Another Great Week in 2015- Week 2

Important Dates 2015

Tribes Assembly-Friday 6 February
Year 7 Parents BBQ - Wednesday 11 February
College Photo Day-Thursday 12 February
Anaphylaxis Training for Staff, Early finish for Students at 1.18pm - Wednesday 18 February
Year 10-12 Parent Information Evening-Thursday 26 February
College Swimming Sports-Tuesday 3 March
Curriculum Morning Late Start for students-Thursday 12 March
Discovery Evening-Tuesday 17 March
College Assembly-Thursday 19 March
Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews (Pupil Free Day) - Thursday 26 March

Some useful links

FHC Website

Compass Parent Portal

Dear all, welcome to week 2 - Term 1 2015
 

 

This week we had our Year 12 students attend their two day Study Skills Camp at Deakin University. The students participated in a number of workshops designed to assist them achieve VCE success. One of the highlights of the first day was a lecture from English guru Tony Thompson on his tips to master English. He is a captivating and compelling speaker who has some very practical and accessible tips for all students on how to lift their English performance.  On the second day, Elevate Education worked with all students to help foster excellent study habits. Dr Maria Gindidis rounded out the camp with her presentation on having a “Growth Mindset” throughout the year. She presented some inspiring words, with a focus on brain function and practical tips for success.

Next week we have an opportunity for parents who would like to participate in the development of our vision statement and College values. We have a facilitator, Tracey Ezard, working with a small team to draft a new vision statement and set of values for the new College Strategic Plan. Any parent interested in participating in this should contact David Rogers at the College.

We have some alterations to the College day occurring in the next five weeks. A letter has gone home, however I would like to draw your attention to them. On Wednesday 18 March we have our Anaphylaxis Training. Department of Education and Training guidelines require all staff to participate in Anaphylaxis Training each school year. College Council has endorsed an early finish to enable all staff to participate in this training. Students will be dismissed at the end of Period 3.

On Thursday 12 March 2015 we have a late start to the college day for a Professional Learning morning which is dedicated to the development of the new College Strategic Plan and has been endorsed by College Council. Students will commence classes for period 3, which starts at 12:06pm. Students need to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of class to access their lockers

On Thursday 26 March we have a Pupil Free Day for the purpose of Parent/Teacher/Student interviews. The normal classroom program will not be running on the day and Parent/Teacher /Student Interviews will replace the normal program.

These are important events for the College as we strive to provide the highest quality education for all students.

A reminder that nominations for College Council will open on Monday 16 February 2015. Parents interested should look for this information on Compass from the 16 of February 2015.

Australian CAT Competition Tuesday 24 March 2015

Do you love fiddling around with computers? Love gaming? Think you might have what it takes to be a computer programmer one day? Can you solve the following problem?

 

Then you might like to enter yourself into the Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) competition -  a chance to see if you have what it takes in the IT industry. No programming experience is needed- just a problem-solving brain!

If you are interested (or just want to solve the problem!) please see Mr Heaton as soon as possible for registration.

Metal Work Extracurricular Project

A number of students have been working both in and out of class time in the Metals workshop to construct a magnificent soccer ball sculpture. Built out of recycled materials, this adds to the other wonderful sculptures that have been appearing in the courtyard gardens over recent times. We enjoy celebrating the wonderful work of our students, and the sculptures are certainly an outstanding feature of the College gardens. Pictured here are some of the students responsible for this piece of work. If you are visiting the College for a parent evening in the coming weeks it would be well worth a walk around the Central and Southern Courtyards to look at the pieces of work our talented students have created. Well done Mr Beveridge on engaging, inspiring and challenging our students to produce such quality work.

Megan S, Cheerleading Grand Champion

 

 

Megan S has been  in the United States representing Australia, the Australian Allstar Cheerleader Association(AASCF), and the Dreamtyme Allstars Stargazers Level 3 All Girl small squad at the Pacific Coast National Cheerleading Association (NCA) Championships in Los Angeles , California and the Duel in the Desert Championships in Palm Springs, California. The "Duel in the Desert" National Championship in Palm Springs, California is the #1 West Coast Cheer and Dance Team National Championship in the USA with many International teams in attendance.

