Principals Report

Dear Fortians, Parents and Carers

I hope this newsletter, the last for Term 1, finds you well as we approach the end of another eventful term at our school. It’s with great pleasure that I share some exciting updates and achievements from our school community.

IMP European Tour

Ninety-nine of our IMP students from years 9-12 have embarked on an enriching European tour, exploring the vibrant cultures of Spain and Portugal. Throughout their journey, they will showcase their musical talents in concerts, participate in workshops, and notably, they will participate in the ANZAC Day ceremony with the Australian Embassy held in Lisbon, Portugal. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff, Mr. Manchester, Ms. Mattick, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Latimer, Mr. Ockwell, Ms. Propsting, Mr. Shakibaei, Mr. Pringle, and Mr. Cassar for generously spending their holidays accompanying our students. A tour such as this takes exceptional organisation, and we are thankful for the efforts of Mr. Manchester and the entire team for the huge amount of work that went into getting this tour off the ground. We look forward to the updates during the holidays.

Ocean Sentinels Exhibition

Our library has been adorned with the captivating sculptures of renowned artist Jason deCaires Taylor. Ocean Sentinels is a series of eight sculptures, in hybrid form, a synthesis of human figures and natural marine forms. The human figures are predominantly Australians whose work in the fields of marine science and marine conservation have been highly commended and influential in our understanding of reef protection. The stylised marine forms that surround and envelop them represent their particular field of study and expertise. The artworks aim to create an educational and informative introduction to the Great Barrier Reef, celebrating its rich history, its connection to some of the world’s leading marine science institutions, as well as its strong links to indigenous cultures and traditions. Thanks to the initiative of Elizabeth Maddox, this exhibition has provided our students with a unique artistic experience, enriching their creative perspectives.

Year 12 Assessment Block

I am pleased to report that our Year 12 students have successfully completed their second formal assessment block with diligence and integrity. Each task was approached with dedication, and their conduct throughout reflects their maturity and commitment to academic excellence.

Sport

Our school spirit continues to shine through various CHS games and events filling our calendar. Today’s cross-country event was a resounding success, thanks to the meticulous organisation of Ms. Ezekiel.

Chess Team Triumph

Congratulations are in order for our chess team, who emerged victorious in both individual and team championships at the Maxwell L Fuller Invitational held at Canterbury Boys’ School. Thanks to Mr. Wright for organising the event and accompanying our students – we look forward to the inter-school’s chess competition starting soon.

Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate welcoming Gabi Capel to our CAPA staff next term. Ms. Capel will be teaching Visual Arts, and we express our gratitude to Mr. Wallace and Ms. Vasilidadis for their invaluable contributions to teaching Visual Arts and PDM this term.

As we approach the holiday break, I extend my warmest wishes to all our families for a safe and rejuvenating time. We eagerly anticipate welcoming everyone back next term, ready for another term filled with learning, growth, and achievement.

Sydney Secondary Youth Leadership Conference report by Matthew Yong

On Thursday week 8, our SRC’s Year 10s and 11s attended the Sydney Secondary Youth Leadership Conference at the ICC. Over the five or so hours, established speakers educated us on their personal growth and experiences with leadership, along with essential topics relevant to all. This event was extremely engaging and surprisingly enjoyable, tailored effectively to youth.

Upon entering, we were welcomed by DJ Lachie, house lights and enthusiastic hosts Bonnie and Amanda. Immediately after beginning with activities, the discussions began with goal setting. Next were Bonnie, Amanda and Wil’s talks, covering finding where you belong, taking a chance and self-leadership. Next we began with the communication framework for difficult conversations and a Venn diagram of different leadership styles. Following this was a Q&A with Year 12 student Anna and a game of Simon Says – leading to choosing between blame and excuses instead of agency and ownership. After the last break followed talks by Varsha and Bradley, further discussion on empathy and change, smaller student participation and the completion of the event with commentary from Rose Jackson of the NSW Government. During breaks we had time to connect with other like-minded students and even gather their contact information. Overall, the experience was fun and engaging – with content not just for people like SRC members but relevant for any student. Further notes on each talk are below:

How to set your goal and achieve it, Set your goal, Write it down (improving completion by 42%), Verbalise it (improving completion by 65%)

Finding Where You Belong – Bonnie Ryan-Rowe “Any belonging that requires you to be someone different isn’t true belonging. True belonging requires us to be who we are.” Bonnie explored this concept in her talk about her journey to self-acceptance. As a youth growing up in a split household, her parents held different perspectives on what she should become. Combined with her friends’ expectations, this led to her introducing and presenting herself differently. This false persona was based on others she wanted to fit in with, sending a damaging personal message to herself that she was not worthy of being unique. Ultimately, her message focused on finding people who might not be the same ‘shape’ as you but uplift each other and don’t force you to act differently.

