Fahan School eNewsletter

Principal's Report

Today I want to kick off our newsletter with a big thank you to the Fahan School Community.

Already, donations to our Inspiring their Future Giving Month are coming in and we are so grateful for your support. This initiative is aligned to our capital master planning process that will commence in a few weeks’ time, and we are very close to being able to reveal our architectural partner in designing inspirational spaces to support outstanding teaching and learning experiences for our girls. Suffice to say at this point, that the future looks bright indeed in this space and we will communicate more about the process and how parents and carers can be involved very soon. In the meantime, please consider joining us in June – every donation, big or small, assists our students both now and into the future.

Before this newsletter went out, I read with interest Mrs Conway’s timely article on seasonal affective disorder, and I strongly encourage you to read and discuss her advice with your daughters. This time of year, just prior to the mid-year break, is always a challenging time in any organisation, and Mrs Conway’s advice is practical, and I know from experience that the strategies she suggests really work!

This advice is especially pertinent to our Years 11 and 12 students who embark on their Mid-Year Examinations this coming week. Mid-Years are a great test run for the final examinations later in the year, and I know that the girls are preparing well with the support and expert guidance of their teachers and carers. They are also a test of stamina, so a balanced approach to study, rest and relaxation over the coming week and a half will be important. Students should reach out to their Pastoral Care Teachers, or Heads of House if they need support to strike the right balance. On behalf of us all, I wish Years 11 and 12 the very best for these examinations, and we look forward to seeing them back at School on the other side of them!

Speaking of Year 12, my sincere and heartfelt thanks to Emily Roberts, Sarah Toose, Islay Salmon, Lilly Ansell and Ms Christine Best for a superb evening of theatre at the House Drama performances last night. We marvelled at the production values, and laughed until we cried and our cheeks hurt at the fabulous scripts produced by the House Chairs – just superb! House Drama was the culmination of Arts Week and it was wonderful to see so many students and staff engaging in all that the Arts at Fahan has to offer. This was made possible by the student leaders mentioned above, and many, many staff – well done to all, and rest well this weekend!

Finally, a reminder to all girls in Years 10-12 about submitting applications for the Pride of Fahan Alumni Award for 2021. The Pride of Fahan Alumni Award is granted to a current Fahan student each year, and is an initiative of the Fahan School Alumni Association (FSAA), with support from the School. The Award gives students the opportunity to fuel their dream in an endeavour they are passionate about, and have achieved some success in, but require extra assistance to fulfil their ambitions. Selection of the successful applicant is made by the FSAA, in conjunction with the Principal. The application process is done via the Tree, and applications are due by Friday 11 June.

Best wishes,
Penny Curran-Peters

June 2021 is Giving Month at Fahan

Click here to inspire their future

Learning About Measurement and Volume

In Mathematics, as part of a unit on Measurement, Year 4 has being learning about volume. Mr Hodgman gave us a task of making 1m3 out of newspaper. We split into groups of six and tried to create 1m3 with rolled up newspapers. Each group tried out different ideas with only one group succeeding. The classroom looked like a bomb of newspapers had hit it!

Ruby Pilkington and Skye Hansen

Learning about Aboriginal History and Culture

Year 5 students have been immersing themselves in Aboriginal History and Culture, as well as the outdoors. Last week the students spent time learning about local Aboriginal history before they walked up the Truganini Track as part of their Outdoor Education program. The morning walk was fabulous with wonderful opportunities to learn about the local flora and fauna as the girls climbed up to Mt Nelson. Participating in the walk on Wednesday 26 May, and increasing the girls knowledge of Truganini’s history and culture prior to the walk, enabled the group to make relevant connections to the importance of National Sorry Day.

Mrs Ursula Dalton

As part of our Measurement and Area module in Year 8 Mathematics, we have been investigating Pi.

Girls had to choose ten circular objects of different sizes and record the circumference and diameter for each circle. They then worked out the division of the circumference by the diameter and found that we obtained a constant value (at least constant to the nearest whole number, depending how accurate the girls were doing the measurements).

This was a good opportunity to discuss the various concepts around circles and the practicality of making the measurements, to use our key words and to engage with creating accuracy and precision for our data recording.

Investigating is a skill students need to develop through their Senior School years. They learn to observe pattern, to model their data and question the reasonableness of their answers.

