The Importance of Strong Attendance and Punctuality - Every Day Matters

In my first newsletter article of the year, I wrote about the importance of consistent attendance and punctuality to positive academic achievement, improved student outcomes and strong social connectedness. Our aim is Redfield is for every student to have an attendance and punctuality rate of 90% or above. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents for their support with this. Overall, our attendance was very strong across all year groups last term. This was great to see.

On Friday 9 May, all Secondary students were involved in the May Pilgrimage. This pilgrimage was quite timely given the very recent appointment of Pope Leo XIV!

Since 2025 is a Jubilee Year of Hope instituted by the late Pope Francis, we chose four locations in Sydney with Holy Doors for boys to benefit from the graces and indulgences available, with each House travelling to a different venue.

The locations of the Shrines and Holy Doors were:

• Castor - St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta 
• Altair - Shrine of Mary Mackillop, The Mary Mackillop Memorial Chapel, North Sydney
• Sirius - The Franciscan Shrine of the Holy Innocents, Kellyville
• Hydrus - Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Parish, Chatswood

The boys prayed the Rosary at the Shrines then returned to Redfield to be treated to a celebratory barbecue. This was followed by the whole of Secondary supporting our First XV Rugby team in their first home match of the season. Thank you to all Secondary staff for making this possible and especially to Mrs Anna Callegaro for organising the event. It was a great day to end a busy and productive week.

Chris Tanna, Director of Formation 

On the night of Friday, 25 April, I had the eye-opening experience of working with the Vinnies Van alongside Kevin Nheu (Year 11), Ben Gutierrez (Year 11) and Gianmarco Callegaro (Year 12). That night, we stopped off at two community housing properties in Gladesville to hand out some snacks, warm drinks and sandwiches, as well as chat with the very cordial locals. Since many of us are used to having barbecues and spending time with family on Anzac Day, we may forget that not everyone has such a privilege. Friday night was our opportunity to see that with our own two eyes. One thing that really stuck us during our involvement was the deep appreciation that the community had for our work - a sincere gratitude that we can learn from. As a whole, it was a positive experience that made us aware of the daily struggles of many Australians, and it is an experience that many more of us will take part in over the course of the rest of the year. Special thanks must be given to Mr Luke Cinque and Mr David Vassallo for accompanying us on this volunteering event.

Luca Burgio, Year 11 

Click on this link to make a donation.

Monday, 12 May - Mother's Day Mass & Morning Tea

Tuesday, 13 May - Year 12 Fundraiser: Chicken Chewsday for Primary

Wednesday, 14 May - Evening of Recollection

Thursday, 15 May  - CSDA Debating, Evening of Recollection

Friday, 16 May - Year 4 Excursion: Maritime Museum 

Monday, 19 May - Secondary KPF 

Tuesday, 20 May - Year 12 Fundraiser: Chicken Chewsday for Secondary

Wednesday, 21 May - Year 10 Morrisby Profile Testing

Sunday, 25 May -  Family Rosary and Picnic Day

Monday, 26 May - Year 12 Parent-Teacher Interviews

Tuesday, 27 May - Photo Day 1

Thursday, 29 May - Years 7 to 10 Workshop: Together for Humanity

Friday, 30 May - Primary Pilgrimage and PARED Cup 

We are very excited to be having the founder of Running for Premature Babies and Medal of the Order of Australia recipient, Sophie Smith, at our upcoming Whole-School Assembly this Wednesday, 14 May to talk to all our students about this excellent initiative.

Here at school, we are calling all students, parents, siblings, friends and staff to join the Redfield team in the City2Surf in support of the Running for Premature Babies charity organisation on Sunday, 10 August.

To join click HERE.

Select the pink JOIN TEAM button and then register, ignoring the message about contacting the Team Captain.

(If you’re not sure which Start Wave to choose, consider joining the YELLOW group which is for joggers or walkers wanting to have a good time!)

All participants receive a free shirt. Fundraising is OPTIONAL. Raise $300 to have your race entry fee REFUNDED.

NB: The event is selling out fast. Register now to avoid missing out!

For more details, please send an email to william.schweikert@redfield.nsw.edu.au.

William Schweikert, Redfield City2Surf Team Coordinator

This year, Redfield College will have two Photo Days:

• Photo Day 1 - Tuesday, 27 May(Term 2, Week 5) - Individual and Class photos

• Photo Day 2 - Monday, 28 July(Term 3, Week 2) - Sport and Co-curricular group photos

You can purchase your son’s photos online by visiting www.advancedlife.com.auand entering online order code BK647MC3J.

