The Red

Congratulations to all of the Primary students who competed so valiantly in yesterday’s Cross Country carnival, and a big thank you to all of the staff who made sure it ran so smoothly. This is never an easy event for anyone, and I think more a test of determination rather than physical fitness! Well done to all boys who pushed through all the way to the end, and good luck to our Secondary boys who hit the course on Friday.

Another set of boys who discovered the value of pushing all the way through were our Class of 2020. On Wednesday, 17 March, we had the pleasure of recognising their HSC results at the Senior School Distinguished Achievers assembly.

Students who score in the highest possible band in a course (90% or more) are formally recognised by NESA as Distinguished Achievers, and there were 15 Redfield HSC students who achieved this distinction in 2020. Between them, they achieved 25 top-band results, with over half of those achieved in History and Mathematics. However, top results were achieved in almost all subjects, which rightly shows that, with a keen attitude and sound habits of work and application, Redfield is certainly a place where students can excel.

11 boys from the Class of 2020 were able to attend on the day, and were presented with certificates recognising their achievements. Francis B., who achieved the distinction of being named a Premier's All Rounder (a top-band result in all of his subjects), spoke at the assembly and revealed that his most cherished memories of his HSC were the lighter moments he shared with his friends and teachers in class, in the playground and on the sporting field. 

Francis also received the honour of being named the Redfield HSC Dux of 2020, having achieved an ATAR of 99.35.

The full list of Distinguished Achievers and their top-band results are;

• Zachary B. - Mathematics Standard 2
• Liam C. - Ancient History
• Michael D. - Mathematics Standard 2 (unable to attend)
• Seth E. - Mathematics Standard 2
• Ronnie F. - Mathematics Standard 2
• Peter G. - Modern History (unable to attend)
• Julian M. - Modern History (unable to attend)
• Gabriel P. - Physics
• Emmanuel R. - Mathematics Advanced
• Michael R. - Music 1
• Andrew K. - Mathematics Advanced & Mathematics Extension 1
• John T. - Ancient History & Modern History (unable to attend)
• Jacob Y. - English Advanced & English Extension 1
• Joseph K. - Mathematics Advanced, Modern History & Visual Arts
• Francis B. - English Advanced, Ancient History, Modern History, Music 2, Music Extension & French Continuers

Congratulations to all Distinguished Achievers in 2020, but also to the remaining members of the cohort. The full set of results in 2020 indicates that over half of all courses attempted achieved a mark of 80% or higher. This is a wonderful reflection of the efforts of the whole cohort, and totally worthy of recognition.

I hope that this point is not lost on the rest of our boys, regardless of their age. Our top achievers are deservedly recognised for their efforts, but everyone in a class can follow their example of consistent, determined effort to reach his potential. For all students who are currently completing assessment tasks in Primary and in Secondary, this means getting started early, looking for feedback and being careful and thorough. Mentors can also help, particularly by helping boys organise their time and set priorities.

In the absence of Mr Mejia for a few days this week in Brisbane, I also wanted to remind you of a number of events happening at the College. Firstly, the monthly recollections for dads are being held in the Redfield Chapel tonight and tomorrow evening. This is a great opportunity during Lent for all of us to take time out from our busy schedules and to prepare ourselves spiritually for the feast of St Joseph (19 March) and for Holy Week and Easter which is just around the corner.

Thank you to Mr Damian Sarks, the teachers and mentors involved with the Year 2 and Year 3 Father & Son Camps. What a great relief to have these back on the calendar and I’m sure the upcoming Year 4 camp will be just as successful as the first two.

This Saturday is Open Day and we have a full house with over 100 registered families attending. This is an amazing response to the hard work of our Enrolments Officer, Mrs Angie Celis, and the marketing team at Pared. Let’s pray that we can get many more new families at Redfield during the course of the year and for 2022. 

Lastly, you may also have seen the message that our Parent/Teacher podcast is now live. This is an exciting initiative of the PARED Academy, which I am sure you will find is a terrific source of ideas and inspiration to support you in your partnership with the school. The first episode, "The Importance of Having A Successful Parent-Teacher Partnership", features a conversation with Andrew Mullins, former Headmaster of Redfield College and Wollemi College. Please refer to the links in the Community Notice section below for instructions on how to subscribe. I hope you are able to tune in - I am sure you will enjoy it!

Andreas Engesser
Deputy Headmaster

A jam-packed two weeks has seen a Senior School assembly unpack the National Day of Action Against Bullying, with Middle School tackling the issue this week. Primary will address this via their Class Teachers.

