Dear Students, Parents, and Carers,
Last week, 45 enthusiastic Year 8 students embarked on an unforgettable adventure at The Ranch on the Mornington Peninsula for their annual camp. This year’s camp focused on building confidence and self-esteem, providing our students with the unique opportunity to step out of their comfort zones, try new activities, and connect with peers in a vibrant and supportive environment.
Throughout the camp, students engaged in a variety of exhilarating activities, including horse riding, archery, mountain boarding, and the thrilling giant swing. Evenings were filled with excitement, featuring a night walk under the stars and a cozy fire where students enjoyed making s’mores on the final night. Witnessing the transformation in our students as they embraced these challenges and supported one another was truly inspiring. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them!
A special thank you goes to Ms. Power, our dedicated Year 8 Team Leader, for her superb leadership, as well as to our wonderful supervising staff—Mr. Burrows, Ms. Brunton, Mr. Fernando, and Mr. Van Schie—whose support made this experience possible.
As we see out the cold winter months, we would like to remind the school community of the variety of uniform options available to students, all of which are outlined in our student dress code policy on our school website. As we continue to support students in taking pride in their uniform, it is essential that students wear the correct uniform items. Students not doing so will receive uniform infringements.
To keep warm, students have several uniform options, including the newly introduced waterproof jacket and the active wear track pant. Please note that hoodies are not permitted at any time. Students wearing hoodies will be required to remove them and place them in their lockers for the rest of the day, with repeat offenders having their hoodies confiscated. Additionally, the school beanie can only be worn outside.
If you need any uniform assistance, please reach out at fairhills.hs@education.vic.gov.au.
On a final note, we also took part in the National Day of Action against Bullying, underscoring the importance of raising awareness about the impact of bullying on individuals and communities. We extend our gratitude to Mariani, our Mental Health Practitioner, for preparing thoughtful materials delivered in Thrive and House Group sessions. Students are encouraged to stand as upstanders and report any instances of bullying to their Thrive/Connect teachers or Team Leaders. Additionally, students can report concerns anonymously through the Stymie app at https://stymie.com.au.
We’re all a piece of the puzzle, and together, we’re united against bullying.
Silvana La Leggia
Assistant Principal – Middle School
