From the Principal
Dear Parents, Staff, Students and Friends
The beginning of spring with days of warm weather and our magnificent cherry trees in blossom has certainly helped us to have an uplifting start to Term 4. Many students have told me they have had a great holiday but are pleased to be back at school enjoying the company of their friends and teachers.
Parent Student Teacher Conferences provide feedback for student improvement
Thanks to parents who attended Parent Student Teacher Conferences last Term. Also a special thank you to those many parents who took the time to pass on their gratitude for the team of wonderful teachers we are so fortunate to have at Frankston High School. As you are well aware, our teachers go way beyond what is expected to support our students with their learning and this ensures that, with students who do their best always, our students are able to obtain incredible learning outcomes. Such a three-way conversation is critical in forming a strong partnership between home and school to support our students in striving for ongoing improvement. Please feel free to contact teachers if you wish to receive any further information about how you can support your children to improve.
Hope Lives Here!
Relay For Life; Student Leaders raise over $10,000!
We are indebted to our staff and student sports and SLC leaders who gave up their holiday time to stay awake all night (in most cases) to participate in Relay for Life. Relay for Life was held in the first weekend of the school holidays where students and teachers walked and ran around Ballam Park Athletics track overnight. As a result of this event and many other fund raising activities, students and staff have done us proud by raising in excess of $10,000 for cancer treatment and research. Two research awards of $5,000 will be handed over to Relay for Life. All of us remember and honour those we have lost to cancer and we are confident that such improved research and treatment will lead to an eventual cure.
Welcome Back to our Overseas and Interstate Adventurers!
Approximately 140 students have returned from extremely successful Central Oz, Japanese, French and Queensland trips that were conducted over the latter part of Term 3 and throughout the holidays. Many thanks to staff who sacrificed their personal time especially their holiday time away from family and friends to support our students in having trips they will remember for the rest of their lives. Staff reported on the excellent behaviour of students on all trips with feedback from people throughout Australia, Japan and France about what courteous, friendly helpful students we have. I am sure this is a reflection of the high expectations our staff maintain with our students, together with the wonderful job parents are doing in nurturing such fine young people.
This year we ran our very first interstate lifesaving trip, where a team of lifesavers, with Mr Rowan Cameron, Ms Georgia Tierney and Ms Carolyn Florance, travelled to Queensland to teach indigenous students lifesaving skills. As well as learning to give to others, our students learnt from our indigenous friends the importance of looking after each other as one big family. We look forward to having some of these indigenous students join us at our lifesaving camp at Lorne in December.
Year 8 Boys Debating Team Compete in State Grand Final!
Last week I went to Trinity Grammar to see our Year 8 boys’ debating team win their semi final, qualifying them for the State Grand Final. At the time of writing this newsletter they had not competed but during this week they will have competed in the Grand Final. Regardless of the outcome, this is a marvellous achievement because the boys have been competing against Year 9 students mostly from elite private schools. These impressive young men have been admired by all who meet them, being outstanding ambassadors for our school. Congratulations to: Orlando Randles, Yoaquim Freeman, Archie Borradale, Jackson Barratt and James Wylie. Thanks in particular to Ms Georgie Long who has spent countless hours coaching our debating teams and accompanying them to night time competitions.
Southern Metro Region Athletics: Students and Staff to be Proud of. Frankston High School Winners!
Last week the students representing Frankston High School at the Southern Zone Sports epitomised our motto of doing their best always and showed great sportsmanship throughout the day. Frankston High School are yet again Southern Zone Champions and this is a great achievement, since our competition involved many other schools who regard themselves as elite sporting schools. There has been an extraordinary team of staff who have devoted many early mornings, weekends and school holidays to coaching and enthusing our students as members of Semper Squad. Thanks to Ms Chloe Stevens, Ms Carly MacDonald, Mr Mal Burt and Mr Steven Bonfadini who have coached our athletes. Our students are most fortunate to have staff who are prepared to give their all to create such an exemplary sporting culture. We wish our team every success and enjoyment in their participation in the up-and-coming State and National Championships.
In addition, our athletic team performed brilliantly at the recent Nitro State Athletic Championships. Our Intermediate Boys and Girls placed 2nd and are off to Nationals in Cairns in December!! This is a wonderful opportunity for these students to represent Victoria and our school. I am sure they will be excellent state and school representatives.
Top Year 11 Science students selected for National Youth Science Forum in Canberra
Congratulations to Lan Li and Amelie Schumann who have been selected to represent Rotary at the National Youth Science forum in Canberra in January 2019. Both girls participated in a rigorous selection process which involved a written application and interview. Academic excellence, coupled with evidence of enthusiasm and passion for Science, were the criteria for selection. Lan and Amelie will have the opportunity of working alongside Australia’s most prominent scientists during their visit. They are excited about meeting like-minded people who they can learn from, helping them to further identify Science career pathways for the future.
Year 12 Holiday Exams Prepare Students for Final Exams
A huge thank you to Ms Helen Wilson who sacrificed six days during the holidays to organise and oversee the Year 12 holiday practice exams. Students have commented that this was a great learning experience enabling them to further perfect their exam techniques and to become aware of areas of their course requiring more focus. The last few weeks of school for Year 12 students and the swot vac period can make all the difference to final subject scores. My suggestion to all Year 12 students is to establish a timetable of study and to practise as many exams as possible under exam conditions, and then to seek teacher feedback about their performance. This is a very demanding study period so it is essential to have an hour off each day apart from meal times to do something that you find relaxing. I look forward to wishing the class of 2018 every success and happiness in the future as we say farewell on Celebration Day and join with parents at our up- and-coming Valedictory dinner.
Tonight I I will try and look my best as I join with very smartly dressed Year 10 students to dance the night away at the Year 10 formal. Wishing everyone a Term 4 that is full of fun, challenging learning activities at our great school.
Mr John Albiston
Principal