Principal's Report

In this Week's Newsletter

• This Week...
• Appreciations…
  • Parents’ Association 
  • CERES excursion
  • Student library volunteers
  • Prep transition
  • Salvation Army Christmas Appeal 
• Reminders
  • Library news - books overdue 
• News
  • Emergency Management drill today
  • Parent and Carer's Appreciation morning tea
  • Bizarre Hair and PJ Day
  • School Council information 
  • Class locations in 2024
  • Latest classroom video
• Coming up...tomorrow 
  •  Grade 6 interschool sport 
  • Assembly 
• Coming up...next week
  • Change of specialist timetable 
  • Concert week
  • Prep 2024 play dates
  • Summer sports grand finals
• Coming up...in future weeks
  • Graduation
  • Through School Transition Day
  • Grade 6 Picnic in the Park
  • Movement of furniture and staff resources
  • Student reports
  • Canteen's final service
  • Class parties for grades Prep to 5
• Repeated (and updated) messages

This Week...

What windy and wet weather!  Not a great time for full days without the opportunity for outdoor play.  We have our fingers crossed that the reality over the next few days is better than the forecast suggests…

We had planned to run an Emergency Management drill as an evacuation to the oval this afternoon. At the time of writing the weather will determine whether we proceed or hold it back for more benign conditions.

Thanks to the parents/carers who responded to the piece in last week’s newsletter titled, 'Roasting’ is not acceptable at FWPS.  In answer to a couple of enquiries in particular.  We do not believe that we have a student body that is racist, sexist, ableist or mean spirited. We do however recognise the children are at an age where influences such as unsupervised access to social media and internet can be detrimental.  These situations, unmitigated, can encourage thoughtless and concerning behaviours.  Let’s continue to work together to support the kids to really reduce instances such as this recent spate.

I am very pleased to announce that this year we are bringing back our annual Helpers’ Morning Tea.  I have noted the details (below) in News.

We have updated the calendar to reflect all our planned activities for 2024 in Dates to Remember in the newsletter.  Bear in mind there will be some additions, but it is as accurate as we can make it at this time.

Appreciations

Parents' Association - This year our students, staff and parents and carers have been phenomenally supported by our wonderful Parents’ Association.  Please check out the list of activities that have been held over a very industrious year.  From the first day to the last day they have been a terrific presence.   Thanks Sharee, Tinny and Kate (outgoing PA President, Secretary and Treasurer) and all who stepped up to help shape such a significant year of achievement.  

We are very pleased that new office bearers Clare Mitchell-Crow and Alicia Madden have stepped into share the President’s role next year.  Thanks again to Sharee Logan who will take on the Treasurer’s role.  The list of office bearers is listed below and the team would be delighted to welcome additional members.

Student Library Volunteers - Appreciations to our self appointed student Library volunteers, 4AF class members, Lachie Sketchley, Anneliese Wirth and Emma Thistlethwaite.  This term every time the class has a library session and during some lunch times, they spend much of the time assisting by putting away returns and assisting their peers find books of interest.  They are keen to take on an official title, something we will have pleasure in arranging. 

Salvation Army Christmas Appeal - An appreciation to the families taking time and spending money on supporting the Annual Salvation Army Christmas Appeal hosted at FWPS.  A list of suggested items for groceries and gifts is again included in this week’s newsletter. We will be accepting donations at the office until the morning of the 14th December.

Reminders

Library - We really appreciate the families who have quickly returned resources since the closure of library borrowing this year.  If that isn’t you - yet, please scan the bookshelf (and under the bed) as every book we don’t receive is like losing school funds.  Please don’t forget the Little Learners Love Literacy resources in grades Prep to 2 as well.  We have invested nearly $60 K in the set up of this wonderful program over the past two years and we want to continue to expand the resources, not spend that money on replacing books!  There are some LLLL resources that didn’t make it back last year, so we don’t care when they made their way home, we’d simply love to see them back on our shelves for the beginning of next year.

News

Emergency Management Drill - As part of our emergency management planning, a successful and orderly evacuation drill was held today.

Parent and Carer’s Appreciation morning tea (Friday 15th December, 11:30am)- For many years pre-pandemic we held a thank you to the many parents and carers who have contributed to and supported the running of the school.  We are delighted this year to BRING IT BACK!  So, if you have assisted by being a helper in classrooms or specialists, assisted on camps, excursions or swimming, been a member of Parents’ Association or School Council, or made another contribution to the schools’ program, we would love to see you in attendance if you can possibly make it.  Our morning tea will be held in the gallery space in Dingo at 11.30 am on Friday, 15th December.

