From the editor
Leaves NewsletterPRINCIPAL'S REPORT
* Could parents please be aware that the Parent Teacher Night originally scheduled for March 24th has been moved to May 7th to coincide with school reports.
This week both the School Council and the P & C held their Annual General Meetings to elect new Executive Officers for 2009. The meetings provided us with the opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the previous year and the significant contributions the parents and community members make to our school community. I continue to be impressed by the loyalty and commitment of our parents and I thank them for their ongoing support. I would particularly like to thank the 2008 Executive Officers of the School Council and the P & C, including parents, community members and students, for their hard work last year and I welcome the opportunity to work with the newly elected Executive Officers in 2009.
Positive Behaviour Engaging Learners (PBEL) has been launched. Our PBEL Leadership Team undertook two days of training this week. During the training we worked with the Regional Team, particularly our PBEL coach. Our first School Development Day will be devoted to introducing the teachers to PBEL and providing time for teachers to reflect on our expectations for positive behaviour across the whole school. Parents are invited to participate on that day, but in Term 2 we will also be consulting the broader parent community and the students about this exciting initiative.
The Forest is in the process of engaging an academic mentor to help us develop the 2010 enrichment program for Years 7 and 8 as mentioned in last week's report. We are currently exploring the resources that are available to support this project and we will keep you informed as to our progress.
ATTENDANCE SMS MESSAGING SYSTEM
We are currently implementing a new software program relating to our attendance sms messaging system. Please bear with us as there may be a few teething issues initially. Thank you.
E Louey - H/T Administration
HSIE REPORT
Since my last article in "The Leaves" the HSIE Faculty has experienced some changes within its teaching ranks. After spending the second half of 2008 as part of the Australian Peace Keeping Force in the Solomon Islands, Mr Dane Karnups has undertaken a teacher exchange with Ms. Shannon Devenish from Toronto, Canada for 2009. Ms. Devenish has attacked her first few weeks of teaching at The Forest with great enthusiasm and is alread extremely popular and respected by her students. Her youthful exuberance has provided a real breath of fresh air to the Faculty and i am very confident her one year exchange will prove to be a very beneficial experience professionally for both her and the entire HSIE staff.
It was disappointing in the last week of 2008 that Mrs Jennifer Powell submitted her resignation from the DET. Recruited by a private school on the lower north shore Mrs Powell, a qualified solicitor, had been the backbone of Legal Studies at our school for five years. It was a great relief for me therefore when, at 2pm on the very last day of school for 2008, Mr Janan Miller agreed to fill the gap left by Mrs Powell. Mr Miller is also a qualified lawyer but has chosen to persue a teaching career. He is certainly proving to be a valuable addition to the HSIE Faculty and particularly his Legal Studies students. In three decades of education I habe never known a situation where a solicitor has chosen education over the law and to have it happen with two consecutive teaching appointments has both amazed me and taken a great deal of worry off my shoulders.
My first Leaves article of 2009 also provides my first opportunity to boast of the Faculty's wonderful 2008 HSC results and to congratulate the staff on a job well done. Not only were high marks and bands achieved but subsequent value added data recently relearned reinforces the fact that the vast majority of students studying subjects within the Faculty not only achieved but exceeded what was thought to be their potential. A comparison of the proportion of students across the state receiving Bands 5 or 6 to the proportion of students who gained these Bands in HSIE subjects at The Forest explains the reason for my satisfaction.
|
SUBJECT |
%of Statewide Students Bands 5 and 6 |
% of Forest Students Bands 5 and 6 |
|
BUSINESS STUDIES |
32 |
46 |
|
ECONOMICS |
47 |
63 |
|
LEGAL STUDIES |
40 |
40 |
|
MODERN HISTORY |
41 |
56 |
|
SOCIETY & CULTURE |
37 |
58 |
Besides examinations for Years 11 and 12 the major upcoming event within the Faculty is the field trip for all Year 10 geographers to Long Reef, Collaroy and Dee Why. Field work is a mandatory requirement for School Certificate Geography and on their excursion students will study the coastal management strategies being used in the area, other possible measures that might be considered and role they, as citizens, can play in policy determination.
K. Stapleton - Head Teacher, HSIE
BAND NEWS
Band Rehearsal Time Change
MUSIC NIGHT
Stage 6 Music Night will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2009, commencing at 7.00pm. All parents
and guests are welcome.
P & C CAR RAFFLE
ALL monies & tickets need to be returned to Mr Molony's office no later than Tuesday 24th March
CANTEEN - URGENT
Urgent VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. We have several days that we have NO volunteers and are at risk of limited food for the students or of having to close.
If you have any spare time, even an hour or 2 to help prepare food for the day please contact the canteen personally or by phoning the school on 9451 5111.
For any further information or questions please contact Heather Bone cbone@optusnet.com.au
T Duncan
WORKING BEE
GARDENING WORKING BEE
When: Saturday, August 15, 2009
Time: 9.00 am - 1.00 pm
Plants: If you have any that you would like to donate or have some good gardening contacts please let us know.
BYO: Spades, brooms, saw and secaturs if you have them
Please consider coming along and giving us a hand for a few hours
BEACON HILL EASTER FAIR
Beacon Hill Primary School is holding an Easter Fair on Saturday, March 28, 2009. Full details are available if you click on the following
BROOKVALE FOOTBALL CLUB
Brookvale Football Club is one of the many local amateur football clubs in the Manly Warringah Football Association (soccer football that is).
We are looking to find a handful of additional players for our Boy's Under 14's age group. At present we have 21 players registered and are desperately trying to attract another 4-7 players so that we can form two teams. If we are unable to attract more players, we may need to advise 6 or 7 of our current players that they cannot play this season at all.
Boys in Year 7 or Year 8 (boys who turn 13 or 14 years of age during the 2009 calendar year) are need to form two teams. Any interested person should contact Stuart Cole on 0418 543 874 ASAP."
WANTED - SUPER MUM OR DAD
S u n n y f i e l d
i n d e p e n d e n c e
SUPER MUM or DAD!
Sunnyfield, a leading Not for Profit organisation in NSW providing person centred services to people primarily with an intellectual disability, needs a “Super Mum or Super Dad” during school hours (9.30 to 2.30) to run our Cafe/Canteen located at Allambie Heights.
If you have a passion for fresh food, good coffee, and good communication skills we would love to hear from you. Training will be provided.
Sunnyfield is an EEO employer.
To apply, please email:
Kate Pointon (k.pointon@sunnyfield.org.au)
or call Kate on 8977 8879