Fahan School eNewsletter

Principal's Report

Today marks the end of classes for our Years 11 and 12 students before they begin SWOTVAC and the examination period. This is a significant moment for all these students, but particularly for our Year 12s as they mark the last days of their schooling at Fahan. This week we have enjoyed their ‘dress-ups’ each day. Today’s assembly was especially poignant as our Year 12s thanked each of the people involved in their education, including many teachers from their Junior School days. It seemed fitting that they were showing such gratitude on ‘World Teachers’ Day’.

Our Year 12 cohort also awarded the prestigious Helen Stephen Memorial Award, which is named after a wonderful member of staff who, very sadly, passed away in 2019. This year, the recipient was our Senior School Sports Coordinator and teacher, Mrs Jo Banks-Smith. The students noted Mrs Banks-Smith’s kindness, commitment and the genuine interest that she takes in all students so they can achieve their best. In her heartfelt response, Mrs Banks-Smith thanked students and encouraged them to remain committed to their own physical health and wellbeing as they enter their adult years beyond Fahan.

At the beginning of this term, we celebrated the awarding of the Gerdy Jevtic Medal and the subsequent delivery of the Travers Morphett Lecture. This year, the medal was presented to Dr Brooke Mason. Brooke delivered a highly engaging speech to students and the Fahan Community about her journey from School to becoming a general practitioner, as well as her work in developing countries. Brooke’s advocacy for the rights of women and girls is truly inspirational, and her advice on facing adversity throughout life was outstanding. Brooke’s speech was well received by all present, and the lecture was also widely shared online.

I would like to wish all our Years 11 and 12 students all the very best for their examinations; we will be beside them all the way to support and guide them through this time. I know their families will be too.

Best wishes,

Meg Lawson

Learning about Maths in Year 3

In Year 3, we have been learning about fractions in Maths, including halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, and tenths. One of our favourite activities was making ‘fraction robots’. We used coloured paper to build parts of our robot (for example, face, arms, body, and legs). Each body part represents a fraction (for example, our robot’s body might be divided into quarters, its legs into fifths, and so on). This helped us with our understanding of fractions as ‘part of a whole’. It also required us to measure using our ruler to create equal sections, and apply our knowledge of factors, multiples, division and multiplication. We think they look pretty fabulous!

Mrs Nicole Bury

Learning about Civics and Citizenship in Year 4

On Thursday 30 October, the Year 4 students visited the Hobart Town Hall as part of their Civics and Citizenship inquiry. The students were lucky enough to receive a guided tour from the Lord Mayor, Anna Reynolds, who shared fascinating insights about the history of the building, the role of local government, and how decisions are made to help our community.

Students were especially interested in seeing the Council Chambers and learning about the responsibilities of the Lord Mayor and councillors. They asked thoughtful questions and enjoyed the opportunity to connect what they have been learning in class to real-life experiences.

It was a wonderful excursion, and everyone came away with a deeper understanding of how local government works.

Miss Carla Peacock

Our Year 6 students embarked on an exciting journey of scientific discovery! Each in a group or on an individual basis, chose a topic they were curious about and conducted their own investigations using the scientific method. From exploring the effects of food colouring on leaves to testing the life of cupcakes, our budding scientists asked thoughtful questions formed hypotheses, conducted experiments and presented their findings with confidence and creativity.

To celebrate their hard work, the students shared their projects with their younger peers in Junior School. It was a wonderful opportunity for learning, with the students proudly explaining their experiments and inspiring the next generation of curious minds.

Mrs Ingrid Heather

Years 9 and 10 Business students have been putting their creativity and marketing knowledge to the test by designing their very own cereal boxes!

As part of our marketing unit, students explored how product design, branding and packaging influence consumer spending habits. They investigated how businesses use elements such as colour, images, layout and persuasive language to attract attention.

Students then applied these concepts to create a cereal brand of their own, developing unique names, logos, slogans, nutritional claims and promotional strategies designed to appeal to a clearly defined target market.

Students produced a wide variety of cereal concepts ranging from fun, kid-focused designs to sleek, health-conscious brands. This hands-on task allowed students to demonstrate both their creativity and understanding of marketing principles, bringing theory to life in an engaging and practical way!

