mercurius issue 7 – September 2018 - 6 Sep 2018
Principal’s Report

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents, Carers and Fortians,

Parents and carers are an important and valued part of the school community. All parents and carers are invited to participate in ‘Tell Them From Me’, which is a survey for parents and carers and will provide the school with feedback to make practical improvements and to inform school planning. The survey is online and takes about 10 minutes to complete. The survey has been emailed to all parents and can also be accessed on the parent portal. If you cannot access the link please contact reception at the school.

The few weeks since our last edition of Mercurius have been busy but also very rewarding.
Week 7 was SAS Staff Recognition Week – an annual event in which we celebrate the work done by our School Administrative and Support Staff.  The contribution this team makes to the entire school community is invaluable and highly appreciated by all members of the community. I feel privileged to have found myself working with such a motivated and passionate group of staff who genuinely care about the school and go about their work with exceptional efficiency, diligence and professionalism. I would like to personally thank all members of the SAS team – Janette Levy, Maria Costello (currently relieving for Janette), Celia Batista (Science Assistant), Georgia Calvani, Vivien Davies, Dianne Debreczeni, Chris Egan (Library), Mark Egan (Archives), Lina El Deri, Kellorin Long, Marjan McKeough (Library), Donna Padroth (Kitchen Assistant), Natalie Page, Fran Triolo, Denise Sloss, Janet Wilkins and Kevin Wright.

I had the pleasure of attending the CAPA HSC Showcase on Thursday 23rd August, the Visual Art Major Works and English Extension 2 Showcases on Monday 3rd September. At each of these events I was impressed yet again by the wide range of talent that exists at the Fort. My congratulations extend to all Fortians who completed major works and presented at these events but also to their parents who supported their children during the long process involved in creating these projects and to the wonderful teachers who have dedicated endless hours of support, encouragement and expertise to help shape these works to be the very best products that they could be.

We have had three assemblies in the past two weeks. On Friday August 31st the school participated in ‘Wear it Purple Day’ and the school had the pleasure of hearing from two guest speakers – Maree Lau from P Flag and Constable Casey Mitchell Youth Liaison Officer from the Inner West Police Area Command. On Tuesday August 28th we celebrated sporting achievements. This year at our ‘Sports Assembly’ and on Friday September 7th we held an HSC Major Works Assembly to showcase the completed major works to the broader student body not only to celebrate but also to inspire Fortians from other years to see firsthand what can be achieved in these specialty areas.

On Wednesday September 5th the Charity Committees, Amnesty Group and Diversity Committee hosted ‘Multicultural Day’ in which students had the opportunity to try foods from different continents, participate in activities and dress in cultural costume/clothing. I would like to thank the Fortians and staff who were involved in preparing and cooking food for the day as well as organising the events and festivities on the day. In particular however, I must thank Aidan Limnios (Yr 10) and Sasha Mendes (Yr 10) for coordinating this event, and Ms Clare Cotton and Ms Catriona Arcamone for the enormous amount of time and effort they put into supporting the preparations.

Congratulations to:
·     Cole Johnson (Yr 12) – recipient of The Australian National University (ANU) Tuckwell Scholarship 2019. Each year ANU receives written applications from hundreds of students all around the country, a shortlist of 75 applicants are interviewed in Canberra and eventually 25 scholarships are awarded.

·     Michelle Cheung (Yr 12) and Julian van Gerwen (Yr 12) for their achievement of the 2018 Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement. I had the pleasure of attending the awards ceremony at Town Hall on Wednesday August 29 at which these two outstanding Fortians were presented awards by the Hon Rob Stokes MP, Minister for Education.

·     Alison Hwang (Yr 11) – finalist in the Whitlam Institute What Matters? Writing Competition 2018. I would also like to thank Claire Kendall for attending this presentation ceremony on Tuesday September 4.

