Principals Report

Dear Fortians, Parents and Carers,

Congratulations to Mawson for winning the Kennedy cup! The students from Mawson will be invited to a special rewards day on December 14.

 Year 7 2023 and Year 10 Peer Support Leaders

The year 6 orientation day was held on Tuesday of this week. It was wonderful to be able to invite families and Year 7 2024 students for a welcome assembly and morning tea at the Fort. I would like to thank Kellorin Long and Diane Debreczeni along with all of the office staff and our Year 7 Adviser for 2023 Mr Rod Carritt and Assistant Year Adviser Ms Maddy Cove for bringing this day together. The Year 9 Peer Support leaders led by Ms Propsting and Ms Dooley did an amazing job introducing our newest Fortians to the Fort.

Slum Survivor – Vinnies School Sleepout Success!

This year, our resilient Year 8 students once again demonstrated their commitment to making a difference in the community by participating in the Vinnies School Sleepout. By participating in the sleep out we are doing our best to avoid tokenism and take the students out of their comfort zone. No Mattresses, tents, pillows, phones or other devices were allowed. Despite braving cold, wet and windy weather conditions, students courageously slept on the balconies of the Wilkins Block, to date raising an impressive $33,637. In a time when housing affordability is at an all-time high this cause is so important, and these funds are crucial for Vinnies to continue providing support and assistance to those in need. The work they do helps with the costs of living, education, food insecurity and homelessness and they work to alleviate the pain of poverty and move people out of disadvantaged circumstances. The dedication of our students reflects their understanding of the importance of empathy and awareness in addressing homelessness. We extend our gratitude to all participants and acknowledge the incredible efforts of our school community in contributing to this meaningful cause. Together, we are making a positive impact on the lives of those who need it most.

A huge thank you also to those staff members who camped overnight to supervise our students – Mr Chapman, Mr Sherwin, Mr Latimer, Mr Shakibaei, Ms Nolan and Ms Dooley.

There is still time to make contributions, if you would like to donate to this cause please use the following link https://my.fundraise.vinniesnsw.org.au/vinnies-school-sleepouts/fort-st-sleep-out

 Schools Spectacular

The annual Schools Spectacular was on last week Friday 24 and Saturday 25 at the Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olympic Park. Channel 7 usually broadcasts the event mid-December, and I would highly recommend that you tune in if you can. This year Schools Spec celebrated its 40^th year as the highest profile performing arts event for the NSW Department of Education. As always Fortians represented across many areas.

Eleven students from Years 8-11 performed in the Core and Combined Choirs, Orchestra and Stage Band. Congratulations to Andy Bestel, Lucinda Man, Ivy Singh, Kai Hall, Jasper Kameron, Jasmin Loh, Hugo Newman, Isobel Jefferson, Eryk Francis, Rhys Miers and Edmund Huang.

HSC Showcase Triffeca

In the last Mercurius I had the pleasure of announcing Kost Giltsidis’ artwork ‘For my Grandparents had been nominated for ARTEXPRESS. I am delighted to share his work has been selected for the Hazlehurst ARTEXPRESS exhibition in 2024. 

Encore recognises the exceptional major works created by HSC Music Students, showcasing performances and compositions selected from the HSC exams. Congratulations to Hugo Ceran-Jerusalemy whose composition has been nominated.

OnStage features a selection of exemplary group and individual projects from Higher School Certificate Drama students including performances, video drama, and a moved reading of a script. This year Fort Street received two individual project nominations – congratulations to Rose Kenyon and Arlo Coleman for their nominations this year. Arlo’s work will be showcased at the Seymour Centre in February 2024.

Upcoming Events

IMP Summer Concert – Friday December 1

Year 10 Connected Curricular – Thursday 30 November – 6 December

Year 7 Picnic Day – Monday 11 December

Year 9 History Dance – Wednesday December 14

Kennedy Cup Picnic Day – Thursday December 14. This event will be for all students in Mawson House.

School Talent Quest – Friday December 15 all entries must be submitted to the SRC by Tuesday December 13

HSC Results Breakfast – Friday December 15 Year 12 2023 are invited into the school to share and celebrate their HSC results.

