2021
PRESENTING FAIRHOLME
PRESENTING FAIRHOLME | 2021
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Contents From the Chairman
02
From the Principal
04
Christian Education 08 Junior School 10 12
Junior School Sports
14
Middle School
16
03
Senior School
18
Junior School
Teaching and Learning
20
16
The Arts 26
Middle School
Careers 32
18
English 34
Senior School
Sports and Activities
35
Home Economics
38
Humanities 39
Advertising Enquiries Communications Office T 4688 2341 Fairholme College Toowoomba
Proudly a College of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland Wirra Wirra Street PO Box 688 Toowoomba Q 4350 T 07 4688 4688 E info@fairholme.qld.edu.au W www.fairholme.qld.edu.au ABN: 16 917 099 053 Registered Provider (Queensland): Fairholme College Toowoomba CRICOS Provider Code: 03726D
Dr Linda Evans
Boarding 23
Business 30
Published by Fairholme College Editor: Kathryn Doyle Layout & Design: Sandra van der Stelt
04
Junior School Arts
Information Technology
ATAR Results
40
Languages 41 Mathematics
42
Greta Centre
43
Greta Junior
44
Science 45 Service 47 Pastoral Care
21
49
VET 50 Information Technology Services 53
23 Boarding
26 The Arts
From the Chairman
MR IAN ANDERSEN, CHAIRMAN
There are not many instances that allow me to connect with the whole Fairholme Community. One opportunity is when I speak at the ‘Presenting Fairholme’ events toward the end of each College year and this report is another welcome opportunity.
It is important, firstly, for me to assure you that Fairholme College had a great year in 2021, regardless of the underlying matters related to the Presbyterian Church of Queensland - which I advised the College Community of earlier in the year. Fairholme has continued to operate without any impacts or changes in its day-to-day operations - except for minor additional reporting arrangements. The College is in an extremely robust financial position, with little or no debt; our enrolments are very strong, with a full Boarding House. You might remember that we planned to commence construction of Stage 1 of the Master Plan during 2021. However, being both prudent and cautious, the Board of Directors chose to delay commencement of that project. This has been beneficial in a couple of ways, by ensuring that the plans were fully developed and approved; and that we received formal certification of the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation for our Master Plan which guarantees we can proceed in implementing the plan with little hindrance over the coming years. It is our
intention to commence the project sometime in 2022; and therefore we have included it in our 2022 Budget. This year we also developed and finalised plans to extend the Health Centre to provide additional rooms for isolation purposes. Work on these spaces commenced in the Christmas/New Year school holidays and should be completed by the end of Term 2 2022. As a Not-for-Profit educational institution, it is incumbent on the Board to review our governance arrangements on a regular basis. As such, the Board has determined, with the blessing of The Presbyterian Church of Queensland and the approval of the Receiver, to develop a proposal to be considered at an appropriate time, hopefully this year, to move to a formal corporate structure – like many other independent schools that are not part of a school system such as the Lutheran, Anglican and Catholic system. I must record my thanks to our Principal, Dr Evans, and the members of the Senior Leadership Team for their unfaltering
commitment, drive and passion in leading the whole Fairholme Community. I particularly thank our Business Manager and his Administration Team for their efforts throughout the year in dealing with the additional administration burden imposed by the additional reporting requirements mentioned earlier. I wish to also acknowledge the exceptional service provided by the Fairholme Board of Directors throughout this year. Their positive support and commitment are to be applauded – Board membership is a significant act of dedication and service and I am grateful for their interest in, and support of, the College. Board stability is a very positive attribute for any organisation to have, and there were no changes to the Board make-up this year with the Moderator of The Presbyterian Church of Queensland, Right Reverend Dr Phil Strong, continuing to serve in his third consecutive year in this role. In 2021, the College spent almost $1.3 million on improvements to our facilities and infrastructure. Projects approved and completed during the year included: • Completion of the planning for Stage 1 of the College Masterplan • Conversion of Boarding House accommodation from staff to student, increasing capacity • Refurbishment of an additional four Junior Classrooms • Ongoing upgrade and replacement of IT equipment • Furniture, fittings, plant and equipment replacements.
The Board approved the 2022 Budget at its November meeting. The Board is very conscious of the many competing factors in developing the budget each year, particularly with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and the financial challenges confronting many of our families; as well as the need to continue to improve our facilities and provide the very best education for our students. With this in mind, the 2022 Budget provides for a 2.5 per cent increase in Tuition Fees, a 2.5 per cent increase in Boarding Fees, and the Capital Levy will increase by 2.5 per cent. I believe it is important that we reflect on each year as it passes – in order to celebrate our successes, learn from our mistakes, and to just reminisce. I encourage you to do that; after all, Fairholme is about us – students, staff, parents and friends – the extended Fairholme Family. In conclusion, I can say that the College continues to be very well placed to meet the challenges and opportunities of these somewhat difficult times.
From the Principal
DR LINDA EVANS, PRINCIPAL
EDUCATION - children not content
John Dewey’s philosophy that children, not content, should be the focus of the educational process, has left a lasting impression on educators who share in his beliefs and philosophies about education and how children learn most effectively (Schiro, 2013 cited in Williams, 2017, p. 93 ). Education often finds itself pushing against oppositional tides – with the push to succeed on external measures such as ATAR, NAPLAN, Academic Awards and Scholarships pitted against the deeper intrinsic motivation to learn; learning for the joy of it. As individuals and communities, we invariably enjoy those tangible successes, the certificates we can touch and the trophies we can hold. Appropriately, we utilise longitudinal data to track student achievements and we measure aspects of success by results. Importantly, we also track and measure ‘distance travelled’. As a school, we delight when Fairholme measures favourably against the state or national achievement standards we do want to know that we are providing our students with the best learning outcomes we can. Yet, somewhere deep within lies my own desire to run a school where students want to learn … to learn for the love of learning. Naïve. Fanciful. Wishful. Perhaps there was too much John Dewey in my early tertiary education – ‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself’ or perhaps my favourite education lecturer, Dr John Roulston,
who went on to become the Executive Director of Independent Schools Queensland, inspired me too much – inspired me with lofty thoughts of secondary education meaning more than a number, of it being a comma, rather than a full stop. To him, I am indebted. He is, for me, in the abridged words of Bernard Salt, ‘the [lecturer] who made me’. Dr Roulston ran a lecture theatre like none other. He engaged us, he challenged us, and he debunked so many ingrained beliefs about pedagogy. For his refusal to teach like it’s always been done, I am so grateful. There is also a lot to be grateful for in 2021, as we reflect on another year lived on the periphery of a pandemic. For the most part, we enjoyed uninterrupted face-to-face learning and, as I lived vicariously through my daughter’s lockdown experiences as a teacher in Melbourne, and my niece’s Year 10 journey in Sydney, I was ever thankful. Perhaps, a pandemic has revealed an essence of teaching that we have taken for granted; the value of the human, face-to-face interactions that take place in classrooms, in real time. Beneath the apparent regularity of classrooms are layers and nuances of learning and becoming that are only evident when we are given the chance to see them differently. COVID-19 has provided that perspective – whether we have sought it out, or not. It has also pushed us into technology corners that we had avoided previously and,
amidst the difficulties inherent in this new world order, we too have learned – a lot. We have learned a lot because there has been an enforced pause in regular life, and with that, time for reflection. This sort of reflection struck me in one of a number of conversations with this year’s Senior School ‘Presenting Fairholme’ speaker, Dr Emily Gordon (FOGA and Boarder 1990), who said, ‘I would not be doing what I do today, without Fairholme.’ What was it about Fairholme that has carved some of her life’s direction? If you ask Emily, it was about the people – the girls who gave a little more, who were empathetic and who, unwittingly or not, sought ways to contribute positively in the lives of others. Her memories of 1990 are, notably, not of the tangible successes, OP scores or the English prize winner, but of the Wendy Bassingthwaites (Ferguson) of the world (Fairholme mum and FOGA 1990) who understood and demonstrated inclusivity: no qualification, badge or trophy required. As Emily stated, it’s the little things that are remembered and the ‘one percenters’ that make a difference. There have been many ‘one percenters’ at Fairholme this year – seen in the added effort of the Open Rugby 7s girls who won their grand final match after the siren sounded, the Shave for a Cure girls who cut or shaved their hair in order to raise significant money, the student who performed solo on stage for the first time, the girls who served the wider community
through cooking for Tony’s Kitchen or Rosies Friends on the Street, those who staunchly resolved to work through a Maths problem or sought out a student who needed friendship. Prefect for the Arts, Tayla Hargreaves, inspired others through her determined efforts to rehabilitate after injury and to remain deeply connected to the Fairholme community throughout that time. ‘One percenters’ are found in the midst of effort, tenacity and perseverance. They are often invisible to the crowd, raised by the efforts of a team or somehow inherent in character. I think this special group is seen when students walk across the stage to receive a MacLaren Award for significant academic improvement between one semester and another. It’s also evident in those students who receive academic awards - those who cumulatively give another one percent in their academic application, those who are ‘initiative learners’!
NAPLAN scores, certificates, premierships, Andrews Cup pennants, trophies and prizes – and rightly so. Because the external reward does capture a moment in time and beneath that moment, often a lifetime of effort and application. And it is these stories beneath, the intangibles, that invariably inspire me, and that also need to be part of our consciousness and narratives. It is the story of the student who walks across the stage for the first time because her sustained effort has carried her there that can make a day or a school year worthwhile. It is the story of the student who set a lofty goal and attained it or surpassed it. So perhaps, at Fairholme, it is not so fanciful to consider that many girls learn for the love of learning. That learning may, however, be about learning to be tenacious, inclusive or determined in attaining a goal or a feeling or an idea. It won’t always be learning that can be measured, and hence rewarded publicly.
Yes, education is, at its core, a to and fro between the tangible and intangible rewards, a push against the tide. We will, inevitably, measure the success of 2021 through quantifiable measures – ATAR bands,
One needs only to step into a Fairholme Junior classroom to be reminded that learning for learning’s sake is real and vibrant and natural. A recent discussion with the Year 2 class about the way in which they measured the weight of
an eggshell with, (their words), ‘very accurate scales’ made apparent that curiosity is alive in that context. Yes, educational success is more than the tangibles, the things we amass that we think tell us who we are for posterity – awards, badges, report cards. The things that matter in the long run are often intangible. They can’t be touched, counted, or compared, or put on a shelf to admire … these things that matter lie deep within us. Fairholme-leavers, the countless factors that have become part of who they are, and who they will become, walk with them as they exit the Boarding House or G Block or the steps of the Homestead for the last time. May the love of learning be within them, and us – and may our focus always be about the children/young adults in our classrooms – the raison d’être of the educational process.
REFERENCES Salt, B. (2021). ‘The Teachers who Made Us’. Weekend Australian Magazine. 27-28 November 2021, 32. Williams, M. (2017). ‘John Dewey in the 21st Century’. Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education, 9, 91-102.
Christian Education
MS CATH BUTLER, HEAD OF MINISTRY AND MISSION
In Psalm 121, the Psalmist looks to the mountains, remembering the help and guidance of his God, recalling the truth and steadfastness of God’s promises that he stands upon. When we look back on the last few years and consider
remote but near to all, and that it is in him that we live and move and have our being. Throughout the year, the girls in the Junior School continued to develop their understanding of living and moving and having
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. … The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
(Psalm 121, select verses, NIV)
the continuing uncertainty for the future, we are buoyed by hope only because of faith in a good God. There have been, and there will continue to be, both pain and ease, times of hardship and moments of joy. Although both are present – far more overwhelming is the positive: a story of gratitude for teamwork and perseverance, of ‘burning yet flourishing’ at Fairholme. The opening statements of our school prayer [drawn from Paul’s address at the Areopagus recorded in Acts 17] remind us that God is not
their being in God through worshipping as a sub-school and Christian Education classes weekly. Middle School and Senior School students had chapel services every two weeks. In addition to these times of formal worship, assemblies always contain a short devotion and prayer, while Holme Group times provide the opportunity for teachers to share a reading from the Bible and pray with the girls in a smaller setting each week. Christian Education classes held every two weeks in the Middle and Senior School covered age-appropriate content aimed to develop students’ abilities to think
critically about life and faith. The Year 12 Leadership Committee for Ministry was small but mighty during 2021. This group of three girls led with distinction and continually demonstrated enthusiasm, a gentle assuredness in what they believe, and a desire to communicate this with their peers in a variety of relevant ways. The committee was instrumental in running chapel services and the THRIVE Festival; a day that encouraged all students to consider attributes of being Thankful, Hopeful, Resilient, Individual, Valued and Empowered. Providing opportunities for student engagement in meaningful service to the community is inspired by our value of ChristCentred Faith and is an integral aspect of our educational program at Fairholme. The research is clear. Through service, girls are encouraged to consider the complexity and ambiguity of life and to develop altruism, co-operation, trust, compassion and empathy. We know these behaviours are important for physical and mental health and form the building blocks of a well-functioning society. The service project in Year 11 was incorporated in the curriculum in 2021 to give girls the
opportunity to serve and the agency to choose an area to serve in. They were asked to offer four hours of their time from the end of Term 2 to the beginning of Term 4. They had to choose what they would do, find the time to do it, and then reflect on their experiences. Some girls coached a sporting team or took photos at a charity ball, often offering many more than just four hours. Others knitted beanies or baked for the homeless, walked their neighbours’ dog or gave up their holiday time to assist on Sony Camp. We often think ‘service’ is hard, should take a lot of time, or be an organised project. However, seeing the wide variety of activities girls chose to engage in reinforced the idea that serving others can be about using our skills to do things that we enjoy and can incorporated even in short moments of our day, into our everyday lives. We hope, in the future, that graduates of Fairholme College will keep using their skills – knitting, walking, playing sport, photographing, whatever it may be – to lift others up, show compassion, love one another and be kind.
