Forest High School (New South Wales)
Encyclopedia
The Forest High School, (abbreviation TFHS) is a government day school located in Frenchs Forest
, Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia, on Frenchs Forest Road. It is a co-educational secondary school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education with students ranging from years 7 to 12. The school was established in 1961 as a secondary school for the Northern Beaches area. Students at the school come from the North Shore
and Northern Beaches regions. The School is also notable in being one of the few that offer optional single-sex classes in Junior years, in subjects where it has shown that boys and girls progress at a different rates and ability. The Forest High School is highly regarded for its performing arts. The Forest High has a school musical each year sponsored by Optus
, School orchestra which plays at Sydney Kings
matches and numerous Drama and performance nights.
, Beacon Hill
and Terrey Hills.
On 31 January 1961 Stage One of the building was completed and The Forest High School opened for "education" with an initial enrolment of 318 students and a staff of 14 teachers under the principalship of Mr. E.G. Bell. The school motto Spectemur Agendo
- let us be judged by our actions - was chosen by the pioneer students and staff. The school crest was designed by the art teacher.
By 1963 Stage Three of the building program was completed with the three major blocks and enrolments had increased to 963 students. This year also saw the completion of the Assembly Hall in time for the second annual Speech Night on the 9th April. In May of that year students presented audiences with the musical "Puss in Boots". The School magazine, "Yarrabee", was first issued in the same year.
By 1964 it was considered that the school had reached the level necessary for an official opening. This occurred on Saturday 24 October 1964. The opening was attended by the NSW Director-General of Education, Dr Harold Wyndham
, the Member for Wakehurst
, Dick Healey
, the NSW Minister for Education, Ernest Wetherell
, and was officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales, Lieutenant-General Sir Eric Woodward
.
The 1960s witnessed the beginnings of the musical program of The Forest High School with the formation of the school orchestra, band and choir. Debating and public speaking also started during this time.The Forest high won major trophies in 1963 for Inter Zone Junior in athletics and swimming. In 1969 D block and the gymnasium were opened to accommodate the growing number of students.The final stage of building was completed in 1976 with the opening of the Library.
Former houses
Setting our eyes ever upward
We of the Forest High
Look to the towering tree tops
Straining towards the sky
And we will strive ever hoping
That each may achieve their goal
In work and in play together
For the Forest, green, red and gold
Some of us strive for Coolabah
Boronia and Waratah too
Others will fight for Kurrajong
Each to his house is true
But we all stand united
When the deeds of the school are told
Our pride will live on forever
In the Forest green, red and gold
There will be different faces
As the long years roll by
Others will take our places
Bearing the torch on high
But no matter where we may tarry
We'll remember the friends of old
Still in our hearts we'll carry
The Forest green, red and gold
Frenchs Forest, New South Wales
-Commercial areas:Forestway shopping centre is at the intersection of Forestway and Warringah Roads. During the 1960s and 1970s, this centre had the name Arndale...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, 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, on Frenchs Forest Road. It is a co-educational secondary school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education with students ranging from years 7 to 12. The school was established in 1961 as a secondary school for the Northern Beaches area. Students at the school come from the North Shore
North Shore (Sydney)
The North Shore is an informal term used to describe the primarily residential area of northern metropolitan Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The term usually refers to the suburbs located on the north shore of Sydney Harbour between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River, up to...
and Northern Beaches regions. The School is also notable in being one of the few that offer optional single-sex classes in Junior years, in subjects where it has shown that boys and girls progress at a different rates and ability. The Forest High School is highly regarded for its performing arts. The Forest High has a school musical each year sponsored by Optus
Optus
SingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications...
, School orchestra which plays at Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...
matches and numerous Drama and performance nights.
History
The formation of The Forest High School was the result of a campaign by a representative body known as The Forest High School Promotion Committee formed on 1 November 1958. The committee members were anxious to have established a co-educational high school that would cater for the educational needs of the suburbs of Frenchs Forest, ForestvilleForestville, New South Wales
Forestville is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Forestville is located 15 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Warringah Council...
, Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill, New South Wales
Beacon Hill is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Beacon Hill is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Warringah Council and is part of the Northern Beaches region.-History:Beacon Hill was...
and Terrey Hills.
On 31 January 1961 Stage One of the building was completed and The Forest High School opened for "education" with an initial enrolment of 318 students and a staff of 14 teachers under the principalship of Mr. E.G. Bell. The school motto Spectemur Agendo
Spectemur agendo
-Source:It comes originally from Book XIII of Ovid's Metamorphoses where it is attributed to the hero Ajax:Denique spectemur agendo! which most literal translations render as...
- let us be judged by our actions - was chosen by the pioneer students and staff. The school crest was designed by the art teacher.
By 1963 Stage Three of the building program was completed with the three major blocks and enrolments had increased to 963 students. This year also saw the completion of the Assembly Hall in time for the second annual Speech Night on the 9th April. In May of that year students presented audiences with the musical "Puss in Boots". The School magazine, "Yarrabee", was first issued in the same year.