Taking a chance – Amanda Marshall “Take the chance and leave your comfort zone.” Amanda’s talk focused on her experience with taking opportunities, especially if they are outside your comfort zone. Working as a teacher in Melbourne, she suddenly received an opportunity to work with the AFL in the Northern Territory – leading her to connect and learn from the Indigenous peoples, creating precious bonds and memories that would last a lifetime. Her story reflected how leaving your comfort zone is the only way to grow – although it is safe and good to remain in it, breaking out of your cocoon is necessary to grow further (while overcoming the required challenges and struggles).

Her method for doing so was, Breaking it down (asking yourself what the next step is), Choosing kindness (backing yourself up, doing your best), Breathing (moving out of fear and into action)

Self-leadership without limits – Wil Massara “Your age doesn’t determine your ability to achieve amazing things.” From a young age, Wil’s special obsession was planes. So, he began his first business website ‘Planeapedia’ when starting secondary school, leading him to be invited to media events for major airlines at the age of 15. Eventually, he founded the very YLAA (Youth Leadership Academy Australia) in Year 11 whose leaders conference he was speaking to us at. Despite this, his journey was not without struggles, and he discussed the fear of being too young to make a change. Some important topics he spoke on included, Self-care – To pour something out of a cup, you must first fill it up. To lead others with energy and care is to first care for yourself and recharge. This includes spending more time around people who energise and uplift you. The cycle of self-leadership, Mindset (get the right mindset – see what you feel, think, want to give and get out of leading) leads to Emotion (check your emotions – if you don’t want to lead, don’t do it!) which leads to Action (either lead or step back) which repeats the cycle. Acknowledging control, there is a circle of things that you can control (such as your actions or what you show others) and most things are outside it (for example your friends, the weather or what others think of you). Acknowledging what you can and can’t control is an important act that is relevant in all areas of life. Improvement mindset, doing 1% better on something daily = 37 times better than where you started in a year. Declining by 1% every day = Almost going down to zero in a year.

A&A method for discussions: Approach: What I see – Note what happened in your perspective. What I feel – Share your perspective. What next – Ask them to rectify

Apology: Ownership – Acknowledge what happened. Apologise – Say sorry. What next – Ask what they would like you to do

Leadership styles: Director – Leading from the front (taking charge, using assertive body language)

Peer – Leading from the side (working with others, using similar body language)

Supporter – Leading from behind (uplifting others, focusing on them)

Each of these styles is important and good in different contexts. You may be able to find one that you use often but know that different situations often call for different (or a mix of) leadership styles.

Leading as a human – Anna King As a Year Twelve student, Anna is an incredibly inspiring leader within her school community and discussed an important topic during her Q&A. Anna commented on how sharing ideas for change inspires more and that initiatives that action these ideas can take off when shared with others and supported by a great network, but her focus was on how leaders are still human. “Don’t always say yes…”, she stated, even if someone thinks they can take everything on – always helping and doing all they can to support and lead others, “…because you’re still human”. Anna shared that allowing yourself to make mistakes can be difficult but can even improve how others view you. “People don’t want to see a facade”, and in fact “pressuring yourself to be perfect… diminishes your leadership abilities”. Her answers were empowering and uplifting, reaffirming that nobody is perfect and “anyone can be a leader”.

Simon Says and Owning Up – Bonnie Ryan-Rowe After a surprisingly difficult game of Simon Says, Bonnie launched into how different reactions to mistakes reflect on yourself as a leader. Pinning the blame and making excuses instead of owning up to losing is tied to real life – for example, how someone can make excuses for not completing a task, blame someone else for making a mistake or lie about a result. Similarly, Bonnie stated that taking agency in owning up to mistakes is also reflective – like acknowledging a mistake and accepting the responsibility (just like the A&A method). Her conclusion on telling the truth was particularly noticeable, in that though this was a simple game of Simon Says, we want to send the message to others that we can be trusted and have agency as a leader.

