Art With Heart

Make a card and make a difference.

Would you put a smile on someone’s face if you could? Would you do it even if you didn’t know that random ‘someone’? If it was a person you’re unlikely ever to meet?

At this time of year there are 100s, possibly 1000s, of teenagers living in youth, detention, and holding centres. For various reasons, they’re not able to be with their families or friends and through poor choice or circumstance they are doing it tough. One can only imagine the conditions they’re living under and the difficulties they have to put up with, away from those who know and love them the most. It’s doubly hard during this time of the year when we’re surrounded by images of happy families and the abundance of the season.

Last week Frau Anderson got an e-mail from a friend which read:

What you can do for 888 kids locked up in Australia.  SEND  CARDS – big cards, small cards, home-made and purchased cards to these children and teenagers telling them that they are not forgotten…

When I told the 7C and 7D homegroups about this they decided to do something about it. They wanted to make a difference in these young people’s lives, even if it was in a small and seemingly distant way.

They busily cut and glued and decorated and created cards with messages of hope and goodwill which will be sent to these young people to let them know that someone somewhere is thinking about them and more importantly, to say that someone cares about them.

I want to share some of the messages and sentiments they wrote:

To a friend who’s spending X-Mas alone.

I hope this year my card puts a smile on your face.

I’m sorry to hear you’ll spend X-Mas without your family.

…hope you like this small gift of mine!

I’m thinking of you even though I don’t know you.

So while we all count our blessings and are fortunate to be surrounded by good cheer and loved ones this Christmas season, spare a thought for those who aren’t as lucky, but who may be smiling because of little random acts of kindness.  In a very small way it will certainly make a difference to their day.

Have a safe & well earned break, everyone!

Yours in fun & creativity,
Mrs. Pam Athanasakis.

Text & photos courtesy of Pam Athanasakis.

Parents’ Association Successfully Sizzle

At Forest Hill College, we encourage the parents and guardians of our students to be active participants in the College community.  From attending assemblies to pitching in at working bees, we welcome their involvement in all aspects of life of the College.

Our parents and guardians also contribute their time as volunteers and fund-raisers, particularly as part of the Parents’ Association.  On a not-so-distant election weekend, the Parents’ Association set up a sausage sizzle and hoped for the best…

The Parents’ Association Sausage Sizzle at Bunnings Vermont South was relatively successful considering the many sausage sizzles around on an Election Day. We would like to thank the teachers, parents and students who helped us on the day and also the teachers and school community who supported us by coming and buying a sausage.

We were happy to be able to donate the $150.00 Bunnings vouchers toward the Gardening Working Bee at the College the following weekend.

Our proceeds on the day as well as some extra are being put toward another outdoor setting for the students to enjoy in the College courtyard.

Text and photos courtesy of Jacqueline Cummings and Fotoula Reynolds, Parents’ Association.

To find out more about the Parents’ Association, please click here.

Rhythm Nation

On the 12th of August we held our annual “Rhythm Nation” Performing Arts Tribe Festival in the Kel Watson Theatre. Since the beginning of term, students and staff have worked tirelessly to create, shape and perfect a dance, drama and music item for the program.

Each Tribe rehearsed for many hours, dedicating four and a half hours a week to the development of their performance pieces. At 7pm, the auditorium filled up to see what was sure to be a battle of creativity, wit and enthusiasm.

Highlights of the program included Blue Tribe’s music item which was a soundscape of a thunderstorm. The sound they created was so effective that it actually made it rain outside! Red Tribe’s dance was a show-stopper – choreographed by the talented Alex. Green Tribe’s drama and music items were highlights, especially the boys’ ode to Justin Beiber.

Our three judges – two of our 2009 alumni and a former teacher – faced the difficult task of scoring each act.  At the end of the night their scores were tallied and the winners of each category announced.

• Dance: Red Tribe (411 points)
• Music: Green Tribe ( 383 points)
• Drama: Green Tribe (387 points)
  

As some of you may or may not know – last Thursday night, a mistake was made. An error in the maths department. We would like to announce the winner of this year’s Rhythm Nation Performing Arts Festival.