Dreamtyme Allstars Stargazers is a squad of girls ages 11-18 who compete in Victoria and across Australia at a National Level. The squad practices 9 ½ hours a week on tumbling, dance, and stunting  to perfect their skills. In 2014, the Stargazers had a very successful year. They are the reigning AASCF Winterfest Level 3 all girl small Champions, AASCF Battle all girl Level 3 large Champions and overall Level 3 Division Grand Champions, AASCF Melbourne Cup all girl Level 3 small Champions and overall Level 3 Division Champions, Victorian State all girl Level 3 small Champions and overall Division 3 Grand Champions, and National all girl Level 3 silver medallists and runner up (also silver) to the National Grand Champions. (this year’s AASCF National Championship hosted over 8,000 athletes from Australia and the Asia Pacific on the Gold Coast).

Megan's squad Dreamtyme Allstars Stargazers has competed in their first of 2 International competitions representing Australia NCA Southern California and placed 1st in their division- level 3 all girl small and won the title of Grand Champions overall beating all teams in the competition including level 4 & 5.

A huge congratulations to Megan on a fantastic result! Forest Hill College is very proud of her hard work and achievements.

Transition Tours

For those of you with friends or family interested in touring our fantastic College, our tours begin next week. They are every Monday at 12:15pm and every Thursday at 9:15am. Bookings can be made through the General Office on 9814 9444 or through the following link.

http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=111650&bof=1

Another Great Week in 2015- Week 1

Important Dates 2015

Year 12 Study Skills at Deakin University - Monday 2 February~Tuesday 3 February
Tribes Assembly Friday 6 February
Year 7 Parents BBQ Wednesday 11 February
College Photo Day Thursday 12 February
Year 10-12 Parent Information Evening Thursday 26 February
College Swimming Sports Tuesday 3 March
Curriculum Morning Late Start for students Thursday 12 March
Discovery Evening Tuesday 17 March
College Assembly Thursday 19 March

Some useful links

FHC Website

Compass Parent Portal

Dear all, welcome to week 1 - Term 1 2015

We were very excited to begin the new school year today. Over 200 new students began at the College today. This includes our Year 7, Soccer, Tennis, International and local student populations. It is a wonderful endorsement of the College that so many students are selecting us as their school of choice. We are close to full at Years 8, 9 and 10. Subject choices are now quite limited through VCE as well, and we created an additional class at Year 7 to ensure small class sizes for our Year 7 students as they commence their Secondary School journey.
We welcome all of our new families to the Forest Hill College Learning Community. With growth in enrolments, we also welcome a large number of new staff. 

Education Support Staff

Jeremie Smith, Steven Cavell, Jordan Papalia, Ashley Ellis

Teaching Staff 

Mel Fraser PE ( returning from family leave) , 

Thom Jackson Auslan, Kung Yii Loh Maths, Yiannis Christoforou English, 

David Travers English Annie Bevan EAL 

Soccer Coaches 

Nathan Peel, Harry Bingham, Neb Stojkovis and Kosta Drakoulakos

Tennis Coaches 

Marco Salamanarco and Nectar Davos

Our class of 2014 was celebrated today at the College Assembly. Our Dux, Khoa was presented to the students. Three of our very top performing VCE students from 2014,  Khoa, Jason and Takumi spoke to the student body about how they succeeded in 2014. They spoke of vision, persistence, hard work and a healthy balanced lifestyle. 
We are justifiably proud of the class of 2014's achievements. They lifted our percentage of students who achieved ATARs above 90 by 7% and our median (average) study score also lifted quite considerably. The vast majority of our students received first round University offers. We are proud to announce that a number also received scholarships to study, such was the quality of their applications. Takumi was one of those students who received a scholarship.
Over the break much work has gone into developing our learning spaces. We now have air conditioning in Science, all classrooms in the Middle Years Learning Centre, all classrooms except 1 in the Later Years Learning Centre and most of A Block. We installed sound acoustic treatments into all classrooms in the Middle Years Learning Centre to ensure excellent acoustics in these classes. The new Strength and Conditioning Room has been completed and the Gym floor re polished. We have also renovated the accessible student toilet and renovations to the Year 7 Learning Centre and student toilets should commence some time across the first semester.

Transition Tours
For those of you with friends or family interested in touring our fantastic College, our tours begin next week. They are every Monday at 12:15 and every Thursday at 9:15. Bookings can be made through the General Office on 9814 9444 or through Try Booking.

Another GREAT Week @ FHC Week 11 Term 4

Important Dates 2015

First Day of Term 1 2015 - Friday 30 January 2015
College Assembly:5 Session Day - Friday 30 January 2015
Year 12 Study Skills at Deakin University - Monday 2 February~Tuesday 3 February

Some useful links

FHC Website

Compass Parent Portal

Remember you can use Compass to approve absences

Dear all, welcome to week 11 - Term 4



Year 7-9 Presentation Evening

The following awards were presented to students who have not only achieved excellence academically, but also for their contribution to the College, Debating, Sport and the Instrumental Music Programs. 