Mrs Virginie von Savageri

Learning about National Reconciliation Week

During Junior School Library lessons this week, students observed 2021 National Reconciliation Week, listening to Indigenous stories read online by Indigenous members of our community. We agreed that ‘reconciliation’ is a fancy way of saying ‘making up.’ Many of the students were aware that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have not always been treated fairly, and have not always had the same rights as other Australians.

In small groups, students shared memories of disagreements and squabbles they have had and recalled how they reconciled or made up afterwards. We also created some of our own designs to mark National Reconciliation Week.

Sarah: I said sorry.

Dorothy: I just hugged them.

Jade: To say sorry, I shared something.

Scarlett: We apologised to one another first then gave one another a hug.

Min: I tickled her!

Alexandra: I said sorry, then my friend said sorry too.

Mila: I gave my brother a toy.

Carla: I say ‘Let’s make-up, how about that?’ It’s a bit embarrassing to say.

Sienna: We met near the big tree near the out of bounds area. We made a cubby in the dirt.

Violet: After we had an argument, we hugged each other.

Charlotte: After a while, my brother forgot about it.

Felicity: I let her have a new friend.

Charlotte: I gave my brother candy to say sorry.

Claire: We came to an agreement.

Mrs Meg Denman

Learning about Debating

Every second Thursday some of the Year 5 and 6 girls debate. Three weeks ago, Fahan hosted all the other schools for the debates. Unfortunately our Fahan debates were cancelled due to illness but we all assisted with the debating organisation. Myla and I took on the roles of chair and timekeeper for two out of the six debates at Fahan that day. A chairperson introduces the debaters, the topic, and explains the timekeeper's job. The timekeeper times the debates and taps a desk (or rings a bell) once at two minutes, twice at three minutes, and nonstop at four miutes. Mathilda, Myla and I also showed people to their debating rooms. We all had an excellent time, but a few of us messed up a little bit, which is all part of the debating journey. We have more debates to come and we are looking forward to them.

We would like to thank all the debaters, Mrs Wright, Mrs Evans and all the Fahan Senior School debaters for adjudicating the debates.

By Keira Lynch and Myla Philp, Year 5

Learning about Art

It is lovely to welcome the Year 7s into the Senior School and I am delighted to be back in the Art room after my long service leave in Term 1. The girls in Year 7 are currently painting and drawing fish which will form a mobile that will hang in the Years 7-8 foyer. They are using the techniques of colour reduction and lino printing to complete this project. Our Year 8 girls are creating collages using circus imagery and these will be used as the basis to form images for their collagraph printing unit. They are producing some lovely whimsical artwork and I really enjoy the creativity and spirit they are displaying. Our Years 9/10 girls are currently painting an image of the interiors of their owns homes using acrylic paint which presents its own challenges for the girls. All of this work has been a lovely foundation to the creativity shown by the girls during Arts Week.

Ms Alex Pitt

Over the last two weeks, our Years 9/10 Outdoor Adventure Skills class has been lucky enough to find some snow on Mount Wellington. On both Fridays, the road was closed at the Springs, but we found enough snow on our walks to have some fun with and even brought some back to School!

As well as being so enjoyable, it has been a great learning experience for always being prepared as it was so cold.

Next week we look forward to sea kayaking in preparation for our camp.

Abbey Willcox and Anabelle Zeeman

In the Senior Biology class, we have been studying the two different forms of reproduction – asexual (‘cloning’ - requires one parent only) and sexual (requires two parents). The students have enjoyed learning about the interesting nature of asexual reproduction, and some of the ways in which different organisms reproduce asexually. Many plant use vegetative propagation; strawberries and spider plants, for example, can reproduce identical copies of themselves in this way. Other modes of asexual reproduction the girls have been learning about include: cacti use ‘budding’; sea stars use ‘fragmentation’; geckos use ‘regeneration’ to replace lost body parts. Strawberries also have flowers, which are the structures used for sexual reproduction in plants, and are used to produce non-identical offspring.

We spent time holding (well some of us!) and observing the School’s stick insects, of which we have two types. These stick insects are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. The all-female collection we own currently, ensures that the eggs the females produce will only hatch identical female clones of the female parent – this form of asexual reproduction is called ‘parthenogenesis’. If there was a male in the enclosure, then the females could also use sexual reproduction. There are advantages and disadvantages to both forms of reproduction – asexual reproduction is faster and requires no energy to find a mate, allowing a well-adapted individual and their identical offspring to quickly colonise an area. However, since the offspring are all identical, if the environment were to change, the survival of all these offspring may be at risk.

