The Fortian 2011
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t'.11;,t ; ‘,„ The Fortian 2011 Andrew Wu Sydney YEAR 9 Principal 2 ARTICLES YEAR REPORTS Deputy Principals 3 Fun around the Fort 25 Year 7 55 Student Representative Council 4 Original Student Work 25 Year 8 56 Careers 5 IMP 31 Year 9 57 Speech Day 2009 Awards 6 National Youth Science Forum 38 Year 10 58 Boss Lift 12 Debating 39 Year 11 59 Peace Keeping 13 36th Professor Harry Messel Pathways for the Class of 2009 14 Science School 40 PHOTOS Honouring Student Volunteers 40 FACULTY REPORTS Staff Photo 60 SUSMUN 41 Years 7 - 11 Photos 61 English 15 P&C President 42 History 16 Fort Street Council 42 YEAR 12 Social Science 17 The University of Western Year 12 Adviser Speech 66 Languages 18 Sydney Youth Science Forum 43 Year 12 Photo 67 Sport 20 Fort Street Foundation 43 Year 12 68 PDHPE 24 Original Student Work 44 TAS 26 UNSW Mineral Summer School 45 Mathematics 28 Year 9 Enrichment 45 Science 29 France 2011 48 Music 30 German Visit 49 Visual Arts 32 Duke of Edinborough Award 50 Drama 37 Fort Street Through the Eyes of a German Teacher's Aid 50 Library Past and Present 51 Suginami Sogo Visit 52 Fort Street Medal Recipient 53 Amnesty International 53 Environment 54 Maroon Bloomers 54 Acknowledgements Fortian Production Team: Catriona Arcamone, Vivienne Dadour, Roslynne Moxham, Imogene Lourey-Gregory Principal 2011 can only be described as the Year of Disruptions, a fine Head Teacher Welfare/Teaching and Learning and Flexibility and Positive Relationships. Disruptions due relieving Head of English. to building and staff in relieving positions, flexibility to I would like also to especially thank Mrs Woodley who manage the disruption, and positive relationships as Fort bravely took on the unenviable task of organising the room Street pulled together to create opportunities for growth changes which occurred each fortnight during the year to and development. accommodate the builders and Mrs Humphrys from the There were disruptions every day due to room changes front office who was the link between the builders and the necessary to enable the builders to insulate the school from school. She ensured that effective daily communication aircraft noise, and disruptions caused by me taking up was the norm and that issues were resolved immediately. relieving School Education Director positions for Term 1 and Flexible is the other word to describe the year 2011. then again at the end of Term 3 and for the majority of Term 4. Flexibility has been needed to manage the inordinate The disruptions caused by the aircraft noise amelioration number of changes required to keep learning as the focus program came after a long ten year campaign by the on a building site. Positive relationships and team work school community on behalf of our school, located have been the bonus for a really busy and fractured year. 400 metres west of the imaginary line which formed Staff, students and parents have been accommodating the boundary for the Howard government's insulation and understanding when things went awry, dates needed program. We are indebted to the Rudd government for its to be changed at short notice, or even cancelled. It is the decision to include our school, which is under the flight capacity of our community to work together in challenging path, for insulation. Staff and students have indicated circumstances which sets it apart. I thank each and every that classrooms are now much better places for learning. member of the community for your patience and tolerance Students can hear staff for entire lessons - rather a novelty during the year. We are a stronger community of leaders after the constant "Excuse me, can you repeat that?" which because of your efforts this year. formed much of the conversation in classrooms when Despite disruptions, high order and challenging learning the planes were flying overhead. In addition to quieter opportunities have been at the centre of our core business. classrooms, rooms now also stay at temperatures which are Fortians have continued to excel in leadership, academic more conducive to learning. competitions, music, visual arts, drama, volunteering and Many staff members have been provided with opportunities through charity work. Outstanding academic results at to step up into higher level leadership positions. Mr Osland the Higher School Certificate and School Certificate are a is to be congratulated on the outstanding manner in which testament to the leadership, and nurturing of Fortians by he led the school as relieving Principal. Every decision he our wonderful professional staff. Both Year 10 and Year 12 made had students and student learning as the focus. Ms have produced the best results since 2002 and these have Starr, Ms Manson, Mr Chapman and Ms