Whilst it is not possible to acknowledge the contribution of every child in the school tonight, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all students/families for the contribution they make to ensuring that Forest Hill College is a fantastic place for students to grow and learn.

Year 7 2015 Scholarship Recipients
Dhairya J
Lucind L
Amelia G
Ulani B
Hudson F

The Middle Years Debating Award - Jesse D
The Middle Years Athletes of the Year - Nathan R & Holly T
Instrumental Music Awards - Alex C & Zoe H
The Middle Years IMPACT Award - Amelie F
School Endeavour Award - Braeden E
Bob Adams Award - Jack C
Dan Ebdon Award - Jared W
Year 7 High Achiever Award - Dane T
Year 8 High Achiever Award - Madie G
Year 9 High Achiever Award - Amanda H
Year 7 DUX Award - Sascha K
Year 8 DUX Award - Angela T
Year 8 DUX Award - Zoe H
Year 9 DUX Award - Dominic O
The Principal's Award - Dominic O





On Behalf of all the staff here at Forest Hill College we'd like to wish all our BLOG readers a Merry Christmas & a Safe & Happy New Year.

Another GREAT Week @ FHC Week 10 Term 4

Important Dates 2014/2015

 

Year 7-9 Presentation Evening - Monday 15 December 2014
First Day of Term 1 2015 - Friday 30 January 2015
 

Some useful links

FHC Website

Compass Parent Portal

FHC Moodle- Student Learning Portal

Remember you can use Compass to approve absences

Dear all, welcome to week 10 - Term 4

We welcomed our new Year 7 students to the College on Orientation Day last Tuesday. They are a wonderful group of students who had a fantastic day, learning about the College, making new friends and beginning to build strong relationships with their excellent teaching staff.

 

We also fitted out our new strength and conditioning room on Wednesday and some photos of it are in the blog. I am excited to announce that we have also made a decision on our preferred Architect, who will lead us through our refurbishments in 2015.

 

 

I watched the Middle Years student body rehearse for Presentation Night on Thursday and they were magnificent. The night promises to be another showcase of the Forest Hill College students and their achievements. I look forward to seeing many of you there on Monday.

Year 8 Science Fun - The Great Geology Bake Off!

Year 8 wrapped up a great year of Science with a super fun Wednesday afternoon double!

Period 3 was spent vying for the title of “Year 8 Science Trivia Champions” with all 3 classes coming together into 10 teams and competing in 6 rounds of Science trivia. It was a tough battle, in the end only 0.5 of a point separated first & second.

Then, in Period 4 we concluded our Geology unit with “The Great Geology Bake Off” – Students bought in their best edible representations of rocks to take part in the bake off. Awards were given for best rock resemblance and for most delicious rock. There were so many fabulous entries we had to call in ‘guest teacher judges’ to help us decide. Some of the fantastic entries are pictured.

On behalf of Mrs Veljanovski, Mr Heaton & Miss Gell we’d just like to thank the year 8s for their awesome efforts – not only in this task, but for the whole year of fun in Science!
 

 

 

 

Bon Appetit!

 

On Thursday, 10 December the Year 8 and Year 9 French students were treated to an end-of-year French food tasting experience during class time. Menus written in French were created by the students beforehand to introduce them to the delights of French cuisine.

We ate patisseries such as croissants, pains au chocolat, eclairs, baguettes, tuiles and mini-toasts along with five different types of 'fromages': Boursin, Babybel, La vache qui rit (Laughing Cow), Camembert and Brie. We also had an individual Nutella each. All was washed down with 'les boissons' le Coca-Cola, la limonade et l'eau minerale.

A fun and calorie-filled time was had by all!

Madame Biront 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another GREAT Week @ FHC Week 9 Term 4

Important Dates 2014

 

Year 7 2015 Orientation Day - Tuesday 9 December
Pupil Free Day for all 2014 Students - Tuesday 9 December
College Assembly: Thursday 11 December
5 Session Day
Last Day Years 7-9 (3.20pm finish) - Friday 12 December
Semester 2 Reports are Released - Friday 12 December
Year 7-9 Presentation Evening - Monday 15 December

Some useful links

FHC Website

Compass Parent Portal

FHC Moodle- Student Learning Portal

Remember you can use Compass to approve absences

Dear all, welcome to week 9 - Term 4

Schools are very much about communities of people working together. We have a wonderfully dedicated Parents Association, and they are forever calling for extra volunteers. I know in the packages all families received recently was information about joining the PA. There are many ways you can join and then involve yourself in supporting our community. I urge all parents to consider joining for next year, as there are a multitude of ways you can become engaged in providing support for the community that ultimately assists students achievements.

