Weekly Wrap

Welcome to week 7!

 

I would like to announce our College Council for 2022. Council plays an integral role in school governance. Our Council is made up of parents, community members, DET staff and students. Your councilors for 2022 are Rob Nash, Wendy Watson, Bronwyn Baker, Luisa Mackie, Natalie Faulkner, Jenny Silalahi, Aiden Helstrom, Mel Rosso, Nicky Buckingham, Adrienne Baucke, Chris Grant and myself. Following our next meeting on 30 March, the meeting dates for the remainder of 2022 are 25/5, 27/7,31/8, 26/10, 30/11, 7/12.

 

I am sure you will have noticed that our Term 1 Parent Teacher Student Interviews are coming up on April 6. The interviews will be held during the regular scheduled workday, utilising a blend of onsite and remote technology. Parents will be able to book through Webex or schedule a face-to-face meeting, depending upon their preference. We will break the day into 2 sessions. One will be face to face and one will be Webex based. The details of the sessions will be released next week.

 

I would like to thank everyone who has reached out to me with feedback about the proposed changes to 2022 bell times mentioned recently in The Weekly Wrap. The feedback was varied, representing many different views. Whilst our intention was to be responsive to a change we have observed in our students post lockdowns, I have made the decision to make no change to the start and end of the day bell times for this year. In reflecting on and considering your views, the overwhelming issue raised was disruption to carefully managed, and often intricate family arrangements in relation to travel to and from school for family members.

 

In 2023, we are making changes to our bell times, to accommodate the changes to the timetable structure we have been developing. We have been presented with 2 proposals, and once again, I am very interested to hear from you about which one you prefer and why. Please email me your feedback on d.rogers@fhc.vic.edu.au

 

Current		Option 1		Option 2
Period 1	9.00 -10.10	9.00 -10.10		9.15 -10.20
Recess	10.10 – 10.35	10.10 – 10.35		10.20 – 10.45
Connect	10.35 – 10.51	10.35 – 10.51		10.45 – 11.01
Period 2	10.53 -12.03	10.53 -12.03		11.03 – 12.13
Period 3	12.05 – 1.15	12.05 – 1.15		12.15 – 1..25
Lunch	1.15 – 2.05	1.15 -1.50		1.25 – 2.00
Period 4	2.05 -3.15	1.50 – 3.00		2.00 – 3.10

 

Our staff make great use of curriculum planning time we provide them. Their main focus for Professional Learning this year is meeting students at their point of need through engaging, high quality and differentiated curriculum, and enhancing pedagogical practice. This year the Curriculum Days we have identified will fall on 12 August and 18 November. Please put these in your diaries as student free days.

 

Forest Hill College prides itself on having a safe and inclusive culture. On Monday the 21st of March, we commence the week with our annual recognition of Harmony Day. Forest Hill College abhors any displays of violence and stands united in our quest to have a College free of bullying and violence. Each year we have paused on Harmony Day and formed a word on the Soccer Pitch. This year, in the shadow of horrific acts of violence in Ukraine, we have decided to form the word “Peace”. This image will be shared on our social media platform, and we encourage you all to share it and show your support for “peace.”

 

Further to this statement by the College community, on Wednesday 30 March, all Year 8, 9, 10 and 11 students will attend a session with the Pat Cronin Foundation. Pat Cronin was a well-loved young man, who went out on Saturday 16 April, 2016 for a few quiet drinks with mates after playing his first senior football match alongside his big brother. He wasn’t a fighter; it just wasn’t his scene. But when a brawl started to build outside the pub, being the loyal and caring mate he was, Pat stepped in to pull a friend away. It was then that Pat was punched in the head from behind. The Cronin family are committed to raising awareness of the damage that can come from senseless acts of violence. We are committed to eliminating all forms of violence. It has no place in a civilised society.

 

 

Senior Boys Tennis

 

Our Senior Boys Tennis Team today won the Division Championships, sending them through to the State Finals for the second consecutive year. The team was made up of Luke H, Luke C, Charlie B and Alex R. All four boys played extremely well, winning each match in a strong performance. Congratulations Boys!

 

Athletics Day

 

On Tuesday of this week we held our whole school Athletics Day.  We had great weather and fantastic participation amongst the students in all the events.  Our VCAL, Personal Development Class held a fundraising BBQ which raised over $450, it was very well run and provided a great service on the day.

Thank you to staff member Romy Bristow for organizing this huge event!