The first session of the Redfield Leadership Program took place last week and it was fantastic. Feedback from the students has been excellent and a range of activities will be taking place throughout the year to make the program as practical and successful as possible.

Please see pictures and articles in this edition of The Red from students about the assembly, Great Minds Club and the Leadership Program.

Trent Thomas
Director of Formation

It was very moving to see the recent images of Pope Francis in Iraq. The Christian population of this country has decreased from 1.5 million in 2003 to around 500,000 today due to the political instability of the past decades. After travelling to a number of cities, visiting the ruins of Mosul and praying in churches that had been used as training bases by ISIS, the Pope was able to conclude: “Today, I can see at first hand that the Church in Iraq is alive and that Christ is alive and at work in this, His holy and faithful people.”

The trip brought home to us yet again the reality of the universality of the Church: "Get rid of that 'small-town' outlook. Enlarge your heart till it becomes universal, 'catholic'" (The Way, 7). It also provided, in the weeks leading up to Easter, a timely reminder of the redemptive value of suffering. 

Fr Phil Elias
Redfield College Chaplain

On Tuesday, 9 March, we celebrated the Primary Cross Country. Although it was to be a warm day, there was much excitement in the air. The training and preparing for the big day was over and it was now time for the big event! The 8s, 9s and 10s ran a distance of two kilometres around our wonderful school grounds. The 11s and 12s ran a more challenging distance of three kilometres.

From Years 2 to 6, every runner made a massive effort. During each race, we were easily able to see how every student challenged himself and tried to reach his personal goal. Running long distances is a difficult skill, especially for younger boys. However, we are very proud to see our Redfield boys always ready to give their all and achieve such great results.

We pass on a huge congratulations to all those who participated and finished their race! We would also like to make a special mention of those who qualified for IPSHA:

8s and 9s

• 8s & 9s Champion - 2021 (Isaiah S.)
• 2nd Place - 2021 (Xavier T.)
• 3rd Place - 2021 (Jordan L.)
• 4th Place - 2021 (Sergio M.)
• 5th Place - 2021 (Joseph T.)

10s

• 10s Champion - 2021 (Luke A.)
• 2nd Place - 2021 (Thomas R.)
• 3rd Place - 2021 (Xavier S.)
• 4th Place - 2021 (Tristan A.)
• 5th Place - 2021 (Matthew C.)

11s

• 11s Champion - 2021 (Luka R.)
• 2nd Place - 2021 (Ruben M.)
• 3rd Place - 2021 (Lucas C-H.)
• 4th Place - 2021 (Roman G.)
• 5th Place - 2021 (Amaan A-R.)

12s

• 12s Champion - 2021 (Paul M.)
• 2nd Place - 2021 (Patrick D.)
• 3rd Place - 2021 (Alexander R.)
• 4th Place - 2021 (Dominic C.)
• 5th Place - 2021 (Yohan M.)

The determination and perseverance of the boys captured our attention, in particular Paul M. (Year 6), whose performance was truly outstanding, especially for all those who witnessed his performance. He ran the three-kilometre circuit in an astonishing time of 11 minutes and 34 seconds! It was such a good example for the younger boys to see how the virtues of effort and perseverance can be practised through sport.

With very close results, the winning House in this year's Cross Country was... HYDRUS!

Well done, everybody!

Special thanks must go to Mr Francisco Nodrid for his dedicated efforts in helping me to organise such a successful and enjoyable Cross Country. Many thanks also go to the amazing Primary staff who showed how a great team works together and the five Year 10 boys who kindly offered their help.

Justin Roberts
Head of Primary Sports

“The greatest fear in life is the opinion of others. And the moment you are unafraid of the crowd, you are no longer a sheep - you become a lion.” - Osho

In the most recent Senior School Assembly, Julian and I delivered a combined speech on the topic of bullying, as the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence is approaching on 19 March. Bullying can take many different forms, which Julian outlined. There is PHYSICAL bullying, VERBAL bullying, SOCIAL bullying and CYBER-bullying, each of which can affect an individual drastically. Fortunately, our school goes to great measures to prevent bullying and take real action against it. 

A particular ability which I feel is of importance is the ability to bounce back. In order to do so, we must know ourselves. We all think we know ourselves but, in reality, we are different in front of other people. We wear a mask depending on who we are interacting with and based on how we want to be perceived in that situation. If you want to truly live the life of your dreams, it starts with knowing yourself. Start being more courageous, more authentic, more grateful for who you are and the talents you have been given. This will take time. It’s like building a muscle: the more you practise, the better you get, and remaining resilient is key in this. 

