ANZAC Day

As we delve into the importance of ANZAC Day, I believe that sharing stories and anecdotes can provide us with a deeper understanding of the significance of this day. One of the most poignant tales is that of Simpson and his donkey. John Simpson Kirkpatrick, a brave stretcher-bearer, fearlessly used a donkey to transport wounded soldiers to safety during the intense battles at Gallipoli. His remarkable acts of courage and compassion exemplify the enduring spirit of mateship and sacrifice that we commemorate on ANZAC Day.

ANZAC Day holds a special place in our history as it marks the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, during World War I. This day of remembrance serves as a poignant reminder of the bravery and selflessness demonstrated by those who fought for our freedom in the past.

Moreover, ANZAC Day encourages us to reflect on the broader themes of peace, freedom, and the importance of standing together in times of adversity. It serves as a reminder of the enduring impact of war and conflict on individuals, families, and communities, urging us to strive for a more peaceful and harmonious world.

Fostering a Positive Learning Environment for Your Teen at Home

As we know, the foundation for a successful educational experience starts at home. Parents/carers encouragement and engagement create a positive environment that fosters a love for learning in your teenager. To maintain this positive and engaging learning environment outside of school, here are some specific strategies and tips tailored for teenagers:

1. Encourage independence: Support your teenager in taking ownership of their learning by allowing them to set their study schedule and goals.
2. Foster open communication: Create a safe space for your teenager to share their thoughts and concerns about schoolwork, and offer guidance and support as needed.
3. Provide opportunities for self-discovery: Encourage your teenager to explore their interests through projects, research, or extracurricular activities to deepen their passion for learning.
4. Embrace technology (with clear borders): Incorporate educational podcasts, online courses, and interactive learning platforms to cater to your teenager’s digital preferences.
5. Promote time management skills: Help your teenager develop effective time management strategies to balance academic responsibilities with personal interests and activities.

Here are three Australian websites that can assist parents/carers in supporting their children’s education and well-being:

1. ReachOut Parents: This website offers practical support and information for parents of teenagers, covering topics such as mental health, communication, relationships, and well-being. It provides articles, videos, forums, and tools to help parents navigate the challenges of raising teenagers. Website: ReachOut Parents
2. Raising Children Network: Run by the Australian Government, the Raising Children Network offers evidence-based parenting information and resources for parents of children of all ages. The website covers topics such as education, health, development, and well-being, providing valuable insights and tips for parents. Website: Raising Children Network
3. headspace: headspace is a national youth mental health foundation in Australia that offers support and resources for parents of teenagers who may be experiencing mental health challenges. They provide information on how to recognize signs of mental health issues, support strategies, and access to professional help. Website: headspace

These websites can be valuable sources of information and support for parents looking to enhance their children’s educational experience and overall wellbeing.
If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Working together, we can ensure your teenager’s continued success in their educational endeavours.

Contribution Fees

Fairhills High School would like to express our sincere gratitude to all parents who have contributed towards the school contributions this year. Your support is truly valued and plays a crucial role in enhancing the educational experience for all students.

Paying school contributions is fundamental in supporting our education system. These contributions directly benefit your child by providing resources for educational materials, activities, new equipment, and facility upgrades, ultimately enriching their learning environment.

Upgrades include:

• New flooring in the basketball foyer – Completed in Term 1
• New library furniture – Term 3
• New furniture in the Year 7 classes – Term 3
• Year 7 & 8 Courtyard modernisation – Term 3 & 4

It’s important to note that contributing to the school not only provides tangible benefits but also helps build a sense of community among parents and guardians. By working together, we create a shared responsibility for ensuring that every student receives the best possible education.

If you have not yet made a contribution this year, you can easily do so through the Compass Payment Centre. The Centre allows for full payment or the option to pay in smaller amounts throughout the term. Contributions can also be made directly at the school office.

Should you wish to discuss a payment plan, please feel free to contact the General Office at 9758 5022.

Ian Van Schie
Principal

Learning Conferences

Thank you to families for partnering with the school and supporting the learning journey of your child by attending the learning Conferences on Wednesday 17 April. This was an opportune time to hear from teachers and for students to reflect on their participation and engagement in class. A new term can provide time to set new goals and create schedules that further support their learning.

Our LEARN Model

On Friday 26 April, teaching and education support staff who work directly with our young people in the classroom brought their experience and passion for teaching to the development of lessons and curriculum to teach explicitly our School Wide Positive Behaviour framework.

