Celebration Assembly this week to celebrate and acknowledge their individual effort and performance. The messages Redlanders Lindsay McNeil and Siddhant Saha shared with current students were most valuable, as they encouraged them to maintain balance, enjoy all the opportunities that the School has to offer and to maintain consistent effort.

I implored our Year 11 and 12 students to challenge the ‘myth’ that they tend to assume is true; the ‘myth’ that students who do well are just naturally talented and that the students present from the Class of 2019 were somehow different to them. In fact, the ‘truth’ is that these students put in the effort, they delayed self-gratification, were disciplined and committed. It is all too easy to dismiss their achievements as this is the easy way out. I also focussed my message on the importance of teamwork and collaboration in order to get the best out of all members of their classes, just as you would in a sporting situation. My favourite NBA team, the San Antonio Spurs, also received a mention for their commitment and dedication to play team first basketball.

Teamwork was most evident over the weekend at the NSW Rowing Championships, as was resilience given the weather. I was most impressed by our crews’ commitment, approach and performance, which resulted in some excellent achievements. Our Boys 1st Quad won a silver medal along with our Girls 1st Quad coming in fourth place in their final, only 0.08 seconds off a bronze medal. We also won a silver medal in the U16 Boys Double.

I was also most impressed by our Junior School Basketball teams’ performances against Newington on Saturday morning. They deserve a special mention as all eight teams were victorious in their games against Newington and The King’s School, with some very determined play towards the end of some of the closer games.

Information regarding Secondary School winter sport selections will be sent out early next week. Parents will notice that for our Year 7 and 8 students (boys and girls), there will be an additional option to select, which is AFL. This has been decided following a review of winter sports offerings with the Head of Secondary School, Mr Corcoran and our Head of Secondary School Sport, Mr Kindred. We have offered AFL in the Junior School and extending this into the Secondary School will enable students the option to continue with this sport.

As parents are aware, we offer a broad range of cocurricular activities and where possible, aim to best meet the needs of our students. It has been clear from my discussions with students that they would like the option of being able to play AFL for Redlands in the Secondary School. We have chosen to only offer it at Year 7 and 8 combined level at this stage to enable a gradual introduction of the sport over time, with a view to other teams at higher levels being added in the years ahead, depending on interest. In the AFL Independent Schools program, teams at Year 7/8 level are 12 a side, which means that 12 or more boys and 12 or more girls would need to select the sport for teams to be viable. Further details will be available when making selections.

I am very much looking forward to meeting many of you at our New Families Afternoon Tea event this Friday 14 February at 3.30pm in the Junior School Piazza as well as the Twilight in the Piazza event the following week at 6.00pm in the same location.

Mr Stephen Webber

Photo caption:

Foundation

Twilights Drinks in the Piazza

Thank you to those families who already booked, there has been great interest from our community across Year Groups and we are looking forward to seeing many of you at this annual gathering.

This is a parent only event and it provides a great opportunity to meet Redlands staff, welcome our new Principal and new parents to the School community and reconnect with existing friends.

book here

New Learning Hub Appeal

I would like to thank all the families who have kindly donated to the New Learning Hub and secured their family plaques. There are only few plaques available. Plaques are of three different sizes based on donation value. The financial commitments would have to be completed by 30 June 2020. Contributions will be dedicated to the final fit-out of this wonderful development.

Book your plaque now!

Significant progress has been made during the main holidays on the New Learning Hub and construction work is continuing as planned. We are very excited to open this inspiring new space in Term 3 2020.

Alumni News

NYC Alumni Chapter Meeting

On Tuesday 4 February, our Redlanders met in NYC for the monthly Alumni Chapter meeting. Angus Dunnachie (Class of 2016) and Emily Farrell (Class of 1994), met with Redlands Chapter delegate Pauline Lam (Class of 1987), exchanging career, life and travel stories. Angus is on exchange at Drexel University.

Reunion of Class of 2015

Friday 6 March at 5.30pm

We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2015 and their parents back to Redlands to celebrate their five year reunion. This is always a great opportunity to learn what our past students experience and achieved since they left Redlands.

book here

Redlands Alumni Parents Morning Tea

Friday 20 March at 8.30am

We welcome all Redlander Parents to reconnect and enjoy morning tea in the Top Gardens, Redlands Senior Campus.

alumni events

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

RPFA

Twilight Cocktails

Come meet other parents, staff and our new Principal and welcome the start of the new school year at our annual Twilight Cocktails.

Walks on Tracks

Wednesday 19 February at 8.30am
Manly to Curl Curl – meet at Julie’s house at 25a Cliff St, Manly
Please bring a plate to share for brunch afterwards
No dogs if going to Julie’s

Any questions, please call Ann Marie Kimber on 0406 691 533.

Book Club

Wednesday 19 February from 9.30am for a 10.00am start
At Neutral Bay
Book: Margaret Atwood’s Booker Prize winning The Testaments. 

If you would like to join, please email Lerida Grant on lerida@bigpond.net.au.

2020 RPFA Committee

rpfa@redlands.nsw.edu.au

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

Event

Twilight in the Piazza

We look forward to seeing you at the Twilight in the Piazza event on Friday 21 February. 

Twilight drinks, hosted by the School and the Redlands Parents and Friends Association (RPFA), are to welcome parents from every section of the School.

book here 

Head of Secondary School

Academic Achievement Assembly

On Monday we held our Academic Achievers Celebration Assembly where we recognised the top HSC and IB students from the Class of 2019 with parents, staff, guests and the current Yr 11 and 12 students in attendance. Our Principal, Mr Webber, debunked the myth that success is determined by ability and instead stressed the importance of effort and teamwork. Siddhant Saha and Lindsay McNeil from last year’s graduating class also both spoke at the assembly. Sid spoke of the challenges of arriving in Australia in the middle of Yr 10 and starting new at Redlands. He reflected on all of the opportunities afforded to him at Redlands and the support he received from teachers along the way. Lindsay finished her speech directing a message to the Yr 11 and 12 students, stating that, “hard-work is always worth it. You are more academically capable than you ever believe and the satisfaction you will reap from prioritising your studies, in an environment like Redlands that is so supportive and encourages you to be an holistic all-rounder, will leave you without regrets. Achieving in an academic sense may seem, in the end, entirely quantifiable. But if you can find inspiration in your learning, if you can appreciate and reward your teachers through your engagement and incorporate consistent study into your all-rounded life, then you have already achieved.”

I reminded the academic high achievers that while we celebrated their excellent results from last year, they should not let a number define who they are. “Your numbers might be the headline, but they do not give the full picture of your time at school. They do not reveal your effort, your grit, determination and resilience. They do not show your failures, the tough times you faced and the challenges you overcame. They do not illustrate your occasional feelings of worry, uncertainty and disappointment. They do not sum up your passions and interests outside of the classroom; or when you were a good friend to a classmate; or the values, lessons and learnings you will take from your years at Redlands that will best prepare you for the future. So, although your numbers have opened up many different doors and exciting opportunities for you in the future, I hope they only comprise one small part of your holistic education here at Redlands. Today, while we acknowledge you for these results, we also celebrate you for all of the other parts of your educational journey that your numbers don’t reveal.”

Yr 7 Camp

Last week our Yr 7 students had their first camp experience in the Secondary School. Unfortunately, the bushfires around the Canberra region impacted the roads to Jindabyne so they were unable to spend the week at our beautiful High Country Campus. However, fortunately our camp provider, Outdoor Education Group, was able to secure an alternative location at Glenworth Valley in the Central Coast region. In a quick straw poll of my Yr 7 English class on Tuesday, they reported back to me that the highlights of camp were the mountain biking, the hike, the team building activities and the food, while the biggest challenges they faced were the hike and the weather.  

Cyber Safety

This Tuesday was our first Prefect Assembly of the year and as it coincided with Safer Internet Day on 11 February, the Prefects wanted to focus the Assembly around our safe, responsible and productive use of technology. Our student leaders highlighted how easy it is for young people to spend too much time online and also the importance of responsible online behaviour in light of the many dangers that exist online. Students and parents are encouraged to go to the Office of the eSafety Commissioner website for further information and resources on responsible internet usage.

