Principal's Report

In this week’s newsletter:

News and Appreciations 

• Happy Lunar New Year
• Meet the Teacher Parent Sharing Forums have concluded
• School Funding and voluntary contributions 
• Berry Street Education Model professional development
• Asthma and anaphylaxis reminders

• Gazebo painting / project

   

Coming Up

• Assembly tomorrow including Junior School Council badge presentation
• Prep picnic next Tuesday
• JSC Representatives involved in Eagle Building publicity photographs
• Prep Open Afternoons start next week
• School Council meets on Tuesday
• Photo days next Wednesday and Thursday
• Cross Country Trials years 4- 6 next Friday

Coming Up...Later

• Prep Open Afternoon's
• NAPLAN Timetable

Repeated Messages

News and Appreciations

Happy Lunar New Year 

For many of our families, this week has been a big celebration of the New Year. The Lunar New Year is a festivity that is richly appreciated in the western suburbs and is generously shared with those of us who perhaps didn’t experience this tradition when growing up. May the FWPS community have a wonderful Year of the Horse.

Meet the Teacher Parent Sharing Forums concluded 

I feel strongly that the efforts we make as teachers and parent/carers early in the school year pay off. The development of a positive relationship with your child’s teacher is a valuable aspect in setting up your child for a year of success. Thanks to all of our community who have visited over the last two weeks, or benefited from the convenience of meeting online with our class teachers and specialists. Of course, for many families there will be a need to communicate at times throughout the year. Teachers may be able to provide a minute in person between the 8:50am bell and the music playing before 9:00am, or make contact via the office on email to arrange to meet at a suitable time.

Family Voluntary Contributions - please look out for the post on Compass

While the principle of a “free education” remains a right, the politicisation of parent contributions has had a significant impact on government schools. Prior to a strong crackdown on the use of terms such as “fees” rather than “contributions”, FWPS received parent payments from approximately 95% of families. This figure now typically sits between 65% and 70%.

Although we have worked hard to keep contributions low and ensure value for money, receiving approximately 25% less revenue has a very real effect on our ability to provide the quality and range of resources we believe are necessary. In recent years, we have introduced programs such as Spelling Mastery, the Explicit Maths Program, and Inform and Empower. Each of these programs carries a per-student cost. When family contributions are not received, we must find funding elsewhere.

As I write this, I am very conscious that a number of families are experiencing financial hardship. Contributions may be made as a part payment rather than in full. If you are in a position to do so, please support the school by contributing to the best of your capacity.

Berry Street Education Model Professional Learning

If your child’s teacher is new or returning to FWPS and has been absent for a day this week it relates to the importance we place in bedding down a very strong practical understanding for all our staff on how we deeply inculcate the Berry Street Education Model philosophy into our school, along with our school values. While over the previous two years, FWPS staff participated in the program over 4 curriculum days, new and returning staff also need to participate in the program to ensure that the years it takes to deeply develop a school culture and ethos is not whittled away by leadership failing to support this need for new FWPS faces also being provided these valuable learning opportunities.

Asthma and Anaphylaxis Reminders 

At the start of every school year nurse Zowi always sends out reminders to all families who have students listed as managing these two potentially life threatening conditions. We appreciate all families who have returned the updated documentation to school.  If you haven’t yet caught up with this please put it at the top of your To Do List, as reminders were sent this week to families yet to supply this year's updated documents. Zowi will be happy to answer any questions that you may have relating to this or other medical matters that may have implications at school for your child.

Starting the Gazebo Play Area Project 

We have got started with what will be a transformation of this area in the school that has been looking a little worn. Our fabulous contract painters were in again on the weekend and this week initially cleaning and then painting the gazebo inside and out along with all seating. At our Facilities Meeting last night I shared specifics of the plan that we are working on and I look forward to sharing these thoughts with our community within the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Coming Up

Friday Assembly 

Our next assembly tomorrow will feature our Junior School Council representative receiving their badges from our JSC conveners Lee and Laura.  Congratulations to the following representatives of each year 1 through to year 6 classes.

The final presentation from the year 6 team will feature 6TF.  We have enjoyed the mixed media approach that has highlighted the wonderful new large LED screens. Here is 6MC featured last week:  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yRzMSEpdD1WzWQA_h0ESfgVdvPniNR9o/view?usp=drive_link

Prep Picnic Next Tuesday 

It is a lovely FWPS tradition for our Prep families to return one afternoon for an informal picnic on the oval early in the school year. Families have been invited to attend next Tuesday from 4:30pm with teachers and leaders being present until 6:00pm. 

JSC Reps involved in Eagle Building Publicity Photographs 

We were fortunate with all the contractors that we worked with during our Big Build. Yau Nga was the main architect working with our partners, Kennedy Nolan. She requested an opportunity to have a professional photographer take photos of the buildings for their portfolio, website and for future project submissions and this will occur next Tuesday morning. But we all know that school buildings are nothing without kids! So, from a long list of JSC volunteers, 10 have been selected to represent the school at an Eagle Building photoshoot next Tuesday morning - starting at an earlier than usual 8:30am. There is of course a specific photo form required which was taken home by the children yesterday and will need to be returned by Friday.

Prep Open Afternoons

Now that the very important 1:1 teacher/child assessments have been completed, Wednesday (afternoons) in March will provide parents with an opportunity to come in for one afternoon visit to their child’s classroom. Bookings via the Compass post that has been sent directly to Prep families.

School Council meets on Tuesday

The first meeting of the year will be held next Tuesday evening online. We look forward to meeting up with our outgoing Council membership on a new day of the week this year. Council meets twice per term with the first meeting online and the second meeting in person.

Reminder - Photo days next Wednesday and Thursday

The traditional sense of having a whole grade photo keepsake is alive and well at FWPS. Class, individual and student representatives photos will be taken next Wednesday and Thursday. Due to Wednesday being the FINAL Prep assessment day, this cohort will have their class and individual photos taken next Thursday. A timetable of the anticipated program will be provided in a Compass post before our photo days takes place. An opportunity for families to have a sibling photo will be provided after school next Thursday. There is no requirement to pre-register, students accompanied by a responsible adult may attend the Eagle Gymnasium after school. While the queue will form in a (hopefully) orderly first goes first goes basis, we suggest from previous experience that families that arrive later may have a shorter wait time. Those intending to participate must be in the line before 5:00pm, at the absolute latest.

Best regards,

Brendan

Repeated Messages

Inform and Empower Cyber Safety Program

Parent Welcome Letter 2026

Photographing, Filming and Recording Students

Our annual reminder that if you wish to adjust your current level of permission for photographing, filming or recording of your child to contact the office. Please see the Policy page on our school website for more information:

 https://www.fwps.vic.edu.au/page/222/Policies-and-Child-Safe-Standards

Annual Privacy Reminder

Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ privacy policy and the Schools’ privacy collection notice.

Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students policy, available on the Policies page on our website: https://www.fwps.vic.edu.au/page/222/Policies-and-Child-Safe-Standards, describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn.

We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use the Google Suite (G Suite Information for Parents & Guardians) safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education, please contact the school.

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ privacy policy: information for parents. This information is also available in eleven community languages: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Dari, Gujarati, Mandarin, Somali, Sudanese, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund Applications for Families

Please also make sure you look at the flyer in the newsletter regarding Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund applications for 2026. Applications close in June and are a great help for families.