From the Deputy Principal

The Redlands Academic Journey

Last Friday was the Academic Achievement Assembly where we honoured and celebrated the academic high achievers from both the Higher School Certificate and the International Baccalaureate cohorts from 2020. This assembly has been an annual highlight for me over the past fours as it has not only provided the opportunity to catch up with our most recent alumni as they return to the Campus, but also to hear their reflections on their educational journey after they have just crossed the proverbial finish line.

In my new role as Deputy Principal, I have been spending as much time as possible on the Junior Campus this year and after peeking into some of the Kindergarten classes earlier this week, it has been a wonderful opportunity to see some of our students at the earliest stages of their Redlands journey and imagine what their reflections will be in 13 years’ time. As many of you know, these years fly by and I am personally starting to become increasingly nostalgic as my youngest child completes Yr 12 this year.

At last week’s Academic Achievement Assembly, recent graduates Alexandra York and Leopold Colin (who were both Prefects and Athletics Captains last year) shared some of their reflections, as well as some advice for our current Yr 11 students who were in attendance. Alex spoke about the motivation and support she found from her peers throughout the year, as well as feelings of doubt and uncertainty that she had at certain times – in particular after a very difficult HSC Chemistry paper! However, she challenged our Yr 11 students to not look for excuses, but instead stay committed because the rewards are that much more fulfilling when you feel you have given it your best shot. Leo shared how he was never in a top Maths class nor had he ever received a Scholastic Button until Yr 12. However, it was his effort, persistence and support from family, friends and teachers, which allowed him to overcome various challenges (including having surgery for appendicitis the day before his IB Examinations commenced) to reach his potential and earn a score of 44/45 (99.75 ATAR) for his IB Diploma.

In my speech to the Academic Achievers from 2020, I paid respect to Alex and Leo’s Athletics Captaincy by reflecting on my father who, as a high school Athletics coach in the United States for over 30 years, judged the success of an Athletics Invitational not by how many races were won, points were accumulated or the final placing of the team, but by how many personal bests were achieved on that day.

When measuring academic success, we are often so consumed by marks, rankings, ATARs and league tables, that we lose sight of the “personal bests” achieved by individual students. And while we celebrated the Academic High Achievers from 2020 because of their exceptional results last year, we also extend our congratulations to all graduates from the Class of 2020 for achieving academic personal bests in the face of the unprecedented challenges they faced last year.

eSmart School

As a school, we are committed to ensuring the smart, safe and responsible use of technology by all of our students. Having already been accredited as an eSmart school, towards the end of last year Redlands completed the application process to receive eSmart Membership, providing us with an ongoing guide to review our school policies and procedures so that we can actively maintain, enrich and enhance eSmart practices at Redlands. Throughout this year we will be sharing resources with parents and students, while also providing professional learning for our staff to help all members of our community embrace the benefits of technology while reducing the inherent risks. This year we are also forming an eSafety Committee across the Junior and Senior Campuses and will be asking for parent and student input into this very important and topical area.

Parent Welcome Events

Unfortunately, due to the current COVID-19 restrictions placed upon schools, we are unable to hold our RPFA Twilight Cocktail Evening on Friday 19 February, as well as some of the other usual welcome events for parents held at the beginning of the year. However, the School is working with the RPFA to offer alternative events so that we can bring our parent community together in the coming months. Further information will be forthcoming from the RPFA, as well as specific sections of the School, in the coming weeks.

Congratulations

Our summer sports seasons are recommencing and last weekend our Rowing crews competed at the NSW Rowing Championships at the Sydney International Regatta Centre. Over the first part of January when school was still on summer break and only a handful of staff were on campus, our rowers were here on most mornings continuing their dedicated training regime. It was wonderful that they finally had an opportunity to race on the weekend after their many hours of training, and they produced some excellent results. Some of the highlights were our Boys 1^st crew winning a Bronze medal in the Championship Schoolboy Coxed Quad (Alexander Holtheuer Yr 12, Alexander Verschoor Yr 12, Matthew Fry Yr 10, Finn Woodward Yr 10 and Charlotte Morrison Yr 10); Finn Woodward (Yr 10) winning a Bronze medal in the Mens Under 17 Single Scull; our Captain of Boys Rowing, Alexander Holtheuer (Yr 12) winning a Silver medal in the Schoolboy Single Scull; and Alexander Holtheur and Alexander Verschoor (Yr 12) winning a Gold medal in the Schoolboy Double Scull. In addition, Captain of Girls Rowing, Emily Barelle (Yr 12) and Trinity Hoffman (Yr 10) qualified for the A Finals of the Schoolgirl Single Scull and Women’s Under 17 Single Scull respectively; and the Girls Yr 10 2^nd Crew (Briar Carter, Yasmin Coletran, Charlotte Scamps, Phoebe Cunningham and Hannah Mitchell) progressed to the A Final in the Womens Under 17 Coxed Quad event. Congratulations to all of our rowers for their performances on the weekend and good luck to all of our students for the remainder of the summer sports season.

Mr Sean Corcoran
Deputy Principal

Photo caption: Celebrating the Class of 2020’s top HSC and IB achievers at their Academic Achievement Assembly. 

This is Redlands

As a community, we value the relationships 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.

Our newly formed Community Engagement team look forward to being of service and connecting with our community across Enrolments, Foundation, Development, Marketing, Events, Alumni, Archives, Reception and the Redlands Parent and Friends Association (RPFA). 

We recognise the vital relationship between home and school and provide opportunities for parents to actively engage with the School. Volunteering is a wonderful opportunity to meet other Redlands parents and to be involved with the School. Volunteer opportunities include classroom support, event support, Uniform Shop assistance, RPFA involvement or joining one of the Friends of Groups that support our many and varied Cocurricular activities. 

Thank you for your continued guidance and support and please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Community Engagement team should you have any feedback or questions. We look forward to supporting our vibrant and active community through 2021. 

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

Development

Swimming Carnivals have a long tradition at Redlands, over 100 years!

In light of the upcoming Swimming Carnivals, we had a look into our Archives to see how this important part of sports education has evolved.

Redlands held Swimming Carnivals as early as 1920 at Spit and Balmoral Baths.

“Redlands Swimming Carnival was a great success; though we only had a small call we bravely entered the flag race, but only three members of the class swam” Redlander Magazine, August 1920.

Venues Redlands have traditionally held the annual Swimming Carnivals include: Balmoral Baths, Spit Baths, Olympic Pool North Sydney, Warringah Aquatic Centre and most recently, at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

Each year Redlands holds an annual Swimming Carnival, with finalists competing against other Independent School students at ISA (formally HICES). 

The most notable Redlander in Swimming is Gergaynia Shelley (Beckett, 1957), who competed in the Olympic Games in Melbourne 1956 and Rome 1960. Gergaynia was a regular volunteer in our Archives and documented prizes. She also attended our Sports Luncheon in 2019 and shared her experience. “It was very different in those days. I was by myself with no coach and no support.”

Clockwise from left: (Gergaynia Beckett Shelley collection) All Schools Swimming Place Winners 1957; Swimming Carnival at Balmoral Baths 1985; Junior School Swimming Carnival early 1990s; Swimming Carnival Class of 1999; Redlands Swimming team 1922.

