Principal's Report

This week’s newsletter is a little different as we are combining a Principal and Acting Principal Report, as Paul is on leave and Nicole is Acting Principal.

Acting Principal Report

Year 1 & Year 2 Concert Success

On Thursday night, we were treated to a wonderful evening of singing, dancing and much more as our Year 1 and 2 students took to the stage for ‘A Christmas in July (in August!)’. 

There was lots of excitement throughout the day, with the students heading off to the Thornbury Theatre for their rehearsals in the morning, in preparation for the big night. All of their practice paid off as the students performed with energy, style and flair. The Year 1 and Year 2 concerts were both captivating, heart-warming and fun – the audience’s reaction said it all!  

Congratulations to all of our students who were brave and confident under the bright lights. Thank you to the staff who supported the rehearsals and who assisted on the night of the shows. A special mention to Olivia, our Performing Arts teacher for the junior years, for putting together such a memorable event. 

Parent Teacher Interviews

A reminder that we have Parent Teacher Interviews this week (excluding 1D, 2A, 3C & 4D). 

We have in-person interviews – in your child' s classroom – on Tuesday and Wednesday after school. Thursday’s interviews are conducted online from 1:45 – 4.45pm, meaning that there is a 1pm dismissal for all students on this day. 

Remember:

• If your child is walking home alone/without adult supervision at 1pm, please give your consent via the Compass event “Permission to Walk Home – 11th  August”.
• TeamKids is open from 1pm for families requiring after school hours care.
• The link to join the WebEx interviews will be communicated in your Compass newsfeed on Wednesday afternoon.

Book Week Celebrations 

On Tuesday 19th August, we will be hosting our Book Parade where we look forward to coming face to face with many fantastical and intriguing characters from the wonderful world of books. This year’s theme is ‘Book an Adventure’.

Weather permitting, we will all gather on the basketball courts at 9.15am for a whole school parade. 

If the weather is not looking kind, we will separate the upper and lower schools and have two parades in the gym (Foundation – Grade 2: 9.15 – 9.45am and Grades 3 – 6: 9.45 – 10.15am)

Upcoming School Camps

We are leading up to a highlight of the school calendar with our Year 4 and Year 5 school camps. Our Year 5s are off in three weeks to Anglesea, from Wednesday 3 – Friday 5 September. Our Year 4s will hit next term running with camp the second day back. They are off to Mt Evelyn from Tuesday 7 – Wednesday 8 October. Here’s to blue skies and fun adventures!

~ Nicole Rettke, Acting Principal 

Principal Report

Our Education Support Staff

When your child returns home from an action-packed day of learning and they describe their day, they will probably talk about what their teacher has said and done. What they might not explain is the work of our amazing education support staff – our integration aides and administration staff. Their roles might not be one that you hear much about, but are central to our ability to run effectively as a school.

Meet our Integration Aides

We now have 14 integration aides at the school: Gabby, Katherine, Rebecca, Callum, Gabi, Andres, Prue, Filipa, Zoe, Nicola, Joe, Rowena, Terri and Sam.

We are able to employ these staff thanks to successful funding applications for students with additional needs. Whilst providing the highest standard of care and support for our funded students, all students across the school benefit from their efforts.

The qualities that I most admire amongst our aides are their responsiveness, flexibility, care and professionalism; when combined with a wealth of skill and expertise, they make an immensely positive difference to all our students.

Meet our Administration Team

“First Impressions Last” – if your first interaction with FPS was with the office staff, I can only imagine that you had a positive first impression of FPS. 

Our dedicated admin team – Nia, Elena, Sarah and Kitty carry out too many jobs to list. They have their regular duties to perform including finance, HR, communications, facilities, enrolments, etc. Beyond that they are responding to a whole manner of requests. This might include solving IT issues, assisting in finding lost possessions, supporting the first aid room, sorting forgotten lunch orders (and dropped lunches), as well as a myriad of other ‘as needed’ tasks on any given day.

It is the admin team that I work closest with, and I am aware that if they stop working, the school stops working.

Next time you see one of our aides or admin staff, I know how much they would appreciate it if you said thank you to them for all their wonderful work. 

Go Vixens!

Melbourne Vixens won their first netball premiership last week in quite dramatic style. Two of the players who played in the match have visited FPS over the years, including Zara Walters’ who came last term.

Thanks to the efforts of a Year 3 student and family, FPS was selected to have a Vixens player visit the school. Zara Walters met a gym full of excited netball players and fans, answering questions and taking lots of time to sign autographs. 

Another Vixens player, who starred in the grand final win, was Jo Weston. Jo visited FPS back in 2018 – as part of our official opening of the blue netball court.

How wonderful that the premiership winning team included two players who had visited FPS in recent times. I am sure that we can take some credit for their victory! 😃

History of ART FOR ALL

Have you ever wondered how ART FOR ALL came to be? Born out of necessity 28 years ago, our art show has grown, evolved and expanded – it is a celebration of art, community and creativity.

Take a trip down memory lane with Marjie and see how ART FOR ALL became the vibrant festival it is today!

Parent Opinion Survey 

Our school is seeking parent feedback in the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey, which is hosted by the Department of Education. The survey is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. The survey is optional, and we encourage and appreciate your participation.

The survey results are used to identify areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school, to target school planning and improvement strategies. 

A separate communication will be sent later this week, including details on how to access the survey.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

~ Paul Wallace, Principal