Mercurius Issue 1 2025 - 14 Feb 2025
Principal’s Report

Principal’s Report

Dear Fortians, Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to the Fort as we conclude the first full week of the school year for our students. Staff have been back for just over two weeks and have greatly appreciated the additional time provided by the Department of Education for planning and preparation before students returned.

Welcome to Year 7 2025

It is always a pleasure to welcome our Year 7 students to Fort Street, and this year was no exception. It was fantastic to see so many smiles as our new cohort settled into their new school environment comfortably and confidently.

A big thank you to Ms. Dooley, our Student Support Officer, Mr. Clark, our Year 7 Adviser, Ms. Richards, the Assistant Year Adviser, and of course, our wonderful Year 10 Peer Support Leaders for assisting Year 7 in their transition to high school. Year 7 participated in various fun peer support activities on their first day, helping them build friendships across the cohort.

Homework Centre – Library

This year, the library will be open every Monday and Wednesday after school until 4:10 pm for students to engage in quiet individual or group study. On Monday afternoons, Ms. Morosin (English/Drama teacher) will be available to assist students, and on Wednesdays, Mr. Feng (Maths/PDHPE teacher) will be available to provide support.

New Staff

There have been a few staff changes at the Fort for 2025. Please welcome the following teachers to our team:

  • Mathematics Faculty – Mr Choi and Ms Ngo join as new permanent members of staff
  • Science Faculty – Ms Nguyen will replace Mr Hasenbein this year
  • History Faculty – Ms Fisher joins as permanent member of staff
  • Social Science – Mr Ritchie will replace Mr Pagani in Terms 1 and 2
  • Technology Faculty – Ms Meissner will temporarily replace Ms Woodley
  • CAPA Faculty – Ms Morosin will teach Drama and Mr Atkins will teach Music
  • PDHPE – Ms Carter joins the faculty

Year 11 Camp

Year 11 students attended camp at Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation in Narrabeen from Monday to Wednesday this week. The camp provided a fantastic opportunity for students to begin their senior school journey and connect with new peers. Despite a storm on Monday, we were glad to see the sun come out, allowing paddleboarding, kayaking, and other outdoor activities to proceed. It certainly looked like the students had a great time away together.

Year 7 Camp

Year 7 students have also been away this week at camp at Point Wolstoncroft Sport and Recreation Centre. The camp experience focuses on enhancing students’ physical, mental, and social well-being.

We hope this opportunity has helped Year 7 students build resilience, independence, and teamwork while fostering friendships and connections across the year group.

Muslim Prayers

This year a Fort Street alumnus is offering to facilitate a weekly Friday prayer session for Muslim students during lunchtime. This initiative aims to support students of the Muslim faith, both male and female. If your child would like to participate, please email the office so that we can provide a permission form.

Upcoming Events:

February 17: The SRC will host a Clubs and Committees Day in the school hall. Each co-curricular activity will have a stall with information on how to get involved. This is a wonderful opportunity for younger students to discover fun and exciting ways to engage with the school and develop new interests. Year 9 students can also use these clubs to log hours for the Duke of Edinburgh program, and participation in various activities can enhance university and job applications. Students in Years 7, 8, and 9 will visit the hall during an allocated period, while students in Years 10, 11, and 12 can attend during recess and lunch. Parents and students can also visit the school website to see the full list of clubs and committees on offer.

February 19:

  • P&C Meeting – 7:00pm in the School Library (meetings alternate between in-person and online via Zoom).
  • Year 9 Visual Arts Excursion – Walking tour of Petersham

February 20:

  • Special Religious Education (SRE) and Ethics commence for the year, Hindu classes will start the following week on February 27
  • Year 12 Legal Studies Excursion to Parliament

February 21:

  • House Meetings (period 2)
  • Second-hand Uniform Stall (Lunch)
  • SRC Rose Drive – students can purchase roses at recess or lunch from the SRC up until Wednesday February 19. The roses will be delivered to the student themselves or to a designated friend or teacher on Friday February 21

