Figtree High School
Encyclopedia
Figtree High School is a comprehensive public high school located on Gibsons Road in Figtree
, a suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales
, Australia.
and attended classes in seven portable buildings in the grounds of Dapto High School. Construction finally finished in July 1969, being announced "Australia's most modern high school" by the local newspaper
, and students re-located back to their new building in Gibsons Road.
The school was built to be within sight of the famous, historic Figtree
, adopting it as its emblem. But in 1987, the tree was removed as a safety precaution and a new fig tree was planted in 1997. Of the original 242 students enrolled in 1969, 87 elected to enter the Senior School and completed their Higher School Certificate in 1974. Figtree High School now has approximately 1100 in enrolment.
Since then, Figtree High School has taken part each year, but in 2008 won first position. This took the team of students (ranging from Years 10 to 12) to the next stage, the Global Enterprise Challenge, where they won second place to New Zealand. The challenge involved designing and implementing a system to aid water conservation around the world. Figtree's design, the 'Hydro Shift Program', was a household water usage monitor, that allowed users to set goals to reduce their consumption and water bills. Twelve other countries including Germany, Norway, Wales and the United States of America also took part. This position was the highest to be received by any Australian team in the global stage of the competition.
The school has also been involved in a number of exchange programs. A number of students within the school undertaking language courses have won ten week scholarships to Germany, and other students have travelled to South Korea.
Figtree, New South Wales
Figtree is an inner western suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is southwest of West Wollongong and connected to Wollongong by the Princes Highway and The Avenue....
, a suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia.
History
Figtree High School was established in 1969, with 242 First Form students enrolling as the first students to attend. The first principal of the school was Ken Brokenshire, with Robert Everitt, the Deputy Principal and nine assistant teachers. Because construction of the school was not finished at the time, students and teachers borrowed furniture from Dapto High SchoolDapto High School
Dapto High School is a high school located in Dapto, New South Wales, Australia. It was opened in 1958 and has around 935 students enrolled. The current principal is Mr Andrew FitzSimons....
and attended classes in seven portable buildings in the grounds of Dapto High School. Construction finally finished in July 1969, being announced "Australia's most modern high school" by the local newspaper
Illawarra Mercury
The Illawarra Mercury is the only daily newspaper in Wollongong, the third largest city in the State of New South Wales, Australia. It has been published since 1855, making it one of Australia's oldest newspapers...
, and students re-located back to their new building in Gibsons Road.
The school was built to be within sight of the famous, historic Figtree
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
, adopting it as its emblem. But in 1987, the tree was removed as a safety precaution and a new fig tree was planted in 1997. Of the original 242 students enrolled in 1969, 87 elected to enter the Senior School and completed their Higher School Certificate in 1974. Figtree High School now has approximately 1100 in enrolment.
Staff
The current principal of Figtree High School is Carol Marshman, with the current two Deputy Principals being Raechell McCarthy and Jennifer French. There are 52 classroom teachers and a total of approximately 100 staff members. Many staff members are behaviour teachers, physical disability teachers and school assistants.Enterprise Education
In 1999, the school was a part of Australian Business Week, where students would form 'companies' and run a four million dollar business for a simulated two year period.Since then, Figtree High School has taken part each year, but in 2008 won first position. This took the team of students (ranging from Years 10 to 12) to the next stage, the Global Enterprise Challenge, where they won second place to New Zealand. The challenge involved designing and implementing a system to aid water conservation around the world. Figtree's design, the 'Hydro Shift Program', was a household water usage monitor, that allowed users to set goals to reduce their consumption and water bills. Twelve other countries including Germany, Norway, Wales and the United States of America also took part. This position was the highest to be received by any Australian team in the global stage of the competition.
Sport
Figtree High School has also been noted for its achievements in sport, sending many representative teams and individuals for state competitions within New South Wales. Students have respresented Australia in sports such as athletics, rguby league, swimming, water polo, basketball, tennis and snow sports.Extra-Curricular
Figtree High School has also organised a number of overseas study tours for those students undertaking ancient history. This has involved trips with staff and keen family members to relevant locations within Italy and Greece.The school has also been involved in a number of exchange programs. A number of students within the school undertaking language courses have won ten week scholarships to Germany, and other students have travelled to South Korea.
Music, Dance and Drama
Figtree High School has put on a number of musical productions including the 2008 production of "The Course of True Love", written by a teacher at the school and the 2010 production of "Grease: The Musical".Media
In March 2011, the Illawarra Mercury reported that students at the school had been banned from hugging on school grounds. Despite denials from the school, students insisted this was what had been stated at the school assembly. It is not known if this rule has been enforced.Notable alumni
- Stephen BlackStephen BlackStephen Black is an Australian former professional basketball player who last played for the Cairns Taipans of the NBL. He is the son of Alan Black...
- former NBL basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player (Year 12 1996) - Dan Bradley - NovaNova (radio network)Nova is a name given to a group of Australian radio stations. The group comprises five stations all owned by DMG Radio Australia, apart from the Perth station, which is a joint venture between DMG and the Australian Radio Network....
Group Program Director (Year 10 1986) - David Farmer - Current CEO of Wollongong City Council (Year 12 1981)
- Brian HetheringtonBrian HetheringtonBrian Hetherington is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played in the New South Wales Rugby League competition. He primarily played in the centres...
- former professional rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player, state representative - Garry JackGarry JackGarry Jack is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative in the Australian national team and star player with the Balmain Tigers. Jack was a for the Tigers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, under the captaincy of Wayne Pearce and the coaching of Warren Ryan...
- former professional rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player player, national representative (Year 12 1978) - Phil JaquesPhil JaquesPhilip Anthony Jaques is an Australian cricketer. He is a left-handed opening batsman who has played first-class cricket for New South Wales, Northamptonshire, Yorkshire and Worcestershire, as well as international cricket for Australia...
- former Australian cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er (Year 12 1996) - Ashley PaskeAshley PaskeAshley Paske and educated at Figtree High School is an actor, best known for his role in the television series Neighbours...
- former actor in NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
now voiceover professional (Year 10 1986) - Steve Roach - former professional rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player, national representative - Jason RylesJason RylesJason Ryles is an Australian rugby league player. He has played in the National Rugby League for the Sydney Roosters and the St. George Illawarra Dragons and in Europe's Super League for the Catalans Dragons. He is contracted to play for the Melbourne Storm from 2012...
- professional rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player, national representative (Year 12 1996) - Paul Stanhope - music composer (Year 12 1987)
- Carolyn Watson - Conductor and Music Educator