Mrs Stephanie Stratton & Mr Peter Ottavi

Zambrero Plate 4 Plate Day

In Week 1 of Term 4 our Years 9/10 Business students took part in Zambrero’s Plate 4 Plate Day, an initiative that combines business with social justice. The program aims to help end world hunger. For every meal purchased, Zambrero donates a meal to someone in need through its Plate 4 Plate program.

Students were actively involved in weighing and packing rice and soy meals, working alongside volunteers to contribute to an incredible total of 50,000 meals packed in just over three hours.

The experience provided students with a hands-on understanding of how businesses can make a positive social impact while remaining successful. It was a powerful example of corporate social responsibility and social justice in action.

Mrs Stephanie Stratton

Learning about the Eye in Year 9 Science

As part of our studies of visible light, we have learnt about the structure of the eye and how it functions to produce our vision. We have come to learn about structures including the sclera, retina and cornea, as well as the more familiar structures of the pupil and iris. On Monday we were lucky enough to dissect a cow’s eyeball in pairs in our Science lesson. Unbelievably, both Dr East and Ms Jacobs ate an eyeball right in front of us, as part of their introduction. We all screamed! They said it was delicious and it is not unusual for people to eat parts of the cow or other animal, other than the meat (muscle). But it turned out that it was a prank, and Dr East had made fake eyeballs using lychees and blueberries.

By Year 9N and 9O Science classes

Here are some comments from students:

I really enjoyed getting to put our learning into action because looking at diagrams is one thing but seeing them inside of an eye really deepened my understanding. Ruby Williamson

I found the eye dissection quite cool. When I took out the lens and put it on a piece of paper, it magnified the words, and I wonder if people in the past used this method as an old-fashioned magnifying glass. Sophie Scott

This term we have started preparing for a Christmas play called Sugar Plum. We do a performance every year at our final Assembly. Kindergarten to Year 2 children join together to sing, dance and act at our end of year performance. We invite our parents and staff, family members and friends, grandparents and great grandparents to watch us perform. Each year the Year 2 students are the main characters and have the leading roles with lines to learn and scenes to act out. The Year 2 students move around the stage and speak in loud, clear voices. They work together to learn dances and songs each week. Kindergarten to Year 2 do their rehearsals in the TM Hall and in the Music Centre. The TM Hall is also the location where Sugar Plum is performed on the final Wednesday of Term 4, 3 December at 11:00am.

Each year we gather at this time to celebrate Christmas, as well as keeping a long-time tradition alive, the tradition of celebrating a successful School year together.

Being a main character is scary; I am an old man! Joyce

Doing a play can be scary but also fun. I am cleaning the floor at one stage! Juliette

Sometimes you can be nervous about the Christmas play, but we know it will all be fun! Alice

It might be scary when you are having doubts about learning the lines or the dance moves. But when you do, you conquer your fears. Beshi

I am very excited to be part of Sugar Plum. I can’t wait to perform. Harriet

It can be very nerve-wracking being a character with a lot of lines to learn. Zoe

It is fun when you have a large role, but it can also be a little bit scary. I really like being the naughty elf! Margaret

I really like playing my role and I am really excited about the play, and I cannot wait to perform. Kate

It is scary being a role when you have to learn lines and you are speaking with another person. You can easily get confused. Ava

Sometimes there are changes to the roles and the script can change. This can be tricky. You need to be able to change and keep learning. Immy

I am excited about the play. I like singing and I am happy about myself. Talya

I couldn’t wait to hear about my role! Even though I didn’t get the role I wanted, I am excited now about my role and really like doing the rehearsals. I cannot wait until I perform. Jess

With the roles it was scary when you were about to find out. I am very lucky that I got the role that I wanted. Maddie

My Dad will be away and he won’t get to see it! Evelyn

Sometimes I can be a little bit shy, but everyone has got your back. Mayra

I enjoy doing the practices. Olivia

Even if you mess it up you can have another go at it. Josie

I didn’t get the role I wanted, but I’m happy because I get to be with my best friend. Aurora

Even if you didn’t get the role you wanted, we should be grateful because we’re still in it! Wynter

It can be scary if you’re one of the main characters and you have lots and lots of words to remember. Who, What, Where, When, Why, How. Amelia

On Tuesday 21 October, we were thrilled to welcome children’s author, Aleesah Darlison, to Fahan. Aleesah captivated students from Kindergarten to Year 4 with stories from her much-loved Endangered Animal Tales series and her playful Super Sloth books. Her engaging storytelling and insights into the creative process behind writing and illustrating books sparked curiosity and imagination in our young learners.