Julian mentioned in his speech that “we attend a school characterised by an incredibly tight-knit community. When something major happens in one grade, the chances are that other grades would find out very shortly after. Because of this, we can identify relatively easily the major bullying issues. But I challenge you to pay attention to and recognise the subtle aggression, the subtle antagonism, the subtle bullying. And then, most importantly, to take action against it, for in doing so, we uphold our values as men, we uphold the values passed on to us, and we uphold the values of our school”.

So, I ask you, will you become a lion? Try to not let the opinions of others instil fear in you. 

Elijah T.

2021 College Captain 

Dear Parents,

Redfield College is again facilitating vaccinations for Year 7 students (HPV, Diptheria-Tetanus-Pertussis) and Year 10 (Meningococcal ACWY) this year.

Year 7 will be vaccinated with the first dose on Wednesday, 31 March, with a follow-up dose on Thursday, 15 July, whilst Year 10 will be vaccinated on Wednesday, 20 October.

For further information, please refer to the attached letter from NSW Health.

Consent forms for Year 7 were distributed to students on Monday, 1 March. 

Forms for Year 10 will be distributed early in Term 4. 

Please check with your son regarding these forms and carefully read the information included.

Completed forms should be returned to Mrs D’Silva at the Student Services Desk by Monday, 22 March so that preparations can be finalised.

Stephen Dunn
Assistant to the Director of Administration 

It has been a joy to begin the new subject, Studies of Western Culture, with the Year 8s in 2021. In class, we have commenced by exploring the term "culture" and what it means, leading into an overview of what the West looks like today, in preparation for an examination of its heritage, starting in Greece and Rome. Whilst examining some of the elements of culture more broadly (before delving into the West), the students completed a homework task pertaining to a culture of their choice. One of the students, Christopher G. (8R), of his own creative initiative, transformed the homework into an evocative poem (click on the "show more" below to read the poem). Well done, Christopher!

The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence is on Friday, 19 March. This topic was unpacked at the Senior School Assembly last week and it will also be explored at the next Middle School Assembly.

During the Senior School Assembly, there were speeches by our College Captain and Vice-Captain about the various types of bullying and their impacts on individuals and families, and we then went off into House groups to discuss case study situations. 

Additionally, the motto talk was delivered by two Year 10 students, Alex K. and Dominic N.. They talked about the importance of organisation and study routine. 

Dominic N. (Year 10 Altair)

On Wednesday, 24 February, the first Great Minds Club meeting of 2021 was held and what a turn-out we had! Well over 25 boys attended a talk by Mr Karl Ilves, a recent addition to the wonderful line-up of teachers at Redfield. Mr Ilves has spent extensive time overseas studying at Oxford University, which gave him insight into education abroad and why students should strive to achieve their highest potential in relation to the global picture. He also discussed the challenges of being apart from your family and about taking a hold of your own life choices and actions. In the coming weeks, we are planning to have many other speakers featured at our Great Minds Club meetings. In correlation with what this club tries to unravel, the next few speakers will be presenting on politics, history or current affairs. We encourage all boys to attend our next session to broaden their horizons.

Isaac B. (Year 10 Castor)

The CSDA Public Speaking competition began last Friday. Twelve Redfield boys competed in Round 1 against students from Catholic schools across Sydney and five made it through to the next round. Our five victorious public speakers on this occasion were Jackson B. (Year 7 Castor), Luca B. (Year 7 Hydrus), Sebastian H. (Year 8 Sirius), James C. (Year 8 Altair) and Isaac B. (Year 10 Castor). The competition continues with Round 2 this Friday.

I want to congratulate all those Redfield competitors who qualified for Round 1 but did not make it through on this occasion: Benjamin C.  (Year 8 Altair), Raphael C. (Year 8 Sirius), Joshua L. (Year 10 Sirius), Jacob R. (Year 12 Castor), Peter S. (Year 12 Hydrus), Christian H. (Year 12 Castor) and Mikael W. (Year 12 Castor).

All students will have the opportunity to continue with Public Speaking later in the year with the hybrid Redfield competition.

In the meantime, the CSDA Debating competition will be commencing soon and all students from Years 7 to 12 interested in taking part must register their interest with me via email by Friday, 12 March. Try-outs will need to take place at Redfield to determine the make-up of teams. 

Jakov Pavlovic 
Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator

Year 10 Geography students headed off to Narrabeen and Collaroy for the annual Geography fieldwork excursion. They were investigating the coastal processes in these areas and assessing the impacts of coastal erosion and deposition. The boys worked individually and in groups, taking lots of photos and completing a variety of geographical skills to complete their fieldwork booklet. All work from the day contributes significantly to their first assessment task. Overall, there was a lot of positive feedback from the students and teachers. Well done, Year 10!