Bizarre Hair and PJ Day - Thanks to all who supported the Grade 6 captains choice of charity BackPacks for Kids with today’s successful event.  Many of the students and staff embraced the spirit with a profusion of oodies, bright hair colour and oodles of hard tack gel.  The grade 6s collected coins (and some notes) from all classes and were pleased to be able to raise $838.70 for this kids’ charity.

School Council News - Council met on Monday for the last meeting of the year, a busy Council year, headlined by the School Review.  We discussed the Vision and Values feedback from the recent parent and carer sessions (appreciations to Katie and Tess), facilities master planning, Wallaby building concerns, Parent Opinion Survey feedback and camp and curriculum planning for next year.  I expect we will communicate camp and curriculum dates in next week’s newsletter.

Class locations 2024 - We have reproduced the class placements for next year, as shared with staff late last week.  All students in grades P to 5 will visit their new rooms on our Through School Transition Day on Tuesday, 12th December.

Grade Prep Wildlife Xposure Incursion - Video

What fabulous pics of the kids experiencing moments of wonder that they may never forget.  Thanks Brooke and the Prep team for capturing these marvellous moments. https://vimeo.com/888961857?share=copy

Coming up Next Week

Change of specialist timetable - Due to the complexity relating to providing rehearsal and performance times for classes next week, there will be a change of specialist class timetable for the coming week.

Concert week is next week… 

Coming up...over the next few weeks

Grade 6 Graduation - We are delighted that for the first time since 2019 we will be returning to Quin Auditorium, the fabulous concert hall at Caroline Chisholm College which allows families to receive enough tickets to meet their needs with terrific stadium views and acoustics.  This event was sent to all families of our graduating class a few weeks ago and at time of writing we have received responses from a little over half.  Each family receives 3 complimentary tickets (graduating students do not require a ticket) and may purchase additional tickets via the event through Compass (deadline next Monday, 4th December). At Graduation we feature speeches, presentations, award winners and show our appreciation to all who have supported the students, as well as reflect on seven years of primary education.

FWPS Through School Transition Day / Government schools year 6 to 7 Transition Day … will be held on Tuesday 12th December.  For students in our current grade Prep to 5 this is a very important day to be in attendance.  We hold it on the same day as the year 6 to 7 transition day for government secondary schools, in order to maximise our staffing resources and physical spaces.  Our TST program will take place in sessions 4 and 5 (after lunch) when students (grades P-5) will meet in their new grades and class locations and spend the session interacting with their new teachers and classmates.  On that day we make an investment in enabling all new teaching staff joining us for a full day of induction.  New students are also welcomed and are provided the same opportunity as current students to spend time with their new classmates and teachers.  Parents and carers will be informed of their child’s teacher and class location in an email before the end of the school day.  More information will be provided in next week’s newsletter and the students will be fully informed and supported during this process.

Picnic (Pizza) at the Park - After the Grade 6s graduate, the cohort will be heading to Hansen Reserve for Picnic at the Park on Thursday 14th December, an opportunity to celebrate their time at FWPS together. We would like to give a massive appreciation to Sonia Lear and Remi Pham from Happy Camper Pizza, who have generously offered to provide pizza to all the Grade 6 students and staff on the day. Happy Camper Pizza will cater to all students’ dietary requirements. Students will also be able to bring other snacks/drink (caffeine free) to share with their friends.  The event was forwarded to all grade 6 parents prior to Sonia and Remi’s outstanding offer, so no family will need to pack a picnic (unless they really want to).  The Compass Event will be updated to reflect this change.  This is an incredibly generous offer from the Pham family at the conclusion of their time as members of our community.

Movement of furniture and staff resources - Also on Thursday, 14th December contractors will be onsite to move class furniture where required and staff and class resources in preparation for the 2024 school year.  During this process all movement is managed and supervised by Rick, our OH&S consultant who works with us every Thursday.

Student reports …  will be posted via Compass to parents and carers on Friday, 15th December.

The Canteen’s final service … for this year will also be on Friday, 15th December.

Class parties for grades Prep to 5 … will be held on Tuesday, 19th December, the second last day of the school year.  We anticipate that the Grade 5 cohort will hold a picnic and games morning at Johnson Reserve.  All other grade levels will have their parties at school, preferably in our grounds and gardens. Each of the teaching teams will communicate specifics closer to the event. 

Cheers,

Brendan

Repeated (and updated) messages…