Kindergarten to Year 2 students especially enjoyed reading Coco the Fish with Hands, learning about the endangered spotted handfish - a rare species still surviving in small numbers at Nutgrove Beach. Did you know that our Educational Assistant, Kate Greaves, is an experienced diver who regularly helps protect the handfish by removing the invasive Pacific sea star, a major threat to its survival.

It was a joyful morning filled with excitement, learning, and creativity - a wonderful celebration of reading and storytelling.

Mrs Meg Denman

Last week, the Year 5 students enjoyed an overnight excursion at Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula. The Port Arthur Historic site is Australia’s most significant historic site associated with male convicts. The focus of the overnight excursion was to immerse the students in colonial history which complements our inquiry-based work on the impact of British colonies in Australia. This week, Year 5 continued their studies by visiting the Cascades Female Factory.

Mrs Susan Wright

Year 7 Vocal Group

During Term 4, several Year 7 students have worked together with Mrs Tremayne in their own time, to form a Year 7 Vocal Group. So far, we have been working at singing in two-part harmony. It has been a supportive group, as we begin to work out which parts we are all comfortable singing. Some of us have learnt small solo parts to sing within our song. Our group is made from both Year 7 groups, and includes: Rosie Briggs, Beatrix Broad-Westcott, Audrey Chan, Katie Faulkner, Sophia Irving-Damico, Rose Page, Willa Penney, Ava Reynolds, Mabel Ruddy, Carina Wu, and Mia Xiao. We have all enjoyed the song choices so far and have worked hard toward our first public performanceas part of the Year 7 Concert this week. We hope to be able to continue singing together, and to grow our group. We would also like future Year 7s to feel inspired to join a group like this. Thanks to Mrs Tremayne for giving up her time to help us to progress!

By Mabel Ruddy, Willa Penney, and Beatrix Broad-Westcott

Years 3 and 4 Strings

On Mondays, the Years 3 and 4 students have been working with violin, viola, cello and double bass tutors to hone and build on their instrumental skills. Students have worked at building ability on their chosen instrument, both in tutorials and combined group rehearsals. They are working towards being ready to share some music soon. The Year 4s in particular will share their progress with their families in Week 6 in the Music Room. More details to come!

Mrs Andrea van Emmerik
Music Administrator

Spirit of Lumina 9 - 'Thrive'

The Term 4 theme for Lumina 9 is 'Thrive'. As part of this, last Monday we took part in an exciting session held in Long View. During this session we explored the many opportunities available for our futures, and how Fahan can help us achieve them.

Prior to Pastoral Care, we learnt about the neuroscience of hope. Did you know that hopeful people are 10% happier than those who are not hopeful? Did you also know you can gain a 12% increase in academic outcomes by being hopeful? This is the equivalent to a B becoming an A! As part of this we completed an activity in which we were given minimal time to find an image of our ideal pet, ideal car, ideal house and our ideal job. At the time, some of us were a little confused however over the following days it soon made sense.

During the session with Ms Harcourt, she asked us who had a picture of a fancy car in their future? Then she said, “well let's go get it!”. From here she guided us through a range of helpful resources on the Careers Tree page, including My Future and Course Seeker. These websites allowed us to discover different education and career pathways that match our interests and strengths (and hopes). We also learnt about the option to book one-on-one sessions with Ms Harcourt to discuss any thoughts, goals, or worries about our future plans.

Alongside this, we enjoyed a creative activity where we designed vision boards to represent what we hope our futures look like. Ms Williamson brought in a collection of beautiful magazines to spark inspiration and help us craft our boards. The activity was thoroughly enjoyed by all; one student even said, “This is the most fun we’ve ever had at School!” another said, “It has just hit me, this is my life – I can do what I want!”