·     Yet another victory from our Year 10 Debating team at the quarter finals against Sydney Secondary College Balmain on Tuesday September 4. These students will now progress to the semi-finals where they will be debating against Rose Bay Secondary College. Congratulations to Jessica Yoon, Crystal Pham, Max Collingwood and Luca Charlier.

·   Jessica Song (Yr 11) who has been selected to participate in the New South Wales Schools Constitutional Convention at Parliament House, Macquarie St on Tuesday October 30.

·   Anson Lee (Yr 10) and Alistair McDonald (Yr 10) who performed as members of the Southern Stars Orchestra at the 2018 Southern Stars Show Week, Wollongong Entertainment Centre last week and weekend.

·   Sanjana Krishnan-Iyer (Yr 7), Esther Alex (Yr 7), Mary Koutalianos (Yr 7), Benjamin Alpert (Yr 9), Jack Coleman (Yr 9), Lola Rose Van Overdam (Yr 9) and Phoebe Rosser (Yr 9) who competed in the State Finals of Tournament of Minds on Sunday September 9th.

Juliette McMurray
Principal

Important Dates

Important Dates

September

10        Raise mentoring
11-12   Year 12 English incursion
12        Year 10 Japanese excursion to the Tanken Centre
12        Open Morning
12        P&C meeting
14-21  Year 11 exams
19       Year 7 Gala Day
20       UTS Maths Club
21       Latin Club
24       Raise mentoring graduation
24-25  SRC Camp
26       Robotics competition preparation day
27       Year 12 Breakfast and Graduation Assembly
28       Latin Club
28       End of term 3

October
15       All students return
15-19  Year 9 Camp
17       Year 11 and 12 Study Skills

Latin Camp MMXVIII Anno Domini

Latin Camp MMXVIII Anno Domini

The camp held from the 31st of August to the 2nd of September was the 43rd Classics Camp. There were 143 students in attendance; our seven eager young minds were in the minority but still filled with just as much enthusiasm as all those who attended. At night it could get a bit rowdy, but I think we can all agree that was probably Sydney Boys.

Schools such as Presbyterian Ladies College, Newington College, Trinity Grammar School and Sydney Boys High attended the camp, a real mix of both public and private education. Fort Street was attending for the first time in many years, after the much regretted drought of Latin at the school in recent times.

While we did not speak Latin for the whole the camp, as some may derive from the name, we did learn some exciting things about Roman culture and mythology. We were taken on a bushwalk into the ‘underworld’ through the magical land we know as the “Australian Bush” and told stories of ages long past and heroes of yore. We met the vicious Cerberus, the three headed dog who guards the underworld. We, due to our pure hearts, were sent to Elysium by Minos as we heard tales of the punishments undergone by those vile souls who had been doomed to spend eternity in Hades.

In a fantastically engaging Roman Army show we tried on armour, which truthfully was not all Roman, and learnt how the Roman Army managed to conquer half of Europe and become one of the greatest armies of all time. We met one of their greatest foes, the Greeks, who employed the mighty and fearsome Phalanx in battle to cut down enemies who charged at their imposing wall of pikes.

We participated in gladiatorial battles, fighting fiercely for our lives. Here one of the more notable battles was that between Peter and Daniel, who managed to somehow take each other out at the same time. Dead gladiators were sent to the underworld, ready to be judged by the gods.

Using some famous Latin quotes, or ones we managed to come up with ourselves (with a little help from our teachers!), we made beautiful t-shirts and badges as a reminder of how wonderful Latin is as a language. It was also a token to preserve the existence of the rich culture and language, so it can never die.

Then we marched in a Triumph, each of us playing a wide range of parts, varying from musicians to soldiers, priests to captured slaves. Our imperator, or greatest general, who was played by one of the camp teachers rode in his chariot while the common people, played by us students, shouted his name in triumph as he continued around accepting flowers and other gifts.

