Dear Parents and Caregivers

What an incredible start to the year it has been! Just when we thought we could consign 2020 to the past, along came 2021! I have been so impressed by our school community’s response to the lockdown last week and the return to school with a number of restrictions this week. Our students have responded so well – even to mask-wearing in Secondary – and I thank parents for their understanding and patience.
 
Despite the disrupted start to the year, I hope that you were able to enjoy family time over the summer break and that our students are refreshed and ready for school. It is really wonderful to have them back from holidays at last!

Normally, I share our theme for the year for the first time at the Secondary Student Leaders’ Commissioning, which is usually before the first newsletter of the year. However, this year they are in reverse – something we are already used to in 2021.

Our theme for 2021 is Hope; not just sitting around hoping, but rather Active Hope; the type of Hope that spurs us on and challenges us not just to be positive about the future but rather to do things to create a positive future.

Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.  Jonas Salk

Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic. Laini Taylor

And most important in an Anglican school with a Christian faith: But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Last year our theme was Growth and I challenged all of us to have a crack at motivating ourselves to grow our capacity in all areas – and how we grew; the unexpected challenges that 2020 confronted us with meant we all had to learn new skills and dig deep for the resilience we needed. This year I challenge our school community to hold Hope in your hearts like a light and make things happen; I also challenge you to give the gift of Hope to others, so that they too can renew their strength and soar like eagles.

Staff
This term we welcome the following staff members to Frederick Irwin. Some have worked with us before and others are new to the School:

Primary – Halls Head
• Mrs Aideen Cadwell, Year 6
• Mrs Carol Cottingham, Special Needs Education Assistant
• Mrs Leanne Lewis, Kindergarten
• Mrs Emma Nie, General Education Assistant
• Mrs Casey Slaughter, Learning Enrichment (from Week 4)
• Mrs Lucy Thornton, Special Needs Education Assistant

Primary – Meadow Springs
• Mrs Majella Burns, Music
• Mrs Leisa Dawkins, Digital Technologies
• Mrs Sue Youens, Head of Primary

Secondary
• Mr Noah Carmody, Sports and Recreation Trainee
• Mr Jacob Crock, Mathematics
• Mr Jayden Geerlings, Health and Physical Education
• Mrs Sandra Guest, Home Economics
• Miss Jesse McDonald, English
• Dr Graham McMahon, Science
• Miss Madeleine Pettit, Health and Physical Education
• Mrs Toni Rhodes, Special Needs Education Assistant
• Mrs Donna Stark-Senteneller, English

Administration
• Mrs Tanya Dowding, Student Services Officer
• Mrs Carole Hodder, Deputy Principals’ Assistant

Congratulations to the following staff who will be taking on added or other responsibilities:
Primary – Halls Head
Mrs Bianca Baker, Acting Deputy Head of Primary (first half of Term 1)
Mrs Natalie Burbage, Acting Deputy Head of Primary (second half of Term 1)

Secondary
Mr Ashley Blake, Acting Assistant Head of Arnold House (Term 1)
Mrs Claire Booker, Acting Assistant Head of Ellis House (Term 1)
Mrs Denise Logue, Acting Head of Ellis House (Term 1)

Welcome back from long leave to:
• Mrs Averil Evans, Digital Technologies (Long Service Leave)
• Mrs Tamryn Dearlove, Year 6 – Meadow Springs (Maternity Leave)

Congratulations go to the following staff members who have recently had their first child. We wish them and their husbands much joy:
Mrs Briana Mullenax

• Mrs Aimee Stoker 

Drop-offs and Pick-ups
Drop-off and Pick-ups at the start of each term are always busier in the first week, but COVID restrictions this week and the presence of the builders on the Meadow Springs Campus this year, have made our start even more difficult this term.

Thank you to all parents and carers for your patience and understanding. Your good humour has made a challenging situation a great deal easier to manage. 

I remind parents of Secondary School students to use the Kiss and Drop area off Gordon Road. The Oakmont Avenue entrance into the Secondary School is being used by staff, buses and, now, builders. Also, part of the car park in this area has been turned into a builders’ yard. For everyone’s safety, this area can no longer be used for the drop-off and pick-up of Secondary students by parents. Again, we apologise for any inconvenience.

