Principal's Report
Volunteer Day Celebration – Friday 22 November
You will have seen a Compass communication last week, inviting all parent volunteers to attend and celebrate our first Volunteer Day Celebration, taking place on Friday 22 November, 9 – 10am.
Conversations I have with community members is that parents are busier than ever – working longer hours and with increasing life demands! However, despite all of these competing priorities, FPS families still amaze us by their ability to make time and volunteer in a range of ways. As a way of saying thank you for all you do, we invite all volunteers to join each other and myself for a bite to eat and a coffee – so we can recognise your efforts and say thanks.
To assist with planning for numbers, could you please RSVP here by Monday 18 November.
Parent Choir & School Band Performance
One of things that I enjoy most about our assemblies is how they are student-led. Our Year 6 school community leaders are always confident and clear as they run the assembly, and all our student speakers are brave as they take to the microphone in front of an audience of hundreds.
I thought that last Friday’s mid-term assembly was an extra bit special. Not only did our students speak with confidence, we were also treated to a performance combining our choir, school band, and parent choir singing together. During the performance, I could not help but reflect upon the uniqueness of this grouping – to see this combination of people coming together was another reminder of the distinct experiences that evolve at FPS. Thank you to the parent choir who performed, and to Olivia, one of our performing arts teachers, for coordinating the event.
Foundation 2025 Orientation
We have had the first two of our orientation sessions for next year’s Foundation students. Congratulations to all of our future students. There was lots of excitement and anticipation at the fig tree courtyard as the students gathered with their future classmates and then waved goodbye to their parents to spend 45 minutes exploring, creating and getting to know the school. We have been so impressed by their readiness for these sessions and the connections that they have already made with the school and with each other.
We look forward to the final three orientation sessions, along with the open afternoon, as our teachers work closely with families and students to ensure that everyone is as prepared as possible for the big adventure of starting school ‘for real’ next year.
Preparing for 2025
As we reach the halfway point of term four, thoughts start going towards next year. I always try to make sure that we don’t look too far ahead, knowing that there is still lots of learning and exciting things happening this year. Year 5 and 6 are in the midst of their concert preparations, and Year 6 also have their Graduation to look forward to. Along with end of year excursions, performances and celebrations, term four is always a memorable time of the year. As I stated in my first newsletter of this term, term four is a time when students flourish – this has been evident in my classroom visits with learning routines embedded throughout the school.
From a school management perspective, work has started on the important task of preparing 2025 class lists. Teachers are devoting meeting times to carry out this task, taking lots of considerations on board. We are also finalising our budget and workforce for 2025 with the intention to communicate grade structures in the next newsletter, and teacher placements in the final newsletter (published Tuesday 10 December).
Meet Your 2025 Teacher
Current Foundation – Year 5 students will be informed of their 2025 classroom teacher on the Meet Your Teacher Day on Tuesday 17 December at 9.45am.
2025 Foundation students have their Meet the Teacher Day on Friday 6 December at 9.15am.
Principal Morning Tea – Friday 15 November
All parents are invited to my Principal Morning Tea, this Friday at 9am in the staffroom.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
~ Paul Wallace, Principal