Fairholme Junior
MRS ERIN TONSCHECK, HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL
2021 has been an amazing year. Our academic achievements, cultural performances and sporting pursuits have each embodied one of our five core values, Striving for Excellence. I have been immensely proud of our students and staff; their determination to achieve their best, to prepare, perform and celebrate speaks to the heart of what Fairholme Junior is. Fairholme Junior School staff have worked with both national and state education authorities to review and provide feedback on the latest version of the Australian Curriculum. Leading the process of curriculum mapping via Scope and Sequence reviews, interrogating the changes and shifts in curriculum discipline knowledge has not only provided genuine feedback to the education authorities, but has also given our teaching staff a great opportunity to consider implications for the future learning episodes that we will ready for the implementation of Australian Curriculum Version 9 in January 2023. At the completion of the school year, we farewelled and acknowledged Mrs Belinda Eldridge, our wonderful Music Teacher. Belinda has inspired our students with her love of performing arts, music and our God for 20 years. We are very grateful to have been the benefactors of such a rich and vibrant teaching program – the gifts of faith and music will remain with us all. We have been fortunate to continue with many incursions, excursions, service opportunities and
presentations this year. Thankfully, Fairholme Junior staff have been determined to continue the provision of rich and varied experiences for our students. We are pleased to present the following highlights:
INCURSIONS, EXCURSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS The following is a snapshot from 2021 of the many excursions, incursions and presentations this year in the Kindy to Year 6 classes:
Kindy • Kindy Welcome Picnic • Getting Ready for Prep Kindy 3 Day into Prep orientation visits each term • Kindy Kid for a Morning each term for prospective students • Facilities Department morning tea • Evergreen Puppet Theatre performances ‘Rainforest Experience’ and ‘The Ocean’ • Kindy Information Evening, Term 4 • Mother’s Day Pampering morning • Father’s Day Breakfast • Bushwalk at Duggan Park • Laurel Bank Park Spring Picnic • Excursion to building site Prep
• • • •
Picnic to Peacehaven Park with TGS Prep Kid for the Morning Prep information Evening, Term 4 Under 8s Activity Morning with TGS and The Glennie School
• •
Excursion to Darling Downs Zoo 100 Days of Prep Celebration
Year 1 • Scientists-in-Schools with Dr Joanna Turner from USQ • Assembly presentation • Digital learning with OSMO robotics and iPads • Picnic to Peacehaven Park with TGS • Under 8s Activity Morning with TGS and The Glennie School • Excursion to Pioneer Village at Highfields • Book Launch for parents Term 2 Year 2 • Better Buddy activities with Prep and Year 5.2 • Scientists-in-Schools with Dr Joanna Turner from USQ • Digital learning with Ozobots robotics • Under 8s Activity Morning with TGS and The Glennie School • Excursion to Pioneer Village at Highfields • Incursion – Fairholme Heritage Trail with Mrs Jenny Noble - Archivist • Year 2 Strings Program • Year 2 Eisteddfod performance Year 3 • Digital learning with Ozobots robotics • Sleepover at Fairholme College • Scientists-in-Schools with Dr Joanna Turner from USQ • Year 3 into 4, iPad meeting via Zoom • Creative Writing Workshop
•
Night Sky Gazing Incursion with USQ Astronomers
Year 4 • Two-night camp at Alexandra Park, Sunshine Coast • iPad program commenced • Scientists-in-Schools with Dr Joanna Turner from USQ • Digital learning with Lego Mindstorms robots • Bastille Day Luncheon • Year 4 Maths Day at Fairholme College with TGS and The Glennie School • Friendship and Resilience sessions with the Wellness Coach • Cobb & Co Museum excursion - Women in Games (STEM) Year 5 • Two-night camp at Alexandra Park, Sunshine Coast • Scientists-in-Schools with Dr Joanna Turner from USQ • Lego robot coding with Mr Shane Buckley • Leadership activities in preparation for Year 6 • St Johns First Aid session • Science Day at TGS with The Glennie School Year 6 • STEAM Project rescue from the Daintree • STEAM project – Claymation • Leaders Induction Ceremony • Chapel Service and Graduation Dinner • Transition into Middle School days • Year 6 Social with TGS and The Glennie School • Year 6 Quiz Afternoon with TGS and The Glennie School • Mayoral Morning Tea for Junior School Leaders • Five-day trip to Cairns • Robots - Lego robots with Mr Buckley • Coding in IT Lessons • IPSHA Leaders Dinner • IPSHA Ecumenical Service • Qld Parliament House excursion • Government House excursion Multiple Year Levels • ICAS - English, Mathematics and Science competitions • Book Week Activities: Theme - New Worlds, Old Worlds, Other worlds • Book Week Parade Prep to Year 6 • Grandparents and Friends Day Kindergarten to Year 6 • National Science Week: Food - Different by Design • National Science Week activities: visits
• • • • • • •
from USQ Scientists in Schools program National Simultaneous Storytime: Give Me Some Space by Philip Bunting, Kindy to Year 2 Life Education Van for Prep to Year 6 Fairholme Girl for a Day x 4 Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Stall organised by FOJS Clubs including Bee-Bots, Ozobots, Chess, Club G, Garden Club, Craft Club, Creative thinking Toowoomba District Primary Schools Teams Chess Championships ‘Best AllFemale Team’ Visiting Author Deano Yipadee P -6
SERVICE ACTIVITIES • Parents Welcome morning • FOJS Welcome on the Lawn • Parents Information Evening • Restorative Behaviour through Circle Time sessions in Prep to Year 6 • Focus on Circle Time and Social Skills • Better Buddies Prep to Year 6 • Bounce Back Year 1 to Year 6 • FOJS Ladies and Lassies High Tea • FOJS Build and Brunch – Father’s Day activity • Jeans for Genes Day – casual clothes day • Breast Cancer Awareness– casual clothes day • Riding for the Disabled Qld – casual clothes day • Spring Festival Donations • The Alannah and Madeleine Foundation’s Better Buddies • Operation Christmas Child • Share the Dignity donations • High Tea for ex-Junior School students in Year 12 ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS ICAS - International Competitions and Assessment for Schools for Years 2 to 6 for interested students only. Participants: English 22 18 received recognition Mathematics 23
13 received recognition Science 22 11 received recognition Australasian Problem-Solving Mathematical Olympiad: 13 Year 6 girls participated in the Australasian Problem-Solving Mathematical Olympiads this year. We were able to complete all five Olympiads without COVID-19 interruption. It was a very successful year for the team with a total of five students within the top 50%. Two students, Alicia Yap and Ashton Hamblin, were within the top 20% and received a cloth badge each in recognition. Our highest-placed participant, Aemilia Moar, was ranked in the top 2% and received a Maths Olympiad pin in recognition. All students approached the year of training with enthusiasm and learnt much about problem solving.
Opti-MINDS Three teams competed: 1 x Honours Award 1 x Spirit of Opti-MINDS Award
Cross Country, Athletics and Gymnastics, with Tennis being optional. The Interhouse Junior Swimming Knockout Tournament is by invitation.
JUNIOR SCHOOL ARTS Toowoomba Eisteddfod • Highly Commended: Year 2 Strings, Junior String Orchestra, Junior String Ensemble and Year 6 String Quartet
Local Interschool Carnivals in Swimming, Athletics and Cross Country and The Andrews Cup sporting competition between ten schools in the following sports: Swimming, Athletics, Cross Country, Tennis, Touch, Netball, Cricket, Gymnastics and Basketball.
Arts Excursions and Performances • Term 3 Twilight concert for Chorale, Junior Band, Junior String Orchestra • Junior School Musical: ‘Fabulous Creatures’ • Lunchtime concerts each term • Book Week performances by class choirs • Fairholme Singing Studio Recital in Term 4 • Kindy to Year 3 Nativity: ‘Off to Bethlehem’ • Visiting Performances: Didjeribone, and Opera Queensland - The Frog Prince Chronicle Junior Art Expo Five artworks selected for display at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery for the Chronicle Junior Art Expo: Aarna Kansagara, Miette Carrigan, Avleen Kaur, Elizabeth Riddle, Suzana Yusaf. JUNIOR SPORTS Fairholme Junior Sport offers a wide range of sports and activities for the girls, and involvement and participation rates are excellent in Interhouse activities. The girls from Prep to Year 6 are involved in Interhouse activities; the Kindy students also participate but no points are awarded at this level. SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES Interhouse Competitions in Swimming,
Zone and Regional Sport include Swimming, Athletics and Cross Country Carnivals, plus other sports such as Hockey, Basketball, Tennis, Cricket, Netball, Softball, Touch, Aquathlon, AFL, Orienteering and Girls’ Football (Soccer). Interschool Friday Sport for Year 5 and 6 is through the Toowoomba Primary Sports Association and the Year 4 students compete in a friendly competition with The Glennie School Junior Years in Touch, Netball and Cricket. FAIRHOLME CLUBS AND ASSOCIATION Fairholme Clubs and Association involvement is in: Swimming (F.A.S.T.) - All Year Track and Field - Terms 2 and 3 Cross Country - Terms 1 and 2 Netball - Terms 1, 2 and 3 Touch - Terms 1, 3 and 4 Basketball - Terms 2 and 3 All Schools Touch Team achieved 2nd at SW Qld All Schools Carnival. ANDREWS CUP We fielded teams in the following sports: tennis, touch, swimming, cross-country, athletics, netball, cricket, gymnastics and basketball.
We celebrate the following Junior School achievements: Basketball - 1st overall Cross Country - 1st in Percentage Trophy Athletics - 1st in Percentage Trophy Swimming - 3rd in Percentage Trophy Individual team achievements: Cross Country - 9yrs and 11yrs teams: 2nd Athletics - 12yrs and over: 3rd Netball - 12yrs and over: 1st and 11yrs: 2nd 11yrs 2nd place in division Basketball - Open A Team: 1st Gymnastics - 10 yrs D division: 3rd We recognise Kara Cumming who competed in seven out of a possible seven Andrews Cup Teams for Fairholme Junior – both a huge effort individually and a significant contribution to her School. 79% of all Year 4 to 6 girls participated in at least one Andrews Cup sport. It is a great honour to represent Fairholme Junior at Andrews Cup events. Congratulations girls! AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES These include non-competitive, fun-filled activities which enrich Physical Education, plus the Andrews Cup sporting program run at Fairholme Junior after school. Term 1 Aussie Hoops Years 2 to 4 Cross Country Training Years 2 to 6 Andrews Cup Touch and Tennis Term 2 Athletics Training Andrews Cup Cross Country Training Andrews Cup Netball Term 3 Cricket Saturday Netball Training Aussie Basketball Hoops
Andrews Cup Netball Athletics Training: Andrews Cup Cricket Training: Andrews Cup Basketball: Andrews Cup Term 4 Net-Set-Go Netball Prep to Year 1 Andrews Cup Friday Basketball Andrews Cup Gymnastics All Schools Touch Interhouse Tennis Tournament Lunch time Junior Swimming Knockout Tournament SPECIALIST IN-CLASS PROVISION Term 1 Intensive Learn to Swim Orienteering Term 2 Hockey Athletics: Throws Term 3 Gymnastics Basketball Term 4 Cricket Survival Swimming Hot Shot Tennis HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 2021 was a more positive year for sporting compared to 2020, but unfortunately COVID-19 still resulted in some sporting trials being postponed or cancelled. Swimmers were selected to represent Darling Downs but were not able to proceed to State trials. Track and Field athletes were selected to represent the Zone, but Darling Downs and State Athletics Carnivals were cancelled. There were 36 Junior School representations in the Range Zone teams. Several of these girls represented in more than one sport. Fifteen girls from the Junior School competed in Darling Downs teams. We acknowledge Kate Frith for achieving State-level Equestrian representation. We are very proud of the students’ accomplishments. Their commitment to training, to working as a team and to improving has been commendable.
