Principal's Report

Yard Completion Imminent

It is with much excitement that I announce the yard redevelopment will be completed at the end of this week, with the fences around the yard being removed this weekend! It will be so amazing to have this wonderful new space available for everyone to enjoy.

At the time of writing, the contractors are completing the final items including laying the permeable paving around our newly planted trees, and installing seating furniture. 

I will use the next newsletter to celebrate the completion of this works, and share the difference that it has made to our outdoor space.

Mid-Term Assembly – Friday 13 November, 9am

To celebrate the completion of the yard transformation, we will hold our mid-term assembly, this Friday at 9am, in the newly revamped space. 

School Review Report

Our School Review Report is now available to view on our website (on the Policies & Plans page). This report celebrates the school’s successes over the last four years, and identifies areas for improvements. I encourage you to read the report, which includes:

• Key review findings
• Analysis of school practices
• Panel recommendations
• Key directions, 2026 – 2030

Teacher/Staff Morning Tea Thanks

On Friday 30th October, our staff were treated to an array of catered delights to acknowledge World Teachers' Day. Staff were truly grateful to the parents for giving up their time and energy to provide the morning tea.

Our staff hold our parents in high regard, and they appreciate all that you do to support your children at school. Equally, I see the admiration, respect and support that you have for our teachers – this makes a positive difference to our school climate.

From all of our staff to all of your families – thank you!

2027 Student-Free Days

As communicated last week, all Victorian state schools will have eight student-free days per year from 2027 onwards. The following student-free days have been approved for FPS next year.

Term 1:

• Wednesday 27 January (Week 1)
• Thursday 28 January (Week 1)
• Thursday 25 March (Week 9)

Term 2:

• Friday 21st May (Week 6)

Term 3:

• Monday 12 July (Week 1)
• Friday 17 September (Week 10)

Term 4:

• Monday 1 November (Week 5)
• Friday 3 December (Week 9)

To support families, TeamKids will be available on these days. Please add these dates to your calendar to assist with planning for 2027.

ResourceSmart – 4th Star Achieved!

We received some wonderful news regarding our sustainability practices. We achieved our 4th star! This star was awarded for our biodiversity work, and is a great reflection of our school practices, led by Amelia Trompf and Anneliese Staubli.

I feel that FPS is a beacon of high quality sustainability practices. The students at our school grow up with an awareness of the importance of looking after our planet and the steps that we can all do to help.

Below is the notification we received regarding our 4th star:

A flawless module, one of the easiest to assess. The role of both parents and students is excellent and would make an amazing ResourceSmart Schools Awards entry, particularly in the 'Volunteer of the Year' and 'Student Action Team of the Year' categories. Even the 'Campus and Infrastructure' category would be a perfect fit as the entry could add all the biodiversity effort (and evidence) undertaken in the last year.

 

The learning story, presented in video format with a surprising ending, was lovely. The annual plan included specific and achievable actions.

 

With the support of parents and the wider school community, the school has raised funds to improve the grounds, contributing to an increase in biodiversity from 71 to 91 in one year, such a big achievement! 

 

Congratulations to everyone involved!

We will have our fourth star placed at our school entrance very soon – and also replace the stars that were sadly ripped off.

Year 1 Writing Snapshot

During one of my walkthroughs last week, I had to stop and double-take when I saw the quality of writing in a Year 1 class. Lauren was running a Literacy lesson in 1B where she was dictating to the students, who then had to add punctuation that they thought needed to be included. Not only was the students’ punctuation knowledge impressive, I’m sure that you will agree, their handwriting was stunning.

This small snapshot is a great reflection of the wonderful Literacy work taking place around our school.

Pulse Points Reward: House Colour Dress Up Day  

A reminder that we will be celebrating the achievement of receiving 500 pulse points by hosting a House Colour Dress Up Day this Friday 13 November. Students are invited to wear their House colours to school.

• Diamond: Yellow
• Darebin: Blue
• Merri: Green
• Yarra: Red

See last week’s Compass communication for more details.

Upcoming Community Events

Time to put the following events into your calendar. More details will be sent out via Compass as we get closer to each event.

• State Election BBQ & Cake Stall: Saturday 28 November, 8am – 3pm.
• FPS End of Year Picnic: Friday 4 December, 5:30 – 8pm
• Year 6 Graduation: Tuesday 15 December, 5 – 8pm (arrive from 4:30pm for family photos.)

State Election Day BBQ – Coordinators Needed

• We are seeking 2 volunteers to oversee the sausage sizzle. 
• FPS will organise the sausages, bread, onions, sauce, and supplies, so we're simply looking for people who can help keep things running smoothly on the day and oversee the event. 
• Reach out to Sarah (in the office) if you’re available.
• A separate call for volunteers to support on the day will come via Compass soon.

Thanks to our Cake Stall volunteers – we appreciate you putting your hand up! 

Mid-Term Assembly

Our mid-term assembly on Friday is sure to be an exciting one. We will be holding it in the newly transformed yard space whilst wearing our House colours. We will also introduce the 'Buddy Bench', which you and your children will learn more about in the coming weeks.

I hope to see you there, on Friday at 9am!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Paul Wallace

Principal