Telephone: 9488 1900 • Fax: 9481 6135 •
info@fitzroyhs.vic.edu.au • Falconer Street NORTH FITZROY 3068
Indigo Jet Scarlet
Post-compulsory |
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Telephone: 9488 1900 • Fax: 9481 6135 •
info@fitzroyhs.vic.edu.au • Falconer Street NORTH FITZROY 3068
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Indigo Jet Scarlet
Post-compulsory |
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School Email and Bulletin Board |
August 2007Kitchen Garden Update
This week we planted out two of the beds with a variety of vegies and herbs, and next week we plan to get our fruit trees in the ground. Then we will get started on making a path and assessing which other features of the garden design we can achieve with our tiny budget. Check out the plans drawn up by Clare below; the kids have created some fantastic design features. In other exciting news, the effervescent Vasili Kanidiadis from Vasili’s Garden, once on Channel 31, now on SBS and recently featured in ‘The Age’, has agreed to help out with the launch of the garden a bit later in the year. Accordion and Zorba dancing should be a feature – Maresi!
I would love to help! Oh, good! At the moment we are still sending out letters to local business’s seeking assistance with donations of everything from bare rooted fruit trees to building supplies to sunhats. We are really going to rely on the goodwill of the community in order to create a garden that does justice to the kid’s ambitions. We would really like to thank Clare Lee, Ian, and Glenda Lindsay for their generosity and hard work thus far, plus Ramsay, our enthusiastic student teacher, who has been a great help in the past two weeks.
Principal’s Report, 23 August 2007
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We are now 4 and half weeks into The Alpine School experience. Our last full rest day was on the 25th of July and the strain is starting to show in a lot of people. We have a rest day this Thursday...as I write the e-mail I can hear Shanae getting excited about having a rest day soon. Being here is like being on a different planet, I only found out yesterday that John Brumby was the new premier! It’s like flying to another country in a 747, a sort of limbo in time. This place has changed me a lot already, the fact that I can recognise the change is a change in itself. Everybody from Fitzroy is learning more and more about themselves; it is quite amazing to watch... The biggest problem about returning to school will be 'breaking the mould' of our old selves.
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But everybody is getting along really well here. At the start there was a clear division between the country and the city but that has long since gone. We learn new things from each other everyday.
The Fitzroy team are getting along really well, we are no longer irritated with each other. Our Community Learning Project is starting to come together, we have finally decided on most of the important details and what our long term goals will be. A couple of days ago, Shanae had a fall on the ski run that resulted with her arm in a sling for a couple of days. She’s fine now and has already been back on her skis. The injuries are starting to mount up around here, some of the worse ones include 2 concussions, 1 damaged arm, 1 wrecked knee, 1 stock impaled person and lots of bruised egos. Nobody is bruise free! But most students’ skiing skills are rapidly improving with most people able to tackle a difficult blue run now. Some of us, like Alex, are skiing black!
We had 5 downhill ski days beginning last Friday at Mt Hotham. Up until then we have just been doing cross-country skiing. Even on the Dinner Plain downhill run! We have all completed out first Expo. It was great fun but soooooooooo COLD!!!! Brain freezing, bone chilling, finger blacking COLD!! I did not know the meaning of cold until Expo. On the second day of the expo, the Army Reserves turned up and built little igloos everywhere! A couple of days later they were picked up by helicopter I am told. I will always remember waking at 6:30 to a glorious golden sunrise and going for a ski in the massive J.B Plain.
Bryn C
Our school was selected, along with 3 other schools, Melbourne Girls Grammar, King David’s School and Cheltenham Secondary School, to participate in a special Harmony Day photography project run by the Jewish Museum in St Kilda. A group of six Sapphire year eight students joined the other year eights for a workshop about photography. Famous international photographer, Frederick Brenner shared his journey and stories from his 25 year experience, travelling around the world taking photos of Jews and their families.
He first took us around his Gallery and showed us his many works. Then after we had the opportunity to ask questions about his pictures and the journey her took. After morning tea we had a workshop on identity and what influences it. We spent a lot of time in mixed groups getting to know the other students. We shared our ideas about how we could express our identity in a photo.
At the end of the program every student was given a disposable camera to take photos of aspects of our identity at home. After three weeks, we returned with our developed photos and sorted through them to choose our best three. In mixed groups we helped each other choose our favourite out of those three that we would use for this exhibition. We all gave our photo a title, wrote an artist’s statement to reflect on it and chose a name based on majority decision for the exhibition ‘4 Schools, 36 Students, 1 Exhibition’ that will be held at the Jewish Museum’s Gross Gallery in mid September.
Overall the Harmony Day Project was a very unique and great experience. We learned a lot about photography and the process in which to put photos on display and met new people along the way.
