Principal’s Report Term 2 Week 5 2015 Staffing update David Taylor, Head Teacher TAS has been successful in merit selection and has been appointed Deputy Principal at Northern Beaches Secondary College, Cromer Campus. A panel has been formed and an advertisement will run for Head Teacher TAS during the next two weeks. Karen Gourlay’s position in the Mathematics Department is also vacant due to her merit selection as Head Teacher Mathematics, The Forest High School. A panel has been formed for that position and an advertisement will be running in the next two weeks. Jacqui Payne from the English faculty has been successful in merit selection and has been appointed Head Teacher English, Cammeraygal High School. We congratulate these teachers on their success in the merit selection process. They are all excellent teachers who have made a strong contribution to education at The Forest High School. Properties Update Remediation work was completed on the pathways into the back of the Hall over the holidays and the new change rooms and toilets will be completed in the next couple of weeks. This whole area of the Hall has been remodeled into a clean, spacious, attractive facility that will enhance learning in Creative and Performing Arts and provide improved amenities for the public. We will be refurbishing the staff common room into another 21st Century learning space. Joel Wood, Head Teacher Teaching and Learning and Nicole Murray, Teacher-Librarian, are managing that project and it will commence sometime this term, ready for Term 3. The Principals’ Tour to Korea Over the Easter holiday I went on a Principals’ Study Tour of Korea. I was one member of a delegation that included 22 principals and education officers from all over Australia. The tour was sponsored by the Ministry of Education in Korea, the Australia-Korea Foundation and the Korean Tourism Organisation. The tour lasted nine days and we were able to visit several schools and see the innovative technologies being used to enhance education in Korea. The schools we visited included the Elementary School attached to Gong-ju University of Education, Sejong Global High School, Chungnam Arts High School, Seoul English Education Centre in Gapyeong and Yeouido Middle School. We also visited the Ministry of Education and met the Education Minister and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. We then travelled to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. In addition to the educational visits, we were given the opportunity to do some sightseeing at some of the significant cultural and natural sites in Korea and the innovative companies and factories such as Hyundai, i-KAIST and Samsung d’light. The trip was very intellectually stimulating and I came away with many ideas of ways we can incorporate innovative technologies into our learning programs and encourage students and teachers to look beyond the classroom walls for inspirational learning experiences. I will be sharing photos of the Korean schools with the students at assembly and donating gifts of books on Korean history and culture to our library. School Plan The new school plan has been published and is available on the school’s website. We are now working on milestones for the projects we will be running over the next three years. Rosemary McDowall Principal WHOOPING COUGH A case of whooping has been reported in the school community. Following is information and action regarding whooping cough. Whooping cough starts like a cold and progresses to bouts of coughing that can last for many weeks. Older children may just have a cough that is persistent and is worse at night. The infection can occur even in fully-vaccinated children. Anyone with symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. Your GP can test for whooping cough. If your doctor diagnoses whooping cough, please let the school know and keep your child at home until they have taken 5 days of antibiotics. After 5 days of antibiotic treatment, enough bacteria are killed to stop the spread to others, although the cough can linger for weeks. People diagnosed with whooping cough should stay away from school until no longer infectious. Ask your doctor for a medical certificate and find out when it is safe to return. Thank you and good bye Thank you so much to the wonderful parents and students of Forest High. I have loved every minute of teaching at this school and am truly grateful for the opportunity of being part of such a wonderful community of learning. Throughout my nine years at The Forest I have seen our students consistently demonstrate compassion towards others, a desire to learn and achieve and a genuine love of their school. Forest students treat others with respect and kindness and I wish all students and their families all the very best for 2015 and beyond. Jacqui Payne - English Faculty Achievement Awards Congratulations to the following students who have received 10 green Certificate of Recognition slips and been awarded a Certificate of Achievement Year 8 Sacha Bensaul Aaron Gurd Bailee Glynn Jeremy Butler Year 9 Joseph Kim x2 Samantha O’Shanassy x2 Robert Buttiglieri Luke Chronis Year 10 Baden Kelly Aidan Wylie Year 11 Hollie Wedlake x2 Saltbush 2015 On Tuesday 12th May, 2015, 9 students from The Forest High School accompanied by Mr Pitt and Ms Chaloner joined 10 students from Ryde Secondary College and three of their teachers for a trip out to Bourke to visit Bourke High School. Students had a wonderful time in Bourke attending classes with the Bourke students. As well as subjects they were used to they also attended Agricultural Studies, Barkindji Language class in the Bush Tucker Garden and a Girls healing Circle. There was also a day trip to Gundabooka, Ngemba country which was lead by a Ngemba woman, Missy who is also a support teacher at Bourke High School. Missy taught everyone about the land, how you could tell where her people had cooked and camped and she taught students about bush tucker and medicine and how to find water. She also showed students some very old Aboriginal paintings. The trip to Bourke was a very special experience for everyone involved. Everyone learnt a lot about our Indigenous heritage and made some new friends. Students gained a greater appreciation of all the opportunities afforded them by where they live and the challenges facing rural Australians. Both students and teachers were sad to leave Bourke and all hope to return there again one day. Ms L. Chaloner Year 7 Report Year 7 continue to participate wholeheartedly in high school life. They formed strong friendships at the Year 7 Camp in Term 1 and these are evident in the caring and compassionate way many of them interact with one another. Year 7 students have recently completed the Peer Support Program with their Year 10 buddies, which was very valuable. They learnt how to build resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity and they have also learnt how to overcome challenges. As a reward and celebration for completing this program, Year 7 along with their Year 10 buddies, will be going on an adventure to the Zoo. We are very much looking forward to this trip with this delightful group of students. We encourage them to keep embracing the many opportunities that The Forest High School offers. Sarah Hawling Year 7 Adviser Year 8 Report The year 8 students recently have had the opportunity to attend a poetry incursion organised by the English faculty. I was impressed to hear the students were punctual and joined in the incursion responsibly and with enthusiasm. I would like to thank them and also the English teachers, particularly Mr David de Montfort and Ms Blae Levy for organising this opportunity for the students. Many student comments were along the theme of "who would have thought poetry can be fun..." On the subject of literacy, we ask all students to participate in our "Drop everything and read" program. The objective is all students choose a book to read during our first morning session, which allows the students to settle their thoughts to prepare for learning throughout the day. Please assist your child by asking what book they are reading and encourage them to choose books that interest them - preferably hard copy rather than downloaded books on their devices. The weather is changeable at the moment and a jumper may be needed throughout the day. Could I please ask all students wear correct uniform and that each item of clothing is labelled with your child's name so that lost property can be returned to the student (school uniforms can be expensive if items of clothing need to be replaced). If the weather requires scarfs and or beanies - plain black is the most suitable colour for these types of accessories. Variants in bold colours or comical designs should be kept safely at home until a suitable mufti day is organised at school. We are nearly mid way through the term and I wish to commend the students for their efforts across all classes so far. Keep up your personal best. Clare Diggins Year 8 Adviser Year 9 Report Term 2 has proven to be very busy for year 9. Only half way through the term they have already had to undertake NAPLAN in Week 4 as well as have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. Friday of week 4, year 9 participated in the Reach program which was aimed at developing self-esteem, confidence and positive peer dynamics. It was a very powerful workshop; the students showed respect and empathy as individuals were brave enough to express their feelings.