Swimming Carnival

We are looking forward to the Secondary School Swimming Carnival which will be held next Thursday 20 February at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. This is a great day which contributes to House and school spirit and we look forward to seeing students compete and cheer on the day. More specific information about the Carnival, including links to permissions, can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Study Centre

After positive feedback from the last few years, we are continuing our before and after school Study Centre for students. The Study Centre will take place Monday from 7.30-8.15am and 4.30-6.00pm and Tuesday and Wednesday from 7.30-8.15am and 3.30-6.00pm. The aim of the Study Centre is to provide students from Yrs 7-12 with the opportunity to receive shoulder-to-shoulder support or assistance in specific disciplines from Secondary School teachers. These sessions are not to be seen as formalised one-on-one tutoring sessions but instead should be seen as opportunities for students to get assistance or feedback on specific areas of learning. While the Study Centre will take place in the Library for most subjects, some more practical subjects will hold these in specialised spaces. The Study Centre will commence in Week 3 and a schedule of offerings can be found on Redlands Pulse.

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

Careers

Girls Programming Network Workshop 

All girls in Yrs 7-12 are invited to this free workshop at The University of Sydney from 10.00am-4.00pm on either Saturday 22 or Sunday 23 February. Lunch is provided and no programming experience required but all levels catered for.

UNSW Visiting Redlands Week 4

All students are invited but need to have permission from their Tutor teacher and email Ms Salier. It is on Monday in the Library during Tutor Time. Please send Ms Salier your questions for UNSW on Friday.

University of the Arts London Presentation

This will take place on Monday 24 February from 5.00-6.30pm at the TAFE Design Centre at Enmore (Room DG08). No RSVP necessary. UAL is one of the top art and design schools worldwide. We have a Redlands student attending in 2020.

Charles Sturt University Medicine Information Night

CSU will offer a five year undergraduate Doctor of Medicine degree at their Orange Campus. This is a joint program with WSU.

Find out more by attending an information session at St Josephs College on Tuesday 24 March from 5.30-7.30pm. 

Work Experience Opportunities

The Defence Work Experience program offers many programs in all states. Applications are now open. Please discuss with Ms Salier if interested.

NIDA is also offering Yrs 10 and 11 students interested in non-acting courses (design, make, build, lighting and sound) a week of work experience. More information here.

Ms Simone Salier
University & Careers Advisor
ssalier@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9867

Debating

All students who tried out for Debating in Week 1 have been notified of their teams by email. We had a meeting at 1.00pm on Wednesday and most students made the meeting. We are so glad that so many students trialled for Debating this year. We have 90 students competitively debating in the Secondary School alone!

I ask you to take the time to read the about Debating and Debating Expectations pages on Redlands Pulse.

Please make note of whether your daughter or son is on a FED or ISDA team.

ISDA Debating will start next week. The draw and other details for ISDA are available here.

FED Debating starts this week with a home debate. Please download the FED student handbook available here. Students should meet at the Liggins Quad at 3.30pm to set up rooms.

Ms Simone Bryant
Debating Coordinator
sbryant@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9875

Year 12

Redlands Study Centre

The aim of the Study Centre is to provide students from Yrs 7-12 with the opportunity to receive shoulder-to-shoulder support or assistance in specific disciplines from Secondary School teachers. These sessions are not to be seen as formalised one-on-one tutoring sessions but instead should be seen as opportunities for students to get answers to specific questions of feedback on specific areas of learning. The timetable can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Absences

Just a reminder on processes for absences and approved leave. Please email the school ssabsence@redlands.nsw.edu.au as soon as possible if your child is sick and unable to attend school that day. Please note that this is a dedicated absence email address only – any emails sent to this address will not be responded to. If a student is absent from school for any longer than two days, please supply a doctor’s certificate. No medical appointments should be made during school hours, including Thursday afternoon Sport. This obviously does not include medical emergencies. Requests for approved leave should be made in writing to Mr Sean Corcoran. It would be great if I was cc’d on this communication too. If a student misses an assessment or is away due to approved leave – they (students) must speak with Mr Randall (HSC) or Mr Taylor (IB) immediately (or at the next available time) and complete any necessary documentation.

Secondary School Swimming Carnival 

The Secondary School Swimming Carnival will be held next Thursday 20 February at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. This is a compulsory school event that contributes to House and school spirit. As this event is held off-site, it is a requirement that all parents and carers login to Redlands Pulse and grant online permission asap. A full Swimming Carnival program including all transport, uniform, rules and event details is on Redlands Pulse. As a reminder for carnival days and excursions, please read through information posted for each event as attendance is compulsory and please alert Secondary School Absences for any changes to transportation to or from the venue.  The Tutor should be cc’d in this communication too so they can mark the roll accurately. When this information is received prior to the event, it ensures we have accurate information for the care and safety of your child throughout the day. It is expected that students depart and return with the cohort on the provided school bus (except for students on our three Redlands bus services in the morning which will go straight to Sydney Olympic Park after pick up) and remain for the entire duration of the event. We appreciate your cooperation and support with this.  

School Photographs

Sibling photographs will be taken by Advanced Life on Wednesday 11 March in Redlands Hall from 7.15am. Any Junior School siblings are welcome to have their photo taken on 11 March if they are unable to attend the Junior Campus Sibling Photo day on 21 February. Students are required to wear blazers.

Order envelopes are available from the Secondary School Office and orders for photography packages can also be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our School Order Code: NWL 4NR ETY. Portrait and group package orders are due by photography day. Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please direct them to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.

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

Year 11

Swimming Carnival

Our annual Secondary School Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 20 February at Sydney Olympic Park Swimming Pool, Homebush. Please access Redlands Pulse to grant online permission for your child if you have not already done so, for this compulsory school event. Your timely attention to this task is appreciated. The program can be found on Redlands Pulse.

School Photographs

Sibling photographs will be taken by Advanced Life on Wednesday 11 March in Redlands Hall from 7.15am. Any Junior School siblings are welcome to have their photo taken on 11 March if they are unable to attend the Junior Campus Sibling Photo day on 21 February. Students are required to wear blazers.

Order envelopes are available from the Secondary School Office and orders for photography packages can also be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our School Order Code: NWL 4NR ETY. Portrait and group package orders are due by photography day. Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please direct them to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.

Dr Prue Salter – Study Skills

As part of our Pastoral Program, we were fortunate to welcome Dr Salter back to Redlands last Monday. Her talk was designed especially for our Yr 11 cohort in preparation for their next two years of senior study. Tutors were also present to hear Dr Salter speak so that they can further build upon techniques discussed in Tutor Groups. Dr Salter spoke with our students and parents when students were in Yr 7 and it was wonderful to have her return to help students build on their skills and knowledge as Yr 11 students. Dr Salter will return again next year prior to the HSC and IB examinations to assist students with their preparation for their final school examinations.

Academic Achievement Celebration Assembly

On Monday, Yrs 11 and 12 students attended the Academic Achievement Celebration Assembly, as we welcomed back our high achievers from 2019. Our Yr 11 students benefited greatly from listening to the reflections of the 2019 high achievers, gaining insight into the secrets, tips and tricks that had contributed to individual success. Alex Kim performed the musical item, Hungarian Rhapsody for Cello and Piano, playing the cello and he was accompanied by Mr Zi-Hao Li. Alex’s performance was polished, breath-taking and highly commended.

Students Achievements

Harrison Winton undertook a week of valuable work experience at Collins Aerospace Australia during the holiday break. The major task that was set for Harrison was to review “build” instructions for a new radio rack system that had been designed and developed for an international customer. He was given the opportunity to deliver a presentation to the Managing Director to highlight his findings. In addition, Harrison applied for the Young Guides Program at the Museum of Contemporary Art and was successful. The process for this opportunity was rigorous as Harrison submitted an essay, interviewed and then presented an analysis of an artwork. We warmly congratulate Harrison on these significant achievements.

During the holiday break, Ross Psaroulis competed at the Dancelife Unite Nationals. Ross achieved first place in the Teen Tap Solo section and was the Overall Tap Genre winner. Ross is to be commended for his commitment to Tap and this significant achievement.

Sebastian Dobson attended the ISA Boys Open Tennis trials at Barker College on Tuesday. He was successful in making the ISA Boys team and will represent ISA at the NSWCIS trials next week.

Sofia Stuckmann has been selected for the NSW Junior Beach Volleyball 2020 squad.  She will be competing in the Australian Junior Beach Volleyball Championship in Coolangatta, Queensland in March and other competitions throughout Australia in the coming months. This is wonderful news and we are proud of her Volleyball achievements.

Science Club

Science Club encompasses a number of the already existing activities offered by the Science faculty, such as Engineering Club and Titration Club, and expands to take in more opportunities with possibilities including Sleek Geek and the Young Scientist Competitions, as well as being a way of disseminating information about external Science based events for interested students. Science Club meets on Tuesday lunchtimes in R2.1.

Some students have already signed up for the Engineering or Titration Club and this is part of the Science Club. The Science Club will focus on particular events at different times. All students are welcome and we would like to hear their ideas of what interests them.

