MERCURIUS The News Magazine of Fort Street High School

Transcription

1 MERCURIUS The News Magazine of Fort Street High School Issue 4, June 2017 Dear Parents, Carers and Fortians As term 2 comes to a close, we are again find ourselves half way through another year. Reports have been issued to all students and we have just completed parent/teacher nights for all of the junior years. These are very well attended by parents keen to discuss their children s progress but unfortunately there are always a few requests that can not be accommodated. If you are in this situation, please phone the school front office on and request to speak to the class teacher. They will gladly speak to you or return your call at a convenient time to discuss your child s progress. I had the pleasure of attending the mid year IMP concert last Friday evening in the school hall. This was another extraordinary experience listening to music from our amazing students. This was the official farewell to the Y12 students who have participated in the school music program throughout their time at The Fort. They were most appreciative of the support, mentoring and guidance given to them by all of their conductors, tutors and staff. Congratulations to Evalena Chivas and the team from Amnesty as they have raised awareness of the situation of refugees across the world. They presented a very thought provoking assembly arranging for guest speakers to give a human face to the statistics and nightly news items. A team of students has lived on refugee rations for a week and in doing so has raised over $4000 while learning an appreciation of their Fort Street High School, Parramatta Road, Petersham 2049 T: E: fortstreet-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au W:

2 evening meal. We have finished off the term with recognition assemblies where students are rewarded for commitment to studies, diligence and leadership. Congratulations go to all of those students awarded for their efforts. Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable holidays. Karen Di Stefano Relieving Principal Year 8 Medieval History Day We started the day with a game demonstrating how the black plague and cholera were spread across Europe. We learnt about how easily and quickly disease was transmitted due to the lack of cleanliness and the lack of good hygiene practised by the Europeans. We were given trade routes and itineraries, and had to travel to as many cities and trading centres across Europe as we could, without contracting the black death or cholera. Along the routes we were given different coloured beans to whether we were healthy, or had contracted the black death or cholera. We tried our best to survive but in the end, hardly anyone did! Next, an expert on medieval armour, weapons and warfare presented to us, demonstrating the evolution of armour during the middle ages, the differences in fighting techniques in different countries as well as the story behind the coat of arms on various shields. We also heard the disturbing story of Mr O Neill s ancestors and creation of his family s coat of arms. Some students volunteered to model and wear mail and helmets, and the presenter excitedly showed us the advantages and disadvantages of the different variations in armour relating to the advancing weapons. We learnt and observed how armour changed after different wars and how fighting styles changed with weapons and ages and stuff. The presenter even shot an arrow in the hall. After lunch, Ms Propsting came to talk to us about the development of music notation. We learnt about Gregorian chants and how the transferral of music from church to church was like Chinese whispers: never exactly the same as the original. We finished the day with a focus on medieval food. Mr O Neill played a documentary about medieval food, historical feasting etiquette and bizarre delicacies such as Cockentrice. We waited patiently for this to end before demolishing our own feast we had brought in, being a mixture of medieval, medieval-like and completely non-medieval (aka Krispy Kreme) foods. Angelica Wilson and Madeleine Grissard Year 8

