Fahan School eNewsletter

Principal's Report

On Wednesday, we celebrated a significant milestone in the School’s history with the official opening of “Long View” by Senator the Honourable Carol Brown, Senator for Tasmania. This event was attended by many people involved in transforming this building from a Boarding House to a contemporary, flexible, and inspiring environment for learning and wellbeing.

The name "Long View" itself was chosen through a competition among our students and staff. It is inspired by the original vision of Miss Travers and Miss Morphett, who selected this campus for its inspiring outlook over the River Derwent. They believed, as we do today, that young women could achieve anything they set their minds to. This belief was reflected in the motto they chose - Light Come Visit Me. “Light” for them did not simply mean sunlight but enlightenment - the purpose of education, the spark of curiosity and courage that grows within each of our students.

This weekend, we welcome back many alumni for their reunion weekend. Today, we enjoyed watching and participating in the alumni versus student netball, soccer, and bocce matches, with an entertaining game of tunnel ball to conclude the competition. While the students were victorious, the alumni played hard and were very competitive. We hope they all enjoy their School tours and celebrations tomorrow.

Next term, in early November, we will be bidding farewell to Birgitta Browning, who has decided that the time is right to retire. This timing will coincide with the relocation of the Uniform Shop to Midford's store on York Street. The first day of trading from the Midford store will be Friday 7 November 2025.

Birgitta is a much-loved and long-serving staff member who has made an immense contribution to our School over many years. In fact, Birgitta will have been with Fahan for 18 years in early October. Birgitta has worn many hats during her time with us, ensuring our students were always well looked after in every aspect.

From managing all things uniform-related to providing delicious food in the canteen to teaching our students how to cook, Birgitta has been a cornerstone of our School Community. Her dedication to ensuring our garden always looks its best has also been greatly appreciated. Birgitta's commitment and hard work are legendary, and we are incredibly grateful for all she has done for Fahan.

I also want to acknowledge that Birgitta's connection to our School goes beyond her many roles. Her daughter, Olivia, graduated from Fahan in 2016, and Birgitta's husband, David, has also been an amazing contributor to our Community. Their family's involvement has truly enriched our School, and we are thankful for their support.

As Birgitta embarks on a new chapter in her life, which will include many hours in her garden (we know she won't actually ever stop!), we wish her all the best and hope she continues to find success and happiness in her future endeavours. While we will miss her dearly, we are confident that her legacy of care, dedication, and excellence will continue to inspire us all.

Best wishes,

Meg Lawson

Last Chance to Support our Year 12 Charities and be in the running to Win a Car!

Thanks to everyone who has purchased tickets in our major fundraiser. There are less than 17 tickets left and the raffle closes at 12:00noon on 23 September 2025!

Don’t miss out on your chance to drive away in a brand new 2025 Toyota Corolla Hybrid!

Thanks to the generous support of Co-Op Toyota, this incredible prize is valued at $37,126, including all on-road costs, registration and more. Every ticket sold helps us raise funds for our two chosen charities for 2025 - The Variety Freya Fund and The Beacon Foundation.

We would greatly appreciate if you could support us in our fundraising efforts by encouraging your family and friends to purchase tickets, all contributing to a great cause

Click here to buy your ticket today!

Kind regards,

Hannah, Tess and Estella on behalf of the entire Year 12 cohort

Reminder - Summer Uniform from Term 4

A reminder that in Term 4 we change over to Summer uniform.

Please check the Uniform Guidelines for more information and consider the following for this Summer changeover:-

Kinder and Prep Summer Uniform is sport shorts and polo top.
Years 1 to 12 formal uniform includes the Boater Hat.
Years 1 to 12 wear the Summer dress or formal shorts and short sleeve white shirt.
Only Year 11 and 12 students have the option of Winter skirt and short sleeve white shirt.

The white formal socks are to be purchased from the School Uniform shop only.

Learning in Kinder

This term, Kindergarten students have enjoyed working on a very special project – creating their own embroidered wheat bags. Through this hands-on experience, children have been able to strengthen their fine motor skills, concentration, and persistence.

The completed wheat bags are not only practical but also a beautiful reminder of the creativity and determination that flourished in Kindergarten during Term 3.