Rex Markman’s Reflection 

Spending five months as an Exchange Student in rural Spain, I gained a huge appreciation for the opportunities and life that many of us enjoy in Sydney. Arriving in Sevilla and meeting my new Spanish family was like landing on Mars – the Andalusian accent is difficult to understand. Still, I was surprised at what I could communicate using body language and a few key words during this first period of ‘voiceless-ness.’ I spent a lot of my spare time in the beginning studying Spanish. In Spain I missed my family but now that I have returned, I miss my crazy, expressive Spanish friends, the simplicity of life in a small village of 5000 people, my 6 year old Spanish brother and the independence of travelling to San Sebastien for a week. While it is natural to want to make comparisons between the two countries, I guess the real lesson for me is that a comparison is pointless. Spanish rural life and Sydney student life are just so different. Many of my Spanish classmates dream of one day taking over their small family farm, and after experiencing village life for five months, I now see that the sense of community and kindness they share is the key to being happy and therefore successful, no matter how small or big your career dream. Rex Markman

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

Year 10

Assessment Booklets

Students were handed a hard copy of the Yr 10 2020 Assessment Handbook this week. It has details of all the assessment dates for each subject for the whole academic year. This document is also on Redlands Pulse and on the Yr 10 Pastoral Care iLearn page. It is suggested that you go through the booklet with your child and ensure that they are aware of the assessment policies, such as rules surrounding late submission of work and provisions for illness and misadventure. Particularly important to note is the requirement for a parent email in the event of illness or misadventure when a task is due.

I spoke to the students this week about the importance of taking responsibility for their own learning and also ensuring they communicate with their parents at home to answer any questions. The students are expected to contact their teachers directly if they have any issues regarding assessment tasks or require additional time to complete tasks due to illness or misadventure. While an email from a parent is also required for an extension, the students are encouraged to be active in their own communication with their teacher when initially enquiring about any situations that may arise for them. The Yr 10 Pastoral Care team really appreciate your support in encouraging your children to be more proactive in dealing with staff directly.

Swimming Carnival

Next Thursday 20 February is the annual Swimming Carnival. Please ensure you confirm permission for your child to attend this event as soon as possible. This event is compulsory for all students so we ask that you ensure your child attends. We would also appreciate it if you can actively encourage your child to participate in the races that take place during the day. It is a great day, with much House team building spirit, and we would love to see an increase in our Year Group’s participation from last year.

Uniform Regulations

There have been a number of girls who have had highlights or colour put into their hair during the holidays. Redlands school uniform regulations state that boys and girls must have no hair dye (p19 of the Student Planner 2020). We appreciate your support in this matter and ask that when the colour grows out, the hair returns to its natural colour. In addition, a number of girls have had piercings done over the holidays, including cartilage ones in their ears. The regulations only allow for one pair of plain gold or silver studs in ear lobes, so we would appreciate your support in ensuring this is the only jewellery worn to school by your daughters.

Study Timetable

The aim of the before and after school Study Centre in the Library is to provide students with the opportunity to receive additional support or assistance from teachers in specific subjects. These sessions are not to be seen as formalised one-on-one tutoring sessions, but are opportunities for students to get answers to questions or feedback on specific areas of learning. The timetable for these sessions can be seen in the Yr10 Pastoral Care iLearn page and on Redlands Pulse, so please ask your child to show you this information and discuss this with them as a possible resource to use.

School Photographs

Sibling photographs will be taken by Advanced Life on Wednesday 11 March in Redlands Hall from 7.15am. Any Junior School siblings are welcome to have their photo taken on 11 March if they are unable to attend the Junior Campus Sibling Photo day on 21 February. Students are required to wear blazers.

Order envelopes are available from the Secondary School Office and orders for photography packages can also be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our School Order Code: NWL 4NR ETY. Portrait and group package orders are due by photography day. Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please direct them to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.

Arnhem Land Cultural Immersion Trip

We are excited to announce that an additional five spots have become available for the Yr 10 Arnhem Land Cultural Immersion trip. Students, accompanied by Redlands staff, will travel to East Arnhem Land from 17-25 April to engage in an indigenous cultural immersion program facilitated by Culture College. Culture College, now an Aboriginal Corporation, has partnered with the traditional owners of East Arnhem Land, the Yolgnu people, to create a unique program that will allow Yr 10 Redlands students to experience and immerse themselves in one of the most culturally intact and pristine regions left on earth. 

This experience provides an opportunity for our students to gain a new perspective on fellow inhabitants of this country, through open dialogue, shared activities, and two way learning with the Yolngu people. If interested, please email Ms Rachael Riley .

Winter School

Yr 10 parents and students are invited to attend a Winter School information evening in Redlands Hall on Tuesday 25 February at 6.00pm. Winter School for Yr 10 will provide a unique leadership opportunity with a program aimed at encouraging the students to take an active role and develop their leadership skills during the term. For further details please contact David Gregory.

Pastoral Care Program

This week students have begun learning about resilience and how to develop it in their daily lives. Please see below for more information in the interesting article of the week.

Social Awareness Program

This week students have been watching a documentary about the youth homelessness organisation called The Oasis, following the lives of young people facing homelessness and the challenges they have encountered and what led them to become homeless and get in touch with The Oasis.

Interesting Article of the Week

please watch

Resilience is an important skill that is required for us to be successful in all facets of life, whether that be at school, with our friends and families, our personal lives and at work. This week I have attached the Ted Talk by Raphael Rose, a researcher for NASA, at a TEDx event, that Yr 10 have been watching in their Pastoral Care program. Raphael says that facing stress in our lives is an integral component of being more resilient. His research has shown that welcoming stress helps us become more resilient, leading to a more meaningful, joyful, and socially connected life. Our aim in Yr 10 is to help our students become more resilient by accepting that there will be stress at school and developing strategies to manage it while being kind to themselves. I hope you enjoy the video.

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

Year 9

Key Dates

Swimming Carnival

The Secondary School Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 20 February at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. This is a compulsory school event that contributes to House and school spirit. As this event is held off-site, it is a requirement that all parents and carers login to Engage and grant online permission. Please keep your eyes open for online permissions. If you are having difficulty accessing Engage, please email iSupport. When information is shared via the Sports Department, please carefully familiarise yourself with this information, particularly regarding correct attire and traveling to/from the venue. The program can be found on Redlands Pulse.

School Photographs

Sibling photographs will be taken by Advanced Life on Wednesday 11 March in Redlands Hall from 7.15am. Any Junior School siblings are welcome to have their photo taken on 11 March if they are unable to attend the Junior Campus Sibling Photo day on 21 February. Students are required to wear blazers.

Order envelopes are available from the Secondary School Office and orders for photography packages can also be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our School Order Code: NWL 4NR ETY. Portrait and group package orders are due by photography day. Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please direct them to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.

Safer Internet Day At Home

This year, Safer Internet Day was celebrated on Tuesday. The theme this week is Together for a better internet and Australia’s eSafety Commissioner is encouraging parents to mark the day by starting family conversations about online safety. You can download our Safer Internet Day resources at Safer Internet Day and use them to start the chat about online safety with your family. 

Yr 9 Parent Events

Thank you to our Yr 9 Parent Reps (Erin, Tiff, Melinda and Suzie) for coordinating the organisation of a number of upcoming parent events for Yr 9 families. Events include coffee mornings and family picnics. Please see their email from Redlands class of 2023 (sent Monday 10 February) for dates, locations and times. 

Twilight In the Piazza

The Redlands Parents and Friends Association warmly welcomes all parents across all areas of the school to Twilight in the Piazza on Friday 21 February. This is a wonderful opportunity for new and existing families to make connections with our wider community. Bookings can be made here.

Mobile Phone Usage

Students have been reminded of our Technology and Mobile Phone Policy (Student Planner, p.27). Yr 9 students are aware that if they are using their mobile phone without permission it will be removed and stored in the Secondary School Office for the day, available for collection at 3.20pm. Should a student’s phone be confiscated for a second time, the student will need to hand this into the Secondary School Office each morning for five days. The phone will be stored securely and can be collected each afternoon.

Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development (Teenagers 15-17 years of age)

Our teenagers are hitting the height of adolescence, either turning 14 or 15 this year. This is a time of changes for how teenagers think, feel and interact with others, and how their bodies grow. By the end of this stage, most girls will be physically mature and most will have completed puberty. Boys might still be maturing physically during this time. Your teen might have concerns about her body size, shape or weight. Eating disorders also can be common, especially among girls. During this time, your teen is developing their unique personality and opinions. Relationships with friends are still important, yet your teen will have other interests as they develop a more clear sense of who they are. This is also an important time to prepare for more responsibility; many teenagers start working. SchoolsTV offers a simple fact sheet on what to expect in the year/s ahead.

