Fahan School eNewsletter

Principal's Report

At this time of year, our senior students are approaching the end of the teaching period and beginning preparation for exams. Our younger students are working hard in their various academic pursuits, including the Year 6s who have been in Canberra learning about civics and citizenship. From all accounts, they have had a wonderful time. I’m sure there will be many tired teachers and students tonight!

A recent study by Andrew J. Martin and Rebecca J. Collie from UNSW Sydney has shown that for many students, the support of their teachers can really help when their motivation and engagement dip, as they may do during early adolescence. For some, this may be particularly so at this time of year.

The study looked at 7769 Year 6 government school students in NSW who were tracked annually into Year 9. They were asked questions about the teaching support they received, which was categorised into three areas:

Emotional support: did teachers support and care for students?
Instrumental support: did teachers have clear expectations for students and did they make learning content seem relevant?
Management support: were there clear rules and routines for the class?

Students rated their teachers’ support and their own motivation and engagement. Other factors, such as gender, socioeconomic background, and academic achievement, were also considered.

As was expected, the students’ motivation and engagement dropped by about 18% from Year 6 to Year 9. Interestingly, teaching support played a key role in counteracting this dip. The more support students received from their teachers, the more motivated and engaged they were with their studies. What was also interesting was that the positive impact of teacher support grew stronger as students got older, with a 40% increase in the importance of teaching support from Year 6 to Year 9.

This research is interesting as it confirms what we have experienced, that teachers can keep students motivated and engaged throughout their teenage years by fostering an encouraging and interesting learning environment, and that their positive influence is significant.

I know many of you will have taken the opportunity to meet with your child’s teachers in the Senior School this week, and parent-teacher interviews will take place in the Junior School next week. This is always an important time to discuss any areas of need and to celebrate successes together.

Best wishes,

Meg Lawson

Learning in Pre-Kinder

Pre-Kinder enjoy Terrapin Puppet Show

Once again, the Pre-Kinder children have benefited from the wonderful extensions provided through collaborative relationships with the School.

Joining the rest of the Junior School to enjoy the Terrapin puppet show provided a wonderful opportunity to see a live show and experience the thrill that comes with this interactive engagement.

The story, costumes and set provided an entertaining morning, with the children laughing and engaging with the actors, and provided a lovely opportunity for us to extend on the children’s interest in birds.

The confidence that the children bring to these outings show that they value strongly a sense of belonging to the community.

Lisa, Heena, Hattie, Tiffany and Moya

Learning about Maths in Year 1

Year 1 students have recently been enjoying a series of Maths activities using Uno cards! These games are simple, yet challenging, and allow for lots of task variation when working alone or in small groups. The children have been drawn to the bright colours and big, clear numbers when adding, subtracting, matching and doubling. It has been wonderful to add our own twist to some of the games and make them even more fun!

Mrs Sarah Parsons

Terrapin Puppets visited the Junior School on Tuesday 27 August. Students from Early Learning to Year 6, as well as a lucky Senior School Drama class, enjoyed the performance of Feathers.

Students were mesmerised by the puppeteers and the amazing puppets, especially the body puppets of Feathers and Owl.

Story line:
Feathers is a lonesome ferret looking for his flock. Feathery-tailed and frustrated, Feathers embarks on a quest for belonging that will take him to every corner of the country. On his journey, he encounters lots of different birds, and each one has their own ideas about what it means to fit in. Feathers is trailed by Duck, a scrawny, flightless youngster who Feathers would rather be rid of. But when finding his destiny threatens Duck, Feathers must decide who his true flock is.

Mrs Susan Wright

Recently, Year 4 students have been cooking! We cooked... CALZONE!! Most people said they were delicious, which is true! We all made two each, with ingredients such as pineapple, ham, cheese, onion and tomato sauce. After baking delicious calzone, we all helped each other wash up the dishes and clean the benches. Once the calzone cooled down, we could not help ourselves and we ate little bits of them!

We really enjoyed it. Many of us commented: ‘I really enjoyed cooking calzone’ or ‘I’m an awesome chef’.

By Alexandra Payton

Classics Museum Reflections

To add to our unit on ancient civilisations, we travelled as a class to the John Elliot Classics Museum at the UTAS Sandy Bay campus. We were introduced to our guide for the afternoon, Neil, who talked about life in the different ancient civilisations and explained and what amulets were and their significance then and now. We then were given the opportunity to explore the museum for ourselves, fill in some worksheets, and try making some amulets of our own.