The Latin Camp of 2018 was a fantastic experience for all, a thrilling adventure through the culture and mythology of the Romans. We learnt about Roman armies, and got to try on their armour. We fought against each other in vicious gladiatorial battles, often resulting in some hilarious moments. We even held our own Ludi, the Roman equivalent of the Olympic games. Latin Camp was something that I think we are all glad we went on, a once in a life experience to meet others who were interested in Latin like us and have a weekend full of fun!

The Latin Class of 2019.

Junior Legacy Public Speaking Competition

Junior Legacy Public Speaking Competition

Danielle Villafana (Yr 9) represented the student creditably at The Sydney Regional Final of The Junior Legacy Public Speaking Competition. The competition was of an extremely high standard and she spoke on the subject of how selective entrance high schools reflecting the waves of migration in Australia. Her impromptu speech topic was “A Step in the Right Direction” and she spoke about tiger parents. Danielle is a fine public speaker and we are very proud of her achievements.

Ms Schlam
Public Speaking Co-Ordinator

Sydney Jewish Museum

Sydney Jewish Museum

On Wednesday 29 September, fifty Year 10 Elective History students visited the Sydney Jewish Museum as part of their study of Genocide. The students were deeply engaged in the guided tour of the Museum, which traced the development of the Holocaust from the Polish ghettos to the Final Solution, and presented many stories and artefacts of resistance and remembrance. One of the highlights was listening to Lucy Chladek (pictured above), a survivor of the Holocaust as a young girl living in Budapest, Hungary. Following the museum visit, students watched the film Ida, set in 1962 Communist Poland, which explored ideas of guilt and pain through the eyes of a young woman who returns to the place her parents were murdered during the German occupation of Poland.

This article consists of extracts of student reflections on the day.

Viewing artefacts- the odd things left behind by those killed and documents such as propaganda – and faces of victims around the museum, allowed us to view something physical and connect with the events, not only an objective manner. We heard second hand stories from the guides and a moving recount from a survivor and we learned that adults weren’t among the only murdered. When I walked into the children’s memorial, it brought all of these concepts together – 1.5 million drops of water filled a sculpture of relatives of those who worked in the facility – and was deeply moving. I think that was the point in which many of us we finally realised that it wasn’t just a historical event that happened in the distant past. The museum gave context to the area of study, but most importantly something physical to hold on to when we go into further research. (Amelie).

I learnt many new things about the lead-up and execution of the holocaust through the several engaging presentations and tours around the museum. I also had the privilege to hear the thoughts and memories from a first-hand holocaust survivor who lived in hiding at the time of Nazi Germany’s occupation of Hungary. To me, the facts and stories I heard along the way were so captivating that I found myself recounting all the facts that I had learnt to my parents in the evening. (Julius)

Hearing Lucy talk about her own experiences was enlightening as she has a story that was
different to any other stories I have heard – unlike what I have read before, she was not held in a concentration camp, but despite this, she still suffered through immense difficulties that I would not have considered before. She also spoke about her life after the Holocaust, explaining her life in Australia, which I felt was just as important as her experiences during the Holocaust. (Felicity)

Watching Ida was truly an enjoyable experience for me due to the classic cinematography and ideology behind the film. Ida provides a touching and informative perspective about the post-holocaust period and has given me clearer idea of how society perceived the Jews in 1962. Furthermore, I believe that watching this film was such a valuable part of the excursion because as our Western time period and culture progresses, the production and showcasing of classic black-and-white films spoken in a different language is slowly decreasing. (Ameira)

The influences of the Holocaust on daily living and societal structure was the most interesting part for me personally, which the movie ‘Ida’ supported with its intense emotional appeal. At times, the plot was confusing and hard to grasp, but the visual symbolism was enough to provoke my thoughts on the aftermath of the Holocaust. Listening to Lucy, a Hungarian Jew, and her childhood perspective on her family going into hiding and escaping was fascinating. Knowing that there are people who are still alive that endured the horrors and can tell their story helps me understand how dangerous and oppressed the time period was. Overall, the excursion was a direct and captivating experience and I learnt many things about perspective and context. (Winston)

