NEWSLETTER WEEK 11 TERM 1 2020

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PRINCIPAL'S REPORTRosemary McDowall, Principal

Thank you to everyone who came along to support and helped out at our Open Night on4 March and made it such a success. It was a lovely evening to showcase and be proud of

how much we have to offer at The Forest High School. Our Concert Band provided musicalentertainment in the hall for our visitors.

We started well this term, with a fantastic OpenNight, a school musical in full rehearsal mode and anumber of successful sporting and whole schoolevents. A large number of new students hadsuccessfully joined The Forest, including the newYear 7 cohort who had settled in and were engagingin a range of school activities. COVID 19 arrivedSadly, due to the arrival of COVID 19, many schoolactivities had to be curtailed. When I left to gooverseas in early March, the school was in full swing. On Monday 23 March, Premier, Gladys Berejiklian,announced that schools would remain open, butencouraged parents to keep their children at home tocontain the spread of the Coronavirus.

Schools have remained open for families unable tokeep their children at home, particularly the childrenof essential and emergency workers. All schools wereasked to provide online learning options for theremaining three weeks of Term 1. When I returned after my holiday was cut short, Ihad 14 days of isolation and I returned to a changedworld. I sincerely thank Cathy Thompson, RelievingPrincipal, particularly, and the three Deputies,Mathew Finley, Peter Santamaria and Iain Sills, whomanaged the massive change that occurred in theschool in only a couple of weeks. I am deeplyimpressed by the commitment and work ethicdisplayed by the executive, teaching and support staffthis term to ensure that all students had access toappropriate learning materials and to the supportthey needed during this difficult transition. Term 2 arrangementsThe latest advice suggests that learning will continue 

This year's HSC students will be able to continuewith the next chapter of their lives, whether that'suniversity, an apprenticeship or TAFE." ProfessorShergold said. On the next page is the Media Release dated 7 April2020 from The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister forEducation with a message for Year 12 students. Thiswas emailed out to all of our Year 12 parents on 8April. Detailed advice will be available on NESA's COVID19 advice page: https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/about/news/novel-coronavirus To access the UCA COVID-19 UPDATE: https://www.uac.edu.au/index.php/uac-covid-19-update Useful linkThe NSW Department of Education "Learning fromhome" hub provides advice to parents and carersand resources to support student success whenlearning remotely. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/learning-from-home Happy HolidaysI encourage students, parents, caregivers and schoolstaff to take advantage of the break and relax afterthis demanding term. Monday 27 April is adesignated School Development Day. Studentswould be expected back online or back at school onTuesday 28 April. Stay safe and spend quality time with your families. Rosemary McDowallPrincipal

to be delivered online for the majority of studentsfor a significant percentage of Term 2. The teachingstaff are engaging in some significant professionallearning this week to develop their skills to teacheffectively using the Canvas online platform. Wewant to ensure that teachers are able to host videoconferencing and live chat sessions to complementonline units of work and enhance studentengagement. We are very aware that some students are finding itdifficult to learn online and that the amount of workcan seem overwhelming. We do not want students orteachers to sit in front of a computer for six hoursper day. Students are encouraged to take breaks andexercise just as they would if they were learning atschool. We know that, depending on theircircumstances, students may be working flexibly andwe support that. We will keep you informed through media includingthe website, Facebook, SENTRAL, Canvas, email andtelephone. At this time the advice is that the schools will remainopen for families unable to keep their children athome. HSC ChangesThe NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)COVID 19 Response Committee has made a numberof key decisions about the 2020 HSC to protect thehealth and safety of students, teachers and parentsduring this challenging time. Students should be reassured that Chair of the NESABoard, Professor Peter Shergold said the decisionsand every future decision made by the Committeewill prioritise the adoption of arrangements for the2020 HSC that are practical and do not disadvantageany student. Schools are receiving advice from NESAon a regular basis. "I can say with certainty that students will have theopportunity to receive their HSC Credential thisyear, so students should continue to learn, completetheir assessments and take care of themselves.

