Ferny Grove State High School

Infobox school
name = Ferny Grove State High School


motto = Always Aim High
established = 1980
type = State High School
principal = Mrs. Kaye Gardner
city = Ferny Grove
state = Queensland
country = Australia
campus = On Site
enrolment = 1612 (2007) [cite web |title=2007 School Annual Report |publisher=Ferny Grove State High School |date=2007 |url= http://fernygroveshs.eq.edu.au/wcmss/images/stories/admin/2008/annual_report2007.pdf |format=PDF|accessdate=2008-06-09 ]
colours = Light and Dark Green
homepage = [http://fernygroveshs.eq.edu.au/wcmss/ Official School Webpage]

Ferny Grove State High School is a public high school in the suburb of Ferny Grove, in Brisbane, Australia.

History

The school was opened in 1980 on its current site at McGinn Road, Ferny Grove, quite close to where the Ferny Grove Railway Station and Primary School stand.

Its original principal was Mr. Keith Tabulo, who held the position from 1980 to 1982, upon which he was replaced by Tony Marsland. It was Marsland who began the school's tradition of planting trees along the entrance way to the school on Queensland Day. This tradition, which began in 1984, has continued since, and trees now line both entrances to the school.

In 1985, the position of prinicipal was taken by Ralph Took. Took remained principal for a record 15 years (he resigned at the end of term one in 2000, having been offered a higher position in the Education Department). During this time the school gained its reputation for excellence in several fields, including music, drama, academia and sport.

Finding a replacement for Took proved quite a long process, with deputy principal Russell Burguez acting in the position throughout terms two and three of 2000. In fourth term the position was permanently filled by Chris Rider, who had moved across from Wellington Point High School. Rider is now performing other duties in the education department. The deputy principal Pat Anderson, who has since retired, held the post of Acting Principal up until end of term 2, 2007.

Since the start of semester 2, 2007, the position of executive principal has been held by Mrs. Kaye Gardner.

The school has approximately 30 students enrolled in 2008Fact|date=March 2008. In 2007, the school won the award for the most innovative music program in Queensland. Ferny Grove has also won the award for the allrightish school of the year for the last 7 years.Fact|date=May 2008

Alumni

*The school has had several winners of the prestigious TJ Ryan award [cite web|url=http://education.qld.gov.au/staff/development/scholarships/tjryan/pastwinners.html|title=TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarship: Past medallists|publisher=The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts)|accessdate=2008-08-29] . One of these winners is Ryan Williams who had become a German teacher at the school and has since left to continue with his medical training. [ [http://fernygroveshs.eq.edu.au/wcmss/ Ferny Grove State High School ] ] .

*Shaun Berrigan [cite web |title=Ferny Grove State High School: History |publisher=Ferny Grove State High School |url=http://fernygroveshs.eq.edu.au/wcmss/history.html |accessdate=2008-02-09] former player of the Brisbane Broncos and Queensland State of Origin Team, and current Brisbane Broncos and Queensland State of Origin Team member Justin Hodges [cite web |title=Ferny Grove State High School: History |publisher=Ferny Grove State High School |url=http://fernygroveshs.eq.edu.au/wcmss/history.html |accessdate=2008-08-29] attended the school.

*Lisa and Jessica Origliasso (better known as pop group The Veronicas) went to Ferny Grove High in grades eight and nine [cite web|url=http://board.theveronicas.com/index.php?showtopic=906&hl=ferny|title=The Veronicas Board: What high school, or part of brisbane] . The sisters sang together in the 1998 Ferny High school talent quest and placed second. [cite book|title= Ferny Grove State High School: Magazine (1998)|pages= 70|quote= "2nd Place: Lisa and Jessica Origlasso with a song and dance"]

2006 explosives incident

The school received some attention in the media due to an incident involving a contract teacher in March 2006. A police raid of a manual arts teacher's house, uncovered 53 kilograms of explosives which John Howard Amundsen claimed he was only using to blow up trees for a homemade film. Also found inside was a book about several different terrorist leaders including Osama bin Laden.There was a precautionary evacuation of the school, as the police did not expect to find anything; indeed, no explosives were found in the school.

The 40 year old teacher had only started at Ferny Grove State High School earlier that year, and lied to several students that he was married when in fact he lived with his mother in their house at Aspley.

Amundsen was initially charged with terrorism, but charges were dropped on February 19 2007. Instead, he faces charges of possession of dangerous goods and two counts of possession of a weapon, and four other charges including using fraud, making counterfeit money or securities, and a passport related offence. [cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21250128-5003402,00.html|title=Magistrate quits terror case|date=February 19, 2007|publisher=The Courier Mail] .

Notes And References

External links

* [http://www.ferngroveshs.qld.edu.au Official School Webpage]