Principal's Report

In this week’s newsletter:

LUNCH ORDERS WILL BE AVAILABLE TOMORROW - THE FINAL DAY OF TERM. ORDER THROUGH THE SPRIGGY APP.

Congratulations and Appreciations

• Well done to our students and staff on a successful first term
• Appreciations for attendance at Kids’ Share 
• Grade 6 Mona Lisa inspired impressions

News

• Western Bulldogs player visit
• Hoodie Up for Autism Day 
• Easter Raffle prizes will be presented at assembly

Coming Up Tomorrow and During the Holidays

• Friday Assembly - early finish - 2.20pm
• End of term
• Their Care holiday program
• Facility works during the holidays

Coming Up Next Term

• Term 2 School Return
• Mother's and Special Person's Day Stall

Reminders and Repeated Messages

Congratulations and Appreciations

Well done to our students and staff on a busy and productive first term

Despite the additional challenges that our significant loss of facility and play space has caused, as well as the additional noise to deal with, with a positive approach modelled by our staff team, the students and staff have managed with fortitude and good grace.  We are excited with the industry we are witnessing with our building project at the moment and I am sure for much of the community we anticipate seeing significant progress when they next attend school after the holiday break.

Kids’ Share 

We introduced this informal end of term opportunity for students to share their learning spaces and learning highlights with family members a couple of years ago. The opportunity is always well patronised and we really appreciate that due to the interest of parents and carers have ensured this has become a regular event. An ideal end of term sign off!

Grade 6 Mona Lisa Inspired Impressions 

I recently shared a picture of a grade 6 student and their modern reworking inspired by Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.  This week it’s Hugo’s work, inspired by Mr Bean. Extraordinary!

News

Western Bulldogs Player Visit 

The newly selected Term 2 grade 6 AFL squad had a great opportunity on Monday when three Bulldogs players, fresh off a terrific comeback win on Friday night, attended to run the clinic, answer some questions and sign Bulldogs paraphernalia. Organised by the Western Bulldogs, we appreciated the planning of Bulldog’s staff member, Layton who ran the session featuring Bailey Dale, Riley Sanders and Sam Davidson.  The players were engaging and approachable.  Go Dogs!

Hoodie up for Autism 

Our first major Junior School Council event for the year was very well supported yesterday. There will be a generous donation that we will forward this week to the Amaze Foundation https://www.amaze.org.au. We will announce the figure at assembly tomorrow. During Library sessions during the week, grades prepared some wonderful artworks that are currently being displayed in the library.  

Easter Raffle 

We have been delighted by the generosity of our community in supporting our annual Easter Raffle in two ways; by the donations of chocolate and Easter related toys and by the purchase of thousands of raffle tickets which raised a fantastic profit of $4687. 

Thanks to members of Parent’s Association volunteers, assisted by School Captains Sam and Madi, who industriously prepared an incredible range of Easter hampers on Wednesday afternoon.

Pictured left to right: School Captain Sam, parents, Lyla (Artina’s mum), Sharee (Hannah, Taylor and Boyd’s mum), Katie (Sam and Keira’s mum), School Captain, Madi and Tanya (Mai, Vi and Marco’s mum). What a team! They were very busy in the hour and 15 minutes they had access to the art room in the afternoon on Wednesday. The culmination of their efforts were a massive whole school hamper, 28 class hampers (1 for every class), a staff hamper and still with lots of chocolate and Easter goodies left, an additional 7 whole school runner’s up hampers were prepared. Our plan is to array the hampers on the Bilby steps during assembly and then announce the pre-selected draw winners.  

Coming Up Tomorrow and During the Holidays

Friday Assembly 

The weather forecast indicates clearing weather and a fine mild afternoon for our final assembly for Term 2 tomorrow - so fingers crossed.  We will feature 4CL’s assembly presentation, the final Pupil’s of the Week Award for the term and the announcement and presentation of the Easter Raffle Hampers. Grades 1-6 will attend assembly with their bags, however the preps will return to their classes for dismissal.

