Principal’s Report

Dear Fortians, Parents and Carers,

Week 1 2026

All students 7-12 return to school on Monday 2^nd February.

Please note that the second day of school will be our swimming carnival Tuesday 3^rd February held at Ashfield Swimming Pool.

Year 11 will also head off to Camp at Narrabeen Sports Academy in the first week of school form Wednesday 4^th to Friday 6^th February.

Congratulations:

Clara M from Year 11 deserves to be recognised on her most recent outstanding musical achievements. Clara performed in the prestigious John Curro National Youth Concerto Competition Finals in Brisbane on October 12th. In addition, she has been accepted into the flagship Australian Youth Orchestra (ages 14-26), and will be touring Australia in 2026 for both the summer and winter seasons. Most impressively, her String Quartet toured Victoria as part of a mentorship prize won in the 2024 Strike a Chord Competition, Australia’s premier Youth Chamber Music Competition. During this tour, they were awarded a generous $5,000 grant from a donor who was inspired by their performance. We are incredibly proud of Clara’s dedication and success!

Kainan W from Year 10 was recently shortlisted in the Young Writers category, in the Young Creatives Awards 2025. Kainan Wang wrote a stunning work called Protocol: Grief in the 12-15 age category. Kainan and his family were invited to an Awards night at Marrickville Library on Friday 21^st November where Kainan was presented with his certificate and was asked to sign multiple copies of the writers’ anthology which is the published collection of all the shortlisted and winning short stories in each age group. You will find a copy of the writers’ anthology in the library if you are interested in reading Kainan’s short story yourself.

Levi D from Year 11 has been shortlisted in the 2025 Lambing Flat Fellowship of Australian Writer National Cherry Festival Short Story & Poetry Competition. The awards will be announced at the 75^th Cherry Festival in Young on Sunday 7 December. We wish Levi the best of luck for an award.

Schools Spectacular 2025 – Remarkable!

We are incredibly proud and excited to see our 33 Fortians join thousands of other talented public school students at the Schools Spectacular 2025, taking place this Friday night at Qudos Bank Arena.

If you weren’t able to secure tickets, don’t worry! You can still enjoy the show as it will be broadcast on Channel 7 on Friday, 19 December at 7:00 pm and again on Saturday, 20 December at 10:30 am.

This annual event is a spectacular celebration of youth, education, culture, diversity, and the remarkable talents of young Australians. Over 5,500 students from public schools across New South Wales come together to create an unforgettable performance.

It is a tremendous honour for our students to participate in this prestigious event. We warmly congratulate the Fortians who will be showcasing their skills this week:

Combined Choir

• Year 7: Priscilla L., Arica W.
• Year 8: Flint F., Mieke H.
• Year 9: Nozomi G., Steph H., Audrey LeBlond, Tina P., Reif R., Emma W.
• Year 10: Ashlee A., Jacqueline A., Jing C., Rita C., Gabriel C., Sebastian K., Mrunmayi N., Oliver W.

Core Choir

• Year 9: Nancy Z.
• Year 10: Isobel J.
• Year 12: Melody R-H.

Orchestra

• Year 9: Olivia H., Jarvis R., Henry S., Ethan T.
• Year 10: Lucinda M., Hugo N., Noam Z.
• Year 12: Edmund H.

Stage Band

• Year 9: Reuben W.
• Year 11: Yevin J.
• Year 12: Jasper K.

We wish all our performers the very best for their incredible journey ahead. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate their talent and hard work!

Remembrance Day and SRC Assembly

On Tuesday, 11 November, our school held a deeply meaningful Remembrance Day assembly to honour the sacrifices of those who have served and continue to serve our country. I extend my sincere thanks to Tony L. from Year 9 for his insightful address, to Avivi D. for reciting the Remembrance Day Ode, and to Yevin J. for her moving performance of the Last Post and Rouse.

During this solemn occasion, we were also honoured to induct our new Student Representative Council (SRC) members for the upcoming year. The SRC members were formally presented to the school community, and it was wonderful to welcome their proud parents to share in this special milestone.

The assembly served as a heartfelt reminder of the enduring importance of service and leadership — values that resonate strongly both in our history and within our school community today.

House Captains Elected

Last Friday, house meetings were held to elect our House Captains for 2026. It was inspiring to see so many enthusiastic nominations from students across Years 7 to 10, eager to take on this important leadership role.