2021 NAPLAN Results Outlined below are our Year 3 and 5 results compared with National results. NAPLAN Results 2021 Scale Score Means TEST FAIRHOLME NATIONAL* Year 3 Reading 498 473.3 Writing 473 425.4 Spelling 470 421.0 Grammar and Punctuation 489 433.2 Numeracy 440 403.4 Year 5 Reading 557 511.6 Writing 493 480.0 Spelling 530 504.5 Grammar and Punctuation 535 502.8 Numeracy 515 495.2 * Preliminary National Mean Scores *2021 Preliminary results http://reports.acara.edu.au/NAP/NMS_Percentages
Middle School
MRS JAYE ROSS, HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
Foundation 2021 has been another very successful year for the girls attending Fairholme Middle School. We MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY welcomed 106 new Year 7 girls in January and a small number of new Year 8 and Year 9 girls. ENHANCEMENT • Mother and Daughter luncheons or They quickly found their Holme in the Middle breakfasts to build positive interactions School and all Middle School, girls contributed between girls and parents and to help to the academic successes highlighted below. In enhance the ‘family’ feel in the Middle true Fairholme spirit many Middle School girls School also involved themselves in The Arts and Sport • Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 camps to allow as well as participating in Service activities. opportunities for the girls to mix more Fairholme is proud of the achievement of these and get to know each other in a different Middle School students. environment whilst also assisting students to grow and build resilience as they MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE ACTIVITIES • Serving at the following Toowoomba overcome challenges Hospital Foundation fund-raising events: • Social activities with other schools such the Legends at their Game function, the as the Year 7 games afternoons with Women of Strength function, and the Toowoomba Grammar School and St Ladies Diamond Luncheon Mary’s College • Preparing up to 50 meals fortnightly • Excursion to Emu Gully for Year 9 girls to throughout the year for Tony’s Kitchen, celebrate the end of their Middle School where volunteers serve food to the years and also to further enhance their disadvantaged and vulnerable members of confidence through achieving while being the Toowoomba community challenged • Shoes for Planet Earth – girls donated • Year 9 Leaders’ Excursion to Highfields their old joggers to save the environment Cultural Centre to attend the yLead and also to support local charities in the Leadership Conference Toowoomba region • Middle School ‘A Box of Chocolates’ concerts – an opportunity for Middle • Visiting Tricare Nursing Home to entertain School girls involved in The Arts to the residents perform in a supportive environment • Boost Fundraiser for Toowoomba Modified Rugby Program • Lunch-time games and activities, including: • Middle School Book Swap Handball, Chalk Drawing, Just Dance, • Fundraising for Indigenous Literacy Middle School Masked Singer, Middle
School Murder Mystery, RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) Buddies, Historical Women Dress-up Day, Mini-Olympics, and the Middle School Pot Plant competition
ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS NAPLAN RESULTS 2021 Mean Score Comparison
Year 9
READING YEAR 9 98.9%
YEAR 7 100%
87.7% State 93.1%
Year 7
Fairholme
State
National
Fairholme
State
National
Reading
629
571
577.5
580
539
542.4
Spelling
615
577
580.1
575
545
548.7
Grammar/ Punctuation
637
570
570.9
582
532
533.4
Writing
617
539
550.7
535
511
522.2
Numeracy
619
583
587.9
581
545
550.6
SPELLING YEAR 9 97.8%
YEAR 7 100%
90.5% State 93.7%
GRAMMAR/ PUNCTUATION YEAR 9 97.9%
YEAR 7 100%
86.1% State 89.1%
WRITING YEAR 9 96.7%
YEAR 7 97.8%
76.4% State 86.2%
NUMERACY YEAR 9 100%
YEAR 7 100%
93.7% State 92.5%
‘Learning as a quest rather than a destination’
Senior School
MR TOM MCCORMICK , DEPUTY PRINCIPAL/HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL
2021 - my first year at Fairholme as Head of Senior School – has been a wonderful year. It was clear from day one that this is a vibrant, flourishing and supportive school community, one that offers an exemplary educational environment bound by a culture of strong academic scholarship and pastoral care. I have enjoyed working with each Senior School student to meet their goals and find success. A key focus of this year in the Senior School has been to continue to create capable individuals, effective collaborators, life-long learners and global citizens. Students in the Senior School have enjoyed a year of learning experiences throughout and while it would be very difficult to document all events and activities, I have added a few highlights below. ACADEMIC CULTURE It was pleasing to be acknowledged as the top academic school in the region by the 2021 Better Education profile. This was recognition of the strong learning culture that pervades the College, the strong partnership with staff, students and parents and the diverse range of subjects and pathways that our girls can pursue. It is pleasing to see that the Better Education profile recognised that these results are not to be viewed in isolation of one year’s academic results, but over a number of years. We know that a strong academic culture with
strong external results like ours does not happen overnight. ACADEMIC TRACKING In Semester 2 we also placed great emphasis on refining our use of learning data to evaluate student progress. We invested in a Learning Analytics platform (called Insights) which will help our early intervention and tracking of students, and this will continue in 2022 and beyond. BEYOND THE HOLME Our Pathway and Careers program was once again a significant part of 2021, with a record number of students receiving early offers to their universities of choice. In total, 41% of our Year 12s applied and received an early offer at several key universities, thus alleviating some of the stress associated with sitting the external exams, waiting for the results and then waiting for the offer. Early offers do not mean that Year 12 school leavers are locked into that one pathway – but it is an excellent option and certainly decreases the uncertainty of study options for 2022. 2021 also saw an increase in the number of Headstart courses undertaken. Head Start courses are University-level academic extension programs for high-achieving Year 10, 11 or 12 students. There are a number of advantages of undertaking a Headstart course while at
school. These include gaining QCE points, gaining credits towards future university courses, further development of academic skills and getting a taste of what academic life at university is like. Thirty-five of our Senior School students this year completed a Head Start course in a wide range of subject disciplines from Human Anatomy & Physiology, and Psychology, to Engineering and Law. Furthermore, we have looked at ways to support students in their quests to study at some of the top universities around the world. As part of this process we applied and were successful in becoming registered to be an SAT and ACT testing centre. RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN 2021 also saw a focus on ways to enhance the culture of Fairholme College through a solid foundation of reconciliation. This involved the formation of a RAP working group made up of students and teachers who meet each term to look at ways in which we can collaborate, accelerate and drive reconciliation efforts. We have worked hard on draft one of our Reconcilliation Action Plan which will be published in Term 1 2022. POLITICS, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND PHILOSOPHY CLUB In Term 2 we launched PIP Club. This is a club open to students across Years 10-12 and aimed
at allowing students to engage in positive political discourse centred on local, national, and global issues such as: Ethics, Foreign Policy, Philosophy and Citizenship. It also involves reading and analysing important philosophical texts by some of history’s greatest thinkers. PASTORAL CARE 2021 was once again a year where we did not focus solely on academic achievement, but made wellbeing a priority. Year-level meetings for Years 10-12 have emphasised the importance of Emotional Intelligence and Connectional Intelligence, adaptability, life balance, cognitive skills and learning strategies and habits. We had the pleasure of welcoming experts to the College to present on a wide range of topical issues such as Domestic, Family & Dating Violence, Road Safety, Safe Partying and Women’s Health. It has been wonderful to be part of this vibrant learning community throughout 2021. Together, students and teachers have worked hard to engage in the dynamic process which signifies powerful learning. Our plans for 2022 will extend the student-driven, student-centred and student-led program and refine our use of learning data to evaluate progress.
Teaching and Learning MR STEWART PEACOCK, HEAD OF TEACHING AND LEARNING 2021 was an exceptional year, yielding exceptional achievements once again! We celebrate both participation and excellence, individual achievement of the highest calibre and standard, and all that can be achieved through the joy and collaboration of team work. The academic reputation of the College goes from strength to strength, with our students continuing to achieve excellent results each year. The Class of 2021 have distinguished themselves by achieving outstanding ATAR results. Their individual commitment to high academic standards, demonstrated through diligence and perseverance, is noteworthy and sets a fine benchmark for their peers. Teachers, parents and students have demonstrated their enthusiasm and support for the changes that have been brought about by the implementation of the ATAR system which, with the completion of our second full cycle, is now fully integrated within our pedagogy. We are committed to developing our academic programs in line with the new changes, yet in our preparations we have not sacrificed the dynamic, well–balanced and creative programs that underpin the outstanding academic work that is associated with Fairholme College. As one of the top academic schools in Queensland, teaching and learning is at the core
of what we do. Yet learning at Fairholme is not just about passing exams or gaining that A on an assignment. It’s about a love of intellectual challenge, inspiration and imagination. Our classrooms are full of life and our girls are driven by a desire to learn, a love of complexity and a warm-hearted sense of fun and friendship. The evidence is highlighted in examples throughout 2021 - including our successes in the University of New South Wales Academic competitions, impressive NAPLAN performances across all year levels, the ever-increasing number of Academic Achievement Certificates awarded, high overall ATARs and the numerous university scholarships secured. In 2022, discussions and consultations concerning the review of the National Curriculum for Years 7-10 for implementation in 2023 continue. This is at the forefront of our academic strategies as the proposed disciplines once again align very closely with our current curriculum here at Fairholme. In further developing our teaching and learning to achieve this end, we continue to engage in a variety of approaches for our students and staff, including: aiming for full participation in learning within the classroom; peer observation and feedback sessions; team planning; extension and development of programs of individual support; development of assessment rubrics
to better match teaching; ongoing curriculum evaluation; striving for good results, awards and opportunities for professional discussion and professional development in a wide variety of areas. Teacher practice is recognised as a key to student success and we are developing further our approaches to professional learning, exploring how ‘best practice’ can be recognised and shared for the benefit of all. As Head of Teaching and Learning at Fairholme College for the past 12 years, it has been a real joy to be part of a school full of students who are both interested and interesting, and to watch them grow into confident, passionate young women prepared to make a difference in the world around them. As the academic year draws to a close, I would like to thank the students of Fairholme College, particularly our Year 12 students, for being a delight to work with this year. I would also like to thank the parents for being so supportive, particularly of our curriculum directions and choices. In conclusion I would like to thank our magnificent staff who are always flexible, creative, committed and who maintain a wonderful sense of humour throughout the busiest of times.
Boarding
MS MARGUERITE DUNNE, HEAD OF BOARDING
Fairholme College continues to be a leader in providing residential care for girls from Years 5 to 12 as it is one of the largest all-girls Boarding Houses in the nation, with 2021 seeing all available boarding places filled and a waiting pool for enrolment. In January this year we welcomed over 50 girls from Years 6 to 11 into Fairholme Boarding. The modern facilities, the beautiful views from the Boarding House of Webb Park and down the Toowoomba Range escarpment, and the manicured gardens and grounds are very attractive to new students and their families. The girls value the refurbished contemporary rooms, having their own vanity units, large storage and study spaces, and access to common rooms and kitchenettes on each floor. The Fairholme Health Centre, with a registered nurse on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is very reassuring for families. The school doctor runs surgery appointments there three mornings a week and a physiotherapist visits one afternoon a week for consultations. In 2021 our boarding students comprised 35% of Middle School enrolments and nearly 40 % of the Senior School. Three Boarders were in Year 6 in the Junior School, so students in the Boarding House ranged from 10 years of age right through to a 19-year-old in Year 12. As in previous years, most of the Boarders’
hometowns are in South-West Queensland and North-Western New South Wales; however, many girls also hail from Central and North Queensland, with a few from as far as the Northern Territory and Western Australia and a couple of girls whose parents reside overseas. This mix of girls brings wonderful diversity to the Boarding House which benefits all. Fairholme Boarding offers our girls a positive life experience. They become independent and more responsible in taking care of themselves and their belongings. The girls develop flexibility and resilience as they negotiate and collaborate with the other girls with whom they share a room, bathroom, common room and breakfast or dinner table. Boarding staff observe how they develop and mature in their ability to cooperate with others and become organised and independent in their daily routines and tasks. The girls also learn essential time-management skills, balancing their studies and their many cocurricular and extra-curricular commitments. Proximity of the Boarding House to the Fairholme day school offers many benefits to the boarding students. Many of the girls use the sporting and performing arts areas after hours and take advantage of their easy access to before- and after-school sports training, rehearsals and other academic and cultural cocurricular activities.
Boarding presents an academic advantage for the girls through supervised ‘Prep’ or homework and study sessions. Teachers from the day school are rostered on to support the girls while they do their academic work each week night and on Sunday afternoons. This regular, quiet and supervised time is another plus for boarding students as it assists them in developing the routines required to meet the challenges that their schoolwork provides and achieve their academic goals. The Boarding Co-ordinators of the Junior, Middle and Senior sub-schools oversee and support each girl’s academic progress throughout each term. The girls also benefit from the positive and reassuring messages at weekly Boarders’ Chapel and Devotions time each Sunday evening. This is further enhanced by the opportunity offered to attend Bible Study meetings during the week, facilitated by our Head of Wellbeing (Boarding) and the Assistant to Pastoral Care (Boarding). These proved very popular this year as the girls enjoy the time together and supporting each other. The Boarding House is a busy and vibrant place with a huge variety of activities and excursions on offer for the girls to participate in during the week and over the weekends. Morning and
afternoon walks and runs, Speed Strength and Power sessions and use of the College gym and pool keep the girls active before and after school. On the weekends, shopping at Grand Central, visits to local parks and playgrounds, and trips to Willows Lifestyle and Fitness Centre, Bounce Trampoline Centre, Bowling and Laser Tag, Putt Putt, and Lawn Bowls (to name a few) proved popular with the girls. Other regular activities included Boarder Baking (and eating), a large variety of art and craft activities and various games in Daisy Culpin Courtyard, on the College oval or in the Fairholme pool. The Boarding House committees chaired by the Head Boarder and the Prefects for Boarding were active in organising numerous Boarding House events including themed dinners, tidy dorm competitions, games and activities, and service opportunities. The Big Sister Program continued in 2021 and was instrumental in assisting the new and younger Boarders to transition successfully into Boarding, with the Year 12 girls providing wonderful support to their ‘little sisters’ throughout the year. Year Level ‘etiquette’ dinners were held throughout Terms 2 and 3 and these allowed each year level to plan and run activities that contributed to the overall wellbeing of the Boarding House. At the end of Term 3 another successful Orientation Weekend was held for the new 2022 Boarders and their families to ensure they would be ready for their start in the upcoming year, with over 50 families being welcomed overnight into the Boarding House. Many parents (and girls) commented on how enjoyable and helpful it was to attend Orientation Weekend and learn the information that they needed for their daughter to transition successfully into Fairholme College Boarding in January 2022. This year the experienced and dedicated boarding team of floor supervisors and office staff continued to be exceptional in their care and support of each individual boarder. In addition, numerous ancillary staff members worked very hard on a daily basis to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the Boarding House. Our Facilities, Laundry and Cleaning staff ensured that on each day, the Boarders’ uniforms and clothes were washed, all rooms and areas in the Boarding House were thoroughly cleaned and all necessary repairs were attended to promptly. The Catering Team prepared nutritious tasty meals for the boarding girls and staff, with a menu planned each week to suit their needs and choices, based on information gathered through our regular student surveys. This year the choice of two main meals at dinner was introduced and this provision was well received by the boarding students. Fairholme Friends of Boarding, a subgroup of the College Parents and Friends Association, has been very active in 2021 in their ongoing support of the Boarding House. The Parent Ambassadors assisted and supported many new families in their transition into the boarding community. Another very successful Boarders Cent Sale was held at the College Spring Fair and raised significant funds that will benefit the College community in 2022. 2021 was another successful year for Fairholme Boarding.