Furthermore, I ask that Secondary students are not picked up in the afternoons from the car parks of businesses across the road from the School. There are two reasons for this:

These are designated car parks for customers of the businesses and it is frustrating for business operators to have them taken up by Frederick Irwin families rather than their customers. It also does not reflect well on the School.

Gordon Road is very busy at this time of the afternoon and, although there is a crossover place on the road, it is not a proper zebra crossing. It also has no traffic controller on duty. Our staff would be breaking the law if we tried to control it ourselves and are concerned for the safety of our students.

From 3.30pm, traffic is a lot quieter around the school, and this is an option for those students who want to be picked up after this time. There are staff members on duty until approximately 3.40pm and the Administration building is close by. 

Events

You will see on the Calendar that there are a number of events still scheduled across the term. Hopefully, as restrictions ease, we can start looking forward to seeing parents and other family members at them. The School will keep you updated regarding this. 

Finally, quote from Christopher Reeve of Superman fame: Once you choose hope, anything is possible!

Kind regards
Kerry Robertson 

Dear Parents and Caregivers

As the year comes to a close, I would like to thank everyone who has shared this unusual year with us as we have learnt to live in a COVID world. In 2020, we have, for the first time, experienced what it is like to be educated from home and not in the classroom. Many events had to be postponed or cancelled,
which was a shame for the children but necessary to keep everyone safe.

Hopefully, 2021 will see a return to school-life as you know it. Having all community members involved and on campus is what makes schools the community hubs we know them to be.

As I finish this year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Frederick Irwin community for their support over the past nine years. It has been an absolute privilege to have led the Primary School over this time, and I leave knowing that we are in a solid place in regards to curriculum, pedagogy and the social/emotional well-being of our community. My greatest joy over the past few days has been the ingenious ways the students have farewelled me. Colourful signs, groups of children singing songs to me and many other precious gestures have been expressed. Working with children is a blessing as they always say it like it is, and their genuinely expressed thoughts will be treasured whenever I reflect on my time at Freddies. I will miss greeting and farewelling them each day.

This year more than ever, I want to acknowledge the Primary staff as their contributions have gone above and beyond. They have adapted to unusual times, up-skilled sharply in technology and thought their way through many adjustments to make our scaled-down year a success.
At the end of the school year, we have some staff who will be leaving, and I would like to thank them for their contributions to Frederick Irwin Anglican School and wish them well for the future. 

This year, we farewell Ms Keira Livingstone, who is completing her current contract with us. I thank Keira for her work in 6M2 in 2020 and her contributions to our school community over the past few years. We also say goodbye to Ms Josephine Foo, who has taught Music to our Year 3 students and Drama to PrePrimary in Semester 2. I thank her for sharing her expertise with the students during this time and wish her well for the future. Thank you to Mrs Peta Allen, who has been covering for Mr Ford while he recovers from surgery. Her organisation of the sporting events held during this time has been very much appreciated. 

Thank you to Mrs Donna Thomas, who has completed short-term contracts as an education assistant over the year. I wish her all the best for her future journey.
Thank you to Mr Glyn Teape for his work with our students this year in his role as Deputy Head of Primary, especially for his work pastorally and with our House Captains, helping them to develop their leadership skills. Thank you to the Primary coordinators, Mrs Renee Goard, Mrs Janet Stirling, and Mrs Patricia Rehm, your work with staff and students is appreciated.

Thank you to the Year 6 students for their contribution to the Primary School. I wish them every success going forward. They have been a delightful cohort of children who have contributed much to our section of the School. A special thank you to the House Captains and Junior Councillors for their work in Primary and in representing the School in the broader community throughout the year. I have watched them grow in confidence and develop strong leadership skills.

In closing, my best wishes go to all members of the community for a safe, happy and blessed Christmas. This community will hold a special place in the memories of my teaching career, and I thank you for the honour of guiding the education of your children.