Looking at the stick insects and seeing exactly how identical the daughters are, helped us to understand asexual reproduction as a real-life example. Miranda Jones, Year 12

Ms Felicity Jacobs

Spirit - News from Nateby

We are very lucky to have a wonderful team of tutors who demonstrate kindness, compassion and provide the highest level of care for our boarders. Thank you to Brooke Huxley, Maddie Goss, Megwyn Mosenthal and Alice Risely, who all bring something special to their position and are wonderful role models for the girls.

A special shout-out to Sabina Newton who was one of our Boarding House tutors last year. In the midst of Melbourne’s lockdown, Sabina farewelled us to audition for Masterchef Australia. If you have been watching the show, you will know that she not only made the Top 24, but she is still in the competition! Both her culinary skills and her leadership skills have been recognised by the judges and she continues to impress every week. We miss her (and her cooking!) but we couldn’t be more proud of her. Sabina sets a great example of Fahan’s value of Spirit, by having the courage to follow her dreams. She is an inspiration to the girls and we look forward to watching her progress over the coming weeks. Good luck Sabina!

Ms Fiona Short
Head of Boarding

Spirit - Years 11/12 Outdoor Leadership lead Year 2

The Years 11/12 Outdoor Leadership class combined their practical skills in orienteering with their leadership skills and took the Year 2 students on an orienteering course around the School. Using the Fahan Orienteering Map, the Leadership students designed a short course where the Year 2s had to orientate their maps, find key landmarks and buildings, find the controls, and stamp their map. The groups worked extremely well together and learnt a lot from this experience. The Year 2 students suggested that perhaps next time the Year 11/12s could run a bit faster!

Thank you to Mrs Baxter and the Year 2 class for providing this authentic learning experience.

Dr Alison Manson

Our Senior girls thoroughly enjoyed Arts Week and involved themselves in an incredible selection of workshops and lunchtime events. Organised by Arts Chair, Emily Roberts, with the support of Heads of House and the Music, Art and Drama Departments, the schedule included learning more about ceramics, watercolours, an immersive rehearsal in the Music School, 3D printing, drama games, a lip-sync battle, music concerts, a dance party, House Drama competition and a costume day. The Junior School were also given the opportunity to harness their creative skills through a colourful chalk rainbow serpent that evolved over the week into a spectacular piece of art between the Junior and Senior School. Congratulations to Emily and all involved!

Arts Week turned out a lot bigger and bolder than I imagined and I am extremely happy about how everyone was so enthusiastic to participate in the traditional and new activities. A highlight for the week was hosting the Lip-Sync Battle and watching everyone getting into the spirit of performing. I’m also really happy with how the workshops turned out, as they were a new element to Arts Week this year, the participation was fantastic, and it was a great opportunity for girls to experience something new and creative! - Emily Roberts, Arts Chair.

What made you choose your career?
I was first introduced to Outdoor Education by chance. I was working many jobs at the time, unsure of what 'career' to follow. I was then given the opportunity to assist on a 12-day camp and all my plans changed, leading me to here.

Of what are you most proud?
Personally, my ability to always try new things and my strong connection with family. At Fahan, I am most proud when students (or teachers) push themselves outside of their comfort zone to try a new activity or skill.

What do you enjoy most about working at Fahan?
My supportive team and all the adventures and eagerness of the students to learn.

How would you describe yourself in one sentence?
Collector of hobbies.

Spirit - Junior School Sport

JSSATIS Cross Country

This event will be held next Thursday 10 June. On the day, buses will leave Fahan at 10:00am and head to Rokeby Police Academy. Parents are most welcome to attend however, under direction of the organisers, will not be able to stand in school zones.

The squad has been training hard, with only a few more sessions to go before competing.

What: JSSATIS Cross Country
Date: Thursday 10 June
Where: Rokeby Police Academy
When: 11:30am to 1:30pm

Approximate Race Times:

11:40am Year 4 Girls
12:00pm Year 5 Girls
12:20 Year 3 Girls
1:00pm Year 6 Girls

Below are details regarding the Primary All Schools Cross Country event which will be held at Symmons Plains. Entry forms have been given to those girls who have expressed interest in competing. If there is anyone who has missed a form, they can see me or their class teacher. Those students heading to Symmons Plains, but not in the JSSATIS squad, should still be training with the group. This is not an event to attend off a 3 week break!

It is an early departure time on the day of the event as it is important to have some leeway and allow for delays due to roadworks, etc.

