Head of Junior School

Week	Date	Event
9	Sunday 20 September	Australian School band and Orchestra Festival – Strings

“What did the pecan say to the walnut?”

“We’re friends because we’re both nuts!”

“What is orange and sounds like a parrot?”

“A carrot!”

“Why did the golfer wear two pairs of pants?”

“In case they got a hole in one!”

These were just some of the wonderful Dad Jokes created by our students for our Father’s Day Breakfast on Monday morning. It was a glorious day, with the sun shining and hundreds of dads and special guests joining us on campus. Activities included tie design, making key holders and key rings, creating art badges, construction activities, throwing the furthest paper aeroplane and a range of sporting activities. My personal highlight was making your own meat rub and decorating a rock to give to Dad with the message “You Rock!” The best part was seeing dads, children and special guests connecting and enjoying time together in the Junior School.

Last Friday, the Junior School was proud to host the IPSHA Early Childhood Umbrella Group meeting. We welcomed almost 50 early childhood teachers from independent schools across NSW for a day of professional learning and networking with colleagues from across the sector. The theme was Play, Power and Purpose: The Continuity of Learning from Preschool to Primary, explored through presentations from Tiana Wilson and Fiona Geoghegan from Be Centre, alongside Dr Simonne Cohen and Joanne Lazarus from Playground Powers.

One of the key concepts explored was co-regulation, the process through which an adult helps a child manage strong emotions through calm, responsive and supportive interaction. Research into child development highlights the importance of responsive relationships in helping children develop emotional regulation, resilience and manage stress. Co-regulation recognises that young children are still developing these capabilities and often need the support of a calm, regulated adult before they can regulate themselves.

Co-regulation is something parents can use every day. When a child is overwhelmed, the first step is not necessarily to correct the behaviour but to help the child become calm enough to think and respond. This might mean getting down to their level, using a calm voice, acknowledging what they are feeling and staying close while the emotion passes. For example, “I can see you’re really frustrated because your tower fell down. I’m here. Let’s take a moment.” Once the child is calm, you can talk about what happened, reinforce boundaries and problem-solve together.

Importantly, co-regulation also begins with the adult. Children learn by watching how the adults around them respond to stress and strong emotions. Taking a breath, slowing our voice and regulating our own response can help create the calm and safety a child needs to regain their own sense of control. Sometimes the most powerful response is simply to pause, stay close and communicate that the emotion is manageable, even when the behaviour needs to change.

On Tuesday this week, we also welcomed Felicity Wilson MP, Member for North Shore, who spoke with our Year 5 and 6 students about leadership, our democratic process and the role of government institutions in supporting children and communities affected by natural disasters. This was particularly relevant to our Year 6 UNICEF Unit of Inquiry, providing students with an authentic opportunity to connect their learning with the work of government in the community. Our students were highly engaged and asked insightful questions throughout the session. We thank Felicity Wilson for generously sharing her time, experience and insights with our students.

On Tuesday, we also celebrated the winners of the RPFA Spring Fair Colouring Competition at K-2 Chapel and 3-6 Assembly. There was great excitement as each year-level winner was announced, followed by the overall first and second place winners. Congratulations to all of the children who participated and a special congratulations to our overall winners. Thank you to the RPFA for leading this initiative and for generously supplying the prizes.

Finally, the Spring Fair is happening this weekend! We encourage all families to come along, enjoy the festivities and support this wonderful community event. If you are able to lend a hand, the RPFA is still looking for some last-minute volunteers. Every extra pair of hands makes a difference. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Michael Quach
Head of Junior School
mquach@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Approaches to Learning: Approaches to Life

Curiosity, Connection, Intellectual Courage and Responsibility were evident across the Junior School this week, as students engaged in rich and meaningful learning experiences both inside and beyond the classroom.

Our Kindergarten students attended their final week of Bush School after five weeks of nature-based learning, igniting curiosity, building confidence and deepening their connection with the natural world.

In Year 4, students explored the relationship between mathematics, science and technology using Spheros. They also applied their scientific and mathematical understanding with love and purpose as they investigated the melting and solidifying temperatures of wax before creating candles through our connection with the charity ReLove.

Intellectual Courage was on display as students embraced the challenge of the Maths Olympiads and MAP Growth assessments, demonstrating persistence and a willingness to stretch their thinking.

Our Stage 3 students also had the opportunity to connect with North Sydney MP Felicity Wilson in an engaging Q&A session, asking thoughtful questions and learning more about community, civic leadership and representation.

