Principal's Report

In this week’s newsletter:

Appreciations and Congratulations

News…

• Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund
• Yard expectations revisited
• School Council membership - casual vacancy is open
• Soundgarage music update
• Parent/Carer Volunteers Induction 

Coming up…

• Assembly will be held tomorrow at 2.40 pm
• Pupils of the Week returns
• Swim event tomorrow
• Prep Parent/Carer -Teacher Information Forum next Tuesday and Wednesday
• Student representatives in 2024
• School Photos Thursday of next week
• Cross country event

Repeated Messages

Appreciations and Congratulations

• Congratulations to Grade 6 cohort members, Aisha Todd and Dean Pipilikis who were elected by a vote of their peers as our 2024 School Captains.  They will be presented to our school community at tomorrow’s first Friday assembly.
• Wonderful to hear of the families who have generously donated over the last week to our One in All In program to support students wishing to attend camps, excursions and incursions.  It gives us all in the office a positive buzz following these phone calls, or visits to reception.
• Terrific to see our grade 6 cohort sporting their wonderful new graduation class tops on Tuesday.  A big thanks to Zowi and the office team for their organisation and speedy turnaround.
• With so many financial requirements such as swimming and camps, we do appreciate the many families who have already paid their student contributions.  A reminder is included below.

News …

• Yard expectations revisited
  From the first day of school we have been very clear in setting expectations on behavioural norms during lunch and recess play time.  One of these is our Sunsmart policy that sensibly requires the wearing of appropriate sun safe hats during terms 1 and 4.  This is of course not a new rule, but one that too many students were choosing to flout.  As a consequence, we have limited the non hat wearing area to the covered area between Wallaby and Bilby.  While there has been an immediate improvement, there were tens of students who were ‘hatless’ on Tuesday when I spent some time in the yard.  Please encourage your child to have a hat labelled with their name permanently in their bag or in their classroom tub.  A spare is also encouraged.  
  
  When eating in the yard students are required to do so in the gazebo, the only place that bins are placed.  This is especially important now as the canteen opened yesterday, so we know that there will be substantial additional litter Wed- Fri each week.
  
  We have been pleased overall with our students’ behaviour.  Where there are issues, unsurprisingly they generally occur during lunch and recess play times.  When disagreements become physical, they will usually be managed by members of the principal team.  Where the behaviour is violent or provocative, it will be likely that a detention will follow and parents/carers contacted.
   
• School Council membership information 
  Each year we provide the opportunity for interested parents/carers and staff members to join our School Council. In terms of the parent/carer electorate, there is a casual vacancy for a one year position.  If you are interested in contributing to our Council please drop into the office or make a call.  I’d be very pleased to have a conversation with parents or carers who may have some interest, but would like to know more.
   
• Soundgarage Music - Classes for our Soundgarage music program started this week.  Please remember that if you have any questions, please contact Soundgarage Manager, Maddie Owen on 0401 844 522.
   
• Parent/Carer Volunteer Induction 
  Please look out for the Compass post, pinned so it remains easily accessible. For all new families or parents and carers who didn’t complete the online process last year, if you wish to assist in classrooms, excursions or camps, or volunteer for really any other purpose at FWPS, we need you to complete the modules online.  For parents/carers who did this last year, all you need to do is sign the relevant form at the office.  While the content will be adjusted when the Child Safety and Wellbeing Team can find the time, it remains relevant. 
   
• Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
  If you have eligibility we don't want you to miss out. Please read the information on the 'From the Office Team' page.

Coming Up… 

• Assemblies
  Tomorrow we will hold our first live Friday assembly for the year.  It will be held on the basketball court from 2.40 pm.  Families are encouraged to attend.  We will meet the new School Captains who will then assist with the assembly presentation.  We will have our first Pupil of the Week presentations for this year, the students in 6MP and our swim representatives will provide a report from the Swim Carnival earlier that day.  As has become standard practice, students will return to classes to collect their bags before being dismissed from their rooms at the (now) usual time of 3.20 pm.  
   
• Pupils of the Week (POTW) Awards
  Our first POTW class awards will be presented at tomorrow’s assembly for students in grades 1 through to 6.
  
  Please note that our prep students will not join us for assembly for a few more weeks as they adjust to school life. When they do, they will observe the presentation and then the following week they will join us for their first POTW presentation.    We would like the children become accustomed to school life before we add assembly to the mix.
   
• Swimming Carnival event tomorrow
  Tomorrow the students in grades 4, 5 and 6 who qualified at last week’s swim trials will be bussed to the Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre for our annual swim carnival.  The team will depart at 9.30 am and return at approximately midday.  They will be accompanied by Stratos and Marshal.  The families of all participants have been kept informed via Compass.  We wish our team the very best of fortune.
   
• Introducing The Berry Street Model
  We are pleased to start the ball rolling next Monday with our entire staff team attending (which will include some staff currently on leave) our first of four professional learning days during 2024 -2025 in making the change from being a Tribes school.  This is a Curriculum Day and students will not attend school (unless booked into the Their Care program).
   
• 2024 Parent/Carer Information Sharing Forums
  A Compass post last week informed our parent/carer community that these start of the year forums (formerly referred to as Meet the Teacher forums) will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. The P-2 appointments will be on Tuesday, 13th and the 3-6 appointments on Wednesday, 14th February.  This is a regular school day, with leaders and specialists releasing the class teachers on the relevant days to free our class teachers to meet with parents and carers.  
   
• School Photo Day
  Important ordering information for next week’s School Photos (Thursday) was posted on Compass yesterday.  
  
  All our grade 1 - 6 student representative groups will also be photographed on the day.
  
  An option for family photos is being provided after school from 3.30 - 5.00pm.  A booking link will be provided tomorrow via Compass.
   
• Upcoming Cross Country Event
  The sports program for students in grades 4, 5 and 6 will next focus on our cross country trial event.  This will begin with a trial to be held at Shorten Reserve next Friday, 16th February from 9.30am.  The subsequently selected team will then compete in our District Cross Country event to be held on the morning of Friday 1st March at Hansen Reserve.

Cheers,

Brendan

Repeated messages…

Reminders 

• Curriculum Contributions - A parent/carer payment contribution Compass post was forwarded to all families last week and will be sitting near the top of your Compass tab.  We would appreciate your support in making this payment for each of your children as soon as possible.
• A reminder that the car park is open prior to 8 am and after 4 pm daily for parent access for the Their Care OSHC program.  At other times please appreciate that the car park is for staff use.  Should you need to walk through to the Their Care location at Emu Corner, for safety’s sake we ask that you use the pedestrian gate next to the boom gate and make your way between Koala and the Wallaby buildings past Gecko via the basketball court through to Emu Corner.