Kind regards

Sue Skehan

CLASS LISTS FOR 2021
Each student has received a letter informing you of your child’s class and teacher. Students had their class list read to them before they left today and know the names of the other students in their class.

STATIONERY SUPPLIES FOR 2021
Pencilcases, rulers and erasers must be supplied as described on the booklist, especially the dimensions of the pencilcase. Providing the correct stationery helps to lessen competition between the students in regards to ‘popular’ brands. Please do not buy other supplies assuming that they will be allowed.

UNIFORM
A reminder that if uniform items, such as school shoes and sports shoes, are being purchased over the holiday break, they must comply with the Uniform Policy. In Kindergarten to Year 4, sports shoes are expected to be predominately white, and if the shoes have a thin strip of colour, it must be conservative and not fluorescent. Please be aware of this when purchasing to save the unnecessary angst of having to repurchase, if they do not comply. 

Dear Parents and Caregivers

End of Year Services
Our three end of year events were lovely and I was so happy that our community members were present. Although the venue was changed for our Christmas and Presentation assemblies, both events were still wonderful opportunities to celebrate our students.

The singing at our Christmas assembly was magical and our students’ beautiful voices were still clear in the larger gymnasium. The Presentation assembly was an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our Upper Primary students and I’m pleased with the respect and maturity that our students demonstrated at this event. I congratulate our award winners and student leaders, as well as all of our Upper Primary students for a wonderful year of learning. 

Our Thanksgiving service was held in our Hall as usual and was an opportunity to recognise our Year 6 students' transition into Secondary school. I congratulate our Year 6s on a successful Primary journey and wish them well for Year 7.

I would like to thank our community members for their patience and understanding of the procedures we have had to put in place for our events and again thank everyone that was able to attend.

House Captains
Our House Captains were congratulated at the Years 3 to 6 assembly and did a wonderful job in leading both assemblies.
Jack Wade, Delilah Milne, Ella Adams, Rhiannon Moody, Amelia Hartland and Daniel Tearle carried out their roles with dedication and maturity. They should be proud of the way in which they conducted themselves and are wonderful role models for our future student leaders. Their leadership skills and maturity developed over the year and I was impressed with their resilience, flexibility and initiative.

Blessed Christmas
I would like to wish everyone a blessed and safe Christmas. I have spoken at length at our end of year events about the challenges that this year of schooling has brought. However, I would like to acknowledge the frustrations that we have had as a community in staying connected.

Our community is so important to us and, while coming together has been challenging, our hope and is that next year brings some normality and stability. We want our families involved and present. I thank our staff and students for their efforts, resilience and dedication. I thank our community for their ongoing support. 

I truly hope that the holidays are a special time for all our families.

Noah Clark
Head of Primary – Halls Head Campus

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Don’t you envy your children? It’s Christmas Eve, they have stars in their eyes and we, well, we might feel exhausted.

It seems that Christmas is so much simpler for most children. Can we open our tired, adult eyes to that same simplicity?

'Simplify Christmas' is a growing drumbeat that sounds in contrast to the buy more, do more, celebrate more. My Google search of 'Simplify Christmas' got 950,000,000 hits in 0.65 seconds.

We have built up some awesome expectations of Christmas. Here are some actual examples of the Christmas Magazine articles over the years:

• Have the best Christmas ever;
• Have the most delightful Christmas ever;
• Holiday Stress-Busters;
• Quick Gifts to Craft for Christmas;
• 630 Merry Ideas to Make Christmas Happier, Saner, More Meaningful; and of course
• drop 5 kgs by Christmas.

Isn’t this what we all want? A stress-free, merry, beautiful, delicious, organised and slender Christmas? Of course it is!

We see lifestyle programmes on television on how to trim the most beautiful tree, wrap the most adorable packages, and prepare the most delicious food, and there is no shortage of perfect holiday stories in literature or in Hollywood.

Why do you think that there is such a proliferation of feel good stories at Christmas? I believe it is because there is a hungering in every heart for a perfect time of celebration.

FOR A CELEBRATION THAT HAS MEANING. WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE SIMPLE BLESSINGS OF CHRISTMAS.