Reminder! Fiji Service Learning Opportunity

This year in the October school holidays, students from Yr 9 will have the opportunity to travel to Fiji and immerse themselves in Fijian life. This is the fourth year that Redlands has partnered with Rustic Pathways to provide this opportunity for Yr 9 students. The trip is split into two sections. The first is spent in a highlands village, where students are accommodated via a homestay program and engage in a range of cultural immersion and service activities. Following this, students return to the coast at Rustic Pathways Momi Bay Base. During this time, students work with a Marine Biologist to assist and learn about environmental management of the surrounding reef and coastal area. This program gives students a wide range of experiences, whilst developing their understanding of the Fijian culture. It is designed to both educate and challenge students, helping them to embrace the concept of being a global citizen. Sign up needs to be completed shortly. Any questions should be quickly directed to Mr Gray (Dean of Activities). 

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

Year 8

Upcoming Events

Swimming Carnival 

Please ensure approval is given for our Yr 8 students to attend the 2020 Secondary School Swimming Carnival next Thursday 20 February. 

Science Club

Science Club encompasses a number of the already existing activities offered by the Science faculty, such as Engineering Club and Titration Club, and expands to take in more opportunities with possibilities including Sleek Geek and the Young Scientist Competitions, as well as being a way of disseminating information about external Science based events for interested students. Science Club meets on Tuesday lunchtimes in R2.1. 

Some students have already signed up for the Engineering or Titration Club and this is part of the Science Club. The Science Club will focus on particular events at different times. All students are welcome and we would like to hear their ideas of what interests them.

Cyber Safety Awareness This Week

The eSafety Commissioner has put out conversation starters they encourage all families to be utilise at home to discuss safe decision making in various internet situations. Visit their website for further information. This week, students will be encouraged to have a conversation with a teacher, a parent or a relative to discuss their online personality and safety precautions.  Some conversation starters are attached here. 

School Photographs

Sibling photographs will be taken by Advanced Life on Wednesday 11 March in Redlands Hall from 7.15am. Any Junior School siblings are welcome to have their photo taken on 11 March if they are unable to attend the Junior Campus Sibling Photo day on 21 February. Students are required to wear blazers.

Order envelopes are available from the Secondary School Office and orders for photography packages can also be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our School Order Code: NWL 4NR ETY. Portrait and group package orders are due by photography day. Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please direct them to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.

Exchange Program

This Saturday, Tara Gold, Olivia Salmond, Emma Sullivan and Scarlett Thorp, will be travelling to Auckland, NZ, for three weeks to take part in our regular exchange program with Kristin School. In addition to school and cocurricular activities at Kristin, the students will also have the opportunity to attend School Camp in the Tongariro region of the North Island. We wish them all the best in this experience and we look forward to welcoming their exchange partners in the first three weeks of Term 2.

Dr Prue Salter’s Tips for Parents

It is extremely important that students set goals during the school year to consistently be working toward improving in various areas. While students have been working with their Tutors to set goals and establish action items to work toward these goals, Dr Prue Salter has a Set Your Targets handout to guide the conversation between students and parents for student reflection.  

Learn more at www.studyskillshandbook.com.au. Our school’s subscription details are – Username: redlands; Password: 68results

The Yr 8 Pastoral Program

This term, students will focus on developing their understanding of self-management and responsible decision making through setting clear goals, creating an evolving term planner to be added to and adapted throughout the term and by studying positive and negative risk-taking. Outcomes for this term include: understanding the connections between emotions and choices, identifying safe and unsafe risks, understanding how choices/impulses can impact personal wellbeing and resilience and to be introduced to some of the consequences involved in these decisions.  

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

Year 7

Key Dates

Secondary School Swimming Carnival 

The Swimming Carnival will be held next Thursday 20 February at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. This is a compulsory school event that contributes to House and school spirit. As this event is held off-site, it is a requirement that all parents and carers login to Redlands Pulse and grant online permission asap. A full Swimming Carnival program including all transport, uniform, rules and event details is on Redlands Pulse. An email should be sent to Secondary School Absences for any missed school day, late arrival or early departure.  As a reminder for carnival days and excursions, please read through information posted for each event as attendance is compulsory and please alert Secondary School Absences for any changes to transportation to or from the venue. The Tutor, Year Advisor and Assistant Year Advisor appreciate being cc’d in this communication. When this information is received prior to the event, it ensures we have accurate information for the care and safety of your child throughout the day. It is expected that students depart and return with the cohort on the provided school bus (except for students on our three Redlands bus services in the morning which will go straight to Sydney Olympic Park after pick up) and remain for the entire duration of the event. We appreciate your cooperation and support with this.  

School Photographs

Sibling photographs will be taken by Advanced Life on Wednesday 11 March in Redlands Hall from 7.15am. Any Junior School siblings are welcome to have their photo taken on 11 March if they are unable to attend the Junior Campus Sibling Photo day on 21 February. Year 7 Portrait photographs will be taken by Advanced Life on Wednesday 11 March during school. Students are required to wear blazers.

Order envelopes are available from the Secondary School Office and orders for photography packages can also be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our School Order Code: NWL 4NR ETY. Portrait and group package orders are due by photography day. Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please direct them to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.

Yr 7 Camp

The success of Yr 7 Camp last week was wonderful. Despite a logistical change of camp venue and extreme changes in weather, it was fabulous to note the huge smiles, stories and comradeship between each Tutor group and the cohort as a whole. This was a fabulous opportunity for our students to bond and develop new friendships, to appreciate and value the outdoors, to build on their skill set of resilience, achievement, persistence, organisation, teamwork, self-awareness, self-management, and mindfulness. A huge thank you to the staff who were away from loved ones during the week for their tireless efforts, level of professionalism and desire to make the camp experience the best our students could have.

“I loved cooking and preparing your own food because it felt good to eat something you had made”. Max P

“I enjoyed mountain biking because I got to challenge myself”. Annabel M

Uniforms

Tutors are conducting regular uniform checks and we have asked students to remedy any uniform problems immediately. The Redlands school uniform regulations can be found in the Student Planner on page 19.

Redlands Study Centre

The aim of the Study Centre is to provide students from Yrs 7-12 with the opportunity to receive shoulder-to-shoulder support or assistance in specific disciplines from Secondary School teachers. These sessions are not to be seen as formalised one-on-one tutoring sessions but instead should be seen as opportunities for students to get answers to specific questions of feedback on specific areas of learning. The timetable can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Practical subjects: Additional support is available in Music on Monday am and Friday pm in the Music Hub.
Additional support is available in Visual Arts Week A: Wed pm, Fri am; Week B: Mon Lunch, Wed Lunch, Wed pm, Thu Lunch in T Block.

Absences

Just a reminder on processes for absences and approved leave. Please email the school as soon as possible if your child is sick and unable to attend school that day. Please note that this is a dedicated absence email address only – any emails sent to this address will not be responded to. If a student is absent from school for any longer than two days, please supply a doctor’s certificate. No medical appointments should be made during school hours, including Thursday afternoon Sport. This obviously does not include medical emergencies. Requests for approved leave should be made in writing to Mr Sean Corcoran. Would you please cc me in this correspondence as well. When absent, students are expected to check iLearn for any missed work and are encouraged to write to their teachers an email asking for any further information to support their learning when they are absent for multiple days.   

Debating

Congratulations to the Yr 7 students who have been selected into an ISDA Debating team! All students have been emailed details of their team (including the other team members’ names) and should check their school emails for this.

The ISDA competition starts in Week 4 and runs on Friday evenings. For away games, a bus is provided to the venues, however parents will be required to make arrangements for students to go home after the debates. Parents usually come in to watch the debates and then take their children home after this. Our new system will be updated for you to give permission for these away debates and you will receive a notification when this is set up.

More information about our Debating program can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Science

Science Club encompasses a number of the already existing activities offered by the Science faculty, such as Engineering Club and Titration Club, and expands to take in more opportunities with possibilities including Sleek Geek and the Young Scientist Competitions, as well as being a way of disseminating information about external Science based events for interested students.

Science Club meets on: Tuesday lunchtimes in R2.1.

Some students have already signed up for the Engineering or Titration Club and this is part of the Science Club.  The Science Club will focus on particular events at different times. All students are welcome and we would like to hear their ideas of what interests them.

Pastoral Care

The Pastoral Program for our students is developed around creating a strong connection between students and their Tutors, students and their peers, organisation with finding classes and materials, and feeling comfortable and confident on the Senior Campus.

This week students will receive their 2020 Assessment Handbooks (a guide for students and parents). Tutors will focus on the organisation and planning methods required when looking at schedules for the year ahead. We appreciate your support at home with this to ensure we are not providing undue stress to an already busy transitional period for our Yr 7 cohort.  