 

This week I would like to thank the Parents Association for two wonderful achievements. As they do every year, our fabulous Parents Association conducted the second hand book & uniform sale. The event is a very important way of supporting many families make savings on the purchase of books and College uniform. It takes many diligent and hard working parents considerable time and effort to implement their processes, collect the books and uniforms and sell them. Following the event, the counting of money, distribution of books and uniforms and the return of goods not sold also takes considerable time and energy. The generous donation of their time is something we are all extremely grateful for, and I would like to say a very big thank you on behalf of our community to all of them.

 

Secondly, Sandie and Zoran Krnic, parents of our Year 7 singing star Sasha, volunteered to arrange for our new Strength and Conditioning Room to be painted on Thursday of this week. They work at Dulux and were able to supply us with a team of painters and the paint free of charge. The College is extremely grateful to them for this, and next week when the equipment is installed, we will put some images of the room on the blog.

VEX Robotics Nationals

Last Saturday two teams of Year 7,8 & 9 students from Forest Hill College competed in the VEX Robotics Nationals facing competitors who were predominantly senior students and with bigger budget machines. Paul E, Jake D, James L, were able to use skill and strategy to get their little robot "Charles 6040A" into a top ten finish. The photo shows Charles performing a blocking manoeuvre which prevented Hillcrest College scoring 3 vital points.The second robot team comprising of Dane T, Braeden E, Lucas D and Devesh also achieved a top ten finish after having to make some hardware adjustments to stay in the competition.

 

 

Staff Professional Learning

This Wednesday staff worked together to begin reviewing the College Values and Vision statement, as part of our Strategic Review. The Review will take place on 17 April 2015, and in preparation, we are evaluating all elements of the College. Parents and students will be given an opportunity to participate in the review of our values and vision, as we are forming a subcommittee to determine them moving into 2015. I will inform all members of the community when we decide on the dates the subcommittee will be meeting and invite interested members of our community to join up. Staff worked with great enthusiasm on the task which began with a brief historical analysis of our College, which formed out of 4 schools with rich traditions. We feel that to understand and respect our history assists the College as it strives to achieve greatness on a daily basis moving into 2015.

 

World Challenge

Day 6 - 13 (the trek) - 23rd November

Distance wise, destinations are not that far in Vietnam however, time wise, it can take forever and the trip from Nam Cat Tien NP to Dalat was no different. Most road conditions in Vietnam are bad at best, but when you add traffic, bikes and roadworks (at least we think they were fixing the road) it often means speeds rarely pass 30km/hr. Also, everyone lives next to the road so it's always busy. We still haven't quite worked out the road rules yet, or maybe there are none? But, eventually you get used to being on the wrong side of the road with trucks, buses and bikes coming straight for you. The final few kilometres to Dalat however, where quite beautiful as we climbed to 1500m vertical into the pine forests and jungles that surround Dalat. This sprawling town was first established by the French two centuries ago and includes the flower capital of Vietnam. Thousands of glasshouses and acres of flowers, vegetables and coffee plantations all help to add to the vista. Today it's where people from Saigon come to weekend, holiday and escape the heat of down south.

We arrived late after and the students were keen shop at the night market, taste the local delicacies (like beef betel leaf skewers and Vietnamese pizza/omelette), and also buy supplies and snacks for the trek that would be starting the next day. After shopping we walk to our trekking guides office and were briefed on our hike. The rest of the night was spent packing our packs and preparing for the hike.

 

Day 7 (24th November) of our hike was met with excitement, fear and quite a bit of trepidation. We walk with all our gear to the trekking office, dropped off a few bags we wouldn't need and filled what space we had left in our backpacks with group food. We travelled back down the mountains to a small village with a massive statue of a chicken (ask the kids to explain why). We watched the locals making local textile crafts, bought some and then started our hike through the chilli and coffee fields towards Elephant Mountain. The first 90 mins was fairly easy and relatively flat however, the sun was hot, very hot and shade was at a premium. By the time we reached the bottom of the hill most of us were drenched in sweat. The next 3 hours presented a whole new challenge. We eventually reached the banana trees which provided some relief from the sun and once we got into the jungle, there was even more shade. But, it was steep and relentless and only flattened out when we reached camp. So as you can imagine, there were some very exhausted tired bodies when we stopped for the day. To add insult to injury, the last ten minutes of the walk we were each given 10 litres of water in plastic bags which, of course added 10kgs of weight to our already heavy packs.  Bed was very early tonight.