Perhaps in all of our hustle and bustle, we get confused about the meaning of the celebration. We forget to help our children understand and keep foremost in our own minds  that the celebration is about someone special.

Try imagining going to a wedding. Beautiful location, an abundance of flowers, perfect weather. The bride and groom make a 'picture perfect' couple and the food is scrumptious. The bride and groom are obviously in love.

But what if that was not the case? What if the bride didn’t love the groom? What if I told you that she didn’t even know him? Not in an arranged marriage sort of way but that all she was really wanting to do on this day in this particular place, was to have a perfect ceremony with her closest friends and family and give them a party to remember?

Then why, you might ask, didn’t she just have a party? Why did she say it was a wedding? You would then have to conclude, “That wedding had no meaning.”

That sort of reminds me about some of our Christmas celebrations. If we don’t know the One whose birthday we are celebrating then we might as well just call it a summer party.

Regardless of how much we do or don’t do, how many gifts we buy, or how many hundreds of cards, emails, texts we send or don't send - our heart preparations are the key to the celebration of Christmas.

Our heart is the key to the simple blessing of Christmas: the key to treasuring God’s gift of the Christ-child.

Kindergarten 2023 
This term, applications for admission in 2023, particularly for brothers and sisters of existing students, will be considered for enrolment in Kindergarten at Frederick Irwin Anglican School, Meadow Springs and Halls Head.

Parents who wish their son or daughter to be considered for these years in 2023 should, if they have not already done so, submit an application as soon as possible.

If you have any queries please contact Mrs Jackie Smith at the School Office or email registrar@frederickirwin.wa.edu.au.

Term 4 Fee Statements were emailed to families on Friday 9 October 2020 and were due for payment by Friday 23 October 2020. 

Families who have not paid or made payment arrangements with the Business Manager by the due date should be aware that a late penalty of $55.00 (GST included) may be imposed. The School has BPAY facilities and we encourage parents to avail themselves of this.

To assist families to budget for their school fee payments, we also offer weekly, fortnightly, bi-monthly or monthly payment plans.  For further information, please contact Mrs Lesley Hedley, Assistant Business Manager, in the School Office.

As in previous years, the Department of Education and Training's Secondary Assistance Scheme forms will be available to eligible parents. 

Forms are available from the School Office.  Applications close 1 April 2021. 

Term Dates 2021 

Term 4: Tuesday 12 October – Wednesday 8 December 

Term Dates 2022 

Term 1: Monday 31 January to Friday 8 April
Term 2: Thursday 28 April to Friday 1 July
Term 3: Tuesday 26 July to Friday 23 September
Term 4: Tuesday 11 October to Wednesday 7 December

Please see below the Uniform Shop Hours for 2021 and additional information related to blazers and uniforms for 2021. 

MEADOW SPRINGS CAMPUS

Please Note: Last day of trade for uniform shop for 2020 was Friday 4 December and is NOW CLOSED.  The Uniform Shop will reopen on Friday 22 January.  

HALLS HEAD CAMPUS

2021 Holiday Opening Hours from Friday 22 January

Current Year 6 Students

Please be advised that the 2020 Graduation top (gold sports top) your child is currently wearing will not be able to be worn in 2021 for Year 7.

Quickcliq Online Order
Any orders placed 2 December 2020  – 20 January 2021 will not be processed until 21 January 2021. 

For both Meadow Springs and Hall Head students, before school is back on the 1 February 2021, all orders will need to be collected from the School's Main Reception at the Meadow Spring Campus.

A letter was recently sent out regarding Frederick Irwin moving to Annual Billing. 

As part of this process we will  also be moving to a cashless system, which includes payment of School Fees along with the Uniform Shop and both Primary and Secondary canteen orders. 

This is in alignment with Anglican Schools Commission policies.  If you have any queries please contact the Business Manager on 9537 0000

We are pleased to announce a substantial improvement to the way that we collect and manage important information about our Primary students; significantly, how we maintain medical information about our students and information on events and excursions.

Consent2Go will be a new addition to the Primary School in 2021. Parents and caregivers will receive further information about Consent2Go before the end of Term 4 2020.

