What a great start to the year we have had in the Upper Years.  My name is Kerry Alberts and this year I am the Deputy Principal for Years 5 & 6.  While I am new to the upper school at this school, this is my sixth year at Fernbrooke and stepping into this role has given me an opportunity to see how my Preps and Year 1 students from 2020 have transformed into the capable young leaders we see in the upper school precinct.

The staff have shared with me how impressed they have been with the students who have settled quickly into learning this year.  I want to acknowledge and thank all the staff in the upper school precinct because it is their work that has made this transition so smooth.  I have been given an opportunity to see firsthand their dedication, hard work, and knowledge as they have worked during the last two weeks to build strong relationships and provide each child with a safe, positive, and engaging learning environment. When learners feel safe, they are more likely to engage deeply, and collaborate, leading to better academic and personal development, and I can already see that our Year 5 & 6 students are exemplifying what a SUCCESSFUL Fernbrooke student is.

This year we are welcoming some new faces to our team; Jessie George, Lyn Howell and Angus Ellard and we also say hello to some returning staff; Kirsten Eriksson and Lisa O’Loghlen. I would like to thank Jillian Vincent who so capably started the year with 6A before commencing her leave. You can find the full list of the upper school team below.

Starlab - Year 5 have their Starlab incursion on Wednesday 26^th February 2025.  The cost of this incursion is $9.00.  This is an interactive experience enabling the students to participate by asking questions and making observations about space. This program is based on the Australian Curriculum: Science and will explore the Solar System and Earth’s rotation around the sun.

Permission and payment information was sent home last week. If you haven’t received this note or received an email yet, please contact the front office. If you wish for your child to participate in this activity, you will need to grant permission via Q Parents, which is our preferred method. Should you not know about QParents or how to access it, the office staff are only too willing to help. Please note that no late payments will be accepted from Friday, February 21.

NAPLAN - Year 5 students will be sitting their NAPLAN tests from Wednesday, March 12 to Friday, March 21. Our students will begin to start preparations very shortly to ensure they understand the online platform and to become familiar with the test formats. If you have any questions about NAPLAN please make contact with your child’s teacher or myself.

Swimming - Year 6 swimming will occur in Weeks 7, 8 and 9. A note has been sent home with the details of these lessons and the timetable will be finalised once we have identified the number of students attending. Lessons will be conducted at Goodna Aquatic Centre. Travel to the pool will be by a seat belted bus under teacher supervision.

The cost of swimming will be $12.00, which will cover the cost for the swimming lessons and the bus.  Once again, please use Q Parents to grant permission for your child to take part in the swimming program. Please note that no late payments will be accepted from Wednesday, March 5.

Parent Teacher Interviews – These meetings, which are an invaluable way to connect with your child’s teacher, will be conducted across all year levels on Monday, March 17. Please take the time to come and meet your child’s teacher to learn about your child’s school experience and development.

Year 6 Camp – A note was sent home with the Year 6 students on Monday, offering another opportunity to secure a place at the Year 6 camp which will be held from October 20 – October 22 this year.  A deposit of $50 can be made to the office by Friday, March 21.  If you have previously paid this deposit, there is no further action to take until invoices are sent out.  Once the invoices have been issued, you can contact the office to organise a payment plan should you wish to pay off the total amount over a period of time.  

I am looking forward to sharing with you a year filled with success, new experiences, and achievements. 

Kerry Alberts