Scholarship Appeal Update

This year our fundraising efforts are to continue to support the means-tested Redlands Foundation Scholarship Fund and grant another scholarship which is to be named after Belinda Oxley, acknowledging her dedication to Redlands education. Further details will be shared later this term.

Applications for the Peter Lenox Scholarship commencing in Yr 7 2022 have just closed and we look forward to announcing a successful candidate later this year. For more information about this means-tested Scholarship Fund, please visit our website.

Update on Events 

We are delighted to announce the 2021 Alumni Reunion dates are now available on our website.

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

RPFA

Second Hand Uniform Sale Donations

Further to the success of last year’s online sale, the RPFA is planning another second hand uniform sale in early March – stay tuned for more details. As always, funds raised are contributed towards the means-tested Redlands Foundation Scholarship Fund. 

We need your help by donating clean, current uniforms in excellent condition, especially winter items. Please deliver items to the Uniform Shop on individual coat hangers from now until Friday 26 February. Please note, no polo shirts will be accepted due to the introduction of the new PE uniform.

Book Club

Our first book for 2021 will be by new Australian author Jane Naqvi called Jackjumper with a meeting to be held next week on Tuesday 16 February from 9.30am to discuss. New members are very welcome. Please email Katherine Dixon.

Walks on Tracks

Next week’s walk on Wednesday 17 February will be from Balmoral to Clifton Gardens and back, starting from the Balmoral Boathouse. Meet at 8.40am.

For more information, please contact Ann Marie Kimber on 0406691533.

2021 RPFA Committee

rpfa@redlands.nsw.edu.au

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

Head of Secondary School

This week started early with a farewell to our Yr 7 students who left for Camp. We look forward to sharing in their adventures when they return, in much the same way we have been hearing about some of the escapades of our Yr 12 cohort as they canoed, hiked, rafted and rode their way through a week together. Although some of them may have been reluctant to attend, owing to their committed work ethic, the time away together to rest, reflect and focus on things other than HSC/IB was ultimately welcomed. I hope Yr 12 can hold onto the important moments from camp throughout the term, and return to them when they need an outlet or release. It was, however, great to see Yr 12 back on campus this week, and I have very much enjoyed being able to spend time each evening this week with Yr 12 and Yr 11 students and parents in our HSC and IB Information Evenings. My co-presenters Mr David Randall and Mr Darren Taylor explored the finer details of each course and how best to approach study in the senior years. We also explored how to maintain pace and balance through participation in Sport and Cocurricular activities, and the importance of forging strong relationships with adults (including parents!) who can support us along the way, such as teachers, Tutors, Year Advisors, Sports coaches and Counsellors.

We have had a better week in terms of our students complying with the Public Health Order to wear masks on public transport and Redlands buses, although we are having to hand out a high number of masks to students boarding public transport as they are not actively carrying a mask. Yesterday some restrictions were eased by the State Government, but the Order to wear masks on public transport and Redlands buses was sustained and in order to keep the community safe, we will continue to uphold this regulation. If your child catches public transport or a Redlands bus to school, can you please ensure they have a mask on their person and they know it is their responsibility to wear this mask when travelling on public transport and Redlands buses.

Uniform

Many students attended school this week looking sharp in their Redlands uniform. Some cooler mornings saw jumpers and blazers adorned, and worn with pride. I understand that for some students and families, wearing a jumper instead of a fleece may be a change to how you’ve done things previously. Please take the time to visit the Uniform Shop this term so that the required parts of the uniform are able to be purchased ahead of the colder season approaching.  

One aspect of uniform I do want to address is earrings. My Note Day entry last week cited small gold or silver studs and sleepers as being permissible. The Student Planner, however, limits earrings to studs only. To clarify, gold or silver sleepers are permitted, but these must be small and plain and not diamond encrusted or ‘hoops’.

When meeting with the School Captains this week, I confirmed my intention to initiate a student focus group to explore the uniform requirements, thereby enabling student voice and consultation. It was insightful to be able to hear the student perspective and to have an opportunity to underscore the importance of respect, for oneself and others, which is borne out through our appearance and adherence with the expectations set out in the Student Planner. Upholding uniform standards might seem petty to some, but ultimately how we present ourselves, how we signal respect for our School and the community, and the relationship between self-respect and academic success is strong.

Over the coming term, we will work towards some short-term, mid-term and long-term goals with regards to the uniform and look forward to engaging in a consultative and constructive dialogue with students.

Study Centre: Redlands Learning Hub Study Spaces

Yr 11 and 12 students are strongly encouraged to attend the Study Centre, which offers Study Sessions provided by Secondary School teachers. Study Centre sessions take place in the breakout spaces in the Redlands Learning Hub from Monday–Wednesday before and after school. As part of their personal study program, Yr 11 and 12 students should be accessing support in this way, at least once every couple of weeks. The Study Centre is a rich resource for those starting out on their senior study journey as well as for those consolidating their understanding in their final year of school. Further details are available on Redlands Pulse.

Swimming Carnival

Next Tuesday 16 February is the Redlands Swimming Carnival to be held at Sydney Olympic Park (SOPAC). Parents are welcome to attend but due to limited numbers must pre-register attendance via this link.

Students need to arrive to school very early – by 7.15am. They leave from the Junior Campus and must wear a mask on the bus. Students will not be permitted to travel unless they wear a mask. Please ensure your child packs a mask for this day. If a student misses the bus, due to lateness or the absence of a mask, it is the responsibility of the parent to drive them to Sydney Olympic Park.

Students should wear the correct dress, swimmers and enclosed shoes. Students are also strongly encouraged to bring their own food and drink on the day. There are minimal canteen facilities due to COVID-19 restrictions at SOPAC. The School Nurse and Counsellors will be in attendance on the day, but if you have any concerns leading up to the event, please contact the School prior to the event.

Further details regarding the Swimming Carnival can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Fahl Garden

Our students are very much enjoying the use of the Fahl Garden at recess and lunch. Some classes are also accessing the Garden as a break-out space during lesson times. Currently, apart from the purpose-built seats, the Fahl Garden is unfurnished. Tomorrow I will put a call out to Yr 9 and 10 students to lead a design project for furnishing the Garden and other outdoor spaces of the School. If your son or daughter is a keen designer, or interested in how best to use their relaxation time, please encourage them to participate. We’d like any decisions about outdoor furniture for the School to be student-led.

Second Hand Uniform Sale Donations

Further to the success of last year’s online sale, the RPFA is planning another second hand uniform sale in early March – stay tuned for more details. As always, funds raised are contributed towards the means-tested Redlands Foundation Scholarship Fund. 

We need your help by donating clean, current uniforms in excellent condition, especially winter items. Please deliver items to the Uniform Shop on individual coat hangers from now until Friday 26 February. Please note, no polo shirts will be accepted due to the introduction of the new PE uniform.