Prue Salter Study Tips

Our school’s subscription details to www.studyskillshandbook.com.au are – Username: Redlands; Password: 68results

How Much Time Should You Spend on Schoolwork?

In Secondary School if you do not have any specific homework or assessments to work on, you are then expected to spend some time that night on independent learning. This is where you ask yourself, what else could I be doing that will help me understand my subjects better and improve my results? Examples of independent learning are: reading ahead in your textbook, making a mind map about what you have been learning, doing extra research on a topic that interests you, making study notes, reviewing work you find difficult… the list is endless.

However, schools do not expect students to spend all of their time on schoolwork! We want you to play sport, see your friends, spend time with family, do activities you enjoy and have some rest and relax time as well. If you work effectively, then you can do your work for school, but still have a life! So, given this, how much time are you expected to spend on schoolwork?

It depends on your year level, your school, your parents and your own abilities and goals. First, check your Student Planner or ask your teacher what is expected in their subject. Then discuss these outlines with your parents and see if you can both agree what is right for you.

As a general rule, expected time to spend on schoolwork at home: In the first years of high school students usually do at least half an hour to an hour each day. In many schools it is around 1-1.5 hours on average or 7-10 hours of home learning over the whole week.

Remember this is just a guide. Some parents and some schools will expect more (or less!) so treat these as guidelines.

What about the weekend? The amount of time students need to spend on schoolwork on the weekend will depend on their current workload and how much work they complete during the week. You also need to ensure you are getting enough sleep.

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Stella Simpson-Morgan who attended the ISA Girls Open Tennis trials at Barker College on Tuesday. Stella was successful in making the Girls ISA team and will trial at the NSW CIS level next Wednesday. Best wishes Stella for the next stage of your trials!

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

Head of Junior School

UPCOMING EVENTS

Please note that all Upcoming Events for the Junior School are now on their own Note Day article/page. 

This Head of Junior School page will consist of general information from the Head of Junior School. 

Academic Achievers’ Assembly

On Monday, I was privileged to attend the annual Academic Achievers’ Assembly for our top graduates from the Class of 2019. Having been at Redlands for some time, one of the joys of this occasion for me is seeing many students who I remember well from their time in the Junior School.

There were some poignant messages for our Alumni as well as the Yr 11 and 12 cohorts who were present at this celebration from Mr Corcoran, Head of Secondary School, and Mr Webber, Principal, but I also found great inspiration in the reflective addresses of graduating students, Lindsay McNeil and Siddhant Saha. Lindsay started her Redlands journey in Preschool as did Isabel Binnekamp who was recognised for achieving the rare perfect full marks in the IB Diploma examinations. As Mr Corcoran pointed out, whilst their ATAR score was why they were at this special acknowledgment, this was only a very small part of their contributions to Redlands and of the young, life-ready women and men that they have become.

Safer Internet Day

In our assembly this week, our Junior School student leaders raised awareness of Tuesday’s Safer Internet Day, encouraging their peers to play their part to practise and promote online safety. The four key messages delivered to the students were:

1. Think of others’ feelings before you make a comment on Google Classroom, send a message or email, like or share content.
2. Ask for permission before you share or airdrop a photo or video with someone else in it. Respectful online relationships start with consent.
3. Be an ‘upstander’ – Speak up if you see someone cyberbullying or sharing inappropriate content online through emails or messages- let them know it’s not okay. Report and delete it.
4. Privacy and safe searches – Make sure you have a passcode for your devices. Did you know there are special places just for kids to search information online to keep you safe? Instead of Google and Wikipedia, try Kidrex, Unsplash and Pixabay for safe images.

I encourage parents to speak with your children about these principles which teachers will also be following up on through our ICT Responsible User Guidelines, which I know the vast majority of students and parents have already signed.

The eSafety Commissioner also provides resources for parents on specific eSafety topics link here.

Class Parents Representatives Needed

Thank you to parents who have sent their names through to Mrs Fairfax in the Junior School office offering to be a Class Parent this year. We are currently seeking at least one parent representative from the following classes: 3 White (Mrs Snooks), 4 Red (Mr Morrison), 5 Blue (Mrs Benneyworth), 5 Green (Mr Watkins), 6 Yellow (Mr Price), 6 White (Ms Tobiansky) and 6 Green (Ms Cosolito).

Please contact wither the class teacher or Mrs Fairfax in the Junior School Office if you are able to take up this important community role for 2020.

Jack Heath – Author-in-Residence (Week 5)

We are very excited to welcome back award-winning author, Jack Heath to Redlands as an author-in-residence during Week 5. Jack will spend the week in the Junior School working with all students and teachers in the area of creative writing and, having thoroughly enjoyed his engaging and energetic presentations with Yrs 5 and 6 last year, I know that this special opportunity for us to have him here with us  will make a lasting impression on many.

Representative Sport

Last Saturday saw eight of our representative Basketball teams survive the weather and play their first games of the year against Newington College and The King’s School. As Mr Dunne pointed out in our assembly on Monday, the result of a game is always secondary to our teams’ sportsmanship, competitiveness, improvements and enjoyment of playing team sport for Redlands. As it happens last week, all eight teams won, which is a great start and I enjoyed cheering six of the teams on. We were also delighted to have avid Basketball fan, Mr Webber, support some our girls and boys before he headed out to support the Secondary School rowers at the NSW Championships.

Twilight in the Piazza

I look forward to joining many in our Redlands community at next Friday’s welcome cocktail event on the Junior Campus. I know that there has been a team of Redlands staff and parents busily working behind the scenes in setting the stage for what will, I am sure, be another memorable event and I acknowledge and thank them in advance.

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

Junior School Upcoming Events

Junior School Calendar.

Twilight in the Piazza

The first social gathering for all Redlands families has already been planned and will be our annual Twilight in the Piazza parent cocktail evening between 6.00-8.00pm on Friday 21 February on the Junior Campus. This promises to be another wonderful community event for parents and teachers and additional details will be sent shortly. Many of the teachers will also be at this event which is always a wonderful first whole of school social gathering.

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

Head of Preparatory School

UPCOMING EVENTS

Please note that all Upcoming Events for Prep are now on their own Note Day article/page. 

This Head of Preparatory School page will consist of general information from the Head of Preparatory School. 

Week 3

As we come to the close of Week 3, it is lovely to see the children beginning to settle into school routines after a long, summer break. Together with their teacher, the classes have discussed important goals for themselves and collectively for the classroom, such as the positive behaviours required for learning. You may have seen these in classrooms, the Library or in the playground already. You will also notice the Let Your Light Shine board outside the office filled with colourful prompts for the students about playground conduct, with pictures to aid in understanding. I encourage all parents to discuss these with their children in an effort to emphasise the messages of positive classroom and playground behaviour. As the youngest group at Redlands, the Early Childhood students have an extensive journey toward the conclusion of their school life. However, it is this journey that paves the way to the achievements that are so rewarding at the end of Yr 12. Last Monday saw the School celebrate the wonderful achievements of the top HSC and IB students from the Class of 2019, receiving their commendation in front of staff, parents and the seniors of 2020. The student reflections, highlighted the importance of balancing the rigours of academic studies with cocurricular activities. For many students, continuing with their Dance, Sport and Drama activities, assists with the pressures of the final year. This is a pertinent message for all as we begin school for the year; ensuring children have a balanced school life, filled with down time, cocurricular and academic learning.

We welcomed Principal, Mr Webber to Prep Assembly last Thursday. Mr Webber delighted the students with stories about his favourite things, one of which is the Kookaburra. He went on to explain that the Kookaburra’s laugh reminded him of the importance to remain positive and happy. Mr Webber also emphasised the significance of kindness and friendship as we embark on a new school year. This week, Prep School students listened to important information about safe, respectful and responsible online procedures with Mrs Agonostu, e-Learning Facilitator. You might hear students talking about when visiting places online or using the internet for activities, we always ask our parent (or teacher) first, only talk to people we know and remain in places that are just right for us. It is never too young to hear this type of information and I thank Mrs Agonostu, Mrs Kourakis and the e-Learning team for their knowledge and insight in this area.

Drop Offs

It has been a lovely start to the year for the Prep School and I congratulate the Kindergarten students in particular for their approach to learning and the resilience they are already displaying as they prepare for school each morning. It is so wonderful to see parents and carers connect on the Piazza; however, I do ask that you move from the Piazza immediately after the students enter their classroom. For those students who are continuing to find the goodbyes difficult, seeing their carer or other parents still on campus when they move from class to class can cause those emotions to reignite, so I ask for your assistance in this regard. I encourage you to continue those bonds with families and our community by perhaps utilising the lovely cafes in the surrounding streets. As a reminder please do not drop your children off before 8.00am as there is no teacher on duty.