 

Day 8 (25th November) of the hike started much as it ended the day before, uphill! Most rose early due to uncomfy sleeps, and once we broke camp and ate breakfast, we headed to the top of the mountain. The relief of finally starting downhill was short lived however, as the kids soon realised that downhill is often harder than up hills as toes and knees get a beating from heavy packs continually braking. Jungle eventually gave way to 6ft high long grass and our first views of our night's campsite beside a beautiful mountain lake. Two hours later we arrived by the lake which, was reminiscent of a North American view with pine trees, horses (which kept trying to eat the food from our packs) and even dogs. We set up camp, had lunch played some trust and team building games and then relaxed by the lake. A large group of us played a card game called Pineapple (which is similar to twos). Dinner was in a smaller bamboo restaurant which looked more at home in a tropical island setting, but was quaint. Mozzies eventually got the better of us and we headed to bed early again.

 

Day 9 (26th November) of the hike started this morning with a five minute boat ride across the lake which, was a nice change up. We however, ended up hiking up another hill for an hour and it was another hot day. We followed the top of a ridge line for another hour then as we popped out of the jungle we were presented with an incredible panoramic view of Dalat. A few dozen photos later we headed downhill for half an hour and found our campsite ate lunch and relaxed for the afternoon. This campsite was a little bland when compared to the night before, but a campfire and a night of roasted marshmallows and teaching the guides nursery rhymes kept everyone entertained. It was a relatively easy day which was probably good considering the next day was going to be our longest. Our Vietnamese guides, catered pretty well to our western kids which, the kids loved. Bananas and bread with jam and peanut butters, and Oreos was the staple breakfast. French baguettes with pork, tomato, cucumber, cream cheese and chillies with pineapple, bananas and dragon fruit was lunch. Dinner was a bit more varied and ranged from spaghetti bolognaise, fried rice, noodles and soup.

 

Day 10 (27th November) of the hike started with a bus ride through Dalat and to the other side. We then hiked through about 10kms of pine forests, coffee plantations and vegetable farms. Another hot day made going tough and plenty of hill kept us all honest. We reach the park gate of Lang Bieng, the highest mountain in Dalat and a very popular tourist destination. Which we watch as jeeps ferried car loads of tourists up to the top and felt a little jealous knowing we would have to hike that same path with our packs. A rain deluge gave us an extra half break, but once it cleared we set off and reached our fourth nights campsite half way up the mountain. The summit would have to wait till tomorrow. Lang Bieng actually has three summits, the smallest one has a restaurant and is where all the tourists go, the middle is quite a bit higher and must be hiked too and the final and highest peak is quite a workout. Early night again.

 

Day 11 (28th November) of the hike was a surprise as we only had to walk 50m with our packs! A truck was waiting for us and we loaded our heavy packs on the truck and swapped for day packs. This put a bit of spring into the kids steps and we reached the first summit half an hour later. A well-earned cold soda was enjoyed by all, a few pictures in army fatigues was taken and then we headed to the second peak. This was considerably steeper and less trodden but everyone made it fairly comfortably. The last peak was going to be a different story though. It was a there and back route and the guide said he has done it in 45 minutes. It took us closer to 2 hours. It started off easy enough, flat with even some downhill, but as we got closer and closer with little gain in height we knew it was going to be a steep climb. The stairs started about 650m from the top and they were steep and hundreds and hundreds of them. Add the rain from the afternoon before also made slippery and muddy. Thank goodness many said for the 1000 steps training lol. By the time we reached the summit it was an interesting mix of excitement, relief and pure exhaustion. The photos will pay testament to that :) 45 mins downhill back to our lunch spot and then a 90 minute knee breaker downhill to the bus ended our trek. I don't think a shower and bed ever felt so good for many of our Trekkers. We did convince the kids though to try this highly recommended restaurant though before they crashed, which was delicious and new to many (hotpot).