Did you know every student can access a range of eBooks on their laptop or device at home during the school holidays?

The Wheeler Books app allows students to logon and access a wide range of books. Plus the books are separated into Junior and Senior, ensuring the student accesses the correct age appropriate options.

To access these books:

Download the 'ePlatform by Wheelers' app from your app store
Find the Frederick Irwin library and login using your school ID
Borrow an eBook or Audiobook to read or listen to on your device
If you have any queries, chat with the library staff for assistance.

Happy reading!

As part of our 30 Year Celebrations in 2021, a Frederick Irwin Fete will be held on Saturday 27 March from 9.00am to 3.00pm

If you have a food truck business, children’s entertainment, a performing arts act, or you are a local business owner, we invite you to be a stall holder or become one of our major event sponsors.

If you are interested in either, please email our Community Relations Officer for a Sponsorship Pack or Stall Holder application form at 30years@fias.wa.edu.au

Year 7 students worked hard throughout the term in their Economics and Business classes to create products or services to sell at their Year 7 Fair, which was held on Friday 4 December 2020.

Students created products such as scented candles, succulents, scrubs, scrunchies, bracelets, fresh juices, a photo booth experience, Christmas gifts plus many more items.

The Fair raised over $3,000, the proceeds from the Year 7 Fair will be forwarded to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, who we're sure will be using the donation to great effect over the busy Christmas period.

Thank you to all who helped, bought, supported or attended the fair - we really appreciated it!

The Year 7 Teachers

A huge congratulations to two of our Creative Edge teams who are now State Champions!  Meadow Springs 1 and Meadow Springs 3 were recently announced as the winners of their respective competitions.  

Meadow Springs 1 won for Literature and Communication.  The results combined their scores from a six week long challenge where Literature, Music and Poetry were featured using four Charles Dickens stories. Students presented a 10 minute performance that they wrote covering certain criteria.

Meadow Springs 3 won for Science and Engineering.  They worked together to write a script  based around a Trebuchet and being able to launch tennis balls to land in a box.

Their team’s combined scores from their performance, the building and design of the model as well as script-writing, teamwork and the spontaneous challenge enabled them to be crowned winners.

The teams consisted of:

Literature:

Andrew Gilleece 6M3
Cohen Grbavac 6M1
Hannah Paton 6M1
Harriet Hulland 6M2
Manuel Van Den Kerckho 6M1
Sienna Clay 6M2
Stella Lewis 6M3
Tytan Milne 6M1

Science and Engineering:

Edwina Wallace 5M3
Evelyn Bocos 5M3
Jacob Drabble 6M2
James Mouton 6M1
Jasmine Nichols 5M2
Keira Chatfield 6M1
Rahna Lesk 5M3
Samantha Samuels 6M1

A big thank you to their teacher Mrs Cheryle Rudland, for her continued support of all students involved in this exciting competition, along with all the parents and volunteers who helped the students. 

Work placements are a great way for students to apply their learned knowledge in a practical setting. In 2020, even with the additional challenge of COVID-19, five Frederick Irwin students were placed in organisations throughout the Peel region. These students got to experience real-world working conditions with trusted industry partners that were selected by VET Work Placement.

Additionally, over 85 training certificates were issued this year at Frederick Irwin with many students receiving multiple certificates.

Participating organisations in 2020 include: Alcoa,  DLure Hair and Beauty, Dwyer Engineering, Kanyana Engineering, Lane Ford, Mandurah Performance, Mandurah Toyota, Nourish Food and Coffee, Perth Electrical Cabling Solutions, Revolution Boardsports, Serpentine Primary School, Tronox- Kwinana Pigment Plant, Tom's Mufflers and Brakes, The Garage – Kellerberrin, The Palace Hotel – Wagin, Westurn Engineering, AW Air & Electrical, Boeing Plumbing, Bunnings Halls Head, Charles Hull Contracting, Safety Bay Primary School and Waroona District High School

Congratulations to Samuel Matthews, Year 7, who has achieved a credit in his AMEB Grade Three Piano for Leisure practical examination and a high distinction for Grade 2 Theory of Music. 

See below information on Community events and information.