• In fourth place with a total of 1,025 points we have Yellow Tribe.
• In third place with a total of 1,051 points we have Blue Tribe.
• In second place with a total of 1,139 points we have Red Tribe.
• And in first place with a total of 1,166 points we have Green Tribe!

Congratulations, Green Tribe!  Thank you to everyone who was involved and supported this event.

Text courtesy of Linda McGloin and Naomi Carson, IMPACT Leaders.

What are Tribes?  Find out more by clicking here.

Overall winners Green Tribe get into character for their drama piece.

Parent Teacher Interviews Abroad

How far would you go for a Parent/Teacher Interview?  Would you go to Vietnam?  Would you go to China?

That’s just what two members of staff from Forest Hill College did last term!  Here’s a story of their international Parent/Teacher Interviews.

In June, Janne Thomas and I visited Vietnam and China to meet with over 20 sets of parents of some of our International Students.

Our first stop was Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where we visited an Australian Curriculum International School.  It was very interesting as some of our students do Year 11 there and then come to us for Year 12.  We met parents and discussed their children’s progress, and Janne ate a frog!!

Next on our itinerary was Hong Kong where we met with more parents and Sam’s family gave the ISP Centre a laughing Buddha for luck!

Guangzhou was next and after our interviews, Wendy’s mum took us shopping and on the underground railway – surely Metro can get tips.  The system was great.

The final stop was Wuhan, where most of our ISP students come from.  After our ‘formal’ interviews, parents entertained us in marvellous ways: we were taken out to dinner; toured the University and kung fu classes; had a professional body massage and Chinese Cupping; we were sung to, and went on a small cruise up the Yangtze River!

The ten days were exciting and full.  It was just lovely to meet so many of our parents who send their children to Forest Hill College from lands so different and far away.

We hope that all our ISP students know how much their parents love and miss them!

Text and photos courtesy of Jacki Hood and Janne Thomas, International Student Program.

Did you know that Forest Hill College was oneo of the first Victorian government schools to initiate an International Student Program?  Learn more about ISP at the College by clicking here.

Love of Learning

What were your school assemblies like?  If they were anything like mine, they were dull, drawn-out affairs, only occasionally broken up by a musical performance if we were lucky.  Their only appeal was that you had a chance to get out of class for an hour or so.

That is almost as far away from your average Forest Hill College assembly as you can get.  Our assemblies are conducted by students and regularly feature fascinating guest speakers and exciting performances from our talented students.  For instance, our Multicultural Assembly last term was a celebration of dance and music as we spent the whole time mesmerised by Korean drummers, Pacific Island dancers and a Bollywood performance.

This assembly was no different from the ones that have gone before and operated under the theme “Love of Learning”.  Local member, Kirstie Marshall, visited to inform all students and staff officially of the funding announcement for our fields.  We also had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Elicia Lanham from Deakin University as she talked about studying IT and following your passions in your learning adventure.

Is there anything quite as exciting (or impressive) as a giant cheque?  We don’t think so, which is why we were so excited (and impressed) when the Parents’ Association presented our Wellbeing Department with a giant cheque.   They were followed by Ashlea, Alexia, Olivia and Bridie who talked to us about the 40 Hour Famine and how a very small gesture on our part can make a huge difference to people living in drought, famine and poverty.

We were treated to performances from Jenny and Kris as their Bach “Polinaise and Badinerie” brought a bit of polish to proceedings, followed by Red Tribe reprising their winning dance from Rhythm Nation, as choreographed by talented Year 12 student, Alex.  Later, five Year 12 students came together in perfect harmony to sing “Collide”.

Certificates were presented to students who had won prizes in the Science Week Competitions or who had given up their free time during the term holidays to play in the Waverley Netall Championships.  All of these achievements were enthusiastically applauded by our students, who never fail to impress with their outstanding behaviour at assemblies.

