At Holme Issue 6 - July 2022

AT HOLME ISSUE 06 July 2022

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S PEN Welcome back to Term 3 2022

For AFL followers, you may be acquainted with the term: ‘the premiership quarter’. I do think of Term Three in this way – it is the term where focus, commitment and perseverance are required at high levels. It is the term where it is easy to become distracted by cold weather, the distance to the finish line, and where we may suffer from a consequent lack of will to persist. Mr England, Deputy Principal at Ironside State School in Brisbane, when I was

“Fall seven times and stand up eight.”

Japanese Proverb

Continued next page...

dates to note

11 July & 14 July 15 July 22 July 22 July 22 July

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews Founder’s Day Middle/Senior School Interhouse Athletics Carnival Year 10 2023 Students & Parents Learning Pathways Program Info Afternoon Fairholme Fathers’ Dinner - Burke & Wills Hotel 4pm

AT HOLME FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S PEN Continued...

a youngster in a blue and white checked uniform, used to refer to such a time in a school year as one where the sheep and goats were sorted. Clearly, the analogy had an impact upon me, and its truth has stayed with me, too. I watch with fascination, those girls who persist and those who don’t. Always, I will the latter to change their approach; to reach deeply into the pocket of perseverance.

Our Year 12s have their last full term of learning – here is their opportunity to consolidate their understanding, rehearse for their externals, and process quantities of content that may need to be drawn upon in November.

This learning is best achieved in a school environment where the opportunity to work with others and their teacher, is precious. For most, there is still new work to undertake.

I read each school report and note with fascination school attendance, learner attributes, comments, and results. The mix of these varies; the importance of each descriptor has different weight for each student. There is generally correlation between these four descriptors, but not always. For example, the student whose attendance is high shows attributes of engagement and perseverance, these are skills for life – not just for academic results or outcomes. I have written to the 18 Middle/Senior School students who received such an incredibly high proportion of learner attributes

in the outstanding category, their attitude and their participation strengthens the learning culture of each classroom – and we are grateful recipients of their approach to learning. Further, I have also communicated with those 30 Junior/Middle/Senior School 100% attendees and those 20 students who were so close to 100% attendance, their commitment is also impressive.

As Tom McCormick wrote earlier this year, in his excellent article on the value of strong attendance, ‘ Student absence reduces even the best teacher’s ability to provide sound learning opportunities. Connection to a school is fundamental to performing [at an optimum level] academically.’

dates to note Continued...

28 July – 7 August

Eisteddfod (instrumental)

2 August

Fairholme Girl for a Day

12 August

Kindy and Prep Kid for a Day

23 August Grandparents and Friends’ Morning 2 September

Pupil Free Day

AT HOLME

HEALTH Matters

You would be aware through media updates that there has been a concerning rise of COVID cases in the past fortnight, this, along with the worrying severity of Influenza A cases within the broader community means that our practices around health continue to be vigilant. The predicted spike in such cases is likely to occur during our Winter term. Our Health Centre staff provided an impressive service throughout Term 2, often under very difficult circumstances. The level of illness and consequent need for a strict testing regime, along with high volume communique with parents, students, and staff, stretched resources. At times, we were staffed at three times our regular quotient.

We continue to run a symptom-free school environment. This means keeping your child at home when they are unwell and collecting your child from boarding when unwell, whenever it is practicable. These practices tend to the care of our whole school community in a very difficult time period of pandemic living. Always, our respectful patience when communicating with our nursing staff is a given – it allows them to provide their best service for all members of our College.

STAFFING MATTERS In a large staff there are inevitable changes that occur during, and at the end of school terms. We are delighted to welcome new and returning staff to our team for third term, either to fill a contract – or permanently. At a time of significant staffing shortages across Australia, particularly in the education sector, we are thrilled with the calibre of staff who have taken up positions at Fairholme. Further, we welcome Mr Derek Cantle back from a period of long service leave, during which time he was pursuing work towards his doctoral studies.

