Celebrating Book Week at Fairhills
Fairhills High School celebrated Children’s Book Week from 25–28 August with this year’s theme, “Symphony of Stories.” Students enjoyed a range of activities celebrating books, reading and storytelling.
Highlights included the Book Hunt, where students searched for hidden book covers, and the Book Cover Design Competition. Congratulations to Frank, whose creative redesign of The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway won the competition and a $30 Dymocks voucher.
Students also enjoyed guessing games, word searches, colouring activities and a range of lunchtime activities in the Library. These included personalised bookmark making, a Music and Book Theme Blooket Quiz, and a Book Swap, giving students the opportunity to exchange books and discover new stories.
The Library also featured displays showcasing the 2026 Children’s Book Week winners and other exciting titles for students to explore.
Thank you to all the students and staff who participated and helped make Book Week a wonderful celebration of reading and storytelling at Fairhills!
Inclusion at Fairhills – Connecting, Creating, Growing and Thriving
There are lots of exciting things happening in Inclusion at Fairhills, with new resources and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs providing students with opportunities to build confidence, independence and positive connections at school.
Our Inclusion space has recently welcomed new student lockers, providing students with a secure and organised place for their belongings and learning materials. Having a consistent space supports organisation, independence and helps students feel a greater sense of belonging within the Inclusion area.
Our SEL Gardening, Cooking and Art programs are also continuing to provide students with engaging, hands-on learning experiences.
SEL Gardening supports students to develop teamwork, communication, responsibility and problem-solving skills while working together to plan, prepare and care for the garden.
SEL Cooking provides opportunities to build independence, organisation and confidence. Students practise following instructions, working cooperatively, making decisions and developing practical life skills while preparing and sharing food.
SEL Art provides a calm and creative environment where students can express themselves, explore emotions and develop confidence. Through individual and collaborative activities, students practise emotional regulation, communication, interpersonal skills, flexible thinking and positive peer interactions.
While these programs are enjoyable and practical, they have an important learning purpose. Each program provides structured opportunities for students to develop emotional regulation, communication, help-seeking, teamwork, resilience and independence. These skills can then be transferred into classroom learning, social situations and everyday life.
It has been wonderful to see students embracing these opportunities, developing new skills and experiencing success. We look forward to continuing to grow our Inclusion programs and creating opportunities for all students to connect, participate and thrive at Fairhills.
Instrumental Music
There is plenty happening across the Fairhills High School music program as our students prepare for a big lineup of performances.
Our Concert Band and Choir has been putting in consistent work at weekly rehearsals, resulting in a fantastic sound that’s ready for the stage. You can catch them live at our upcoming concert—all families and community members are welcome!
- When: October 13 at 7:00 PM
- Where: Fairhills High School
- Entry: Free!
Heading into Term 4, our ensembles will be spreading some Christmas spirit across the school community and we want to wish our VCE Music students all the very best as they prepare for their Performance Exam.
State Schools Spectacular 2026
Once again, the State Schools Spectacular was an absolutely incredible experience for our Fairhills High School students!
Students participated in two full days of rehearsals at John Cain Arena, working alongside thousands of talented students from schools across Victoria. This was followed by a massive 12-hour day on Saturday 29 August, which included two spectacular performances in front of huge audiences.
The commitment, energy and resilience shown by our students throughout the entire experience were outstanding. Despite the long days and demanding rehearsal schedule, they remained enthusiastic, professional and fully engaged.
Our students represented Fairhills High School with pride and should be incredibly proud of what they achieved. It was wonderful to see them performing on such a large stage and being part of an unforgettable celebration of the performing arts.
Congratulations to everyone involved—you certainly did Fairhills High School proud!
Triple S – See it. Say it. Support it.
We have also completed the Year 8 sessions of Triple S – See it. Say it. Support it., a program designed to help students recognise when a peer may be struggling and understand how they can respond with care and support. Students explored how to identify signs of concern, approach a friend or peer respectfully, and recognise when it is important to involve a trusted adult. The sessions provided practical strategies for starting supportive conversations and seeking additional help when needed. By developing these skills, students are encouraged to look out for one another and contribute to a more connected and caring school community where everyone feels supported.