Leading yourself and others – Varsha Yajman A climate activist completing her university degree, Varsha led us through her story of how she grew up both with an eating disorder and anxiety. She focused on how important it is to believe in yourself even if nobody else does or you can’t see anybody with similar issues, stating that if you push through despite all of the struggles, you can lead others in the same direction. Her experience with the HSC and coordinating a Climate Protest was recounted, describing that being a leader in both her household and for other peers allowed her to make a change – if she stepped back instead of persevering, she would never have been able to achieve what she had. Varsha also noted that the word ‘leadership’ has been thrown around a lot and that her younger self thought it was the badges that people wore or the speeches they gave, but redefined it as leading by example and also caring for yourself.

What is Empathy? Wil took his shoes off and Amanda stood in (behind) them. Using this analogy, they presented the misconception that empathy means ‘standing in someone else’s shoes’. “Instead of feeling his very warm shoes,” Amanda laughed, “empathy is holding space for what other people feel. It does not mean completely understanding them or trying to gain all comprehension of what they feel but instead leaning into what they want. This ties into empathy for our schools and communities – leaning into what they want creates change.

What is Change? Frustration (what we’ve seen around us that doesn’t work for us or don’t want) + Excitement (engagement with the topic) = Inspiration. Inspiration (A passion for a frustration) + Agency (Making an action to rectify this frustration) = Change.

Overcoming – Bradley Dryburgh Bradley’s heartbreaking but extremely inspirational talk was of particular impact – a narrative of his life and the value of life. Born with Cystic Fibrosis, he recounted gaining countless diseases and ailments throughout his life but despite this, his parents always had a positive outlook and uplifted him. “What you believe is what you become,” he stated, reflecting on his parents’ choice to change doctors when their first specialist told them Brad wouldn’t survive his teenage years. After 18 years of incredible health and familial support, he had a massive hospital scare and genuinely believed he was going to die. “Confucius’s quote ‘We have two lives, and the second begins when we realise we only have one’ is true”, he said, because for himself (and many others) “today is a gift, tomorrow is a privilege”. After running marathons with his condition, Brad truly showed his determination to prove that he could continue and do all he could to live his life in a way that honours his blessing of survival and inspires others with CF. He prompted us to do the same with a loaded question; “If you could write a book about yourself, what would you want it to say?”

Leadership – Hon. Rose Jackson, MLC The Minister for Youth, Rose Jackson, attended the conference and closed it off with a few words about her experience with leadership. She commented that doing something without following others and speaking out on things that you feel strongly about means that you are making a change. Similarly to Anna King, the Hon. Rose Jackson declared that “any individual can change the world, including you.”

Matthew Yong (10SHEIKH)

7, 8, and 9 French classes celebrate Poisson D’Avril

April 1st has an interesting history in France, as it was once celebrated as the start of the new year. When this date moved to January in the 1600s, word was slow to travel to some areas of France, and people who continued to celebrate on the old date were mocked. As many people were celebrating Lent and consuming fish, those unaware of the date change were given fake fish as gifts. Over time, this has turned into the French version of April’s Fools day, where French children craft paper fish, write POISSON D’AVRIL somewhere on them, and try to stick them onto their friend’s back, either running away yelling “Poisson d’avril!” or sneaking away and waiting for the discovery. ‘Poisson d’avril’ translates to Fish of April, or April Fish!

To celebrate this important occasion, the year 7, 8, and 9 French classes had the opportunity to make their own poissons d’avril to sneakily stick onto a friend’s back. Look at some of their beautiful creations below.

Mr de Jong

French Teacher

Exchange visit from our German Sister School – the Georg Büchner Gymnasium

Last October the Year 10 and 11 German classes had the pleasure of travelling on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Germany to experience the culture of the language we were learning. During this time, we stayed in Berlin with host families for two weeks, who graciously welcomed us into their homes and provided us with extra insights into German culture. In March this year, we welcomed our exchange partners into our own homes, providing them with similar insights into Australian life whilst they undertook their own trip. A total of 15 students stayed with students from the Year 11 and 12 German classes.

After a long 24 hours spent travelling across the world, our partners arrived exhausted at Sydney airport on a Friday evening. We were able to provide them with their first taste of Australian food and allow them to rest and relax over the weekend before an exciting two weeks experiencing Australia. Many students took this opportunity to take their exchange partners to the first of many beach visits, showcase Sydney’s culture and environment, and head to Sydney’s Mardi Gras Parade.

On their first weekday in Sydney the students visited Fort Street, meeting many students and learning all about Australian school life, as well as enjoying a delicious morning tea. This was the start of an exciting week of visiting central Sydney and the Sydney Tower Eye, Bondi Beach, the Sydney Opera House, and Taronga Zoo. Throughout this, we sprinkled in extra activities with our exchange partners, taking them to the beach (again), to sports games, and shopping. Another weekend flew by filled with more exciting activities and more beach.