3 The Plain English Speaking Award John Bivell and Alexander Coombs both of Year 11 represented the school recently at The Local Final of The Plain English Speaking Award.They both spoke well and John progressed through to The Regional Final, and from there to The State Semi-Final which was held at the Head Office of The Department of Education in Bridge Street on Friday 16th June. John spoke brilliantly on The Rise and Fall of Journalism in Australia and accredited himself equally well in the impromptu section of the competition. He is one of the best twenty two public speakers in the state. Ms Schlam Fort Street Amnesty Committee Over the past few weeks, the Fort Street Amnesty Committee has been working hard to advocate for human rights of marginalised people across the world, and inspire students within the school to take action and help out. As part of 2017 Refugee Week, the Amnesty Committee hosted a movie screening for Salam Neighbour. The event was organised to fundraise for Amnesty International, as well as initiate even more conversation about the rights of refugees within the school community. The film follows two Syrian- American filmmakers who live in Jordan s Za atari refugee camp and showcases the heartbreak and hope of the people within this catastrophic humanitarian crisis. The movie was screened over two lunchtimes, on Thursday, 22nd June and Friday 23rd June, in the hall. Delicious, warm popcorn was sold alongside the movie for a gold coin donation. Many students came to show their support, as well as enjoy the movie. We received an overwhelmingly positive response to the screening and students had felt they d learnt a lot. After enjoying the movie, we encourage students and teachers alike to reflect on the needs of refugees. If you would like to help us raise awareness of this issue and fundraise for Amnesty International please join us at our next meeting which will be notified via daily notices. Jenny Xu Fort Street High School Exit Profile The school exit profile articulates the vision for student achievement. Successful Fortians will have: maximised their academic potential developed individual skills and talents across a variety of areas developed learning strategies to equip them to be independent, self-motivated and life-long learners developed emotional resilience, self-reliance, interpersonal skills, the capacity to connect to others and leadership potential recognised their responsibilities to the wider community developed a strong sense of social justice as well as a commitment to fairness and equity. Important Dates July 17 Staff Development Day 17 IMP Wind Workshop 19 Year 10 and 11 Information Evening 21 CHS Cross Country Carnival 21 NAIDOC Assembly Regional Athletics Year 12 Trials 26 Opportunity Class Test 26 UMAT 27 Australian Maths Competition 28 Year 10 and 11 Subject Selection 31 Year 12 Trials August 1-4 Year 12 Trials 1 ICAS English 2 School Council Meeting 2 Foundation Meeting 2 Chemistry Olympiad 2 Open Morning 3 Year 11 Entrance Examination 4 Earth and Environmental Science Olympiad

4 Australian Securities Exchange 193 students from Years 7-12 at Fort St High School participated in the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Competition this semester, Participation in the competition is a valuable way to learn about the risks and rewards of sharemarket investing. Students were allocated $50,000 of pretend money to purchase shares listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Successful students analysed the factors that would impact on the share price of different companies, then purchased a portfolio of shares they felt would rise in value. They monitored the shares throughout the competition and sold them when they no longer felt they would be profitable. Trading in the competition occurred between 9th March and 17th May. It was a challenging market to invest in. - The All Ordinaries Index rose 0.78% over the course of the game. - The best performing sectors were industrials up 11.45% followed by utilities and energy, both up over 8% - The worst performing sector was telecommunications down -6.71% followed by Financials down -3.53% - The top stocks were A2M - A2 Milk up 45.81% followed by BAL - Bellamy s up 35.7% - The worst performing stocks were QIN - Quintis down -79% and the TRS - The Reject Shop down over -56% - 44 out of 93 Fort St syndicates (47%) finished in profit, which was commensurate with the state average of 46%. The students from Fort St with the highest profit were the brother and sister duo Michelle Cheung of year 11 and Justin Cheung of year 9. They ended up with a portfolio value of $55,160. They invested in a diverse range of shares such as BHP (a mining company), Bellamy s Australia (a food and beverage company) and Tabcorp (a gambling company). Frank Jia of year 10, who had the highest portfolio value in the school last semester, came second in the competition in the school this semester, demonstrating commendably consistent high performance. He ended up with a portfolio value of $54,970. Frank decided to specialise in the volatile energy sector, buying and selling shares such as Alacer Gold, Karoon Gas and Resolute Mining. Michael Sun of year 7 had the third highest profit from the school, ending up with a portfolio value of $54,626. He used a buy and hold strategy rather than frequently trading. Some of the shares he purchased included Qantas, ANZ and Blackmores. All students at Fort St High School are welcome to enter the competition when it runs again in second semester. Ms Jerrems Composition Competition The IMP is sponsoring a composition competition to write a new work of 1.5-2min in length, for either String Ensemble or Wind Band. This competition is open to Fortians from any year group. There is a limit of one entry per student. Prize: $100, everlasting fame and glory, and a public performance of the new work at MAD Night in Term 4. Entries are due by the end of Term 3 (5pm,Friday 22 Sept 2017) - Submit a PDF score and parts by to: fortstreetimp+composition@gmail.com An overall winner will be announced by Week 5 of Term 4. The winning entry will be performed at the IMP End of Year concert or MAD night in Term 4 (29 Nov & 30 Nov) For more details and a composition brief, please see