The Arts
MRS KAREN HAYWARD, HEAD OF THE ARTS
‘The Arts are an intellectually engaging intersection of lateral thought and practice. They interrogate the human experience and challenge our understandings by encouraging and provoking alternative ways of seeing, thinking and doing. They enable us to know and observe our world collectively and as individuals. They reveal a sense of who we are and might become as we make connections and new meaning of the world around us and our place in it.’ (QCAA – The Arts Senior Syllabus 2019) Despite some continuing challenges presented by COVID-19 restrictions, The Arts at Fairholme College in 2021 have excelled in offering students a fantastic array of intellectually engaging and highly creative experiences. The Arts have served to challenge, develop, extend and empower students through the delivery of rigorous academic programs and an array of exciting co-curricular opportunities. The resilience and dedication displayed by both our professional staff and our talented students speaks extensively to the enjoyment, passion, creativity and strength of Fairholme Arts. DANCE Dance is offered as an academic subject in Years 8 – 12. The Senior Dance course is a QCAA academically-rigorous General Subject that contributes to the ATAR system. Dance fosters creative and expressive communication. It uses the body as an instrument for expression and communication of ideas. It provides opportunities for students to critically examine and reflect on their world through higher-order thinking and movement. It encourages the holistic development of a person, providing a way of knowing about oneself, others and the world. EVENTS & ACHIEVEMENTS Contemporary Dance Choreography Performance for Year 12 choreographed by Jen Murray
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‘Women of Strength’ Luncheon – Dance Troupe Performance Dance Photoshoots for Dance Promotions Toowoomba Eisteddfod rehearsals ‘The Show Must Go on!’ The CoProduction Musical with Toowoomba Grammar School Co-Production Specialist Dancers performance at the Walton Stores Pre-Eisteddfod Concert Dance Showcase Opening Night Concert Spring Fair Fashion Parade Performances Interhouse Dance Competition – won by Black House Co-curricular Offerings Dance Collective (Open Years 7 – 12) Dance Troupe (Auditioned Group Years 10 - 12) Troupettes (Auditioned Group Years 7 – 9)
DRAMA The study of Performance is offered to students in Year 7 and Drama is offered as an academic subject in Years 8 – 12. The Senior Drama course is a QCAA academically-rigorous General Subject that contributes to the ATAR system. Drama fosters creative and expressive communication. It interrogates the human experience by investigating, communicating and embodying stories, experiences, emotions and ideas that reflect the human experience. It engages students in imaginative meaningmaking processes and involves them in using a range of artistic skills as they make and respond to dramatic works. EVENTS & ACHIEVEMENTS AMEB Drama & Performance Examinations • Year 9 Drama students performed scenes at ‘A Box of Chocolates’ Middle School Arts Concert • ‘The Show Must Go on!’ The CoProduction Musical with the Toowoomba Grammar School
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CO-CURRICULAR OFFERINGS Individual Tuition – Speech & Drama Sound & Lighting training workshops led by Empire Theatre staff on two occasions, focusing on developing skills in operating equipment in Lighting and Audio. • Sound & Lighting Crew (Years 8 – 12) – students involved in this group provide invaluable sound & lighting technical support, backstage assistance and equipment set-up for myriad College events, assemblies and performances throughout the year and are an integral part of the fabric of The Arts Department.
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MUSIC Music is offered as an academic subject in Years 7 – 12, with Music Extension being offered as an additional course of study for Year 12 students. The Senior Music and Music Extension courses are QCAA academically-rigorous General Subjects that contribute to the ATAR system. Music fosters creative and expressive communication. It allows students to develop musicianship through making (composition and performance) and responding (musicology). EVENTS & ACHIEVEMENTS CHORAL & VOCAL MUSIC • Commencement and Induction of Leaders Assembly – Vocal Performance • Annual Choral Music Camp – Alex Park Conference Centre – Alexandra Headlands • Founders’ Day Assembly • ‘Extensions in Music’ Recital • SHEP Darling Downs Vocal selection – Lucy Farquhar, Elizabeth McCollum, Caitlin Mohr and Isabelle Watts • Anzac Day Duet Performance • ‘Autumn Tones’ Concert – Year 8 Performance Music and Year 11 Music • ‘The Show Must Go on!’ The CoProduction Musical with Toowoomba Grammar School • Interhouse Choral Competition 2021 – won by Stephens House
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Toowoomba Eisteddfod Concert – Part 1 RESULTS • Fairholme Senior Chamber Choir – Secondary Folk – Highly Commended • Fairholme College Choir – Hymn Singing – Third Prize • Fairholme Middle Chamber Choir – Middle School Small Ensemble – First Prize • Fairholme Middle Chamber Choir – Middle School Section – Second Prize • Fairholme Combined Camp Choir – Secondary School Section – Second Prize
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‘Crème de la Crème’ Senior Music Extension and Senior Music Scholarship Recital – held during school time this Year. ‘The Show Must Go On!’ Musical Production Middle School ‘A Box of Chocolates’ Concerts Presenting Fairholme Middle and Senior School Chamber Choir performances ‘November Nuances’ - Years 8 and 11 Performance / Extension Music Recital Fairholme Singing Studio Recital State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) AMEB / Trinity College examinations ‘Women of Strength’ Luncheon Vocal Performance Valedictory Assembly – Year 9 Choristers Year 12 Final Assembly
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC • Annual Instrumental Music Camp – QCCC Mt Tamborine. • State Honours Ensemble Program (Qld Conservatorium of Music) • Australian Honours Ensemble Program - Eliza Kingston (11), Gabby Pellow (10), Rachel Yap (9) • Kaleidoscope Concert Series – ‘Opening Night’ Concert • ‘The Show Must Go On!’ Musical Production – combined item with Fairholme, Toowoomba Grammar and alumni - ‘My Shot’ • Senior, Middle and Junior School Lunchtime Concert Series (17 concerts) • Middle School ‘A Box of Chocolates’ Concert • ‘Jazz Under the Stars’ – Toowoomba Band Directors’ Guild Initiative • ‘Women of Strength’ Luncheon – Instrumental Performance • Legends at Their Game - Instrumental Performance • Queensland Symphony Orchestra Prodigy Project – Eliza Kingston (11), Gabby Pellow (10) • Blue Care Community Service Concert – Chamber Strings • Fairholme Girl for a Day – Instrumental welcome music • Presenting Fairholme Middle and Senior School performances • Eliza Kingston – A Mus A Diploma • City of Toowoomba Eisteddfod • CAMERATA / Empire Theatre Year 6 string workshop • STRINGOUT 2021 @ the Empire Theatre RESULTS • Symphony Orchestra – Second Prize • Chamber Strings – Second Prize • Middle School String Quartet – Third Prize • Senior School String Quartet – Highly Commended • Junior String Quartet – Highly Commended • Junior String Orchestra - Highly Commended • Junior Small String Ensemble - Highly Commended
DANCE
50 + 50+50 50 VHA 50%
HA 50%
Dance YEAR 11
VHA 50%
Dance YEAR 12
HA 50%
Year 8 Year 9
57 40 570+ 400 +283 64 29 5 640+ 290 58 + 11 6 4 67 20 660+ 200 +607 +606
20 + 100 60
Year 10
DRAMA
Drama YEAR 11
VHA 100%
HA 60%
LA 20%
Drama YEAR 12
SA 20%
Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
46 48 460+ 480 +606 41 57 2+20 410+ 570 6 4 100 1000
CO-CURRICULAR OFFERINGS CHORAL MUSIC • College Choir (Years 7 – 12) • Middle School Chamber Choir (Years 7 – 9) • Senior School Chamber Choir (Years 10 – 12) INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC • Symphony Orchestra • Symphonic Wind Band • Stage Band • Brass Ensemble • Chamber Strings • String Quartets • Flute Ensemble • Music Theory Tutorials – new in 2021 TUITION • Individual Instrumental, Music Theory and Music Technology Specialist Tuition • Individual Vocal Tuition – Fairholme Singing Studio • Speech & Drama Specialist Tuition VISUAL ART Visual Art is offered as an academic subject in Years 7 – 12. The Senior Visual Art course is a QCAA academically-rigorous General Subject that contributes to the ATAR system. Visual Art provides students with opportunities to understand and appreciate the role of visual art in past and present traditions and cultures, as well as the contributions of contemporary visual artists and their aesthetic, historical and cultural influences. This subject prepares young people for participation in the 21st century by fostering curiosity and imagination, and teaching students how to generate and apply new and creative solutions when problemsolving in a range of contexts. This learnt ability to think in divergent ways and produce creative and expressive responses enables future artists, designers and craftspeople to innovate
and collaborate with the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to design and manufacture images and objects that enhance and contribute significantly to our daily lives. EVENTS & ACHIEVEMENTS • Student Diary Cover created by Year 11 Student – Charlotte Patterson • Annual College Calendar featured student artwork from Years 7 - 12 • Facets: An Exhibition at Fairholme students involved as exhibitors, packers, curatorial assistants and buskers Facets Student Awards: Supporters of Fairholme Arts – Current Student Awards o First Prize – Brooke Ronan (12) o Second Prize – Bronte Lane (11) o Third Prize – Brianna Whitaker (12) Fairholme College Parents’ and Friends’ Association– Most Promising Award o Sarah McMaster (11) • Toowoomba Art Society ‘Junior Art Expo’ 2021 – Entries from Junior Middle and Senior Sub-schools led to Fairholme College being awarded the Dornbusch Family Schools Encouragement Award for the most entries selected with 31 works selected, as finalists across Junior, Middle and Senior Schools. Student Results: o Charlotte Patterson – Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society’s Individual Encouragement Award for having the most entries selected, an award shared with a student from Toowoomba State High School. Charlotte had an amazing five entries selected across the Drawing, Painting and Printmaking sections. Furthermore, Charlotte was also awarded First Prize in the Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society’s ‘Culliford’ Open Drawing section. o Laura Patterson - Runner-up Prize in the Re/ Maxx Success in the Open Drawing section
o Julia Rathie - Runner-up Prize in the Re/ Maxx Success Open Painting section o Maggie Lattimore - David Curtis Memorial First Prize in Open Printmaking section o Olivia McKay - First Prize in the Re/Maxx Success in the new Open Photography and Multimedia section o Brooke Ronan - Runner-up Prize in the Re/ Maxx Success in the new Open Photography and Multimedia section
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DD/SWQ Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art – Statewide Awards o Maggie Harris o Olivia McKay o Brooke Ronan o Mairead Webb Mairead’s work was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in these state-wide awards and will be featured in a central exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art in 2022.