Ms Gemma Van de Peer
Head of Secondary School
gvandepeer@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9869

Careers

EHL Hospitality and Leisure Management School, Bachelor Webinar

EHL is ranked as the world’s number one institution for Hospitality and Leisure Management. With campuses in Lausanne, Switzerland and Singapore, this webinar will focus on career opportunities available for students upon graduation and the various industries that hire EHL graduates. Register here for the online webinar to be held on Thursday 18 February at 9.00pm Sydney time.

Defence Force Trades Virtual Information Session

The ADF Trades team will explain the recruitment process, jobs available in the ADF and different entry pathways. To be held on Thursday 18 February at 6.30pm online via Google Meets. Register here.

ANU Arts, Social Sciences and Languages Showcase

These interactive online seminars are presented by leading experts and students across a range of disciplines with the opportunity to ask live questions to academics and students. To be held on Tuesday 30 March (9.00am-12.30pm, Arts) and (1.30-3.00pm, Languages). Register here.

Dutch Universities Online Open Day

This consortium of eight major Dutch universities will cover what to expect from higher education in the Netherlands in general as well as give you an idea of the programs on offer in English in diverse fields. To be held on Tuesday 23 February, 5.00pm European time. For parents and students, please register here.

Savannah College of Art and Design Presentation

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

Year 12

Redlands Secondary School Swimming Carnival

A reminder that our annual Redlands Secondary School Swimming Carnival will be held next Tuesday at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush. Buses will depart promptly at 7.15am from the Junior Campus. Students must be prompt on the morning to have their names marked off by their Tutors before boarding the buses. Students must wear a swimming costume, conservative and not revealing in style, preferably the Redlands swimming costume if they own one. This is a compulsory school event and our expectation is that all Yr 12 students will attend. A reminder to parents please to complete the online permission for this event if you have not already done so. 

Rowing State Championships 

The Rowing State Championships occurred last weekend at Penrith. Congratulations to all our Yr 12 students who participated. 

Student Achievements

Jameson Prescott was selected to represent the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron at the Hardy Cup Sydney International Match Racing Regatta 2021 as part of a five person team. This event is a World Sailing Grade 3 competition and considered as one of the most prestigious regattas on the youth circuit. Jameson has been selected as the jib and spinnaker trimmer for the event based on his performance at training over the last nine months as part of the Squadron’s Keelboat program. This is a great opportunity to help further Jameson’s sailing within the match racing circuit and help him further develop his match racing tactics at high level competitions. He is wished every success during competition this week.

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

Year 11

Academic Assembly

Due to Yr 12 being on Camp last week, Yr 11 were invited to attend and participate in the Academic Assembly, in which we celebrated the success of the Class of 2020. Yr 11 behaved impeccably during the assembly, looking very smart in their full school uniform. It was wonderful to see several students actively involved during this time, with Eden Borrie singing the National Anthem, Callum Wardman-Browne singing the School Song, Sophia Maxwell performing a musical item, Alex Gibbs giving the Acknowledgment of Country and Sophia Maxwell also responding to the former Yr 12 student reflections.

Leadership Opportunities

It was wonderful to see Yr 11 students take on gate duty responsibilities last week before and after school every day, due to Yr 12 being on camp. Many students volunteered to help out, but unfortunately the numbers required for this were limited and therefore some missed out. All students are encouraged to continue volunteering for other leadership responsibilities in the coming year.

Swimming Carnival

All students will be attending the Swimming Carnival on Tuesday 16 February. More details will follow to parents and students shortly.

Student Achievements

Congratulations to James Robinson who attended the ISA Representative Tennis trials and successfully made the team. He will now play at the CIS trials on Wednesday 17 February and then represent the ISA in two matches later this month.

Academic Assessment Services

On 23 February, Yr 11 students will sit a half day of testing provided by Academic Assessment Services from 8.30am-12.00pm. As independent consultants, they specialise in the assessment and analysis of educational performance and progress. Their team of professionals include measurement and curriculum experts, education experts and teachers who will provide guidance in the development of strategic action plans for each student. Parents will also be posted a copy of the results. If your child misses the assessment, catch ups will be offered on 1 March at 8.30am.

PE Uniform

The Secondary School has reverted to regular use of the PE uniform. Students are able to wear their PE uniform on Thursday. During the remainder of the week, students will travel to and from school in their full school uniform. Students will use the student change rooms to get changed into their PE uniforms at the following times for practical lessons:

Flexischools

Purchasing food from the Canteen is now via a pre-order system, Flexischools. While some snacks will still be available for students to purchase in person, the majority of meals will need to be pre-ordered via Flexischools using the app or website, prior to 8.30am.

Study Skills Workshop

This week we had a visit from Dr Prue Salter, in which she ran a Senior Study Skills workshop entitled Achieving Your Personal Best, providing excellent advice for Yr 11 students as to how to maximise their home learning. Students were fully attentive during this session, being actively involved in the activities run by Prue. Remember that you and they can access her website and study resources through the Study Skills Handbook, with the username Redlands and Password 68results.

Pastoral Care Program

For the next few weeks, students have begun exploring the issues of unconscious bias and stereotyping. Unconscious biases are the learned stereotypes about certain groups of people that are formed outside of conscious awareness. They are automatic, unintentional, deeply ingrained in our beliefs and have the ability to affect our behaviour. Unconscious bias can manifest as “prejudice in favour of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another usually in a way that’s considered to be unfair.” During this exploration, students will be watching the Indigenous episode of You Can’t Ask That. In addition, students have begun understanding how to manage stress in the next two years.

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

Year 10

Key Dates

Swimming Carnival – Tuesday 16 February
School Photos – Friday 5 March

Winter School Information Evening

Wednesday 17 February, 6.00pm via Zoom

There will be a Winter School Information Evening next Wednesday via Zoom. Applications will open thereafter.

The School has been planning within the current guidelines to be able to run a safe and successful program. Therefore, please note that due to COVID restrictions, places this year will be strictly limited, and priority will be given to those who were accepted for 2020 and wish to attend, beginning with older students.

Further information, including the Zoom link on the day, can be found here. 

Salvation Army Clothes Drive

Yr 10 students will be collecting clean clothes over the next two weeks for their Salvation Army Clothes Drive. All types of clothing will be accepted except for stockings and underwear. If students across all Year Groups donate four big blue bins of clothing, there will be a mufti day on Wednesday 24 February. I would like to see all of Yr 10 check their wardrobes for any unwanted clothing items and bring an item or bag of clothing in over the next two weeks to support such a worthwhile cause. 

Reminder: PE Uniform

As mentioned in last week’s Note Day, the Secondary School has reverted to regular use of the PE uniform. Students are able to wear their PE uniform on Thursday. During the remainder of the week, students will travel to and from school in their full school uniform. Students will use the student change rooms to get changed into their PE uniforms at the following times for practical lessons:

Yr 10 Parent Events

Thank you to our Yr 10 Parent Reps (Lucy and Anna) for coordinating the organisation of a number of upcoming parent events for Yr 10 families. Events include coffee mornings and family picnics. Please see their email from Redlands class of 2023 (sent Monday 8 February) for dates, locations and times. 

Safer Internet Day

We celebrated Safer Internet Day on Tuesday. The theme was ‘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 Safer Internet Day resources at Safer Internet Day and use them to start the chat about online safety with your family. 