What: Primary All Schools Cross Country
Date: Tuesday 22 June
Where: Symmons Plains
When: Depart at 7:45am from Fahan School carpark
Return at approx. 4:30pm to Fahan School carpark

Provisional Timetable of Girls' Events (Subject to change due to safety/weather)

Event No.	Call Room	Start Time	Distance	Laps	Age Group	Year Born
Event 2	11.25am	11:45 am	2000 m	1 x 2km lap	9 Years Girls	2012
		12:00 pm	9 years Girls Race Presentation
Event 4	11.55am	12:15 pm	2000 m	1 x 2km lap	10 Years Girls	2011
		12:30 pm	10 years Girls Race Presentation
Event 6	12.20pm	12:40 pm	3000 m	1 x 3km lap	11 Years Girls	2010
		1:00 pm	11 years Girls Race Presentation
Event 8	12.45pm	1:05 pm	3000 m	1 x 3km lap	12 Years Girls	2009
		1:25 pm	12 years Girls Race Presentation

Mr Tim Dale
Junior Sport Co-ordinator
dalet@fahan.tas.edu.au

Spirit - Senior School Sport

Cross Country

Congratulations to the Fahan Cross Country Team who competed at Soldiers Memorial Oval, Soldiers Walk, Queens Domain on Thursday 26 May. The course was challenging, particularly the hill in the last half of the race, and the chilly weather made it a true cross country event! Every Fahan competitor should be proud of their efforts.

Congratulations to the following girls who were place getters in their age group –

Ella Atkins – 1^st in U16
Laura Cooper – 6^th in Open
Abbey Willcox - 8^th in U16
Maggie Steele – 10^th in U14

Fahan finished 4^th in the Aggregate Girls Shield, 5^th in the Junior Girls Shield and 5^th in the Senior Girls Shield. We also came 2^nd in the U16 Pennant.

A team has been selected for the Tasmanian All Schools Cross Country which will be held at Symmons Plains on Tuesday 29 June.

Girls selected in the team are expected to attend at least one cross country/fitness training a week. All girls, however, are welcome to attend these sessions.

These trainings will take place every Tuesday and Friday morning from 7:00am - 7:50am. There will also be a Wednesday and Friday lunchtime fitness session at 12:45pm. These training sessions will continue throughout Term 2 and will take place in the gym.

Australian Rules Football

Congratulations to the 1^st Grade Australian Rules Football team who won their last rostered game to make it into the SSATIS final which will be played on Wednesday 9 June. Once details have been finalised they will be available on the Tree. We are looking forward to an exciting game and wish the team all the very best.

On Sunday 13 June a Southern Representative Football team will play against the NTJFA team at Utas Stadium. Congratulations to Ava Allanby, Laura Cooper, Anna Edwards and Olivia Sampson who have been selected in the team.

Hockey

Congratulations to the following girls who have been selected to play in Southern Tasmanian Hockey teams in the June Long Weekend State Hockey Competition in Launceston.

Under 13 - Charlotte Palmer
Under 15 - Emily Bushby, Prue Clarke, Bridie Perrott, Olivia Wilson.
Under 18 - Aleda Bayley, Stella Bale, Harriet Badenach, Lily Bushby, Alexandra Badenach

Gymnastics

Congratulations to Claudia Sampson who competed in the National Gymnastics Championships on the Gold Coast on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 May. Claudia competed in the over 15 category and finished 3rd on bars, 9th on floor and 10th on beam. This is a fantastic effort and to return home with a bronze medal is a wonderful achievement. Well done Claudia!

Term 3 Sport

In Term 3 the sports offered are –

Basketball - Years 7 and 8, Years 9 and 10
Aussie Rules Football - Years 9/10
Badminton - Years 7 – 12
Soccer - 1^st and 2^nd Grade
Netball - 1^st and 2^nd Grade
Athletics - Years 7 – 12

An EdSmart notice will be sent to all senior school students for Term 3 sport sign ups shortly.

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

Community - Biggest Morning Tea

The Amnesty Group’s Biggest Morning Tea held on Thursday 27 May was a great success! We raised money for the Cancer Council, which was a nice continuation of our support of the charity through the Relay For Life earlier this year. The morning tea was a lovely opportunity for the Years 11 and 12 girls to chat and enjoy a variety of sweet treats together. Thank you to the Amnesty girls and the lovely library staff for helping pull it all together, and to everyone who came along.