My favourite thing I learnt about, was that when a baby was born, they were not given a name until they were officially named at a naming ceremony. At this ceremony, gifts of amulets to ward off bad luck were given to the baby. These amulets supposedly made the evil eye look away (the evil eye was an eye that could bring people bad luck, and if it stared at you for too long it would make disastrous things happen to you). These amulets were then strung on a bracelet or necklace and worn by the baby. The wealth of the person giving the amulet at the ceremony was reflected in the materials used to make the amulet. If the person was wealthy, the amulet might be made of gold or silver, however if the person was not wealthy then they might only give an amulet made of wood or bone.

Another thing I found fascinating was the fact that girls never became adults and boys only became adults when their fathers thought they were old enough. Girls never became adults in these ancient civilisations because they didn’t have the same rights or responsibilities that would be given to them when they became an adult. The minimum age for a boy to become and adult was 14, however most became and adult when they were 17. This was also the time when they stopped wearing their bulla (the amulet given to citizen boys at birth).

The most interesting thing I saw at the museum was a recreation of the Rosetta Stone. This was an amazing archaeological find, as it helped archaeologists decipher Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics as it had the same text inscribed on it in two languages and three writing systems.

I had great fun making my own amulet. I am fascinated by how the different objects these amulets represent protect you from different things. I am really excited to paint my amulets and learn what they protect against.

I would love to learn more about the amulets that were used and are still used now to protect people against having accidents while driving cars or riding in carriages. The ‘Hamsa’ is a lucky charm symbol that protects people, especially while travelling. The Hamsa is referred to in many different religions under different names, and in Ancient Rome the Hamsa was used in relation to the Roman God of Travel, Mercury, who protected travellers.

My favourite ancient civilisation is Ancient Greece. I find Ancient Greek mythology fascinating, and I think that the Ancient Greeks were great innovators and created many technologies and ideas about things that are still used today.

By Caroline Senkbeil

The Classics Museum - a poem

About a 10 minute drive,

to where knowledge thrives.

And we begin to learn about other people’s lives.

Not here in this space nor time.

But way far back on the timeline.

With ancient Romans, Egyptians and Greeks.

We learnt about their ways and their techniques

The most interesting thing I saw,

was the paintings on the pots that could leave you in awe.

Each one didn’t have a single flaw.

My favourite thing about the stay,

was when we made some pieces of jewellery out of clay.

Although my pieces liked to fail and protest,

that didn’t change it being my favourite out of the rest.

Something that I learnt that I never knew,

was how the Romans went to the loo.

When they went to relive themselves they would do it as a crew.

With no borders or privacy screens.

And cleaning themselves with the same sponge by no means.

Something I would like to learn more about,

is jewellery and the good luck charms no doubt.

I find it interesting how people believe that an amulet can shun bad spirits out.

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, what is my favourite out of the lucky three?

Definitely Ancient Egyptians, it must be.

You may be wondering why,

I just think it is really interesting how the people would get by.

By Ivy Brown

The visit to the John Elliot Classics Museum made me feel like I was going back in time. It was so cool to see all the different artefacts and sculptures.

The most interesting thing I saw was the ancient Greek pottery collection and the engravings on the side of the pots.

The most interesting thing I learnt was about Greek pottery. I discovered how the Greeks used pottery to tell stories about their daily lives, mythology, and wars. The funerary pots were particularly interesting because they showed detailed scenes of battles and military life.

The most fascinating thing I saw was the vases. These vases had beautiful designs that told stories from ancient times. It was amazing to see such well-preserved art from so long ago.

What I liked most about the visit was the chance to see and learn about objects that were used thousands of years ago. It made history feel real and alive, much more than just reading about it in a book.

I’m curious to learn more about the ancient coins we saw. Coins tell us a lot about what was important to people back then, like who their leaders were and what they valued.

Out of Ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, I find Ancient Rome the most interesting. Their unique culture makes it fascinating to learn about.

The visit to the museum was a great way to connect with the past and learn more about these incredible ancient civilizations.

By Scarlett Nester

Year 7 French students recently concluded a unit on Les Animaux by creating posters for imaginary lost pets. Among the usual array of household and farmyard animals were some more difficult to find creatures, such as lost mosquitoes and flies. The task required students to construct original sentences using the vocabulary and verbs they have learnt thus far this year. There was also the challenge of determining when and how to form feminine and plural adjectives, as well as where to include accents. Here are some examples of their work.

Miss Holly Lutzow

Learning in Art

Year 8 students have been exploring collagraph printing by creating owl designs on shellac-coated strawboard. They inked, wiped, and pressed their blocks to produce unique prints. Check out their creative process and impressive results!

