Principal's Report

 In this week’s newsletter:

• Appreciations and News
  • Welcome Charlotte Lake
  • World Teachers’ Day
  • Prep Transition Evening
  • Grade 5 Camp
• Coming Up
  • Year 6 Government Incursion with Dr. Daniel Mulino MP
  • Prep 2025 Transition - Classroom Visits
  • Halloween Disco - Wednesday night!
  • Diversity Day - Friday November 1st
  • Student Free Curriculum Day - November 4th, followed by Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
  • Prep and 1LL swimming - From Wednesday 6th November

Appreciations and News

Welcome Charlotte Lake

This week we welcomed the newest addition to our staff, Charlotte Lake, who will be joining the Year 4 team as the classroom teacher of 4AF. Charlotte is already feeling right at home here at FWPS, with the students in her grade and the wider school making her feel very welcome. We thank our students for enacting the school value of Belonging!

We also thank Jess Russell Davies who has been doing a marvellous job teaching the grade in the interim. Jess has ensured continuity in the learning and structures for students during this transition.

The FWPS Staff Great Bake Off

Some of our staff had a busy weekend baking up a storm for the first annual FWPS Staff Great Bake Off on Monday! The rest of us enjoyed lots of delicious cakes while Towela and Lee performed judging duties. Congratulations to Lauren Baker who was the winner, with her raspberry chocolate cake. A big thank you goes to Michelle Metcalf who organised the event, which has been great for morale during a busy time of the year. 

World Teachers Day - Friday 25th October

On Tuesday, our fabulous Parents Association delivered some delicious donut treats for our staff to celebrate World Teachers’ Day for 2024. This was much appreciated and created quite a buzz in the staff room!

We celebrated on Tuesday in lieu of the official day on Friday, as our Year Five staff will be on camp.

If you feel inclined, I’m sure that words of appreciation to your child’s teacher on Friday would be well received. 

Board Games Club

Thank you to the Parents Association who provided some additional funds for us to purchase a range of board games for our lunchtime board games club (held on Tuesdays in the Gym). They have been a huge hit with students of all ages!

Prep 2025 Transition Information Evening

On Tuesday night, we hosted Andrea Cummins from Early Life Foundations for our Prep 2025 Transition Information Evening. Andrea focused on ways for families to practically support kindergarten children with their transition to school and her knowledge and experience was well received by the participating parents. Karri and myself then presented on some of the more logistical elements of the transition to Prep. Thank you to Karri for all her work organising and preparing for this event.  

Year 5 Camp

On Wednesday morning, our Year 5 students, staff and parent volunteers headed down the Great Ocean Road to Kangaroobie Camp. By all accounts, the first day was a great success with lots of fun (albeit, at times, wet!) activities across the day. Today’s weather was also looking a little rainy on the radar, but experience shows that this does little to dampen the spirits of eager senior campers. They will be practising the school value of Resilience!

A big thank you to both our Year 5 staff and the parent volunteers. Without these people generously offering time away from their own families, camps cannot go ahead. I encourage Year 5 families to take the time to express appreciation directly to the staff and volunteers on their return.  

Coming Up 

Year 6 Government Incursion with Dr. Daniel Mulino MP

On Monday, we will welcome Dr. Daniel Mulino MP to FWPS, who is the Member for Fraser in the House of Representatives.  Dr. Mulino is visiting our Year 6 students for a presentation, in support of their current unit of work around government.

Prep 2025 Transition - Classroom Visits 

On Tuesday, we will welcome back our 2025 Prep students for their first in-classroom transition session. Students will visit for approximately 45 minutes, in groups of around 20 students, so they have a chance to become familiar with the Prep classrooms, some other students and the staff. 

Halloween Disco - Wednesday night (30th November)

It’s that time already and we are gearing up for the annual Halloween Disco! Again, we will welcome back DJ Cookie, as he plays the tunes across both the junior and senior discos.

A massive appreciation goes out to parent Adele Coone, who has been working tirelessly to prepare for the big event. We also thank the many volunteers who have put their hand up to assist with set up, on the night and pack up.

Junior Disco Details

• Schools gate open (lining up) - from 5:20pm
• Disco fun - 5:30pm to 6:40pm
• Pick up time - 6:40pm

Senior Disco Details

• Lining up for entry - from 6:45pm
• Disco fun - 7:00pm to 8:30pm
• Pick up time - 8:30pm

If you haven’t bought your child’s ticket yet, there is still time. Please visit the office to make a payment in person.

A Zooper Dooper is included in the price of the ticket and these will be distributed during a mid-disco break on the night. Children will be encouraged to drink water from the school drink taps.

Students are welcome to come dressed as their favourite Halloween character, but, remember no fake blood, props or weapons of any kind. This is optional so they may also choose to wear their favourite party attire.

An important reminder that if your child is going home with an adult other than yourself, you must supply a written request to the office before 3:30pm on Wednesday 30th October. Please provide a note in person or email the office at footscray.west.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Diversity Day - Friday November 1st

Get your colourful sporting clothing out, as the FWPS Diversity Day is coming up on Friday November 1st! This day is a day to celebrate and encourage students to get out and get active as part of a fun, social, colourful and inclusive event. The focus on colour provides the opportunity to celebrate diversity amongst our school community and integrate key messages around cultural diversity, disability, indigenous and gender inclusion and the engagement of all students no matter their background, gender or ability.

This year the main event will again be run by Kaboom Kid Sports who will run fun, novelty tabloid activities for the students to participate in. We will also run various in-classroom inclusive activities for our students to participate in and celebrate diversity throughout the day.

Students are encouraged to wear colourful clothing to show their support for diversity but are required to wear a suitable sunsmart hat (this can be the school hat). It is important to wear sporty clothing and runners/sneakers so they can fully participate in activities.

Student Free Curriculum Day - November 4th, followed by the Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday

A reminder to families that Monday 4th November is a student-free curriculum day for staff who are undertaking report writing for the second semester.

If your child requires care, please book with Their Care, our outside school hours care provider.

This day will also be followed by the Melbourne Cup Day public holiday.

Prep and 1LL swimming - From Wednesday 6th November

After the long weekend for families, our Prep and Grade 1LL students will be participating in their warm water swimming program at the Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre. Further information/reminders will come from Anna Kurvink (PAK teacher), who is coordinating the program. 

Thank you to the parents who have volunteered to assist across the eight days. Without volunteers, we cannot meet required supervision ratios and we would need to cancel this important program.

Thank you all for another great week.

Cheers,

Liz Beasley

REPEATED MESSAGES FROM PAST NEWSLETTERS

Leaving FWPS in 2025?

If your family is planning to leave for another school next year, we would really appreciate you emailing us at: footscray.west.ps@education.vic.gov.au using the subject line (above) and letting us know your child’s new school so we can process the transfer.