Issue 09 2025

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we reach the end of Term 2, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible achievements and spirit that have defined our school community over the past few months. I am filled with pride at the effort, resilience, and commitment our students have shown—not only in their academic pursuits but in the way they have embodied our school values and served others with generosity and heart.

This Term has been rich with opportunities for growth and celebration. Our Outdoor Education students ventured to Shark Bay, where they embraced challenge, teamwork, and the beauty of our natural environment. Across various ACC sporting events, our students demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship and determination, representing our school with pride.

Our Music Department has also shone brightly. From stirring performances to the moving service at Christ’s Church Anglican Church last Sunday, our students have uplifted and inspired. The Chapel Choir, under the direction of Miss Tess Nicholls and accompanied by Mrs Naomi Woods, sang with grace and beauty, creating a truly memorable worship experience.

We also commend the students who participated in the World’s Greatest Shave—an act of courage and compassion that reflects the very best of our community spirit.

As we celebrate these moments, we also prepare to say farewell to a cherished member of our school family. Mrs Sue Kirke, currently Head of Primary at Halls Head, will be retiring at the end of this week after 23 years of dedicated service. Her connection to the school spans over 30 years, having also been a parent here. Sue has led with heart, wisdom, and unwavering passion. Her legacy is one of deep care, strong leadership, and a profound impact on generations of students and staff. We thank her sincerely and pray God’s richest blessings over her as she steps into this next chapter.

I would like to thank our dedicated and hard-working staff for all their work over the Term.  I hope they have a wonderful rest over the holiday as they have worked amazingly. To a few staff on Long Service Leave next Term we wish them well and for those who have contracts coming to an end, we thank you for your hard work. To Mrs van Reeken who is going on maternity leave, we wish you God’s blessing on the safe arrival of your baby. To Mrs Dal Bello and Lisa Symonds we wish you God’s blessing with your next chapter and thank you for your work. To our leadership teams across the school and our Executive Team, a big thank you for your hard work.

To all our families, thank you for your continued support and partnership. I wish you a restful and joyful holiday break and look forward to welcoming everyone back for an exciting Term 3.

Warm regards,
Tracey Gray
Principal

Dear Parents and Carers

Farewell and Thank You

As I prepare to retire at the end of this term, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on my 33-year connection to this wonderful school community — a journey that began as a parent and has concluded with the privilege of serving as Head of Primary.

My earliest involvement was as a parent in the Frederick Irwin Anglican School community, enthusiastically supporting the Parents and Friends Association during its formative years. With all three of my children having completed their entire schooling here, my connection to the school has been both personal and profound. I have always felt a deep commitment to the values and spirit that define our school, and it has been my honour to contribute to its life in many ways over the years.

Almost 23 years ago, I joined the teaching staff, and since then, I have had the privilege of working with countless students and families. To have walked alongside so many during their primary school years — watching them learn, grow, overcome challenges, and celebrate achievements — has been nothing short of a blessing. I am proud to have been part of a school grounded in Christian values and shaped by the core principles of respect, responsibility, honesty, compassion, courage, and inclusion.

To the students: thank you for your energy, your curiosity, and your joy — you are the heart of the school. To the staff: thank you for your professionalism, your hard work and dedication, your friendship, and your unwavering support — you make this community strong. To our School families: thank you for your trust, your support, and the many partnerships formed over the years — it has been a privilege to share in your children’s learning journeys.

I leave with full confidence in the future of our Primary School. I am delighted to welcome the incoming Head of Primary, Mr Rob Gratton, who I know will continue to lead with wisdom, care, and vision, taking our campus from strength to strength.

It has been an honour to serve in this role and a true joy to be part of such a wonderful, values-driven community. I wish the School continued success in the years ahead.

With warmest regards and heartfelt thanks,

Sue Kirke
Head of Primary - Halls Head Campus

Dear Parents and Carers

Well done everyone on a jampacked, hugely rewarding Term 2!  It has been great to see so much happening in the school and massive thank you goes out to all the staff for their hard work, parents for their support, and importantly the students for upholding their high standards and working so well.  We have had some amazing Reward Days, Guest Speakers, Exams, Assessments, Reports, Discos, Camps, House Activities, Performances and so much more.  Our staff work incredibly hard to provide opportunities for the students, and I know how grateful the students are for these. 

Our Wellbeing Hub is undergoing some renovations over the holidays, and I can’t wait to see it come to life in Term 3.  Thank you to the Grounds Staff, Ms Webb and Mr Costelow for making this happen.  Mrs Dixon, Mrs Tylor, Mrs Mason and I are so excited to see this next stage! 

As we wrap up Term 2, I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and I look forward to seeing you all next term.  

Mrs Jenny Crutchett
Acting Deputy Head of Secondary Pastoral Care and Service

Dear Parents and Carers

As we farewell Term 2, we can reflect on how much has been accomplished so far this year. We have seen great success and team spirit through many sporting teams, and have been very proud of our Basketball teams in the ACC carnivals. All players did us proud, and it was great to see a huge turnout to watch the home games. Students have demonstrated their community spirit through various service and fundraising events. Congratulations to all students and staff who raised money by participating in The World's Greatest Shave; I hope you received a beanie in your supporters' kit to help you through these cold mornings!