February 26:

  • School Photos
  • Year 7 Parent Meet and Greet & Study Skills Information Session – Parents and Year 7 students are invited to a ‘Meet and Greet’ sausage sizzle in the Kilgour Quad at 5:00 pm. Mr. Sherwin (Year 7 Deputy Principal), Mr. Clark, and Ms. Richards will be available to meet parents. This will be followed by an ‘Introduction to Wellbeing at Fort Street’ session in the hall led by Ms. Smith, Head Teacher Wellbeing. At 6:30 pm, Dr. Prue Salter, an expert in study skills, will deliver a workshop on effective learning strategies, including time management, note-taking, and exam techniques. This interactive session will equip students and parents with practical skills for academic success.

February 28:

  • Speech Day at Town Hall (9:30am) – A special occasion to celebrate student achievements of 2024 and to enjoy performances from the Instrumental Music Program in a prestigious venue. Students should arrive at Town Hall in full school uniform including their school tie by 9:00am for roll call. Parents are also very welcome to join us and be seated by 9:30am.

March 3:

  • Swimming Carnival at Drummoyne Swimming Centre – All students must attend and dress in their house colours. Remember to bring food, water, a hat and sunscreen.

o Joshi – Red

o Kirby – Blue

o Mawson – Yellow

o Preston – Purple

o Sheikh – Green

March 5:

  • Year 9 History/Geography Excursion
  • Year 8 French Excursion

March 6:

  • Zone Swimming Carnival
  • SRC BBQ at lunch for International Women’s Day

March 7:

  • Whole School Assembly
  • Year 9 French Excursion

March 10:

  • Year 7 Geography/History Excursion
  • Year 12 Parent Teacher Interviews

March 12 – 22:

  • NAPLAN Window for Years 7 and 9

I look forward to an exciting term ahead!

 

Juliette McMurray

Principal

IMP News

IMP News

Welcome to our new IMP members and returning families

A warm welcome to our new year 7 IMP families who are joining the Fort Street IMP community. We have a record number of students enrolled in the IMP this year and we are looking forward to a rewarding and exciting year of stellar music making!

The IMP New Members night online was very successful with large attendance and lots of great questions. Rehearsals have commenced with lots of enthusiasm from the students and a few ensembles are preparing for their performances at Fort Street Speech Day later this month.

IMP Camp

⁠The IMP camp, which will be held from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd of March 2025, is one of the highlights of the musical year and organisation is well underway. Save the date and watch out for the opening of applications. Make sure to get your application in quickly as there are limited spaces.

IMP Committee

Fort Street’s Instrumental Music Program is largest co-curricular program in the school, involving over 350 students and 14 ensembles, and is widely regarded as one of the finest programs of its kind in NSW. Since its inception in the early 1990s, the IMP has been run by the passion and dedication of the Fort Street parent community. We encourage new parents to get involved.

If you are a parent interested in joining the IMP Committee, please contact:fortstreetimp+convenor@gmail.com

Our first committee meeting of the year will be held on Monday 17th of February.

Year 11 Camp

Year 11 Camp

Year 11 Life Ready Camp

Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation

February 10-12 2025

In Week 3 Year 11 attended the Life Ready Camp at the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation at Narrabeen. Life Ready is a course mandated by the Department of Education designed to prepare students for situations related to health and safety they may encounter as they grow into more independent people increasingly responsible for themselves and others. It was a busy time divided across a range of outdoor activities and a suite of sessions on topics such as independence, relationships, sexual health.

We were, of course, challenged by the weather. On Monday afternoon we were hit by a fierce storm – sheets of lashing rain, bone-shaking thunder, and a breathtaking display of lightning. This required an urgent rearrangement of the activity schedule, quick-thinking on the part of staff, and adaptability from students. In some ways it was an ideal start to the camp because it brought students together and helped foster a sense of togetherness that lasted for the rest of the camp. It was a notable feature of the three days that students worked extremely well together, developing close-knit relationships built on shared experience. It was also an excellent way to welcome new students to the year group, and to renew and strengthen existing relationships before the challenges of Years 11 and 12 arrive.

