Principal's Report

In this week’s newsletter:

• Appreciations and Congratulations
  • Junior School Council badge presentation at assembly last week
  • Assembly performances
  • Zoo Snooze camp, staff and parent helpers
  • Grade 1 and 2 swimming
• News
  • Timetable changes
  • Prep assessment days conclude
  • Extreme weather timetable lunch and recess
• Coming Up
  • District Cross Country event tomorrow
  • Assembly 
    • Marrung badge presentation tomorrow
    • Preps attend assembly for the first time tomorrow
  • Prep Picnic from 4.30 pm next Tuesday
• Repeated (and updated) Messages
  • Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
  • Curriculum contributions
  • Car-park access
  • Parent / Carer Volunteer Induction process

Appreciations and Congratulations

Junior School Council Presentation at Assembly Last Week - Congratulations to the 33 students across grade 1 to 6 who will provide our JSC membership this year.  They are pictured below after receiving their badges at assembly last week.  Thanks to conveners Lee White and Laura Montebello for taking on the role this year.  We know they will do a great job. 

(Children without photo permissions have been obscured.)

Assembly Performances - We love having the grades presenting their unique and entertaining take on learning at FWPS with our weekly assembly items.  Pictured last week was 6MI’s extraordinary showcase on Cats V Dogs using a gamut of persuasive techniques.  This week we will conclude the grade 6 team presentations with 6KR.  What will they have in store for us?

 Grade 3 Zoo Snooze Camping Program - Well done and thanks to the student participants who made our school and their families proud.  I was delighted to receive the following email from a member of the public who interacted with the students in 3TM on Tuesday.

Students in all grades were enthusiastic and highly motivated.  This was an adventure that few people get to experience.  Our students knew they were fortunate to participate.  We thank parents and carers for keenly supporting their children’s attendance and for all those who have generously supported our One in, all in program that provides top up funds where required.

We also note with appreciation the diligence of the teachers, leaders and parents who attended.  No camp is possible without the wholehearted participation of staff and parent helpers.  Along with Tess and Michael, the class teachers who attended this week, a special appreciation to Megan Hassett, a wonderful regular relief teacher at FWPS, who assisted in a very important way over the four Zoo Snooze camps held over the last fortnight.  We had members of the leadership team attend on the evening/morning of each camp, as they were required to be replaced each day at 9 am to attend to their leadership roles, Megan attended the zoo on 4 days by public transport and then assisted the class teacher with the day’s program and then accompanied the crew back to school by bus.  Thanks Megan!

Grade 1 and 2 Swimming - With the swimming program concluding tomorrow, we can certainly judge the program as an outstanding success.  While the children do tire as the week progresses, their enthusiasm and attitude has been impressive.  The teaching teams will appreciate the opportunity to return to a more regular teaching and learning program.  

News…

• Timetable Changes - With the grade 3 camp and the grade 1 and 2 swim program concluding this week, we will adjust the timetable next week (week 6) to a variation of the timetable that we had for the first few weeks.  The following week there will be some additional timetable changes to accommodate the grade 4 camp to Campaspe Downs on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th March, as well as the NAPLAN assessment program for students in grade 3 and 5.
   
• The Prep Assessment Program concluded on Wednesday this week when the Prep teaching team were able to plan for future learning based on the assessment of all students.  Parents/carers of our prep cohort will be pleased that all prep students will now attend school on Wednesdays. 
   
• Extreme Weather Policy - In anticipation of hot weather, we often receive calls from parents expressing concern that their children will be outside during the hottest part of the school day.  While it is important for students to have the opportunity to exercise and play with friends in the yard, we apply a common sense approach.  For instance, last week when the mercury was rising, students were in the yard for the first half of lunch play and then inside for the second half and also during afternoon recess.  While we anticipated a likely application of our extreme weather timetable yesterday, we were pleased that cloud cover reduced heat and UV until much later in the day.  All classrooms have effective air conditioning and while on hot days our electricity use is very high, we are comforted with the knowledge that we have 64 KW of solar panels provided by our own fundraising efforts meeting up to 60% of peak load.

Coming Up… 

• Footscray District Cross Country - Tomorrow morning we will have our team of 36 students who qualified at our recent cross country trial competing with students from our local schools.  This will be held at Hansen Reserve, with our group set to depart at 9.30 am.  We wish all competitors the very best of fortune in applying their personal best.  An appreciation to organiser, Stratos who will be accompanied by Marco.  We also appreciate that all families had provided the online Compass permission by the deadline.
   
• Assembly Tomorrow
  • Marrung leaders badge presentations tomorrow - At assembly tomorrow, our Marrung grade representatives will be presented with their badges.  We encourage parents and carers to attend.  Our Environment Team members will receive their badges the following Friday (week 6).  Regardless of the weather, presentations will be made.  When we experience extreme weather on Fridays we hold an assembly indoors in the gallery space and encourage all parents and carers to attend if their child is represented.
  • Preps will attend assembly - Tomorrow the Preps will experience their first school assembly.  The following week, Pupil of the Week awards will be presented to prep students for the first time. We are looking forward to our entire school attending our assembly for their first assembly.  Our preps will be made very welcome!
     
• Prep Picnic next Tuesday - Our traditional Prep Welcome Picnic will be held next Tuesday on the oval after school between 4.30pm - 5.30pm.  This allows the kids to play together with their peers and adults and an opportunity for families to have a bite to eat and have a social chat on their picnic rugs. We appreciate that there have already been over 50 parents who have responded affirmatively.  The event on Compass closes today, so if you are a prep family yet to respond, please do so today.

Cheers,

Brendan

Repeated messages (and updated)…

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) - If you have eligibility we don't want you to miss out. Please read the information included again this week in the 'From the Office Team' page.

Curriculum Contributions - A parent/carer payment contribution Compass post was forwarded to all families a fortnight ago and will be sitting near the top of your Compass tab.  We appreciate all who have supported our programs by making this payment already.

Car Park Access - A reminder that the car park is open prior to 8 am and after 4 pm daily for parent access for the TheirCare OSHC program.  At other times please appreciate that the car park is for staff use.  Should you need to walk through to the TheirCare 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.

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.