House Captains play a vital role in fostering school spirit, organising events, and promoting a positive and inclusive culture within our school community. Their creativity, energy, and commitment help shape a vibrant and supportive environment for all students.

We congratulate the following students on their election as House Captains for 2026:

• Joshi: Tina P., Sasha A., Lakshin S., Damian C.
• Kirby: Alexander S., Aryadeep R., Venus L., Francis N.
• Mawson: Ruhaan S., Ocean R., Mia G., Jacob T.
• Preston: Matilda B., Catherine A., Vera L., Hayden K.
• Sheikh: Sophie S., Naveen G., Persephone L., Boris T.

We look forward to their leadership and positive contributions throughout the year ahead.

Upcoming Events

Week 8

Monday 1 December

• Year 12 Assessment Block
• SRC Candy Cane sales commence at recess and lunch

Tuesday 2 December

• Year 12 Assessment Block
• Year 7 2026 Orientation Day

Wednesday 3 December

• Year 12 Assessment Block
• New Year 8-11 2026 Orientation Day

Thursday 4 December

• Year 12 Assessment Block
• Year 8 Technology Assessment Race Day
• Year 8 Vinnies Sleepout (Oval)
• Year 10 Graphics Technology Workshop and Tour Excursion (Haymarket)
• Year 12 Science Extension Excursion

Friday 5 December

• Year 12 Assessment Block
• Year 8 Vinnies Sleepout

Week 9

Monday 8 December

• House Celebration Day – Luna Park
• MAD Night (Visual Arts, Music and Drama)

Tuesday 9 December

• Year 10 Minimum Standards Testing (Periods 1-3)

Wednesday 10 December

• Year 9 Charity Committee Stalls
• Junior CAPA Carnival (Years 8 & 9)

Thursday 11 December

• Year 9 History Dance
• Last week of SRE

Friday 12 December

• IMP Summer Concert & Assembly
• SRC Candy Canes delivered to students
• Year 9 Japanese Excursion to Tanken Centre

Week 10

Monday 15 December

• Year 7 Picnic Day
• Year 10 Japanese Excursion to Tanken Centre

Tuesday 16 December

• Peer Support Training

Wednesday 17 December

• Peer Support Leaders Excursion

Thursday 18 December

• HSC Results Celebration Morning Tea

Friday 19 December

• Talent Quest

USyd HEX Program

The University of Sydney partnered with HEX, an award-winning, for-impact EdTech provider, to run a program designed to give students the opportunity to explore learning beyond the standard curriculum, with a focus on career readiness and entrepreneurial thinking. In 2024, HEX formalised a School of Record partnership with the University of Sydney Business School, enabling approved courses to be recognised for academic credit. Fort Street was one of only a few schools invited to take part in the USyd-HEX program in 2025. Ten of our Year 10 students enrolled and completed the program, which focuses on innovation, entrepreneurship, and AI futurist thinking, providing students direct engagement with industry leaders including Microsoft, the Australian Computer Society, and AI startups across Australia.

Students participated from October 13^th to November 23^rd attending weekly masterclasses with industry experts, live, each Tuesday afternoon, as well as having mentoring with industry professionals and USyd student ambassadors, including Fortian Edmund Derwent (double degree Medical Engineering/Law). Students were required to complete a number of tasks including a collaborative group project with interschool teams and present their pitch to academics from the USyd Business school, in order to receive the subject credit with the university.

STEM Racing Competition

During the 24th and 25th of November, the senior STEM racing team, consisting of 5 Year 12’s, participated in the professional division for the F1 in Schools competition. We had the pleasure of being immersed in a two-day comp in which we raced other teams, presented our ideas and innovations, and connected with other schools. We made our way to the venue on the first day before setting up our trade booth with all of our folios and banners. Throughout day 1, we partook in numerous races both automatic and reaction-based. It was great to find out our car had come 3rd in the speed category. We left at the end of the day, and returned the next to present our engineering, trade booth and project overall. We had an amazing time the second day too, finding lots of time to socialise with other teams, specifically those who had done the comp previously. We learnt many useful pointers on how to improve and progress next time. This immersive experience was both engaging and educational and we would love to have similar opportunities for the school in the future. Thank you to all teachers that organised and approved of our participation and a special thanks to Mr Patane for supervising us!