Once the weather did clear, on Tuesday, we were blessed with clear sunshine and lovely temperatures. This allowed students to participate in the programmed outdoor activities. These included stand-up paddle boarding, abseiling, team-building activities, and a trust-building exercise in kayaks on Narrabeen Lake called Dark Water. Students were often challenged by these activities and needed to find courage and resilience to complete them. They were also fortunate to be accompanied by encouraging and supportive Fort Street staff. And staff agree that many students made important discoveries about their own capabilities. Students surprised even themselves at times.

Wednesday was hot, and by the time the buses arrived to take us home we were tired! We left Narrabeen feeling a strong sense of achievement, having met and overcome physical challenges, satisfied that we completed all that was asked of us, and excited about the time that lies ahead of us in Years 11 and 12. The feeling of a group of students united and confident was palpable on the road home…

Below are the reflections of a few of the students:

“This year’s camp was a memorable introduction to the start of Year 11 and our time in Senior School. We had awkward yet fruitful discussions in our theory lessons about independence, sexual health, and relationships. Outdoor challenges like Darkwater kayaking, abseiling, and stand-up paddleboarding pushed us out of our comfort zones, teaching us a thing or two about trust and helping us build stronger connections with our peers before we returned to the Fort.

Overall, the cohort had a great time with plenty of laughter and memories made”.

– Juvinitha Julian and Matthew Yong

Derek Patulny

Year 11 Year Adviser

Photo Day 2025

Photo Day 2025

2025 Photo Day will take place on Wednesday the 26th of February, so make sure to get your orders in!

Important Update: Canteen

Important Update: Canteen

Please note that the platform to use for ordering online canteen orders has changed.

To place online canteen orders families will now need to use Flexischools. Families can order via the Flexischools app or their website.

How to sign up to Flexischools

How to order

Please note Flexischools also has a feature where your child can have their own account to place orders using your chosen payment method. More information can be found here.

QuickCliq is no longer available for canteen orders but will still be used for uniform orders.

SRC News

SRC News

Hey Fort Street!

Welcome back to Term 1 at the Fort! Although school has only just begun, the SRC have been hard at work preparing for this term’s wild ride of events. Whether it’s cutting hearts, ordering roses, organising clubs or buying sausages, we’ve been hard at work behind the scenes to make Term 1 2025 a term full of Fortian spirit 🌟!

As for a little update on last term, the SRC executives have been meeting and discussing options with Ms McMurray to place more shading around the school. Late last term, we decided to add umbrellas near the back end of the volleyball courts using the money raised from Fort Fest! They’ll be delivered and installed as soon as possible, which we’re sure everyone is looking forward to during this insane Australian heat ☀️. As of recently, the Rowe Quad has now become a full time wet weather area. Although it will still be for seniors only during all other weather conditions, if it’s raining and you don’t know where to sit, then the Rowe Quad is for you! 

Quick question, is your name google? Because you have everything we’re searching for this Valentines Day 😍. Yes, the SRC’s annual Rose Drive is back and we’ve already started selling roses outside the old uniform stall! The SRC will be selling roses until Tuesday the 18th of February (hand-ins only on Wednesday 19th), so make sure to be quick and buy them for your friends and maybe more than friends before they sell out. Make sure to write the recipients full name, year and house on the hearts so they can be distributed during house meetings on Friday the 21st of February! This year, roses are $2.50 each, or 5 for $11. FSHS SRC: 1, inflation: 0 🙈!

Also, we hope you know CPR, because you just took our breath away! For the first time in Fort Street history, the SRC held a Valentine’s Day special 🌹. On Friday February the 14th, handmade ribbon roses were available to buy for friends and more than friends! Not only did they last longer than an actual flower, every rose was unique and handmade for the best Valentine’s Day gift. We hope you enjoyed our little Val Day celebration! 