As our exchange partners began their second week in Australia, they took a two-night trip to the Blue Mountains. A break from our partners was welcome as hosting someone else was surprisingly a lot of effort. In the Blue Mountains, our exchange partners did a bush walk, viewed the Three Sisters, and held a traditional Australian barbecue. Returning to Sydney, they experienced the beauty of the Botanical Gardens, had a kayak tour in Manly, and visited Cockatoo Island. At night, they returned to the Opera House for a viewing of The Great Gatsby and saw Holding the Man at Belvoir Theatre.

Coming to our final weekend with our German partners, we wanted to squeeze in as much Australian fun as possible. That included even more trips to the beach, and a farewell party for all our partners. Many handshakes and hugs were had, as well as tears shed, as we brought our partners to the airport for their flight back home. It was a bittersweet farewell as there was no guarantee we would see our partners again anytime soon.

We all had a wonderful time sharing Australian culture with our partners, and it was a joy to be doing so much and improving our own German at the same time. A big thank you to Frau Reynolds, for organising the entire exchange; all of our hosts, including Ray and Fiona, who have since left Fort Street; Kevin and Toby, for looking after their partners during the German trip to the school; and Emil and Luka, our resident German translators.

Oliver Casey Year 11

Year 11 Engineering Studies Excursion to The University of Sydney

On Wednesday, April 3, 23 students from Year 11 Engineering Studies had an excursion to the Engineering Faculty of the University of Sydney.

Firstly, the students were brought to the Fluids Laboratory in the School of Civil Engineering. The lab has numerous water flumes for both research and teaching purposes. There is also a large wave flume to generate surface waves and study their interaction with structures. The students were shown a demonstration of the wave flume and a hydraulic jump in one of the water flumes. The general importance of fluid mechanics in engineering was also discussed. The Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel (BLWT) facility, which is one of the largest in Australia for academic research, was shown to the students.

Then the students were brought to the Alternative Fuels and Resources Laboratory and the Process Engineering Laboratory. The staff demonstrated how to utilise cleaner technology, transform biomass into valuable chemicals, and undertake experiments on pilot-scale chemical engineering apparatus and rigs.

Lastly, the students were brought to Bennett Lab. The staff gave a short presentation on the flight mechanics of drones, followed by a flying demonstration of a mini drone. The presentation covered how a drone achieves balance and hover, how it is different from a conventional aeroplane, and how it uses differential thrust to manoeuvre. The students had a great time controlling a mini drone in the lab. Then the students had a hands-on experience using flight simulators to take off the aeroplane and land it on the runway.

Huge thanks to the wonderful behaviour of the students and the opportunity that the University of Sydney provided.

D. Dong

Year 8 participate in Medieval Day

On Monday, 11th March, students from classes 8I, 8F and 8R participated in an immersive medieval history day. Through this experience, we not only gained insight into history but also developed teamwork and problem-solving skills.The day started with a medieval incursion where we learnt about weaponry and armor from the time and tried them on. A few brave students even went in the stocks! Then we had an afternoon of castle building. Our group, although having a rocky start(and a rocky middle) ended up with a castle that almost looked akin to the iconic Bodiam Castle. Our journey was marked by a series of obstacles, from logistical hurdles to technical difficulties(we realised that our inside walls were too short as we were glueing them on), we persevered and even finished the main castle parts giving us time to make and add machicolations. My favourite part of building the castle was adding the figurines which depicted a classic 15th century siege. The best part of the day was definitely walking around the room and looking at all the other amazing castles and then destroying our castle because it was too big to take home. Overall, this was a memorable and fun experience and I can’t wait to learn more about medieval history. (By: Sophie Kelly)

The Year 8 Medieval Incursion took place on March 11th and was an incredible interactive experience in which students were encouraged to participate hands-on with some of the items used in medieval times. In this session, we were taught about the evolution and kinds of armour and the sorts of medieval weapons and their uses. The program was very successful in immersing the classes in a series of informative demonstrations that were still entertaining at the same time. No questions were left unanswered, and by the end of the session, we had been blessed with an enlightening, tailored experience. (By: Nina O’Keeffe)

The year 8 Medieval castle building project, which also took place on March 11th, allowed students to participate in an intriguing journey through time, investigating Medieval castles and events. They worked in groups with their classmates, unleashing their creativity and imagination as they built miniature models of formidable castles using a variety of supplies and insight. They researched medieval building techniques and discovered the significance of features like battlements and drawbridges, thus expanding their historical understanding. This was an educational and fascinating activity in which students not only enhanced their awareness of Medieval history and castle construction, but also developed numerous skills such as collaboration, problem-solving abilities, and a genuine appreciation for the past. (By: Aira Garg)

Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024

This year we celebrated Neurodiversity Week for the first time at Fort Street with a big week of activities and awareness raising events. Neurodiversity Celebration Week challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences and aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported. We recognise the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that truly celebrate differences.