Sara Nguyen Year 12

Environmental Committee

Hey Fortians! This past semester the Environmental Committee was busy with a lot of exciting happenings, and as the year is coming to an end we’d like to share a quick recap with you all. At the very end of Term 3, on the 24th of September in Week 10 we hosted a long-awaited screening of the beloved ‘The Lorax’ movie—which was selected in a vote by the majority of students. With tickets including pizza, popcorn, candy and hot chocolate, our club members were more than happy to provide their service as waitstaff in proper attire! Despite a few mishaps (…some missing pizzas) I think it’s safe to say that we all had a lot of fun running our second event of the year. Most of all we’d like to thank Ms. McMurray for giving us the green light on this project, as well as everyone who turned up to help us raise $677 for the proposal of the Great Koala National Park!!! 🐨🧡

Next on the agenda, for Term 4, we were delighted to invite the wonderful Ms. Sue Higginson, Greens MP of the NSW Legislative council, to visit our school and speak during assembly on Friday November 14 wherein she thanked us for our donation to NEFA, the North-East Forests Alliance, for the formation of the Great Koala National Park. Finally, she very kindly mentioned our Fortstreet Environmental Committee as a notice of motion in the transcript of the Hansard record of Parliament which recognises Fort Street High School for our interest and efforts in environmental issues, in particular reference to the aforementioned Lorax fundraiser! We are extremely grateful for her visit to our school, and are now even more excited for our future projects! 

Emidori Lum

Co-chair, Environmental Committee

Climate Fresk 2025

The Climate Fresk game was a valuable and engaging experience, which significantly deepened our understanding of climate change. In just two hours, our cohort learned about the causes and effects of climate change and how everything is so interconnected. Many people were unaware of how one event is able to trigger more complex issues through feedback loops. The more the game went on, the more it got complicated, which made us understand why climate action is so important and needs to be approached through different perspectives. Ultimately, the climate fresk activity emphasised the complexity of climate change and strengthened our motivation to advocate for change.

Hayley Gek and Amy Tran in Year 10

Year 7 Drawings

This semester, Year 7 have been learning new skills in still life drawing, including lighting, realism, tone, shading and perspective. They started with graphite drawings and then moved into their choice of charcoal or soft pastel. The Visual Arts teachers are so impressed with the quality of work produced this year. As much as we wanted to include all of them, we have selected a few. 

Please enjoy some incredible artworks by the very talented Matilda Stead, Isabella Chuor, Josie Pham, Jaclyn Tran, Carla Nguyen, Matthew Le, Jolie Pham, Braden Chen, Yvette Mason-Wong, Emily Fan, Priscilla Liu, Ben Li and Sophie Siackhasone.

To view all artworks from Years 7-11 come along to Fort Street High School MAD Night on Monday the 8th of December.

Student2Student Reading Program

What is the Student2Student (S2S) reading program?

As a student in an academically well-rounded school it can be hard to imagine struggling in aspects of our education like reading. But this is the case for some students around Australia. Student2Student, run by The Smith Family, is a program dedicated to aiding students who are at least 2 years behind their age standard for reading.

You can get involved by signing up to be a Buddy, a volunteer who helps students that need further development in their literacy skills. You will be paired up with a Reader, a student who is a few years younger than you, and you will guide them through weekly online reading sessions. This may involve correcting their pronunciation of certain words or challenging their reading level. All reading resources are on Chattykids and reading sessions are done via voice calls. You can sign up during Clubs and Committees or email Ms Maddox.

My Personal Experience with S2S

As a Buddy, I chose to volunteer at Student2Student to complete my hours for Duke of Edinburgh in a way that had a positive impact on younger students. Every person’s experience for volunteering with Student2Student is different and during my journey with my Reader the challenges of Student2Student have made my Reader’s gradual improvement all the sweeter. One of the main difficulties for us was organising a time for our reading sessions. Even though we missed a number of sessions, it was still evident that my Reader’s reading was progressing steadily. 

Student2Student was a really eye-opening experience for me and it is a brilliant way to make an impact on younger readers.

• Stephanie Cui, Year 9 Student2Student Buddy

Year 11 Biology Excursion

Australian National Maritime Museum

Field Study Activities

On 6th of June, as Year 11 Biology students, we conducted a field study around Pyrmont Bay, assisted by the National Maritime Museum as part of our ongoing Depth Study. We participated in the Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics program, which included a self-guided tour through the museum, HMAS Onslow, and HMAS Vampire. We also conducted experiments on water quality around Darling Harbour with the support of museum educators.