We used our approach to creating a positive learning environment [see image] as a guide to thinking about teaching the how and the why of the behaviours aligned to our community values. In the Headstart program at the end of last year we rolled out some explicit lessons related to building relationships and the intention is during the course of the year to do the same looking at our other two core values, Acting Responsibly and Showing Respect.

To give you a taster of our approach below is a lesson developed by Greg Baker and Maddi Brunton on the Value of Acting Responsibly in the Classroom to Strive to do your Best Work.

They have designed the lesson to give our students the ability to say what it looks like and feels like to do your best and explicit strategies for building the habits and positive mindset skills to do your best.

I’m looking forward to reviewing the work of our fantastic educators and supporting them to deliver these lessons to our your people so that they can achieve their full potential.

Below is a lesson developed on the day:

For more information about our LEARN model please visit https://fairhillshs.vic.edu.au/learning/

or contact me directly

Dr Peter Morgan

Pedagogy and Curriculum Leader 7-10

peter.morgan3@education.vic.gov.au

Every Day Counts

Secondary School Attendance

Going to school every day is the single most important part of your teenager’s education.
Students learn new things at school every day – missing school puts them behind.

School is better when your teenager is there

Why it’s important 

We all want our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day.

Students develop good habits by going to school every day – habits that are necessary to succeed after school, whether in the workplace or in further study.

Missing school can have a big impact on students academically and socially. It can affect their test results, including VCE & VCE VM, and, just as importantly, it can affect their relationships with other students, and lead to social isolation.

There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes.

Each missed day is associated with falling behind in subject topics and assessment tasks, and lead to fewer subject choices and may impact on achievement in years 11 and 12 and post-school pathways.

Fairhills is there to help – if you’re having attendance issues with your child, speak to your child’s Team Leader about ways to address those issues.

Student Absences

The main reasons for absence are:

Sickness – There are always times when students need to miss school, such as when they’re ill. It’s vital that they’re only away on the days they are genuinely sick, and setting good sleep patterns, eating well and exercising regularly can make a big difference.

Family holidays – It’s vital that holidays are planned during school holidays where possible, and not during the term. If you are planning to go on holiday during term time, make sure that you talk to your school in advance, and work with them to develop an absence learning plan.

“Day off” – Think twice before letting your teenager have a “day off” as they could fall behind their classmates – every day counts.

Truancy – This is when students choose not to go to school without their parent’s permission or skip out of school during the day. There can be many reasons for truancy; the best way to address this is for schools and parents to work together.

While all absences can effect academic performance, DET’s statistics show that unexcused absences are a much stronger indicator of lower reading and maths achievement.

School refusal – School refusing children experience significant emotional distress not only when going to school but also at the thought of going to school; they may be absent from school for weeks or even months at a time. School refusal differs from truancy as children generally stay home with the knowledge of the parents and despite their best efforts to encourage their child to go to school. See: My child or teenager has anxiety

Being away from School for 1 day a fortnight equals missing 1.5 years over 13 years of school

If your teenager is away 

If for any reason your teenager must miss school, there are things you can do with the school to ensure they don’t fall behind:

1. Inform the school via phone or Compass
2. Find out what work your teenager needs to do to keep up.
3. Develop an absence learning plan with your teenager’s Team Leader and ensure they complete the plan.

Remember, every day counts. Openly communicating with your teenager’s school about all absences is a good way to prevent attendance issues being escalated to a School Attendance Officer. A School Attendance Officer is a Department of Education and Training Regional Director who has authority to follow up attendance issues. Chronic or ongoing attendance issues that are escalated can lead to an Infringement Notice being issued to parent/s.

If you’re having attendance issues with your teenager, please let the Team Leader know so you can work together to get your teen to school every day.

Top Attendance Tips for Parents

• Schools want to work in partnership with parents – act early if you have any concerns by contacting your child’s school and asking for advice and support.
• Remember that every day counts.
• There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness.
• Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day.
• Open and prompt communication with your child’s school about all absences is a good idea.
•  Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term.
• Seek help from your school if you are concerned about your child’s attendance and wellbeing. Schools want to work in partnership with parents to support student attendance and wellbeing.