Martina Petersen
Deputy Head of Junior School: Learning and Teaching
mpetersen@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Spring Fair

The countdown is on! Our K-2 students are very excited to attend the Spring Fair on Saturday. Please take the time to support our Art stall which will be in Innovation Alley, where you will be able to purchase bags and aprons that have been created by a group of our talented K-2 artists, alongside Mrs Fox, our K-2 Art teacher.

On Tuesday, we announced the winners of the Spring Fair Colouring Competition. Our K-2 winners could not have been more pleased with their prizes, especially Jasper in Year 1 who received the overall 2^nd prize! All of the entries will be used to create bunting for the fair.

Congratulations to all our K-2 winners:

2nd Prize overall – Jasper Zhou (Year 1)
Kindergarten – Luca Fanjul Wallace
Year 1 – Charlotte Harrison
Year 2 – Hannah Zeng

K-2 Assembly

Our final K-2 Assembly for Term 3 on Tuesday 15 September will be led by all our Kindergarten students. Please join us in Dunnet Hall at 1.50pm, where our Kindies will lead us through our assembly and entertain us with a beautiful song they have been practising for you. We look forward to welcoming many families on Tuesday afternoon!

Online Safety

This week our K-2 students took part in a ‘Staying Safe Online’ lesson, built around three golden rules: Be Kind, Be Safe, and Ask for Help. Children learned to keep private information (like their address, phone number, password and school name) to themselves online. They practised the “Stop, Close, Tell” response for anything that feels wrong or makes them feel uncomfortable.

We also introduced the idea of AI-generated pictures and videos in an age-appropriate way, reminding students that fake images can hurt feelings and should never be made of someone else, even as a joke. The overarching message to students was reassuring them that they will never be in trouble if they ask for help and that there are always trusted adults ready to support them. You might like to reinforce these messages at home by asking your child what “Be Kind, Be Safe, Ask for Help” means to them, and reminding them that you are always someone they can come to if something online doesn’t feel right.

In the first week of Term 4, our students will attend a YSafe Cyber Safety session. We encourage you to attend the P-6 YSafe Cyber Safety Parent Information Session, which will be held online on the 14 October between 6-7pm. More information, including a link to join the meeting, will be available in the coming weeks.

Ashley Bentley
Deputy Head of Junior School: Students (K-2)
abentley@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Intellectual Courage was on display as students embraced the challenge of the Maths Olympiads and MAP Growth assessments, demonstrating persistence and a willingness to stretch their thinking.

These are just some of the many examples of our Approaches to Learning coming to life across the Junior School this week. Curiosity, Connection, Intellectual Courage and Responsibility are not simply skills we teach, they are developed through meaningful experiences, challenging questions, authentic connections and opportunities to apply learning in the world around us.

Martina Petersen
Deputy Head of Junior School: Learning and Teaching
mpetersen@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Navigating the Digital World Together: The Power of Parent Conversations

Thank you to all parents who attended yesterday’s Parent Topic Talk on Strengthening Positive Online Behaviour. It was a wonderfully informative session expertly presented by counsellors Mrs Jemimah Cosme and Mrs Silvia Roberts. What struck me was the considerable value of the open discussion parents had with each other throughout the session. I firmly believe as parents, we need to lean on each other more to help us navigate issues such as device use, what is appropriate at parties, and how we work to hold boundaries firm. It helps us feel we are not alone in trying to manage these parental challenges.

As parents, we all share a common goal: helping our children grow into responsible, respectful, and resilient young people. In today’s world, that responsibility extends beyond the physical environment and into the digital spaces our children navigate every day.

While schools play an important role in educating students about online safety and responsible technology use, parents remain the most influential people in a child’s digital life. One of the most powerful tools available to families is something simple: talking openly with other parents.

Many families are facing similar questions:

When should a child receive their first smartphone?
What social media platforms are appropriate, and at what age?
How much screen time is reasonable?
How can we respond when students encounter inappropriate content, online conflict, or group chat issues?

These conversations can often feel isolating, but they don’t need to be. When parents communicate with one another, they gain valuable perspectives, share practical strategies, and build a supportive community around their children.

Open dialogue between families can help establish shared expectations within friendship groups. Children often find it easier to accept boundaries when they see that similar expectations exist across multiple homes. Whether it is delaying access to social media, collecting devices before bedtime, or monitoring online activity, consistency sends a powerful message that adults are working together to support young people.