We finished with Year 11 students, John and Darcy, who presented us with their persuasive speech on why we should love learning: Because learning is… your destiny!

Our next assembly is on the 16th of September and we hope that as many parents and guardians as possible will join us for another celebration of everything that makes Forest Hill College such a fantastic school.

What is the Ultranet?

What is the Ultranet?  It’s been in the news; teachers are talking about it; students are talking about it…  But what is it and what does it mean for students at Forest Hill College today?

Put simply, the Ultranet is an online, collaborative community that allows students and teachers to connect with each other.  The Ultranet takes advantage of developments in interactive technologies and applies them to a learning environment.  The internet is a powerful learning tool and the Ultranet offers students and teachers the chance to harness that power and utilise it effectively.

What are the benefits?

With the Ultranet in place, students are now able to collaborate with each other and with their teachers in new and exciting ways.  They are able to use wikis and blogs to complement their learning.  Now, more than ever, College students have the power to use internet technologies to support their learning and to equip them for life in a constantly changing future.

The Ultranet even allows students to interact with other students from across the state.  It also gives teachers the opportunity to share their knowledge and to learn from their counterparts in schools far beyond their traditional local networks.

Yes, but what is it?

The Ultranet is essentially a huge, state-wide network of websites.  Every student and teacher has a website of their own – something like an educational version of a blog or Facebook – and they are all connected.

Your child will have a profile page and even a place where they can store assignments and research material.  When your child logs in to the Ultranet, they will be able to update a wiki as part of their homework or look for resources on Moodle or even the College library catalogue.

What does it look like?

The Ultranet is divided into spaces, such Home, Community, Learner Profile, etc.  These spaces provide students with places to record their achievements or to connect with teachers, even when at home.  Students can store their work online and even create their own spaces in the form of blogs or messageboards.  Other spaces, such as the Community space, will provide an opportunity for the College to communicate with parents, as well as giving College clubs and groups their own spaces.

You can have a glimpse of what the Ultranet looks like by clicking here.

What about parents?

In late September 2010, parents and guardians will be given the opportunity to access the Ultranet and to view information about their child.  This will include such details as:

• attendance data
• their child’s “Learner Profile”
• their child’s timetable
• their child’s progress in various subjects
• and much, much more

The Ultranet will also allow parents to receive notices from the school and to keep in contact with their child’s teachers, enabling them to become an even more integral part of their child’s education.

But wait, there’s more!

It’s simply not possible to discuss all of the aspects of the Ultranet in a few sentences.  To learn more about the Ultranet and its possibilities, please visit the DEECD’s Ultranet website.

Exciting Funding Announcement for the College!

On Tuesday the 3rd of August, Forest Hill College was delighted to play host to the Minister for Sport and Recreation and Youth Affairs, James Merlino, and Local Member Kirstie Marshall.  After an extensive tour of the College and its facilities, Minister Merlino took the opportunity to announce that the Brumby Labour Government will provide the College with $235,000 for a synthetic surface on the school oval. Staff, students and parents in attendance were delighted and truly thrilled with the news.

The idea grew from a parent approaching Kirstie Marshall in the street regarding opportunities for the community to exercise.  This simple thought has brought us to this point, with funding being awarded from the Government and the promise of brand new facilities for the College and the wider community.  The official announcement on Tuesday was the result of hard work and collaboration between the College and Kirstie Marshall’s office and will create an amazing recreational space from which the College and the wider community may benefit.

Ms. Marshall congratulated the College for its initiative in developing the project, adding that the Forest Hill community as a whole was a big winner with this grant.  The finished pitch will eventually offer members of the College and the community the chance to benefit from more active lifestyles.  Mr. Merlino took the time to talk to some College students about the sports they enjoying playing and quickly realised that this funding will be put to very good use by all students.

The next step is to begin begin the process of drawing up ideas and plans in conjunction with staff, students and parents.  We are looking forward to seeing this exciting opportunity become a reality.