 

Day 12 - 29th November

After a well-earned comfy sleep in a real bed and shower, we left early to catch the bus from Dalat to Saigon. It took roughly 8 hours to get to our hotel, which we splurged on because everyone felt they needed something nicer as a reward for trekking and camping for five days. But first, being a Saturday night, that means markets and shopping. So we took the kids back to the Banh Thang market precinct, enjoyed some street food for dinner and shopped and shopped. I just hope some of those purchase are gifts for friends and family back home, lol.

 

Day 13 - 30th November

No rest for kids today, in fact back onto a bus and another three hour bus ride south of Saigon to the Mekong Delta. One of the largest river systems in the world, it's a whole new world, where highways and roads are replaced with rivers and canals. Also know as the rice basket of Vietnam we took a boat cruise and checked out different ways they use rice to make everything from paper, to sweets, to savoury snacks, to spirits. To say the least it was quite delicious and weird at the same time. Oh and don't worry we didn't touch the spirit, I think the snakes, scorpions and frogs they put in it put most off lol. We continued our boat journey across the Mekong river, sampled some traditional music then transferred to small dugouts and where paddled (Venice style) through narrow canals past homes, schools and shops that line the the banks of the numerous islands. Once out we got back onto the bigger boat and motored for another hour to another island and found our home stay where we would be staying the night. Oh I forgot! Lunch! We stopped at this small place for lunch, but found out we had to catch it first! So shoes came off and shorts rolled up and the kids jumped into these small muddy ponds and felt with hands and feet these mud fish that live in the mud and shallow waters of the delta. Was quite amusing to watch lol. After catch about 15 of these fish, each about a foot long, we washed up and enjoyed a seafood banquet. Dinner was just as good and after showers a group meeting we hit the sack for another night.

 

Day 14 - 1st December

After a few really big days, most of the kids were pretty tired, so this morning was a lazy one. We slept in till 8.30, had a yummy breakfast and some of us went for a bike ride around the canals and paths that made up this island. 11am saw us back on the boat and by noon we were back on the bus and making the 3 hour journey back to Saigon. As this was our last night in Vietnam, we wanted to make it memorable. So the kids spent the remainder of their Vietnamese Dong and then we headed to a well known restaurant to try some local delicacies. These included, frog, goat, ostrich, crickets and lets not forget scorpion. To the kids credit most of them tried everything and even really enjoyed some of it. Watch out parents, they might be wanting goat and frog for dinner when they come home! Tomorrow we head to Cambodia.

 

Another GREAT Week @ FHC Week 8 Term 4

Important Dates 2014

Year 7 2015 Connections Night - Monday 1 December
Year 10 Work Experience - Monday 1 December-Friday 5 December
Second Hand Book and Uniform Sale - Wednesday 3 December
Late Start for Students - Wednesday 3 December
(11.45am for a 12.06pm start)
Year 7 2015 Orientation Day - Tuesday 9 December
Pupil Free Day for all 2014 Students - Tuesday 9 December
College Assembly: Thursday 11 December
5 Session Day
Last Day Years 7-9 - Friday 12 December
Semester 2 Reports are Released - Friday 12 December
Year 7-9 Presentation Evening - Monday 15 December

Some useful links

FHC Website

Compass Parent Portal

FHC Moodle- Student Learning Portal

Remember you can use Compass to approve absences

Dear all, welcome to week 8 - Term 4

 

Year 10-12 Presentation Evening

 

These awards are presented to students who have not only achieved excellence academically, but also for their contribution to the College, Debating, Sport and the Instrumental Music Programs. Whilst it is not possible to acknowledge the contribution of every child in the school at this event, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all students/families for the contribution they make to ensuring that Forest Hill College is a fantastic place for students to grow and learn. Congratulatios to the students below on receiving the following prestigious awards.

School Endeavour Award - Hamsa J

Senior School Debating Award - Paul K

Female Athlete of the Year - Samantha W

Male Athlete of the Year - Matt W

Instrumental Music Award - Zac M & Jun Bao S

Year 10 Australian Defence Force Award - Annaliese C

Year 12 Australian Defence Force Award - Helen Z

IMPACT Award - Ashleigh C

Caltex All-Rounder Award -  Madeline T

Bob Adams Award - Sarah S

Dan Ebdon Award - Jason E & Natalie P

Year 10 DUX Award - Jaime G

Year 11 DUX Award - Annie V

Year 12 DUX Award - Benjamin S

Principal's Award - Paul K

 

 

 

World Challenge 2014

 

Vietnam/Cambodia 2014 - week 1
Well it's been a crazy first five days here in Vietnam, but as the kids are quickly realising, that's kind of the norm here. Everyone is well, happy and already loving the experience. The two schools have connected well and we have almost forgotten that we are two separate groups. We've already encountered bears, crocodiles, gibbons and of course leaches. The kids have chowed down lots fruit, noodles, rice and of course pho, they have even survived crossing roads with some of the craziest traffic in the world!  We have just returned from a two day acclimatisation hike and for the first time since we arrived, the heat and humidity seem bearable.