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2003My first school appointment as a teacher was toStromlo High School in the Australian CapitalTerritory. I lived in Weston Creek, which was ashort 10 minute walk to work. In 2003 I was about tocommence my third year at the school, and livinglocally had created a close connection to everyonein the community. On Saturday 18 January I had spent the morningvisiting my parents. I didn't have a computer whereI was living, which is hard to imagine now, so I haddropped over to type up some documents. I was sofocused on what I was doing I didn't notice the skyoutside had turned red, then black. Fires wereburning out of control in Namadgi National Park,Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and the BrindabellaRanges. By mid-afternoon, houses in theneighbouring suburb of Duffy were ablaze. I wenthome, only to confront a grass fire that was tearingdown the Cooleman Ridge Nature Reserve.Evacuated to the nearest shelter, I was confrontedby the scale of evacuees, especially from my schoolcommunity. In total, over 120 students wereimpacted by the fire, with over 30 of their homescompletely lost. 2005A few years later I moved to England to teach MediaStudies in London. In late June 2005 my wife and Ihad moved in with a friend in East London. On 7July  I started the morning commute as I had donefor the past couple of weeks, catching the 7.30amDistrict Line train from Aldgate East Station intoEmbankment, then changing to the Bakerloo line totravel north up to Wembley. At 8.49am threeterrorists detonated bombs at Aldgate, EdgwareRoad and Russell Square. The terror of this moment is still difficult toexplain. I knew friends and loved ones who wouldbe commuting through these stations at this time.Already at work, many of my colleagues andstudents were experiencing the same horrible  

uncertainty. The desperation in people's voices asthey tried to phone loved ones; tried, because thenetwork was crashing under the volume of calls.We were fortunate - our friends and familieswere safe. In the weeks that followed I metneighbours and business owners in mycommunity who had not been so lucky. So where to now?These two major crises have been on my mindthis past week. The sudden, traumatic impact ofboth lingers in the memory. The COVID-19 crisisis unlike anything I have experienced in my life,let alone my professional career. But there arethree lessons I have learned from these pastevents and that I see playing out now. Whenever I have seen young people challengedwith difficult events unfolding around them, Isee great compassion, leadership and decencyemerge. Most of all, these events reveal our kidsas brave and resilient. It is amazing how quicklyour students are adapting to our new way ofworking. The sheer volume of senior studentscompleting course work, video conferencinglessons and seeking out support online has beenamazing. Like us, this is a brand new experience,yet they are not taking a backward step It isremarkable to see. Finding new ways totemporarily shift our habits can be veryrewarding and a chance to challenge our pre-existing beliefs. They will experience moments ofanxiety and fear. They will ask questions that aredifficult or scary to answer. However, difficultconversations only become more difficult thelonger we avoid them. 2. I am proud to be a teacher. The work we do insupporting young people is challenging, but thatis what makes the journey of being an educatorso rewarding. In these times of crisis, we have aunique position in society to not only maintain acontinuity of learning for our students, but tocontinue to advise, support and mentor. In mypast experiences, the connection between staff,

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'SREPORT

Lessons Learned from Crises

Mathew Finley, Deputy Principal

students and the community only deepens in thewake of these traumas. I have also seen staff transform their practice in amatters of days. Their commitment to making surestudents don't lose their connection to school, andto each other, has been front and centre of everydiscussion I have had with staff. The delight onteachers' faces, after they run their first videoconference with a class, has been a pleasure towitness. While this has primarily been for our seniorstudents, I hope more Stage 4 and Stage 5 studentstake the opportunity to conference with theirclasses. 3. We will continue to experience success,disappointment and failure. As we adapt to this newnormal, and we replace old routines with new ones,the cycle of learning will continue as it always does.Online learning will have many new challenges, butEnglish will still be English, Maths will still beMaths, and Sport will .... well Sport might be a littledifferent.

