Parent Teacher Interviews

Recent Semester 1 data indicates the parent and student community actively engaged with teachers at the recent Online Parent Teacher interviews that were held this week.

If for any reason you were not available to participate in the interviews, feel free to contact the required teacher and make an appointment to discuss your child’s progress.

Tutoring Initiative

I would like to acknowledge the good work undertaken by our four tutors:

Olivia Johnson – English
Rebecca Vance – English
Sandra Dinh – Mathematics
Isabel Yu – Mathematics

Students who recently completed Tutor Learning surveys have highly commended all of our tutors. Many of the students commented that the tutors have had a positive impact on their learning in most subjects.

For those of you who may not be aware the role of the tutor includes:

• Working with classroom teachers, and other school leaders, to finalise the identification of students, where needed, using available data and evidence approaches.
• Analysing data of students identified for support to understand their learning progress and their point of need.
• Developing learning and teaching strategies within the small group practice approach adopted at FHS.
• Collaborating with classroom teachers to ensure the small group learning curriculum is aligned to classroom lesson plans and unit outcomes relevant to each student.
• Collaborating with students and teachers to identify specific learning goals and Individualised Education Plans where appropriate.
• Encouraging students to talk and articulate their thinking in collaborative tasks to ensure they benefit fully from learning interventions.
• Providing students with effective feed-back which is specific, accurate, clear and provides specific guidance.
• Regularly monitoring student learning progress through assessment and other evidence, and adapt learning plans and activities in consultation with classroom teachers and other relevant school staff as required.

The FISO 0.2 Improvement Cycle ties in with the work of tutors:

1. Evaluate and Diagnose – review available data and identify areas of concern or challenge for each student.
2. Prioritise and Set Goals – identify the key focus areas and develop goals in collaboration with the student and teacher.

Respectful Relationships

As the first draft of the FHS Respectful Relationships Action Plan is close to completion, it is worth noting the important role prevention of violence against women plays in the community. More than one in three Australian women aged over 18 has experienced violence since the age of 15 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012).

A 2013 VicHealth study found that of Australian young people aged 16-24:

1. Almost a quarter believe that partner violence can be excused if the person is so angry they lose control
2. Only half knew where to get help if they were faced with a problem about violence against women (VicHealth, 2013)
3. We know that changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviours and equality are lived across the school community, and when classroom learning is reinforced by what is modelled in our school community.

A whole-school approach to Respectful Relationships recognises that schools are:

1. A workplace where all staff should feel equally respected, safe and valued and have equal opportunities
2. A safe space where young people can learn about gender equality and respectful relationships, in and out of the classroom
3. Part of the wider community that can model gender equality and respectful relationships.

Year 9 Connect Program

Head over to the Middle School report to see what has been happening.

Karen Dean
Associate Principal, Staff Development/Leadership