Principal's Report
Thanks Kids (& Parents)!
I opened my emails a couple of Fridays ago to discover that it was Principal’s Day. I then visited a couple of Google Classrooms and found messages and greetings from students, wishing Sarah and me ‘Happy Principal’s Day’. What a lovely thing to have done! It is just another example of our school community – students, staff and parents – supporting each other from a distance.
The school has also received face masks from parents as a gesture of support to staff and our families. These were much appreciated. Thank you to Cathy Coates and the McKenzie family for thinking of us.
What’s Happening at School?
You may be wondering what is happening at school these days. The answer is not much. Stage 4 restrictions mean that we have very few people onsite. Last week we averaged nine students a day for onsite supervision. There is also a minimum number of staff, however, there is always an office staff member present to take phone calls.
I have again appreciated the understanding of our school community, who have respected the guidelines for who is eligible to attend for onsite supervision, as we all work towards reducing movement across the state.
Whilst there is very little activity at school, it hasn’t stopped our fruit and veggies continuing to grow – COVID can’t get in their way. Look at these beautiful carrots which were pulled out of our veggie garden last week! We were also very impressed with the carefully designed mandalas, constructed out of organic materials, by our onsite students.
Virtual Assembly
Our second virtual assembly was made available to view yesterday morning. We encourage you to watch this with your children and see some amazing student talents on display. There is also the opportunity to take part in a game called ‘Through the Keyhole’. Visit your child’s Google Classroom to find out more.
Virtual Principal’s Morning Tea
Join me for a for a virtual morning tea on Tuesday 1st September at 10am. What better way to celebrate the start of Spring than to find out what has been happening around the school, and to have any of your questions answered.
If you are interested in joining please RSVP and we will send out a calendar appointment with details. BYO hot beverage and tasty treats!
FPS Building Works
You may have noticed that building works are continuing on the Wingrove Street site, in spite of the restrictions of the Stage 4 lockdown, where construction work has been heavily curtailed. Our building works have been classified as ‘State Critical Infrastructure Projects’ and therefore construction is able to continue, with reduced workers on site where practical to do so. Continuing construction will help to keep our building on track for completion in readiness for the 2021 school year.
Refund/Credit/Transfer of Paid Fees
As we have cancelled the majority of our scheduled excursions and incursions for 2020, we would like to offer our families some options for the incursion/excursion fees already paid.
- Full refund for those who have paid the Excursion levy and/or the Year 5/6 Sports levy.
- A credit for those who have paid the Excursion levy, which will be carried over to the 2021 Excursion fees.
- Transfer of the paid levies to be used for any outstanding 2020 family charges.
- Transfer of the paid levies to a nominated FPS tax deductible Building Fund or Library Fund. This option is for FPS families wanting to make an additional contribution to the school and who do not want a refund.
We ask that families indicate which option is preferred by Friday 22 August.
Please note, this credit/refund only applies to excursion and sports levies, not essential fees.
Wellbeing
This newsletter includes articles that are aimed to support yours and your child’s wellbeing. This situation is not getting any easier, and it is important that we look after ourselves and our wellbeing, as that will make it easier to look after others.
For Parents
I am delighted to announce that we will be hosting a parent information webinar based on resilience, hope and wellbeing for families, run by Susie Mogg from Resilience In (https://resiliencein.com.au). Further details and a registration link are on the Wellbeing page of this newsletter.
For Staff
Staff will also be participating in a wellness webinar run by Susie Mogg. This session will focus on how to manage stress, uncertainty, uncomfortable emotions, and how to maintain a positive outlook and become more mentally agile.
For Children
Take a look at the Wellbeing page of the newsletter for a number of easy family-orientated activities to promote mindfulness.
Keep safe and well.
~ Paul Wallace, Principal