Elena M and Esther W, 8B Sapphire
Over the next 12 months we will be taking a lead role in exploring the relationship between innovation and teaching and learning practice in relation to pedagogy and space that meets the individual needs of students. In addition to professional learning opportunities, the DoE has funded the school to support the project.
Ben and I attended a 2 day induction conference at the beginning of the term where the project was explored and design teams discussed their ideas. The school was then visited by DoE to discuss our project charter. In late August we will attend a Professional Learning day developing protocols and working with members of the Expert Panel of architects, academics, media representatives and educators.
In September, Darryn and I will travel with a small group of teachers involved in the projects and DoE representatives, to study school design and teaching and learning practices.
Recently I met with representatives from the City of Yarra and Princes Hill Secondary College. A small number of students from secondary schools in the City of Yarra will be invited to join a planning committee to develop a Battle of the Bands competition. It is anticipated that the Battle of the Bands will occur in November.
This is an exciting opportunity for students to exhibit their talents and collaborate with students from other schools.
The Department of Education has recently launched the Safety Guidelines for Education Outdoors - an online resource for schools to support all excursions which require school council approval. The Safety Guidelines for Education Outdoors can be viewed at www.education.vic.gov.au/management/schooloperations/edoutdoors.
The Safety Guidelines for Education Outdoors replace the Guidelines for Outdoor and Adventure Activities. A briefing to support the implementation of the Safety Guidelines for Education Outdoors will be held in the library on Friday 17 August at 3.00pm.
Ben and I continue to meet with Collingwood College to work out the details of arrangements for 2008. Year 11 counselling is complete and Year 12 programs and timetable are just about confirmed. Year 10 counselling has begun and Ben is designing a post-compulsory student wellbeing framework which links academic, social and emotional aspects of student programs.
Pauline Rice
Rehearsals of our school production, Blood Brothers, are now in serious swing and a number of Saturday rehearsals have been called before the end of term. A detailed letter, cast list, rehearsal schedule and production contract have been given to all students involved. Could parents/guardians please look through this information carefully and return the required signed form.
It is really important that everyone understands that without commitment and dedication to a production it is almost impossible to mount.
If anyone in the school community has not received this information and wishes to be apart of the school production please contact/see Helen Mutkins asap as there are minor roles still to be filled.
Notices are posted on the production notice board located in the library.
Friday 17 Aug, our guitar ensemble will be playing at the Darebin Arts Centre as a part of the NMR Music Expo. This runs all weekend. You need to book tickets at the Arts Centre and our fabulous boys will be playing Friday night between 7pm and 9.30pm.
‘FHR’ Band – (Filippo, Harry and Richard E) are playing during a special education day at the Royal Melbourne Show, Friday 21 September, last day of school this term.
Good on you guys!!!!
Helen Mutkins
At Fitzroy High School we value greatly teacher professional learning.
Our view is that high student achievement comes from having highly effective
teachers. Tuesday and Wednesday this week saw all teachers engaged in
professional learning at the school. All activities focused on how teachers
could use their learning to improve the learning of all students in our
care.
On Tuesday teachers attended one of three professional learning areas:
Personalised learning: Teachers worked on developing a common understanding
of personalised learning and its benefits to teachers, students and their
families. Teachers participated in workshops where they explored current
strategies used to personalise learning at Fitzroy High School, particularly
in literacy and numeracy. Teachers were given time to apply their learning
to the classroom.
Assessment for learning: Teachers used different tools to explore
a variety of ways of assessing students. Emphasis was given to the use
of assessment to inform teachers of what teaching and learning needs to
occur for students to achieve at higher levels.
Web 2.0 Social networking: Teachers examined the current school
policy and educational research around using technology for social networking.
Teachers used tools such as pod casting, MySpace and YouTube to develop
ways for students to connect and communicate on a local and global level.
On Wednesday, teachers worked together with Kath Murdoch an expert consultant in teaching and learning through inquiry. In these sessions, teachers examined the theoretical framework of inquiry based learning, looked at planning models for integrated inquiry and worked in teams to incorporate their learning into their own classroom practice
Last week, Friday 3rd August, Fitzroy High School was represented at
the State Cross Country Final by Rex Woodley from Sapphire and Dylan O'Neil
from Jet. The final was 3000m and both made the school proud by just making
the final which is a fantastic effort. Rex finished a credible 52nd in
a time of 12.07 and Dylan finished 80th.
Congratulations to both students on their achievements.
Tom Robinson
Expression of interest are being sought from students from year 9 and
10 to participate in the school's first ski camp to be held at the Bogong
Outdoor Education Centre for 5 days from 10 - 14 September 2007. Places
are limited to 10 boys & 10 girls
The program is highly organised with students under instruction for the
whole day, it includes a component of environmental studies, social activities
and ski instruction. The ski program includes three days of skiing allowing
students to experience both cross-country and downhill skiing.