Kiss and Drop

Our wonderful Kiss and Drop initiative is open to Prep School students from 8.00am. We respectfully ask that you do not drop off earlier than this as there are no staff or Prefects here before this time.

Contacting Redlands Preparatory Reception

To ensure we are able to respond to all emails in a timely manner, could I please remind all parents to send correspondence to prep@redlands.nsw.edu.au . Mrs Rosling and Mrs Hunt share the role at Prep Reception and therefore sending correspondence to either one of their addresses may result in an email being overlooked.

Year/Class Parent Representatives

This year, class parents in each Year Group will work more closely together to create greater community connection by organising events across the Year Group. If you are interested in being a class parent, the RPFA welcomes parents to volunteer for the following classes by emailing prep@redlands.nsw.edu.au. The class parent guidelines can be found on Redlands Pulse, however, if you have any questions about the role please contact prep@redlands.nsw.edu.au.

Staff News

Next week we farewell Madame Eggenschwiller who has been teaching French in the Prep School whilst Madame Merlot has been on Maternity Leave. Madame Merlot is expected to return at the beginning of Term 2 and in the interim Madame Haverhals will be teaching French in the Preschool and Prep School. The students who have been at Redlands House will be familiar with Madame Haverhals as their Environmental Studies and French teacher. Thank you to Madame Eggenschwiller and we wish her all the best as she takes on a full-time role in a Preschool.

Every Little Bit Helps

Looking for a place to give your unused travel toiletries? Look no further… place all items in the red bin at Prep or Junior Reception. We will be donating to the charity Every Little Bit Helps who shares with organisations who support people in need in our community. Last day for collection Wednesday 26 February.

Twilight in the Piazza

I look forward to seeing you at Twilight in the Piazza, our first parent event for the year on Friday 21 February. The invitation can be found on the Upcoming Events page.

Mrs Audrey Fellowes
Head of Preparatory School
afellowes@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848

Prep/RH Upcoming Events

A more comprehensive calender can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Mrs Audrey Fellowes
Head of Preparatory School
afellowes@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848

Redlands House/Transition Gold

Chinese New Year Celebrations

Last Wednesday Redlands House and Transition Gold celebrated Chinese New Year together with our parent community. There was a great buzz of excitement as the fun began on Wednesday morning. The festivities included making paper lanterns, calligraphy, cherry blossom paintings and dragon dancing. It was wonderful to see the children so interested and engaged fostering respect, awareness and open-mindedness for other cultures. Understanding people and their backgrounds is crucial to personal and community growth and at Redlands we are fortunate to have such a wide diversity.

Learning Centres

When exploring the rooms in Redlands House you cannot miss the learning centres thoughtfully created by the staff to inspire children’s play. Learning centres are an important way to support the play-based learning environment that underpins the Early Years Learning framework. Each area of the room has a focus and is changed regularly to meet the needs of individual children and the group as a whole. Staff work with children in and around these areas to teach concepts and skills targeted to each child’s needs. Provocations are set up to challenge thinking and extend an interest. This is the magic of the early childhood classroom and makes it a highly individualised learning environment for each child.

Centres are based on areas of learning and can include:

The Library or Reading Centre – a quiet spot set up in the classroom, with a variety of books available for the children to read or share literature with teachers.

The Writing Centre – a place where students can practice the various stages of writing. Exploring a wide range of writing and drawing materials, learning than writing has a purpose.

Block Corner or Building Centre – Having a large spot set aside for building and creating is an important part of early childhood classrooms. Building can include blocks, train tracks and cars, Lego, and so many other creative building options.

Art and Crafts Centre – lets the children explore their creativity. Students might paint self-portraits, make play dough, or paste collage material. Children might see what happens when they mix different paint colours or experiment with mixed-media art or sculpture.

Science/Environment Centre – helps the children learn to investigate the world around them. Depending on the children’s interests, they might have pumpkins to dissect, rocks, shells, insects to observe, or snake skins in in the centre.

Literacy Centre – allows children to explore literacy concepts: the appearance of letters, how they compare to each other, how they combine to form words, how we make meaning using symbols and  reading visual images and sharing literature of different genres.

Mathematics and Manipulate Centre – focussed on learning more about shapes, colours, numbers, quantities, this also assists in developing fine motor skills.

Puzzles and Games Centre – space to work on puzzles or play games together. Fun, cooperative play!

Mrs Audrey Fellowes
Head of Preparatory School
afellowes@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848

Secondary Sport

redlands Rhino – Weekly Fixtures

Please note: Redlands Rhino has the most up-to-date weekly fixtures. This is uploaded every Tuesday afternoon at 4.00pm. Please ensure you check this with regards to game times, venues and oppositions.

Weekly Results

Head of Secondary Sport

Our National Pastime

Swimming is synonymous with Australian culture as much as a Vegemite sandwich or the sails of the Sydney Opera House. From as young as we can remember we are thrown in a highly chlorinated pool and taught to swim, for both recreation but also for survival. When living in a country literally “girt by sea”, swimming is as much a matter of life or death as it is a weekend activity to cool off from the summer sun. Have we taken for granted the fun and freedom we have to swim in one of the many pools or beaches in our country?

Over the years, swimming has become a national sporting pastime. From school swimming carnivals right through to the Olympic teams, we have celebrated our joy of punching above our weight in the sport. From gold medals to gold stars, swimming is celebrated as a rite of passage for all to take part in. In 2018, swimming held the number one spot as the most participated recreational sport in Australia and the only recreational sport where women participated more than men (www.roymorgan.com.au). However, somewhere along the way we may have forgotten that swimming is less about times and medals and more about throwing on a pair of swimmers and having a go with your mates. Competitive swimming (rightly or wrongly) has taken on an element of exclusivity for the many clubs and athletes who are dedicated to extremely high volumes of training in order to achieve world standard times. At a school level it is important we clarify our rationale for swimming carnivals. We need to shift the balance from high end competition, and the training which accompanies it, to re-invent the sport as a life-skill and fitness activity for all Australians to enjoy. Our school carnival, which is to be held next Thursday 20 February, will aim to achieve this. Students are encouraged to don some school swimmers and have a go. Whilst our students who train for the sport at a high level will still have the ability to shine, we also encourage every student to embrace their House spirit, step out of their comfort zone and enjoy the thrill of having a swim against your mates. It is a unique event for which a majority of our students will only experience within the safety of a school carnival.

Pierre De Coubertin was a French educator, historian and the founder of the International Olympic Committee. He is regarded as the father of the modern Olympics, which coincidentally is our highest level of competition. He was famously quoted in a book about the evolution of France with the following statement outlining the meaning of the Olympic Games and, more broadly, sport in society:

The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part; the important thing in life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well. To spread these principles is to build up a strong and more valiant and, above all, more scrupulous and more generous humanity. P.D. Coubertin, 1897. Evolution of France Under The Third Republic. T.Y. Crowell

I encourage all of our parents and carers to discuss with their sons or daughters about what they will commit to at the swimming carnival. No matter how big or small, every student can take part, that is the most important thing in life.

Reference: http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7498-sports-participation-australia-december-2017-201802150615

Winter Sport 2020 Registration

The registration link for the Winter Sport 2020 will be sent to students on Monday 17 February. Please note students who have completed a Non-Rep Sport for the Summer 2019/2020, season must complete a Representative Sport for Winter 2020.

Basketball

A great start to the day on Saturday for the 13A Boys with a big win to continue their undefeated streak. The 14A Boys had a great game in a mere 7 point loss against the top of the table SACS team. The 15A Boys also continued their undefeated streak with a 7 point win. The 17As had a 18-27 loss but showed some great signs and are looking to find their form in the next two games leading up to the finals. The 1sts Boys was a very close contest, finishing with a two point win to see Redlands 1sts at the top of the table. The B Boys teams played against St Pius. It was a very close match up for the 13B boys, the game ending 33-32 in Redlands favour. The 14Bs had a very close 3 point loss against St Pius, while the 15B boys had a solid 10 point win. The 17B and 2nds Boys also had great wins, leaving both teams in a promising position as we near the Semi Finals. Our C Boys were all at home against Oakhill and there were some great results across the board. The 15C Boys are still undefeated. The 3rds also had a dominant win. The 13C and 17Cs both fought hard, but couldn’t get over the line. The 17Ds played against the Redlands 4ths ending with a 32-18 win to the 4ths. The 13D and 13Es both had narrow losses. The 15Ds hold their top spot on the ladder after another great win at St Patrick’s, with the entire 15s age group proving to be a very strong Basketball cohort.  