We kicked the week off early with an incredible speech at assembly by our very own Sofie Andersen, teaching us so much about neurodivergence and sharing what it’s like to be an Autistic ADHDer. Sofie is a wealth of knowledge and we are so lucky to learn from her! My favourite takeaway was ‘thinking of autism as an antenna’ that means Autistic individuals constantly process massive amounts of sensory, social, and cognitive information – which leads to a different way of interacting with the world.

We had passionate and informative student led presentations in the flexible learning space lead by our fantastic Diversity Committee leadership team, a great neurodivergent voices book display in the library, craft in the SSO room at recess and our main event on Wednesday – Sunglasses Sensory Activism day, to normalise the different types of sensory accommodations that neurodivergent people use in their daily lives, including here at school. Thank you to the staff and students who wore badges of pride and solidarity, yellow accessories and sunglasses to mark the occasion. We collected gold coin donations for Yellow Ladybugs, a non-government organisation, dedicated to the happiness, success and celebration of autistic girls, women and gender diverse individuals. Our school community raised over $250.00 for this charity.

Special thank you to the Fort Street Diversity Committee who organised the week and worked very hard to put together what I hope will be a yearly event for us! You should all be so proud. Diversity Committee meets every Wednesday lunch in W19. We work to create an environment that celebrates diversity of gender, sexuality, neurotype and ability. Our next big event is Wear it Purple day, we would love you to join us to get involved.

We are an advocacy group but also a social space where like minded students can connect and relax. For the next little while we will be taking a rest from planning and organising and doing some more beading, chatting and getting to know each other. Come along!

Rose Dooley, Student Support Officer

House Captain Easter Event

On the 29th of March, Fort Street celebrated Easter with a fun Easter Egg hunt at recess!

The House Captains came together to hide 500 paddle pop sticks around the school oval and watched as students eagerly scoured the field for those precious sticks at lunch. After collecting the paddle pop sticks, students rushed back to the desk and exchanged them for a house point and a chocolate egg. Some lucky students were even able to find a ping pong ball which awarded them with a whole chocolate Easter bunny!

I loved seeing the house spirit as students ran across the oval at the start of lunch, trying to find all the easy paddle pop sticks first. Whether it be for the house points or the free chocolate, students had a fun, albeit a little frustrating experience finding the hidden paddle pop sticks. Massive thanks to Mr Sarif and the rest of the House Captains who worked hard to make this event as fun as it was!

Keith Huang – Kirby House Captain

Australian novelist James Bradley visits Fort Street and MOUA exhibit in the library

On the 28th of March, Fort Street High School welcomed Australian novelist and critic, James Bradley, to discuss his literary works and personal journey with our Year 10 class. Among his variety of writings stands “Clade,” a speculative novel that was chosen for our in-depth study of speculative fiction. Bradley masterfully uses this novel to urge readers to confront environmental degradation’s implications and broaden our understanding of its far-reaching consequences. Our Year 10 cohort gained much knowledge and insight into this novel with Bradley’s visit allowing questions as he explored the themes encapsulated within his novel and the factors that caused the views he shared in his writing. James Bradley’s most recently published book titled, “Deep Water: The World in the Ocean”, further explores the importance of sustainability and the preservation of natural environments. As suggested by the title, it explores the wonders of the marine environments. Inspired by the key themes of understanding environmental degradation and the beauty of marine ecosystems, our teacher, Ms Maddox, organised an exhibit from the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) to be displayed in our library. This exhibition, a 3D printed version of the full-scale exhibit titled “Ocean Sentinel” was created by Jason Decaiers Taylor and served as a testament to the tireless efforts of key figures in the conservation movement for safeguarding marine life and ecosystems. For example, Professor John “Charlie” Veron, a renowned marine scientist who discovered 20% of all known coral species, is featured in this exhibition. Bradley’s visit and the supporting exhibition bestowed both intellectual and emotional engagement on the pressing issues of our time. Our study of this prescribed text, aided by the insight provided by Bradley, inspired further conscientiousness towards the future of our planet’s health.

