Foxwell State Secondary College eNewsletter

Principal's Welcome

Foxwell State Secondary College acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands from across Queensland. We pay our respect to Elders, past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the state.

A very warm welcome to our college community for the 2023 school year. To our new families, thank you for joining us at Foxwell State Secondary College and for trusting us with your most valuable assets - your children. Our team are honoured to be able to provide your children with a world of opportunity.

The past years have reminded us all, that the education of our children relies on a partnership between school and home and the whole local community. It has also highlighted the need for intentional strategies to ensure that every student has the opportunity to be the very best they can be, no matter where they live or what kind of learning challenges they may face.

Parents, carers, and the broader community play a vital role in supporting successful learning outcomes for our children. The research tells us that the most meaningful partnerships are those where schools, parents, students and the community work together to focus on student learning. Parent and community engagement that is effectively focused on student learning can deliver powerful outcomes.

Screen_Shot_2023_01_27_at_3.39.03_pm.png

Every time you read our school newsletter, engage in parent teacher interviews, respond to the School Opinion Survey, help out with homework, pick up the phone, send an email, come in for a conversation, attend an assembly, school event, or a P&C meeting, we learn more about what role you expect the school to play within the community. Thank you for all that you do to support the college.

These first few weeks are about supporting our students to make a positive start to their learning. They need our support to establish some routines and to get started. We’re all here to help with that process. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's classroom teachers and/or Heads of Year over the course of the school year.

A message from Kym Amor

Happy New Year and welcome back to Foxwell SSC for the 2023 school year. I wanted to give you a personal update regarding my return to Foxwell.

As many of you are aware I sustained a serious injury in a fall at school in 2022 which included multiple broken bones and serious ligament damage to my right foot, in addition to other more minor injuries. As a result, I was immobilised and in a moon boot for 12 weeks and have been working with a team of medical professionals including an orthopaedic surgeon, physiotherapist and podiatrist over the past few months. Unfortunately, I also sustained some serious damage to the tendons in my left foot (as a result of the initial injuries) and continue to work with medical professionals most days on the road to a full recovery. Sadly, I am back in the dreaded moon boot again - just on the other foot.

Due to my ongoing treatment protocols, and the restrictions placed on me driving distances in a moon boot, I was only allowed to return to work gradually and part-time for Term 4 2022, and now much of Term 1 of this school year. In the best interest of the Foxwell SSC community, and my recovery, I decided that I would delay my return to Foxwell until treatment for both my feet are completed. It is hoped that this will be during Term 1, with the beginning of Term 2 being the very latest full time return date. In the meantime, I will be working part-time at Thornlands State School supporting their newly appointed Principal in her first Principal role. As I was involved in developing the Department's Beginning Principal Induction Program during Term 4 2022, this is wonderful opportunity to see this program in action.

I thank Kate Shepherd for her continuing work as Acting Principal. Ms Shepherd and I share an unrelenting focus on both Equity and Excellence in Education, and in knowing this, I am assured that our Foxwell students and families are in good hands during my absence. I also thank the staff at Foxwell for their continued passion and dedication as they either welcome our newest students or continue to offer a world of opportunity to our existing students. Our staff really are something special!

I look forward to seeing the students and families I know so well and meeting our newest students and families soon. I thank you for your continued support and understanding and express my gratitude to the community members and students who have continued to reach out to me with positive messages during the past months. I have been reassured that Kindness really is the Foxwell Way.

It wouldn't be a message from me without a reminder about the importance of each our SPIRIT values and an encouragement to take advantage of the 'world of opportunities' on offer at our amazing College. Make every day count!

Kym Amor

Principal

Foxwell State Secondary College

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our Year Level Assistants and Heads of Year for 2023.

Head of Year

Year Level Assistant

Year 7

Bryce Berrell

bdber0@eq.edu.au

Sarah Tiller

still0@eq.edu.au

Year 8

Jason Breese

jpbre0@eq.edu.au

Sarah Tiller

still0@eq.edu.au

Year 9

John Morris

jmorr435@eq.edu.au

Sharni Hughes

shugh198@eq.edu.au

Year 10

Lisa Moller

lmoll38@eq.edu.au

Sharni Hughes

shugh198@eq.edu.au

2023 is going to be an exciting year – it will be one of those moments we will look back on as having been the start of an important journey for our College as we embark on preparations for Senior Secondary. Across the year, our College will hold a number of education and information sessions for our Year 9 and 10 families, aimed at preparing your child and your family for the senior years. Knowledge is power, and the more information we can arm you with, ahead of 2024, will allow your child the opportunity to flourish ahead of their graduation.

At the conclusion of 2023 we consulted with our P&C Committee about our College Newsletter, including their content, scheduling and regularity. Thank you to all members for your honest feedback. I would like to announce that in 2023 we will issue whole of College Newsletters in weeks 1, 5 and 10. You will also receive bulletins regularly from your year level Deputy Principal with information specific to your child's cohort.

SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS

Please be aware that our College gates do not officially open until 8.00am and close at 4pm each day, unless a child is in an authorised program with a member of our staff.

We ask that parents do not drop off their children before 8am as there are no staff available to support them in an emergency. We also ask that all students leave our College grounds by 4pm.

Our college car park has certainly gotten much busier this year. As usual we encourage all parents to consider the Active School Travel Program where our students will travel to school via bike, scooter, walking, bus or by carpooling. Should you NEED to drive your child to school or collect them in the afternoon, we ask to you closely adhere to our clear expectations. These include:

Use the STOP, DROP, GO area for just this purpose. There is a 2 minute maximum time limit for stopping so if your child is not visible to you, please leave the zone and enter the car park appropriately. We will not be allowing cars into this area before 3pm as the bell does not go until this time and students need at least 2 minutes to get from their class to the zone. Please note that hefty fines are possible.
Follow the arrows and adhere to the ONE WAY parking signs. Under no circumstances should a car drive in the illegal direction of our car park. Our car park is strictly one directional and fines will be given to those who drive illegally risking the safety of other cars and pedestrians.
Be respectful by always driving to the very first available bay at the front of the first section of the STOP DROP GO zone. Do not stop in front of the school as this causes the traffic to bank back which will delay all other families. At Foxwell, we are respectful to other members of our community at all times.
Strictly adhere to the speed signs. Our children are precious so SLOW DOWN and do not drive while using your mobile phone.
The driver is never to leave the drivers seat if using the STOP, DROP, GO lane.
Be respectful to the staff who are providing safety support to the school community. Follow their directions at all times as they are putting the safety of ALL students first.
If using the car park we recommend you take the first park you see and fill from the entry as you may go past the last available park and have to leave the school grounds and re-enter which would be very frustrating.
Consider coming to the school at around 3.10-3.20pm for the afternoon pick up if possible. This is a much quieter time for collection. Your child will be safely waiting either in the covered seats at the front of the school or they can wait in the air conditioned Learning Hub. You will find things much calmer at this time.
Exit the car park onto Foxwell Road safely.

Until next time...

Kate Shepherd

Acting Principal