Calendar Dates for Term 2
GAT Wednesday 12 June
Report Writing Day Friday 14 June
Final day Semester 2 Friday 28 June
Report Writing Day Friday 14 June
Final day Semester 2 Friday 28 June
Dear all, welcome to Week 7 of Another GREAT Week,
What an interesting week it has been in the media. The storm that has opened up following the racial vilification of AFL champion Adam Goodes raises some interesting challenges for families and schools.
There is no place in society for any form of exclusion or vilification. At Forest Hill College we are very proud of our College Values. In particular reference to the reprehensible behaviors of vilification and exclusion, we promote the behaviors around Respect, Honesty, Equality and Inclusiveness and Safe and Secure Environment actively.
We work to educate those whose behaviors transgress our values in a restorative way. This means we help them understand the harm they have done to the relationship between themselves and those who they have behaved poorly towards. This occurs side by side with appropriate consequences.
We applaud the stance Adam Goodes has taken. As he stated, he did not have the confidence to tackle the vilification he experienced as a young boy growing up. But he does now. He took a stand for all those who have been picked on, put down or vilified.
We would like to think all members of our College lived by our values, however in the case that anyone does behave poorly towards another member of the community, we believe we have a culture whereby an appropriate stance can be made to state clearly, we do not tolerate vilification or exclusion at FHC.
Responsible use of technology
Students have access to the web these days in so many forms. I would like to spend a moment to focus on their access at school. Of course all of our students have their netbooks. Many of them also have smart phones capable of doing all if not more than their netbooks. Both their netbook and their phone should only be used for learning at school. Our role is to educate them to use these tools responsibly. At school and in class their use needs to be restricted to learning. There are limited reasons that I can see for a student to need their phone in class. However, if a teacher is able to draw on the phone as a tool for learning, at FHC this is acceptable.
NMIT Short Story Winner
Congratulations Sam W on winning the NMIT Short Story Competition in her age group category. Her work has been published in a book titled "Time to Write". Sam's is one of 27 short stories published in the book. Sam's story is titled "Warmth". The book is in our College Library, and is well worth a read. It is a collection of outstanding stories, written by teenagers, and showcases what young people can do when they feel inspired and empowered. Sam became aware of the competition through a promotion in our Library and the support of her English teacher Elena Zemkalnis.
Amanda Purcell receiving her Teacher of The Year Award from Minister Dixon
If there are any parents out there who have contacts that could assist us develop a TV studio of our own at the College we would be very interested to hear from them.
Activities in the College Library
Year 10, 11 and 12 Study Skill Development
On Tuesday this week followed with some time skills and study technique management. Following the presentation in the Theatre, our Year 12 students participated in workshop sessions run by the team from Elevate. We have used them quite a bit to assist students plan their study.
Year 10 students doing community service as Peer Support Leaders at Mt Pleasant Road Primary School
City Experience and Community Service continued this week again. The FHC and Heatherwood students are forming a wonderful bond as they work through their basketball program together. Following completion of their training they sit down and have lunch as a group.
Vale Steve Jaffrey
Our condolences go out to the Jaffrey family. Steve was a highly respected member of our community, junior footy coach, devoted father and acclaimed builder. He will be sadly missed.
What an interesting week it has been in the media. The storm that has opened up following the racial vilification of AFL champion Adam Goodes raises some interesting challenges for families and schools.
There is no place in society for any form of exclusion or vilification. At Forest Hill College we are very proud of our College Values. In particular reference to the reprehensible behaviors of vilification and exclusion, we promote the behaviors around Respect, Honesty, Equality and Inclusiveness and Safe and Secure Environment actively.
We work to educate those whose behaviors transgress our values in a restorative way. This means we help them understand the harm they have done to the relationship between themselves and those who they have behaved poorly towards. This occurs side by side with appropriate consequences.
We applaud the stance Adam Goodes has taken. As he stated, he did not have the confidence to tackle the vilification he experienced as a young boy growing up. But he does now. He took a stand for all those who have been picked on, put down or vilified.
We would like to think all members of our College lived by our values, however in the case that anyone does behave poorly towards another member of the community, we believe we have a culture whereby an appropriate stance can be made to state clearly, we do not tolerate vilification or exclusion at FHC.