Minister James Merlino with College students and representatives

Minister Greg Combet visits Forest Hill College

Last Tuesday we had a visitor to the Forest Hill College science rooms. Greg Combet, the Minister assisting the Minister on Climate Change, came to the College to discuss Climate Change with our students. The Minister wished to answer questions and listen to concerns our students have in regards to climate change and energy.

Thirty-seven eager students attended the session, many of whom were keen to listen to Mr Combet discuss climate change, along with others who had prepared some excellent questions to put to him.  Ms Longthorp and her Year 9 class had carried out some research and prepared questions for the visit, along with many other interested students at the College who were keen to have their say directly to a politician who closely contributes to the decisions being made surrounding climate change within the government.

Myrene wanted to know more about alternative energy sources; Koivi and Aroya were concerned that all the time and energy being spent on the climate change is a waste because in reality there is little that can be done.

On the other hand, Damien posed the question about why risk not doing anything when it was the time for action rather than discussion. Ryan wanted to know how much the carbon trading system was going to cost “normal” people and Jade asked about where the money raised from the scheme would be spent. Finally Vinh asked about what the new government is planning.

Eventually, after College Captain Jade had thanked the Minister for coming, it was time to wrap up the afternoon. Students responded positively to the session, saying that it was an interesting and informative session. Some of the discussion on the economics was difficult to understand but Mr Combet endeavoured to explain it in simple terms. I was very impressed by the students’ sincerity in the effort they went to prepare questions and their attentive manner.

Text and photos courtesy of Nerilee Rinkquest, Science Co-ordinator.

Scream for success!

The opening night of Forest Hill College’s Screamfest was a spectacular success!  The weeks of preparation, rehearsals and polishing of acts was all put the to test the very second the curtains swept aside to reveal the opening dance act, Wanna Be Startin’ Something.  You couldn’t ask for a better introduction to an evening of entertainment, with over thirty dancers on stage going through their exuberant routine with viviacity and very obvious enjoyment.

When the dancers left the stage, it was time to welcome this year’s hosts.  The hosts are a Screamfest tradition: they are the characters who guide us through the performances, while acting out a story of their own.  In Screamfest 2010, Rat Girl, Nate 8, Super Nintendo, Captain Obvious and Doc Martin lead us on their quest to save Professor Mumblemore from the clutches of the evil Miss Fortune.  Along the way, they step aside to let us see incredible dance acts from our talented and hard-working students, well-polished drama and comedy pieces, compelling instrumental performances and singing from a range of students of all year levels.

It is so rewarding to see these talented students on stage, sharing their love of performance and music with the audience.  And what an audience!  The seats were packed full of parents, friends and families, all eager to come and support the College students.  We can always rely on the students in the audience to offer the loudest cheers and applause possible for the people on stage – yet another sign of the community spirit so valued by the College.

It’s not over yet!  There are still two performances to come: Friday night and Saturday night.  Tickets are selling fast (especially for closing night) and are available from the box office for $5 each.  Don’t forget to pick up a programme as well!

Your Planet Needs You!

Seven dynamic Media students have been offered the opportunity to announce their own radio show at 3WBC 94.1!  The show ‘Your Planet Needs You!’ will go to air on Monday the 31^st May on 3WBC Radio.  Forest Hill College will be leading the way with this incredible educational experience: our students will be announcing  the very first secondary student run show.

Corey, Cat, Dylan, Jackson, Sally, Meagan and Cindy have been busily researching, preparing and practising in preparation for the environmentally focused show. They will hold interviews, play music, play podcasts from their Year 9 Media class and inform listeners of their areas of interest, e.g. fashion, sport, movies and more!  The students have already visited the studio at 3WBC twice in order to enhance their announcing skills and sit in on a live radio show.

So don’t forget to turn your radio dials to 94.1 on Monday 31^st at 6.45 – 8.00pm to hear the very first radio show by FHC students – ‘Your Planet Needs You!’.

Your Planet Needs You! - the radio show run by Forest Hill College students.