Last day of school for students – Friday December 15

Year 8 Slum Survivor

Year 8 Slum Survivor is a two-day event designed to educate students about global inequality and the challenges of homelessness in Australia. During these two days, students participate in various simulations to comprehend the importance of education in enhancing the well-being of individuals in developing countries, the time wasted on activities such as collecting water, the complexities of daily life when water is scarce, collaboration in group activities, repurposing garbage into useful items, and gaining insights from a guest speaker from The St Vincent de Paul Society.

It is alarming that more than 122,000 Australians are experiencing homelessness, with over 58% of the homeless population being under the age of 35. Additionally, more than 17,600 children under the age of 12 do not have a stable place to call home. The face of homelessness in Australia is evolving, with women over 50 being the fastest-growing group experiencing homelessness.

In a symbolic gesture, students spent Thursday night sleeping in makeshift shelters made from cardboard boxes. Due to rain, students had to construct their sleeping quarters along the cramped corridors of the Wilkins block and cope with the constant lights that could not be turned off. The sleepout provides a unique insight into the complex issues that people experiencing homelessness face by “sleeping rough” for one night.

Slum Survivor also serves as the primary fundraising activity for Year 8. Kudos to Year 8 for raising over $33,000 for The St Vincent de Paul Society, and special recognition goes to Mr. Carritt for his outstanding leadership in driving this fundraising initiative with the Year 8 charity committee.

This initiative is only possible due to the support of staff who were willing to organise activities and sacrifice their time to supervise the students overnight. Therefore I thank all the staff involved for their enormous efforts over the two days.

Mr Chapman

MAD Night

We are delighted to share the success of our recent Creative and Performing Arts Night, fondly known as MAD Night, which took place on the 28th and 29th of November. This event was a dazzling showcase of the artistic prowess and creative brilliance of our students from Years 7 to 11. The night not only celebrated visual arts but also featured captivating drama and music performances from our talented students in Years 7 to 10.

The Visual Arts exhibition displayed an impressive array of works, showcasing the diversity of talents within our school community. From the intricate details of charcoal drawings to the lively animations that came to life on the screen, the gallery was a testament to the creativity and dedication of our young artists. Painting, printmaking, and sculpture added a three-dimensional flair to the exhibit, demonstrating the students’ versatility in artistic expression.

The Drama and Music performances were nothing short of spectacular. Students from Years 7 to 10 showcased their acting and musical talents with enthusiasm and skill. The audience was treated to a range of performances, from gripping theatrical scenes to soulful musical renditions. Year 7 and 8 stole the spotlight with their whole class musical performances, leaving everyone in awe of their collective talent and dedication.

We would like to extend our gratitude to all the students who participated in MAD Night. Your passion and commitment to the arts is inspiring, and you have made our school community immensely proud.

A special thank you goes out to the dedicated staff members of the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) faculty who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make MAD Night a resounding success. From coordinating the logistics to guiding the students in their artistic endeavours, your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Your commitment to fostering a creative and vibrant learning environment is commendable, and we are grateful for the positive impact you continue to have on our students.

To the families and friends who joined us for MAD Night, thank you for your support. Your presence added to the joy and excitement of the event, and we hope you enjoyed the opportunity to witness the incredible talents of our students.

MAD Night was more than just a showcase; it was a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and the arts. As we reflect on this wonderful event, let’s continue to nurture and encourage the artistic spirit within our school community. The success of MAD Night serves as a reminder of the incredible talent that resides within our students, and we look forward to more opportunities to celebrate their achievements in the future.

Thank you, once again, to everyone who contributed to the success of MAD Night.

For more photos from the event see the gallery on our school website here.

Crazy Sock Day to support those affected by cancer

Wednesday 29th November was ‘Crazy Sock Day’ at FSHS. The Year 10 Charity Committee organised the day to help support those affected by cancer and to raise money for the Cancer Council.

For a gold coin donation, students wore bright socks to school as a sign of solidarity for those affected by cancer and to highlight the strength needed to ‘fight’ such a pervasive disease. There was also a BBQ at lunch time, a crazy sock scavenger hunt, a face painting station and a coin-toss competition! The staff and students were very supportive and generous and over a thousand dollars was raised on the day!