META EXPERIENCE DAY – Authentic Experience underpinning Senior Syllabus Requirements – student engagement with hands-on workshop and exhibitions at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Picnic Point, Battle of One-tree Hill, Harlaxton House and Cobb & Co. Museum. • USQ Vice-Chancellor’s ‘Creating in the Park’ with David Hinchliffe – Brooke Ronan (12) and Sarah McMaster (11) – outstanding art students were afforded a unique opportunity to work with David Hinchliffe to record the Japanese Gardens. Their works will be part of an exhibition at USQ in 2022. CO-CURRICULAR OFFERINGS • Nokie – Middle School Art Group • Eikon – Senior School Art Group
50 + 100 50 40+60 MUSIC
VHA 50%
Music YEAR 12
VHA 100%
Year 7
Year 8 Year 8
Performance Music
Year 9 Year 10 Year 11
Music YEAR 12
Visual Art YEAR 11
Music Extension
HA 50%
HA 60%
68 30 680+ 300 +20 1 3 Year 7 42 58 580+ 420 5 64 36 650+350 Year 8 25 75 750+ 250 Year 9 33 55 11 550330120 Year 10 50 50 500+ 500
VISUAL ART VHA 40%
SA 8%
9 38 + 53 VHA 54%
Visual Art YEAR 12 HA 38%
39 58 400+ 580 +20 2 37 60 380+ 590 +30 3 6 4 65 35 350+650 36 59 590+ 360 +50 5
ARTS POCKETS & CERTIFICATES | RECOGNITION OF SERVICE Congratulations to the following Year 11 and Year 12 Arts students who were presented with Pockets, acknowledging their outstanding service and significant contribution to one or more of The Arts co-curricular discipline areas throughout this year. YEAR 11 Layn ARNOLD Dance GOLD POCKET Skye BLENEY Choral GOLD POCKET Charli CUMMING Dance SILVER POCKET Evangeline IMRAY Instrumental SILVER POCKET Josephine KASSULKE Dance SILVER POCKET Eliza KINGSTON Instrumental GOLD POCKET Sarah MCMASTER Choral GOLD POCKET Visual Arts GOLD POCKET Caitlin O’SHEA Choral GOLD POCKET Visual Arts SILVER POCKET Charlotte PATTERSON
Visual Arts Quinn PROCTER Sound & Lighting Ally THOMPSON Choral Ruby WILKES Choral
GOLD POCKET SILVER POCKET GOLD POCKET GOLD POCKET
YEAR 12 Charlotte ANDREWS Visual Arts GOLD POCKET Tyla ARNOLD Dance FULL POCKET Jemima BRODIE Choral Music GOLD POCKET Grace BYRNE Dance FULL POCKET Cameron GRIMMETT Choral Music GOLD POCKET Drama FULL POCKET Instrumental GOLD POCKET
Sound & Lighting GOLD POCKET Tayla HARGREAVES Choral Music FULL POCKET Drama FULL POCKET Dance FULL POCKET Molly HARM Dance FULL POCKET Sara HENRY Visual Arts BLUE POCKET Dance FULL POCKET Ashley MIZEN Sound & Lighting BLUE POCKET Mary-Jane SCANLON Choral Music GOLD POCKET Grace TYDINGS Sound & Lighting FULL POCKET Ruane VAN ECK Instrumental GOLD POCKET Brianna WHITAKER Visual Arts FULL POCKET
Business
MRS KATRINA MAHER, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT – BUSINESS
Business is very important in our everyday life and also in every walk of life. People study business for many reasons. Some are preparing to pursue careers in one of the major fields of business. Others want to become better-informed consumers by understanding their rights, and to avoid pre- and post-purchase problems. The Business course at Fairholme aims to equip students to enter the real world of consumerism. The Year 9 Business course focuses on two key concepts: Civics and Citizenship, and Entrepreneurship. Civics and Citizenship is explored through learning the fundamental knowledge and concepts of Australia’s legal system. Entrepreneurship is centered around our Future Anything: Activate; a national entrepreneurship program that embeds future capabilities and innovation into the classroom. This program culminates in an exciting national pitching competition where the best studentled enterprises can win the funding and support to take their ideas out of the classroom and into the real world. Students were given the opportunity to showcase or pitch their business idea at the College’s Lion’s Den Event at the end of Term 3. The Year 9 Launch students introduced a design-thinking methodology for solving problems. Students were given opportunities to create design solutions for real-world issues, spaces and created and enhanced products. The focus was on human-centred design, which required students to empathise with the needs and wants of end-users and ensured their proposed design solutions met specific
design requirements. Students learnt skills and knowledge that included sketching, visual communication, low-fidelity prototyping through creative and lateral thinking, and visual, written and oral communication. Launch allowed the girls to be experimental and collaborative throughout the process, whilst working together to bolster each other’s creativity. The Year 10 Launch students explored three topics: Human Centered Design, Urban Design and Commercial Design. Human Centered Design involved creating a sustainability product or service for a specific user. Students were given the opportunity to visit the Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) and hear from a variety of landscape architects and town planners to redesign a space within Toowoomba CBD in line with the TRC Master Plan. Lastly, Commercial Design explored the retail and marketing industry and re-designed their physical and online presence for an existing business. To assist with the selection of Senior subjects, Markets and Opportunities is designed for Year 10 students as an introduction to the three Business Senior subjects: Accounting,
Economics and Legal Studies. The purpose of this course is to provide a taster for students to make an informed decision regarding subject selection for Years 11 and 12. The Year 11 Accounting students completed Units 1 and 2, learning processes and practices for both service industries and trading industries. Students sat their first Summative piece of assessment of the ATAR system, which focused on the topic of managing resources, in particular non-current assets, for a trading business. In Unit 3 of Year 12 Accounting, students focused on managing the resources of a business, including accounts receivable, non-current assets and technology. They produced fully classified statements to report comprehensively on the performance of a sole trader and explored how administrative and accounting controls can be used effectively to protect and maintain the resources of a business. Unit 4 is the culmination of all previous topics. Students use the computerised accounting package, MYOB, to complete the whole accounting process for a trading GST business. The focus of the final unit for external
39+57+4I 39+57+4I 73+27+I C 25%
C 4%
B 57%
Year 9 Business
A 39%
B 26%
Year 9 Launch
A 47%
B 27%
Year 10 Launch
A 73%
Markets and Opportunities
44+39+125I 14+67+19I 36+50+14I C 12%
D 5%
Year 10
A 44%
B 39%
assessment was to analyse, interpret and evaluate the performance of a public company, primarily through the use of financial ratios. The Senior Accounting students were given the opportunity to hear from QUT’s School of Accountancy and a variety of professionals at the Accounting Forum in Term 1 this year. This year, the Year 11 Economics students began their studies with the fundamentals of economics, including understanding the basic economic problem and market forces using the supply and demand model. The next topic of Unit 1 was based around an investigative research report on economic flows using the five-sector circular flow of income model. Unit 2 delved into the study of markets and efficiency and what happens when markets fail, as when markets fail to account for environmental costs. This led to a study of inequality, on which a response to stimulus exam was based. Students then transitioned to Unit 3 for Term 4 where they studied international economics and the global economy. The first internal assessment was a combination exam. Term 1 of Year 12 began with the second topic of Unit 3, International Economic Issues. The assessment was an investigative research report on issues surrounding Australia’s balance of payments which has undergone important changes in recent years. Term 2 marked the beginning of their final Unit, Contemporary Macroeconomics. With most countries around the world experiencing very serious and dramatic economic consequences due to COVID-19, studying the theory and objectives of economic management could not have been more relevant for the girls. Their study culminated in the external exam.
Accounting
A 14%
C 19%
Year 11 B 67%
C 14%
A 36%
Year 12
B 50%
Careers
MRS LAURA ANDERSON, CAREERS ADVISOR
This year we congratulate our Year 12s for their tenacity and positive affirming spirit.
last two years, this excursion became even more relevant and important than in previous years.
As in previous years, the Year 11s participated in the Year 11 Career Engagement Day on the last Tuesday of Term 4. This day has been They have worked hard to strengthen the Tertiary Applications: This year we celebrated designed to prepare them for their Senior community of Fairholme whilst individually Early Offers with a significant number of our Year by offering presentations on goal setting, managing their busy academic schedules. Their Year 12s. These offers were from the following investigating your purpose, self-marketing and commitment to the Fairholme community has institutions: University of Southern Queensland, continuing to explore career aspirations. To reflected the core values of the College. We are Sunshine Coast University, Australian Catholic encourage students to develop an understanding sure they will enjoy success in all of their future University, Australian National University, of their own self-marketing skills, each student endeavours, and we know that they are equipped University of Tasmania and University of New participated in a mock interview which was to confidently make changes whenever and England. conducted by a local member of the Toowoomba wherever necessary. In short – they are ready community who is a potential future employer. to begin the next exciting phase of their young The major universities in Brisbane continue Whilst the seniors reported feeling ‘intimidated’ adult lives and we look forward to hearing about to attract a high number of applicants from by the prospect of the mock interview they all their successes. Fairholme and, as in previous years numerous stated that it was a positive and educational tool Year 12s have been accepted into residential to help them gain clarity around the importance In June 2021, the Year 11 and 12 Cohorts colleges in preparation for their first year of positive and confident self-marketing. enjoyed a day in either Brisbane or the Gold of study away from Toowoomba. Whilst the Coast as a part of the Senior Tertiary Pathways number of students who are choosing to study Year 10 students completed their Career Excursion. Whilst in previous years this in Brisbane does remain high, an increased Avenues Profiling and Work Experience again in excursion has been only for Year 11 students, in number of students have decided to stay closer 2021. These two activities are vital components 2021 the Year 12 Cohort was included because to home or opt for external studies. of the Year 10 curriculum because they offer they were not able to enjoy this excursion in our Year 10s the opportunity to develop an 2020. The students visited universities in either When reviewing 2021/22 QTAC data, Health understanding of themselves in relation to their the Gold Coast or Brisbane to expand their remains the most popular study area (32 personality, their natural abilities and the world knowledge of tertiary education and life as a students), followed by Society and Culture of work. Experiences such as these equip them university student. The tours also offered them (20), Management and Commerce (11), Natural for the transition into Year 11 and 12 in a manner a chance to explore the campuses and location and Physical Sciences (7), Creative Arts (4), that helps them understand why the final two of each university so they had a sense of what Engineering (3), Education (3), Architecture years of secondary education are so important. it would be like to study there. Because the and Building (2), Agriculture (1). Year 9 students were introduced to the Senior universities have had virtual open days for the School by Mr Tom McCormick at the Year 9
TRENDS OF 2021/22 POPULAR STUDY AREA (QTAC)
Health
Students interested in pursuing a career in Medicine participated in the UQ Student Work Experience Day and also the UQ Medical Interview preparation session. They were also offered an opportunity to learn about the UCAT and how to prepare for this important component of entry into a Medicine Program at most universities in Australia. Resources: All students at Fairholme College have access to the Fairholme College Pathways site. This site is the portal to a range of other websites that facilitate career education and development.
Society and Culture
Natural and Physical Sciences Engineering Architecture and Building
320+200+110+70+40+30+30+20+10
Career Development sessions held in the last week of Term 4. Ms Hollindale and Mrs Laura Anderson also presented information about the Pathways Centre and the services available to Senior Students that they will be able to access in 2022.
Agriculture
Management and Commerce
Creative Arts Education
English
28 1 3
MR ROHAN DAVIS, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT - ENGLISH
Year 9
[W]e are fond of having a large superfluous establishment of words to wait upon us on great occasions; we think it looks important, and sounds well. As we are not particular about the meaning of our liveries on state occasions, if they be but fine and numerous enough, so, the meaning or necessity of our words is a secondary consideration, if there be but a great parade of them. (Charles Dickens, David Copperfield)
An updated Prescribed Text List from the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is due to be released shortly which has prompted us to meet and review some of our text choices for English, generally. Reflecting on this process has indeed made me conscious of what Dickens called the ‘large superfluous establishment of words’. Language is an instrument of power often used throughout history to disempower some minorities and empower others. What we aim to achieve is a classroom of craftspeople who can wield language, craft texts, and for whom ‘the meaning and necessity of our words is [of primary] consideration.’ What this means is acknowledging the power of words to inspire, but also to marginalise, and to address those matters in timely and respectful ways. High Distinction (Top 1% of participants in Australia) Yr 7 – Claire Murphy Yr 8 – Ariel Qui Distinction (Top 10% of participants in Australia) Yr 8 – Mabel Galbraith, Lara McPhie, Yr 10 – Lilly Biernoff, Isabella Lewis Credit Yr 7 -Rhea Desai, Lily Martin, Serah Vimal, Emily Wade Yr 10 – Isabelle Watts Merit Yr 7 – Millie Dewar Yr 9 -Ankita Sajjan
6
31
59
Top
1%
HIGH DISTINCTION
of participants in Australia
Year 10 English
A B C D 1
14
38
DISTINCTION Top of participants in
10%
Year 11
A B
Literature
C 14
B 64
37
Australia
3
19
100 Year 10
A 28
14+64+28+I
Things are often easier said than done and we see this adage lived out repeatedly, whether it be in fighting with each other over COVID-19 restrictions or with the French over submarine deals. We wonder at the failure of our leaders who are caught out by their own words and then we shudder at the power of tweets, driving agendas with so few words. Having just finished a literary marathon – David Copperfield – I am committed to taking something away from this text. So many of the social stereotypes of femininity and assumptions regarding social class made the reading of this text arduous at times. And just from the point of view of its length I certainly felt the tyranny of words, and ironically, Dickens, in the above quotation, seemed to be casting shade on those whose verbosity offended him. As with any marathon experience, one begins to question one’s motives before one completes the course, but finishing the race, or the text in this case, brings its own reward.