Mrs Meg Denman

Prep students have been busy investigating how toys move, discovering all the different ways objects can spin, whiz, bounce, helicopter, and wind. With plenty of hands-on play, they observed, shared ideas and expanded vocabulary of movement words. The inquiry will continue when students design their own toy with moving parts!

Ms Kim Menadue

Learning Together in Years 1 and 2

Several times a term we play Maths games with the Year 1s such as Giant Buzz, Race to 100 as well as addition and subtraction games.

The rules for Giant Buzz are that we all stand in a giant Buzz circle, there is a Buzz number and if you are the person that says it, you are out. It is a skip counting game and this week we were practicing counting in fives.

We have had the best time playing Maths games with the Year 1s. It is nice to support them in their learning, just as the Year 2s did for us, when we were in Year 1 last year!

Thank you to Mrs Parsons and Mrs Baxter for organising this and letting us play together.

By Evelyn Taberlay, Harriet Fox and Joyce Yuen

In Year 3, we have been enjoying writing using our imagination! One of our recent topics was “Imagine you owned your own factory. Describe what it manufactures and use descriptive language to describe what it is like inside, so that your reader can imagine being there!” As well as enjoying creating with words, students are also looking forward to creating pictures to accompany their writing.

If I owned my own factory, it would be an animal robot factory. It would be the best! There would be friendly workers, and even a lucky dip! Inside, you would walk in to see a giant lucky dip on your right and a kids play area, complete with trampolines and a canteen, on your left. If you go over to the lucky dip, you can press a button and try your luck. If you are extra lucky, you might get an amber phoenix! Eve Wyton

If I owned my own factory, it would be a teddy bear factory. It would be five levels high! The top level would be where the cute, playful and loving robots make chocolate teddy bears. The chocolate teddy bears would be scented either lavender or strawberry. Imogen Jamieson

If I owned my own factory, it would be a giant flower seed factory. It would be the biggest flower seed factory on Earth! It would be made of daisy seed walls and the roof will be made out of every kind of flower in the universe! Matilda Pilkington

Learning about Poetry in Year 5

Year 5 students have been immersing themselves in poetry. Poems have been written, collected and reviewed. Elements of poetry have been discussed, identified and incorporated into unique poems. By the end of the term, students will have collated both original and collected poems into their own poetry book. They will also present one of their poems to the class.

Mum
She is like a soft pillow, the best to cuddle.
She is as kind as a cat, as nice as can be.
She is like a sunny day, that brings warmth to my body.
She is as sweet as a cookie, fresh from the oven.
She is like an athlete, smart and strong.
She is as fun as a park, and caring.
She is my Mum.
By Anna Doust

She is like a dog; always happy and friendly
She is as funny as a guinea pig when you tease them
She is like a cat; always finding ways to see if you're alright
She is as beautiful as a lovey day; always shining
She is like a bird finding worries and dropping them off cliffs
She is as amazing as cherry blossoms always blooming
She is Faith
By Harriet Claydon

Life?
Death?
But what happens after?
Regenerate?
Disappear?
But how?
Stay?
Go?
Where does life come from?
I
Need
Answers!
By Elsa Roach

Netball
As I see the netball fall onto the ground.
All of a sudden I chase it down.
As I try to intercept the ball off of my opposition,
All of a sudden I am in the right position.
As I catch the netball in my hands,
All of a sudden my feet just land.
As I see the umpire call end of game,
All of a sudden my team and I have won this game.
By Bobbie

My Mum
I would choose you,
Choose you to be my best friend,
My biggest supporter,
My role model,
And most importantly,
My mum,
In every lifetime.
You've been there for me,
When No one else was,
When I felt worthless, proud or sick.
You've been there at every moment,
That I needed you to hold my hand,
Or squeeze me tight.
You've been there for my first sleepover,
And my first lost tooth.
You've been there when life got tough,
And when I found out that girls can be not so nice.
You've been there through everything,
Not missing one single moment.
I love you endlessly mum,
And I hope you know that.
By Claudia