Day 1 17-18th November
For FHC students, the trip began at Nunawading train station at 7pm where parents, family and friends said farewell. A quick train ride ride into southern cross station and then the Sky bus to the airport, saw us meet up with Belmont HS, who were waiting for us. Long queues at the ticket counters and customs meant only about a 20 minute wait at the gate before boarding. This barely gave us enough time to distribute US$13,000 amongst the kids to carry and the obligatory toilet stop before flying. We were spoilt this year and flew with Thai airways. This meant for those who couldn't sleep, individual screens to watch as many movies as they could in 9 hours and free soft drink and food for the duration of the flight. A brief transfer at Bangkok (the worlds most Drab airport) and another quick flight, had us arriving in Ho Chi Min City (Saigon) just after breakfast. We were met at arrivals by the heat, humidity, smell and of course Samzie our world challenge expedition leader, who had flown in from the UK two days earlier. Jet Lagged, tired and a little overwhelmed the students managed to organise a bus to take us to our hotel in the backpackers quarter of district 1 in the middle of HCMC. They were soon awakened however, by what can only described as the most exciting traffic in the world. The scooters, bikes and vehicles that make up this organised chaos, is certainly a highlight for first time travellers to Vietnam. After a quick refresher in our rooms and dumping our bags, we headed on foot, to Banh Thang Market. A popular tourist destination BT market has everything and we had a quick look and lunch. When in Vietnam, of course Pho is one of the most popular dishes and we all sampled some for our first meal. The rest of the day was made up of a few hours sleep/rest back in the hotel, meetings to work out roles and responsibilities, and of course planning what we were going to do over the next few weeks. We split for dinner as some of the group wanted to try traditional Vietnamese food from street side eateries while others wanted to try traditional Vietnamese pizza and pasta :).

Day 2 - 19th November
As one can imagine, with most students jet lagged and trying to get use to a new time zone (4 hours behind), bed was pretty early last night. This morning saw most awake pre dawn due to noise of traffic and too cold from leaving their air conditioners on all night. The teachers met students out in the street, where we were enjoying freshly squeezed juices and Vietnamese coffee and partaking in the morning ritual of eating street food such as Banh Mi (BBQ Pork rolls) and Pho or Bun (noodle soups) on little plastic seats and tables on the side of the road or even sometimes on it. The morning was spent having a little explore, buying food for that day and planning ahead. We headed just before lunch two hours out of town to a place called Cu Chi and visit the tunnels that the Vietcong used during the Vietnamese/American war. The kids got to crawl through some of them, which can be a daunting experience and learn a little about the war from the other side. We got back to HCMC at peak hour which is a tourist attraction all in itself, had dinner and busily got ready for the next day which included shopping for food and planning.

Day 3 - 20th November
Another early morning rise, street food breakfast and then a quick dash to a bakery and fruit and veggie market, to grab supplies for the next three days. At 10am we boarded another bus and left HCMC, heading North East for four hours to a National Park called Nam Cat Tien. Upon arrival, we got dropped off at the side of a river and told it was on the other side. An hour later we managed to work out how to get across (all it took was money) and took a small ferry across and arrived at park headquarters. A complete contrast to the bustle, smell and noise of a big city, the park was full of the cries of hornbills and gibbons and of course we were surrounded by thick thick jungle. We were given our keys and A/C remotes and settled into our little bungalow styled rooms for the remainder of the evening. Dinner was together in a small open air restaurant and after a small meeting, we decided to shower and hit the beds as the Mosquitos were beginning to come out and say hello.

