P&C

Student Smartphone Usage at Fort Street High School
In 2018, Fort Street High School P&C commissioned and funded a study into student utilisation of smartphones at Fort Street High School. For our focus item at our March 13th meeting, we welcomed Psychologist Jocelyn Brewer to present her findings and recommendations. Jocelyn gave a very informative presentation of current research around technology and teenagers and how students at Fort Street are faring. She found that despite adult perceptions, the students at Fort Street were generally very active and social at break times and when they were using technology, this was usually quite a social behaviour. In class, the use of smartphones did occur for learning experiences however since most children do have a laptop, smartphones were not seen to add value. While for some students they can be a distraction in the classroom, the perceptions of students and teachers were that finding something else to focus on would occur anyway for students less engaged in the classroom. The overall finding was that while they weren’t as detrimental as some might have thought, there was no convincing reason for them to be used within school time either.

SCHOOL TOUR FOR PARENTS, CARERS AND STUDENTS

As many of you will be aware, there are a number of school projects that the P&C hopes to contribute to funding in the short to medium term. We have allocated $150,000 for projects within the school this year, but we need to plan approaches to fundraising for the future.

The Focus Item at our next April 10th meeting is a School Tour (between 6:30 and 7:30) of areas and projects under consideration for funding. Students from the Student Representative Council (SRC) and any others interested will accompany the tour to help the P&C to understand the priorities of students within the school. At the May 8th P&C meeting, we will review past approaches to fundraising, gather new ideas and develop a plan for the future.
At the moment, the vast majority of funds raised by the P&C come from Uniform Shop sales. Historically there have been different avenues through which funds can be raised, the classic community building events such as sausage sizzles, drama night dinners and of course Fort Fest. We are also investigating grant applications for some projects at the moment and this type of fund raising is considered on a case by case basis as and when grant applications open and close.

However we know that funds can be raised from a number of sources and are forming a P&C Fundraising Sub-Committee to both develop these sources and also to help maintain the traditional community building approaches.

If you are interested in being any way involved with P&C Fundraising, please email fortstreethighschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au and we will put all interested volunteers in contact with each other.

SECOND HAND UNIFORM STALL
The P&C’s second hand uniform stall runs once per term before school from 7.45-8.45 am in front of the school office. This year’s dates for your diary are:
Term 1: Wednesday 13 February
Term 2: Wednesday 8 May
Term 3: 7 August
Term 4: 23 October

Parents and students are welcome to come and grab a bargain. Price guide: shirts, skirts, shorts, IMP (music program) and sports uniform items all $5 each, jumpers $20, trousers $10, winter jackets $40. Cash only, please bring your small change, condition of clothes as found, no change rooms, no refunds. The second hand uniform stall relies on uniform donations from the school community. You can do your bit to recycle our uniforms and save landfill. If you have clean washed uniforms to donate, please take them to the school library and they will be placed in the donations bin. All proceeds to your P&C. If you are a parent who would like to volunteer on the stall please contact Sally at mceastonland@gmail.com. Thank you to everyone who has donated and to our volunteers, our front office and library staff for supporting the stall.”

Fortians Union Dinner Invitation
The Fortians Union have kindly invited all parents, carers and citizens on the P&C mailing list to their Annual Dinner in October 2019, which this year also celebrates 170 years of Fort Street High School. Please see the invitation and the accompanying booking form.

P&C General Meeting Dates for 2019

Term 1:

10th April 2019

Term 2:
8th May 2019
12th June 2019

Term 3:
14th August 2019
11th September 2019

Term 4:
13th November 2019 (AGM)
11th December 2019

As with all our activities we welcome your feedback and contributions so please feel free to contact us at any time.