Arcamone have come about because of a focused approach by all teachers ably filled the Deputy Principal shoes, with Dr Strauss being to improve student engagement, organisation and literacy skills, compact the curriculum and further challenge students through our acceleration program in mathematics, chemistry and software design and development. At the end of 2011, it is time to farewell a number of significant people in the school community. Dr Tom Hubble is stepping down as the chairperson of the School Council; John Melville is also leaving the School Council after six years in various roles in the school including President of the P&C, and Tanya Anhtuan has been a wonderful parent representative on the School Council for five years. On staff, Mr Hart has moved to Springwood High School, and we are grateful to him for his wonderful work as Head Teacher CAPA and as a member of staff for the last seven years. Ms Harman has only been with us for three terms as Head Teacher Science and has made a most positive impact on the school. We wish her well in her new role as Deputy Principal at Normanhurst Boys High School. Mr Carritt will be on leave for 2012 and living in the United States of America and Ms Lawson gave birth to a daughter on November 27.We look forward to their return to The Fort. In Term 4 we welcomed our new student leaders and celebrated student leadership of 2011. We combined this special ceremony with our inaugural Distinguished Service 2 lk. medals. It was special to have the family of Michael I thank the whole staff for their professionalism and care Browne, one of our long standing teachers, to accept the and concern for Fortians once again. medal posthumously to acknowledge his huge contribution I look forward to working with you in 2012 as part of the to The Fort. This poignant part of the ceremony also Fort Street family which expects high standards, celebrates included presentations of medals to Professor Bruce Sutton tolerance of diversity and encourages each individual to and Nyin Cameron, former parents in the school and to contribute to the wellbeing of the whole community. Mr Kitakado, our long term liaison teacher with Suginami Sogo High School in Japan. ROSLYNNE MOXHAM, Principal 000 Deputy Principals The role of Deputy Principal has been a fairly fluid have provided leadership in a variety of programs one this year. We would like to thank all the Head including Peer Support with Year 7 students, acting as Teachers who have, at various times and for varying student mentors for Years 7, 8 and 10 through the Boost lengths of time, taken on our duties while we were either Program, as well as assisting younger students with issues performing higher duties or on leave. This includes Ms of conflict through peer mediation sessions. Our 2011 Starr, Ms Arcamone, Mr Chapman and Ms Manson. The Year 10 students have done an outstanding job acting as depth of experience and commitment of our executive guides on Open Mornings and Orientation Day, as well is a wonderful resource for the school in such times so as initiating a student Amnesty group in support of social that the implementation of programs and the support of justice issues. The capacity of our students to meet the students are able to continue seamlessly. This is also true school's exit profile is demonstrated in that almost half of of the teaching staff who have relieved as Head Teachers. the students in this year have, at the same time, taken on This year was the last in our planning cycle of three years, more challenging academic work through acceleration and it has been satisfying to see the successful outcomes into Preliminary courses. of programs set in motion in 2009. In particular, the These are just some of the achievements of 2011. We results of our Year 9 students in the writing section of the would also like to acknowledge our wonderful Year NAPLAN tests of 2011 have demonstrated the success of Advisers and Assistant Year Advisers for their unfailing our Literacy initiatives. The average score rose from 658.6 support of the welfare of our students, as well as our for Year 9 students in 2010 to 693.2 for Year 9 in 2011, Learning and Homework Centre co-ordinator and our while the average growth for the latter group from their School Counsellors for their work with students who Year 7 results in 2009 was 48.55 points. Our teachers have experienced a range of difficulties over the year. have been placing a strong emphasis on writing skills Their support of our role as deputies has been invaluable. across all subjects in this planning cycle, with particular We look forward to another exciting and successful year focus on persuasive writing this year, and their efforts working with the teachers and students of Fort Street in have clearly benefited our students.