Please note that there will not be an opportunity for individual photos to be taken if your son is absent for Photo Day 1.

Alternatively, payment can be made by cash. For this, you will need to complete a cash order envelope (available at the Student Services Desk) and return it with the correct amount of cash directly to the photography team on Photo Day. Please do not return cash order envelopes to the school office.

Please note the following:

The students in Years 5 and 6 will be completing their first Mid-Year Exams this term in Week 5. As part of their preparations for this, we will be hosting a briefing for them on Thursday, 15 May, where students will be given Notifications of Assessment, along with study tips and tricks. Please support your boys in building a timetable to help them study ahead of the exams.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Mr Josh Woolnough (Year 5) or Mr Ben Nolan (Year 6).

Last week, a group of Years 5 and 6 students had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Positive Peer Relationshipsworkshop run by Unleashing Personal Potential (UPP). Across two dynamic and interactive sessions, students were guided through a range of engaging activities designed to build social confidence, develop empathy and foster teamwork.

The workshop focused on key life skills such as active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, working hard, staying social and the power of kindness. Through games, reflections and group challenges, students explored the impact of their words and actions on others, learning practical strategies to become better friends and more inclusive peers.

The UPP speakers guided the boys through many activities which helped students to grow in their sociability, they focused on many teamwork activities to teach skills relating to partnership and working together.

The activities were interactive and everyone was included and had a great time while learning about the importance of teamwork.

“I learnt how to listen with my whole body,” one student shared. “It really made a difference to how I talk to others.”

The following Years 7 and 8 students were presented with a Lion Award during Week 2:

The following Years 9 and 10 students were presented with a Lion Award during Week 2:

The following Years 11 and 12 students were presented with a Lion Award during Week 2:

On Thursday, 8 May, Year 7 Geography students took part in a field excursion to Bantry Bay as part of their unit on Landscapes and Landforms. Although the day began with rain, the weather soon cleared, and students were able to complete a range of hands-on fieldwork activities with expert instructors, including soil testing, water quality analysis, field sketching and measuring tree heights with a rangefinder.

A highlight of the day was stopping at several points with clear views of the Sydney city skyline, helping students connect the natural landscape to the urban environment beyond.

It was an engaging and memorable day of outdoor learning.

Luke Cinque, Year 7 Geography Teacher

High School Musical was a resounding success, captivating audiences with its vibrant energy, memorable songs and heartfelt performances. Behind the scenes, the students of Redfield and Tangara played a vital role in bringing the production to life, pouring their talent, time and passion into every rehearsal and performance. The journey was a true rollercoaster of emotions, from the nerves and excitement of opening night to the shared joy of triumphant scenes, and, finally, to the bittersweet post-show blues as the curtain fell for the last time. It was a genuine pleasure to witness the Redfield students grow throughout the process, not only in their musical abilities but also in their confidence, teamwork and self-expression. Their dedication and spirit made the production not just a show, but a memorable and transformative experience for everyone involved. 

I am extremely grateful to the Principal of Tangara Mrs Rita Sakr and the wonderfully talented production team, led by Mrs Cecilia Herrera, for welcoming the Redfield students and allowing them to share in an experience of a lifetime. I could not be prouder of our students and am blessed to have been part of this wonderful experience.

Frank Romeo, Head of Music

The Redfield College Music Department is thrilled to be hosting Rock Night once again this year. 

Join us for our annual event as we showcase the amazing musical talent Redfield has to offer.

Parents are most welcome and encouraged to attend. 

Date: Friday, 6 June

Time: 7:00pm

Ticket Prices: $17.50

Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/DBNJE

Venue: Pioneer Theatre, Castle Hill. 

Please note the following:

• There is no seating available for this event - standing room only.
• Ticket sales will commence on Wednesday, 14 May at 9:00am.
• Tickets can only be purchased online. No tickets will be sold at the door.
• Tickets are limited, so don’t miss out.
• This event will ONLY be attended by students of PARED schools (Years 6 to 12) and their parents.

We hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Frank Romeo, Head of Music

I am excited to share with the Redfield community that I have been selected to represent Australia in Flag Football as part of the Emerging Olympic Squad to compete at the Junior International Cup, which will be held in Los Angeles in June this year.

As Flag Football is still developing in Australia, all competition-related costs are self-funded. Please follow the link below if you would like to support me. 

https://asf.org.au/campaigns/nicholas-jaucian/road-to-la-support-nick-in-representing-australia

Your donations will help me to cover travel, accommodation, training and uniform costs. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Any contribution, big or small, is much appreciated.  

Thank you for your support!

Nicholas Jaucian, Year 11