By 1964 it was considered that the school had reached the level necessary for an official opening. This occurred on Saturday 24 October 1964. The opening was attended by the NSW Director-General of Education, Dr Harold Wyndham
Harold Wyndham
Sir Harold Wyndham CBE was Director-General of Education in New South Wales between 1952 and 1968. He chaired the committee whose report led to the Education Act 1961 which completely re-organised secondary education in NSW.-Early life and background:Wyndham was a great-grandson of Wadham Wyndham...
, the Member for Wakehurst
Electoral district of Wakehurst
Wakehurst is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Brad Hazzard of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for Wakehurst:-Election results:...
, Dick Healey
Dick Healey
Richard Owen Healey was a New South Wales politician, ABC Sports Broadcaster and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin, Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis. From 1973 to 1975 he was Minister for Youth and Community Services, when he was made Minister for Health, which he held until...
, the NSW Minister for Education, Ernest Wetherell
Ernest Wetherell
The Hon. Ernest "Ern" Wetherell was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1949 until 1965...
, and was officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales, Lieutenant-General Sir Eric Woodward
Eric Woodward
Lieutenant General Sir Eric Winslow Woodward KCMG, KCVO, CB, CBE, DSO was an Australian military officer and Viceroy...
.
The 1960s witnessed the beginnings of the musical program of The Forest High School with the formation of the school orchestra, band and choir. Debating and public speaking also started during this time.The Forest high won major trophies in 1963 for Inter Zone Junior in athletics and swimming. In 1969 D block and the gymnasium were opened to accommodate the growing number of students.The final stage of building was completed in 1976 with the opening of the Library.
Principals
| Years | Principal |
|---|---|
| 1961–1965 | E. G. Bell B.Sc. Dip.Ed. |
| 1966–1977 | F. Bailey B.Ec. |
| 1977–1983 | L. R. Woods B.Sc. Dip.Ed. |
| 1984–1985 | J. Hensley B.A. Dip.Ed. |
| 1986-1992 | M. Armstrong B.A. Dip.Ed. |
| 1992–2002 | P. Kidd B.A. Dip.Ed |
| 2002–2008 | P. Gillam B.A. B.Ec. M.Ed. Grad.Dip.Ed. |
| 2009–present | R. McDowall B.A. Dip.Ed. B.Ed. |
Student Houses
Current Houses- Ares
- Athena
- Poseidon
- Zeus
Former houses
- Coolabah
- Boronia
- Waratah
- Kurrajong
The Forest High School song
Setting our eyes ever upward
We of the Forest High
Look to the towering tree tops
Straining towards the sky
And we will strive ever hoping
That each may achieve their goal
In work and in play together
For the Forest, green, red and gold
Some of us strive for Coolabah
Boronia and Waratah too
Others will fight for Kurrajong
Each to his house is true
But we all stand united
When the deeds of the school are told
Our pride will live on forever
In the Forest green, red and gold
There will be different faces
As the long years roll by
Others will take our places
Bearing the torch on high
But no matter where we may tarry
We'll remember the friends of old
Still in our hearts we'll carry
The Forest green, red and gold
Notable alumni
- Peter DebnamPeter DebnamPeter John Debnam , is a former Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Vaucluse between 1994 and 2011. Debnam is a former Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Western Sydney,...
- NSW Liberal Party politician, Leader of Opposition 2005-2007. - Tim FarrissTim FarrissTimothy William Farriss is a member of the rock band :INXS.-Early life and the formation of INXS:...
- Australian musician, best known as a member of INXS. - David Koch - Seven Network Journalist and Financial Commentator.
- Nadine NeumannNadine NeumannNadine Neumann is a former breaststroke swimmer, who, by the age of 20had already lived a lifetime of success and setbacks. She overcame chronic fatigue syndrome at the age of 15, only to have her dream of an Olympic berth in Barcelona shattered by a broken neck. But she fought back to compete at...
- Australian Olympic breaststroke swimmer. - Kirk PengillyKirk PengillyKirk Pengilly is an Australian musician, best known as a member of the rock group :INXS.-Early career:...
- Australian musician, best known as a member of INXS. - Anna Wood - schoolgirl who died after taking ecstasy.
See also
- List of Government schools in New South Wales
- Warringah CouncilWarringah CouncilWarringah is a local council area in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, Australia. Warringah Council overlaps with a number of suburbs from the Manly Council area to the south and the Pittwater Council area to the north...
- Electoral district of WakehurstElectoral district of WakehurstWakehurst is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Brad Hazzard of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for Wakehurst:-Election results:...
- Division of MackellarDivision of MackellarThe Division of Mackellar is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, on the Pacific coast, south of Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River. It includes the suburbs of Narrabeen, Beacon Hill, Newport, Palm Beach and...
External links
- The Forest High School website
- New South Wales Department of Education - The Forest High School