Parents can also join a  webinar eSafety’s parent guide to cyberbullying and online drama on Monday 15 February 12.30-1.30pm. The session will cover: 

• starting conversations with your child about their online friendships and positive ways to deal with changing relationships
• understanding the rights, laws and community expectations that govern social media use
• where to seek help if your child is involved in a cyberbullying incident.
  

Top Safer Internet Tips for Parents 

• Get to know the online world: check out different apps and sites you hear your children talking about and make yourself familiar with them and the different ways in which your children can connect with other people on them. You can then have open and frank conversations about how they can keep themselves safe.
• Have an open door policy in your home: online activities should have some level of supervision. This could include no use behind closed doors or ensuring all online activity is out in the open areas of the home.
  
• Get savvy with parental controls: Implementing parental controls over devices and searches can help eliminate unwanted information and images being seen.
  
• Keep their friends close: knowing who your children are talking to is important. You should show interest in who your children are speaking with online and ensure they are equipped to handle situations where they don’t trust the person they are speaking with. Be sure to friend your child on their online profiles and apps so you can keep an eye on their activities and pick up when things are “not quite right”.
  
• Privacy is key: be sure to teach your children how they share information and how they can potentially open themselves up for trouble unknowingly. Teach your child to stay in control of their digital footprint, by only sharing with people who they know and trust.

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

Year 9

Key Dates

Swimming Carnival – Tuesday 16 February
School Photos – Friday 5 March

Student Leadership Experience

Yr 9 students have been encouraged to log their interest in gaining experience with various leadership opportunities across the Year Group, ie. presenting at year meetings, organising Service opportunities and contributing to our Yr 9 Pastoral program. This opportunity is open to all students across the Year Group. Students may join and leave these meetings throughout the year if their schedule or interests change. We meet during Tutor Time to reduce any additional workload for students. There is no formal commitment necessary. Any and all students wanting to be a part of guiding change and having their voices heard are welcome. 

Thank you in advance for encouraging your child to participate and engage in this opportunity if this is of interest to them.   

Winter School Information Evening

Wednesday 17 February, 6.00pm via Zoom

We will be holding the Winter School Information Evening next Wednesday via Zoom. Applications will open thereafter.

The School has been planning within the current guidelines to be able to run a safe and successful program. Therefore please note that due to COVID restrictions, places this year will be strictly limited, and priority will be given to those who were accepted for 2020 and wish to attend, beginning with older students.

Further information, including the Zoom link on the day, can be found here. 

Yr 9 Service Initiative with Salvation Army Clothing Collection

Yr 9 students are running a clothing collection for the Salvation Army. They have challenged the rest of the school to collect four bins full of clothing in Weeks 3 and 4, and then students will be rewarded with a mufti-day in Week 5! Please send clothing items of all sizes for collection with your students and encourage them to donate themselves. Items can be dropped into the big blue collection bins at the front and back entrances in the morning or throughout the day at the entrance to the SSO. Please donate any gently worn items except stockings and underwear. Thank you in advance for your help and support.

Safer Internet Week

This week, students voted on the two topics they found were most important to explore in Yr 9: the gaming culture and gaming addiction as well as finding reliable sources and being able to identify fake news. Mrs Wendy Duckworth, Curriculum Support and eLearning Specialist and MB Tutor, presented to the Year Group with a brief overview of the importance of being safe online while students spent time discussing and exploring the gaming culture in Tutor classes.

Brett Lee presented a Cyber-Safety Webinar last year for parents. He shared further information for parents through his website. He offers courses for parents specifically outlining online concerns for students aged 15-19.   

eSafety Commissioner’s Targeted Advice for Parents of Teenagers 13-17

Teenagers can spend a lot of time online — instant messaging, sharing photos and videos, playing online games and using online chat and voice chat through social media services can be a big part of their social identity. 

It can be a great experience but there are risks. You can help equip them with the skills to manage these risks and deal with negative situations.

For teenagers, it is important to:

• Keep things open. Have an ‘open door’ policy when devices are used in bedrooms, and check in with them regularly to see what they are viewing.
• Stay engaged. Ask about their online experiences, who they are talking to online and whether they are having any issues.
• Reinforce the importance of protecting their personal information and privacy. Remind them to create screen names or IDs that do not indicate gender, age, name or location and are not sexually suggestive. 
• Equip them to use social media responsibly. Terms of use for each service cover the rules for using the site, the type of content that can be posted and any age requirements. Go through these with your child to make sure they understand what is expected of them.
• Explain that linking social media accounts can make it easier for strangers to learn about them, so it is best to keep accounts separate. 
• Encourage them to think before they post. They should ask questions like: Who might see this? Could it be misread by others? Am I creating the right image for myself socially and for school and work opportunities?
• Remind them that they could expose themselves to risk by sharing sexually suggestive or intimate images of themselves or others. Check out the advice on sending nudes and sexting.
• Keep building self-respect, empathy and resilience. In particular, be aware of the impact of social media on self-esteem. See good habits start young.
• Help them understand online risks and what to do about them by exploring the young people section of this site.

Continue to review your rules as your child grows older

• Be clear about where and when devices can be used — not at mealtimes, for example, or not until after chores or homework are done. 
• Agree on a plan that fits into family routines — perhaps more screen time on the weekend when they have less schoolwork.
• Refer to our advice about time online and online gaming if these are of concern.

Technology tips for parents of teenagers

• Use parental controls appropriately for the age and experience of your child — see taming the technology. 
• As they grow more independent and resilient, good open communication becomes more important than blocking or filtering content — realistically your teenager will become increasingly adept at getting around such parental controls anyway.
• Check out Raising Children Network’s Healthy screen time and quality media choices: teenagers.

Ms Alissa Ynson
Yr 9 Advisor
9968 9863
aynson@redlands.nsw.edu.au  

Year 8

Key Dates

Swimming Carnival – Tuesday 16 February
School Photos – Friday 5 March

Redlands Study Centre Timetable

The Redlands Study Centre Timetable can be found on Redlands Pulse. 

Winter School Information Evening

Wednesday 17 February, 6.00pm via Zoom

We will be holding the Winter School Information Evening next Wednesday via Zoom. Applications will open thereafter.

The School has been planning within the current guidelines to be able to run a safe and successful program. Therefore, please note that due to COVID restrictions, places this year will be strictly limited, and priority will be given to those who were accepted for 2020 and wish to attend, beginning with older students.

Further information, including the Zoom link on the day, can be found here. 

Yr 9 Service Initiative

Yr 9 students are running a clothing collection for the Salvation Army. They have challenged the rest of the school to collect four bins full of clothing in Weeks 3 and 4, and then students will be rewarded with a mufti-day in Week 5! Could all students please drop clothing into the big blue collection bins at the front and back entrances in the morning or throughout the day at the entrance to the SSO. Please donate any gently worn items except stockings and underwear. Thank you in advance for your help and support!

Safer Internet Day – ‘Start the Chat’

The internet is an integral part of Aussie teenagers’ digital lives. While teenagers’ high use of technology offers many benefits, there is a downside – negative online experiences.