The most moving and emotional part of the museum was the Children’s Memorial. The film Ida was a beautiful captured story, yet it lacked enough action to make it entertaining and captivating. Going in to the movie with expectations of scenes of concentration camps and more focus on the Holocaust itself, I was disappointed in the basic storyline. Although I recognised the appeal in the cinematography and the exquisite editing, the movie failed to connect with me on an emotional level. Overall, I believed that the Sydney Jewish Museum was more beneficial is understanding the Holocaust and provided a better insight into events and information related. (Max)

One can read as much on the Holocaust as they want or watch documentaries but being confronted with the reality of the events is completely different. Hearing the stories of survivors and their descendants as well as journals or other sources created at the time gives a perspective into the Holocaust which can really engage you with the content and experiences. Overall, the excursion was a great experience. It was something that could be taken beyond those confines and contribute to someone as a person and a globally aware citizen. I think this is part of why I enjoy history – even though it is a study of the past, it continues to have outstanding relevance to our lives, our experiences and our growth as people. (Luca)

The excursion ultimately presented two differing but equally compelling perspectives of the Holocaust and its aftermath. The exploration of the Holocaust as an experience through memory rather than as an event recounted in a conventional narrative structure provided the opportunity for minimalist storytelling within the film Ida. The historical context of the film is built through the atmosphere of the movie: wide shots of empty nothingness that, from the very first scenes, begin to take shape as a clear representation of a shattered country recovering from the brutal despair experienced during the Holocaust. All of this was accomplished without ever directly referencing any significant events. This perspective offered a meaningful insight into life within Poland following the German occupation, and allowed us to grasp a new sense of the reclamation of identity that began to be experienced as a result of the Holocaust. Rediscovery of the past through fragmented recollections and broken bones — both figuratively and literally — was a viewpoint that we had not previously discussed in class, and was one that I found to be particularly captivating and emotionally compelling. (Olive)

Gregor Macfie
History Faculty

German Film Festival

German Film Festival

Earlier this year, the Year Nine and Ten German classes went on excursion to the German Film Festival. We saw a film titled ‘Auf Augenhöhe’, meaning ‘at eye height,’ which was a wonderful film about an 11 year old boy, named Michi, who learns that his biological father is a little person. The film tells of their rocky but ultimately successful relationship, as Michi eventually comes to terms with being taller than his father.

The film was light hearted and quite funny, whilst also having a serious plot line and addressing legitimate issues about the treatment of people of short stature, and we were all impressed by the acting quality, especially of the many child actors.

We all thoroughly enjoyed the film, and it was a great opportunity for us all to test our German, and see how much we could understand without reading the subtitles. The Goethe Institut also ran a competition to find the most interesting German word we learned during the film, with many interesting responses, including: Fremdschämen, from Meg, which means second hand embarrassment. Three Fort Street students were lucky enough to win movie vouchers for their entries.

After the movie, we went to a nearby German restaurant to have schnitzel and strudel for lunch. The food at the restaurant was delicious, and, given most of us have never had actual German food, seemingly very authentic. The entire restaurant experience was wonderful, and our table group never ran out of jokes and stories, both about the day and otherwise. We eventually arrived back at Petersham station, tired but happy. We could all agree on what a thoroughly fantastic day it had been, and we all look forward to the next one.

Marley Donald
Year 9

Sports Photos

Sports Photos

To access photos, please visit: www.academyphoto.com.au and go to “Products for Parents” “Order Online”
Please enter the following 8 digit shoot key:
General – Shoot Key: X6BJL2ND
Age Champions – Shoot Key: D4YGVG3C
Basketball – Shoot Key: V4E59JQA
Debating – Shoot Key: A7979CM9
Futsal – Shoot Key: JAR7AQX7
Music – Shoot Key: 6QYT96L5
Water polo – Shoot Key: T5JX8UPX
Other Sports– Shoot Key: 22642HUN

Photographs will be available online for six months, alternatively you may call the Academy Photo office on 1300 766 472 to place you order by phone.

