Frankston High School

This article is about a high school in Australia. For a high school in the United States, see Frankston High School (Texas).

Frankston High School
Latin: Optima semper Best Always
Location
Frankston, Victoria Australia
Information
Type	High school
Established	12 February 1924
Principal	John Albiston
Enrolment	Years 7-12
Number of students	1,750
Colour(s)	Blue and Yellow
Mascot	Indigenous dolphin
Endowment	Large
Website	http://www.fhs.vic.edu.au/

Frankston High School, in Victoria, Australia, is a secondary college offering education for students in Years 7 to 12.

School profile

Frankston High School is a large multi-campus co-educational facility situated in South Frankston. The Year 7 to 10 and Senior School (Years 11 & 12) campuses occupy sites across from one another. Most students complete six years of education.

The school has formed a partnership, the Frankston Federation of Schools, with the main neighbourhood primary schools Derinya, Overport, Frankston and Frankston Heights. Through this Federation, staff and resources are shared. A transition program helps students to adjust from primary to secondary school.

In 2006 a Tablet PC program was introduced.

Sustainability

Frankston High School prides itself on endeavouring to be as sustainable as possible as it is recognised this will have a direct and significant impact on its students' futures. It achieves this through the appointment of a sustainability coordinator who helps in educating students, staff and the greater school community in ways to be more sustainable, as well as embedding sustainability in all parts of the curriculum where applicable and feasible. It also achieves this by retrofitting school infrastructure, thinking more sustainably about procurement, developing and maintaining appropriate biodiversity, working on ways to manage waste better, and through the development of student capacity via a student lead Eco Team that meets weekly. The Eco Team develops many strategies in which to make the school more environmentally aware and works at developing leadership capacities amongst its student members with a highly qualified staff member that oversees the group. In 2015 students in the Eco Team received a scholarship, graciously provided by the St Kilda Eco Centre, to participate in a Polperro Dolphin Swim later in the year. This was awarded to the team due to their investigation of micro-plastics down at the Frankston foreshore.

An updated school sustainability policy was ratified by the school's parent council in late 2014.

Languages

Both Japanese and French languages are established in the curriculum from Year 7 to Year 12. Sister city and sister school programs have been established in Japan, France and Soweto, South Africa. The school operates an overseas exchange program, with Frankston High School students on exchange programs in other countries and a number of overseas students studying at Frankston.

Music

There are seven bands operating and approximately 200 students involved in the instrumental music program. Students perform regularly at assemblies and special events and rehearse in a music centre. The establishment of the Harry McGurk Music Scholarship has helped students to continue with these opportunities.

Sport

Frankston High School has been awarded Exemplary Physical and Sport Education status by the Department of Education and Training. The facilities now include an indoor swimming pool.

Surf Life Saving

For several years, the school has been involved in the Victorian Youth Development Program (VYPD) now known as Advance which involves surf life saving and is run with the assistance of Surf Life Saving Victoria.

Specialist Programs

The school operates Hands On Learning, Pathways and Corrective Reading programs to cater for students with different learning styles and needs.

School Magazine

A school magazine entitled "Kananook" is made and released every year. The magazine looks back over the year and recognises what the school has accomplished.

House competition

The four Houses are:

• Bass (formerly Janaralong) [Blue]
• Collins (formerly Asatangneen) [Green]
• Flinders (formerly Kananook) [Yellow]
• Murray (formerly Eumemmering) [Red]

The names for each of the houses come from early explorers of Victoria and the Port Phillip region - George Bass, William Collins, Matthew Flinders, and John Murray.

The houses compete in three major competitions: Swimming, Athletics and Cross Country.

Sister schools

Frankston is the sister city of Susono, Shizuoka in Japan and Frankston High School maintains a strong sister school relationship with Kawaguchi-Kita High School in the Greater Tokyo Area which began in 1988. Regular cultural visits and student exchanges take place between these schools.

Frankston also has a sister school relationship with Lycée Jean Zay, in Orléans, France. Students regularly visit and exchange between our two schools, with three month twin exchanges a feature during the summer holidays. Students of French have the chance to visit France every second year, with a group extending their visit to include Italian Art galleries.

Frankston High School also has a sister school relationship with Letsibogo Girls' High School in Soweto, South Africa. In conjunction with Mentone Girls' Secondary College and Mac.Robertson Girls' High School the school sponsors three girls, enabling them to spend a year studying in Australia, hosted by school families.

See also

• List of schools in Victoria

External links

• School website