End of Term 

Our first term finishes at the earlier time of 2:20pm tomorrow, Friday, 4th April following assembly. The TheirCare program starts earlier on this day.  

• TheirCare Holiday Program - The program will run for all 10 days of the holidays and will include 3 exciting excursion experiences over the fortnight. I do understand that bookings on some days (especially excursions are already oversubscribed).    

  Bookings Online: theircare.com.au

  Service Phone: 0487 004 072 

  Service Email: footscraywest@theircare.com.au 

  Head Office: 1300 072 410

Facilities Work During the Holidays 

The best news is that the main student toilets are going to have an extreme makeover.  There are also plans to repair the degraded rubber playground surface areas, six monthly airconditioner servicing, as well as significant electrical works to enable more effective use of technology in classrooms.

Coming Up Next Term

Term 2

School returns on Tuesday, 22nd April (following the Easter Monday holiday.  It will be a shortened week with ANZAC Day public)

Mother's and Special Person's Day

The Mother’s and Special Person’s Day stall Compass item will be posted immediately following the holidays. 

Reminders and Repeating Messages

Pen Recycling Location at Office 

The Environment Team is supporting a pen recycling program and this was reported on at last week’s assembly. While the students were focussed on the many hundreds of pens and textas that eventually wear out at school, you're welcome to send in some from home. 

Student References 

Due to an ever-increasing workload and in agreement with our local network schools, FWPS teachers and leadership will no longer provide written letters of recommendation / support for scholarship applications for students who are transitioning to independent or Catholic schools. This applies for Year 6 to 7 transitions, as well as transitions in earlier year levels. With written consent from parents/carers (via an email to the school office), we are able to pass on copies of school reports and have a conversation with a students' new school for the purpose of supporting the transition process. 

Inform and Empower Program / Raising Kids in a Digital World Information Evening 

A replay of Marty and Carley’s first rate presentation and family resources are available here: 

Road Safety Reminder 

A week rarely passes without multiple examples of worrying behaviour from motorists during the busy drop off and pick up times. The rush to do so often leads to students being put at risk by being encouraged to walk between double parked cars and crossing Argyle Street away from the pedestrian crossing. We can all recall the tragedy that occurred at a Melbourne primary school last year. No one wants to see a similar experience at FWPS.

School Saver Bonus 

The office team and in particular our Business Manager, Sandra have continued to be busy every day assisting parents and carers in making sure that they are registered and able to access the $400 one off School Saver Bonus. If this has got away from you, or you just need some assistance, please contact the office team for some practical assistance. The team loves to help. We want every family to fully make use of this opportunity.

Curriculum Contributions 

A parent / carer payment contribution Compass post was sent to all families early in term. We really appreciate your support in making this payment for each of your children as soon as possible. Funds received are directed to subsidising the many curriculum costs in managing a school of this size. FWPS is a school that is underfunded based on the Schooling Resource Standard https://www.education.gov.au/recurrent-funding-schools/schooling-resource-standard for Australian schools. At FWPS we receive a lower rate of equity funding due to our local demographic than many other western suburbs schools. This may be deemed as fair from a systemic perspective, but doesn't help us pay the bills!  With annual fees topped at $300 (prep) we really think our community can do better than the 69% of families (grades 1-6) last year who contributed their expected contribution. There is an opportunity to pay by instalments. Please contact the office team if you would like more information or assistance.

Photo and Video Permission Form 

The Department of Education now requires parents and carers to sign this permission form annually (this used to be a requirement only when students started school, or moved to FWPS). This requirement has made a ‘once off task’ for every child now a x7 task for every child. That is a lot of parent time and you can imagine how that is magnified from a schools’ administration perspective. If you haven't done this yet, please make this a priority to complete and return to the office (or classroom). 

We really wish to encourage parents and carers to tick all 3 boxes to enable pictures or videos from class events (incursions, excursions, assemblies, sporting events and camps) and special moments (such as presentations and reports from assembly) to be able to be shown (or linked) in the newsletter and official school Facebook page.

Warm regards,

Brendan