Cat Cafe
I see cute, adorable and fluffy cats hop past me,
Like they are saying "Hi human, how's your day?"
I can taste the delicious strawberry flavoured/half melted cheesecake I had a moment ago.
I can feel the fluffiness of cats,
Swiping past my leg,
And the warm, shimmery sunshine coming through the window.
I can hear the loud and somehow quiet purring from the adorable ball of fluffiness (cat).
I can smell the sweet and bitter coffee,
And the calm smell of cats and kittens.
By Dorothy

The Zoo
I see the lions at the zoo.
I hear tigers do a big loud roar.
I smell the animal's poo. Eww!!
I taste the yummy food.
I feel the fur of a koala as I pat it. Awww!!
By Evelyn

All About Me
Grace - kind, funny positive.
I enjoy drawing, flute and listening to music.
I feel happy with my loved ones and my friends.
I wonder if there is life in different universes.
I fear heights, talking in public and small places.
I care about snakes, ferrets, my family and my friends.
I am able to play chess, climb trees and hold snakes.
I dream of getting pet ferrets and becoming a veterinarian.
By Grace

Rain Wave
You can hear the soft raindrops on the metal roof,
It sounds like a quiet tip, tap, tip, tap....
Drinking the warm hot chocolate as you watch your favourite movie,
Just feels like heaven.
You feel the soft bed,
As you settle into your calming stage.
As you smell your grandma baking gingerbread cookies,
You see the glimmering sparks in the warm fire.
By Jade

My Mum
She is as busy as a bee,
Bustling around our home.
She is as cool as a cucumber,
Letting me be myself around her.
She is like a role model,
Making me want to be like her in the future.
She is like a lifeguard,
Looking over me with pride.
This is my mum.
By Lucy

If a Star Fell from the Sky
If a star fell from the sky,
I'd make a wish then hug it goodbye.
I'd throw it up in the air,
Watching it drift away to do its part.
Saying goodbye, it brings tears to my eyes,
What a beautiful night sky.
By Phoebe

Learning about Migration in Year 6

This term, our Year 6 students have been diving into the topic of migration, exploring the many reasons people have moved to Australia from the early 1900s to today. As part of their inquiry, students investigated stories, historical events and the push and pull factors that influence migration.

Through research, creative presentations and storytelling, students developed a deeper understanding of how migration has shaped Australia’s diverse society. People migrated to Australia for a variety of reasons including seeking better job opportunities, escaping war or political unrest, reuniting with family, skilled migration or simply hoping for a fresh start in a new land. Australia’s promise of stability, safety and prosperity attracted individuals and families from across Europe, Asia and beyond.

We are incredibly proud of their thoughtful reflections and the empathy they have shown in learning about the journeys of others.

Mrs Ingrid Heather and Mr David Hodgman

After the success of our Friendship Fair at the beginning of term, we moved into a unit of work looking at holistic health and the benefits of physical activity. Students were asked to design a wellbeing centre that incorporated the Five Dimensions of Health, considering the concepts of access and inclusion. Students had the option of drawing, digitally designing, or creating a model of their centre. The second part of the task involved using their communication skills to persuade people to visit!

Our current unit is ‘Fuelling for Function’, investigating sleep, movement, food and nutrition. The students have been working collaboratively to design a menu, explaining how their food choices connect to the recommendations made by the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Some groups have had a lot of fun making plasticine models of their entrée, main course and dessert options. Next week, the girls are excited to put their practical skills to the test with some cooking in the kitchen. Over the holidays, the Year 7s will be collecting some data on their own patterns of movement and sleep, which we will be analysing in class at the beginning of Term 4.

Ms Fiona Short

As documented in the last newsletter, the Year 7s have undertaken a ‘Picture Book’ unit of work this term. In this unit they read Three Dresses, by Wanda Gibson, and then created a picture book based on their own memories and emotions. Last week, both Year 7 classes had the experience of sharing their books with the perfect audience – Year 1 and Kinder! It was a lovely opportunity for the girls to mix with each other in such a meaningful way. The stories were of particular interest to the younger students, as they had all read Three Dresses during their Library lessons with Mrs Denman. The picture books are currently located in the Junior School Library where they are being enjoyed by students from Kinder to Year 6.

