Principal's Report

Year 5&6 Concert Success

What a wonderful evening! Our Year 5/6 students performed ‘Let The Games Begin’ with energy and enthusiasm at Kew High School last Thursday. The theatre was packed and our students dazzled the audience with their amazing theatrical talents – singing, dancing, acting and their stage presence.

Performing on stage takes courage and builds confidence. It was wonderful to see the energy the students demonstrated throughout the performance, with the sense of ‘I did it!’. The preparation for this concert started last term, and students have been committed, patient, and enthusiastic throughout the process. Well done to Olivia Li, our Performing Arts teacher, for her coordination of the spectacular. Olivia describes these events as being team events, so thank you to the team of teachers (a special mention to Keri Spence for her support and to Sarah Moody for ticketing support); to the team of parent helpers that Olivia thanked at the end of the performance; and to our team of Year 5&6 students for making it all come to life.

Swimming Carnival

Another big event on the calendar is our swimming carnival, which took place last week. Years 3 – 6 students (over 300 of them) boarded the buses and headed off to Coburg Pool where they had the opportunity to compete in races and have fun in the pool.

The perfect weather and positive atmosphere contributed towards a great day, enjoyed by all. Another message of thanks to the staff (in particular Geoff McShane for his coordination), the parents and the students for all of their efforts.

End of Year Picnic

In true FPS style, the weather for our end of year picnic kept us on our toes. The picnic started at 5:30pm… and so did the rain. However, that was not going to deter our ‘picnickers’ as parents and students (and ducks!) enjoyed the company and music to celebrate the end of the school year. Thank you our parent DJ, Paul Agius, for playing the music during the event, and thank you to the parents who assisted with setting up and packing up.

A Big Year for Foundation Students

The first year of school is a special time, and our Foundation students have created some amazing memories. Yesterday, our Foundation students performed their Celebration of Learning in front of some very proud parents. What a wonderful year you have all had! Congratulations on all your successes – we are so pleased that you joined our school!

End of Year Excursions & Events

This time of the year is filled with events and also plenty of emotions. Parents have been telling me how excited their children are about upcoming excursions, and how they are also keen to discover who their 2025 teacher will be. There is always a unique buzz around the school when you reach the end of the year, combined with disbelief that the school year is nearly finished.

Some year levels have been on their end of year excursions, whilst others have it to look forward to during the last two weeks of term.

• Foundation students will be putting their climbing skills to the test at Activate tomorrow.
• Year 1 enjoyed a captivating day at Melbourne Zoo.
• Year 2 had a wonderful day of exploring at Edendale Farm.
• Year 3 had their own private viewing of Moana 2 at Westgarth Cinema today.
• Year 4 have had their recent overnight camp, and they also have an end of year disco and movie event next Tuesday.
• Year 5 are heading to SuperPark next Wednesday for a day of fun and activity.
• Year 6 will be ‘on the go’ as they head off to Funfields next Thursday.

Other events for your calendar include:

• Foundation – Year 2 Junior Sports Day: Friday 13th December
• FPS Choir – Fairfield Village Celebration: Saturday 14th December
• Year 6 Graduation: Monday 16th December
• End of Year Assembly at 9am: Friday 20th December

Farewell Year 6 & Departing Families

The end of a school year signals the end of an era for many students and families. Next Friday we will be saying farewell to our Year 6 cohort as they prepare to embark upon their next journey – high school. We thank the students for their excellence, creativity, community, learning and fun, and wish them the very best for the future.

To the departing families, I say a sincere thank you for all that you have done for the school. The time and expertise that you have contributed in so many fields, including ART FOR ALL, the school fair, excursions and camps, concerts, school council and council sub-committees, the parent band, and much, much more. Your efforts are recognised and appreciated – you have made a long lasting and positive difference to our school.

Acknowledgements & Looking Towards 2025

In the last newsletter, I summarised the school’s achievements and priorities for next year. There is lots to celebrate, including: our ongoing high achievement in Reading; improvements in Numeracy outcomes; the introduction of Disability Inclusion and School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports. We have drafted our Annual Implementation Plan for 2025, prioritising writing, in particular improving students’ grammar outcomes.

There is lots to be proud of when we reflect upon the year. Some of it we can measure in numbers and some of it we can’t. I am continually proud of what we achieve at our school, and I am committed to always improving. Thank you to the fantastic students who make our school the vibrant, caring environment that we strive for. Thank you to the wonderful staff for all your efforts and care everyday. Thank you to the parents for being such an important part of our school community, and for your ongoing support.

2025 is sure to be another exciting year. However, before we start the new school year, take time to relax and enjoy each other’s company over the holiday period.

~ Paul Wallace, Principal