Further Information

For more information and resources to help address attendance issues, visit:
https://www.vic.gov.au/attendance-and-missing-school

The beginning of Term 2 has been nothing short of spectacular for our Middle School students. Not only did our students participate enthusiastically in the Scoresby District Athletics Carnival, but they also showcased their talents at the Fairhills High School Senior Grade 5 & 6 Basketball Cup on Wednesday 1 May.

At the Scoresby District Athletics Carnival, our students played a crucial role, assisting in various capacities. Their dedication and support were instrumental in making the event a resounding success and provided a great opportunity to build community relationships with our primary school network.

Additionally, we would like to extend our congratulations to all the Primary School feeder teams for their outstanding performance in the Fairhills High School Senior Basketball Cup. The competition was fierce, and every team gave their best effort, making it an amazing event for everyone involved.

The results of the competition are as follows:

Boys/mixed Teams:

• First Place: Kent Park Primary School
• Second Place: Knox Park Primary School
• Third Place: Wattle View Primary School
• Fourth Place: Knox Central

Girls Teams:

• First Place: Kent Park Primary School
• Second Place: Knox Park Primary School
• Third Place: Wattle View Primary School
• Fourth Place: Knox Central

One standout achievement came from Hudson (our Year 9 student), who coached the Kent Park boys/mixed team to a well-deserved first-place victory. His leadership, dedication, and coaching skills were exemplary, and we are incredibly proud of his achievement.

A huge congratulations to Ruby for her incredible contribution to the World’s Greatest Shave. Ruby participated in this fantastic event and managed to raise over $2000 for the Leukemia Foundation. We are incredibly proud of her efforts.

In other news, our Year 9 Connect students have commenced their Morrisby testing, marking the beginning of an exciting journey into career exploration. The Morrisby testing provides students with valuable insights into their strengths and interests, helping them identify potential career pathways and job opportunities.

Upon completion of the testing, students will receive a comprehensive report highlighting their strengths and areas of interest. This report will serve as a valuable tool as they begin to explore various career options and make informed decisions about their future.

We are excited to support our students on this journey of self-discovery and career exploration, and we look forward to seeing where their passions and talents may lead them in the future.

Once again, congratulations to all our Middle School students for a great start to Term 2. Keep up the fantastic work!

Silvana La Leggia
Middle School Leader

Man Cave and Big Sister Incursion

On Thursday 2 May ‘Man Cave’ and ‘Big Sister’ came to Fairhills to facilitate and present an interactive, fun and engaging full-day workshop to our Year 11 and Year 12 students. This is the 3rd level of the Man Can Cave program that our male students will have attended over the last 3 years. The workshop challenged our male students to consider how they will contribute to the community and world by defining values and actions they want to lead by, being challenged on how they lead and understanding needs in the community. The Big Sister Experience (TBSE) is designed to empower and inspire young people by providing tools to become capable, resilient and confident. Our female students were empowered to learn about self-confidence, setting personal boundaries, and discussing healthy views of body image. The workshop encouraged discussion around the use of social media, human connection, inclusion, acceptance and safe partying.

The day was a great success and our students were a credit to our school. Feedback from the presenters was extremely positive and they thoroughly enjoyed working with our students. Special thanks to our Wellbeing Team for organising this incursion.

Bill Exton
Senior School Assistant Principal

Year 11 VM Class

Last week, our Year 11 Vocational Major class embarked on a profound journey to the Melbourne Holocaust Museum as part of their Term 2 major project.

Engaged in the “In Touch With Memory” school program, students delved into the poignant history of the Holocaust, exploring museum artifacts that bear witness to this dark chapter of humanity.

Venturing further, students immersed themselves in the “Everybody Had A Name” collection, grasping the power of storytelling and its profound impact on shaping our understanding of history.

A highlight of the visit was a heartfelt Q&A session with Holocaust survivor Abram Goldberg, offering invaluable insights into his harrowing experiences and life in the shadow of World War II.

Wrapping up the day, students savoured the flavours of Hungarian cuisine at the Budapest Restaurant, reflecting on the lessons learned and the importance of bearing witness to history.

School Tours

To book a School Tour go to: https://www.trybooking.com/COXXT

We look forward to welcoming you and showing you around our great school.

2024 Term Dates

2024 Contributions Fees

2024 student charges are listed on Compass under Payment Centre.  Contribution payments can be made through this area at any time.

2024 CSEF Applications

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.  If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.

If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

If you would like to apply for the first time, please complete the 2024 CSEF application form.