Year 12 UAC Checklist

Year 12 UAC Checklist

Applications for UAC are now open! At such a busy time of year, it is important for students who are considering university study to be prepared with the knowledge they need to complete their application successfully.

UAC have published a Year 12 Checklist for Applying Through UAC to assist students through this process. Following this checklist will help students by reminding them of the application process, key dates and important information about entry schemes and scholarships.

UAC have also developed a step by step video guide for school leavers who are completing an undergraduate application through UAC. You can watch this video by clicking here.

 

The Careers Adviser, Ms Salisbury, is available to assist students and families with the application process. Please note that a substantial late fee applies for students who miss the on-time registration date September 28th.

HSC workshop for Parents and Carers

Date: Tuesday the 11th of September

Time: 6 – 7 PM

Location: Ashfield Service Centre, Inner West Council, 260 Liverpool Rd Ashfield, NSW. (Next door to Ashfield Mall)

About the group: The HSC can be a stressful time for students and carers alike. This workshop focuses on what you, as a parent or carer, can do to support your teenager through the HSC. The session will be presented by parenting workers from ReachOut.com, to help you learn how to connect with your teen and assist them through the final exams.

Contact: To register, please call Olivia Chung on 9798 1700, or e-mail to olivia.chung@metroassist.org.au

 

Congratulations to Yerin

Congratulations to Yerin

Yerin Kim, our extraordinarily talented young golfer from Year 11, was one of two young women and two young men to be selected from Australia to compete in Canada in the International Players Championship, Maple Leaf Junior Tour. Yerin’s great talent is only outdone by her modesty – which further enhances her sportsmanship. Yerin was placed second in this international competition – just behind her Australian compatriot who won first place. Congratulations Yerin.

Report from School Council

Report from School Council

The School Council has met three times since the last report – on 6 June, 1 August and 5 September. The School Council comprises representatives of the School Executive, teachers, parents, students and the community.

In June, Council welcomed the incoming Principal, Juliette McMurray, who was in attendance. The meeting considered the School Plan, which has three strategic directions:
1.   Excellent Teaching, Effective Learning
2.   Inclusive, Positive School Culture
3.   Engaging Community
The Plan is designed to focus on key initiatives undertaken by the school rather than covering all school priorities. It will incorporate targets and milestones for measuring progress. Copies of the School Plan are available on the school website. Other matters covered in June include progress on plans to refurbish the school, the introduction of cadets at the school, Year 12 references, planning for Fort Fest and the SRC’s Feedback Friday.

In August, Council and the new Principal discussed the role of the School Council. Council’s constitution will be updated to reflect changes in emphasis and Departmental policy. Ways of canvassing the views of parents were also debated, including online surveys. The Principal is very keen to hear from all sections of the school community about their priorities for the school. Other matters considered include the selective schooling review, the refurbishment program, and the names of school houses. Executive vacancies exist for a Deputy Principal and Head Teacher, Maths, with recruitment planned by the end of Term 3. Organisers were congratulated on the success of Fort Fest.

In September, Council received updates on the School Plan, proposed amendments to Council’s constitution, surveys of the school community (including the upcoming Tell Them From Me survey), and timelines for some of the school’s refurbishment projects. Findings from the recent review of the Languages Faculty were presented. The review was very positive, while also noting the declining numbers of students studying languages at Fort St. Council reiterated its support for the aim of offering as wide a range of courses to students as possible, even when classes are small. Reports were also received on the history of school houses at Fort Street, and on recent showcases and special days, including Multicultural Day.

At all Council meetings, members are advised of some of the many successes of Fort St students. Council also receives reports from the School Principal, P&C, students, the Fortians Union and the Fort Street Foundation.

Council will consider a new Constitution at is November meeting, and will examine the results of the Tell Them From Me survey in December.