Responsible use of technology
Students have access to the web these days in so many forms. I would like to spend a moment to focus on their access at school. Of course all of our students have their netbooks. Many of them also have smart phones capable of doing all if not more than their netbooks. Both their netbook and their phone should only be used for learning at school. Our role is to educate them to use these tools responsibly. At school and in class their use needs to be restricted to learning. There are limited reasons that I can see for a student to need their phone in class. However, if a teacher is able to draw on the phone as a tool for learning, at FHC this is acceptable.
The
DEECD school policy and advisory guide states that students should
|
Mobile phone cameras (still and video) must not be used:
- in banned spaces for
example changing rooms, toilets, gyms and swimming pools
- to film people and their
activities without their knowledge or permission.
Mobiles phones must not be used to send harassing or
threatening messages.
Our
policy permits students to use phones in class if you as teacher deem them an effective
tool for learning. They do have useful applications, however, in most
situations their netbook should suffice as their main mobile device
NMIT Short Story Winner
Congratulations Sam W on winning the NMIT Short Story Competition in her age group category. Her work has been published in a book titled "Time to Write". Sam's is one of 27 short stories published in the book. Sam's story is titled "Warmth". The book is in our College Library, and is well worth a read. It is a collection of outstanding stories, written by teenagers, and showcases what young people can do when they feel inspired and empowered. Sam became aware of the competition through a promotion in our Library and the support of her English teacher Elena Zemkalnis.
Amanda Purcell receiving her Teacher of The Year Award from Minister Dixon
Innovative Arts Practice through
Global Partnerships-
On Friday this week our Year 11 Theatre Studies class were fortunate enough to visit South Oakleigh College's TV studio. It is part of a project led by our Curriculum Leader Schy Peterson, where students will be exploring a
cross-cultural, ICT rich, collaborative model for
teaching and learning about Drama
and Theatre Studies. The project is a
collaboration between Australian
schools, their senior students, drama teachers and
a network of Arts practitioners
from across the world. The aim of the project is to
build global relationships in
order that new approaches to arts practice are
Developed.
Video-conferencing, asynchronous
groups, blogs and other new and emerging
technologies allow students to
participate in digital excursions. Students will engage
with globally based academics and
arts practitioners in collaboration with other
schools. Throughout the process,
students will shape and share a performance of a
Shakespearian text and explore a
range of issues including play adaption from
creative, cultural and historical
perspectives. A workshop on this project will be
delivered at the International
Drama Educators Conference (IDEA) held in Paris in
July. Schy is presenting at this conference. It will provide information
and resources to enable drama teachers and their
students (K-12) to establish
similar projects anywhere in the world.If there are any parents out there who have contacts that could assist us develop a TV studio of our own at the College we would be very interested to hear from them.
Activities in the College Library
June is environmental month and will be promoted within
the library.
Commencing Wed 5th June we will offer Chair Yoga @ the
Library session, 8.30 - 8.55am. I have placed this on the compass newsfeed and
will place posters around the school on Friday. This is a gently easy spin on a
yoga session. The session only requires a chair, no need for students to be
dressed in sports uniform, will be instructed from a DVD, and will provide a
simple introduction to a method of stretching, relaxation and focusing.
Later in the month the library will be offering two more
activities -
** a mid month movie session - trying for something
interesting which will suit the monthly theme so may be documentary, and will
be shown over 2 or 3 lunch periods.
** two 'Informal Book Clubs' will be offered - Yrs 7-9
and Yrs 10-12. These will be offered during the recess break and will be VERY
informal, probably based on reading author and / or genre not reading the same
book and formal discussions
Year 10, 11 and 12 Study Skill Development
On Tuesday this week followed with some time skills and study technique management. Following the presentation in the Theatre, our Year 12 students participated in workshop sessions run by the team from Elevate. We have used them quite a bit to assist students plan their study.
Year 10 students doing community service as Peer Support Leaders at Mt Pleasant Road Primary School
City Experience and Community Service continued this week again. The FHC and Heatherwood students are forming a wonderful bond as they work through their basketball program together. Following completion of their training they sit down and have lunch as a group.
Vale Steve Jaffrey
Our condolences go out to the Jaffrey family. Steve was a highly respected member of our community, junior footy coach, devoted father and acclaimed builder. He will be sadly missed.
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