It has been another big week at Footscray Primary School as we farewell two of our Year 3/4 teachers. Luke Jones has accepted a teaching position at Wembley PS until the end of the year and Chris Konolige has accepted a lead schools engagement role with Cricket Victoria.

Luke and Chris, we wish you all the best in your new adventures for 2022!

While we are conducting the recruitment process for teachers of 3/4D and 3/4E, we are very fortunate to have some familiar and well-loved faces teaching in both classes. Kirsten Sucic has worked very closely with 3/4E throughout 2022 and will continue as the classroom teacher over the next few weeks. We are also lucky to have Ryan Penberthy, our fabulous regular CRT. Ryan has spent a lot of time with 3/4D and will be teaching in this class while we undertake the recruitment process.

Welcome, Kirsten and Ryan!

Throughout this term, teachers have been exploring our new learning model through whole-school professional learning and through their collaborative team planning. Last year the leadership team, in collaboration with classroom teachers, commenced the development of a school-wide learning model. This year, further research and work has been done on the learning model, culminating in the visual representation below:



The Launch, Explore, Summarise, Review teaching model has been adopted at FPS as a learning cycle that teachers and students engage with throughout a lesson. This approach to learning aligns closely with the PYP as it follows an inquiry cycle, commencing with students activating their prior knowledge, tuning in to a provocation or problem, and engaging in productive struggle as they embark on the explore phase, either collaboratively or independently. The lesson culminates in the Summarise and Review phase as learners share and capture their new learning.

We know the QR code is tempting, so please go ahead and explore the unpacking of each phase of the Learning Model! This FPS Learning Model is designed to support all teachers (new and experienced) in engaging and challenging their students at their point of need through rich and engaging learning experiences.

The Model is a working document and will be updated on an on-going basis. Stay tuned for more exciting additions!

Further research about the Launch, Explore, Summarise, Review approach can be found here:

https://tools4ncteachers.com/resources/4-fourth-grade/additional-resources/cluster-1/brieflaunchexplorediscusslesson.pdf

https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/math/LESRA_Overview.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351477091_An_instructional_model_to_support_planning_and_teaching_student_centred_structured_inquiry_lessons

Or alternatively, Jen and I are always happy to chat about our new FPS Learning Model!

Hello FPS community, 

I am bringing you our latest school council report as a current staff representative on council. I would like to start off this report with a big thank you to all members of our school council who commit ongoing time and effort to support our school’s continued goals and improvement.  

Cake Stall 

How wonderful it was to see our first cake stall in a few years buzzing at the end of last term. Thanks to the wonderful Year 3/4 family community who baked, (and all of those who bought and ate), we raised $650! 

Community Celebration and ‘Way Back When’ Project 

As many of you will be aware, the last few years of disruption have halted our school anniversary celebrations. Despite this, school council have confirmed a Term 1, 2023 date where we will celebrate the coming together of our school’s history with the new chapter represented in our $20 million capital works upgrade.  

To support the success of this event, school council will be putting a call out to family and/or community member volunteers shortly. We encourage you to consider how you could be involved in this community celebration. Many hands make light work! 

Our ‘Way Back When’ oral histories, curated by Year 6 students in 2021, are also being prepared for a showcase as part of these celebrations. 

Canteen 

Recently, our canteen operator has been supported by school council and a local dietician to ensure our offering meets the School Canteens and Other School Food Services Policy. This ensures that students can receive a healthy, nutritious, and balanced selection of food and drinks from our school canteen each day. Our current canteen menu has been assessed and recommendations have been made for an adjustment of the current menu. School council has accepted this interim menu, with the acknowledgement that by the end of 2022 the menu must meet the following composition: 

• Everyday foods – at least 50% of menu 
• Select carefully foods - less than 50% of menu 
• Red foods – offered no more than twice per term, and not part of regular canteen menu 

Our school council representatives will continue to support our canteen operator with the continued implementation of these healthy eating guidelines.

Building Fund refurbishments 

Alongside the everchanging landscape with our capital works, we were very excited to direct some money from our building fund toward the rejuvenation of our Edwardian student toilets. These spaces are looking fresh and much more inviting. Stay tuned for some further beautification that will be taking place in these spaces soon. 

Following an extremely generous donation for a family within our school community, we will also be funding the installation of new heating and cooling into our beautiful library space. This will make the space a much more comfortable area to use for students both during the cooler and warmer months. School council would like to extend a huge thank you for this extremely thoughtful donation.  

Buildings and Grounds 

Our newly installed GaGa Pit continues to get a good daily workout from students. Thank you to our buildings and grounds sub-committee, in particular Tim Liston and Paul Linke, who have coordinated some repairs to the pit. They have also organised the addition of a sand base to the pit which will be in place shortly.  

You may have noticed our working bee garden installation at the front of the school was unfortunately affected by some capital works. This was unavoidable due to fire services needing to be installed in a specific location. In good news, the builders who are always very willing to support our school will be reinstating a replacement garden in another location. 

Child Safety 

As of July 1, 2022, updated Child Safety Standards came into effect. To ensure our alignment as a school to these, several policies have been developed and updated and were shared for consultation with school council.  

These policies are: 

              Child Safety Policy 

              Child Safety Code of Conduct 

              Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy  

Should you wish to read these policies, they can be found on our school website 

Upcoming Events 

The Footscray Primary Social Club has locked in two future events. 

Saturday, November 12 - Trivia Night 

Sunday, November 20 - Bunnings Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser 

Be sure to pop these dates in your calendar and get involved!