Over the last couple of weeks, Lumina 9 students have been diving into an exciting self-defence course! It has been an awesome experience learning how to protect ourselves in different situations. Our instructor, Joe Pavic, has been super engaging, making sure we all felt confident and prepared. It’s not just about physical skills, but also about building our confidence and knowing how to react calmly in challenging situations. Everyone was really enthusiastic, and it has been great to see our classmates enjoying it and supporting each other. This opportunity has been very important to build our confidence in that we can protect ourselves if a situation ever presents itself. These memorable lessons have helped the Year 9s feel safe knowing they can rely on their skills.

I enjoyed self-defence, and I’ve learnt some useful skills. – Georgia C

I enjoy learning new skills with my friends. - Elizabeth F

I had a great time learning to defend myself.-Ava M

It was a new experience and it was fun getting to learn a new skill. -Aime H

By Imogen Milford and Elizabeth Faulkner

Learning about Biology

Testing antimicrobial substances

In Biology 3 class, we have been studying pathogens (disease-causing organisms) and how the body defends itself from attack. We spent last week performing experiments to grow pathogens and then try to prevent their growth.

In our first experiment, we took swabs of different surfaces from around the School that we thought might house bacteria and fungi. We spread each swab onto a nutrient-enriched agar plate, so that any bacteria or fungi from the swab would be able to grow on it. We sealed and then incubated the agar plates for 3 days. In the meantime, we conducted a second experiment, in which we spread some pre-purchased bacteria (Escherischia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis) onto agar plates. Then we carefully placed some discs that had been impregnated with different antibiotics on the plates. Again, we sealed and then incubated these plates to allow the bacteria to grow over a few days. Finally, the students planned and conducted the last experiment in pairs, starting with a risk assessment using an online tool called ‘Student Risk Assess’. They researched and tested common household substances, to determine if they had antimicrobial properties. They tested substances such as honey, Dettol, hand sanitiser, crushed garlic, ginger, mouthwash, hand soap and toothpaste. Again, the students spread bacteria onto agar plates, then impregnated their own discs with their chosen antimicrobial substances, sealed the plates and left them to grow.

The results

In the first experiment, the surfaces around the School that grew the most bacteria and fungi were from the Years 11/12 Common Room and the Senior Staff Tearoom (see pictures below). In the second experiment, it was clear that each antibiotic prevented the growth of some bacteria, but not others. Finally, the everyday substances that seemed to work best at preventing the growth of the bacteria were Dettol and hand sanitiser, unsurprisingly. However, there was some evidence that honey and garlic prevented a small amount of bacterial growth on some plates.

Thank you to Dr Stewart, as always, for sourcing the materials, bacteria and antimicrobials. It was a great chance for the students to learn more about pathogens and develop skills in microbiological techniques.

Miss Felicity Jacobs

In the lovely Spring sunshine, the Vertical Gardening Group explored our stunning School gardens and picked our families beautiful bouquets.

We are so lucky to have such a beautiful environment to learn and play in at Fahan.

Mrs Sophie Baxter

Spirit of Rock It

On Tuesday 3rd September, Year 3 students enjoyed a fun excursion to the indoor rock-climbing venue, Rock It. This was a wonderful opportunity for students to use their fundamental movements skills in challenging and adventurous activities. The venue provided a controlled environment for students to step out of their comfort zones and extend themselves. It was also a fabulous opportunity for team building and developing an awareness of the importance of supporting each other when facing new challenges, which everyone did brilliantly!

Well done, everyone!

Mrs Nicole Bury

The Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) is a prestigious and challenging competition designed to enhance the problem-solving skills of students in Years 7 and 8.

Through a series of four 30-minute tests held throughout the year, students tackle complex mathematical problems that encourage creative and critical thinking.

Participating in the APSMO not only helps students develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts, but also fosters teamwork, perseverance, and a love for mathematics. It’s an excellent opportunity for our students to showcase their talents and build confidence in their mathematical abilities.

Mr Jake Bevan

Spirit of Outdoor Adventure Skills

Our Outdoor Adventure Skills elective class has introduced us to enriching experiences outside of technology and traditional learning, such as exploring the lost world and enjoying snow walks during our seemingly 'regular' school days, which has deepened our love for learning and taught us self-sufficiency in the bush. Additionally, our Outdoor Ed classes provided us with incredible mountain hikes, scenic city viewpoints, and insights into areas where the mountain had previously collapsed.

By Zara and Hermione

Junior House Athletics

We’ve been busy practicing our running, jumping, and throwing in preparation for the House Carnival on Tuesday 17 September. The girls are excited for what promises to be a fantastic day!

Based on performance at the House Carnival, a team will be selected to represent Fahan at the JSATIS Carnival in Term 4.