This research provides a glimpse into the digital lives of teens, how they deal with negative online experiences, the types of information they need to stay safe online and the information sources that they trust. It also looks at the types of positive online behaviours in which they engage.

The research is based on a survey of 627 teens aged 12-17 in September 2020.

Key Findings:

Online lives

• Teens spent an average of 14.4 hours a week online.
• 9 in 10 teens used the internet to research topics of interest, watch videos, chat with friends and listen to music.
• 8 in 10 teens played games online with others.

Social media

• Teens used an average of four different social media services – YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat remain the most popular apps / platforms.
• TikTok (formerly Musical.ly) has shown the greatest growth, from 12% of teens in 2017, up to 38% in 2020.

Negative online experiences

• 44% of teens had a negative online experience in the six months to September 2020.
• The top three were being contacted by a stranger or someone they didn’t know (30%), receiving inappropriate or unwanted content (20%) and being deliberately excluded from events/social groups (16%).
• More than 80% teens took some form of action after a negative online experience.

Online safety information

• Three quarters of teens wanted more online safety information delivered through trusted channels including:
  • their school or an online safety class – 43%
  • a trusted eSafety website – 40%
  • from a parent/carer – 38%.

Positive online behaviours

• 9 in 10 teens had engaged in at least one type of positive online behaviour.

Nearly all teens who had a negative experience online engaged in positive online behaviour afterward.

eSafety Commissioner’s Targeted Advice for Parents of Teenagers 13-17

Teenagers can spend a lot of time online — instant messaging, sharing photos and videos, playing online games and using online chat and voice chat through social media services can be a big part of their social identity. 

It can be a great experience but there are risks. You can help equip them with the skills to manage these risks and deal with negative situations.

For teenagers, it is important to:

• Keep things open. Have an ‘open door’ policy when devices are used in bedrooms, and check in with them regularly to see what they are viewing.
• Stay engaged. Ask about their online experiences, who they are talking to online and whether they are having any issues.
• Reinforce the importance of protecting their personal information and privacy. Remind them to create screen names or IDs that do not indicate gender, age, name or location and are not sexually suggestive. 
• Equip them to use social media responsibly. Terms of use for each service cover the rules for using the site, the type of content that can be posted and any age requirements. Go through these with your child to make sure they understand what is expected of them.
• Explain that linking social media accounts can make it easier for strangers to learn about them, so it is best to keep accounts separate. 
• Encourage them to think before they post. They should ask questions like: Who might see this? Could it be misread by others? Am I creating the right image for myself socially and for school and work opportunities?
• Remind them that they could expose themselves to risk by sharing sexually suggestive or intimate images of themselves or others. Check out the advice on sending nudes and sexting.
• Keep building self-respect, empathy and resilience. In particular, be aware of the impact of social media on self-esteem. See good habits start young.
• Help them understand online risks and what to do about them by exploring the young people section of this site.

Continue to review your rules as your child grows older

• Be clear about where and when devices can be used — not at mealtimes, for example, or not until after chores or homework are done. 
• Agree on a plan that fits into family routines — perhaps more screen time on the weekend when they have less schoolwork.
• Refer to our advice about time online and online gaming if these are of concern.

Technology tips for parents of teenagers

• Use parental controls appropriately for the age and experience of your child — see taming the technology. 
• As they grow more independent and resilient, good open communication becomes more important than blocking or filtering content — realistically your teenager will become increasingly adept at getting around such parental controls anyway.
• Check out Raising Children Network’s Healthy screen time and quality media choices: teenagers.

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

Year 7

Students will be returning tomorrow, Friday 12 February, between 3.00-3.30pm. Pickup will be from the Senior Campus (Lang Gym) – Gerard St and Waters Rd gate.

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

Head of Junior School

Academic Achievement Celebration Assembly

Last Friday, I was privileged to attend the annual Academic Achievement Celebration Assembly for our top HSC and IB academic achievers from the Redlands Class of 2020. Having been at Redlands for some time, one of the joys of this occasion for me is seeing many students who I remember fondly from their formative years in the Junior School; in this instance, more than half of the group of top achievers across both the HSC and IB courses.

There were some important messages for our Yr 11 cohort audience (Yr 12 were on Camp) from our Deputy Principal, Mr Corcoran, and I also found great inspiration and hope in the reflective addresses of graduating students, Alexandra York and Leopold Colin. Alex started her Redlands journey in Preschool and Leo in Yr 6 and both spoke articulately about their respective Redlands stories. What I loved was that whilst they were on stage as part of the group of leading academic achievers, they were very quick to recognise each and every single one of their cohort’s respective achievements in what was an unprecedented year for them and indeed, us all.

Both Alex and Leo also highlighted the importance that Cocurricular activities had on them, particularly Sport, in which they both excelled but also found invaluable as a counterbalance to their studies. Their message to Yr 11 about embracing the opportunities they would be presented with, not dwelling on setbacks and using the network of support that would be available to them were taken on board by Yr 11, and I loved their final message about creating memories together and also having fun along the way.

It was lovely to speak to many of the students afterwards as the School hosted a lunch for them and in hearing how excited they were about the varying next chapters in their lives, it was plain to see that they were certainly life-ready for whatever life might present them.

Introduction to our School Student Leaders

The Junior School enjoyed hearing from our new student leaders in assembly this week as they introduced themselves and their personal leadership hopes for the year. As we have regularly recognised, both we and they, also know that the Yr 6 cohort as a collective will play a significant role in student leadership this year, which we look forward to supporting.

Arrival to School on Tuesday 16 February

Please note that the Secondary School Swimming Carnival takes place on Tuesday 16 February and many of these students will be boarding buses on Allister St in front of the Prep and Junior Schools. It is anticipated that all buses should be gone by 7.45am so will not impact the arrival of students from 8.00am but may have some impact for students arriving early for Music Ensembles. 

Junior School Swimming Carnival

We are so excited about our first Junior School Carnival of 2021 next Wednesday 17 February. If you have not completed the online permission form on Redlands Pulse, please do so by the end of this week. Parents will have received the detailed letter from the Junior School Sports team which can be found on the Junior School page of Redlands Pulse. Some of the key details are listed below:

7.45am: All students to be in class for roll call
8.00am: Buses depart Redlands
9.00am: Expected start of first race
4.00pm: Expected return to school and collection on oval in classes

As mentioned, we are pleased to confirm that the venue has allowed us one parent per child, and parents who attend will need to scan the venue’s QR code to register on the NSW Service app. Please do not attempt to bring more spectators as this will have an impact on other parents likely not being able to attend due to our restricted numbers.

As some parents may have seen, students might like to show their House Spirit by purchasing House badge transfers via the Uniform Shop Flexischools website with both the Swimming and Athletics Carnivals this term.

Car Line Parking and Timing

As we head into the fourth week of term, our drop off and pick up processes are becoming more fluid and supportive of our focus on student safety. It was good to have a number of North Sydney Council officials observe and support our safe practices this week and there are three reminder points that I ask parents take heed of them so as not to compromise safety over convenience.

