Newsletter - 29/08/2024

Principal News

Book Week 

A wonderful morning of fun and dressing up we had last Friday to conclude our Reading Week. Representations of well-loved characters both new and old came to life in front of our eyes. Thank you to our parents for supporting this fun day by dressing your children up in response to the theme Reading is Magic.

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Welcome to Fitzgerald 

Welcome Mrs Kate Heffernan to Fitzgerald. Mrs Heffernan is from Brisbane and is currently our acting Guidance Officer for the next three school weeks whilst Ms Wotherspoon is on leave.

Thank a Crossing Supervisor 

This week as part of our senior parade and National Road Safety Week, we recognised our fantastic crossing supervisors who man our school crossing every morning and afternoon of the school terms. No matter the weather conditions, they are there, safely steering our children across the road. Please take a minute to say thank you to these school community champions as you cross the crossing.

Thank a Teacher Aide 

Next Week is Teacher Aide Appreciation Week, where we recognise the work that our teacher aides do to support teaching staff and student learning and engagement. We have incredible teacher aides at Fitzgerald who go above and beyond for our students. Please take the time to show appreciation to our teacher aides.    

Parent / Teacher Interviews

On Monday the 9^th of September, we will be holding our Term 3 Parent / Teacher Interviews between 3:15pm and 6:15pm. I encourage parents to book a time through the website https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/ utilising the event code mentioned in the below flyer. Interview times will be 10 minutes in duration and all interviews will be conducted in the school hall. We look forward to seeing you there.

Enrol Now for Prep

We are currently taking Prep enrolments for the 2025 school year. If you are looking to bring your child to Fitzgerald for Prep in 2025, please contact the front office staff to make an appointment for an enrolment interview. By enrolling now, your child will be able to participate in transition sessions occurring next term.

Tracey Adams
Principal

Fitzy's Got Talant

Thank you to everyone who has participated in Fitzy's Got Talant so far and congratulations to the below winners!

Heat 1 - Cultural Group
Heat 2 - Whip Cracking 
Heat 3 - 'Naughty' from Matilda

Heat 4 will be held Monday 9th September last week of term 3, where the below students will perform competing for the last position in the finale held first week term 4.

Act 1 Swag Squad
Act 2 Lend me a hand 
Act 3 Material Girls 
Act 4 Hip Hop Girl

Come along with a $1 gold coin donation for entry and support your fellow students. Parents are welcome to attend as well. 

Good luck to everyone!

From the HOSES

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on
School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) this is currently being collated for 2024. The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019). Parents will receive a letter and information in the next few weeks if your child has been included in this Data Collection.

Children who may be identified in this data, may not necessarily have a recognized disability, but are included because they require some level of support to access all areas of schooling. This could be due to one or more of the following reasons:

• they have a permanent disability of ASD; Intellectual Disability; Vision Impairment; Deaf/Hard of Hearing; or Physical Disability.
• they have academic difficulties requiring them to need support to access the curriculum.
• they have communication difficulties and are on an Individual Speech Program
• they have a medical diagnosis that effects their functioning at school e.g. Epilepsy, Anaphylaxis, Diabetes, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, Anxiety etc

Carolyn Berck
Head of Special Education

Finance & Front Office

Music

Instrumental Program 2025

Students in Year 2 and 3 had the opportunity to see the Junior Concert Band and Senior String Ensemble perform at a special assembly on Monday. Students were introduced to all the instruments available to learn at Fitzgerald school in the instrumental program. Any Year 2 student in 2024 (Strings) or Year 3 – 5 students in 2024 (Woodwind, Brass, Percussion), are able to be considered to participate in the instrumental program for 2025.  Parent meetings are being held next week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Parents not able to attend these meetings will need to contact Mrs Miller (lmill269@eq.edu.au) to arrange an alternative time before the end of Term 3. 

Linda Miller
Music Teacher/Instrumental Music Coordinator

Upcoming Events

From the Guidance Officer

Hi Fitzgerald Family,

While Alexia takes a well-earned break I am filling in as Guidance Officer until week 1 term 4. This week I have been so impressed by the respectful and safe learners that I have met across the school.

Next week, September 1 – 7 September is Child Protection Week.  This year’s theme Every Conversation Matters reminds us that conversations are powerful tools to keep children and young people safe and well.  The Raising Children website always has fantastic information and this is a page on conversations. For a visual approach you could also use the I’m Deadly page that follows.

Your little people love it when we have conversations about what is important to them. Talking together helps us understand issues, craft solutions, value community knowledge, and build the brains and social connections of children and young people. It is far more than chat! As a mum I value the conversations that I have with my teenagers when cooking in the kitchen together or in the car driving.  You know your children best, but some conversation ideas could include:

• What do you like to talk about
• Who is the person that really listens when you talk?
• What are the things that make you feel close to your friends?
• How do you feel when you know someone has listened to you?

Kate Heffernan 
Guidance Officer 

P&C News

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