English
C B A
Ess. English
B 100%
Year 8 English
Year 7 English
A 30
B 57
30+57+17+I
C 17
28+ I 14 + 64 1+ 37 38 + 14 16+ 2 + 3 3+19 18+34+12H 20+80+W 66+34+B +4561 10 A
A
Year 11 English
Year 11
Essential English
B
C
B
Year 12 Literature
C
Year 12 Essential English
A
A
B
B
Year 12 English
B
C
D
Year 12
English & Literature Extension
A
B
D
C
Sport and Activities
MR TONY TREGASKIS, HEAD OF SPORT AND ACTIVITIES
We’re back! Well, at least to something closely resembling normal. Queensland School Sport has managed to navigate its way through COVID-safe programs in 2021 to run almost every State Championship that is normally on offer. Unfortunately, once again, the Queensland Track and Field program was cancelled, and the flow-on effect was no Regional Carnival, as well as no TSSS Athletics. For our girls who excelled at the State Championships for their respective sport, it was a case of no National Championships but selection in honorary teams as a consolation. With continued hard work we hope that these girls can emulate their 2021 performances and participate at the highest representative level in 2022. Interhouse competition at Fairholme College continued as normal with only a few modifications required. For the first time the Interhouse Swimming Carnival was split into two sessions: this being Middle School and Senior School. Checking in and socially distancing were a must for all carnivals. Association and Interschool Sport successfully ran their competitions, and our girls enjoyed the regular weekly routine. A number of our teams were successful in their premiership chase, but for most it was an opportunity to make new friends or participate in the friendly social interactions that sport offers. With fewer opportunities than normal for representative honours, remarkably 73 Fairholme girls represented the Darling Downs with pride and 13 were selected in honorary Queensland teams. SPORT BREAKDOWN AFL • Open – StreetSmart Schools Cup Regional winners, narrowly beaten in Metro South final • U15 – StreetSmart Schools Cup Regional Runners-Up Basketball • Three Friday Night TSSS teams – Year 11/12 and 9/10 teams made it to semifinals Year 9/10 team beaten by 1 point in Grand-Final
• •
U18 team played in Darling Downs Armstrong Automotive Basketball Challenge, making the Semi-Finals One Darling Downs Representative
Cricket T20 • Open – State Runners-Up T20 StreetSmart Cricket • Four Darling Downs Representatives Cross Country • Interhouse Carnival Champions Cameron House • Toowoomba Secondary School Sport and Darling Downs Overall Champion Girls’ school • Competition winners - U13, U14, U15, U16 and Open – teams • 15 Darling Downs Representatives and one Queensland Representative Equestrian • Convenors of Fairholme IQ Show Jumping, Pittsworth • Darling Downs Championships: Champion Primary School, Secondary School, Secondary Combined Training Team, Primary and Secondary Show Jumping Teams, Secondary Show Horse Team, Overall Grand Champion School and Reserve Champion Primary and Secondary Dressage Teams • State Championships: Reserve Champion Team Show Horse and Primary Dressage, Show Jumping Secondary Champion Team, Reserve Champion Team Combined Training and The ‘Lorette Wigan Cup’ Overall Champion Secondary School Trophy for 2021 • Six Queensland Representatives Football • One Association Team. • One Darling Downs Representative.
Futsal • Four Association Teams, Year 9 competition winners • Four Term 4 Competition Teams • One Darling Downs Representative Golf
•
One Darling Downs Representative
Hockey • Darling Downs Schools Cup Hockey participants • Two Darling Downs Representatives and one Queensland Representative Netball • 27 Association Teams – Saturday and Wednesday nights – 11 Association Teams Grand Finalists in respective divisions, five Premiership-winning teams • Year 7-9 Laura Geitz – competition winners • Junior Vicki Wilson 1 – Junior Vicki Wilson Shield Regional runners-up • Senior Vicki Wilson 1 – Senior Vicki Wilson Cup Regional winners • Vicki Wilson State Final - Seniors placed 14th and Juniors placed 15th • Five Darling Downs Representatives Orienteering • Queensland Orienteering Championships Fairholme - Champion School • Four Darling Downs and two Queensland Representativesz Rugby 7s • Over 70 girls training and playing in U13, U15 and U18 age groups • U18 Rugby 7s - Fraser Coast Invitational Rugby 7s Tournament - competition winners • U13 and U18 Rugby 7s - Scots PGC Rugby 7s Tournament – competition
• •
winners South West 7s Competition – U18 Champions; U13 and U15 - Runners-Up Three Darling Downs Representatives
Softball • Darling Downs Golden Gloves participants Speed, Power and Strength • Eight morning sessions with dedicated Speed, Power and Strength Program and onsite coach • Programs are designed for specific needs of various sports, with a focus on helping athletes to gain a competitive edge or advantage with their sport Swimming • Interhouse Carnival Champions – Cameron House. • Toowoomba Secondary School Sport Swimming - winners Francis Hopkins Diamond House Trophy for aggregate Champion school, 15 Year Champions, 1719 Year Champions and Relay Champions • Middle School Swimming Tournament. • Five Darling Downs Representatives and one Queensland Representative Tennis • Knowles Cup Tournament participants • Darling Downs Secondary School Cup – Regional Runners-Up Touch Football • Five Association Teams – A and D Grade Preliminary Finalists • Six Summer Touch Teams • Queensland All Schools Tournament – three teams: U13 top eight, U15 round of 16 and Open top eight. All three teams defeated by tournament winner or runner-up • South West Queensland All Schools
•
Tournament - U13 and Open teams tournament winners; U15 Semi-Finalists Nine Darling Downs and 2 Queensland Representatives
Track and Field • Interhouse Carnival Champions – Stephens House • Toowoomba Secondary School Sport Athletics, Darling Downs School Sport Athletics, Queensland School Sport Athletics and Nitro Athletics (previously Knockout competition) - cancelled Triathlon • Four Darling Downs Representatives and one Queensland Representative Volleyball Association • Six Association teams in Semester 1 and 2 – F2 and F5 competition winners • Queensland Intermediate Schools Cup Volleyball participants • Darling Downs Open Schools Cup Volleyball Year 11 Runners-Up • One Darling Downs Representative Water Polo Association • One Association team • Annual Fairholme verse Glennie - winners of the ‘Chris Stumkat Shield’ • Four Darling Downs Representatives Olympic Change Maker Award 2021 Presented by Queensland Olympic Council for outstanding sporting achievements, commendable, sporting behaviour and exemplary leadership to: Hayley Wright. Interhouse Overall Champion House for Sport – Cameron House
Fashion & Design Technologies – Food & Fibre
MRS MANDI-JOY MEISE, SUBJECT CO-ORDINATOR FASHION AND DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES
At its core, design is an inherently futurist medium - Maggie Gram Since the 1960s, design within the modernist movement often focused on the future, but how do we design for a future when perhaps it will not exist? If there has been one Fashion and Design lesson learned during lockdown, it is that climate change and a sustainable future are relevant driving forces in the creation of anything designed. Fashion has always been at the forefront of innovation, it is forwardlooking and cyclical (CBINSIGHTS, May 2021). Sustainability has become a crucial emerging trend within fashion, with sustainable products estimated to be worth over $130 billion of the market share. Consumers have had enough of the fast-fashion crises, with socially conscious fashionistas embracing the need of ‘slow fashion’. The younger generation appreciate the need for change, with 75% of millennials willing to change their shopping habits.
To support and equip our students with a deeper appreciation of this evolving cyclical trend and movement, Fairholme’s Fashion and Design classroom space provided a platform where students were encouraged to create design solutions, while also considering the human and environmental costs of their choices. From Year 7 Design all the way through to Year 12 Fashion, students studied the various sustainable approaches to design, regardless of the discipline. They looked deeply at each stage of production, thinking critically and developing, developing strategies and solutions that would ultimately change the linear approach of design to a circular cradle-to-cradle design approach and solution. These foundational design processes and thinking skills enhanced the students’ ability to solve problems, appreciate the opinions of others and stay connected to the ever-evolving world around them.
70+20+10 Academic Results
C
B
A
Year 12
This year the Year 12 cohort continued their journey in seeking excellence. HIGHLIGHTS Years 11 and 12 Fashion • Collections – Fairholme Spring Parade • Pattern Development • Photoshop for Fashion Design • Fashion Watch • Magazine Article • Individually You Years 8 – 10 Design Technologies Food and Fibre • Individual sustainable design challenges and products developed • Food Technology Year 7 Design • Design challenges around the fundamentals of Design • Production of aesthetic cushion and functional carry bag
We cannot live in the past, but the past lives in us. Charles Perkins, Indigenous Civil Rights Leader
Humanities
MS KIM SCUDAMORE, HEAD OF HUMANITIES
After the challenges of 2020 and periods of Learning from Holme, it was back to business as usual in the Fairholme Humanities Department in 2021, albeit with some adjustments necessary at times. Staff enjoyed myriad Professional Learning opportunities available via Zoom – a unexpected benefit of COVID-19 restrictions – from full conferences and international lectures to History Teachmeets, as well as ongoing sessions by QCAA to continue to build understandings of, and participation in, new Senior processes such as Endorsement, Confirmation and External Examinations. It was also a year of curriculum review and renewal, as a review of the Australia Curriculum was undertaken for Years 7 to 10 and feedback was sought on the new Senior syllabuses after their first two years of implementation. In 2021, Year 12 students completed the full range of internal assessment tasks for the first time, after one task had been cancelled due to 2020 lockdowns, and Fairholme was able to resume field trips for Geography students.
QUEENSLAND HISTORY TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION HISTORICAL WRITING COMPETITION PRIZE WINNERS • Emily Mailler (Year 11) – Winner of the Human Rights and Civil Liberties Prize for Years 11 and 12 • Emily Mailler (Year 11) – Third Prize Year 11 Modern History Research Essay • Erin Hoffensetz (Year 11) – Highly Commended Year 11 Modern History Research Essay • Holly Frey (Year 12) – First Prize Year 12 Modern History Source Investigation • Holly Frey (Year 12) – Second Prize Year 12 Modern History Research Essay • Mairead Webb (Year 12) – Highly Commended Year 12 Modern History Research Essay
HIGHLIGHTS
• • • •
• •
Commemoration of the Battle of Meewah (students from Years 7-12) Chorascape Enrichment Day (Year 7 English and Humanities) ‘Follow the Crowd’ program in Brisbane CBD (Year 9 Humanities) Forum with Toowoomba residents from refugee backgrounds (Year 10 Humanities) Brisbane Urban Study Field Trip to Fortitude Valley (Year 11 Geography) New Acland Mine Land Transformations Study Field Trip (Year 12 Geography)
Academic Results VHA 30%
Year 7 Humanities
VHA 21%
30+66+4
Year 8 Humanities
SA 4%
HA 66%
HA 63%
35+47+18I
34+55+11I SA 11%
Modern History
HA 28%
56+28+12+4I
VHA 56%
Year 11
Year 11
Ancient History
HA 29%
Geography
VHA 35%
SA 23%
HA 38%
VHA 50%
50+38+12I
SA 12%
20+50+30I VHA 20%
SA 30%
Year 12 Ancient History
HA 50%
HA 50%
Year 12 Geography
50+31+19I
35+42+23+ HA 42%
VHA 35%
HA 47%
Year 11
LA 4%
14+29+57I
Year 12 Modern History
Year 10 Humanities
SA 12%
VHA 14%
SA 57%
SA 18%
VHA 34%
Year 9 Humanities
HA 55%
21+63+16+I
SA 16%
LA 19%
SA 31%
Information Technology MR CHAU CHUC, HEAD OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
The Year 7 Digital Technologies course was extended this year to include the exploration of electronics, coding and general IT skills. These skills and knowledge have proven to be useful in other subject areas.
Academic Results
The Year 8 Digital Technologies course extended the Year 7 IT skills and knowledge in coding (using Python), Digital Systems, Video Production, Audio Production and Multimedia Production.
HA 26%
Year 7
The Year 11/12 ICT course was designed to allow students to develop general IT skills and prepare them for their initial year of tertiary studies. To achieve this, the subject includes core knowledge, understanding and skills relating to: • hardware • software • ICT in society. The core knowledge is explored through elective contexts that provide the flexibility needed to accommodate new technology and the wide range of interests and abilities of the students who study it. The electives in 2020/2021 included: • Graphic Design • Managing Data • Multimedia Production • 3D Modelling • The Science of Animation • Mechatronics.
69+26+5I 63+30+7I I 50 + 50 SA 5%
Digital Technologies
VHA 69%
SA 7%
HA 30%
Congratulations to the 2021 cohort of Year 12 Information and Communication Technology students. It is the smallest and the first cohort of ICT (or ITS) students to all achieve an A (at the end of Term 3).
Year 8
Digital Technologies
VHA 63%
VHA 50%
ITS AWARD 2021 Lucy Thomas
Year 12
HA 50%
Information Communication Technology
Languages
MRS JODY FRIEND, HEAD OF LOTE, HEAD OF BLACK HOUSE
We are proud to offer French, French Extension, German and Japanese to students at Fairholme as the College recognises the importance of language learning and sees the acquisition of additional languages as a vital skill. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Senior teachers of French, German and Japanese have taken on the following roles as part of the QCAA system: Jody Friend/Lead Endorser Confirmer Marker (EA) Dorothy Erdelyi/Endorser Confirmer An Van Cauwenberge/Confirmer Marker Participation in these events provides invaluable professional development and helps in preparing senior students to achieve their best in both internal and external assessment. HIGHLIGHTS Language Perfect was used successfully by students of French and German. Students of French participated in a Bastille Day lunch. Staff ran some enjoyable sessions with incoming students as part of the Orientation Program in September.
Learning another language is like becoming another person.