Under the Surface: Understanding Bullying
This term, our Year 8 and Year 9 students completed the final session of Under the Surface: Understanding Bullying, an important two-part workshop exploring the complexities of bullying and its impact on individuals and the wider school community. Following the first session in Term 2, which focused on building awareness and understanding, the Term 3 session provided students with an opportunity to explore what bullying can look like “beneath the surface”. Delivered in conjunction with the National Week of Action Against Bullying and Violence in August, the workshop reinforced our commitment to promoting respect, safety and inclusion. Through guided reflection and engaging, scenario-based discussions, students developed greater empathy and insight into the experiences of others. A key focus was encouraging students to pause, think critically and make wise, respectful choices when faced with challenging situations, rather than responding impulsively. These sessions have encouraged and empowered students to play an active role in creating a safe, supportive and inclusive school environment.
VM Market Day
Our Year 11 and 12 VM classes ran a Market Day on Tuesday 1 September. Students planned, advertised and ran their market stalls as part of their integrated project assessment. The focus was community engagement and helping those in need, with the market raising funds for the Big Issue and the Salvation Army.
The school community enjoyed the range of food stalls such as the sausage sizzle, nacho bowls, biscuits & slices, ice cream spiders and a lolly jar guessing competition. The 3D printed fidget spinners were a hit, along with the prize pong and teacher target toss. With the support of our school community, the day raised $1100 for the VM class’s chosen charities.
Fairhills High School Clubs & Activities
After School VCE English Club
When: Tuesdays after school until 4pm
Where: Room S7
VCE English Club is back for 2026. If you want extra help with everything English this is the place to come! You can get help from experienced VCE English teachers and smash English in 2026!
Art Club
When: Every Thursday Lunchtime
Where: A07
All students are welcome. You can create artworks. Bring your lunch and enjoy a creative lunch.
Homework Club
When: Wednesdays, 2:45 – 4:00 PM
Where: Resource Learning Hub
Join us every Wednesday after school in a welcoming space where students can work on homework or class tasks with support available.
All students are encouraged to attend. Homework Club is a great opportunity to stay on top of your learning in a calm, supportive, and inviting environment.
Fairhills Choir
When: Tuesday Lunchtime
Where: Music Classroom
Come down to the music classroom Tuesday Lunchtimes and join in the fun. Chat to any of the music teachers if you have questions.
Japanese Club（日本部）
When: Every second (Week B) Thursday at lunchtime
Where: Room M03
Japanese Club is a place where you can be a curious, creative and confident learner about all things Japanese culture and language.
We are particularly looking for anyone with skills in anything Japanese, so please if you have a skill contact Winstone sensei at jessica.winstone@education.vic.gov.au. Parents very welcome to come share Japanese cultural or language skills if you have them!
However, to come to Japanese Club you don’t need anything but enthusiasm.
The first Japanese Club will run on Thursday March 5 at lunchtime in M03. After that it will run every second Thursday.
楽しみにしています！See you there！
VEX Robotics Competition Teams
When: Tuesdays, 2:45 – 3:45 PM and Friday Lunchtime 1:05 – 1:40 PM
Where: STEM Portable
The VEX Robotics Competition is an engaging, hands-on STEM program where students design, build, and code their own robots to complete specific challenges. It fosters teamwork, problem-solving, and innovation as students compete against other schools in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
Hydrogen Car Grand Prix Teams
When: Tuesdays, 2:45 – 3:45 PM and Friday Lunchtime 1:05 – 1:40 PM
Where: STEM Portable
The Hydrogen Car Grand Prix introduces students to renewable energy and sustainable engineering. Teams design, build, and race model cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells, learning about clean energy technologies, aerodynamics, and mechanical systems in a fun and practical way.