Siena Jeffree and Roger Luo

Environment Group: Ocean Sentinels.

On Wednesday, the 10th of April, the Environmental Committee held a fundraiser to support aquatic biodiversity as part of our Marine Biodiversity Awareness Week. This included an Ocean Accessories Day on Wednesday where people could wear sea-themed accessories (but not full mufti), making a gold coin donation for the Australian Marine Conservation Society, with ocean-themed videos, and movies, environmental actions to be part of and the judging of our art and literary competitions at lunchtime in the hall.

The literary competition, for which students could submit up to 600 words in any genre, based on one of the sculptures in the library, closed at 8:45 on Tuesday. The art competition accepted artworks in any medium, based on the sculptures. Artworks were to be submitted by Wednesday at 8:45 in the library. Both comps were judged on Wednesday Lunch 2 in the hall.

Marine Biodiversity Week aims to raise awareness of the mass pollution and destruction of marine ecosystems globally. It is estimated that plastic pollution kills 100,000 marine mammals every year and 81 out of 123 marine mammal species have eaten or been entangled in plastic. This destruction of ocean ecosystems greatly affects our planet’s climate and puts millions of people at risk due to rising sea levels. The ocean holds 60 times more carbon than the atmosphere, absorbing almost 30% of CO₂ emissions from human activities.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is a Not-For-Profit NGO that works to reduce pollution and damage to oceanic ecosystems, such as abolishing, whaling and supertrawlers. Marine conservation is vital to maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems to halt climate change. For example, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most biologically diverse ecosystems but is threatened by rising temperatures, pollution, creeping industrialisation, and overfishing. AMCS was critical in establishing the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area and stopped coral mining and oil drilling on the Reef decades ago, but the fight for oceanic sustainability is far from over.

It is estimated that up to 200 species of marine life go extinct every day, and 50% of the world’s coral reefs are destroyed. This is why we need your help to raise awareness for the destruction of our oceans, and to help fund AMCS to save our seas for future generations.

Kai Hall, Year 10

Instrumental Music Programs

IMP Camp On the 29th to 31st of March, 165 Fort Street students and 22 staff and tutors came together for three days of intensive music making. Students were privileged to be guided by an amazing group of tutors, including principal players of major orchestras. The camp culminated in a joyous concert at CRU Galston Gorge, on Sunday afternoon, finishing with Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’ as the Camp Item involving all students. The performances were astounding and showcased the hard work, collaboration, and love of music-making of students and tutors alike.

Upcoming Musical Opportunities There are some exciting, upcoming musical opportunities for Fort Street musicians to expand their breadth of repertoire and performance experience. These include the Sydney Southeast Symphonic Wind ensemble, Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Workshops, State Wind Bands, State Music Camps, State Choir, and the Boys Vocal Program. Fort Street has always had a strong representation in these ensembles and camps.

1.Sydney Southeast Symphonic Winds (SSSW)

SSSW auditions students from all over Greater Sydney to form a 100+ piece concert band. 2024 marks the 30th year of the Sydney Southeast Symphonic Winds ensemble. The goal of the ensemble is to provide advanced music education and performance opportunities for children in Years 5 to 8 who are currently enrolled in NSW public schools in and around the Sydney area.

SSSW is open to students who play one of the following instruments: flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone (Alto, Tenor or Baritone), trumpet/cornet, French horn, trombone, baritone/euphonium, tuba, bass guitar, keyboard or percussion (tuned and/or untuned).

The band has regularly performed at leading performance venues including the Sydney Opera House, Angel Place, Sydney Town Hall, Parliament House, Verbrugghen Hall and the Sydney Entertainment Centre, also representing the Department of Education at official events throughout Sydney.

Applications close Friday 26th April.

For further information about SSSW, and to apply, visit The Arts Unit website: https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/local-arts-programs/metro-south-and-west-metropolitan-south-regional-south/sydney-southeast

2.Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Workshops on Monday 29th April 2024

The Sydney Conservatorium of Music invites secondary school students to a workshop/s on Monday 29 April 2024 with members of the Jazz Faculty that will help to demystify the intersection of improvisation and composition. Led by guitarist, vocalist and composer, Jess Green, participants will explore techniques to connect improvising with composing, using Jess’s compositions as vehicles for play and discovery. These workshops are open to all high school aged students, with no pre-requisites. Students will have opportunities to sing, clap and play their instruments in collective improvisation, as well learn from Conservatorium jazz students and lecturers about pathways to studying jazz at the Conservatorium.