FRENCH Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11
38 57 570+ 380 +505 + 11 59 30 590+ 300 +110 39 58 580+ 390 +303 60 27 13 600+ 270 +130 78 11 11 +110 780+ 110
Haruki Murakami
JAPANESE
Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11
19 54 4 3 27 540+ 270 +190 46 18 4 12 42 460+ 420 +120 58 34 330 +808 v 580+ 50 17 33 500+ 330 +170 100 1000
GERMAN Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11
36 60 600+ 360 +404 61 29 610+ 290 +10010 29 71 710+ 290 71 29 710+ 290 25 75 750+ 250
A
B
C
Mathematics
ACHIEVEMENTS
KARLEIGH NICHOLLS – HEAD OF MATHEMATICS
ICAS awards Merit: Yr 7 – Lily Martin Yr 8 – Amelia Bryant-Peterson Credit: Yr 7 - Rhea Desai, Alexandra Edwards, Eva Lancaster, Claire Murphy, Serah Vimal, Emily Wade Yr 8 - Lara Ecroyd, Lucy Kilner Yr 9 - Ankita Sajjan Yr 10 – Julia Rathie, Isabelle Watts Distinction: Yr 8 – Chanudi Dissanayake, Ariel Qiu Yr 10 – Lilly Biernoff
When students make a mistake in math, their brain confidence to voice more queries in class and grows, synapses fire, and connections are made. further engage with content.’ Dr Jo Boaler Continuing to build safe environments for our In order to make mistakes, students need to feel students will remain a focus for our Department. comfortable in their learning environment. In our Mathematics classrooms this is a focus for our In the last week of Term 4 the Mathematics Department, ensuring the girls feel comfortable Department held a Maths Exploration Day. expressing their ideas and solutions in group and This was an opportunity for the Year 7 cohort individual situations. When students were asked to explore Mathematics through a range of different activities. The girls used logical thinking how they feel in their Mathematics classroom, to code a Rover, explored number patterns and they responded as follows: card games, used algorithms to find their ideal friend, based on values, and engaged with paper ‘In my math class I feel free to explore new concepts in a judgement-free zone with likeplanes to evaluate specific criteria relevant to our Senior Assessment. The girls had an minded peers. I’m not afraid to admit I don’t enjoyable morning and we hope to run a similar understand something.’ event next year. ‘The support within the classroom environment significantly altered how I learned and practised Maths this year. I feel the class size helped develop a stronger connection between the students and the teacher; and, I feel, this relationship has helped me to develop the
QAMT 7/8 Mathematics Quiz We had three teams participate and the top team progressed to the Regional Final, where our team placed 2nd overall. Well done to Rhea Desai, Ariel Qui and Lilli Hamilton on placing second in the region.
28+47+23+2 36+48+16 29+42+29 5+56+39 31+32+31+6 50+50 Academic Results
28% 47%
23%
2%
36% 48%
Year 7
16%
29% 42% 29%
Year 8
31%
5% 56% 39%
Year 9 Essential Mathematics
Year 9 General Mathematics
32%
31%
6%
50% 50%
Year 9 Mathematical Methods
Year 10 Essential Mathematics
15+44+27+10+4 35+49+16 47+53 20+51+25+4 28+48+17+7 30+40+20+10 38+46+12+4 304624 195031 5842 15%
44%
27% 10%
Year 10 General Mathematics
4%
35%
49% 16%
47% 53%
Year 10 Mathematical Methods
Year 11 Essential Mathematics
20%
51% 25% 4%
Year 11 General Mathematics
28%
48%
17%
Year 11 Mathematical Methods
A
38%
46%
12% 4%
Year 12 Essential Mathematics
30%
46%
24%
Year 12 General Mathematics
19%
50%
31%
Year 12 Mathematics Methods
58% 42%
Year 12 Specialist Mathematics
7%
30% 40% 20% 10%
Year 11 Specialist Methods
B
C
D
Greta Centre
MS LIBBY HOBSON, CO-ORDINATOR GRETA SENIOR LIBRARY
At the end of 2020 I described the Greta Senior Library as ‘the personification of the educational lessons learnt in 2020 – while the Digital Age provides us with endless possibilities in experiences and information, the reality of quality education is about meaningful relationships and connecting with others which the Greta Senior Library provides.’ In 2021 the Library in the Greta Statham building continued to be a place that not only provides vital educational resources to assist our Fairholme girls achieve their best learning outcomes; the Greta Library also continues to be an important part of the Fairholme community where girls gather not only for study, but also for recreation as can be clearly seen in the photos above. We are truly thankful for the generous donations from our P & F that enabled the purchase of furniture to facilitate the girls’ relaxation and enjoyment while congregating with their friends in the library. POPULAR READS Our most popular Fiction novel in 2021 was The Case of The Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer, which is the first in a six-book series, and the same book which provided the basis for the Netflix movie. This year the second most borrowed book was One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus, followed by Divergent by Virginia Roth which thus pushed last year’s third place book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, back to fourth position. The most borrowed author was Jackie French, followed by Rich Riordan and then Anh Do. The most popular author from the Senior Fiction shelves was Jennifer Niven, with two of her novels making the top ten and occupying the top position
with Holding Up The Universe. In 2021 the most popular Biography was Mao’s Last Dancer by Li Cunxin, and the second most popular was Cathy Freeman’s Born to Run. The Greta Library loaned 4,330 physical books in 2021. There has been a 500 hundred percent increase in borrowings for eBooks from Wheelers over the last two years, with the number of loans in 2021 more than doubling the loans for the previous year. The number of patrons using ebooks has grown from 12 in 2019 to 80 in 2021. The most popular book borrowed was the Karen McManus murder mystery, One of Us is Lying. More than 18 patrons averaged a minimum of 10 ebooks over the year, with the top ebook borrower in Year 8 recording 216 loans. VORACIOUS READING In 2021, 7-2 was the class who borrowed the most novels followed closely by 7-1 and then 7-5. The Year 12 cohort borrowed the most Non-Fiction books which probably reflects their assignment requirements. PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE The Middle School participated in the 2021 Queensland Premier’s Reading Challenge, which requires students to read 15 books over a period of three months. This year we had more girls than the previous year who managed to complete the challenge by reading a minimum of 15 books; however, special mention must be made of Year 9 students Bella Ryrie and Kadence Wilson who managed to read over 100 books in this time frame. Girls who completed the challenge were awarded a certificate signed by the Premier, at an Assembly in Term 4.
God | Respect | Enjoyment | Teamwork | Aspiration
RESEARCH DATABASES Our students can directly access quality academic research articles via database subscriptions such as EBSCO and JSTOR; or they may also indirectly search through these databases using a the Onesearch function within our Library Catalogue AccessIT. There were 2,905 requests for full-text documents through the EBSCO database which were downloaded, and the most searched subject area was Science. In JSOTR there were 9,737 requests for fulltext documents. CLICKVIEW In 2020 over 7,000 videos were viewed and in 2021 this number rose to a staggering 18,000 plus – showing that Clickview is both an important learning tool and a recreational option. The most watched videos were Bride and Prejudice (Year 12 English, Unit 3 task comparison of the film with Pride and Prejudice) Gone & Blood Ties Episode 1 of Mystery Road (Year 11 English written online article task) and Hercules (Year 7 English Myth Unit). I must conclude by thanking Mrs Antoinette Porter, who sadly left us due to ill health at the end of Term 2 after her many years of work in the Senior Greta Library. The smooth running of the library in the Greta Senior Library can be attributed to the experience of our continuing staff, Mrs Ann Peacock and Mrs Janelle Powers, who joined us in Term 3. These two ladies go above and beyond to help make the Greta Library a vibrant and inviting learning space for our girls.
Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. Kofi Annan
Greta Junior
MRS PAM STAINS, HEAD OF GRETA JUNIOR
Our aim in Greta Junior is simple – to ensure that every girl experiences the gift of reading. It is both a privilege and a task that we take seriously, as we believe that girls who do not enjoy reading simply have not found the right book, yet. We were fortunate in 2021 to experience once again many of the wonderful opportunities and richness that libraries bring to primary schools, most notably the beloved Book Week. Our Junior School came alive during our Book Week Character Dress-Up Day, with a purpose of sharing in the joy of reading, and most importantly, having fun. 2021 HIGHLIGHTS • National Simultaneous Story Time where all students from Kindy – Year 2 enjoyed listening to Give me some Space! • Book Fair • Book Week ‘Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds’ • Perform! Education Book Week Performance ‘Bigger, Better, Brighter’ • Visiting Author Deano Yipadee
TOP 10 BORROWERS IN 2021 Lily Gips (4) – 133 Naomi Cray (5) – 126 Amelia Rawle (Prep) – 120 Charlotte Moore-Barnard (3) – 119 Grace Loughlin (3) – 118 Grace Carrigan (5) – 116 Amelia Kingsford (Prep) – 116 Elizabeth Loughlin (3) – 115 Juliet Rawle (Prep) – 115 Caitlyn-Rose Rieck (Prep) – 113 Loved children’s author, Mem Fox, has devised a list of ‘Read aloud commandments,’ for parents when reading to their children, and I have included five for you to enjoy: 1. Spend at least ten wildly happy minutes every single day reading aloud. 2. Read aloud with animation. Listen to your own voice and don’t be dull, or flat, or boring. 3. Hang loose and be loud, have fun and laugh a lot. 4. Let children hear lots of language by talking to them constantly about the pictures, or anything else connected to the books.s 5. Look for rhyme, rhythm or repetition in books for young children, and make sure the books are short.
MOST POPULAR BOOKS BORROWED IN 2021 Kindy N – Crocodile Beat Kindy H – Love from the very hungry caterpillar Prep – Sebastian lives in a hat Year 1 – Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas Year 2 – Matilda Year 3 – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Year 4 – Diary of a Wimpy Kid – The Getaway Year 5.1 – Sisters Year 5.2 – Into the Wild Year 6.1 – Sick Bay Year 6.2 – The Water Horse
When I say to a parent, ‘read to a child’. I don’t want it to sound like medicine. I want it to sound like chocolate.
Mem Fox
Science
MRS FRAN BRAZIER, HEAD OF SCIENCE
2021 saw the implementation of the new Year 10 Science program, to give students a ‘taste’ of each of the senior Sciences offered by the College (Agriculture/Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Psychology) and to introduce the types of assessment students will encounter in those subjects in Year 11 and 12. This amended program assists students with their subject choices for their senior years of schooling. The department introduced a Year 9 Agriculture elective, developed by Miss Lucy Easton, and saw the expansion of the Agriculture facilities at the College, with a second Ag plot for field studies. A ‘STEM afternoons’ extra-curricular opportunity was offered by Ms Mary Timmer to all Middle School girls to promote their developing interest and enjoyment of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects: • teaching coding • promoting innovative design and construction. This project was in response to the Australian Government Department of Education and Training ‘Restoring the focus on STEM in schools’ initiative. The department continues to utilise more Information and Communications Technology, specifically the ‘MyFairholme’ Learning Management System platform, for the improved design and delivery of engaging learning across Science subjects and to enhance student-teacher communication within these subjects. Also, the extensive use of data loggers enables in-depth data analysis of student
experiments. As always, our aim is to immerse the students in the Engineering Design Process that incorporates innovative, analytical and critical thinking to solve problems in collaborative teams.
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). The intent of the conference was to connect students with inspiring industry role models, participate in handson STEAM activities, create networks and solve real-life design challenges.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES BEYOND THE • CLASSROOM • Year 8 Science Excursion to the Old Toowoomba Basalt Quarry. A Principal Resource Officer from the Toowoomba Regional Council Construction and Maintenance unit explained aspects of the proposed rehabilitation of the site. The field excursion enabled the girls to • collect data for their Earth Science Unit assessment task for Term 4.
High Achieving Year 9 and 10 students competed in the Science and Engineering Challenge. The day provided participants with a positive experience of Science and Engineering and an opportunity to extend their learning in hands-on group-directed activities.
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Year 9 Science students investigated whether small solar panels are a feasible option to help solve energy poverty. The ‘SolarBuddy’ School Program culminated in students providing SolarBuddy solar lights to students living in energy poverty throughout the South Pacific, South-East Asia and Africa, to study after dusk.
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Year 9 Agriculture Elective Local Agricultural Industry Tour provided students with the opportunity to learn about the different industries and the variety of careers in Agriculture and Agribusiness. Visits included a Cotton Gin and Feedlots.
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Spark EDU Conference opportunity for inspiring and engaging forward-thinking Middle School students in STEAM
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The 3-day Year 9 Camp at Hastings Point in Northern NSW involved studying rocky shore, beach, and mangrove ecosystems, and human impact on these areas. The Camp provided students with the opportunity to practise field skills used in Senior Biology (e.g. data loggers, organism distribution patterns and field sketches). Students also enjoyed a morning of beach safety activities organised by the Cabarita Surf Life Saving Club. Year 11 Biology field studies in the local area are mandatory in the new Senior Biology Syllabus and involve students using and analysing authentic data. The studies included the classification of ecosystems and determining species diversity.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Junior Academic Results
20+61+19 31+56+13 44+46+10 27+48+25+ 21+39+33+2+5 15%
44%
27%
Year 8
Year 7
Year 9
Year 9 Agriculture
Year 10 General
Senior Academic Results
27+ I 5 23 + 45 11+ I 3 52 + 34 7+71+22I 23+69+8I 9+57+295I A 7%
D 3%
C 22%
Year 11 Agricultural Science
C 52%
A 11%
Year 11 Biology
C 23%
B 34%
A 23%
Year 11 Physics
D 5%
C 29%
B 45%
A 9%
Year 11 Psychology
B 69%
Accolades/Competitions Jemima Brodie and Chloe Randall attended the 2021 National Youth Science Forum in January. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the sessions were held at Brisbane universities this year, instead of in Canberra. This Forum provides valuable opportunities for students interested in a career in Science, Technology and/or Engineering. The girls attended lectures (including a lecture with Dr Karl, discussing the COVID vaccine) and practical activities (including making a Bionic arm). Mahsa Nabizada and Yalhaz Wahab are to be congratulated on their selection to attend the 2022 National Youth Science Forum.
