I would like to acknowledge and thank Xianjun Chen, who has once again begun coaching students for the Maths Olympiad and Australian Maths Competition. If your child has been invited to participate, I strongly encourage their involvement. Xianjun is an exceptional educator, and the skills developed through this program are invaluable for future academic success.

Thank you also to Nicole Mauna, who has commenced an audit of laptop usage in classrooms. This aligns with our commitment to reducing reliance on devices and strengthening explicit teaching practices, in line with the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0. Early data is encouraging. We are also continuing our work with the Department of Education in the area of reading, including participation in learning walks alongside DET staff.

Adrienne Baucke continues to lead our extension and enrichment programs with great dedication. Her work ensures that all students have access to enhanced learning opportunities. Recently, some of our extension students attended the Women in Leadership Breakfast. We also congratulate Zac R, our College Captain, who has progressed to the next stage of the Youth of the Year Awards and recently returned from Canberra after attending the 31st National Schools Constitutional Convention.

This prestigious program provides senior students with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of Australia’s Constitution and democratic processes. This year’s topic explored whether Section 53 of the Constitution should be amended to prevent the Senate from blocking supply. Zac joined students from across the country in discussions, debates, and a mock referendum conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission. The program also included visits to Parliament House, Government House, and the National Press Club. We are incredibly proud of Zac’s achievements.

Kim Froelich also organised a highly successful Leadership Training Day in partnership with Livingstone Primary School. Grade5/6 students left with a strong understanding of leadership and practical projects to implement before their next session in Term 3.

You may recall that late last year we identified that the structure of our school day was negatively impacting attendance, particularly for students arriving late. Attendance is a key indicator in successful academic outcomes, so it is important that all our students attend every day unless unwell.  After implementing a small structural change, early data shows a significant improvement in attendance rates. We will continue to monitor this closely, and I’d like to thank our students and parents for embracing school attendance.

As part of our assessment schedule, Year 7 students completed PAT testing, and our Year 7 and 9 cohorts undertook NAPLAN. Despite statewide connectivity issues, our students demonstrated excellent perseverance and resilience.

It has also been a busy term for sport, with participation in volleyball, tennis, basketball, football, and soccer. We were pleased to compete in Division Swimming, despite having to cancel our own swimming carnival due to weather. While we were unable to secure an alternative booking for this year, we have confirmed a booking for 2027. Congratulations to all teams for their effort and sportsmanship.

A major milestone this term has been the opening of our new buildings, with classes commencing last Thursday. The journey has certainly had its challenges—from significant damage early in the project to unexpected setbacks—but seeing our students learning in these new spaces has made it all worthwhile. The new facilities include four science rooms, three food technology spaces, a refurbished canteen, and upgraded student toilet block.

We are grateful for the significant investment from the Department of Education, as well as the ongoing support from our builders, Newton Manor, and architects, Law Architects. We now look forward to the next phase of development, including the construction of new art rooms. A formal grand opening will be planned once future works are confirmed.

In addition, we have begun refreshing our marketing and branding, including a recent photo shoot led by Tatjana Pitt. We look forward to sharing these updates with our community when the new website launches in Term 2.

I am incredibly proud of all that has been achieved this term and look forward to showcasing our new facilities at our annual Open Night on April 28.

Thank you to our staff, students, and families for your continued support.

Nicky Buckingham
College Principal

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Library News

This term the library has continued to host author visits from some of Australia’s top writers.

Authors hosted this term have been Kate Mildenhall, Adrian Beck, and Joel McKerrow.

As well as conducting writing workshops for our Writing Mentorshop Program students, they have been holding lunch time sessions open to all students and staff, giving everyone the opportunity to as questions about anything to do with books and writing.

All students who have attended either the lunch time sessions or the Writing Mentorship workshops have learnt so much from the authors, extended their writing skills, and their enthusiasm for stories.

These visits have been made possible through the Whitehorse City Council Artists in Schools grant obtained by the library in 2025.

Helen Farch
College Library

Music Program News

We are thrilled to share some exciting news from our music program!

Two of our talented music students, Emma and Noah, recently applied to take part in the 2026 North-Eastern Victoria Region Youth Concert, and we are incredibly proud to announce that both were successfully accepted into the Symphony Orchestra. This is a significant achievement and a testament to their dedication, skill, and passion for music.

The 2026 concert, titled ‘Legends and Lore’, will take place at Hamer Hall on Wednesday, May 13 at 7:00 pm. This highly anticipated event brings together outstanding young musicians from across the region to perform in one of Victoria’s most prestigious concert venues. Performing in such an iconic setting is a truly memorable and inspiring opportunity, and we commend them for representing Forest Hill College with pride and excellence.

We congratulate Emma and Noah once again on this wonderful accomplishment and look forward to celebrating their performance in May!

On a final note, the FHC music department has started the year strongly. Lessons and bands are well and truly underway, and students are attending their bands and ensembles with great drive and enthusiasm. I am looking forward to the great heights our department will reach in 2026.

Our instrumental music teachers for 2026 are:

• Roderick McLeod – Percussion Teacher and Director of the Groovy Grapes and the FHC Percussion Ensemble
• Kate Hill – Piano Teacher and Director of the Year 7 and 8 Rock Band
• Matthew Chipman – Woodwind Teacher and Director of the Concert Band
• Alwaynne Strentz – Guitar, Bass Guitar, and Brass Teacher; Director of the Year 9 Rock Band, the Honking Geese, and the Groove Collective; Learning Area Leader of Instrumental Music

Alwaynne Strentz
Learning Area Leader Instrumental Music