It was an inspiring and enjoyable session, and we are all looking forward to the rest of the term in Lumina 9 where we continue to explore exciting possibilities ahead and learn to truly thrive!

By Eve McLean

In the first week of term, the Years 9/10 Outdoor Education class left for Derby. Leaving bright and early on Monday, we participated in a range of activities throughout the week including mountain biking basic skills like breaking and ready positions, and some more technical skills like how to safely ride a berm.

Over the week, we rode the trails Valley Ponds, Axe Head, Relics, and Twisties To Tunnel which were all green trails. We then got the opportunity to ride through the iconic Derby Tunnel, a highlight of the trip. On Wednesday, we tackled a blue trail called Dam Busters, a challenge that everyone enjoyed and completed. On Thursday, we took the shuttle up to upper Hazy Days, a downhill green trail that was fun for everyone. We then connected that to lower Flickity Sticks.

Back at camp, we enjoyed cooking our own meals and independently organising ourselves in our temporary home. Setting up tarps appeared to be challenging but we eventually set up two shelters to cook under.

Aside from riding, we went for an hour hike to Tasmania’s highest single drop waterfall, Ralph Falls. This walk was a nice way to get on our feet and start the morning, with beautiful scenic lookouts along the way.

By Ruby Williamson

This week the Year 11/12 French class celebrated their final lesson of the year by dining at Daci & Daci! After many serious, focused minutes spent perusing the delicacies on offer, orders included Hazelnut Dacquoise, Concorde and the quintessential Croque Monsieur. This treat was a just reward for the many, many hours of hard work completed by the students!

Ms Holly Lutzow

Spirit - Junior School Sport

Term 4 Sports
We have a busy and exciting term of sport ahead! Fahan has entered two Years 3/4 teams in the cricket roster and two Years 5/6 teams in the Touch Football competition. Training for both sports takes place on Monday lunchtimes. We wish all teams the best of luck as they take to the field and represent Fahan with enthusiasm and pride.

JSSATIS Athletics
The JSSATIS Athletics Carnival will be held next Thursday, 6 November. Students selected to compete have been notified. A reminder that relay, vortex and long jump training will take place on Tuesday 4 November at lunchtime. The Carnival runs from 9:40am to 2:30pm, and a program with event times will be distributed to competitors.

Important Junior Sport Dates

Football Gala Day (Years 5–6): Wednesday 12 November, 3:00–6:00pm at Bell Street Oval. Players will need football boots and a mouthguard.
ELC Sports Afternoon: Tuesday 25 November, starting at 1:45pm.
Junior School Triathlon: Friday 28 November, at Bellerive.

I am looking forward to another exciting and busy term of sport to finish off the year!

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

Spirit - Senior School Sport

Term 4 sports have begun and it is great to see Fahan enter a large number of teams across the sports.

Tennis

Fahan has 8 teams in the Years 7/8 and the Years 9/10 rosters this term. It is fantastic to see such strength in the number of students playing tennis. Thank you to all the parents who are helping by managing teams, it is much appreciated.

Touch Football

The Year 7 and Year 8 Touch Football teams began their roster last week and are looking very competitive. The Years 9/10 team played their first game this week as well, with a solid win against Dominic College.

Sailing

In term 4, Fahan has entered a team in the School Teams Racing competition. Racing began last week with all races on a Wednesday afternoon at the Sandy Bay Sailing Club. If you get a chance to watch the sailors race, please do – Teams racing is very tactical and it is great to watch our sailors in action. I admire their bravery and grit as they are often under pressure to sail fast and also to make quick decisions. They sail in a variety of weather conditions and show great teamwork.

Athletics

Best wishes to all athletes who will represent Fahan in the Tasmanian All Schools Track and Field Championships at the Domain Athletics Centre on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November.

These students are – Rosie Briggs, Lucette Crombie, Harriet Hogan, Tene Terblanche, Jemima Geappen, Evie Essex, Amelia Steedman, Pia Abberton, Frankie Gorringe, Lily Gorringe, Nina Viviers, Klara Koch and Violet Geappen.