A 27%
Year 11 Chemistry
B 71%
C 8%
D 5%
B 57%
Mahsa Nabizada attended the QUT Future You Stem Summit in Toowoomba in December. This program is set to teach students the importance of a STEM mindset, helping to guide a new generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to build the jobs of Australia’s future. Students had access to real-world, industryaligned learning to shape their mindsets and skillsets as they plan their own career paths. In 2021 International Competitions and Assessments for Schools – Science Competition, one High Distinction, two Distinctions, four Credits and two Merit Certificates were awarded to Fairholme students. Again, this year’s participation was on a voluntary basis.
Certificate of High Distinction Year 7 – Claire Murphy Certificates of Distinction Year 8 – Chanudi Dissanayake Year 10 – Lilly Biernoff
A B C D E
Service
MS CATRINA SHARP, DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
‘Speaking peace’ to others has absolutely been in the form of service again in 2021. This has been particularly important in a year when we all, doubtlessly and understandably, believed that we would be back to the routines of the past. Alas, no. Thus, serving others and tending to their needs was so vital. I will hold my hand out to you speak the peace you long to hear.[1] SERVICE LEARNING The Year 12 Leadership Committees are a force. Across many areas of College life, our Senior Leaders invested time and genuine care to enrich the lives of others. The connections, understanding, enrichment and empathy this work prompts is vital in our community and will no doubt blossom again in the communities to which our graduating seniors will belong in the future. We thank and congratulate the girls and staff sincerely for their following fields: Communication, Culture, Innovation, Junior School, Middle School, Ministry, Environment, Restorative Practice, Pastoral Care in each House, Wellness and Teaching and Learning. THE COLLEGE INTERACT CLUB The College Interact Club Board, led expertly and sensitively by President and Prefect for Service, Jemima Brodie, carried out many activities which raised awareness and funds to support a variety of organisations. Beyond our own community, the following groups were among those supported by the Club: Share the Dignity, Queensland Medical Research
Institute; Rosies Friends on the Street. In 2021, our connection with the Rotary Club of Toowomba was strengthened further and we particularly acknowledge the support of liaison officer, Rotarian Mr Tim Davis. WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE The Senior Leaders again formed an impressive team of participants in the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave campaign. Raising more than $68,000, the girls were determined to do all they could to provide financial support so the Foundation could assist practically, medically and emotionally. Bravo, brave girls! ROSIES FRIENDS ON THE STREET 2021 was our fifth year working with Rosies Friends on the Street. Our support this year was very much in the provision of foodstuffs so the official Rosies teams could continue to support the patrons each Sunday morning, during another COVID year. We remain grateful for the support of our key Rosies friends, Fay and Jim Stein, who supported our College Team so closely and so well. SONY FOUNDATION’S CHILDREN’S HOLIDAY CAMP In September, a group of Year 11 girls supported young children with special needs over the four days of the annual Sony Foundation Holiday Camp. Four Year 12 girls assisted in leading the Year 11 group of carers during the camp. The structure may have been a little different this year; however, the experiences of selflessness,
unconditional love, humility and joy clearly remained as strong as ever before. TONY’S KITCHEN Supporting local organisation, Tony’s Kitchen, our Year 9 girls have cooked each week to provide many, many meals for use by the organisation to support homeless and disadvantaged people in our local area. Time spent preparing hearty food meant families in Toowoomba needing extra care could be offered nutritious and substantial meals to nourish them and their children. YEAR 11 SERVICE PROJECT AND MORNING OF SERVICE The Year 11 Christian Education curriculum held a focus on service. Thus, the girls were challenged to find someone or some people in their lives who might be enriched by extra and well-considered care. The girls developed their own project, tapping into people and groups already important to their lives, or reaching out to new friends to support. Based in many of our boarding centres, and locally, the girls took time to connect with others and invest time to augment the life experience of friends old and new. Selfless gestures are part of daily life; considered and intentional care of others is cultural. [1] ‘The Servant Song’ by Richard Gillard
Pastoral Care All staff at the College are pastoral carers; in our many different roles and varied interactions with the girls, we strive to ensure the girls’ safety – physically and emotionally - and to support the development of their identity and sense of belonging, whilst honouring their passions, strengths and personal journey. We acknowledge this is key to allowing them to engage fully and successfully in their learning experiences.
Chapel together and work with their entire House each week. Beyond that, they celebrate together, encourage, support and share the journey together, just like a family.
‘A supportive and proactive learning environment promotes inclusion and collaboration’[1] and thus, in turn, effective care makes meaningful learning possible.
The College actively pursues excellence in this field in both the day school and within the boarding community. A purposeful approach to this care is led collaboratively by The Wellness Team - a staff group whose expertise spans emotional, academic, health, boarding and spiritual care. Our dynamic approach promotes inclusivity and finds foundation in a restorative approach to managing relationships within a community.
We recognise that effective pastoral care is important to the girls’ learning and something they all deserve from our community. We purposefully craft small family units – Holme Groups – in which girls interact with others from their Middle or Senior School each day, in some fashion. These small groups attend Assembly and
Holme Groups undertake House-based projects throughout the year and devise their own activities to complement these. Groups work together towards our spirited Interhouse sport carnivals and cultural competitions each year. These shared activities are critical to a strong sense of belonging and genuine connections across a
broad range of girls in the Middle and Senior School. Throughout 2021, our Year 12 Leaders were absolutely vital to House and Holme Group connections, to establishing and sustaining a sense of identity and belonging, and supporting and recognising the accomplishments of the girls. Their purposeful care of the House – girls and staff – was most effective and truly commendable. This work is at the heart of the precious Fairholme spirit. [1] Practice Principles for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Victorian State Government.
Learning Pathways
MS ARLIE HOLLINDALE, CO-ORDINATOR OF LEARNING PATHWAYS
CLEARING THE PATH AHEAD... There’s no such thing as a clear pathway.
Guy Laliberte
In 2021, Fairholme students accessed a plethora of unique opportunities, to explore their pathway interests in a supported, structured program. The dynamic learning journey of industry-based experiences, tertiaryequivalent study, online study strategies and authentic work placement, sees our students explore areas of career interest, as well as gain nationally-recognised qualifications; all whilst contributing to their ATAR and QCE. Direct entrance pathways to tertiary and postsecondary study complement and enhance our students opportunities, as well as gain them an employment advantage. The overabundance of choice through direct partnership with local, interstate and intrastate training providers, within our 2021 Pathway Programs, rivals no other Independent school in Queensland. Forging new networks and creating leading learning experiences guarantees that our program remains at the forefront of relevant education and training standards. Fairholme College is continuing to clear the path for our students, to ensure they are ahead of their counterparts as they travel through their Senior schooling journey.
The Health Pathway Program proved the most sought-after learning experience in 2021. Enhancing the program with further off-campus experience at SQRH, Lifeflight and USQ allowed our students to upskill to a tertiary level within the Health industries. Whilst COVID-19 restrictions created an unprecedented challenge in accessing relevant hospital placements, our partnership with the Mater Hospital in Brisbane secured this opportunity for our students; an opportunity unique to Fairholme. Immunisations, serology testing, COVID-19 vaccinations; all mandatory Qld health regulations were followed within our own Health Hub, by our students. To enhance the existing sought-after Health program, another pioneering school program was developed in 2021. Through partnership with local medical training facility, Rural Medical Education Australia (RMEA), formerly QRME, our Fairholme students were the first to access the opportunity to study a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance. Including 120 hours of practical placement within the areas of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Dietetics and Nutrition, Podiatry, Speech
Pathology, Exercise Physiology and Audiology, this qualification has been identified as the most relevant level of study aligned to the Allied Health Assistant roles within organisations such as State-funded health facilities and Residential Aged Care Facilities. School-based Traineeships in Individual Support (Aged Care) were also completed with AVEO, Toowoomba. Animal Studies was reintroduced in 2021; as a pre-requisite for studying Vet Nursing, this VETiS-funded qualification proved popular with our students. Students explored the care of domestic animals, including dogs, cats and birds, as well as handling reptiles and captive animals. A highlight of the program was the Animal Encounters at the Darling Downs Zoo which included feeding and handling Marmosets, Meerkats, Giraffes, Zebras and Big Cats. The Aviation program sees students study for the Certificate III in Aviation (RePL) and CASA licence and allows them to gain commercial, financial income from flying a drone. Flying experiences locally on our own oval and in Highfields were coupled with trips to Brendale Flying Fields in Brisbane, to complete
the minimum five hours of supervised flying time under instruction. With visitations from FlyArmy to explore aviation careers within the Defence Force and heading to USQ to learn about their Bachelor of Aviation and Qantas Pilot Program, the Aviation girls now hold an incredibly transferable qualification for careers not just within the Aviation Industry, but also in Paramedicine, Agriculture, Life Saving, Defence Force, Real Estate, Photography, Creative Arts…to name just a few. Both Music and Dance were studied for the first time in 2021, and it is refreshing to see two new local providers offering this opportunity to Toowoomba students explore pathways into the Creative Arts Industry. Other 2021 programs which continue to develop employment opportunity and tertiary access for our students were Education Support, Fitness, Early Education, Hospitality, Business, Beauty and Make-up, Crime and Justice, Events, Agriculture, Medical Administration, Rural Operations, Social Media and Marketing, and Electro-technology.
2021 Specialist Elective Enrolments (by demand)
Health and Allied Health 38 Animal Studies 20 Education Support 20 Business 12 Crime and Justice 9 Fitness 9 Aviation 8 Early Education 7 Hospitality, Tourism and Events 7 Agriculture (Traineeship) 6 Social Media and Marketing 4 Beauty and Make-up 2 Dentistry (Traineeship) 2 Electro-technology 2 Individual Support (Aged Care Traineeship) 2 Rural Operations 2 Dance 1 Medical Administration (Traineeship) 1 Music 1 Retail (Traineeship) 1
Information Technology Services MR CHAU CHUC, HEAD OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
IT Services worked with other stake holders to implement systems to enhance communications and support educational outcomes for all students. This year, significant deployments include parent access to myFairholme, News (Happenings at Holme) and Arrival/Departure terminals for students to sign in and out digitally. Led by our new Head of Senior School, Mr Tom McCormick, is Fairholme’s new learning data analysis system that will provide insights into students’ learning. The quantitative data will inform the determination of the best ways to support and enhance an individual student’s progress. A new live streaming platform (Vimeo) was deployed this year to secure video streams to parents, thus allowing us to offer high-quality live streams that comply with copyright obligations. This year, more live-streaming events were offered than in any other year. This allowed parents to stay informed and involved. It is particularly important for boarding parents who live too far away to attend all events in person. Our experienced, dedicated IT Services staff continued to provide helpdesk services, systems engineering and systems administration services. We are particularly proud of our ability to support student learning. The support to students is in high demand and easy to access via phone, online, email or in person. Listed below are some facts and figures for the technically minded. Email and Internet Traffic: • Average number of incoming and outgoing ‘good’ emails per month: 139,666
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Average number of blocked incoming emails (spam, phishing or infected) per month: 39,666 Average volume of data downloaded from the internet per month: 13TB
Helpdesk Services: • Average number of helpdesk jobs per month (separate from laptop services): 2230 • Average number of battery swapand-go services per day: 96 • Average laptop, hardware, general end-user services per month (free technical support such as data recovery, insurance claims or warranty claims): 210 Hardware Infrastructure includes: • Data projectors, including interactive models (87) • Display panels, including interactive models (5) • Fibre links (10G capable) (9) • Interactive whiteboards (13) • Internet (WAN) link – University of Queensland’s UQSchoolsnet 1 gigabit symmetric ethernet internet connection through fibre (1) • iPads (35) • Laptops and desktops (927) • Logitech Group video conferencing system (1) • Network storage (230TB) • Network switches (71) • Physical servers (8) • Polycom Video Conferencing system (1) • Printers (95) • Scanners (3) • Server infrastructure backbone link (10G) • virtual servers (24) • Wireless infrastructure – Xirrus dual radio ‘AC’ wireless access points (118)
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Wireless infrastructure – Xirrus outdoor extended range antennae panels (4) Wireless infrastructure – Xirrus quad radio ‘AC’ arrays (4)
Software and Online infrastructure includes: • Access-it Library • Adobe Creative Cloud • Cambridge • Checkpoint (Firewall) • Clickview • Education Perfect • EVA Check In • Exchange 2016 • Exchange Online • Family Zone (Internet Management Platform) • Freshdesk (helpdesk software) • Hyper-V (server virtualisation) • Microsoft 365 (previously called Office 365) • myFairholme (Schoolbox, 5th year of deployment) • Nelson • Obook • OnGuard • Pearson Places • Reach Boarding • Remote Desktop Gateway • Single Sign On • Sophos (antivirus) • Stile • Synergetic (school management software) • TrackOne • Wheelers • Windows 10 Education (64 bit) • Windows Server 2019 • Vimeo • Zoom • Turnitin
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