Ferny Grove State High School
Ferny Grove State High School is a public secondary school in the suburb of Ferny Grove, in Brisbane, Australia.
Ferny Grove State High School | |
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Location | |
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Coordinates | 27.406172°S 152.934552°E |
Information | |
Type | Independent public school |
Motto | Always Aim High |
Established | 1980 |
Principal | John Schuh |
Enrolment | 1741 (2017) |
Colour(s) | green/brown (formal) silver/green/purple (sport) |
Website | Official School Webpage |
The school has a total enrolment of more than 1700 students, with an official count of 1741 students in 2017.[1] In 2007, the school won the award for the most innovative music program in Queensland.[2] Ferny Grove has also won the award for the cleanest school for 8 years, With the latest Green and Healthy Schools award being won in 2010.[3]
History
The school was opened in 1980 on its current site at McGinn Road, Ferny Grove, near the Ferny Grove Railway Station and primary school; the Primary school is located in Finvoy Street Ferny Grove.
Principals
- Keith Tabulo (1980-1982)
- Tony Marsland (1982-1985)
- Ralph Took (1985-2000)
- Russell Burguez (Acting) (2000)
- Chris Rider (2000-2007)
- Kaye Gardner (2007 - 2010)
- David Sutton (Acting) (2010)
- Mark Breckenridge (2010-2017)
- John Schuh (2018-)[4]
Teachers
Notable teachers at the school include John Howard Amundsen who taught the subjects of manual arts, media and business.[5][6] Amundsen gained notoriety in May 2006, after a stockpile of explosives and detonators were found in his home which caused the school to be evacuated and searched.[5][6][7][8][9] On 10 May 2006, the school was closed for most of the morning as police with sniffer dogs checked classrooms, before they declared it safe for students and staff to resume lessons.[6] In a Brisbane court on 11 May 2006, he was charged with fraudulently obtaining 53 kg of the explosive substance Powergel.[9] He was subsequently charged with preparing a terrorist act, as well as two counts of making a threat and making a hoax threat.[9] In February 2007, the charges of terrorism and making a hoax threat were dropped but replaced with new charges of possessing incendiary devices and having dangerous goods in a vehicle.[10][11]
Campus
Location
The school is located in the suburb of Ferny Grove in Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. It is situated on McGinn Road, which is quite close to Ferny Grove State Primary School and the Ferny Grove Railway Station.
Grounds and facilities
The grounds of the school are known for their landscaping and aesthetically pleasing gardens. The school occupies a large area of land, and this allows the school have a feel of space, openness and tranquility. There is only one building that is not single story, and this demonstrates the contrast of Ferny Grove SHS from the typical hospital-style campuses of other Brisbane Secondary Schools such as St Lawrence's and Brisbane State High.
- Hall (including a futsal and volleyball court)
- 300 seat Auditorium with rehearsal rooms, foyer and amenities
- 4 tennis courts and 4 basketball/netball courts
- Air-conditioned library
- Gymnasium
- Oval (400m turfed athletics track included)
- Football field
- Rugby league/rugby union field
- School Farm
- Woodwork and Metalwork workshops
- Horticultural precinct
- Separate faculty blocks
- Performing Arts rooms
Uniform
Male
The summer uniform consists of mint green buttoned shirt, bottle green shorts, brown leather belt, brown leather shoes, brown socks and an optional bottle green tie. The winter uniform is the same, with the inclusion of a dark green sweater with school emblem or school jacket. For formal occasions and senior leaders, a blazer is worn, with school emblem and appropriate gold insignia.
Female
Bottle green skirt and pale green blouse. Brown Leather lace up Shoes with brown socks. Tie not compulsory.
School houses
On enrolment, students are allocated at random to the four houses of Itchika (red), Kara Kara (yellow), Ourapilla (black), and Wookarin (blue). The houses take their names from the language of the original indigenous inhabitants of the land on which the school is situated.
Alumni
- Andrew Letherby,[12] long-distance runner. Bronze medallist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
- Anthony Lister,[12] artist.
- Barry Berrigan, rugby league player.
- Jharal Yow Yeh,[12][13] rugby league player. Represented Queensland and Australia.
- Julia Robinson,[12] NRLW player
- Justin Hodges,[12][14] rugby league player. Represented Queensland and Australia. Won premierships in 2002 and 2006. Captain of the Brisbane Broncos from 2014-15. Dally M Centre of the Year in 2007.
- Lisa and Jessica Origliasso[15] of The Veronicas. The sisters sang together in the 1998 Ferny High school talent quest and placed second.[16]
- Lochlan Watt
- Melina Vidler,[12] actress. Won Most Outstanding Newcomer – Actress at the 2016 Logie Awards.
- Remy Hii,[12] actor. Won Most Outstanding Newcomer at the 2014 Logie Awards.
- Rohan Bail, Australian rules footballer.
- Ryan Williams,[12] former German teacher at the school before leaving to pursue a medical career.[17] Winner of the TJ Ryan award.[18]
- Sharon Cripps,[12] sprinter. Gold medallist at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Competed at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.
- Shaun Berrigan,[12][19] rugby league player. Represented Queensland and Australia. Won premierships in 2000 and 2006. Clive Churchill medallist in 2006.
- Stephen Eaton,[12][20] OAM,[21] athlete. Gold medallist at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.
- Tamara Nowitzki,[12][22] swimmer. Silver medallist at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.
Notes and references
- "Ferny Grove State High School Annual Report 2017" (PDF). Department of Education and Training (Queensland). 30 June 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- "Unmasking excellence in state schools: More to the music". Education Queensland. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
- "Ferny Grove State High School named Brisbane's Greenest & Healthiest School!" (PDF). Green and Healthy Schools (Queensland). 18 August 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
- "Our Staff". Ferny Grove State High School. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- "Teacher refused bail over bombs". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 May 2006. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- Kennedy, Les (11 May 2006). "Bin Laden in the classroom". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 8 September 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- "Brisbane teacher to face court again over explosives find". ABC News. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- Oakes, Dan (11 May 2006). "Teacher charged over explosives and detonators". The Age. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- "Teacher up for terrorism". News24. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- Meade, Kevin (20 February 2007). "Teacher's terror charge dropped". The Australian. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- "Terrorism Court Cases". Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- "Past students". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- "STARS SHINE FOR THE KIDS". North-West News (1 ed.). Brisbane, Australia. 13 June 2012. p. 022. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
- "Redemption". Pine Rivers Press (1 ed.). Brisbane, Australia. 4 June 2003. p. 044. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
- "The Veronicas Board: What high school, or part of brisbane". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
- Ferny Grove State High School: Magazine (1998). p. 70.
2nd Place: Lisa and Jessica Origlasso with a song and dance
- Ferny Grove State High School Archived 2006-12-12 at the Wayback Machine
- "TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarship: Past medallists". The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts). Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
- "Ferny Grove State High School: History". Ferny Grove State High School. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
- "Big throw". Northside Chronicle (1 ed.). Brisbane, Australia. 1 November 2000. p. 062. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
- "Eaton, Stephen Robert, OAM". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- OLIVER, LEE. "Swimmer's Story Splashed Over Pages Of New Book". Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2015.