Bella Nettlefold
Community Chair

Community - Visit from Red Cross

On Monday 24 May, Year 6 had visitors from Red Cross. Two of our guest speakers, Aaron and Alison, were discussing the differences between asylum seekers and refugees. During one of the activities, we had to choose items and people that we would take to Australia with only a 5-minute timeframe. There were some sad faces by the end of the activity after crossing border controls, pirates and the bag breaking.

Two other guest speakers, Samara and Julia, had lived the experience of moving to Australia from war torn countries. They say they are the lucky ones to live in such a beautiful place with freedom, health and, most of all, educational rights.

I can’t understand why someone wouldn’t receive a trophy for Mathematics just because they are from another country. - Zoe Mansfield

I liked it when Samara taught us how to speak Arabic. - Sasha Keogh

The questions and answers certainly helped us understand what life was really like in Lebanon and Iran. We are very lucky in Australia. - Rachel Stanelos

Community - Quoting Year 6

We recently reviewed some quotes from famous Australian people like Cathy Freeman, Sir Donald Bradman, Dawn Fraser and many more. It wasn’t so much the achievements these people were famous for, but their personal quotes. Their words of wisdom told us how hard they worked to achieve their best. Some examples of quotes are:

The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of disappointment. - Justin Langer

The harder you work the luckier you get. - Fiona Wood

What I am absolutely confident of is it will be easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that. And I’m proud of that. - Julia Gillard

We all had the opportunity to make up our own quotes which are now visible from our classrooms for all to see.

Aviya Lincolne-Lomax

Community - ArtRage Exhibition

ArtRage is an annual initiative of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery that exhibits the top works from young Tasmanian artists in year 11 and 12 studying Art Production or Art Studio Practice as part of their Tasmanian Certificate of Education.

Our Years 11/12 Art students went to visit the fantastic Exhibition and enjoyed viewing the works of four of our alumni – Abigail Radburn, Pinky Watchorn, Sasha Gregg and Chloe Abel - who were showing works. It was a great opportunity to see the variety of works from around the State and the high calibre of works exhibited.

Ms Alex Pitt

The time of year has rolled again where the temperatures are colder, the days are a bit shorter and even the beautiful gardens here at Fahan look a little barer.

Welcome to winter….time to light our fires, wrap our hands around and savour a warm drink as we breath in the lovely steam (especially on Fridays at lunch courtesy of our Year 12 girls), snuggle beneath our blankets, and feel a little blue.

What was that last bit? The winter blues? Surely that doesn’t fit our cosy narrative of hot chocolates, fairy lights and big Sunday roasts warming our homes and giving us a warm feeling inside as well?

As the temperatures drops and we experience shorter days around this time of year, it’s not uncommon to experience the “winter blues.”

It’s the time of year when we are less likely to want to get out and go for our walk, more likely to reach for high fat, high carb foods to give us a mood boost, less likely to want to connect with others, and more likely to feel sluggish and negative.

So how can we stay mentally healthy during the winter months? The great news is that many Fahan girls and their families already have some healthy habits in place. They stay active and look after your physical and mental health no matter the weather.

For those that may appreciate a few suggestions, here are some ways to stay healthy in the cold, dark days of winter.

1. Catch some rays and get outside in the sunshine

Exposure to sunlight plays an important role in influencing our moods. Sunlight helps increase our body's levels of vitamin D and also promotes the production of serotonin which regulates mood.

During winter, Australians require about 30 minutes of sunshine to maintain optimal levels of vitamin D. A deficiency in vitamin D can contribute to depression so try to get outdoors every day. This could be as simple as walking with some skin uncovered or eating lunch outside as part of your daily routine.

The Cancer Council's SunSmart App can help you understand how much sun exposure is safe for you and measure UV levels in our area.

When inside, keep the blinds open and sit near windows whenever you can. Sunlight within the house can help you feel more awake and reduce oversleeping that can also negatively affect mood.

2. Get moving

Exercise is a great way to beat winter blues, but it can be hard to find motivation when it's cold outside. Try these ideas when you would rather pull the covers over your head:

- Choose activities you enjoy or try something new. Exercise with a friend. Get your work out gear ready the night before so that you have less of an excuse to skip it. Sign up for an organised run and follow a training program to get you there. Try different fitness apps or podcasts. Reward yourself with a warm bath, hot shower, massage or a lovely cup of herbal tea.

