Assistant Principal Update

Teaching & Learning

Making connections across 7-12 

In Term 1, Fitzroy High School staff have been undertaking professional learning that captures teaching and learning across 7-12. We have been working closely with our VCE teachers at Wurun to create strong links between the learning at 7-10 and 11 and 12 so we can all work together to strengthen the journey of students as they transition from each year level.

Our teachers have developed a key focus on using data to help drive improved student outcomes. By utilising VCE data, Naplan, PAT and school based evidence we are able to identify the needs of our students and to target their learning needs as they progress through their secondary education. It has been wonderful to work with all teachers to better understand our students as individual learners and to work together to build strategies to support student learning. We will be continuing this work throughout the year as we develop the school’s professional learning program.

Middle Leaders Professional Learning

An exciting opportunity that has arisen out of the shared Strategic Review of both Fitzroy High School and Collingwood College is the implementation of a Middle Leaders professional learning model that supports our Middle Leaders. All leaders at Fitzroy High School and Wurun have engaged with Professional Learning leader Chris Daicos to enhance their capacity to lead high functioning collaborative teams.

This work, across the two schools and three campuses, highlights the unique opportunities we have at Fitzroy High School to engage in a professional learning partnership with Collingwood College. The leaders will continue to shape their focus for 2024 and beyond with further professional learning this semester.

NAPLAN 2024

We have completed our NAPLAN testing across Year 7 and 9 with some wonderful turn out from our students. We congratulate our students on their efforts and for working through the process each testing day.

Student Success

Harmony Day

Last week was multicultural week and Harmony Day. Fitzroy High School’s student community involved themselves in a range of activities to showcase their cultural backgrounds and to spread the message of Harmony.

Student achievement

Congratulations to Anya H (Y9) accepted into the Young Women in Aerospace and Defence 5-day holiday STEM program at RMIT. Anya has a keen interest in STEM and is planning to transform the aerospace sector to make it carbon neutral and save the planet. We are very proud of Anya’s achievements.

Debating

Our debating program at FHS has certainly started on a high in 2024. Throughout the term, our Year 9 and 10 teams have been meeting at lunchtime to develop their skills in debating and collaboratively plan for their first debate of the year. Students faced their first challenge on Wednesday March 13 when they competed in the first round of the DAV Competition at Haileybury City.

Our two Year 10 teams successfully debated against the topic that “the Victorian government should financially incentivise people to move to regional Victoria”, triumphing over St Kevins College and University High School. We are thrilled to announce that debaters Poppy and Lily, also won the best speaker for the first round, a big congratulations to them!

Meanwhile, our year 9 team were up against Haileybury City, arguing against the topic that “schools should ban contact sports”. While we didn’t take out the win in this round, there was just a 3 point margin between teams and our third speaker, Anya, took out best speaker, another congratulations!

Regardless of the outcome, we are beyond proud of all students who participated. They represented FHS with confidence, pride and school spirit.

Wurun Debating Teams

The Senior Campus participated in the DAV competition also with one Year 11 and Year 12 team taking on St Kevins and Haileybury. The Year 11 team completed their pre-prepared debate on the impact of short term rentals with a +7 point win against the Year 11 St Kevins team. Best speaker went to Fitzroy High School student Thomas H.

The Year 12 team, two of whom had never before debated, only marginally lost to a very strong Haileybury team in their debate about banning safe injecting sites.

Both teams were well prepared and received high level positive feedback from adjudicators about their teamwork.

With one more pre-prepared debate to go before the A and B grade teams begin their secret topic rounds, they will continue to refine their skills and develop their capacity to work as a team.

The 9-12 teams will come together early Term 2 to work on developing their debating skills with the support of Alumni debater Sholto M. This will be a great opportunity for the teams to enhance their skills and to work with the teams across the Fitzroy High School and Wurun Campus.

Congratulations again on a wonderful start to the year and good luck for our next round!