The Forest High School (New South Wales)

The Forest High School
The Forest High School
Location
	Frenchs Forest, New South Wales; Australia
Information
Type	Public, secondary, co-educational, day school
Motto	Latin: Spectemur Agendo; (Let Us Be Judged By Our Actions)
Established	January 1961
Principal	Nathan Lawler
Enrolment	~ 860 (7–12)
Campus	135 Frenchs Forest Road
Colour(s)	Green, gold and red
Website	theforest-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

The Forest High School, (abbreviation TFHS) is a government day school located in Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, Australia, on Frenchs Forest Road. It is a co-educational secondary school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education with students ranging from grades 7 to 12. The school was established in 1961 as a secondary school for the Northern Beaches area. Students at the school come predominantly from Frenchs Forest, Oxford Falls, Beacon Hill, and Allambie Heights.

History

The formation of The Forest High School was the result of a campaign by a representative body known as The Forest High School Promotion Committee formed on 1 November 1958. The committee members were anxious to have established a co-educational high school that would cater for the educational needs of the suburbs of Frenchs Forest, Forestville, Beacon Hill and Terrey Hills and Narraweena.^[4]

On 31 January 1961, Stage One of construction was completed and The Forest High School opened with an initial enrolment of 318 students and a staff of 14 teachers under the principalship of Edward George Bell, who had been headmaster of Fairfield Boys' High School.^[5]^[6] The Latin school motto Spectemur Agendo - let us be judged by our actions - was chosen by the pioneer students and staff, while the school crest was designed by the art teacher. Originally called "French's Forest High School", on 2 August 1961 the Minister for Education, Ernest Wetherell announced the name had changed to "The Forest High School".^[7]

By 1963, Stage Three of the building program was completed with the three major buildings and enrolments had increased to 963 students. 1963 also saw the completion of the Assembly Hall in time for the second annual Speech Night on 9 April. The School magazine, "Yarrabee", was first issued in the same year.^[4]

By 1964 it was considered that the school had reached the level necessary for an official opening. This occurred on Saturday 24 October 1964, attended by the Director-General of Education, Harold Wyndham, the state Member for Wakehurst, Dick Healey, and the Minister for Education, Ernest Wetherell, and was officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales, Lieutenant-General Sir Eric Woodward.^[4]

The 1960s witnessed the beginnings of the musical program with the formation of the school orchestra, band and choir. The Forest high won the 1963 trophies for Inter-Zone junior athletics and swimming. In 1969 D block and the gymnasium were opened to accommodate the growing number of students. The final stage of building was completed in 1976 with the opening of the Library.^[4]

School Relocation

In late 2016, it was revealed that the site of The Forest High School was being considered for rezoning by the Department of Planning and Environment, which would see the school replaced by a new high-density Frenchs Forest town centre next to the Northern Beaches Hospital and the school moved to a new site in the suburb at or near the Warringah Aquatic Centre on the other side of Warringah Road.^[8]^[9] The Forest High School has been set to be relocated to 187 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights, taking over a portion of the Frenchs Forest Cerebral Palsy Alliance Centre.^[10]

Principals

Years	Principal
1961–1965	Edward George Bell BSc Dip.Ed.
1966–1977	F. W. Bailey B.Ec.
1977–1983	L. R. Woods BSc Dip.Ed.
1984–1985	J. Hensley B.A. Dip.Ed.
1986–1992	M. Armstrong B.A. Dip.Ed.
1992–2002	Patrick Kidd B.A. Dip.Ed
2002–2008	Peter Gillam MEd B.A. B.Ec. Grad.Dip.Ed.
2009–2021	Rosemary McDowall B.A. BEd Dip.Ed.
2022–present	Nathan Lawler B.A. BEd