Thank you to all those who participated in the activities and contributed in different ways to make the day so successful. It is great to be part of such a positive school community. Thank you to our brilliant front office staff, who are always very helpful and supportive of student initiatives, thank you to the students who pitched-in to help out – particularly Jacob Read, Joseph McGee, Charlie Dey, Aria Pettinato, Yvonne Szmajda, Amelia Sadiq and Livia Zhen – and thank you especially to the Year 10 Charity Committee members who worked extremely hard to make the day a raging success:

Akshaya Rameshbabu, Emily Jin, Hannah Chen, Alisha Tran, Eva Yuan, Sarah Ly, Katie Liu, Ella Lo, Fiona Gu, Jessica Sima, Gina Hong and Yujing Zhou.

If you would like to donate to the cause, it is not too late, please do so via the link below:

https://www.doitforcancer.com.au/fundraisers/akshayarameshbabu/fort-street-high-school-crazy-sock-day

Year 7 & Year 10 school vaccination Pop up clinics

Sydney Local Health District will be running a couple of ‘pop-up’ vaccination clinics over the weekend of 9^th & 10^th December, in order to capture any students that may have missed being vaccinated at school or with their GP. This applies to those that are in Year 7 or Year 10. See below for information about locations and times.

IMP News

The past few weeks have been an incredibly busy time for the IMP. 

On Friday 10 November, the IMP hosted musicians from St George Girls High School at the Fort. Our Wind Ensemble collaborated with St George band, while the Symphony Orchestra worked with their string ensemble. After only 1.5 hours of intensive rehearsals after school, the ensembles presented a concert to a very enthusiastic crowd. Each of the newly-formed orchestra and band numbered well over 100 students, and it was exciting to hear such great music, performed by such large ensembles, who’d prepared under pressure in a very short timeframe, utilising all of their Musical skills. We thank the music staff at St George Girls for their willingness to engage in a collaborative project, and look forward to more joint projects in the future.

On Tuesday 14 November, the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Orchestra performed at Lazybones Lounge, a well-known jazz club in Marrickville. The groups were part of an initiative by the Tuesday Night Jazz Orchestra, who have a residency at Lazybones. The intention is to give school ensembles the chance to perform in a professional venue, supporting one of the best professional jazz orchestras in the Sydney music scene. The evening was a huge success, with tickets selling out early, and the enormous crowd supporting both the student acts and the professional musicians. The two ensembles from the IMP opened the evening, and performed brilliantly, before staying on to watch the pother great jazz playing taking place. Congratulations to the Fortians for their musicality, professionalism, and enthusiasm. 

On Thursday 16 November, the IMP was very pleased to host the inaugural Choir For Life charity concert. Vocal Ensemble and Chamber Choir performed alongside Singers Re-Choired, a local community choir featuring many old Fortians, parents, and staff, and conducted by our choral director, Alex Pringle. This joyous event saw over 200 singers take the stage in the school hall. The real meaning of the word amateur; to do for he love of it, was clear to see on the face of every singer and every audience member. The combined efforts of Vocal Ensemble, Chamber Choir and Singers Re-Choired resulted in over $8,000 being raised for the ReachOut, and some very frank discussions about the importance of taking youth mental health seriously. This life-affirming event looks set to become an annual event!

On Saturday 18 November, the Concert Band and Training Band performed at the Stanmore Music Festival. This wonderful community-focussed music festival was the brainchild of the late Richard Gill, and it was so gratifying to see how much it was grown. The whole of Stanmore was shut down, and crowds enjoyed performances throughout the afternoon, across 10 different stages. A large audience of Fortians and community members alike enjoyed the IMP performances, and the students played extremely well (despite the windy conditions) and acquitted themselves maturely and professionally.  Congratulations!

On Tuesday 28 November, the Concert Band and Philharmonic Orchestra wowed the incoming Year 7 for 2024, as part of the welcome assembly for Orientation Day. After such inspiring performances, the IMP looks set to welcome a healthy intake of new young musicians in 2024!