The swimming carnival was held last week on a windy and slightly chilly day at the Hornsby Leisure and Aquatic Centre. Mr D’Morias kept the day moving along well and the students in attendance showed great enthusiasm. COVID regulations meant that there was no chanting and limited cheering, but at least the swimmers produced some excellent performances. There were no records broken as most races were swum into a stiff headwind (which makes a significant difference) but even so, some swimmers came very close. Brothers Moses A. (Year 10 Hydrus) and Imran A. (Year 12 Hydrus) missed a couple of records by the slimmest of margins. The mood of the day was spurred on by Mr Romeo’s musical choices and the appearance of a guest caller for the last relay, Mr McDonald. Congratulations to all the swimmers who gave it their best shot on the day and to those that have been chosen to represent the College at the ISA carnival.

We are also proud to announce that Imran A (Year 12 Hydrus) is the Redfield College Swimming Captain for 2021.

Ian Morrison 
Sportsmaster

8 yrs - Xavier K (8’s - Champion)

1st 50m Freestyle
1st 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke 
1st 50m Butterfly

Sergio M (8’s - 2nd Place)

1st 50m Freestyle 
2nd 50m Breaststroke 
2nd 50m Backstroke

Vitaliano J (8’s - 3rd Place)

3rd 50m Freestyle 
2nd 50m Butterfly

Emerson S (9’s Champion)

1st 50m Freestyle 
1st 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke

Xavier T (9’s - 2nd Place)

1st 50m Freestyle 
2nd 50m Backstroke 
1st 100m Freestyle

Geoffrey S (9’s - 3rd Place)

1st 50m Freestyle 
2nd 100m Freestyle

Jonah R (10’s Champion)

1st 200m Individual Medley 
1st 50m Freestyle 
2nd 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke 
1st 50m Butterfly 
2nd 100m Freestyle

Daniel N (10’s - 2nd Place)

1st 50m Freestyle 
2nd 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke 
1st 50m Butterfly 
2nd 100m Freestyle

Thomas R (10’s - 3rd Place)

1st 50m Freestyle 
2nd 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke 
1st 100m Freestyle

Elijah P (11’s Champion)

1st 200m Individual Medley 
1st 50m Freestyle 
1st 50m Breaststroke 
2nd 50m Backstroke 
1st 50m Butterfly 
1st 100m Freestyle

Gabe A (11’s - 2nd Place)

2nd 200m Individual Medley 
1st 50m Freestyle 
1st 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke 
3rd 50m Butterfly

Jonah E (11’s - 3rd Place)

1st 50m Freestyle 
1st 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke 
2nd 100m Freestyle

Zachary W (12’s Champion)

1st 200m Individual Medley 
1st 50m Freestyle 
1st 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke 
1st 50m Butterfly 
1st 100m Freestyle

Dominic C (12’s - 2nd Place)

2nd 200m Individual Medley 
1st 50m Freestyle 
1st 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke 
2nd 50m Butterfly 
2nd 100m Freestyle

Alexander R (12’s - 3rd Place)

1st 50m Freestyle 
3rd 50m Breaststroke 
1st 50m Backstroke

Junior House Relay Winners - ALTAIR
Senior House Relay Winners - CASTOR

*Carnival Participation Trophy - CASTOR
**2021 CARNIVAL RACE TROPHY - SIRIUS

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In accordance with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions by the NSW government and NSW Health, please note the following strategies in place at Redfield College:

1. Parents and carers are reminded that students with flu-like symptoms, even the mildest of symptoms, are NOT to attend school.
2. Students with flu-like symptoms must receive a COVID-19 test.
3. Students may not return to school until all symptoms have subsided and the school has witnessed a negative test result. Please forward the test result to frank.romeo@redfield.nsw.edu.au.
4. Students who do not undertake a COVID-19 test will not be permitted to return to school for a 10-day period. They must also be symptom-free for a period of three days prior to returning. 

Students are also encouraged to continue to follow good hygiene practices, such as:

1. Regularly washing hands with soap and water.
2. Avoiding sharing drinks and food.
3. Coughing and sneezing into elbows, or a tissue which should be discarded immediately.

Students over the age of 12 must also continue to wear face masks when travelling on public transport or by chartered/private transport services.

Please click on this link to view the latest update regarding the easing of restrictions.