Triathlon

The Secondary Schools Triathlon will be held on Thursday 27 November. We have 63 students participating and it is great to see a Years 11/12 team enter this year!

A reminder to participating students that they are to wear their Fahan School sport uniform. If swimming, they will need to wear Fahan bathers and for riding and running; their Fahan t-shirt and Fahan shorts (bike shorts or sports shorts).

The first individual event is at 10:00am. Any Years 7, 8, 9 or 10 individual competitors must be at the venue by 9:00am. The warmup and race brief starts at 9:45am.

Team competitors will be transported to the venue, leaving School at 10:00am. All competitors will need to be collected from Bellerive Beach at 2:00pm when the event finishes. A bus will not be transporting competitors back to School.

The School will not be transporting bikes to the triathlon. If your child is riding in a team or is in the individual event you will need to take their bike to the event and rack it in the appropriate place. There will be signs and volunteers at the event to guide you to the correct place. The transition area opens at 7:30am and closes at 9:45am. All bikes must be racked by 9:45am.

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

Community - Helping Your Child Prepare for the Social Media Age Restrictions

From mid-2026, new Australian laws will ban social media accounts for children under 16, with the rollout beginning in 2025. This change is intended to help protect young people from online harms and give them more time to develop digital, emotional and social maturity before engaging on these platforms.

For some children, this will be a big adjustment. It’s normal for them to feel frustrated, confused or upset, and some may even increase their social media use before the restrictions start. It’s important to keep an eye on your child’s reactions and to talk openly about how they’re feeling.

Try to approach the topic calmly and with empathy. Ask how they use social media, explain what’s changing and why, and reassure them that these steps are designed to protect, not punish. Encourage healthy offline connections and remind them they can always come to you for support.

The eSafety Commissioner’s website has helpful tools for families, including:

Conversation starters for parents and carers
Get-ready guide for under-16s

Every family will approach this differently, but what matters most is creating a safe, understanding space where young people feel heard and supported as they prepare for this national change.

Mr Chris Wood

Community - Rethinking Waste in Lumina 9

Last term, as part of our Lumina 9 program, we conducted an audit of the bins around the School. The results proved to be concerning, and for the last few weeks, our cohort has been brainstorming with extreme difficulty for ideas to help improve our waste situation.

We considered several ideas, such as bin stations, weekly House competitions, and ways to make recycling more fun, such as using basketball hoops. Deciding to leave these for next year, we have started simple by creating new signage for the bins in our classrooms. We have made the labels clearer, more informative, and more distinctive. We hope that this will remove a barrier when it comes to recycling and disposing of our waste. Our second idea is to bring all four bins back into the classrooms. To make sure the rubbish ends up in the right bins, we have several ideas including initiating a new Environment Group in charge of overseeing the bins being emptied each day. This is a big change, and we hope the whole School will commit to being responsible for putting their waste in the right bin when this is eventually introduced.

By Essie Burke

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.

Riawunna wurakara to Higher Education

The University of Tasmania and Riawunna Centre are pleased to advise that applications are now open for the Riawunna wurakara to Higher Education.

The Riawunna wurakara to Higher Education is part of the Springboard to Higher Education Program to encourage young Tasmanian Aboriginal students to continue with their education at the highest level.

Applications are welcomed from eligible students who are currently in Year 10 in 2025 and commencing Year 11 in 2026.

The Riawunna wurakara to Higher Education is valued at up to $22,000 and is intended to assist students with some of the expenses associated with their studies.

Bursary Value

Students enrolled in full time study in Year 11 will receive $1,000
Students enrolled in full time study in Year 12 will receive $1,000
Students who continue to full time study at the University of Tasmania will receive $5,000 per year for up to four years and be offered engagement opportunities with Riawunna.

There are 8 bursaries available. Applications must be received by 5pm on Monday 1 December 2025.

Please see below flyer an application form.

Additional information on the Riawunna Centre can be found here: Riawunna Centre for Education | University of Tasmania (utas.edu.au)

Riawunna_bursary.pdf