In the Girls competition, the Junior A, Inter A and 1sts games were cancelled due to flooding. The 2nds had a very close game against St Spyridon 1sts in a very narrow 4 point loss. The Inter B and Junior Bs travelled to the Blue Mountains, where the Inter Bs had a close 5 point loss and the Junior Bs had a 10 point loss to the top of the table team and the Junior C team played Barker in a friendly match.

Best of luck to all teams this Saturday. A reminder to all players and parents to check the Redlands Rhino each week for any changes to the fixtures.

To view your current standings, please visit the ISA website. The Semi Finals will be held at Penrith on Saturday 29 February and the Finals on Saturday 7 March.

The skills sessions have all recommenced this week. Please check the training schedule on Redlands Pulse for further details.

Please save the date for the End of Season Basketball Presentation. The presentation will be held on Saturday 21 March. More information on the event will be provided shortly, please view the invitation on Redlands Pulse.

Fitness Centre

Please be aware that the Redlands Fitness Centre is available to all students currently in a Representative Sport and there are sessions across all mornings Monday-Friday 6.25-7.45am with additional afternoon sessions on both Monday and Friday.

I would recommend that all students looking ahead to their Winter Sport seasons look to use these sessions as a way to prepare physically. Sports such as Football, Rugby, Hockey and Tennis all require a level of strength and flexibility all of which can be achieved by using the Redlands Fitness Centre. 

With preseason for all Winter Rep Sports just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get ahead with one – three sessions each week. There will again be High Performance Testing done across the next two weeks so all students are encouraged to attend. Please speak to Mr Gooding directly or email if you would like to speak about individualised programs and or the High Performance Program.

Rowing

Over the weekend our Senior and Yr 9 squads attended the NSW State Championships held at Penrith. While the weather might not have been kind to us, our students and coaches were resilient and performed above and beyond expectations.

Redlands started racing on Saturday afternoon with both the boys and girls current Yr 9 1^st crews being split into Under 16 Double Sculls. The combination of Finn Woodward (Yr 9) and Patrick Walker (Yr 9) raced well to progress through to the Final, where they outperformed local rivals from Mosman and St Augustine’s to win Silver.

Next up was our Senior Girls crews, with Redlands having five crews in the School Girl Coxed Quad out of a field of 30 boats from across Australia. Both of our 1sts and 2nds crews progressed through to the Semi Finals, with the 2nds crew being the only non 1sts boat from a program in their final. Our 1sts crew of Elizabeth Holtheuer (Yr 10), Emily Batemyr (Yr 11), Maddie Howard (Yr 12), Emily Barrell (Yr 11) and the cox Tash Richardson (Yr 12) comfortably progressed into the Final where against some strong competition they finished 4^th.  This was the strongest field the girls have faced all season and will no doubt give them valuable experience to build upon as they set their sights on regattas such as ACT Head of the Lake and Nationals where they will race many of the same crews.

The Senior Boys crews also raced crews from across Australia in what is both the biggest and highest quality field faced to date. Our 1sts crew of Alex Holtheuer (Yr 11), Max Durrant (Yr 12), Nick Wilkes (Yr 12), Mitch Simpson (Yr 12) and the cox Alex Coney (Yr 12) progressed comfortably through the heats and into the Finals. Starting well, and leading for the first 1000m, the boys managed to move away from all but one crew from Newington College. Our boys were not quite able to hold on to their lead in the second half of the race but still had one of their better races to date by winning silver.

On the Sunday our Yr 9 students raced in the Under 16 Coxed Quad, with both of the Boys and Girls 1sts crews progressing through to Finals. In the School Boy and School Girl scull for our senior students, Maddie Howard (Yr 12) and Emily Batemyr (Yr 11), progressed into the Semi Finals while Alex Holtheuer (Yr 11) won his heat to progress directly into the final. The Under 17 Coxed Quad Sculls were next on the starting line however the wind picked up to such extent that the regatta was called off before they had a chance to race. With crews already at the starting line, boats were quickly pulled up onto the back for rowers and coxes seek shelter. Despite this, it was a proud moment to see how well our students handled the conditions, their enthusiasm and attitude was infectious with plenty of smiles all around.

Thank you to the students and families alike that pitched in to pack up at the end of the regatta in the wind, rain and ankle-deep mud. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and are more than apricated as everyone was keen to head home.

The next Friends of Rowing meeting will be held from 6.00-7.00pm in Room H2.6 on Monday 24 February, all parents are welcome.

Swimming

The Secondary School Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 20 February at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. More information regarding the Carnival will be posted on Redlands Pulse.

Any student wishing to register for the 200m Individual Medley will need to email Mr Ellis. The bus for this event will depart from Murdoch Street (Junior Campus) at 7.00am (please arrive by 6.45am).

Important Reminder – In light of the forthcoming Swimming Carnival, please note that ALL students with Medical Alerts in the Secondary School including, but not limited to, those with Anaphylaxis, Asthma and Diabetes are required, without exception, to bring with them their necessary emergency medications on all external school events and excursions.  

Swimming sessions are being held on Friday afternoons from 3.30-5.00pm at the North Sydney Olympic Pool. If you are interested in attending these sessions please email Mr Ellis.

Tennis

Unfortunately, the start of the Term 1 Summer Tennis competition was washed out with the wild weather over the weekend. Hopefully matches will go ahead as planned this week.

On Tuesday, Aymon Holth, Sebastian Dobson, James Robinson and Stella Simpson-Morgan travelled to Barker College to trial for a position in the ISA Boys and Girls Representative Tennis teams. All students fought hard in all of their matches, with the quality of tennis being played fantastic to watch. Sebastian was successful in making the ISA Boys team and Stella was successful in making the ISA Girls team as the reserve. Both students will represent ISA at the NSWCIS trials next week, a fantastic achievement. James narrowly missed out on making the ISA Boys team. All students are to be congratulated for their attitude and effort on the day.

Touch Football

Unfortunately, the Gala Day that was scheduled for last Saturday was washed out and has now been moved to Saturday 22 February. The schedule can be found on Redlands Pulse with the draw being updated to show the games for that weekend (teams may be playing more than one game).

This Saturday will see all teams playing at Macquarie University. All game times and fields can be found on the Redland Rhino. Please note, any last minute changes will be communicated as soon as possible.

To view your current standings, please visit the ISA website. The Semi Finals and Finals will be held at St Paul’s Grammar School on Saturday 29 February, timings are available on Redlands Pulse.

The Touch Football Presentation afternoon will be held on Thursday 5 March at Gore Hill Oval (this will take place during school Sport time). Students will be charged $15 for the event (pizza and drinks will be provided. If any students have food allergies please email Mr Ellis.

“Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.” Tim Notke

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

All Sports contacts can be found on Redlands Pulse.​

Junior Sport

Season Draw

REdlands Pulse

Absences

Important Dates

Please Note

• If your child is going to be absent from games, please only use this link to notify absence ahead of time or early Saturday morning.
• Please label items with your child’s name so they can be returned to them, we don’t want them to end up in Lost Property.
• Please remember students are required to meet their coach 30 minutes prior to the listed start time on the draw for warm up and instructions.

IPSHA Round 1 Summer Sport Wrap Up

In a very wet weekend, we were only able go ahead with eight fixtures, all Basketball. We had the top six Senior teams play Newington College at home and came away with six from six wins. Our other two fixtures were the 3 and 4C and 3 and 4D teams who played Kings School at Lang Gym and also had two from two wins. Congratulations to the students in these teams, well done on the result but also the sportsmanship that I saw. Let’s continue to set the example for other teams in our competition, seek out the opposition team at the conclusion of the game (including those players injured and or on the bench) to shake hands, three cheers for the referee, thank your coach.

Junior School Swimming Program

Having only being at Redlands for two weeks one of my first goals was to get around to as many venues as possible to see how each sport operates and see if it is an enjoyable and memorable experience for our students. On Friday I managed to get to Lane Cove Aquatic Centre to see what our Swimming program is like. Currently we have all students from Yrs 3 through to 6 involved in this for three weeks which is run by Blue Fit Swim School. This company also runs our Non-Rep Swimming each Wednesday. It was great to see the students in Yr 6 enthusiastically taking part in their lessons on Friday, and equally so the enthusiasm and positivity shown by the swim coaches. The groups were small, the drills well explained, the students were kept moving and focused. Well done to all students on their efforts in this program.

Winter Sport Nominations

This link (Winter Sport Nomination) was sent to all families on Monday for submitting your child’s preferences for their Winter Sport. There are a variety of options available to all students in Representative sport or non-Representative sport.