Congratulations to all the Year 7s on the quality of the picture books you created, and for sharing your stories so beautifully with the younger students.

Ms Fiona Short

Over the past month student students in Years 7, 8 & 9 have been participating in an aesthetic sports unit in PE. They have jumped, rolled, twirled and twisted their way through the end of Term 3. The focus for Year 7 was artistic gymnastics, Year 8 was rhythmic gymnastics and Year 9 was cheerleading.

Students were introduced to the foundation skills for each of their respective sports then given the challenge of choreographing a routine in small groups. This culminated in a fun week at Kingborough Gymnastics Club followed by a presentation week.

This unit provided students with many new skills using a challenge by choice approach. The presentation week stretched many students outside of their respective comfort zones and provided the opportunity to practice skills of teamwork, bravery and resilience.

We are proud of all students embracing their learning in this space, working together, stretching themselves and most importantly having a go, demonstrating true Fahan spirit!

Ms Alli Williamson

Year 8 students have been combining creativity and technology in their latest Digital Design project. Using SketchUp and Adobe Firefly, they have developed imaginative scenes inspired by the work of M.C. Escher, focusing on staircases, doorways, and arches that lead to mysterious, unseen places.

Building on Escher’s graphic concepts, students applied modern design principles, bold colourways, and the surreal mood of vaporwave aesthetics. The outcome is a collection of striking images that blend three-dimensional modelling with contemporary visual design.

This project has encouraged students to explore space, perspective, and atmosphere while experimenting with cutting-edge digital tools to create artworks that are both playful and enigmatic.

Mr Chris Wood

Learning in Years 9/10 Food Technology

This term in Food Technology, our Years 9/10 classes focused on developing our practical cooking skills and learning about the key nutrients needed for a balanced diet. We were given the opportunity to have a 2-hour practical lesson in the Food Hub, and a 50-minute lesson focusing on assessments and the theoretical side of food. This term we focused on a design task, featuring the study of ways to cook eggs. In this time, we created a balanced menu plan that includes eggs, as well as learning about different ways to use eggs in a meal. We practiced making omelettes, poaching, frying, scrambling and boiling eggs, and learnt a lot during this time.

In addition to this, we also tried experimenting with other dishes. Some of our favourites included coconut chicken curry, spaghetti bolognese and carrot cupcakes.

The carrot cupcakes were delicious and soft. The icing was yummy. Taylah East

Overall, we had a great time and cannot wait for what next term has to teach us.

Dr Mel East

Recently in Mathematics we have been learning about logarithms and orders of magnitude. Whilst the class became very proficient at evaluating logarithmic expressions and converting equations in logarithmic form, it was meaningful to learn about how these are used in everyday contexts. Working in small groups, the students chose from a range of different topics, did some research and then presented their findings to the class. Here is a summary of their findings:

Ruby & Mieke - Apparent Magnitude
Astronomers use logarithms to measure how bright a celestial object appears from Earth, with each step on the magnitude scale representing a tenfold change in brightness. For example, Sirius (magnitude –1.46) looks about 100 times brighter than Polaris (magnitude +2.0), even though Polaris emits more light overall but is much farther away.

Mia & Sasha - pH Scale
The pH scale uses logarithms to represent acidity, where each step reflects a ten times greater or lesser concentration of hydrogen ions. For example, hydrochloric acid (pH 1) is a million times more acidic than milk (pH 6) due to the tenfold change at each step.

Caidynce & Sophie - Musical Pitch & Octaves

Musical notes follow a logarithmic pattern where each octave doubles the frequency, making base-2 logarithms ideal for mapping pitch relationships. For example, the note A4 (440 Hz), often used to tune instruments is half as high as A5 (880 Hz), used for vocal training.

Amelia, Aviya & Holly - Decibel Scale
Sound intensity is measured in decibels using logarithms, allowing huge differences in power to be expressed on a manageable scale. For example, normal conversation (60 dB) is 1,000 times louder than a whisper (30 dB), and a rock concert (120 dB) is a million times more intense than that whisper.

