Connect Finigan School of Distance Education Term 1 Week 2

Welcome to Term 1 Week 2

What's in this week's Connect

• School Start Dates: Classes start back this Monday 2 Feb 2026
• Learning & Wellbeing Coaches 2026
• Student Leadership: Join our team in 2026
• HSC Results: Congratulations to the class of 2025
• Finigan Library News:  Accessing ePlatform for eBooks & audio books
• Careers: Career Ideas; Competitions; Scholarships; Traineeships
• 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

School Start Date

Classes for 2026 start back Monday 2 February

Welcome back to school! We are excited to welcome all of our new and returning students back to school as we embark on another amazing year together. Classes start on Monday 2 February.

Learning & Wellbeing Coaches 2026

• Primary: Emma Marmont
• Year 7/8: Michelle Hill
• Year 9: Mark Huynh & Kerrie McKinlay
• Year 10: Aamir Aftab & Tracey O'Leary
• Year 11: Dylan Wood
• Year 12: John Preston

Join our Student Leadership Team in 2026!

The Student Leadership team is an exciting initiative that we’ve had running at Finigan School of Distance Education for the last six years – and we’d love for you to join us!  So, who are we looking for? Let’s see if this sounds like you… 

• Full-time enthusiastic students across Years 6-12 at Finigan SDE
• Individuals who want to make a difference and are willing to put their voice forward on behalf of their peers.  
• Willing to commit to three live-lessons each term, and an ongoing commitment to the needs and projects of the team.

What types of things do we work on each term? 

• Each session develops your capacity for leadership as a young person – from how to build rest into our lives and developing our listening skills, through to tips on how to host in the online space and where to seek help from others. 
• We also work on whole-school activities – we develop the whole-school assemblies each term, as well as participating in fundraising events and Mini School throughout the year.

If you’re interested in joining us, please provide your details and a bit of insight as to why you want to join – by using the following link:  2026 FSDE - Student Leadership Team – Fill out form If you're not sure if this is the program for you, chat with one of our student leaders in your morning check-in session over the next couple of weeks and/or contact organiser Christianna Billows with any questions you might have by dropping a line to christianna.billows@det.nsw.edu.au or leaving a message at (02)62296878. 

HSC Results: Congratulations to the Class of 2025

On behalf of all staff at Finigan School of Distance Education congratulations to the Class of 2025 on their commitment to learning and their perseverance throughout their HSC studies. I also thank families, supervisors and staff for the critical role they play in supporting students learning at a distance. These partnerships are central to student success.   The 2025 HSC results reflect continued improvement in student achievement over recent years, particularly in the proportion of results in the higher performance bands.   In 2025, student achievement data shows:

• 16 Band 6 results (8% of students), including one Top Achiever ranked 8th in NSW for Enterprise Computing
• 72 Band 5 results
• 31.8% of all results at Band 5 or 6, an increase from 26% in 2023
• 64.8% of all results at Band 4 or above, demonstrating strong overall attainment across the cohort
• Strong collective performance across several subject cohorts, with consistent achievement at Band 4 and above

  These outcomes represent a sustained upward trend and reflect the combined impact of high-quality teaching, targeted feedback, improved engagement strategies and the determination of our students. I am particularly proud of the way our students have achieved these outcomes while balancing a wide range of circumstances. Many Finigan students combine their studies with health needs, shared enrolments, elite sport, or geographic isolation. Their results speak not only to academic achievement, but to resilience, self-discipline and independence. As a school, we will continue to use HSC data alongside broader measures of student growth to refine curriculum design, teaching practice and learning support. This ensures we remain focused on our core purpose: supporting every student to be known, valued and challenged to achieve their personal best.   I congratulate the Class of 2025 on their achievements and thank them for their contribution to the Finigan School of Distance Education community. I wish them every success as they take their next steps beyond school.   Harvey Wilson Principal Finigan School of Distance Education

Finigan Library News

Term 1 eSafety Parents & Carers Webinars

Careers

The benefits of taking some time to reflect on your year

Taking some time to reflect on our experiences from the past year helps us feel fulfilled and prepare for what’s yet to come.

Generative AI: Understanding the technology reshaping how we work

Wondering how Gen AI could impact your career? This article covers what you need to know to understand how new tech is changing how we work.

What is unpaid overtime?

Are you working more hours than you think you should be? This article explains what unpaid overtime is and what you can do about it.

Online learning for elite athletes: Your guide to Years 11 & 12

If you’re an elite athlete discover online learning options in Year 11 and 12 that could help you prepare you to balance sport and studies.

Seven reasons why employers care so much about teamwork skills

Employers LOVE teamwork skills because strong team players make everything run smoothly.

Scholarships

University of Tasmania Agriculture Scholarships Agriculture Scholarships are made possible through the generous support of donors to the University of Tasmania and by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.

Griffith Brighter Futures Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students The Brighter Futures Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students impacted by various types of educational disadvantage, including financial hardship, educational disruption, disability or others, that has impacted their ability to achieve their full potential.

University of Tasmania Lewis and Sons Bursary in Agricultural Science This perpetual bursary was established by the Lewis family on behalf of Lewis and Sons, which was a successful rural supplies business in Wynyard.

Resources for Students

The Importance of a USI - A Unique Student Identifier (USI) is a student’s education number for life. All students undertaking nationally recognised training such as VET or a First Aid course, must have a USI to get their certificate. Higher education students need it to access a Commonwealth Supported Place, HELP loans and to graduate. Students can create their USI in under 5 minutes using their ID. For more information visit www.usi.gov.au or email stakeholders@usi.gov.au.

Wellbeing links

To access the school counselling service students from year 6 to year 12 can self refer.

https://forms.office.com/r/2xBCyq7Gff?origin=lprLink

Follow Finigan on Social Media

Our School Values

Have a fantastic week!