Figtree High School

Figtree High School is a government-funded co-educational comprehensive secondary day school, located on Gibsons Road in Figtree, a suburb of Wollongong, in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia.

Figtree High School
Location
Figtree, Wollongong,
Illawarra region, New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates34°26′22″S 150°51′16″E
Information
TypeGovernment-funded co-educational comprehensive secondary day school
MottoLatin: Crescere Fidere Statuere
(To Grow. To have faith. To stand firm)
Established1969 (1969)
School districtLake Illawarra North; Regional South
Educational authorityNew South Wales Department of Education
PrincipalDaniel Ovens[1]
Teaching staff74.3 FTE (2018)[2]
Years7-12
Enrolment918[2] (2018)
CampusSuburban
Colour(s)Navy blue and white   
Websitefigtree-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Established in 1969, the school enrolled approximately 900 students in 2018, from Year 7 to Year 12, of whom five percent identified as Indigenous Australians and 26 percent were from a language background other than English.[2] The school is operated by the New South Wales Department of Education; the principal is Daniel Ovens.

History

Figtree High School was established in 1969, with 242 First Form students enrolling as the first students to attend. The first principal of the school was Ken Brokenshire, with Robert Everitt, the Deputy Principal and nine assistant teachers. Because construction of the school was not finished at the time, students and teachers borrowed furniture from Dapto High School and attended classes in seven portable buildings in the grounds of Dapto High School. Construction finally finished in July 1969, being announced "Australia's most modern high school" by the local newspaper, and students re-located back to their new building in Gibsons Road. Of the original 242 students enrolled in 1969, 87 elected to enter the Senior School and completed their Higher School Certificate in 1974.

The school was built in close proximity to the famous, historic fig tree that the suburb was named after, and this tree was adopted as the school emblem. But in 1987, after a significant storm, the tree was terminally damaged and was removed as a safety precaution. Students referred to the school as "Figstump High" for this time. After much discussion, a new fig tree was planted on the site of the original tree in 1997.[3]

Staff

The current principal of Figtree High School is Daniel Ovens, with the current two Deputy Principals being Trish Morgan and Jo Clifford. There are 52 classroom teachers and a total of approximately 100 staff members including behaviour teachers, physical disability teachers and school assistants.

Notable achievements

Enterprise education

In 1999, the school was a part of Australian Business Week, where students would form "companies" and run a four million dollar business for a simulated two-year period.

Since then, Figtree High School has taken part each year, but in 2008 won first position. This took the team of students (ranging from Years 10 to 12) to the next stage, the Global Enterprise Challenge, where they won second place to New Zealand. The challenge involved designing and implementing a system to aid water conservation around the world. Figtree's design, the "Hydro Shift Program", was a household water usage monitor, that allowed users to set goals to reduce their consumption and water bills. Twelve other countries including Germany, Norway, Wales and the United States of America also took part. This position was the highest to be received by any Australian team in the global stage of the competition.

Sport

Figtree High School has also been noted for its achievements in sport, sending many representative teams and individuals for state competitions within New South Wales. Students have represented Australia in sports such as athletics, rugby league, swimming, water polo, basketball, tennis and snow sports.

Extra-curricular

Figtree High School has also organised a number of overseas study tours for those students undertaking ancient history. This has involved trips with staff and keen family members to relevant locations within Italy and Greece.

The school has also been involved in a number of exchange programs. A number of students within the school undertaking language courses have won ten-week scholarships to Germany, and other students have travelled to South Korea.

Music, dance and drama

Figtree High School has put on a number of musical productions including the 2008 production of "The Course of True Love", written by a teacher at the school and the 2010 production of "Grease: The Musical".

Notable alumni
  • Jan Barham – politician; former MLC - Greens Member NSW Legislative Council[4]
  • Stephen Black – former professional NBL basketball player
  • David Farmer – administrator; former General Manager Wollongong City Council, now CEO Ipswich City Council[5]
  • Brian Hetherington – former professional rugby league footballer, state representative[6]
  • Garry Jack – former professional rugby league footballer, national representative[7]
  • Phil Jaques – former Australian cricketer
  • Wendy Laidlaw – basketball player; represented Australia at the 1984 Olympics and the 1983 World Championships
  • Ashley Paske – former actor in Neighbours now voiceover professional
  • Steve Roach – former professional rugby league footballer, national representative
  • Jason Ryles – former professional rugby league footballer, national representative
  • Carolyn Watson – conductor
  • Claire Williams - author, academic, Master Groomer

See also

References
  1. "Figtree High School". School Locator. NSW Public Schools. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
  2. "Figtree High School, Figtree, NSW: School profile". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  3. "History of Figtree High School". Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
  4. Alafaci, Annette (6 December 2005). "Barham, Jan (1958 - )". Australian Women's Register. University of Melbourne; National Foundation for Australian Women. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  5. Christodoulou, Mario (10 May 2008). "Farmer finds it's lonely at the top". Illawarra Mercury.
  6. "1972". 18th Man. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  7. Simes, Alicia (4 November 2008). "Dynamic duo scouts for old school cast". Illawarra Mercury. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.


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