Dr Kathy Esson
Chair

IMP News

IMP News

Members of the Jazz Orchestra had an exciting and inspiring day on Tuesday attending the Essentially Ellington program at the Conservatorium. This program was set up by Jazz at Lincoln Centre New York, to support the development of jazz in schools. Our students performed under the guidance of members of the Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra, and they also had the chance to watch an open rehearsal of the Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra, who played unbelievably difficult and engaging music at a very high standard. The day also included workshops for Fort St conductors Ray Cassar and John Ockwell. All told, it was a brilliant day of music education for Jazz Orchestra.

Chamber Choir and the Horn Ensemble performed two concerts at the weekend as part of the Resonance concert series.
String Ensemble will be performing at the Wilkins Public School Fete on Sunday 16thSeptember.
Students doing HSC music have made the most of the IMP’s instrumental ensembles, with Wind Ensemble being busy recording HSC exam compositions this week. Future students take note!

 

 

 

From the Archives

From the Archives

Fort Street’s first Headmaster

As we welcome the new principal, Juliette McMurray, to Fort Street High School let’s look back at some of our principals from the past. In this edition we’ll look at Clarice Morris’ research of Fort Street’s first Headmaster.
Fort Street was opened with Daniel O’Driscoll as temporary Headmaster but the National Educational Board had to face an important reality. They could not declare Fort Street a Model School until it had acquired a permanent Headmaster.
The first of the great headmasters did not arrive from Britain with a fanfare of trumpets. William Wilkins who was principal from 1851-1854 came under a cloud. Not only did Wilkins arrive after the death of his wife and newborn during the journey to Australia but the British Colonial Office sent Wilkins under false pretence. The National Board of Education had requested a teacher trained under the National Board of Education in Ireland but Wilkins, though he proved to be an inspiring Headmaster and competent organiser, was trained in England at the Battersea Training College. There was a certain grudging acceptance of Wilkins by the Board, and a critical tolerance of his conditions by Wilkins, who when he took charge of Fort Street School, found it “defective in organisation, in discipline, and in the methods of teaching employed”. But within a year of his leadership the school had improved so much that it was considered “to fully justify its title of Model School”.
The word MODEL at that time implied that the school, founded at the same time as the University of Sydney, would act as a model in organisation, instruction and discipline to teachers trained on its premises. It is interesting in the light of present day teacher training methods to recall that Wilkins suggested to the Board that even teachers previously appointed to other schools should attend Fort Street for a month “to qualify subsequently for a permanent position”.
The Fort Street Ethos, the striving for excellence, had begun.
Putting oneself in Wilkins’ position it may be possible to understand the uphill struggle he had to introduce more culture into the school’s curriculum. Sydney was a port and commercial town by the time of his arrival. It contained more than a quarter of the State’s population, a growing sense of political awareness, especially in opposition to the “Squattocracy”, yet it still had pockets of disease to say nothing of the occasional stench of offal on the premises of butchers within the city limits.
One of Wilkins’ continuing problems was how to supply sufficient teachers for vacant schools. One of his most admirable qualities was the ability’ to rise to the occasion. In fact, he displayed astute initiative when he put forward the suggestion that pupil-teachers fill the gap where staff shortage existed. The success of Wilkins’ training programme was such that he was able to suggest that some pupil-teachers might be appointed to Fort Street itself, even before completing their apprenticeship. One of the most outstanding of such pupil-teachers was Frederick Bridges who enrolled when the school first opened, and at the age of twelve in 1852 became a pupil-teacher. Such was young Fred’s potential that he was the first male pupil-teacher gazetted in Australia and he eventually became Headmaster of his old School in 1867.
Wilkins himself gradually won the respect and admiration of the National Education Board despite their first reaction to him on arrival from England. As the pacemaker for many famous principals to follow, Wilkins believed in as broad a cultural education as possible. His progressive work at Fort Street ultimately earned him promotion to the position of Inspector and Superintendent of Model Schools.

Iain Wallace
Archivist