These two workshops will be offered in a hybrid format: in person at the Conservatorium campus (1 Conservatorium Road, Sydney) and live-streamed for remote participants. 

Cost: There is no cost for participants.

Workshop 1 (10:30 – 11:15 am): Coordinating our body to make musical patterns. We explore a piece that draws on rhythms and melody that trace jazz to its African roots.

Workshop 2 (11:45 am – 12:30 pm): Using imagery and text to create rhythm and shape collective improvisation.

Registration:

In person: https://forms.office.com/r/eWWMHeTxh9

Remote*: https://forms.office.com/r/1NiUn1iv4h *live stream link will be sent to participants on Friday 26 April

For more information, and registration details, visit: https://bit.ly/4ao6S2m

3.State Wind Bands

The Arts Unit’s State Wind Bands provide an opportunity for high potential and gifted music students in NSW public schools to perform in a state ensemble under the direction of expert conductors. The rehearsal schedule is condensed to support participation from non-metro students, who will work with professional conductors and tutors in large ensemble and small sectional sessions to prepare for performances at the Sydney Opera House.

State Senior Band (for students in Years 9 to 12)
Workshops at The Arts Unit, Lewisham Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 August
Performances at The Sydney Opera House Monday 12 – Tuesday 13 August

State Junior Band (for students in Years 5 to 8)
Workshops at The Arts Unit, Lewisham Monday 12 – Tuesday 13 August
Performances at The Sydney Opera House Wednesday 14 – Thursday 15 August

Cost

Sydney metropolitan student participation fee – $110
Students from rural & remote schools – $85.50

All applications close Friday 10 May. 

For more information and to apply, visit artsunit.nsw.edu.au/program/state-wind-bands

Enquiries: Luke Wallace luke.wallace20@det.nsw.edu.au

4.State Music Camps

The Arts Unit’s State Music Camps provide an opportunity for high potential music students in NSW public schools to develop their performance skills under the guidance of expert conductors and tutors in a residential camp setting. During the week, students participate in both large and small ensembles, performing a range of engaging and high-quality repertoire with the camp culminating in a concert for families on the final night.

2024 dates

Senior State Music Camp (Years 8 to 12) – 30 June to 5 July (Term 2 Week 10)

Junior State Music Camp (Years 5 to 8) – 21 July to 26 July (Term 3 Week 1)

Venue Sydney Academy of Sport, Wakehurst Parkway, Narrabeen

Cost

Sydney metropolitan student participation fee – $700

Students from rural & remote schools – $375

Applications close Friday 10 May.

For more information and to apply, visit: artsunit.nsw.edu.au/program/nsw-public-schools-state-music-camps

Enquiries: Jacqueline Shaw jacqueline.shaw@det.nsw.edu.au

5.State Choir

The Arts Unit’s State Choir provides an opportunity for high potential and gifted choristers to sing challenging repertoire with Australia’s leading choral directors. The choir is open to all NSW public school students Years 8 to 12, with no audition required. The rehearsal schedule is condensed to support participation from non-metro students, who will rehearse in Sydney across three days to prepare for performances at the Sydney Opera House.

Workshops

The Arts Unit, Lewisham Sunday 11 August 2024

The Sydney Opera House Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 August 2024

Performances

The Sydney Opera House Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 August 2024

Cost

Sydney metropolitan student participation fee – $110

Students from rural & remote schools – $82.50

Applications close Thursday 30 May.

For more information and to apply, visit: artsunit.nsw.edu.au/program/state-choir

Enquiries: Jacqueline Shaw jacqueline.shaw@det.nsw.edu.au

6.Boys Vocal Program

The 3-day Boys Vocal Program is a non-audition vocal program led by tutors Stuart Davis and Arlo Sim at Trackdown Studios at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, in Term 2 Week 6.

Open to all students in Years 5 to 12 who attend a NSW public school who love to sing and want to experience what happens in a recording studio. During the first two days of the workshop, students and teachers work on vocal warm-ups, vocal techniques, ensemble singing, filming a film clip and developing an exciting, harmonised repertoire. On the third day, students record the track with sound engineers at Trackdown Studios, where they experience the recording, engineering and mixing process. Following the program, the completed music clip and recording are available to all schools via the Arts Unit website.

Dates: Tuesday 4th to Thursday 6th of June (9.00am-2.30pm)

Location: Trackdown Studios, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park.

