Fairholme In January 2020

January 21, 2020

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We are meant to keep focused for new life, for new beginnings, for new experiences, and to use our abilities to move beyond all those things that may serve as excuses toconfine us to the now. - Byron Pulsifer


Dear Members of the Fairholme Family


Welcome to 2020 at Fairholme. We look forward optimistically towards a challenging, exciting and enjoyable year of learning and welcome our whole community to engage with us in the year that lies ahead. I acknowledge the difficult circumstances that confront so many affected by on-going drought, and the added complexities of the fires that have ravaged our southern states during the past months. We continue to pray for effective rainfall and relief from that relentless blue, or orange sky, and trust that we can continue to support our families in dire need. I hesitate to celebrate the recent rains too enthusiastically, knowing that the distribution is invariably fickle - but what a joy it has been to see and hear rain in recent days in Toowoomba.

I especially welcome all new students and families who are beginning their Fairholme journey. I know that many girls have been preparing for this new chapter in their education with great anticipation, and we too are excited to welcome an influx of students, including our largest Year 7 cohort - ever. May the year ahead be rich in its challenges and also in its rewards. Our teaching and boarding staff look forward to working with you and your child/ren throughout the year, they too share the excitement and anticipation that are hallmarks of new beginnings. I encourage you to engage in social opportunities as they arise. Community connection was an area identified strongly through our strategic planning consultation in 2018 and we continue to make this a focus at Fairholme.


As the beginning of the school year beckons, I ask that you keep a close look at the College web site or phone app for start-up information, or to contact the administration office (07) 4688 4688 should you have any further queries.


BUILDING

As is typical of the holiday period, significant refurbishment and upgrades to buildings and grounds have occurred. Whilst the quality of teaching, learning and pastoral care will always be sited first in our school context, we are also grateful for spaces and areas that enhance learning and living for our students and our staff. The following spaces may directly affect your daughter or you: the internal walls of the Fairholme gymnasium have been painted; a new Sports and Physical Education staff room has been created opposite the Swim coaches’ office and a Physical Education classroom has been built where the Sports’ Office was previously housed. The Homestead exterior has been painted and now mirrors the heritage colours of the Performing Arts Building, as well, the bathrooms in the Health Centre have been refurbished.

Grateful thanks are extended to our maintenance staff who have been pivotal in many of these projects, along with attending to their regular maintenance and tending the gardens throughout the drought conditions. We are always appreciative to all involved in the processes of rebuilding, refurbishment and construction. In schools so much work is completed over such a short time frame and at Fairholme this simply could not occur without the commitment and skill of our maintenance staff whose painting, construction and (de)construction skills are exceptional.


CONGRATULATIONS

If you have accessed our website you may have already noted the strong academic achievements of the senior cohort of 2019. Whilst we will acknowledge these girls more formally at the Commencement Assembly and Induction of Leaders on Wednesday 29 January, we express our pride in their accomplishments, as well as appreciation of the work of our teachers and families who have journeyed with these young women. Our 2019 seniors have diverse and significant opportunities that lie ahead and we are excited by their promising futures. We have watched the release of university offers with great interest.


We also extend congratulations to Layn Arnold (Year 10 2020) for gaining a bronze medal in Triple Jump at the All Australian Athletics Championships in December with an outstanding series of jumps. To compete at this national arena is an exceptional achievement; it is also testimony to the fine work of our Athletics coaches and we also acknowledge their commitment to the program throughout 2019. We look forward to a strong 2020 program, particularly with Athletics Coach, Ms Kirsten Murry taken up the full time role of Co-ordinator of Sport Performance.