Notable alumni

Garry Gary Beers – Musician, best known as a member of INXS.^[11]
Ditch Davey – Actor from Australian Drama 'Blue Heelers'. Attended 1987–1992.
Peter Debnam – NSW Liberal Party politician, Leader of Opposition 2005–2007
Tim Farriss – Musician, best known as a member of INXS.^[11]
James Kerley – TV and radio presenter
David Koch – Seven Network Journalist and Financial Commentator
Bill Leak – editorial cartoonist for The Australian.^[12]^[13]
Ian Martin – Rugby Leaguer, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1978 premiership player, played for Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.^[14]
David Musgrave – prize-winning poet and publisher
Matthew Myers – Judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales.
Nadine Neumann – Olympic swimmer
Nadje Noordhuis – Jazz Trumpeter & Composer
Shelley Oates-Wilding – Olympic sprint canoer
Kirk Pengilly – Musician, best known as a member of INXS.^[11]
David Ronson – Rugby League, 1987 premiership player, played for Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
Jim McKay – former Australian Wallabies Rugby Union team assistant coach and Queensland assistant coach – premiers 2011, 2021. Coach Brisbane City.
Andrew Speight – Award-winning jazz saxophonist
Anna Wood – schoolgirl who died after taking ecstasy.
Jane Caro – social commentator
Amy McCann – Australian Baseball Team 2002–2014, dual All-World Team selection, dual World Cup medallist, 2006 Baseball Australia Player of the Year
Aaron Gurd – Soccer Player for Sydney FC

References

^ "The Forest High - Cumberland". History of New South Wales government schools. NSW Department of Education. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
^ "Welcome to parents and students from Nathan Lawler, Relieving Principal 2022". The Forest High School. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
^ "The Forest High School". School Locator. NSW Public Schools. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FOREST HIGH". The Forest High School. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
^ "Annual prize-giving day at Fairfield High School". The Biz. No. 2870. New South Wales, Australia. 7 June 1961. p. 8. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "RETIREMENTS—TEACHERS". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 14. New South Wales, Australia. 4 February 1966. p. 539. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "NEW HIGH SCHOOL". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 81. New South Wales, Australia. 11 August 1961. p. 2351. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Patterson, Robbie (29 October 2016). "Frenchs Forest zoning: High school to be rezoned for units as part new town centre around hospital". Manly Daily. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
^ Brown, Michelle (1 December 2016). "Frenchs Forest high school may relocate to make way for high-rises in new northern beaches town centre". ABC News. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
^ "The Forest High School relocation - The Forest High School". theforest-h.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Revealed: Sydney spots where INXS got its kick". Manly Daily. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
^ Bennett, Rod (29 November 2013). "Leak draws on reality for show: Portrait guru to hit gallery". Manly Daily.
^ Summary of Interview with Bill Leak, painter and cartoonist by interviewer, Ann Turner, 1998
^ Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995 (ISBN 1875169571).

External links

The Forest High School

[nswps-1] "The Forest High - Cumberland". History of New South Wales government schools. NSW Department of Education. Retrieved 28 March 2018.

[2] "Welcome to parents and students from Nathan Lawler, Relieving Principal 2022". The Forest High School. Retrieved 24 January 2023.

[deinternational-3] "The Forest High School". School Locator. NSW Public Schools. Retrieved 5 January 2023.

[history-4] "A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FOREST HIGH". The Forest High School. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2018.

[5] "Annual prize-giving day at Fairfield High School". The Biz. No. 2870. New South Wales, Australia. 7 June 1961. p. 8. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.

[6] "RETIREMENTS—TEACHERS". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 14. New South Wales, Australia. 4 February 1966. p. 539. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.

[7] "NEW HIGH SCHOOL". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 81. New South Wales, Australia. 11 August 1961. p. 2351. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.

[8] Patterson, Robbie (29 October 2016). "Frenchs Forest zoning: High school to be rezoned for units as part new town centre around hospital". Manly Daily. Retrieved 28 March 2018.

[9] Brown, Michelle (1 December 2016). "Frenchs Forest high school may relocate to make way for high-rises in new northern beaches town centre". ABC News. Retrieved 28 March 2018.

[10] "The Forest High School relocation - The Forest High School". theforest-h.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 16 August 2021.

[INXS-11] "Revealed: Sydney spots where INXS got its kick". Manly Daily. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2018.

[12] Bennett, Rod (29 November 2013). "Leak draws on reality for show: Portrait guru to hit gallery". Manly Daily.

[Turner-13] Summary of Interview with Bill Leak, painter and cartoonist by interviewer, Ann Turner, 1998

[14] Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995 (ISBN 1875169571).

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