Welcome to Term 1 Week 4
What's in this week's Connect
- NAPLAN: 12-24 March 2025
- District Arts Festival Performance 2024: Watch the video below
- Queanbeyan Performing Arts Festival: Are you Interested?
- eSafety Parent & Carer Webinars: Term 1, 2025
- School Counselling Service: Access the school counselling service
- Student News: Teach NSW Scholarship Recipient; NSW Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship Media Release
- Student Work: Yr 11 Visual Arts
- Enter the Young Archie 2025: Art Gallery of NSW
- State Library Membership
- 2025 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge: Start reading now
- Careers
- Learning & Wellbeing Coaches 2025
- Wellbeing: General links
We would love to hear from you. If have something to share in our school newsletter please email it to: finigansde@det.nsw.edu.au
NAPLAN
NSW schools will participate in NAPLAN online testing from Wednesday, 12 March, to Monday, 24 March 2025.
At Finigan SDE, students complete tests administered by supervisors in their current learning environment. The FSDE NAPLAN Coordinator will be monitoring and providing support from FSDE. It is our expectation that all students at FSDE sit the tests, as they provide valuable insights into their learning progress. Additionally, NAPLAN supports school improvement by enabling teachers to monitor student progress against national benchmarks, identify strengths, and refine teaching programs to address areas for improvement.
More information about NAPLAN is available brochure below.
In the coming weeks, students will have the opportunity to ensure they are ready for the tests. Parents and supervisors are encouraged to access the NAPLAN public demonstration site to support preparation at home. https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site
If you have any questions or wish to discuss your child’s participation in NAPLAN, please contact Michelle Grasso via email at Michelle.grasso2@det.nsw.edu.au or by phone at 0439 383 040.
District Arts Festival Performance 2024
Click on the video below to see the amazing performance given by Finigan students in the Distsrict Arts Festival 2024.
Queanbeyan Performing Arts Festival
eSafety Parent & Carer Webinars
The eSafety Commissioner has some free webinars coming up to give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences.
Some of the topics include:
Supporting healthy tech use as your child transitions into high school
This 30-minute webinar explores the social pressures, peer influences, and technological challenges young people face as they transition into high school. It also offers practical strategies for navigating online friendships and connections to help minimise negative experiences.
It's suitable for parents and carers of children in upper primary school (ages 11 to 12) and Year 7.
Term 1 dates (Australian Eastern Daylight Time): 25 February, 3.30pm
Algorithms and adolescents: the rewards & risks of recommender systems for young people
Are you curious about how digital platforms are influencing your children’s online experiences?
This 30-minute webinar explores the role algorithms and AI and how parents and carers can support safer and more positive interactions in the digital world.
This session will:
- highlight how young people are using some of the popular social networking apps and games
- discuss the role of algorithms and recommender systems in influencing how children and young people experience the online world, including potential harms and impacts
- provide strategies to have better conversations with your children about social media use, managing content and reporting negative online experiences.
It's suitable for parents and carers of young people in upper primary and secondary school.
Term 1 dates (Australian Eastern Daylight Time):
- 19 March, 12.30pm
Go to the eSafety Commissioner website to find out more or register for a free webinar.
Tips from the eSafety Commissioner
Finigan students spent a lot of time online – it is essential for successful learning via distance education!
It is important, however, to think about the time spent online for other activities to create a balance between time online and time offline.
eSafety tip#1: Time Online
School counselling service
School counsellors/ psychologists contribute to student wellbeing in New South Wales public schools by providing specialised psychological assessment, counselling and intervention Services. They support students to achieve cognitive, emotional, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing. They also complement and enhance the work of teachers to strengthen student wellbeing and learning outcomes.
To access the school counselling service students from year 6 to year 12 can self refer.
https://forms.office.com/r/2xBCyq7Gff?origin=lprLink
Student News
Congratulations to Carlie French – Teach NSW Scholarship Recipient!
We are thrilled to congratulate former student Carlie French on receiving the prestigious Teach NSW Teacher Education Scholarship! This incredible achievement is a testament to Carlie’s dedication to education and her passion for making a difference in the lives of students.
A special thank you goes out to Carlie’s teachers for their guidance and support throughout her journey. Their encouragement has played a key role in helping her take this exciting step toward becoming a teacher.
The Teacher Education Scholarship will offer Carlie fantastic opportunities. She will receive $7,500 per year in financial support, a $6,000 appointment allowance, and a guaranteed permanent teaching position with the NSW Department of Education upon graduation.
We wish Carlie all the best in her studies and future career. She is an inspiration to our school community!
NSW Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship Media Release
In a media release about the 2025 Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship program from the NSW Minister for Veterans, David Harris, current Year 11 student and 2024 participant in the scholarship program, Zygmunt Gray, was featured.