Rory - Binary Logarithms
Binary logarithms (log base 2) are essential in computing, helping quantify how many bits are needed to represent or process information efficiently. For example, a file with 1,024 items requires 10 bits because log⁡2 (1024) = 10.

Dr Alison Manson

Learning in Object Design

Object Design students are pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation through their final projects, which will be exhibited at the UTAS School of Art, Hunter Street.

Among the projects is one by Georgina Parnham, who has designed 3D-printed modular habitats to support wildlife in disaster recovery zones. Her full-scale, interlocking prints are designed for rapid deployment and can be adapted to suit different species.

Georgie began exploring digital fabrication in Year 10, when she successfully set up a 3D printer at School. Since then, she has grown her skills in both design and production, leading to this innovative and socially impactful project.

All Object Design students will travel to the UTAS Hunter Street Arts Campus to install their exhibition pieces. The Object Design Exhibition will be open to the public from 25 September to 10 October 2025. We warmly invite students, families, and community members to attend and celebrate the outstanding work on display. A formal opening event will be held on Friday 26 September 2025 from 5:00–7:00pm at the Centre for the Arts, Hunter Street, Hobart. This is a fantastic opportunity to recognise the creativity, innovation, and dedication of our students as they present their designs.

Mr Chris Wood

Learning about Reducing, Reusing and Recycling

One of the Amnesty initiatives this year has been learning about reducing, reusing and recycling. With this important message in mind, the group upcycled some old t-shirts with messages about climate change and mental health. The students wore these t-shirts proudly in a fashion parade for a Principal’s Assembly.

Ms Anna Forward

Learning about Business Enterprise

In Business Studies 3, as part of the syllabus students are able to enter the Plan Your Own Enterprise nation-wide competition centered around an individual business idea which then is transformed into a full-blown business plan, replete with a business overview including business name, logo and slogan, mission statement, business objectives, location, legal structure and other legal requirements. Additionally, a financial and marketing plan dealing with financial statements, staffing, start-up costs, pricing, sales forecast, competition analysis and future prospects is developed.

This year, five students from the Business Studies 3 class entered the nation-wide competition, and we are delighted that Year 11 student, Zara Bury, has been selected as one of the Tasmanian State finalists, with the winner to be chosen on 25 September at a function held at the Alan Bray Room, University Club in Dobson Road, which is part of the University of Tasmania Campus in Sandy Bay.

Zara’s business idea was entitled “Beyond the Track-Tasmania” and was built around Tasmanian-bound walking tours with an historical and environmental flavour.

Congratulations Zara and best of luck next Thursday night.

Mr Peter Ottavi

Learning about Safe Party Behaviours

Last week, the Year 12 students participated in a workshop run by Red Frogs.

We heard how the organisation was started by a youth pastor, Andy Gourley. Andy was helping out at Schoolies Week in 1997 and quickly realised the need for a designated sober person at parties. The first year he helped out at Schoolies on the Gold Coast, he had a mere $450 in his pocket and his team started door-knocking every hotel room offering help to school leavers. Many Schoolies were skeptical and closed the door in their faces - until they discovered the magic of a small red lolly – the Red Frog! From there, Red Frogs grew.

Today, the Frogs now reach 1.4 million people annually through high schools, universities, sports, Schoolies/Leavers, leadership training, skate parks and music festivals. Their workshops aim to ‘provide a positive peer presence in alcohol-fuelled environments where young people gather, educate young people on safe partying behaviours, and promote and provide alcohol-free and/or diversionary activities that engage young people in these environments’. As part of the workshop, we also learnt what a ‘good’ party looks like, what can go wrong in a party, what a standard drink looks like for different types of alcohol, and we even tried on the beer goggles. These give the wearer an idea of what it looks like to be intoxicated (0.25 BAC). When we put the goggles on, we had to try and walk along a straight line and then pour ourselves a cup of water, which was really tricky! We also discussed what a safe relationship looks like.

By Year 12 students

Excitement bubbled in the air as we arrived at School, bundled up with our bags. Our first glimpse of the campsite was like seeing your favourite animal at the zoo! We all leaned forward in our seats as Miss Peacock announced the cabins. It was like the Athletics Carnival javelin competition, with bags flying onto the top bunks.