5 Fortians in Focus Dominic Dwyer was first in course in both Modern History and French Continuers and was Dux in He recently accepted a certificate and made this speech at the History Teachers Association of NSW High Achievers Award Night. I won t talk in depth about my time studying the HSC modern history course; I m still recovering from the often traumatic experience. But I do want to take the opportunity to reaffirm the value of studying history in general, not just to prospective students, but also to the teachers present for whom years of toil have perhaps dwindled the flame that once inspired them. I think for me, history serves as a kind of social memory; I ll leave the extension students to challenge that function, though I think at its most fundamental Fortian 2016 Dominic Dwyer with other award winners at the History Teachers Association High Achievers Award Night. that is what drives the human need for a narrative of our past. But as a sense of history has been gradually expunged from our collective consciousness all too deliberately, I fear it s disturbing how short the memory of modern society has become. Events that defined our past are now but silhouettes in a distant fog. And it s eerie how unwittingly we have begun to retrace the paths of history whose violent ends are disguised by this mist of apathy and amnesia. It has become a platitude, but only because it rings true, that those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. I m sure everyone in this room is chilled by the parallels between the populist eruptions in the US and Europe and the insidious rise of fascism in the 20th century. This only proves that history is not a dusty mausoleum, but a living process of which we are ever a part; a grinding movement towards the future. I didn t study history to press my nose against museum glass, but to get a better sense of where its tide, which I think all of us can feel swelling at our ankles, will carry us. No one here can claim to know with certainty where we are headed, but one can only grapple with that question with a robust understanding of history. We can only fulfil our duties as citizens of a democracy with eyes to the future if we are not blindfolded to the past. And for me, that is why the study of history is as pertinent as ever. Dominic Dwyer Fortian 2016 Photo: Cole Bennetts Fortians Adit Gauchan (Adit) and Nick Bryant-Smith (MC Solo) of hip hop duo Horrorshow headlined at the Sydney Enmore Theatre recently. Read current student Giacomo Degotardi s feature article on meeting his idols:

6 Year 12 Engineering Studies Civil Structures excursion The Engineering Studies class went on a self-guided tour of Parramatta River Bridges by Rivercat on Tuesday the 20th June. We departed Circular Quay with good weather and travelled to Rydalmere since the Parramatta wharf was closed on that day, noting the different materials used, and methods of construction in the many bridge types observed from the water. After lunch at Rydalmere, we returned to the City by Rivercat and climbed the Bridge Stairs to visit the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout Museum. Students visited three levels of exhibits before reaching the lookout 87m above sea level. We were able to analyse many bridges on the day, including: Sydney Harbour Bridge Anzac Bridge Iron Cove Bridge Tarban Creek Bridge Gladesville Bridge Uhrs Point (Ryde) Bridge Meadowbank Railway Bridge The John Whitton Bridge Silverwater Bridge We enjoyed a full day booking at the engineering of our civil structures. Priyantha Jayakody Engineering Studies Teacher (TAS) THANK YOU Thank you to Petersham RSL who generously donated a CPR course to 20 students from Years The course was run by Royal Life Saving.

7 Host a German exchange student Did you know that Fort Street High School has a sister school in Berlin, the Georg Büchner Oberschule? Students from both schools have been visiting and hosting each other for the past 18 years. These exchange trips are always very successful and enjoyable; students developing greater cultural awareness, improving their language skills as well as gaining friends to last a lifetime. Our German friends are planning their next visit to Australia and will stay 3 March-17 March, I d like to thank the Fort Street families who have already offered to host and extend an invitation to the families of all current Year 9, 10 and 11 students to take in a student for two weeks. Don t worry - you don t need to be able to speak German to host a German student. Host families would be expected to: pick up their guest and drop them off at the airport provide a bed and meals include their guest in their regular family routines as well as show them a little of Sydney attend one parent meeting prior to the visit If your family would like to take part in this wonderful opportunity, please ask your child to pick up a hosting form from Ms Reynolds in the Cohen staff room or feel free to me at kristina.reynolds@det.nsw.edu. au