Please feel welcome to get in touch with a member of school council if you have any questions about any current or upcoming projects or school council business. 

Chris Wilson

On Friday August 12 Footscray Primary School has a curriculum day. No students attend school on this day.

Our staff will be engaging in whole-school professional learning about School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) and exploring our newly developed Positive Behaviour Matrix and Behaviour Response Continuum. Additionally, staff will explore how we embed DETs 'Respectful Relationships' into curriculum programs to cater to social-emotional needs.

Did you know that singing improves our health and wellbeing? Research shows singing releases the positive neurochemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. It also increases a sense of belonging and connectedness, not to mention the experience of new styles of Music and how to use our voice as an instrument. We have recently started Choir rehearsals on a Wednesday lunchtime in the Music room from 11.15-11.45am for any students in Grades 3-6. We are looking forward to performing later this year and sharing what we have learnt.

Any queries, contact: Sarah sarah.mildner@education.vic.edu.au  

Last week our wonderful Year 6 student leaders took charge of our Friendship Zone, supporting a range of fun arts and craft activities for all students.

As we continue to build resources for this space we would like to ask for any good quality donations of the following items: puppets, toys, puzzles, board games, chess sets and Uno cards.

Please leave items at the office for Jenny.

Due to swimming our Book Week celebrations have been moved to Wednesday the 7^th of September.

As I’m sure many of you have noticed our grounds are changing very quickly and the framing for the General Learning Building (GLB) and Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) is making a significant upward trajectory! It is exciting pointing out the different parts of the COLA as we can start to see where the new canteen and change rooms will go.

We are aware that some areas of the grounds have become wet and muddy and the construction team will be replenishing these areas with more sand next week.
There will also be some works happening on the Edwardian and Bluestone in the coming weeks and this will require scaffolding to be installed on the outside of both buildings. All scaffolding will be securely inaccessible to students. We will communicate when this is about to start later next week.

After a few crazy years we are all gearing up to have a sports day celebrating what makes all our amazing kids GREAT! To make this day fun, great and memorable I am putting a call out to any amazing parents, grandparents or carers who would be willing to assist in an event. You don’t need athletics experience, just positivity and a willingness to have some fun!

Please send a message or note with your child that they can pass on to me this week. If you can assist for some or all of the time that would be greatly appreciated. I guarantee you can skip over and watch your little athlete compete too!

Details are below:

Monday 15^th August @ Essendon Athletics Track, Moonee Ponds

Year 3-6 will be participating in events from 10am-2:30pm

Foundations & Year 1/2 will be participating in events from 12pm-2:30pm

MISSING SPORTS TOPS

Did you or an older brother or sister once represent FPS in District sport? Awesome, go YOU/THEM! So, I need you to go hunting for any sports tops that may be hibernating in the bottom of wardrobes, in the summer clothes box or randomly hiding under your bed (along with lolly wrappers).

I would LOVE to be REUNITED with ANY tops you may find!

Happy hunting!

😊 Nadine

After two missed years with COVID restrictions, we are excited to recommence our Foundation - Year 4 Intensive Swimming Program at Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre this year. This program will run for two-weeks, with students engaging in a daily 40-minute session, commencing on Monday August 22 and concluding on Friday September 2. With accrued DET funding from previous years impacted by COVID, we are happy to share that this years' cost will be heavily subsidised. Please expect more information and consent forms shortly.

Did you know we have a community pantry located in the Bluestone Building near the office area for any families to use whenever it’s needed? It’s been looking a little bare lately, but with a few new donations we can replenish our pantry!

We are trying to source a regular donation of toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, wipes, nappies, toothbrushes/toothpaste) as well as fresh bread/fruit/veg so if you have any leads can you please email Ingrid on ingridmatchett@hotmail.com.

We know times are very tough for all families at the moment but if you can spare $5 and pick up a few extra groceries in your shop, it would make the world of difference to other families. It doesn’t need to be fancy brands either.

For parents of children who may need sanitary products during the day, do your children know that pads/tampons are always available for free in the toilets in the Bluestone Building?

Your donations are so appreciated and we are particularly looking for the following items:

• Rice
• Canned tuna
• Teabags/coffee
• Flours & Spices
• Tomato sauce, soya sauce, chilli sauce
• Long life milk (inc small ones)
• Biscuits/school lunch snacks
• Noodles (Asian style)
• Dishwashing liquid and clothes
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Deodorant
• Toothbrushes/toothpaste (cheap packs of 10 we can split up)

We appreciate your generosity. We cannot accept baked beans/tinned spaghetti/mixed snack meals please, we have these.

The Victoria University Psychology Clinic operates as part of the professional training for postgraduate psychology students at the University. Assessment and treatment is provided by provisional psychologists who are supervised by experienced psychologists.

You can access the service without a referral, but you can also be referred by local agencies, doctors, health professionals or teachers.

The Clinic specialises in cognitive-behavioural therapy and psychodynamic therapy, including the assessment and treatment of:

• Depression
• anxiety
• child behaviour problems (some)
• grief and loss
• learning difficulties
• family difficulties
• challenging life events.

Individual therapy and some group treatments are available, both online and in-person.

Current group programs include:

• Social skills for kids
• Insomnia Clinic for those struggling with sleep.
• Parenting group for parents of primary school-aged children, run by provisional psychologists.
• Stress Management and Emotional Regulation sessions for 18+

For more information contact Vic Uni directly:

https://www.vu.edu.au/about-vu/facilities-services/our-services/health-clinics/psychology-clinic