- Try to do about 30 minutes exercise, five days a week. Exercising doesn't only mean doing sport or going to the gym. There are many activities that can keep you active such as tai chi, rock climbing, swimming, dancing, exercise videos, gardening and cycling.

- If you choose to exercise before school or after dark, take precautions to stay safe and prevent injury. Ensure you're aware of your surroundings, wear bright clothing, exercise in a well-lit area, keep to foot paths and avoid wearing headphones.

3. Embrace the wonder of winter

Instead of avoiding the cold, embrace it. Try and view winter as something to be enjoyed, not something to be endured.

Rug up in clothing that keeps you warm. Invest in a wind-resistant jacket, scarf, beanie and gloves and head outside. Take advantage of things you can only do for a few months each year such as skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, building a snowman, or visiting natural warm springs where the warmth of the water contrasts with the sharpness of the air (Tassie has Hastings Cave and Kimberley Warm Springs).

If you'd rather stay indoors you could sit in front of the fire, read a book, do a puzzle, build a pillow cubby, grab some fallen leaves and trace them through a sheet of paper, have a family movie night or cooking competition, take up knitting or savour a warm drink and sit under snug blankets.

4. Make an effort to be social

Many of us are less social in Winter. While socialising can seem like an effort in the Winter months, it can help boost your mood. Trade texting for talking. Have a girls’ night in. Or grab your friends and do a scavenger hunt around Hobart. Here’s a link for one or you can make up your own:

https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-worksheets/material-type/fun-activities-and-games/around-town-scavenger-hunt/26763

Make an effort to see friends and accept invitations, even if you only go for a while. Simply being around people can feel good, like being in a gallery, movie theatre or concert. We are so fortunate in Tasmania to have festivals that run in the winter. This year Dark MOFO and The Festival of Voices have both returned. Celebrate the season and boost your mental health at the same time.

Volunteering can also have a positive impact on your mental health. Not only will you be around other people, but you are also making a difference. Here is a link to help you find your perfect volunteer role:

https://www.volunteeringtas.org.au/for-volunteers/find-a-role-2/#/

5. Eat healthy foods

The cold weather can have us reaching for comfort foods high in sugar and fat.

While you may get a short-lived mood boost from these foods, your energy and mood tend to crash quickly from them, so try and resist the temptation and eat fresh food.

Small amounts of vitamin D can be gained from foods such as fatty fish and portobello mushrooms. Try a new recipe using only fresh foods. Stage a progressive dinner with your friends where all of the recipes are homemade and low in fat and sugar.

6. Connect with others and reach out if you need help

For most of us, looking after ourselves by getting out, moving, eating well, sharing with others and connecting will help us beat the winter blues. For others, these negative feelings and behaviours are signs of something more serious ― seasonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

SAD is a type of depression that occurs around certain times of year when there’s less sunlight ― which is typically correlated with the change in seasons, depending on where you live.

It is possible for children to have SAD, frequently manifesting around the time that puberty begins.

Symptoms of SAD are similar to those of depression but appear during specific times of year (late autumn until early spring), which is how it differs from traditional depression.

Signs of SAD may include:

mood changes like increased sadness or irritability
feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
increased sensitivity or self-criticism
decreased energy, changes in sleeping and/or eating patterns
trouble focusing
lack of motivation
loss of interest in things that they used to enjoy
increased isolation or disconnection from friends and others
Some kids may feel heavy in their bodies, not want to get out of bed, or avoid going outside. They may be extra clingy or need extra reassurance.

Bear in mind that not every child will demonstrate all the symptoms on this list and that what you need to look for are changes in your child's usual demeanour.

If you suspect that you or someone you know may be experiencing more than a case of the Winter blues, your GP can assist you in getting the support you need.

For more strategies on beating the winter blues, email me at conwaym@fahan.tas.edu.au or make a booking on the Counselling Page on the Tree: https://thetree.fahan.tas.edu.au/homepage/3572

Mrs Maria Conway
School Counsellor

Community Notices

Fahan School uniform items can be ordered through the Flexischools website or App (Apple of Google). If a uniform fitting is required, please email Mrs Birgitta Browning at uniformshop@fahan.tas.edu.au

Canteen online orders are taken before school through the Flexischools website or App. A variety of foods are offered and healthy, nutritional choices are encouraged. Parents can also load money onto a student's ID card through the Flexischools App so that students from Year 3 may use their student card to purchase items from the canteen.

Flexischools Website

For more information on the Fahan Bus Service, please click here.

A Fortnight at Fahan - Term 2, 4 June 2021