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9 Fort Street High School Parents & Citizens Association ABN E: P&C News From this edition of Mercurius the P&C News section will be reduced to two pages. If you are interested in further information on any of the below topics and/or the work of the P&C at FSHS but can t make it to P&C meetings please subscribe to our Member/Supporter Update by ing: fortstreethighschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au To aid our volunteers please include the following in the subject heading: Please subscribe me to the FSHS P&C Updates. We are currently working on streamlining our communication channels and will provide regular updates to interested parents and citizens of the FSHS community from early July. 14 June P&C General Meeting: The P&C voted to donate $53,155 to the school to cover the following: Helix Epilog laser cutter & 3D printer for TAS, 2 x imacs for Music, 3 x imacs for Visual Arts, and the Science Fair prizes for Science Thank you to Kevin Z. a year 12 student for the presentation on the Helix Epilog laser cutter. The P&C are very pleased to be able to support the school and the students in this way. Thank you to Ms Cameron for coming along to explain the school s expanded use of Sentral, the FSHS Parent & Student Portal. We were excited to hear of the school s future plans for this online communication tool. If you are not aware of Sentral or have misplaced your individual registration key please contact the school office for assistance. As previously mentioned the Department of Education launched a new NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy in February this year. All schools are required to implement this strategy over the next three years. The P&C supports the canteen and the school in the transition to the new strategy. As part of that support 8 motions were ratified at the June P&C meeting. Further information on the strategy can be found at: healthyschoolcanteens.nsw.gov.au Next P&C Meeting 9 August 6:30pm 9:00pm: Are you aware of the impact on FSHS of the recently passed School Funding Amendment Bill? If not you should come along to the August P&C meeting to hear how Gonski 2.0 will impact the students of FSHS. Under Gonski 2.0 FSHS is slated to lose $131,365 in 2018 and $353,337 in The P&C Federation s 23 June media release A Bitter Blow to NSW Schools: Gonski 2.0 Passes Senate can be found on the Federation s website. The school is in the process of reviewing the current School Plan and developing the next iteration of this important document, which will run from From 7:00pm to 7:30pm the school will be reporting on Strategic Direction 1 Teaching & Learning of the current school plan. A copy of the school plan can be accessed via the school website under the Our School tab. Guest Speaker, Kylie Salisbury Career Advisor 13 September P&C Meeting Economic indicators suggest that within the next decade as many as 50% of current jobs in Australia will cease to exist. Today's students are living through an era of workplace change so disruptive it can legitimately be called a revolution. Increasingly employers are "blind recruiting" and universities are relying less and less on the ATAR alone for admission (think UMAT, LAT, portfolios and interviews). To report on these changes, on how Fort Street is preparing students for the new world of work, and what we as parents can do to "future-proof" our children, the Careers Adviser, Kylie Salisbury, will speak as part of the Focus Item segment of the P&C meeting from 6:30-7:00pm. All welcome! Mercurius P&C News: June 2017 Page 1 of 2

10 Senior Drama Production Catering A special and huge thank you to Pamela W. and Lorena U. for the wonderful food they provided for the attendees of the Senior Drama Production The Front Page, on the 24 & 25 May. The food was delicious, healthy and fresh, and put together at very short notice. Thank you also to Amanda E. and Heather K. for helping out on the nights. The P&C could not support the wonderful work of the students and staff without our amazing volunteers. We also made $522, which was a great bonus to a lovely social occasion. Uniform Shop News Much excitement greeted the arrival of the first batch of new winter jackets. Students queued out the door of the hall as one of the senior students made some lovely music on the grand piano. It was one of the first really cold days of winter and students couldn't wait to get into their new coats. They are warm on the inside and very stylish. If you don't have one yet and want to order one, please call or visit the Uniform Shop on Wednesdays and you will be put down for the next batch. Meanwhile a big thank you to our parent volunteers who helped unpack and distribute over 200 coats: Anna, Priscilla, Winnie, Helen, Christina, and Sue, to Kellorin Long for coordinating the intricate spreadsheets and of course to Gladys who worked tirelessly to process all the payments and stocktaking in record time. Winter has come! Uniform Shop Volunteers Needed Day: Time: Wednesday (during school term) from 10:00am 2:00pm (as much or little as you can) fshs2013@gmail.com Volunteers needed: We are still looking for help with the following: Assistant P&C Treasurer Landscape designer or architect 2 nd hand uniform shop coordinator If you don t think you can take on such an important role but would still like to contribute the P&C are still looking for people to join the following committees: Fundraising Grant Writing Communication Parental Engagement Further information on the above role and committees, and the time commitments involved can be obtained by ing us at the above address. Entertainment Book Fundraiser: The P&C are very excited to be fundraising with Entertainment Book this year. Order your Entertainment Membership from us and support our fundraising You'll receive hundreds of valuable offers for everything you love to do, and help our fundraising at the same time! Contact us at: fortstreethighschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au Mercurius P&C News: June 2017 Page 2 of 2