The cost of participation will be in the order of $350 per student including
transport, accommodation in comfortable twin share rooms, all meals whilst
at Bogong and use of specialised equipment.
We will be sharing the camp with students from Footscray City College
and Ballarat High School.
An application form will be distributed to interested year 9 and 10 students
on Friday and must be returned, signed by parents on Monday 13 August.
The 3 way conferences for year 7, 8 and 9 students are being held on
Tuesday 28th and Thursday 30th August between 1.30pm and 8.30pm.
Invitations to the 3 way conferences are being sent home with students
today. Parents are required to indicate their preferred interview times
on the reverse of the invitation and return it to the school by Wednesday
15 August.
The 3 way conferences for year 10 students are being held over three afternoons/evenings
to allow parents to meet with a panel of teachers including their child's
tutor along with their English, Maths, Science and Humanities teachers.
Parents of students in Scarlet class groups 1 and 2 are invited to attend
on Thursday 23 August between 1.30pm and 8.30pm.
Parents of students in Scarlet class groups 3 and 4 are invited to attend
on Tuesday 28 August between 1.30pm and 8.30pm.
Parents who cannot attend on the evening assigned to them may request
interview times on Thursday 30 August.
Invitations to the 3 way conferences are being sent home with students
today. Parents of year 10 students are required to indicate their preferred
interview times on the reverse of the invitation and return it to the
school by Monday 13 August.
The three way conferences for Year 11 students are being held on Tuesday
4th September between 1:30 and 8:30.
Invitations to the 3 way conferences are being sent home with students
today. Parents are required to indicate their preferred interview times
on the reverse of the invitation and return it to the school by Wednesday
15 August.
Monday evening we conducted an Information evening for all current Year
10 parents and students. We appreciate the tremendous turnout by the families
and hope that the information was helpful.
Anyone who was unable to attend the session can view the Power Point on
the website and also access the subject handbook of potential subjects
for Year 11 2008.
If anyone has any questions related to Year 11 please email Ben Johnstone-McCloud
on benj@fitzroyhs.vic.edu.au, Peter Bennet on peterb@fitzroyhs.vic.edu.au,
or Dean Pepplinkhouse on deanp@fitzroyhs.vic.edu.au.
If anyone would like to know anything further about subject counselling
please email Sandra Dickens on sandrad@fitzroyhs.vic.edu.au
Ben Johnstone-McCloud
The Jet team have been getting regular emails from our six students up
at Dinner Plain for Term 3. They're using words like "awesome"
and "great" and "fantastic". The snow has been perfect
and they've been doing lots of team building and settling in things -
like treasure hunts, explorations, hikes, skiing etc.
Apparently they work 10 hour days, 11 days a fortnight. Talk about Back
to Basics! Their schoolwork focuses on the generic workplace skills such
as communication (in all its forms), teamwork and responsibility, and
social cohesiveness.
They are working on a particular project to be followed through back at
school, namely a Peer Support and Student Voice program.
The photo shows them all - Dexter, Alex (in t-shirt!), Bryn, Georgie,
Alice and Shanae - the day before the Alpine School started. Not a sign
of nerves.
John Davidson
On Thursday 26th July, 16 students ventured to Meadowglen Athletics Stadium in Epping to complete the carnival that was interrupted by rain earlier in Term 2. In what turned out to be a fine day, the students acquitted themselves very well with some excellent results recorded below.
Harry D's performance was also notable, mainly because of the great race
he ran until the last fifty metres when a torn hamstring prevented him
from winning the gold. Courageously, he continued, limping over the line
for third.
Sensationally, in the U/15 4 x 100m relay, anchor leg - Alex L ran down
the two competitors in front of him to finish the team in third position
Northern Zone Athletics results:
Eleanor D - 2nd U/14 Shot Put
John C - 3rd U/16 200m
Ashleigh C - 4th U/13 800m
Alex L - 4th U/15 200m
Tallulah L - 4th U/16 400m
Jack I - 5th U/14 High Jump
Louis K - 5th U/13 High Jump
Alex T - 5th U/14 Long Jump
Lora A - 7th U/16 Triple Jump
Hilary T - 8th U/13 High Jump
U/15 Relay team - Jake C, Alex L, Harley M, Dylan O'N - 3rd
U/21 Relay team - John C, Olmo M, Viv M, Sam W - 4th
Telephone:
9488 1900 • Fax: 9481 6135 • info@fitzroyhs.vic.edu.au •
Falconer Street NORTH FITZROY 3068 |