We had so much fun building amazing sandcastles at the beach. The ping-pong competition was intense – balls were flying everywhere! Twister was a real test of flexibility. Dinner was delicious, especially the pasta bake. Toasting marshmallows by the fire was cozy and yummy.

When we woke up the next day, we were sluggish, but Hastings Caves soon perked us up. Some of the crystals were millions of years old. The bus ride home was rough – some of us slept, but most were too overtired to rest.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip. By Frankie

Here is a list of some of the fun things we did at camp:

Found out who was in our cabin
Played mushroom tag
Played fifteen
Red Faces
Cricket
Pasta for dinner
My favourite thing was slipping during cricket!

By Mia

On September 15 we went to Southport for camp. The first thing we did was see who was in our cabin. A little while later we had a tour of the whole camp and played games. We also went to the beach and had a sandcastle competition. My group won “Most Beautiful” because we made a starfish.

We also played Red Faces, which is like a talent show. It was so fun! The next day we went to Hastings Caves. We saw stalactites and stalagmites. We also did a blackout, and it was pitch black. We even got to touch some of the crystals – and saw a baby cricket in the cave! By Harriet

The start of our School camp in Southport was a 2 ½ hour journey by bus. We made sandcastles, played games (cricket, ping-pong, fifteen, mushroom tag, board games and cards), went to the beach, filled in our camp booklets, toasted marshmallows, went to Hastings Caves, and played Red Faces.

We had lots of fun trying to rescue a marshmallow that fell in the fire. We loved camp! By Anna and Berrima

The best part of camp was definitely Hastings Caves. It was the best excursion I’ve ever been on! The tour guide asked us, “Do you guys want a blackout in the cave?” Of course, we said yes. She turned off the lights and some of us screamed. I thought it was soooo cool! By Sofia

It was Chloe’s birthday on the first day of camp. It was a great day! When we arrived and opened the doors to our cabins, we found a huge dead spider on Chloe’s bed. Later, Chloe slipped over in the mud (twice). That night there was a big storm when we went to bed. Camp was sooo much fun! By Chloe and Bronte

On Monday 15 September we drove to camp with a stop at Huonville for recess and fun in the playground. Then we drove another 45 minutes to Southport. When we got there, we sat around the beautiful campfire as we observed the amazing surroundings. Then Miss Peacock told us our cabin groups. I was in a cabin with Bronte, Chloe, Esther, Daria, Berrima and Sofia. Our cabin was the furthest away from the campfire. After we got our cabins we unpacked and had lunch at the campfire. After lunch we played some games on the grass. Then we went to the beach. At the beach we did a sandcastle competition. I was with Chloe, Bronte and Esther. We made a seaweed city. I really enjoyed the free time and cabins. The next day we had breakfast and we could choose between porridge, corn flakes, rice bubbles or toast. After breakfast we had more free time. Then we went to Hastings Caves. The caves were super cool and had been there for millions of years. I also loved Red Faces (my group won!), toasting marshmallows and Hastings Caves. It was so much fun! By Freya

A number of Year 7 students recently entered the Tasmanian Young Writers’ Prize. This involved writing a story of between 700-1000 words, which had to have a city, suburb, town or country playing a key role. We are delighted to share that Millicent Somann-Crawford’s story ‘Our Country Castle’ was Highly Commended in the Junior Section.

Millicent and her family attended the prize giving ceremony at the Hobart Town Hall on Monday 8 September. The judging panel stated that her story stood out because of her ability to dig deep and draw out the truth. Millicent’s work ‘reflected bravery of young writers, unafraid to search for honesty, and meaning’. Congratulations, Millicent!

Ms Fiona Short

Spirit - Junior School Sport

Basketball

This week marked the final rostered basketball games for the term. We had eight teams from Years 3–6 participating, and it has been great to watch them play throughout the season. The improvement across all teams has been impressive, and the girls’ enthusiasm and willingness to give their best has been wonderful to see.

A BIG thank you goes to our volunteer coaches and managers. Your time, energy, and encouragement have made it possible for Fahan to enter such a strong number of teams, and we are very grateful for your support.