Term 4 Sport Sign-Ups

A reminder that sign-ups for Term 4 sports are now open. Please ensure students register via EdSmart by Wednesday 11 September. Below are the sporting options for Term 4. Trainings will be held during school lunchtimes:

Years 3-6 Cricket: Matches will be held on Monday afternoons at the Domain, starting Monday 28 October. Games will be played at the Domain Crossroads, beginning at 4:00 pm.
Years 3 and 4 Mixed Teeball: Matches will take place on Wednesday afternoons at the grounds of participating schools, starting Wednesday 23 October. Games will start at 4:00 pm. Please ensure students have a mouth guard and shin pads.
Years 5 and 6 Touch Football: Matches will be held on Tuesday afternoons at the grounds of participating schools, beginning Tuesday 22 October. Games will start at 4:00 pm.

Triathlon

The Schools Triathlon Challenge will be held in Term 4 on Friday 29 November at Bellerive Beach. This event, which promotes the importance of staying active and healthy, is open to Years 3-6 students.

Students received a triathlon entry form last week. If your child would like to participate, please complete the form and return it to School by Friday 20 September.

Mrs Katy Stewart
Junior Sport Coordinator
stewartk@fahan.tas.edu.au

Spirit - Senior School Sport

SSATIS Swimming Carnival

The Southern SATIS Swimming Carnival was held on Thursday 29 August at the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre.

Congratulations to all our swimmers. Fahan had excellent overall results.

4^th in the Senior Shield
2^nd in the Junior Shield
3^rd in the Aggregate Shield

We were also 4^th in the Under 13 Pennant, 2^nd in the Under 14 Pennant and 3^rd in the Under 15 Pennant.

Some individual results were:

Islay Smith – 2^nd Under 14 50m Free, 3^rd Under 15 100m Free, 2^nd Under 15 50m Back

Ava Mignanelli – 1^st Under 15 50m Free, 2^nd 50m Breaststroke, 1^st 100m Free, 1^st 50m Fly, 1^st 50m Back

Poppy Davies – 1^st Under 13 50m Breaststroke

Emma Schoeman – 4^th Under 14 50m Breaststroke

The Under 13 4 x 50m freestyle relay were 3^rd – Hannah Abbott, Poppy Davies, Milla Gorringe and Amelie Dobson

The Under14 4 x 50m freestyle relay were 1^st – Islay Smith, Sophie Unwin, Maisey Smith and Emma Schoeman

A huge THANK YOU goes to Shannon Harrison for coaching the team. We have appreciated her expertise, and our starts and relay changes were greatly improved in the Carnival, which made a big difference to our results. The Fahan Swimming Team have shown excellent commitment to swimming this year and a significant increase in numbers at training . This also contributed to our improved results.

At the Carnival, the students in the team showed wonderful School and team spirit. A special mention to Pia Abberton, Matilda Cocker, Penny Geappen and Georgia Grant who had to step into races at the last minute which was greatly appreciated.

The SATIS Carnival will be held on Wednesday 18 September at Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre. The program will be put on the Tree on the Senior Sport page when it is released. Best wishes to the team.

Cross Country

Congratulations to Lucy Meikle who competed in the Australian Cross Country Championships in Symmons Plains last weekend. In very wet and wild conditions, Lucy ran her best and showed excellent grit and determination to finish the race.

Badminton

On Friday 30 August, Mia Fagan, Imogen Mulder, Emma Zhuang and Molly Porter competed in the College Badminton Championships. These students participated in the individual competition, doubles and mixed doubles. Congratulations to them on their efforts and we wish them the best for the remainder of their College Badminton roster.

Schools Triathlon Challenge

The Schools Triathlon Challenge will be held in Term 4 on Thursday 28 November at Bellerive Beach. This is a fantastic event, and it is always wonderful to see so many Fahan students on the track running or cycling and in the water. An EdSmart was sent to students last week to sign up. Please ensure students have completed the sign ups as there will be a meeting shortly to discuss the teams and the individual competitors.

A reminder that students who compete in the individual event, and who will do the bike leg in a team, will have to get their bike to the event on the day. It is expected that these students will have their own bike. More information about this will be sent out next term.

Soccer

Congratulations to Estella Manson, Zara Marino, Ava McGlone, Poppy Leditschke and Lucie Tomlin who have been selected to play in the SSATIS Soccer Representative Team. This team will play in the SSATIS v NSATIS game on Friday 6 September in Launceston at St Patrick’s College. This is sure to be a fierce competition, and we look forward to hearing the results.

