New staff welcomed to Fairfax Public School

Fairfax School community were very grateful to the welcome much-needed rain in the district recently.

Hopefully, we can receive some good follow up rain.

It is amazing how quickly the rain has freshened and greened up our grounds.

The students are well and truly settled in and focused on learning.

Two new staff members were welcomed to Fairfax this year, Tayla Simpson has joined us in a full-time classroom teaching role, predominantly teaching K-2 students and Ashlee Petch has joined three days per week in the school administration role.

Welcome to Tayla and Ashlee – we are grateful for their investment in Fairfax and our students.

Anna Mahy recently represented Fairfax at the Narrabri Zone swimming carnival zone giving it her all.

But her big achievement was representing Northwest at the PSSA State Girls Cricket Championships in Armidale.

Anna played seven games for two wins and five losses.

She took three wickets – two bowled and one caught and bowled.

Anna had a fantastic time and is hoping for the opportunity again next year.

Hopefully, you tuned into 2MaxFM last Thursday to hear the students share their accounts of all that has been happening at Fairfax.

In our ‘Little but Loud’ meetings, students reflect on recent events and delegate as to who writes and reads each report on 2MaxFM. Well done students.

In one month, we will be on the airwaves again on the last day of school this term – Thursday, April 2.

Last week we completed the Best Start Kindergarten Assessment.

This assessment provides teachers with a snapshot of what our new Kindergarten student can do and what requires explicit teaching and practice.

The school welcomed Melissa Hancock from the Narrabri Lionesses recently who presented our Kindergarten student Anastasia with a beautiful library bag. Thank you ladies.

Over week seven and eight we are conducting parent meetings to discuss student progress and goals for the year and welcome parent input to determine HPGE goals particularly.

Students are looking forward to celebrating Harmony Week next week now that NAPLAN is done and dusted for this year.

The school is looking forward to welcoming the new APCI (Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction), Jackie Murray in week nine.

This will be Jackie’s first visit to Fairfax and Maules Creek and we look forward to showing her our beautiful school.

Students have been accessing the Amplify program to access music, drama and dance learning activities. Students have thoroughly enjoyed the lessons, focusing on beat in music and role playing a scene in drama. The verdict – lots of fun.

For sport and PE this term students have focused on developing their touch football skills in preparation for the Small Schools Knockout competition, in which we will be partnering with Bellata Public School in term two.

All students are making excellent progress with forward passes, thankfully, disappearing from our repertoire!

Don’t forget our onsite preschool run by Coastwide Services operating on Thursdays and Fridays between school hours.

Kate Bakhuis is the preschool educator.

This is a great opportunity to welcome children into a beautiful, safe educational setting that values individuality and caring for students and are extremely proud of the students and their ability to relate, share and care for each other across five stages of learning.