Principal’s Report

Dear Fortians, Parents and Carers,

Term 2 commenced with a professional learning day for staff focussing on effective feedback and new syllabus programming and implementation. This comprised a presentation and workshops for all staff on reframing feedback. The sessions were aimed at encouraging teachers to involve students more deeply in the learning process as well as the product of learning. The science faculty at Fort Street hosted a professional learning opportunity for science teachers from other High Schools to share resources and to workshop the implementation of new senior syllabi in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth and Environmental Science.

On the first day of the term for students, the whole school participated in an ANZAC Assembly. Our guest speaker Commodore Malcolm Wise, OAM of the Royal Australian Navy was well received by students and staff. Presentations were also delivered by Westley Lo, Max Collingwood and Mackenzie Wise of Year 11. The Ode was read by Daniel Holland (Year 9) and the Last Post and Reveille performed by Jonathan Kelley (Year 11).

The school has been successful in its application for the NSW Government Student Wellbeing Support Program. This is a 3 year program to assist schools working in partnership with their local community through additional funding support for a student wellbeing support officer to support school wellbeing initiatives in the school.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the staff who organised and attended both the Year 12 Geography Barrier Reef excursion (Ms Jenkyn and Ms Cameron) and the Year 10 Silver Duke of Edinburgh Camp to Barrington Tops (Mr de Bres, Ms Reid, Mr O’Neill, Ms Jerrems, Ms Fluitsma and Ms Flynn. The students who attended either one of these multiple night excursions had an unforgettable experience and it is wonderful to have staff willing to give up their own personal and family time to provide such quality experiences for our students.

Congratulations to Lucy Bailey (Yr 12) and Max Collingwood (Yr 11) who were both successful at the local finals of the Plain English Speaking Awards competition and will now compete at the Regional Finals on 23 May.

Congratulations to Ms Jenny Xu (Social Science and English teacher) for being the first recipient of the new ‘Fort Street Staff Member of the Week’ award. I look forward to seeing who will be recognised by staff on Monday next week.