This process of Winter Sport selection via Google Forms will replace the previous method which was completed through Try Booking.

For more information relating to each sport, please refer to Redlands Pulse. Please note that some sports may not go ahead if adequate numbers are not achieved. For example, if we only get four Yr 3 boys who sign up for Rugby we will not have enough to proceed so those boys will be contacted to choose another sport.

For Summer Sport I spoke to all the students in the Junior School about the word ‘commitment’ and what it means in Sport and what I hope it means in Sport at Redlands. Realistically you as parents know best as to what your child and your family can actually commit too, not just in sport but in all areas of their school life. Can I ask that you keep this word in your mind as you complete the form especially for those sports that have a Friday night or Saturday morning element to it. The due date is tomorrow. 

Historically there has been a clash on Friday evenings between Dance and Netball (NSNA). To cater for girls who want to do both, we have offered Netball as a non-Rep option.

Student Absences

For those students who are representing Redlands in fixtures this Saturday and will miss their game due to illness ort misadventure, parents are required to complete this online absence form. This will allow your responses to be passed on electronically to your child’s coach efficiently and at short notice. The Student Absence link can also be found on Redlands Pulse.

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

Snowsports

Planning for 2020 is well under way. 

SNOWSPORTS CALENDAR 2020 

Registration

For parents who wish their child to compete for Redlands this upcoming winter, Snowsports Representative Race Registration is now open.

register here

Information Mornings

The Parent Information Morning for new, Junior and Secondary students will be in the Arnold Library, Junior Campus 8.30-9.30am on Tuesday 10 March.

The Parent Information Morning for Prep School students will be in the Lucy Hill Library, Junior Campus at 8.30-9.30am on Friday 13 March. 

Race and Family Weeks

Bookings for Race Week and Family Week will open 1 March.

More Snowsports details and dates are on Redlands Pulse. 

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

Ballet and Dance

Important Dates

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Ross Psaroulis who competed in Tap at Dancelife Unite Nationals. Ross came 1st in the Teen Tap Solo section and was the Overall Tap Genre winner. Wonderful results!

We also wish to congratulate our Class of 2019 Ballet and Dance students who were also some of Redlands outstanding academic achievers: Jasmine Chubb, Chloe Church, Anouk Daddo, Elizabeth Davies, Aleksandra Deegan, Patrick Friedlander, Scarlett Sternberg and Kai Lin Tan. They all trained and represented the school in Ballet and Dance over many years at Redlands. We are extremely proud of their achievements.

Can’t Come to Class?

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

Any Questions?

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

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

Curriculum Dance

Important Dates

Thursday 14 February – Callback Excursion (Yr 11 plus 12 HSC and IB students)

Mrs Katharine Boase
Subject Coordinator of Dance
kboase@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9889

Drama and Theatre

Musical

Tickets on sale soon and will be available directly from the Chatswood Concourse box office. Redlands will be presenting the wonderful musical Grease from 26-28 March in the Concourse Theatre.

Musical Rehearsals

Our Act One Run Musical will be held this weekend with band and cast joining together for the first time. Students can check rehearsal schedules and newsletters are available here, on the Theatre and Drama notice board and Redlands Pulse. Students are reminded to be prompt to all rehearsals, bring plenty of food and water, wear appropriate clothing as required and bring the very important libretto!

Costume, Makeup and Props Team

Enrolment in the costume, makeup or props teams for 2020 is now closed.

Gala Arts

Audition Forms

Audition application forms are now available and information from the student briefing is also available here. This year we are pleased to announce that we have a new multidisciplinary category. In this category, students are encouraged to develop innovative performances which contain elements from two or more of the above categories, where the contribution from the different performers is to be considered equally.Tickets will be on sale after the contestants are announced at the end of Term 1. Mark your diary with this wonderful event for Performing Arts at Redlands. It is always an exceptional evening as we celebrate the talents of our students.

Junior School Theatresports

Any student wishing to participate in Theatresports in Junior School is welcome to join us at lunch on Tuesday. Meet at the flagpole. Workshops are free and open to all students from Yrs 3 to 6.

Secondary School Theatresports

2 March in the Drama Studio

Redlands will be holding our Carnival on Monday 2 March and will be entering a Senior, Intermediate and Junior team in Impro Australia’s 2020 Theatresports  Schools competition. The regional TSC takes place in Term 2 with heats running from early May. Winning schools will progress to take part in the qualifying finals in June and the top teams in each division will go into a Grand Final at the Enmore Theatre at the end of June  2020.

The Shakespeare Carnival

16 March  in the Drama Studio

Redlands Shakespeare Carnival will be held on Monday 16 March at 6.30pm on the Redlands Garden Terrace. To audition please see the categories guidelines. Auditions are open to all students from Year 7 to 12.

Music

Music Forms and Events can be found on Redlands Pulse

Playing in Music Ensembles Empowers Students

Research indicates that students who participate in regular rehearsals as part of a Music Ensemble program are known to build self-confidence, improve their socio-emotional wellbeing, apply skills to learn new techniques as vocalists and instrumentalists, and develop a sense of personal discipline and organisational skills.

In being part of the Redlands Music program, we believe that playing in Music Ensembles certainly empowers all our students and provides them with enriching activities in support of their overall learning. This week, students have already started the learning of new and exciting repertoire in preparation for the Junior and Senior Music Festivals that will be presented later this year. The Junior Music Festival is exploring repertoire featured at the Olympic Games over the past decades, while the Senior Music Festival is preparing a concert based on Film Music repertoire.

The ensemble program is based on participation in the CORE experiences of Band, Choral, Guitar and Strings, with students provided with the opportunity to audition for the Extension program in the areas of Jazz and Chamber Music. The Music Department invites any interested students to sign up to CORE Music Ensembles by this Friday 14 February. Days and times of rehearsals can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Music Department Launch Event

Don’t forget to book your tickets to the Music Department Launch Event Jazz in The Basement on Saturday 14 March at 6.00pm.

Book here

Competition Series – Term 1

This term the Music Department will be presenting Battle of the Bands (Week 10) and the Junior and Senior Piano Competitions (Week 11).

Junior and Senior Piano Competitions (Yrs 3-12)

Audition Series 1 Week 5

The audition process will require students to demonstrate advanced technical skills, personal expression and understanding of style. It is expected that students present works demonstrating a high standard of musical competency. Please note only one piece is required for the audition with the second contrasting piece listed on the application form. These competitions will be held in the Edwards Auditorium on Monday 6 April. Audition forms can be collected from Music Receptions or downloaded from Redlands Pulse.

Battle of the Bands (Yrs 5-12)

Audition Series 1 Week 6

The theme for the 2020 event is Music from the 80s and this is a prerequisite for all entries. This event supports our budding young rock musicians through a fundraising venture for the Redlands Cambodia trip and will be held in Redlands Hall on Friday 3 April commencing at 6.00pm. The competition is open to students in Yrs 5-12. Audition forms can be collected from Music Receptions or downloaded from Redlands Pulse.

Extra Subjects Programs

All enrolments for Extra Subjects Voice tuition, Instrumental tuition and Group tuition must be submitted by Friday 14 February for lessons to commence in Term 1. Any forms received after this date will commence lessons in Term 2.

Junior Campus

Junior Campus Music Ensembles Supervision

For ensembles that rehearse before school, please be reminded that there is no supervision for students prior to 7.10am. Please ensure that students are not left unsupervised by parents outside the Parkes Building before this time. On Monday supervision for Junior Guitar Ensemble and Junior Voices is provided from 7.25am and on Friday for Preparatory Choir from 7.40am.

Instrument Insurance

School hired instruments must be included on personal home and contents insurance as Redlands cannot be held responsible for instruments which are lost, stolen or damaged. As all instruments are very fragile, we ask for your assistance in ensuring that students do not let other children play with their instrument, instruments are kept in a safe place and out of extreme temperatures (ie. hot car) and are not left out of their case when not in use.

Daily Instrument Storage Arrangements

On a Monday morning Cello (only) students are to bring their instruments for storage in the purpose-built cupboards in the Parkes Building corridor. For the security and safety of all resources, instruments are not to be left at school overnight as they are needed at home for regular practice sessions. Violins and Violas are to be stored safely within the child’s classroom.

On a Thursday morning, Cello, Trombone, Baritone and Violin (only) students are to bring their instruments for storage in the purpose-built cupboards in the Parkes Building corridor. For the security and safety of all resources, instruments are not to be left at school overnight as they are needed at home for regular practice sessions. Flutes and Clarinets are to be stored in school bags on Thursday and all other instruments are to be stored safely within the child’s classroom. For student safety, instruments are not to be left outside classrooms in corridors or on the ground.

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