General Office Details

The General Office hours are: 8.00am-4.00pm

Telephone: 9758 5022
Email: fairhills.hs@education.vic.gov.au

Parents, contractors, visitors and volunteers should always make contact with the General Office first when visiting the school or requiring to make contact with their child.

Appointments with teachers must be made via telephone or email.

Compass

Compass is the communication portal for Fairhills – https://fairhillshs-vic.compass.education/

Parents/carers are provided with log in details. For any questions or trouble logging in please contact the General Office. Using Compass allows parents/carers to have access to up-to-date information and the following features:

• Monitor attendance, and enter an explanation for absence or lateness
• Communicate with teachers
• Update contact details
• View their child’s timetable and the school calendar
• Monitor homework and assessment tasks
• Download and view semester reports
• Book parent-teacher-student interviews each semester
• Pay and provide consent for events and school contributions

Compass Events / Payment Centre / Course Confirmation

Please check Events regularly as these need to be consented/paid by the due date for your child to attend.  Also check out the Payment Centre and Course Confirmation sections.

Click here for the Compass Parent Guide

Student Absences

If your child will be absent or late due to illness or for any other reason, parents/guardians are able to:

• Mark their absence on Compass / or
• Send an email to the school: fairhills.hs@education.vic.gov.au / or
• Phone the absence hotline on 9758 5022. Leave a message after the prompt. The absence hotline is operational 24hrs a day, 7 days a week for your convenience.

Student’s arriving to school late are required to sign in (using their Student ID Card) on the Compass Kiosk machine at the General Office.

If a student is required to leave school early for any reason they should bring a note from their parent/guardian and record this on Compass. All students are required to sign out from the General Office.  If they need to call home, they should come to the office.  Students should not use their mobiles.

Asthma / Diabetes / Anaphylaxis / Epilepsy

ASTHMA, DIABETES, ANAPHYLAXIS, EPILEPSY or an ALLERGY management plans are required to be updated and submitted to the school every 12 months. Please ensure you have provided this to the office in the best interest of your child.

If you require any assistance, do not hesitate to contact the office on 03 9758 5022.

Parent Carpark – pick up and drop off

If you drop/pick up your children please ensure you:

• use the parent car park – not the staff/guest car park, except for those with a disability parking permit
• pull into a parent parking spot to let your child out/pick them up
• when exiting turn left onto Scoresby road (as per the sign)

Uniform Shop

The purchase of School Uniforms are now through Dandy Schoolwear in Dandenong.

Dandy Schoolwear

Factory 8, 169 Cheltenham Road, Dandenong
(03) 9792 0424

Monday to Friday – 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday – 9:30am to 2:00pm

Uniform details

Uniform Price List

2024 Fairhills High School Student Dress Code

2024 Bell Times

Two different bell times run during the week:

• Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
• Monday and Thursday (includes House Group)

2024 Team Leaders

2024 Student ID cards

By now, all 2024 Student ID cards have been distributed to students. If you have been away or not received a card, please see Ms Kirby in the Library.

Please ensure your Student card is kept in a safe place – there is a fee to have another one produced. The Student cards can be used to verify you age with the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) and at other venues which accept student concessions like Cinemas and some Restaurants. Your ID card is also your School Library Card and can be configured to allow ‘quick tap on’ access to the Library Photocopier. Please come to the Library at lunchtime and Library Staff can help you activate your cards to allow quick printing/photocopying.

Congratulations to the following students for being selected into the North Eastern Region Performance.

The 2024 NEVR Youth Concert is to be held at Melbourne’s prestigious concert venue Hamer Hall on Wednesday 29 May at 7.00 pm. This concert is a spectacular evening showcasing the talents of music students from over 200 primary and secondary government schools within the North-Eastern Victoria Region. It involves 2 full day workshops, sound check and performance at Hamer Hall.

Audrey          Voice
Stephanie     Voice
Holly             Voice
Maddison     Voice
Cas                 Voice
Bella              Voice
Cheryl           Clarinet
Caine            Clarinet
Tayla             Clarinet
Anja              Clarinet
Abby             Flute
Isabelle        Trumpet

Mr James, Ms Turner and Mrs McAlister are very proud of these students and know they will represent Fairhills High School with pride. This is a wonderful musical achievement.

Following are some photos of our new music hub – it is a wonderful learning area.

If you have any questions regarding the instrumental music program or enrolling your child into lessons please email me at nicole.mcalister@education.vic.gov.au