Waimea Wonders

Last Thursday, we were fortunate to be visited by the Waimea Wonders Jump Rope Team. They treated us to a 20-minute demonstration filled with exciting skipping tricks and skills they’ve been developing this year. Judging by the smiles on faces and the enthusiastic audience participation, it’s safe to say our students were inspired to practise their own skipping!

The show finished with a double-under challenge between the Waimea team, some Fahan girls, and even Mr Goodwolf, much to the delight of the crowd.

Here’s what some of our Year 4s had to say:

I loved their leapfrog trick. Esther
I like how if they messed up, they didn’t stop—they just kept going. Pippa
I loved how they did the double-under competition and let people join in. Mia
The pogo sticks were kinda cool. Daria
I really liked the tricks and all the other stuff like the skipping ropes and go-gos. Kelly

Gymnastics

Over the past couple of weeks, our Early Childhood classes have been enjoying gymnastics sessions at Kingborough Gym as part of their PE program. The girls have been practising skills such as balancing, swinging, jumping, and forward rolls, as well as building strength through a range of fun activities.

Our Years 3-6 students will begin their gymnastics sessions in the coming weeks, and we look forward to seeing them challenge themselves and develop new skills.

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

Spirit - Senior School Sport

Thank you to everyone for a fantastic term in Sport! I look forward to an exciting Term 4 and hope everyone keeps active during the school holidays.

Swimming

The SATIS Swimming Carnival was held on Tuesday 16 September at the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre.

There were many impressive individual and relay swims and the Fahan team finished 6^th in the Girls Aggregate Shield. All results can be found on the SATIS website at https://satis.com.au/

Congratulations to the following placegetters –

Ava Mignanelli - 1^st in the Under 16 50m Freestyle, the Under 16 50m Butterfly and the Under 16 100m Freestyle
Poppy Davies - 1^st in the Under 14 50m Breaststroke and 3^rd in the Under 14 50m Freestyle
Islay Smith – 3^rd in the Under 15 50m Backstroke

Congratulations also to the Under 14 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay swimmers who came 3^rd– Poppy Davies, Alison Crowley, Hannah Abbott and Amelie Dobson.

Basketball

Congratulations to the Year 9 and the Year 10 Basketball teams who both played in the SSATIS Grand Finals. Unfortunately, both teams were defeated. It was encouraging to see two teams play in the finals and I hope that this enthusiasm for basketball continues. Thank you to Ms Felicity Jacobs, Dr Ali Manson, Tom Mansfield and Mr Richard Colquhoun for coaching and managing these teams.

Term 4 Sport

Thank you for signing up for Term 4 sports. We have Fahan teams entered in Tennis, Touch Football, Years 7/8 AFL and the Schools Triathlon. Team sports begin in week 2. Please ensure you know which days your chosen sports will be played. It is important to be at all games so that teams can work together and enjoy representing Fahan each week. Playing team sports is so important because it builds fitness, friendships, and valuable life skills such as teamwork and resilience.

Australian Rules Football

On Wednesday 24 September the Years 7/8 and Years 9/10 Australian Rules Football teams will play in our first SHE Cup. This is a new initiative that will see Fahan and Collegiate play against each other for the SHE Shield. The games will be played at the Fahan Oval. The Years 7/8 game will begin at 11:15am and the Years 9/10 game at 12:45pm.

These games will be played in support of the SHE Foundation, helping to raise awareness and support for women and their families affected by gynaecological cancers. Players will make a gold coin donation to participate, and our teams will wear teal socks and hair ribbons to show their support for women’s health. We warmly invite parents and friends to come along and cheer on the event.

2023 Tasmanian All Schools Track and Field Championships

The Tasmanian All Schools Track and Field Championships will be held on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November in Launceston. Fahan will not be attending this event as a formal team, but individual athletes may enter, and entries will open shortly.

Please note that this registration is completed on an individual basis without the School entering or supervising a team.

From this event, athletes are selected to represent Tasmania in the 2025 Australian All Schools Track & Field Championships which will be held in Melbourne from Friday 5 until Sunday 7 December 2025.

