Assistant Principal's Report

Student Voice Team

Last Thursday, the Student Voice Team met for the first time this year. The first item on our agenda was to discuss what the objectives would be for our team this year. Firstly, we discussed what ‘student voice’ is and why it is important. I shared some information from the Department’s ‘Amplify’ resources, which explains why it is important for students to have a voice, and to be active, engaged learners.

student voice + agency + leadership = better student outcomes + health + wellbeing

Students become more engaged in learning when they have opportunities to: 

• Exercise agency in their own learning.
• Contribute to the communities in which they learn.
• Improve the learning program for themselves and their peers.

After this discussion, the team agreed to the following objectives:

1. Consider ways to increase student agency in learning at FPS.
2. Contribute to the learning environment.
3. Consider ways to improve the learning program for themselves and their peers.

Student Voice Team – Grounds Action Plan

Another item at this meeting was an update on the Grounds Action Plan. The design team had gathered initial ideas from groups such as the Student Voice Team last year, and had come up with three key principles to follow when creating the final design (safety, sustainability and integration). The design team had expanded on these principles and asked for further feedback, to ensure they meet the brief, from the students’ perspective. Team members offered suggestions for improvement and addition and these will be forwarded to the design team for consideration as they move to the next stage of the plan. 

Student Excellence Program Initiatives

One of the ways that we support students of high ability at FPS is to offer two Department of Education initiatives.

• Victorian High-Ability Program
• Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series

Victorian High-Ability Program

The Victorian High-Ability Program provides high-ability students in Years 5 to 8 the opportunity to participate in 10-week online enrichment programs, in English and Mathematics. The program is run virtually. The Department manages the selection process for the program based on student academic performance. At Fairfield Primary School, selected students are supported to join and participate in these programs each week, for the duration of the program. Parents of selected students will be informed about participation in these programs.

Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series

The Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series is an extension of the Victorian High-Ability Program which provides one-off sessions to high-ability students. The sessions may be virtual, an incursion, or excursion, etc. Sessions span all areas of the curriculum. 

Occupational Health & Safety – First Aid Training

At Fairfield Primary School, we offer first aid training to all of our staff. ‘Hero Headquarters’ came last week to oversee our CPR and First Aid training. Staff completed a rigorous online learning component and then spent an hour and a half working through the practical aspects of the training, including bandaging, anaphylaxis and asthma management, as well as CPR.

We are fortunate to have so many staff trained in First Aid as well as our fabulous school nurses who are onsite everyday during peak times. 

~ Sarah Abbott, Assistant Principal