As a participant in the 2024 program which involved a study tour to Japan, Zygmunt was asked about his experience in the program. Zygmunt was quoted as saying:
“The PAMS scholarship really strengthened my idea of just how challenging the conditions were for Pacific War soldiers and helped imprint a strong sense of duty and obligation within me, that I would do the same today, if it were necessary.”
Zygmunt then went on to say:
“The tour also opened my eyes to the different values and beliefs of others, and gave me the opportunity to meet many new, like-minded people, some of which will be lifelong mates.”
Everyone here at FSDE are proud of your involvement in this prestigious scholarship program and the way you represented our school.
Congratulations Zygmunt!
Student Work
Year 11 Visual Arts
Check out some of the amazing portraits Year 11 students have created:
Enter the Young Archie 2025 : Art Gallery of NSW
The Art Gallery of New South Wales invites budding artists between the ages of 5 and 18 to submit a portrait for the Young Archie competition.
The portrait must be of a person who is special to you – someone who is known to you and who knows you and plays a significant role in your life.
There are four age categories:
- 5–8 year olds
- 9–12 year olds
- 13–15 year olds
- 16–18 year olds
See your Art teacher or click the link below for further information. Entries must be A4-A3 and 2 Dimensional.
State Library Membership
Are you a NSW State Library member?
Whilst the NSW State Library might be physically located in the heart of Sydney, all NSW residents are welcome to become a member of the State Library – where you can access a range of e-Resources. This includes access to a wide range of eBooks, magazines, newspapers, journal and academic articles, and even state-wide book and writing clubs!
Read on for the membership that might suit you…
For those 5-15 years old, looking for social connection – ATLAS:
Atlas is a community that treasures discovery, curiosity and creativity.
Join Atlas to participate in online clubs for art making, writing and reading, as well as special events and activities throughout the year.
This junior membership program is FREE for all young people aged 5 to 15 years in New South Wales, and beyond!
You can access further information HERE
For HSC students – Learning at the Library:
There is a range of information and up-to-date resources made available to HSC students for FREE – including research guides, workshops and subject-specific content for the following subjects:
- Aboriginal Studies
- English (Standard, Advanced, Extension 1 and 2)
- History
- Legal Studies
- Society and Culture
When you become a member, you also gain access to the wide range of journals and articles – which are particularly useful when developing assessment responses or major work projects.
You can access further information HERE
For parents:
A free membership provides access to all e-Resources available at the State Library.
However, they also host a range of events online every week! These range from author talks, through to sessions supporting students, or even supporting you to upskill in a particular interest area.
You can access event information HERE
2025 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge
Careers
6 effective study techniques for high school students
Let’s look at some different study techniques for high school students, and see if there are any you might want to try.
Key skills you could gain from work experience
There are lots of skills you could learn from work experience – find out what they are and why they are valuable for your future career.
10 questions to ask your future self
Struggling to plan out your future? Take a look at these 10 questions to ask your future self and start mapping out a pathway.
Jobs for people who love puzzles
If you love puzzles, problem-solving, and being challenged, there are lots of jobs where your skills could come in handy. Click HERE to read more.
Business Pathway – Spotlight
Business is all about creating and delivering products or services that meet people’s needs – find out if this pathway is right for you.
ATTENTION YEAR 12 students
The Tuckwell Scholarship Program is the most transformational undergraduate scholarship program in Australia. Every year, ANU offers 25 talented school-leavers the opportunity to fulfil their potential by actively participating in the very best that ANU has to offer.
Scholars are selected on the basis of intellect, character, leadership and their commitment to Australia.
Click HERE to find out more about the scholarship and how to apply. 2026 Application Guide.
KEY DATES:
- Early March: ANU Direct Application Open; Tuckwell Stage 1 Applications open
- 10 April 2025: Applicants submit their ANU Direct Application
- 14 April 2025: Tuckwell Stage 1 Application close
- 29 April – 7 May 2025: Head of Year reference will be sought
- 14 May 2025: Tuckwell Stage 2 Applications open
- 23 May 2025: Tuckwell Stage 2 Applications close
- 11 - 13 July 2025: Tuckwell Stage 3 Interview Weekend
- 14 July 2025: Tuckwell Stage 3 Candidates Notified, Scholarships awarded
Learning & Wellbeing Coaches 2025
The Learning and Wellbeing Coaches for 2025 are as follows:
- Primary: Milly Hammond
- Year 7 & 8: Mark Huynh (supported by Penny Evans on Fridays)
- Year 9: Jess White & Aamir Aftab
- Year 10: Jessie Norman/Shane Spellman (job-share) & Dylan Wood
- Year 11: Donna Needham
- Year 12: John Preston