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

Senator the Hon Carol Brown, Senator for Tasmania, joined us on Wednesday 17 September to declare Long View officially open - celebrating a milestone made possible through the generosity of our Fahan Community and support from the Australian Government’s Capital Grants Program.

Students from across the School joined donors from our Giving Day and other fundraising initiatives, as well as members of the Board, Bence Mulcahy Architects, Macquarie Builders, and Fahan families, to mark this wonderful occasion.

Long View has transformed our former Senior Boarding Residence into a contemporary, flexible space for learning, wellbeing and connection. Already home to leadership programs, Careers Expo, Alumni events and student presentations, it will serve generations of Fahan girls to come.

We extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to this project. We would like to acknowledge the Hallett family, whose bequest funded our beautiful new outdoor round seating area at Long View – a space we know will become a favourite gathering place for students.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate this special milestone.

On Monday 8 September the Visual Art 3 and Art Studio Practice classes visited the 2025 Hadley’s Art Prize hosted by Hadley’s Orient Hotel.

Entries are open to any artist responding to the idea of landscape. The Prize boasts one of the grandest prize winnings, with the winner taking away $100,000.

This year’s Prize had a range of works, including printmaking, painting, time-based mediums and even performative painting. This year's winner, Sophie Cape, won with a large canvas she took through flood plains painting with the materials available in the landscape. Once a professional alpine skier, Cape attacks her canvas with the same energy and ferocity she once did the slopes.

Fahan students were met by curator Amy Jackett, where she spoke to some of the highlight works from this year’s finalists. Students also voted for their favourite work in the People’s Choice Award.

Ms Alex Pitt and Mrs Kate Camm

Community - Past Staff Member, Eileen Brooker, Launches Book

People, Pottery and Painting: Life Stories of Eileen Brooker

Born in 1922, Eileen Brooker became a potter, a painter and always, a ‘people person’. Eileen was an Art Teacher at Fahan from 1954 to 1963.

An artist for all her life, Eileen has constantly been processing and filtering her life experiences through the colourful prism of her art practice. She reflects on her life experiences as either Bliss, Horror or Freedom.

This book charts the progress of Eileen’s artistic life, which now reaches beyond 103 years. Her journey is illustrated with many of her artworks.

Eileen grew up in Montrose, a suburb outside of Hobart, Tasmania, in the 1920s and 1930s, with an influential father who was politically active. Both parents were musically talented, enjoyed the theatre and sang together in halls around Tasmania and on radio.

These stories unfold chronologically from Eileen’s early influences and art training in Australia, to her overseas travel in the 1950s and work in four English potteries. A lasting friendship was formed with Ghanaian potter Daniel Cobblah.

Returning to Australia in 1954, Eileen continued to contribute to art education in various Tasmanian educational institutions, over a further span of 50 years, all the while, carrying on with her own art practice in ceramics and painting. Eileen and Blaz Kokor were among the first Tasmanian potters to use stoneware, and exhibited their work throughout Tasmania and on the mainland. In 1973 Eileen initiated the formation of the Potters Society and was elected their first president.

Eileen Brooker is best described as a ‘Tasmanian Modernist’ for her love of bright colours and strong forms (Tasmania Magazine, No. 48, 2008). Considered an icon by those who love art, Eileen was featured as one of Tasmania’s living treasures, ‘Our Precious Things’ in The Examiner, 27 September 2023. Her artwork is held in private and public collections around Australia and overseas.

People and relationships have always been central to Eileen’s life, and therefore some of the stories of people she has held dear are woven into this book. Eileen hopes her stories will entertain, while her author hopes Eileen’s wisdom will be of value to others, as it has been for her.

People, Pottery and Painting: Life Stories of Eileen Brooker can be ordered at Eileensstories@proton.me

2026 Term Dates

2026_Term_Dates.pdf

Student Absence

A reminder that notification of student absence for any reason, including illness, late arrival, early departure, or planned absence (e.g. sporting events, family events, etc) should be submitted through the Fahan App, emailed to absence@fahan.tas.edu.au, or advised by telephone on 6225 1064.

The Fahan School App can be downloaded from the appropriate android or Apple App store.

Please do not email notification of absence directly to teachers.