But, we will continue to have the same ups anddown that occur when we are all on site together. Itis important to not look at every lesson, activity orassignment through the lens of our new reality.Getting into a positive, established routine,constantly practising skills, actively reviewing work,sending in drafts, and asking questions when you areunsure how something should be done, continue tobe the cornerstones of successful learning. Thisdoesn't change online, and won't change when weare all able to return back to site. If your child is feeling acute feelings of anxiety andfear, a renewed focus on daily routines and aspectsof life we can control, like what we read, view, listento and eat, can generate a sense of calm andconfidence. Finally, I hope everyone can stay safe at home.Please take care of each other and keep in contact. Mathew FinleyDeputy Principal

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Our annual 'Easter EggDelivery Drive' lookedslightly different this yearwith the SRC learning fromhome and not beingour Easter bunnies! Wewould love to take theopportunity to thank all thewonderful students, staff andfamilies that dropped off agenerous selectionof Easter treats! We deliveredour donations to TheNorthern Beaches Hospitalon Tuesday 7 April andrequested that theywere handed out to thehardworking and dedicatedhospital staff working undersuch difficult conditions. Wemissed having our studentswith us for the annual drop-off, but take comfort inknowing they will becelebrating this Easter intheir own style with theirfamilies at home this year!

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English StudiesSpeed Dating.In Week 7 year 11 English Studiesparticipated in a 'Speed Dating' careersactivity in which 15 members of theschool community volunteered to beinterviewed about their jobs, trainingand career choices. The students wereexceptionally focused and engaged,asking pertinent questions andresponding thoughtfully. They will bewriting reports about the experience.Many thanks to the participants whogave up their time to come and workwith the students. It was incrediblyinsightful and they gained so muchfrom the experience!

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HARMONY DAYWe were still smiling ..... social distancing and getting out in the beautiful outdoors as recommended - as we recognised Harmony Day at the school on Friday 20 March.  Harmony Day is aboutinclusiveness, celebrating Australia's cultural diversity, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone,even in these troubled times

Back to the 80sMusical UpdateIt is with a very heavy heart that theproduction team decided to postpone theperformances of Back to the 80s. April 1-3should have been the most exciting weekwith our amazing performers presentingtheir talents to the school and widercommunity. However, all is not lost.Depending on the situation and how itunfolds, the production team is committedto making sure that this production doesindeed happen. We would hate for ourcommunity to not be able to see thisfantastic performance. So it is notfarewell. It is see you later. Our performersstill continue to rehearse their songs,choreography and blocking and they can'twait to show you all.

SCHOOL CLEAN UPAUSTRALIA DAY

On Monday 2 March The Forest High Schoolsuccessfully participated in the annual CleanUp Australia Day campaign for schools. Thecleanup was a great success and a lot of funfor the Year 7 students and staff involved.Poseidon was the winning house on the daywith the majority of the rubbish collectedplaced in the Poseidon bin. Thank you to allwho helped keep our school beautiful.Finn and Connor, Environment Captains

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ART GALLERY OFNSWC A S E S T U D Y M O R N I N G

Y E A R 11 & 12 V I S U A L A R T S

On Wednesday 11 March Mr Jur ic , Mr

McGrath and our senior Visual Arts

students attended a case study

morning at AGNSW fol lowed by lunch

and a self guided tour of the gal lery

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'EXPRESS YOURSELF'SUCCESS

Congratulations to Elijiji ah Cassidy, one of ourYear 12 2019 graduates, whose Visual Arts HSC

fifif lm was highly commended at the annualManly Art Gallery and Museum 'Express

Yourself' exhibition in February. Elijiji ah wascongratulated by the Curator and the Mayor

of Northern Beaches Council, Michael Regan,fofof r his success and his fifif lm was on display at

the gallery during March.