Museum Observations

During the self-guided tours, we observed artefacts from pre-settlement times to the present day. On display were old cartography maps, instruments used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, models of ships, sailors’ trinkets from various wars, and more. Interactive features, such as movable periscopes providing a 360-degree viewing experience, enhanced our understanding of maritime history. We also boarded HMAS Onslow and HMAS Vampire, gaining firsthand insight into sailor life and the different compartments onboard.

Depth Study Data Collection

During the latter half of the day, we gathered data for our Depth Study by collecting water samples from Pyrmont Bay with the assistance of museum staff. Using these samples, we observed plankton through digital microscopes and used scientific instruments to measure and record various indicators of water quality.

In addition, we helped sort and count plastic pollution collected from the two Seabins located around Darling Harbour. We then evaluated the collected waste against specific criteria to determine which side of the harbour produced more pollution.

This excursion gave us a much deeper understanding of the interrelationships between marine biodiversity, pollution, and water quality—far beyond what we learn from textbook examples. We would like to thank Ms Jamble, Ms Nguyen, and Mr Alosise King for organising the excursion and supervising us on the day.

Wang Chen

RPA Hospital School Walkathon

Thank you for supporting our school.

Wendy Barwell

Principal 

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital School

IMP Update

IMP Summer Concert

The IMP will wrap up another fantastic year of music-making with the sensational IMP Summer Concert on Friday 12^th of December.  If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, check your inbox for the link.

Strike A Chord 2026

The dates for Strike A Chord 2026, Musica Viva Australia’s national program celebrating chamber music for school-aged students, have been released. Whether you’re an emerging ensemble or ready to take the national stage, there’s a place for you in Strike A Chord. Now is the time to start gathering your ensemble and exploring repertoire ideas for next year. With free coaching sessions, expert feedback, and tailored resources built around a national competition, Strike A Chord helps young musicians of all levels refine their skills and experience the joy of making music together.

Who can enter?

• Full-time students up to Year 12
• Groups of 3–8 players/singers (one per part, no conductor or adult accompanist)
• Any instrument or voice combination performing repertoire broadly classical in style

Visit the Strike A Chord page for more information: www.musicaviva.com.au/strike-a-chord/

Further resources can be found here: www.musicaviva.com.au/strike-a-chord/strike-a-chord-resources/

SYO Summer School, Summer Symphony Orchestra and HSC Programs

On 12-17 January 2026, join SYO for five fun and intensive days of rehearsals and tutorials with some of Sydney’s best educators, culminating in a concert at Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Verbruggen Hall.

In the SYO Summer Symphony Orchestra, young musicians will have the incredible opportunity to learn and perform under the guidance of conductor Dr Joanna Drimatis. This program is open to orchestral strings, brass, woodwind and percussion AMEB Grade 6 to AMusA or equivalent. Recommended age is 14 to 18 years old. Previous large ensemble experience required and must be having private instrumental tuition.

For further information, including all the Summer School program opportunities and registration details, visit: https://syo.com.au/2026-syo-summer-school/ 

P & C Update

P&C MEETING Updates – P & C Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 12th November 2025

Motion passed – That the minutes from the previous annual general meeting, 13th November 2024, be accepted as a true record.

President’s report – AGM 2025 – Caroline Aow

After another year of dedicated work, President Caroline delivered the President’s report for the 2025 AGM highlights the achievements and activities of the Fort Street High School P&C over the year:

· Community Engagement: The President attended school events, budget meetings, and Foundation meetings, representing the P&C and supporting school priorities and student wellbeing.

· Student Activities: The SRC organised successful events, including the Future Leaders Conference with over 350 students from 50 schools, the International Women’s Day BBQ, and other initiatives promoting inclusion and school spirit.

· Reconciliation Action Plan: Progress was made with initiatives such as incorporating local Aboriginal language, developing signage recognising Country, and professional learning for teachers.

· Financial Contributions: The P&C approved funding for various projects, including sports bus hire, new instruments for the IMP, speech day prizes, staff lunch, and upgrades to the uniform shop.

· Uniform Shop: The shop performed well, with improvements in payment systems and margin reviews for sustainability.

· Communication Improvements: Regular P&C updates were added to the school newsletter, and information accessibility was enhanced via the school website.

