FPS Newsletter

Principal's Report


In The Groove

Now that we are into week four, students are in the groove of school. The fantastic start that I mentioned in our first newsletter has continued over the past fortnight with learning routines well established. I have been impressed by our students’ ability and enthusiasm to share what they are learning

 

The ‘feel’ of the school is palpably positive. Students are listening to their teachers with bated breath; collaborating, problem solving and sharing with their classmates; running, playing, swinging and climbing with fervour at break times; going home with a fulfilled sense of achievement when the 3.30pm bell sounds.

 

Students are to be congratulated for how they managed during the heat last Thursday and Friday. Despite the natural tiredness that these hot days bring, students (and staff!) ended the week on a high.

 

Fundraiser for Türkiye and Syria

Last week I was approached by three Year 6 students – Pierre, Rupert and Shanaia, who wrote a letter to me requesting that the school organise a fundraiser to help the people of Türkiye and Syria following the recent devastating earthquake. I was so impressed by their care and thought that I was never going to say no. 

 

Please see the article in this newsletter for further information. 

 

School Contributions

Normally by now we would have notified families of the parent contributions. Unfortunately Compass has been experiencing difficulties and we have been unable to finalise the payment functionality and email this out. We communicated the contributions towards the end of last year, and they can also be viewed here. We are hoping that this problem will be remedied by the end of the week.

 

Office Staff

During last year’s School Review, parents were very complimentary about the work of our office staff, and the time that they give to families. Elena, Jane, Leisa and Sarah are always willing to offer a helping hand.

 

When phone calling the office staff to pass on messages to their children, we kindly ask families to be mindful of the administration team’s workload. Whether it be managing enrolments, HR, accounts or communications, passing on messages to students can take the office staff away from their work. We kindly ask that parents only call the office to pass on messages when it is necessary. Also, if you need to collect your child early, please allow sufficient time to go to the classroom to pick up your child instead of calling ahead and requesting the office staff do this.

 

School Council Nominations

You will have received a Compass communication last Thursday with details regarding School Council Nominations. We have four Parent School Council vacancies this year and we look forward to welcoming new people to the group. If you are interested in nominating (yourself or someone else) please do so by 4pm, Thursday 23 February.

 

We have been fortunate at FPS to have had such a productive and positive School Council over recent years. Every member brings their own perspective and skills, and as our School Council President Allison says, “Adds to the richness of our ecosystem”.

 

Below are some points about how School Council has worked at FPS:

 

How many meetings are there?
There are two School Council meetings per term. In addition to this, School Council members attend two sub-committee meetings a term – this can be Buildings and Grounds, Policy, Finance or Social Club.
 
What is discussed at School Council?
It is the range of topics that makes it such an interesting group to be a part of. Last year the School Council was involved in discussions including School Fair, Art4All, installation of water tanks, building upgrades, School Review, social events, budgets, and lots more.
 
How can I find out more?
You are welcome to contact me, or it might be more helpful to email our current School Council President - Allison O’Connell, or our Secretary - Sarah Glass to find out more.

 

Geoff McShane

All of the sports events that our students participate in at the District, Division and Regional level are coordinated by teachers. School Sports Victoria relies on teachers taking on these roles to ensure that students can trial and compete at various levels.

 

Our PE teacher Geoff, will be taking on the role of Division Coordinator for 2023 for the Nillumbik and Darebin Divisions. Congratulations to Geoff for being offered this position. There will be a slight increase in the number of events that Geoff will be required to attend and we know that he will do a great job in this role.

 

Open Afternoon Appreciation

It was wonderful to be able to open our doors to FPS families so that children could share their learning spaces. Thanks to everyone who came along – there certainly was a buzz across the grounds. Many teachers and parents expressed their positivity over the event. Here’s a lovely comment we received:

 

I just want to say the open classroom, from my perspective, was brilliant this afternoon. So lovely to see work the kids have already done, where they sit, and to say hello to the teachers. It was brilliant!

 

Foundation Social Night Success

I hear that the Foundation Social Night was a big success with lots of fun, laughter, and good times. Thanks to the Year 1 crew that made it happen – we couldn’t have held the event without you. A special mention to Shane Mahoney for his coordination efforts!

 

Welcome Picnic & Principal’s Morning Tea

Welcome Picnic

A reminder that we have our Welcome Picnic on Thursday 23 February, from 5:30pm. This is an opportunity to catch up with friends and make some new ones. I look forward to seeing you there.

 

Principal’s Morning Tea

Every term, I host a morning tea in the staff room after drop off and all parents are invited to pop by. This is an opportunity to find out what is happening about the school, ask questions and learn more about FPS. This term's morning tea is on Friday 3 March, from 9 – 10am in the staff room.

 

Upcoming Dates

  • School Council Nominations: 4pm, Thursday 23 February
  • Fair Meetings: Wednesdays from 7 – 8pm in the FPS meeting room
  • Parent Teacher Interviews: Thursday 2 March, from 1:40 – 7pm
  • Principal’s Morning Tea: Friday 3 March, from 9 – 10am in the staff room
  • School Photo Day: Wednesday 15 March
  • Working Bee: Sunday 19 March, 10am – 2pm

 

~ Paul Wallace, Principal