Equally important is creating opportunities to discuss concerns before they become significant issues. Parents are often the first to notice changes in behaviour, friendship dynamics, emotional wellbeing, or device use. Sharing observations and seeking support from trusted families can help identify concerns early and encourage constructive responses.

As children move through the upper primary years and into adolescence, their online interactions become increasingly complex. Group chats, gaming communities, social media platforms, and AI-powered technologies can present challenges that no single family should feel expected to navigate alone. Strong parent networks allow families to learn from one another and foster a culture of collective responsibility for children’s wellbeing.

At Redlands, we encourage families to maintain open and respectful communication with one another about device use and online behaviour. These conversations are not about judgement or comparison. Rather, they are about partnership, support, and ensuring that the adults in children’s lives are working together to help them make safe and positive choices.

When parents connect, share experiences, and support one another, children benefit from clear expectations, consistent guidance, and a stronger sense of community. Together, we can help our young people develop the skills, judgement, and character they need to thrive both online and offline.

Conversation Starter for Parents

The next time you’re chatting with another parent, consider asking:

What boundaries do you have around devices at home?
How do you manage social media and messaging apps?
What has worked well in your family?
What challenges have you encountered?

These simple conversations can be the beginning of a stronger partnership between families and a safer online world for all children.

This week our teachers spent time on discussing staying safe online with their class. Please view the slides that guided this session here. You can use these to prompt broader supportive discussions in the home with your sons and daughters as well as initiating those conversations with other Redlands parents.

Save the Date

Kate Moore
Deputy Head of Junior School: Students (3-6)
kamoore@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Spring Fair Colouring In Competition

Congratulations to all the wonderfully creative Junior School students, whose colouring competition entries will soon be on full display as bunting at the Spring Fair. Winners were announced at this week’s assembly — congratulations to each of you for your outstanding efforts!

A special congratulations to the overall prize winners:

1st Prize overall – Riley Scanlon (Year 4)
2nd Prize overall – Jasper Zhou (Year 1)

And to each Year Level prize winner:

Redlands House – Harvey To
Kindergarten – Luca Fanjul Wallace
Year 1 – Charlotte Harrison
Year 2 – Hannah Zeng
Year 3 – Eloise Papageorgiou
Year 4 – Rianna Sabharwal
Year 5 – Quinn Scott
Year 6 – Max Foy

PreK-2 Sport

Pre K-2 After School Sport program selections opens Friday, 11 September at 7am. Families can submit their selections via the Activity Selection Portal.

Sports available this term:
Monday: AFL, Basketball, Tennis
Wednesday: Chess (Years 1-2)
Friday: Football, Touch Football (Years 1-2), Gymnastics, Netball

Please note: Touch Football is now open to Year 1 and 2 students only, and Monday and Friday sports have swapped from their Term 3 days. Places in some activities fill quickly, so we encourage families to log on promptly once the EOI opens.

Calling all Bakers – Consider Contributing to the Cake Stall

No Fair is complete without a Bake Sale! We are calling all bakers, big and small to contribute sweet treats for the Cake Stall. Homemade or store bought, all are welcome.

Drop-off: Friday 11 Sept
Grab a box from Junior Reception / Senior Services or use your own labelled container from Sept 7. Do label all boxes with name, year, class so we know who to thank!
Please list all ingredients & flag allergens: gluten, eggs, dairy

Amber Wilson
Deputy Head of Junior School: Operations (P-6)
awilson@redlands.nsw.edu.au

Week 10: Greenlands Week

During Week 10, students will take part in a range of activities designed to encourage simple, practical actions that help our environment. Our Greenest Classroom Competition will run throughout the week, with classes earning points for sustainable actions each day. At the end of the week, the class with the most points will win a prize.

Gardening Club: Tuesday 22 September

All students are invited to join Gardening Club at the Junior Campus vegetable gardens, where they will plant seeds and seedlings and help our gardens grow.

Book & Board Game Swap: Thursday 24 September

Students are invited to bring in an old book or board game in good condition that they no longer use. Items can be dropped at Reception on Thursday 24 September, where students will receive a raffle ticket for their donated item. At lunchtime, students can visit the Piazza to choose a new-to-them book or board game.

We look forward to a fun week of learning, sharing and taking action for our environment!

Kimberlee Chipper
Sustainability Manager
kchipper@redlands.nsw.edu.au