Dr Linda Evans | EdD, MA, BEdSt, Dip T, MACE, MACEL

More News…

Meet our Coordinator of High Performance Coaching

March 4, 2026
Fairholme College is delighted to welcome Mr Mitch Koina as our new Coordinator of High Performance Coaching. Bringing more than a decade of experience across diverse educational settings, Mitch joins the community with a strong commitment to student wellbeing, participation, and performance. ‘This is my 12th year of teaching,’ Mitch shares. ‘I’ve done a range of different contexts now, I did two years down at Lockyer District High School, I then spent six years at St Mary’s College before moving to St Josephs, where I’ve been for the last three years. Now obviously I’ve made my way over to Fairholme which I’m really excited about.’ It was both the College’s reputation and the scope of the role that drew Mitch to Fairholme. ‘Fairholme is a very prestigious college, it’s got a great name and reputation,’ he said. ‘The role itself is really exciting for me. I’ve got a passion for fitness and particularly looking after the wellbeing of young girls, whether that be on the sporting field or with their social aspect, academics, just all round developing good girls on and off the court.’ A strong advocate for pastoral care, Mitch brings valuable leadership experience to the position. ‘I did a Head of House role at St Mary’s for three and a half years, so pastoral care has always been my calling so it’s great to tie in the sporting aspect as well as wellbeing,’ he explained. His philosophy centres on the connection between student wellbeing and performance. ‘It’s all dependant on each other. If we’ve got girls who are happy and their wellbeing is flourishing, then they are doing well on the sporting field and vice versa too.’ Looking ahead, Mitch is focused on building both excellence and enjoyment within the program. ‘I would love to get participation rates very high. We have a lot of elite athletes here that I want to achieve and do really well, but I also want to work on girls enjoying their training, coming in and having a nice vibe around the sporting field and the training.’ Importantly, Mitch emphasises that success looks different for every student. ‘We’re not all Australian representatives, but if girls are working really hard and achieving to the best of their potential, whatever level that may be in the sporting arena, I think that’s a program we can be very proud of.’ As he begins his journey at Fairholme, Mitch is eager to connect with the community. ‘I’m really excited to be a part of Fairholme, it is a great opportunity. The staff and the students have been fantastic to me so far, but as the weeks go on, I’m really looking forward to getting to know the girls and building some relationships from there.’ We warmly welcome Mitch to Fairholme and look forward to the energy, care, and expertise he will bring to our High Performance Sports program.

Meet 2026 Prefect for Sport: Scarlett Sippel

March 4, 2026
What inspired you to apply for the Prefect for Sport position? I was inspired to go for this position as I have seen the passion that Fairholme as a community has for sport, and the true love and respect the staff have for athletes at the college. I wanted to work closely with the girls and staff to help progressing sport at Fairholme. Do you have a favourite sport? My favourite sport is touch football. It has given me so very much and I am forever grateful. What has been your proudest sporting moment so far? My proudest sporting moment so far was being fortunate enough to represent my country in the sport I love most. Who has been your biggest influence or role model in sport? My biggest role model in sport has to my parents. They never fail to push me towards things that might seem out of my comfort zone or scary. They constantly support me through everything and influence me to be the best version of myself on and off the field. What are you hoping to achieve this year as Prefect for Sport? I aim to inspire everyone to just have a go. By the end of my final year at Fairholme I hope I can inspire people to just get o ut of their comfort zones and try something new. What advice would you give your Year 7 self? I would tell my Year 7 self that in the big picture no one is going to judge you for trying your hardest and giving things ago! And not to put too much pressure on yourself! Do you hope to pursue sport after school? I wish to continue to play sport at a high level after school. whether that is through touch or rugby. Sport is a very important part of my life that will hopefully continue well after I leave school.

Meet 2026 Prefect for The Arts: Claire Murphy

March 4, 2026
How long have you been involved in The Arts at Fairholme? Since I began here in Year 7, but before then I started playing piano and violin in Year 5. I have participated in a number of ensembles within the school and greatly enjoyed each of these. What does being the Prefect for The Arts mean to you? Personally, I think that being the Prefect for The Arts is primarily a role in which I can help to support other girls. I’m a designated person that girls can come to if they have any questions or concerns with anything regarding extracurricular artistic involvement, and I do a little to help with running some of the artistic aspects around the school, such as finding girls to volunteer for busking at events. But mostly, I think it is about being a positive promoter for the arts, and encouraging other girls to expand their world view to include creativity. Which art form do you enjoy most (e.g. music, drama, visual art, dance etc)? My main art form that I participate in is instrumental music, through my involvement in a few ensembles within the school on violin and piano. However, other art forms, like dancing during March Pasts or singing Shine Jesus Shine are pretty fun too. Do you have a most memorable Arts experience? I think that one of the most memorable Arts experiences that I have had has been at events where I have accompanied my grade, like when all the Year 11’s last year sung at the Valedictorian dinner and I played piano along with other instrumentalists in my grade, Tilly Anderson and Emma Salter. However, I think the most enjoyable Arts experience that I have had is playing Jingle Bell Rock at the boarding Christmas dinner last year, when the rest of my cohort stood around the piano singing. I felt that this was one of those excellent examples of how music can bring people together. What advice would you give to students who might be nervous about joining an arts activity? I would say that it is always worth giving something new a go. You’re much more likely to regret the chances you never took than the ones you do. I’m a strong believer that being involved in any form of extra-curricular activity is so beneficial for everyone; it expands your world view, you meet new people, and get outside your comfort zone. Each individual has something they are good at, and how are you going to find out what that is if you don’t try? Do you hope to continue with The Arts after school? Definitely. It has become such a big part of my life, and I honestly get so much enjoyment out of it. The great thing about the arts is that they are things that you can do at any time of your life. You’re never too old, that’s a skill you have for life. Other people can also get so much enjoyment out of the artistic abilities of others. Who doesn’t love to have someone who can sit around the camp-fire and play guitar, or create a beautiful piece of artwork?
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