Principal’s Report

Dear Fortians, Parents and Carers,

The Department of Education has released updated COVID-19 guidelines for Term 4. Interschool activities have been able to recommence which has seen the return of excursions and field trips as well as inter-school grade sport and our popular Primary-Links program with Ashfield PS, Haberfield PS, Summer Hill PS and Wilkins PS.

Unfortunately parents and carers are still only permitted to visit the school site for the purposes of essential meetings to discuss welfare matters and for picking up their child if they are unwell.

Staff and students must not come to school if they are unwell. Even with very mild symptoms. Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste and loss of smell. If a student has been absent due to flu-like symptoms or develops flu-like symptoms while at school, they are not to return to school until they have a negative COVID-19 test and are symptom free. The negative COVID-19 test result must be sighted and received by the school for both students and staff members to return to school.

Marrickville Cricket Club

This term we have welcomed Marrickville Cricket Club’s junior girls’ teams to train at the Fort twice a week. Feedback so far has been that the girls have very much enjoyed the new training facilities.

Tell Them from Me

Each year Fort Street participates in a suite of surveys (students, teachers and parents) on student engagement. The surveys take about 15 minutes to complete and are completely anonymous. Students and staff participated in these surveys last week and parents have also been emailed the survey link. I would like to encourage all parents to participate in this survey if you have time. We appreciate your input as this will help our school to understand parents’ and carers’ perspectives on their child’s experience at school and will assist us in evaluating current programs and plans for improvement in the future.

http://nsw.tellthemfromme.com/FSHS2020

Schools Spectacular 2020 – Year 12 Virtual Item

Whilst there is no Schools Spectacular this year the team at the Department of Education Arts Unit are putting together a virtual item in the digital space specifically for Year 12’s to acknowledge the substantial contribution they have made to the event throughout their schooling years. This special Schools Spectacular 2020 virtual item which will be a music and dance performance in the style of Schools Spectacular will be released through the department’s networks and media channels as well as appearing on a special broadcast with channel 7. Congratulations to our talented Year 12 Fortians – Max Tosello, Luca Ittimani, Emily Miers, Jaden White and Jasmin Young who have been nominated to contribute to this production.

Year 12

Year 12 have now completed the first week of the HSC exams. Despite the difficulties this year has presented our students are well prepared. I would like to wish our Year 12 students all the best for the remaining three weeks of HSC examinations.

COVID-19 test results for HSC students will be prioritised by NSW Health to minimise any impact on HSC preparations. When HSC students are getting tested, they need to advise the GP/ or clinic that they are currently doing their HSC so their test results can be prioritised.

Year 11

Week 3, Term 4 marks the changeover between the Preliminary and HSC courses.. As a result there will be some timetable changes to accommodate new extension subjects being offered to Year 11 students. Any Year 11 students who would like to discontinue one of their senior courses can see Mr Morrison for the paperwork requesting permission to do so. The minimum number of units required in Year 12 is 10 units.

Year 11 reports are currently being finalised and will be distributed to students very soon and also available electronically in Sentral.