Cost: $90.00

Applications close Friday 10 May

For more information and to apply, visit: https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/program/boys-vocal-program

Enquiries: artsinitiatives@det.nsw.edu.au

New Volleyball club starting

Hello everyone!

This is an announcement for the newly founded Volleyball Club. We invite all aspiring volleyball players from the school community to join us on Tuesday mornings at the volleyball courts (oval) from 7:45 a.m.

This invitation is particularly directed towards students from Year 7 and 8, but we would love to have any 9s or 10s too. We understand that we may be intimidating, and this may lead to you being discouraged, but everyone starts somewhere. As long as you have an ambition to play volleyball, we will help you get better. Feel free to join us at the volleyball courts during break times too!

If you have any further questions or concerns, contact me directly at:

Ethan.luu814@education.nsw.gov.au.

Kind Regards,

Ethan Luu

(Founder of the Volleyball Club, and Captain of the Year 9 Boys Volleyball team).

Fort Fest Committee positions

Fort Fest 2024 will be held on Friday 20th September, 3.15pm – 8.00pm.

An event for all the school and local community, with music, food, games and stalls. Run jointly by the SRC and P&C to raise money for the school, we are looking for volunteers to join the planning committee.

We have roles of all sizes to suit all interests, so please email us at events@fortstreetpandc.org if keen. We are currently looking for –

Finance Coordinator:

Responsible for planning the token sales, arranging square readers, assisting with square set up and issues on the night, managing floats, and looking after cash and money on the night.

Donations and Prizes Coordinator:

Manages call-outs for donations, organise the donation week at school, arrange storage with school admin, and purchase stall prizes. Works with the Volunteer coordinator to assign prizes to stalls.

Catering Coordinator:

Organise the food stalls, ensures there will be enough quantity and options, and assist the Stall Holder coordinator with planning based on stall requirements, orders extra catering items – plates, cups, sauces as required by stalls – checks Fortian Kitchen for existing supplies.

Sustainability and Waste Coordinator:

Work with the school office and is responsible for ordering extra bins, recycling, and managing waste emptying on the night.

Sponsors Coordinator:

Find local businesses willing to sponsor the event with cash or goods donations in return for presence or publicity.

Publicity and Comms Coordinator:

Promote the event by working with the school and the SRC. Writes the fortnightly Mercurius updates and posts on social media.

Alumni Coordinator:

Promote the event amongst Fort Street alumni, encouraging attendance and/or financial support

Equipment & Set Up Coordinators x 2:

Responsible for coordinating and sourcing equipment, decorations, lighting, electrical and safety. Will need to be available from 10.00am on 20 September to set up the event (with helpers).

Year 10 – Start planning your next chapter

We are excited to invite Year 10 students to attend our online Your path to Sydney information evening, designed to help Year 10 students and their parents, caregivers and teachers navigate the journey to university with confidence. In this session, your students will learn everything they need to know about subject selection, university applications and admissions.

The event will feature a presentation and live Q&A, where University of Sydney staff, current students and a UAC representative will cover topics such as:

what to consider when selecting your subjects for Year 11 and 12
what the ATAR is and how it’s calculated
the impact subject selection can have on your application to university
understanding prerequisites and assumed knowledge
tips for admission and scholarships
insights from our current students on their subject selection experiences and transition into university.

Want to find out more?

Please contact us at schools.outreach@sydney.edu.au if you have any questions about the event.

We hope to see you online soon!

Sydney Future Students
The University of Sydney

Event details

Macquarie | Experience Days

April 16 to April 19, 2024

Make the most of the April school holidays by spending ‘a day in the life’ of a uni student!

Our Experience Macquarie Days give you the opportunity to attend information sessions and interactive workshops, tour our state-of-the-art facilities and learning spaces, and explore our campus with a Macquarie student guide. You’ll have the flexibility to structure your day around your interests – the choice is yours.

Whether you’re certain about your future path or you’re still exploring your options, these taster days will give you a feel for university life, connect you with students just like you, and maybe even get you thinking about fields of study that you’re yet to consider.

Find out more

Upcoming events for your students

Explore our new Events page to view our upcoming events, now compiled in one spot for you, your students and their parents. Registrations are now open for our Year 10 Info Evenings and Faculty Info Evenings:

Year 10 Information Evenings: 9 & 14 May

Law & Justice (Law Admission Test): 15 May

Arts, Design & Architecture: 22 May

Science: 29 May

Business: 5 June

Engineering: 12 June

UNSW Canberra: 26 June