Karen Cottle Junior School Teacher Term 3 (for Deb Cochran) Amy Fischer Learning Enhancement Aide (*from 1 August) Hayley Jeans Cleaner Kate Kefford Junior School Teacher Term 3 (for Peter Webb) Irena Kobald Week 1 contract (for Dee Erdeyli) Julie Kubit Boarding Supervisor Emily Lowe Sports Coach Sophie Maudsley Casual Boarding Assistant

Maree Morrison Boarding Office Assistant Bob Nelder Mathematics Teacher (for Karleigh Nicholls) Pip Nicol IT staff Gila Rouse Junior School Teacher Term 3 (for Deb Cochran) Phil Ryan Specialist Music Teacher (Brass Tuition) Emma Usher Mathematics Teacher (for Karleigh Nicholls)

AT HOLME

student news Supporting Student Safety

EQUESTRIAN

Our Equestrian Team competed at the Queensland Interschool State Championships at Toowoomba Showgrounds during the holiday period. Fairholme was well-represented with 18 riders competing across the disciplines. Six riders have earned a place on the Qld State team, with some on the reserve list. These riders will compete at the Australian Interschool Championships at Sydney International Equestrian Centre in September.

Show Horse Taylor Humphreys, Isabella Ostwald, Josephine Ostwald, Georgie Hill Dressage Isabella Ostwald Show Jumping Josephine Ostwald, Simone Sorensen, Annabelle Rogan CROSS COUNTRY Members of our Cross Country team competed at the Queensland All Schools Cross Country Relay Competition at Nudgee College at the start of the holidays. Minus our boarders who were already back home, the girls performed exceptionally well. Our teams finished between 4th and 7th across the age groups. There were between 9 and 12 teams competing in each of the five age groups in which we participated.

Along with individual training, this provided competitive preparation for our students who move onto State Cross Country Titles that will be held at Yatala, later this month. Best wishes to our runners – you all know the value of persistence.

RUGBY 7s Congratulations to our Prefect for Sport, Taleah Ackland, who has been selected in the Australian Youth Rugby 7s squad.

AT HOLME

Senior School Service Activity

Our 10 girls were outstanding in their commitment to the building, painting, and tidying projects that they were allocated. They worked hard and joyfully, despite difficult conditions - sleeping outside in swags in minus 6-degree temperatures and with very limited and basic shower and toilet facilities. They learned about Indigenous culture from Elders who visited and about the language of the indigenous people from Mitchell. Their respect for and interest in all aspects of Indigenous culture was impressive. The trip concluded with a 2-day visit to Carnarvon Gorge. We look forward to further service opportunities with RAW into the future. Thank you to Ms Cath Butler for her liaison work to enable this trip to occur.

In the first week of the holidays Ms Lindy Masters and Mrs Jaye Ross travelled with 10 Senior School girls, five TGS boys and one TGS staff member to the Yumba 2km outside Mitchell with RAW (Raising Awareness Worldwide). Yumba was home to about 500 indigenous people between the years of 1935 to 1967 and RAW has started to take groups to the Yumba to do general service projects on this land, building sheds and general facilities, for the Indigenous people who like to visit the area.

Wishing you well for the premiership quarter. I hope to cross paths with you at school, at the Boarding House, the Athletics Carnival, Eisteddfod, Grandparents and Friends’ Morning or perhaps on a sideline or two.

Dr Linda Evans | Principal

Leadership Opportunity

Our Prefect for Service, Mahsa Nabizada has been an involved member of the Toowoomba Regional Council 2023 Youth Leaders Program for a number of years.

She advocates strongly for the opportunities inherent, along with the difference students can make within this community. Details follow for any interested students – it may be worth a conversation with your daughter?

Applications open: Wednesday, 1 June 2022

To be eligible, applicants must: • Live, work, or study in the Toowoomba Region • Be between 14–24 years of age at time of application • Participate in both training camps on 20–22 September 2022 and 13–15 December 2022 • Commit to attending regular monthly meetings during their time as Youth Leaders.

Youth Leader Program apply now

Applications close: Sunday, 31 July 2022

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