RYPEN CAMP 2020PRESENTATION

In February Dale Mapstone and KathlynRichards frfrf om Year 10 were invited to attend

the Belrose Rotary meeting to give apresentation on the RYPEN camp they had

recently participated in. RYPEN (RotaryYouth Program of Enrichment) gives youngpeople opportunities to develop "lifefef skills"and motivation to help them cope with the

challenges of the fufuf ture

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CONTINENTAL PROJIU-JITSU

CHAMPIONSHIPSOn 29 February Simon Chandra in Year 11competed in the 2020 Continental Pro Jiu-

Jitsu Champsionships - Oceania as part of theAJAJA P World Ranking and Abu Dhabi World

Profefef ssional Jiu-Jitsu Qualifyfyf ing Series. Simonwas placed fifif rst in the 73kg Division and we

congratulate Simon on this greatperfofof rmance. The competition was held at

Sydney University Sports and Aquatic Centre. Term 2 2020 Events27 April - School Development Day - staff only28 April - First day of Term 2 - students return5 May - Year 8 & 10 Parent Teacher Interviews27 May - School Council 6pm/P&C Meeting7pm - may not go ahead depending on Covid-19 restrictions8 June - Queen's Birthday Public Holiday3 July - Last Day of Term 220 July - School Development Day - staff only21 July - First day of Term 3 - students return

Ares winsHouseCup The Winning HouseCaptains of Ares - Li ly andMarcus - were presentedwith the House Cup at ourassembly after the schoolSwimming Carnival . Athenawas a c lose second, fol lowedby Poseidon and Zeus. Welldone to al l competitors !

The Open Boys Knockout Basketball team havespent many hours at lunchtime training to improvetheir individual skills in preparation for the ShellCup in the Open Boys Knockout tournament.During Week 3 the team beat Davidson HighSchool convincingly 65-17 during Week 3 and thenadvanced to the 2nd round to play NorthernBeaches Secondary College. This college teamcomprises the best boys basketball players from thefour campus team selected to make a super team.

Unfortunately we were unsuccessful in this gamelosing 64-31. The score, however, did not reflect thecontest in that match. All the students werefocussed and put in consistent effort and hard workin an attempt to win the game. Each of the boyshave shown commitment to improving themselvesand their team mates and have demonstratedcontinual respect towards each other, the sport andthe teachers involved. They should becongratulated on their efforts.

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OPEN BOYS KNOCKOUT BASKETBALL

ZoneSwimmingCarnivalF O R E S T H I G H S W I M M E R S E X C E L

I N T H E P O O L

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Congratulations to all our wonderful swimmers who participated in the Zone Swimming

Carnival at Warringah Aquatic Centre on Friday 13 March. There were some outstanding

performances and the following students would have proceeded on to the next level, the Area

Swimming Carnival, if it were to go ahead.

Toby Jacobs - Year 9 - 15 Years Boys in 100m Backstroke, 100m Breaststroke, 100m Butterfly,

100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 200m Individual Medley and 50m Freestyle

Gabriel Bertozzi - Year 8 - 14 Years Boys in 100m Breaststroke

James Brown - Year 8 - 13 Years Boys in 100m Backstroke and 100m Butterfly

Riley Schwarz - Year 12 - 17 Years Boys - 100m Butterfly and 200m Individual Medley

CORRECT PE UNIFORMThank you to the parents who are supportive of The ForestHigh School Uniform. Just a gentle reminder about therequirements for PE uniform for all students: Plain black shorts, school PE polo shirt with school emblemand sneakers or runners. In cooler weather, students arepermitted to wear black tracksuit pants and school issuedjumpers and jackets. The following are not part of our school PE uniform andshould not be worn: black leggings or tights, black shortswith large logos or other coloured shorts, non-school issuedjumpers, sweatshirts and hoodies. FootwearIt is in the best interest of your child's health that they wearsupportive sneakers or runners to be active. Vans, Converseand other fashionable footwear is strongly discouraged. If the PE uniform is unable to be worn, alternative clothingmay be worn, with a note explaining.

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W e e k 6 w a s S p o r t s S c r a m b l e w e e k - a l u n c h t i m e h o u s e

c o m p e t i t i o n w h e r e s t u d e n t s p l a y e d e a c h o t h e r i n

b a s k e t b a l l , f u t s a l a n d t o u c h f o o t b a l l . A n a i l - b i t i n g f u t s a l

f i n a l w a s h e l d o n F r i d a y 6 M a r c h b e t w e e n P o s e i d o n a n d

Z e u s w i t h P o s e i d o n t r i u m p h i n g 2 -1 .

SPORTS SCRAMBLE

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