• Junior School parents should aim to join the car line at 3.20pm when school finishes as our Prep School car line operates until then. We have deliberate, staggered departure times across the Campus to help with traffic flow at the end of the day. The duty teachers are there until 3.40pm so sometimes coming soon after 3.20pm is also acceptable.
• When dropping off in the morning or using the car line in the afternoon, parents are asked not to get out of the car and to be as quick as is safe to allow for a smooth flow of traffic. The drop-off line is not the place to be brushing your child’s hair or having a chat with other parents.
• Please do not leave your car parked on Allister St adjacent to the School before or after school and come into the School. This is a strict no stopping zone and the ramifications are significant in causing severe traffic congestion on Allister Street and surrounding roads.

Late Arrivals

Students should arrive no later than 8.20am each morning but in the event that they arrive between 8.20am and 8.30am, they should head directly to their classroom where their class teacher will be able to mark them present. 

Only students who arrive after 8.30am should sign in at Reception and with learning starting at 8.30am, this should not be a regular occurrence. Thank you for your support of this matter.

Friendship Club

This week, our Dean of Students, Mrs Clinton, spoke to students during assembly about a Big Brother and Sister Friendship Club; a fun, social program which runs every lunch time for students across the Campus. Friendship Club is a great way for our students to meet new friends and build connections with others from across different classes and Year Groups. All students are welcome to join in with a range of activities on offer, including arts and crafts, puzzles, board games, and Lego. Friendship Club is facilitated by our School Counsellors, Dean of Students, Christian Studies teacher and many wonderful Yr 6 volunteers. 

Representative Sport Kick Off

Our Saturday Representative Sports program kicks off this weekend and we look forward to fielding 19 Junior School teams across four sports this term.

The majority of our sporting offerings are through the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA), which has some overarching principles for primary school sport. The IPSHA Code of Conduct for sport is on Redlands Pulse and Mr Dunne and his team oversee ensuring that the students play sport competitively but always fairly and in the right spirit of the game. By helping students also focus on their effort and improvement rather than the result, also cultivates a growth mindset.

We are delighted that we will be able to welcome one parent per child at our home venues using the NSW Service app QR code to scan in and for spectators, the IPSHA Code of Conduct is below for your reference:

• Children play organised sports for fun. They are not playing for the entertainment of spectators only, nor are they miniature professionals.
• Applaud good performances and efforts from each team. Congratulate all participants upon their performance regardless of the game’s outcome.
• Respect the officials’ decision.
• Never ridicule or scold a child for making a mistake during a competition.
• Positive comments are motivational and encourage continued effort.
• Condemn the use of violence in any form, be it by spectators, coaches, officials or players.
• Show respect for your team’s opponents. Without them, there would be no game.
• Encourage players to follow the rules and the officials’ decisions.
• Demonstrate appropriate social behaviour by not using foul language, harassing players, coaches or officials.
• Comments should not interfere with the running of the game.
• Focus on the efforts and performance of the children rather than the result.

I thank Mr Dunne and Ms O’Sullivan for all of their preparation and I look forward to getting around to cheering on all of our teams in the coming weeks.

Safer Internet Day

In our assembly this week, I spoke to the Junior School students leaders who raised awareness of Tuesday’s Safer Internet Day, a global day for people to come together to make the Internet a safer and better place for all, especially for children and young people. In the coming days, our eLearning Coordinator, Ms Anagnostu, will work with class teachers on the particular focus of passwords and privacy settings with our Junior School students.

Last Few Class Parent Representatives Needed

Thank you to those parents who have volunteered to take on a Class Parent representative role in 2021 which is very much appreciated. At present, we would love one or two parents from 3 White, 4 Red, 5 Red and 6 White classes. If you have any questions about the role, please do feel free to contact either of our Junior School Parent Contact Group Coordinators, Rebecca James, or Becky Gait who will be only too willing to assist. 

Second Hand Uniform Sale Donations

Further to the success of last year’s online sale, the RPFA is planning another second hand uniform sale in early March – stay tuned for more details. As always, funds raised are contributed towards the means-tested Redlands Foundation Scholarship Fund. 

We need your help by donating clean, current uniforms in excellent condition, especially winter items. Please deliver items to the Uniform Shop on individual coat hangers from now until Friday 26 February. Please note, no polo shirts will be accepted due to the introduction of the new PE uniform.

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

Junior School Upcoming Events

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

Head of Preparatory School

Upcoming Events

Making Connections

Our students have settled in well to the school routine and as I watch them line up, eat lunch and navigate the playground, I am constantly reminded about how quickly they have adjusted and how resilient they have become, especially our new Redlands students.

Sometimes the transition to school or the challenges of friendships can be tricky for young learners at the start of their school journey, so it is important for us as adults and educators to provide opportunities to give students strategies, listen and to be there as a voice of encouragement.

The Prep Friendship Club is one avenue that students can use to learn the tools to manage grow and develop their social connections.

Friendship Club is a fun social program which runs every lunchtime, following eating time. It’s a great way for students to meet new friends and build connections with others from across different classes and year groups. All students are welcome to join in with a range of activities on offer, including arts and crafts, puzzles, board games, and LEGO. Friendship Club is facilitated by our School Counsellors, Dean of Students, and Christian Studies teacher, with the help of our wonderful Year 6 volunteers. 

Student Voice in Prep

Listening to and respecting the student voice in all areas of learning is such an important aspect to an early learner’s growth. This week our Yr 2 students exercised their student voice by putting together what they felt they wanted our Prep Assembly to look like and what messages they felt were important this week to share from their perspective. Ways they achieved this included the initial brainstorming and bringing together the collective voice to find common threads. They chose to use an Acknowledgement to Country piece written by a 2020 Yr 2 student, seated the students in colour quadrants and talked to them from the centre line of the student body. I asked them why they chose this way and their reaction was they didn’t want to talk at the students but with them. A powerful thought. They went on to share what it means to be a Planet Protector in Prep this year and shared scenarios they had worked on to share friendship navigation strategies. We also had some Yr 6 friends visit to promote Friendship Club. A big congratulations to the Yr 2 students for being courageous with their voice and sharing it with us all.

I look forward to further opportunities where we can authentically embed student voice.

Afternoon Pick Ups

Can I please ask all parents to be mindful that they are socially distancing as well as not gathering after your child has been picked up in the afternoon. It is wonderful to have our parents back on campus to drop off and pick up but we must ensure that we are following the NSW Health guidelines. I would ask that on entering the campus, please head to your child’s Year Group meeting tree as this is where the staff are instructed to dismiss students. We cannot have any parents gathering and continuing to have conversations after their child is picked up please.

A big thank you to parents who have been using the QR Codes before entering the school grounds. If you have grandparents or other people dropping your child off, they must also register, so could you please inform them that they need to take their phone with them.

Thank you for your continued support as we navigate the NSW Health guidelines together.

Transitioning Tips

Click here for some tips on easing back into the start of a new year. 

Second Hand Uniform Sale Donations

Further to the success of last year’s online sale, the RPFA is planning another second hand uniform sale in early March – stay tuned for more details. As always, funds raised are contributed towards the means-tested Redlands Foundation Scholarship Fund. 

We need your help by donating clean, current uniforms in excellent condition, especially winter items. Please deliver items to the Uniform Shop on individual coat hangers from now until Friday 26 February. Please note, no polo shirts will be accepted due to the introduction of the new PE uniform.