The First Grade Soccer Team have completed their rostered games and now wait to hear if they will play in the semi-finals next week. The 2^nd Grade team played in their semi-final on Thursday 5 September against GYC. Unfortunately, GYC were too strong, and we were defeated 4 – 1. Congratulations to the 2^nd Grade team on their term of soccer. This team showed excellent commitment and enthusiasm at every game. Players always had a smile on their faces and were able to play competitive soccer whilst having fun!

Mrs Jo Banks-Smith
Senior Sport Co-ordinator
bankssmithj@fahan.tas.edu.au
0428 031 012

Community - Fahan School Twilight Fair

With just under two months to go until the Fahan Twilight Fair on Friday 18 October, planning has picked up speed.

Class stalls are well progressed, and it is really pleasing to hear reports of so many parents and friends coming together to plan their stalls, with contributions from so many. I am sure that all the effort and detail that is being put in will be evident for all to see on the evening of the Fair. I would encourage everyone, if they haven’t already done so, to reach out to your class representative and ask how you may help, whether it being assisting on the evening or making a donation to cover the stall costs.

We also continue to seek donations for the following:

Prizes for the Chocolate Wheel. If you are in a position to donate a suitable prize, or have a connection who might, it would be graciously accepted. We have already got some fantastic prizes but need a few more.
Plants, small trees and seedlings. If you are a green thumb or are looking to rehome a plant, please consider making a donation.
Donations of bottled wine.

The School is happy to receive any donations at Reception, or you can email pandf@fahan.tas.edu.au to arrange collection.

With your support and attendance on the evening, we are well on the way to creating a lasting memory for our daughters of an evening filled with fun, friends and joy and an event that brings the community together.

Michael O'Connor
President
P&F Association

Community - Year 2 Cookie Jars for Pre-Sale

The Year 2 class (a.k.a. The Bake Collective) is offering three delicious varieties of beautifully packaged cookie and brownie jar mixes as their fundraiser for the P&F Twilight Fair.

Varieties for sale are:

Choc M&M Brownie Jars
Rainbow Cookie Jars
or try their new Christmas Themed jars.

These would make a sweet gift for loved ones, work colleagues or a Secret Santa idea or simply a guilty indulgence.

Either way, you don’t want to miss out! This tried and tested family recipe makes 30 medium sized cookies and can be whipped up in minutes.

There are a limited number available, and we anticipate these treats will sell out fast at the Twilight Fair. To avoid disappointment, Fahan families have the opportunity of pre-purchasing jars, to be collected at the Fair.

The jars cost $15 each.

Keep a look out for an EdSmart ordering form to follow next week!

Community - Seeking Donations for a Sustainability Stall

The Sustainability Committee in the Senior School is aiming to hold a Christmas stall at the end of the year. We will be selling handmade, upcycled crafts.

We need your help!

Do you have any of the following items that you could give to us?

Bottle caps
Corks
Plastic bags
Old CDs or DVD discs

Please drop these into the School Office or send with your child to give to Miss Jacobs.

Thank you for your help!

Years 7-12 Sustainability Committee

Community - New Fahan Rowing Fundraiser

We are very excited to launch our latest fundraising project for Fahan Rowing. We hope our amazing community can assist the School's Rowing program in realising its highest priority needs. With our community's help we aim to purchase a new four/quad and up to a half dozen new single boats. While our older boats are still safe and comfortable, they have seen better racing days. We would greatly appreciate community support to help us acquire these new boats, especially as the School plans to race at the Nationals next year at Lake Barrington, an exciting event for us on home turf.

Donations can be made through the School's fundraising partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

Please show your support and click here https://asf.org.au/projects/fahan-school/new-fahan-boats-202425 to donate today!

Yours sincerely,

Steve Lambert
Director of Rowing

Community - Lady Gowrie Vacation Care

Registrations for Vacation Care are now open.

LG_Vacation_Care_Fahan_Spring_2024.pdf

Uniform Shop Reminder

Uniform items can be ordered online through the Flexischools website. You can also download the Flexischools App for Apple or Android.

All uniform orders placed via the Flexischools App will be delivered to Reception for Senior School orders and to the classrooms for Junior School orders on Tuesdays and Thursdays during term time. Please allow two days notice for delivery of orders placed before 4:00pm (three days for orders placed after 4:00pm).

Appointments can be made during term time by emailing Birgitta at uniformshop@fahan.tas.edu.au.

Student Absence, Late Arrival or Early Departure

Notification of student absence for any reason, including illness, late arrival or early departure, should be submitted through the Fahan App, emailed to absence@fahan.tas.edu.au or advised by telephone on 6225 1064 or. Requests for planned absence (eg sporting events, family events, etc) are now also advised through the App and are no longer required to be submitted on the Request for Absence form.

Please do not email notifications of absence directly to teachers.