On top of these performances, the IMP continues to perform at every Fort Street school assembly, and our final assembly performance for the year, featuring the Symphony Orchestra, will take place this Friday 1 December. Later on that evening the incredible work of the IMP ensembles will be showcased in our annual Summer Concert. 

P&C News

Our final meeting for 2023 is next Tuesday, December 5th and will be held at the White Cockatoo Hotel in Petersham. We will be holding a brief meeting and then parents and carers are invited to join us to share and meal, socialise and celebrate the achievements of the P&C this year.

Thank you Uniform Shop Volunteers!

A special mention to our uniform shop volunteers who have been helping our new students to get fitted out with all their uniform needs. It’s a busy time of the year and we appreciate anytime that people are able to volunteer. The incoming families are always very appreciative of the advice and help given.

P&C Membership

If you would like to be able to vote at any future P&C meetings it is important that you please pay your membership fee. If you wish to be come a member, please fill out the linked membership form and email to the P&C via the address above or submit to the school office. Note that the fee for joining the P&C is $1, which can be paid to the P&C bank account via direct deposit (please ensure that you supply your name with the deposit).

The P&C bank account details are:

Fort Street High School P&C Association

BSB: 032-267

Account: 247674

New P&C Emails

Just a reminder that due to changes with the P&C Federation we have had to change our email provider. The new contact details have been updated on the school website but are also listed below:

The new P&C email address is info@fortstreetpandc.org

The new uniform shop email address is uniformshop@fortstreetpandc.org

To keep up to date with all P&C news some along to our regular meetings or join our Facebook page. Meeting agendas and minutes are also available on the school website.

Important Changes to Bus Routes for Fort Street Students

From Sunday 10 December the timetables of some Inner West buses operated by Transit Systems are being adjusted to improve reliability and reflect customer demand.

Changes to route bus timetables

Timetable adjustments will occur on routes 389, 428, 431, 433, 437, 438X, 440, 441, 442, 445, 461X, 464, 466, 469, 470, 502, 503, 504 and 504X.

Changes to school bus timetables

To better match traffic conditions there will be timetable adjustments on some school routes. Note that some services will operate earlier than they currently do, so students are requested to plan their trip before travelling.

In addition to the timetable changes, please note that the following route changes will occur:

• 680s (Balmain to Fort Street High School): this route will no longer operate. Fort Street High School students can catch Route 445 to the Taverners Hill Infants School bus stop in Railway Street and walk to the school via Queen Street or Parramatta Road.
• 681s (Fort Street High School to Strathfield via Ashfield Boys High School): this route will no longer operate. Students can use Route 480 for travel towards Ashfield and Strathfield departing from Parramatta Road.

Trip planning

The best way for students to confirm departure times of buses from their bus stop is by planning ahead on Trip Planner transportnsw.info/trip before travelling or to download the Opal Travel app. To ensure dedicated school services appear as a travel option for students, click ‘refine’ and select the ‘school bus’ option.

School timetable summaries are also available at transitsystems.com.au .

Feedback

To provide feedback on any Transport for NSW service, please visit https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/feedback/bus-feedback .

Students are reminded to tap on and off with their Opal card on all trips.

Transit Systems

UNSW Young Women in Engineering Pathway Program

UNSW Young Women in Engineering Pathway Program Open Now for Registrations The UNSW Young Women in Engineering Pathway Program for 2024 Year 11 and Year 12 students interested in undertaking an engineering challenge at UNSW is now open. The program runs February to March 2024 taking the place of the UNSW GIE FEAS Program as an alternate pathway to UNSW Engineering. For more information visit: https://www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/study-with-us/young-wie-club/young-wie-pathway-program.

Art Club Intensive Program 2024

The National Art School will be running a variety of programs during the school holidays.

For more information visit their website https://shop.nas.edu.au/pages/art-club

Free workshops for young people

All Together Now, in partnership with Headspace Campbeltown and Urbis, are running a free program called Agent C for any young person aged 14-21 years, school or service in NSW. Funded by Multicultural NSW, the program includes 3 x 1.5-hour online sessions through Zoom, available until May 2024.
 
Agent C has been co-designed by young people, for young people. The program aims to provide specialised training for young people who want to enhance their confidence, skills and understanding of misinformation, fake news, conspiracy theories and online speech.