Day 4 - 21st November
It really is something to be woken up to the noise of the jungle in the morning. The squeals and cries and whistles are quite amazing. Breakfast we made ourselves and 0then we backed ready for our days little adventure. Our guide met us that morning and took us to the bear sanctuary to look at the moon and sun bears that are being rehabilitated into the wild here in the park. A little like black bears except they have like a mane around their heads and a big v-shape or u-shape patch of white fur on their chest. As you can imagine the girls thought they were very cute! We also got to see the Gibbons which are a type of monkey and have the craziest cry of any animal I've ever heard (ask the kids to imitate it for you lol). After this we all piled into the back of a truck with our packs and headed about 9kms into the jungle along this very bumpy road to the start of our little hike. A bit of a test to introduce the kids to jungle trekking, this 5km walk took over 2 1/2 hours and acquainted them to the joys of jungle trekking ... heat, leeches, humidity, leeches, prickles and leeches. Lol needless to say we all lost a little bit of blood that day, but the kids took it really well and when we got to our destination they all agreed it was worth it and loved it. Crocodile Lake was our camp for the night. Small bungalows again built on stilts on the edge of a large lake/swamp which was full of fish, birds and as the name suggests crocodiles! The students enjoyed sitting on the safety of the porches and watching the crocs swim, the sun setting and then a lightning display later that night. The rangers there went out and netted some fish and cooked us dinner, which eagerly consumed by all. Another early night under mosquito nets in one of the most beautifully serene places I think any of the kids have ever been too.

Day 5 - 22nd November
A 5.30am rise, 6 o'clock breakfast and 6.30 start, saw us back on the trail and making the 5km walk back to the road before the day got hot. This time it only took 90mins. Back on the truck we only went about 4km down the road and jumped off again and started another trail, which 5km later would lead us back to the park HQ. This track however was a lot more difficult. A lot more like bush bashing, with no real trail to follow other than painted marks on trees to guide the way. Lots of ducking and weaving, dodging spiky vines, mud and of course way more leeches. It several hours to make it back to HQ and once back the counting began. I got two, I got three and even I got five, was some of the numbers I heard, from students and teachers counting leech bites. I know it sounds horrible, but the kids were really good about it and barely complained. A well earned rest was reward and the afternoon was spent showering, washing clothes, reading, writing journals and catching up on sleep. Dinner was at the Park HQ restaurant again and the evening was spent playing games. Tomorrow we head to the incredibly beautiful mountain town of Dalat and then our real trek! My next blog will be when we get back from that in a weeks time.

 

James Webb

 

 

 

 

Gingerbread Houses in Year 9 Food Technology

 

This week the Year 9 Food Technology students design their own Ginger Bread Houses with great success. An amazing array of houses are on display in the kitchen this week, showing the skill and enthusiasm our students have when given a little freedom to experiment.

An outstanding example was designed and made by Natalia B.

Well done to all

Jane Boras

 

 

College Library News

Poppy Project

This week we have started making poppies for the 5000 Poppies project.

Students and staff are invited to meet each Thursday over the recess and lunch breaks to work on making poppies for Anzac Day 2015.
Contributions have included knitted, crochet, woven and fleece poppies this week.
Our challenges to create a poppy, or many poppies, pales into insignificance as we reflect on the hardships and challenges our troops faced 100 years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Library Reading Challenge Winner

The 2014 Library Reading Challenge was a huge success with many students signing up to “Read their way around the Library”. Reading a minimum of 8 books from 7 different collections allowed students to read a number of different books from our many collections. To reach the finish line participants had to take a ‘creative’ photo featuring a book or books.

Ansul R from year 9 was selected the 2014 Winner for her reading commitment and creative photo. Ansul received a book store voucher and pens for her outstanding effort.

A “Summer Reading Challenge” will be available for all year 7, 8 and 9 students who wish to continue reading over the summer holidays.

5 books of the readers choice plus watch a movie with a book tie in is all it will take to successfully complete this challenge.

Students need to register with the library to receive their invitation to a morning tea on Monday 8 December 2014 when they will be able to collect their participation kits.

 

Vale Margaret Mackellar 13 September 1941 - 21 November 2014

Margaret was a teacher librarian at Burwood Heights High School and retired at Forest Hill College in 2003.
Margaret spent some years as a welfare coordinator and in later years as the manager of the International Students Program which involved extensive travelling to Japan, China, Vietnam, Laos & Thailand. Margaret made many friends at Burwood Heights High School/Forest Hill College and will be sadly missed. 

Painting Working Bee

We are in the process of establishing a high performance Strength and Conditioning Room in the Gym at the College, for all students to access in 2015.
Attached to it will be the services of a personal trainer that all students can access at lunchtimes from the first day of the 2015 school year.
I have allocated significant money to the equipment fit out, and am now seeking some volunteers to help me paint the room across the weekend of December 6 and 7.
Any volunteers willing to help please contact the General office to register your attendance so we can plan effectively to maximise all help offers we get.I Look forward to hearing from you.