This term, the SRC is also hosting Clubs and Committees day on Monday February 17th, and International Women’s Day on Thursday March 6th. If you’re interested in making new connections, discovering interests and finding your passion, make sure to visit the hall during recess and lunch on Monday February 17th to see the full range of clubs and committees Fort Street has to offer. Meanwhile, the IWD BBQ will be held during recess and lunch on March 6th, all money will be donated to UN Women Australia and to their efforts in gender equality. We encourage all students to wear purple, green and white accessories and to purchase a sausage to celebrate this day :).

We look forward to seeing you all at our events this term! Have a great Term 1 Fort Street!

 

Grace Zarb (she/her)

SRC Vice President  

P&C FUNDRAISER

P&C FUNDRAISER

Save up to 50% on dining, shopping, travel and things to do. An annual Entertainment Membership means getting more of what you need and love, while giving back to a cause you care about.

Your purchase of an Entertainment Membership contributes to our Fort Street P&C fundraising, with 20% of every purchase going to the school. 

Help us achieve our fundraising goals by sharing the link with your friends and family. Thanks for your support!

Purchase here:
https://subscribe.entertainment.com.au/fundraiser/2d03327

The Benefits of Reading for Pleasure

The Benefits of Reading for Pleasure

The start of a new school year is a great time to remind everyone about the benefits of reading for pleasure. Several studies undertaken in a range of countries have found compelling evidence that a sustained reading practice has a positive impact on students’ learning outcomes and well being. I have included a link to two short articles that discuss research in this field.

Sullivan, A. (2013). “Reading for fun improves children’s brains, study confirms.” In The Guardian. Retrieved, 10 February 2025 https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/sep/16/reading-improves-childrens-brains

Goodwin, C. (2023) “The Benefits of Reading for Pleasure.” In Psychology Today. Retrieved, 10 February 2025 https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/parenting-translator/202308/the-benefits-of-reading-for-pleasure

 

Happy reading!

Donna Page

Teacher Librarian

2025 Goals

2025 Goals

New Year’s Resolutions? 5 tips to help you reach your goals

We all know that setting goals is the easy part – it’s sticking to them that can be tricky. Whether you’ve made New Year’s resolutions or you’re setting goals for the school term ahead, here are some practical tips to help you stay on track and achieve what you’re aiming for.

Keep your goals visible

Ever heard the saying “out of sight, out of mind”? Well, the same goes for your goals. Try these ideas to keep them front and centre:

  • Put them somewhere you’ll see them every day, like on your bedroom wall or as your phone wallpaper
  • Share them with family or friends who can help keep you accountable and create a vision board with pictures that represent your goals as visual inspiration

Use technology to your advantage

Your phone can be more than just a distraction – it can actually help you achieve your goals! Try:

  • Setting regular reminders in your calendar
  • Using dedicated goal-tracking apps
  • Creating recurring alarms for important deadlines
  • Making checklists in your notes app

 

Check in with yourself regularly

Take some time every few weeks to think about how your goals are going. Ask yourself:

  • Is this goal still important to me?
  • Am I making progress?
  • Do I need to adjust my timeline?
  • What’s working well, and what isn’t?
  • Do I need to change anything about my approach?

It’s totally okay to adjust your goals if they’re not working for you any more – goals should motivate you, not stress you out.

 

Find your support crew

Everything’s easier when you have people cheering you on. Here’s how to build your support network:

  • Tell friends and family about your goals
  • Find study buddies if your goals are school-related
  • Join online communities of people with similar goals
  • Connect with teachers or mentors who can guide you

 

Celebrate your wins

Don’t wait until you’ve achieved your final goal to celebrate – acknowledge all your progress along the way! You could:

  • Treat yourself to something special when you hit a milestone
  • Share your achievements with your support crew
  • Keep a record of your progress to look back on
  • Take photos or screenshots to document your journey

Remember, even small steps forward are worth celebrating.

 

With thanks to WorkStudyGrow