· Acknowledgments: The President expressed gratitude to the P&C Executive, committee members, volunteers, teachers, and students for their contributions. Special thanks were given to outgoing members for their service.

· Looking Ahead: The P&C aims to continue funding projects that enhance student learning, wellbeing, and community connection in 2026, with new SRC representatives joining the team.

· The report reflects a successful year for the P&C in supporting the school community and fostering a vibrant, inclusive environment. Secretary’s Report

Heartfelt appreciation to our P & C members and volunteers as below:

· Emma Pearce and Tracey Chen, our Vice Presidents, for their energy and ongoing support.

· Malcolm Groves, our Secretary, for keeping us organised and ensuring minutes and actions are always on track. Sadly, Malcolm is standing down as Secretary as he has served his 3-year tenure, and I will miss his expertise and guidance.

· Prabhu Sivabalan, who stepped into the role of Treasurer this year and has done an excellent job managing our finances.

· Elizabeth Kenyon, Kirrily Druery, Vivian Wang, Elaine Huang, Jens Olscher, Stella Liang who as part of the P&C executive provided wonderful insight and advice at meetings. Sadly, Kirrily and Elaine are standing down from executive roles, and their input will be missed.

· Emma Pearce for continuing her role in co-ordinating the second-hand uniform shop and stepping in for me at presentation day.

· Elizabeth Kenyon for stepping in as meeting chair in my absence.

· Gladys Ko and Stella Liang, for running the uniform shop so smoothly and Kirrily Druery for helping Stella and Gladys implement the new Flexischools portal for uniform purchases.

· Vivian Wang who ensured that the P&C always had something to contribute to Mecurius.

· Paula Katalinic, Tania Koit and the IMP Committee, for their ongoing work supporting Matt Manchester and our music students.

· Our School Executive, Juliette McMurray, Dave Sherwin, and Carolyn Mattock, who attend our meetings and keep us well-informed about the school’s direction and priorities.

· Our outgoing SRC representatives, Beatrice Shimada and Avivi Davidson, for continuing to bring the student perspective to our meetings.

Annual reports accepted.

Treasurer’s Auditor’s Annual Report – 2025 – presented by Prabhu Sivabalan

Financial report accepted.

Appointment of and Questions to the Auditor

IMP Report – presented by Tania Koit

Election of Executive Committee, Sub-Committees and Representatives

· Juliette McMurray agreed to be the returning officer.

· Juliette thanked the present committee for their effort during the past year and their dedication to the school.

· Juliette thanked the overall P&C community for support for the school over the course of the year.

· Nominations and Election of P&C Association Office Bearers

· Juliette McMurray, as returning Officer for the AGM, declared all positions vacant and called for nominations.

· Juliette then announced results accordingly.

President Position:

▪ Caroline Aow

Treasurer Position:

▪ Prabhu Sivabalan

Vice President Position:

▪ Emma Pearce

▪ Alex Ding

Secretary Position:

▪ Lucy Liang

Executive Positions:

The following members were proposed as part of the executive committee to advise the P&C:

Malcolm Groves, Sivvy Xu, Jens Olscher, Elizabeth Kenyon, Vivian Wang, Tracey Chen

—— All were seconded and appointed unopposed.

Confirmation of IMP Sub-Committee Roles

The meeting confirmed the IMP roles as:

▪ Tania Koit and Paula Katalinic – Co-Convenors.

▪ Pak-Luan Yeoh – Treasurer.

Acknowledgement of Our Wonderful Volunteers

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers who have been actively involved in the operation of the Uniform Shop. Every Wednesday, you come from near and far to pack, unpack, and assist our students with such dedication. Your efforts are truly indispensable, and your contribution has been invaluable to us, the school, the parents, and the students. The P&C deeply appreciates everything you do to keep this service running smoothly.

Next AGM Meeting

· Scheduled for Wednesday 11th November 2026 onsite

Thank You to FSHS Staff End of Year Gift

It’s that time of year when we get to say a big ‘Thank you’ to the teachers and staff at Fort Street High School. To make it easier for families, the P&C has organised a collection that the staff can spend on a special celebratory meal together.

You can choose how much money you give or just leave a message that gets printed out for all staff to read using this link:

https://app.grouptogether.com/FSHSStaffGift

The deadline for contributing is Friday 12th December.

Many thanks,

Fort Street High School P&C