This Week in Prep

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

Prep/RH Upcoming Events

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

Redlands House/Transition Gold

Storypark

Thank you to all of the new families who have provided permission for their child to be on Storypark. Storypark allows us to communicate, deepen relationships and strengthen communication between home and Preschool. It also enables us to reinforce experiences and deepen children’s learning. Stories are shared with families each week, sitting and viewing these stories with your child will demonstrate your interest in their world, and acknowledge its importance. You can choose to add your own stories or leave comments and feedback for children and our teaching team. You can also choose to share these stories with family members if you wish. We hope that you will invite your extended family so that the children have an authentic audience who are genuinely interested in their learning.

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. Experiences 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 practise the various stages of writing. Exploring a wide range of writing and drawing materials. Learning that 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, you might have pumpkins to dissect, rocks, shells, insects to observe, or snake skins in the Centre.

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

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

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

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

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

Secondary Sport

Secondary Sport Redland Pulse

Fixtures and Results

If you would like to check the weekly results, please note they are available on Redlands Pulse under the Results page. Please continue to make Redlands Pulse your first source for all Sports related information including the finalised fixtures under the Redlands Rhino (Fixtures) tab. These fixtures are updated by the end of the school day each Tuesday for the upcoming Saturday games.

Basketball

It was great to see the Basketball competition off to a fantastic start and to see some of our teams continue their great form they found by the end of Term 4.  

There will be no End of Season Event this year for Basketball given the complex and unpredictable nature of the current situation. Friends of Basketball have suggested that each team gathers together following their last game of the season for a picnic or team lunch to celebrate the year. If you do wish to do something with your team individually, please ensure any plans are made in accordance with the most up to date NSW Health advice.

Best of luck to all teams as we head into Round 2 of the Term 1 ISA season.

Rowing

Last weekend saw our Yrs 9 to 12 Rowing program students at the NSW State Championships at Penrith. Our students had multiple racing opportunities in both single sculls and crew boats. At this particular regatta, there are no divisions, meaning that all races will feature some of the best rowers from across Australia however this still provides great racing opportunities.

Particular highlights included our Senior Boys 1^st Crew (Alex Holtheuer Yr 12, Alex Verschoor Yr 12, Matt Fry Yr 10, Finn Woodward Yr 10 and Charlotte Morrison Yr 10) winning Bronze in the Championship School Boy Coxed Quad Scull. These boys then broke up into small boats with the combination of Alex Holtheuer and Alex Verschoor taking out Gold in the Championship School Boy Double Scull, Alex Holtheuer winning Silver in the Championship School Boy Single Scull and Finn Woodward winning Bronze in the Championship Mens Under 17 Single Scull.

Notable mentions should also go to Emily Barrelle Yr 12 and Trinity Hoffman Yr 10 who progressed to their respective A Finals in the Championship School Girl Single Scull and the Championship Womens Single Scull. The Girls Yr 10 2^nd Crew of Briar Carter, Yasmin Coletran, Charlotte Scamps, Phoebe Cunningham and Hannah Mitchell also progressed to the A Final in the Championship Womens Under 17 Coxed Quad event.

Results from this Regatta are then used to select representative crews for the Independent Schools Rowing Association where our Yr 11 and 12 students combine with students from Kinross, St Augustine’s, Cranbrook, Newcastle Grammar School, Hunter Valley Grammar School and a number of smaller Rowing schools without dedicated programs. These crews will then race this weekend at the conclusion of the Kings/PLC Regatta against crews from the IGSSA and the ACT School Associations. Alex Holtheuer and Emily Barrelle were both selected into the Boys and Girls 1^st Eights while Alex Verschoor, Emily Pashley Yr 12, Audra Olson Yr 11 and Sophia Maxwell Yr 11 were all selected into the Boys and Girls 2^nd Eights.

Swimming

We are excited for the Redlands Swimming Carnival to take place on Tuesday 16 February (Term 1, Week 4) a reminder that the Redlands Pulse – Swimming page has the current information letter and program of events. 

A reminder that all students will need to wear a mask on the bus to and from the SOPAC Venue, students will need to bring their own mask. 

Tennis

On Tuesday, we had five Tennis students represent Redlands at the ISA Representative Tennis trials. It was a very successful day with three students making the ISA Tennis team to compete at the CIS trials next Wednesday 17 February. Congratulations to Sebastian Dobson (Yr 12) and James Robinson (Yr 11) who made the Boys ISA team. They will also play in two representative matches against a GPS and a CAS representative team. Congratulations also to Stella Simpson-Morgan (Yr 7) who made the Girls ISA team.

It was great to see all students out enjoying playing tennis on Saturday. With a number of trainings washed out, Saturday was the first time many had played in a number of months. Many of the Redlands teams played really well, successfully capitalising on important points, while others were challenged by their opposition. Just a reminder to check the Redlands Rhino for the most up at date draw each week and for further Tennis information including the season draw, team lists and training schedules please see Redlands Pulse – Tennis.

Touch Football 

It was a great first round of Touch Football on Saturday. Our Junior Es took a trip to Bowral to play a double header against Chevalier 7 and 8, taking the first game 4 – 1. The second game saw them grow in confidence, resulting in them winning 6 – 2. This is a great result for the girls who were winless in the Term 4 competition last year. Other notable mentions must go to the Junior As and Senior 3s who both had strong wins against Barker College Jnr A and 3rds respectively. 

This week sees our 1st VI, Senior 3, Jnr A and Jnr C teams travel out to Kinross Wolaroi School (Orange). A reminder that the buses depart from the Adams Centre at 6.00am (for both Junior teams) and 6.30am (for both Senior teams). 

The Senior 2, Senior 4, Jnr B, Jnr D and Jnr E teams travel up to the Central Coast Grammar School (Erina Heights). A reminder the buses depart from the Adams Centre at 6.30am (for the Junior teams B, D and E) and 7.00am (for both Senior teams).

“Sometimes we’re tested not to show our weakness, but to discover our strengths“. Unknown

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

All Sports contacts can be found on Redlands Pulse.​

Junior Sport

With Round 1 of Summer Sport upon us this Saturday, it is an exciting time for all involved. Draws are online, uniforms have been purchased and the first of many optional skills training sessions have been well attended, so we are all ready to go! Students are expected to be at the venue 30 minutes before the start time listed for adequate warm up and instructions.

All live links for registration, confirmation of Winter Sport, sign up documents are all available on Redlands Pulse.

Summer Sports Draw

As outlined last week, the draw (Saturday morning matches) for coaches, parents and staff will be ‘live’ in nature and available via this link which allows you to filter the draw by sport and even team. Sport draws and changes are never emailed to parents. When changes to times and or grounds come through from host schools during the week, these will automatically update this draw on your device. Addresses of the venues within the host school have also been included.

Swimming Carnival Wednesday 17 February

All information has been previously emailed to you as well as uploaded to Redlands Pulse. Should you require a digital note for Swimming Carnival please click here.

Student Absence

For those students who are representing Redlands in fixtures on Saturdays and will miss their game due to illness or 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.

Wet Weather

With each venue and host school having their own wet weather policy, this is reflected in the draw and will be updated at 6.30am on Saturday morning. Please do not make assumptions about the fixture until you have checked the wet weather section of the draw.

At Redlands Junior School we belong to IPSHA for our academic and sporting pathways. Parents are reminded that IPSHA policy states that no parent can enter the field of play at any time. 

I  encourage all parents to read the IPSHA Code of Conduct in preparation for Round 1. There are no league tables, no grand finals, no trophies in this association and that is what makes it different from Clubs and associations.

IPSHA Spectator’s Code of Behaviour

• Children play organised sports for fun. They are not playing for the entertainment of spectators only, nor are they miniature professionals.
• Applaud good performances and efforts from each team. Congratulate all participants upon their performance regardless of the game’s outcome.
• Respect the officials’ decision.
• Never ridicule or scold a child for making a mistake during a competition.
• Positive comments are motivational and encourage continued effort.
• Condemn the use of violence in any form, be it by spectators, coaches, officials or players.
• Show respect for your team’s opponents. Without them there would be no game.
• Encourage players to follow the rules and the officials’ decisions.
• Demonstrate appropriate social behaviour by not using foul language, harassing players, coaches or officials.
• Comments should not interfere with the running of the game.
• Focus on the efforts and performance of the children rather than the result

Summer Sport Rep Teams

With trials now complete for Summer Representative teams, you can view the teams that have been uploaded to Redlands Pulse last Saturday. Should you have any enquiries you can refer to this link. These are fluid teams with anticipated changes taking place over the next few rounds.

Wednesday Sport Lists

I have shared this with parents previously but you can view all Wednesday Sport rolls on this document in case you need to know details of where your child is in their Wednesday Sport session.

Term 2 After School Football Program

To assist you in planning please be aware that from Term 2 onwards, students in Yrs 3-6 who have previously attended the Monday afternoon Football sessions will move to before school sessions. There will be no cost associated with this additional skills program across two mornings (Wednesday and Friday). The after school Football program on Mondays in Term 2 will be just for Prep students and allows equity across both campuses for use of the facilities and access to coaches. 

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

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

Ballet and Dance

Isobel Anderson Memorial Awards

We would like to congratulate the following students who are representing Redlands at the Isobel Anderson Memorial Awards during March:

Introduction to Pilates

We are excited to announce a new class for our Senior students in 2021, Introduction to Pilates, with Ms Amanda Somerville on Fridays 5.30-6.30pm. For further details please click here.

Please note this class is limited to ten students and that private Pilates classes are also available on Thursdays and Fridays (30 minutes or one hour private classes).

To book a private class or to enrol in our Introduction to Pilates class for Semester 1 please email dance@redlands.nsw.edu.au 

2021 Enrolment

2021 class enrolments are now closed for current students. Please check students’ timetables on Engage to see their current Dance classes. Any changes or questions, please email the Ballet and Dance office. If you are a new student, please enquire about 2021 places.

Private Lessons

Private lessons are available, either 30 minutes or one hour. To discuss options, check availability or make a booking please email cwoodhams@redlands.nsw.edu.au.

Can’t Come to Class?

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

Any Questions?

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

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

Drama and Theatre

Musical

Our Act One Run Musical will be held this weekend. It has been wonderful to welcome new cast and crew members to Grease 2021. Students can check rehearsal schedules and newsletters are available on iLearn, 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 the very important libretto!

Junior School Theatresports

Any student wishing to participate in Theatresports in the 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

Redlands Theatresports Workshops are free and open to all students from Yrs 7 to 12. Classes take place on Tuesday lunchtimes in the Drama Studio. Redlands will be entering a Senior and Intermediate team in Impro Australia’s 2021 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.

Shakespeare on Screen

This year the Redlands Shakespeare Festival is focussing on film acting techniques. You can submit a film of your performance and be judged by the esteemed Darren Gilshenan (The Moodys, Here Come the Habibs!, Harrow). Register your interest in the Shakespeare Festival here by Friday 19 February and then you will be invited to join the dedicated iLearn page.

Senior Acting Ensemble

Interested in becoming part of the Redlands Drama Senior Acting Ensemble? Students who would like to develop their acting skills and be part of an ensemble that creates new works, as well as working towards Theatre Festivals are invited to come on Monday lunchtime to the Drama Studio. See Mrs Daley for details.

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

Music

SENIOR CAMPUS MUSIC INFORMATION

JUNIOR CAMPUS MUSIC INFORMATION

Music Events

Redlands Music Ensembles Program

With the commencement of the full breadth of the Redlands Music Ensemble program (K-12) across the school this week, it was wonderful to observe students and staff return to the rehearsal room with incredible excitement and energy. As an important dimension of their learning, we believe that making music together has an incredible ability to empower students as they apply skills in developing new techniques as vocalists and instrumentalists. Research indicates that individuals who participate in regular music ensemble rehearsals are known to build self-confidence, improve their socio-emotional wellbeing, and develop a sense of personal drive and determination through collaborative contexts. It is our hope and intention, that students involved in the Redlands Music program this year are empowered as learners and enriched as they aim for performance excellence.

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 12 February. Days and times of rehearsals can be found on Redlands Pulse.

Friends of Music

Our first meeting for this year will be facilitated via Zoom. This takes place tomorrow Friday 12 February commencing at 8.30am. The meeting will run for approximately 45 minutes in length. If you would like more information on the Friends of Music and its important association with the Music Department, please contact our President Ms Emma McLaren.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://redlands.zoom.us/j/4874398088?pwd=YlYrbWFPMWVndkptcnFDUmQ4RWVFUT09

Meeting ID: 487 439 8088

Passcode: Music

Jazz In The Garden (Live Streamed)

With rehearsals for Jazz Ensembles commencing this week, preparations are already underway for the 2021 Music Launch Event. Students enrolled in the Jazz program will be participating in our annual launch event, Jazz in The Garden, on Saturday 13 March at 6.00pm. Rehearsals for this event will take place between 2.00-6.00pm throughout the afternoon prior to the event. Please note that a letter of communication will be issued to families in Week 4.

Battle of the Bands (Yrs 5-12)

Audition Series 1 (Week 5)

In conjunction with our Rock Band specialists, the determined theme for this year’s Battle of the Bands is Music from the ’80s. This theme will certainly celebrate this wonderful decade of Music and is a prerequisite for all entries. The Battle of the Bands supports our emerging contemporary musicians, with the competition to be held Monday 29 March commencing at 6.00pm. The competition is open to students in Yrs 7-12 and features our Junior School Rock Bands as featured performers. Audition forms can be collected from Music Receptions or downloaded from Redlands Pulse.

Junior and Senior Piano Competitions (Yrs 3-12)

Audition Series 2 (Weeks 6 and 7)

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 Friday 30 April. 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 12 February for lessons to commence in Term 1. Any forms received after this date will commence lessons in Term 2.

Senior Campus

Upcoming Events can be found on Redlands Pulse. 

Junior Campus

Upcoming Events can be found on Redlands Pulse. 

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

Monday

On Monday mornings, 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.

Thursday

On Thursday mornings, 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