Our students continue to display very high levels of conduct and commitment to learning, as shown in their Term 2 Reports, which will be released to parents this week. Please remember to look over your reports and then apply for Advanced Standing if you think you have met the requirements for the award. At our recent assembly, Mrs Gray spoke about the number of students with Advanced or Good Standing and asked me to share the numbers with students and staff. We currently have 12% of the Secondary School with Advanced Standing and 86.3% of students with their Good Standing; 98.3% of students have Good Standing or higher! Well done, everyone.

Our Year 12 Ski Trip heads to the slopes on Saturday morning, and I wish you all a fabulous adventure and time away as a group. Thank you to the team of staff who will be away with them. I wish you all a restful and safe holiday and will see you back to commence Term 3 on Wednesday 23 July.

Ms Jannine Webb
Head of Secondary

Dear Parents and Carers

We have had a wonderful Term 2 and I’m incredibly proud of our students. While visiting classes throughout the term I have been impressed with the maturity and responsibility that our students are demonstrating. I’m so thankful to our staff for providing our students with engaging, challenging and rich learning experiences. Our community of learning is thriving. I recently attended our Year 4 learning expo and was delighted to observe our students share their learning and just as importantly, having fun. It is clear that a love for learning is being fostered. 

Community

At our recent assemblies I have been sharing with our parents, staff and students, feedback that I have been getting from the community about our students. Whether it was on an excursion, athletics event or weekend sport, I have been getting feedback from our community that Frederick Irwin students are demonstrating, Respect, Sportsmanship and Responsibility. We are so proud of our students and the way in which they represent their school. We are a proud community and our students are doing a fabulous job. 

Staffing 

We have recently farewelled Mrs Pat Rehm and Mrs Jenni McRae. We genuinely thank Mrs Rehm and Mrs McRae for their dedication and passion to Frederick Irwin Anglican School over a number of years. Mrs Rehm and Mrs McRae have made a wonderful impact on our community and we wish them nothing but the best for the future.

In the role of Learning Enrichment Coordinator, we welcome Mrs Brittany Tippett. Mrs Tippett has experience in educational leadership and has held similar roles at previous schools. She is a passionate educator and committed to ensuring that our inclusive programmes progress from strength to strength. 

In the role of Extension, we welcome Mrs Vassana Lewis who will be taking our Maths extension classes. Mrs Lewis is already a member of our strong staff and is excited about taking on these new lessons. Mrs Sian Wake has also been appointed, and will lead the other extension opportunities for our students. Mrs Wake is an experienced teacher who has been involved in extension programmes at previous schools. Mrs Wake is already part of our community as a parent and is excited to be joining our strong team. Both Mrs Lewis and Mrs Wake have been provided thorough handover and are eager to support our students.

Helping Each Other 

We remain committed to improving the flow of traffic in our Primary carpark. Everyone can assist in these solutions by showing patience and understanding in what is ultimately a short period of time each day. By avoiding parking on footpaths and verges, remaining patient in the Kiss and Drop lines, and being respectful to each other while entering and exiting the school, we can all contribute to better flow. Avoiding early arrival and congestion of the Kiss and Drop line is also helpful. Our community can also assist our staff by not using staff parking or ambulant parking bays. We appreciate everyone’s support and I hope that the School break is an enjoyable time for our families.

I also want to recognize the hard work of our amazing staff and thank our parents for providing me with wonderful feedback. Please be assured that I always pass these kind words on. Our staff truly deserve a break and I thank them for their dedication to our students. As a community we can assist our staff by allowing them to take this time with their own families. I too look forward to spending time with loved ones and also look forward to seeing our families out in the community.     

Noah Clark
Head of Primary - Meadow Springs Campus

On Wednesday 18 June, the Meadow Springs Primary Campus had a visitor from Mr Taro Yoshida, a Principal from an Anglican School in Tokyo.

Mr Yoshida is passionate about the use of dogs in classrooms, and brings his own dog @anne_toyoeiwa to his classrooms.

With FIAS having our own Story Dogs plus Pocket, our Wellbeing Dog, this was a great opportunity for him to see how dogs are used in our Primary school.

Mr Yoshida met with our Deputy Principal, Mr Shane Parnell and then our Head of Primary, Mr Noah Clark, took Mr Yoshida for a tour of the School, accompanied by Pocket.

On Sunday 22 June, we were delighted to welcome 2002 Alumni and FIAS Council Member, Dr Charles Jenkinson, and his wife, Clare (Class of 2003), for the Baptism of their daughter, Margot Eloise.

The beautiful service was conducted by Canon James Tabor and attended by family and friends in the School Chapel.

It was a special occasion filled with warmth, faith, and celebration.

On Tuesday 17 June, the House Captains of Halls Head travelled to Parliament House to meet with Lisa Munday MLA (Member for Dawesville) for a formal luncheon.

The three course meal in the beautiful Parliament House Dining Room was, in the words of the students, 'excellent, delicious, yummy, fabulous, lovely, amazing!'

Lisa was a wonderful host; she showed us some of the features of the House and kept the conversation flowing throughout, asking questions of the Captains about their opinions on current events as well as their visions and hopes for the future.

What a fantastic opportunity for our young leaders.

Dear Parents and Carers

Final Day of Term 2: Friday 27 June

• MONDAY 30 JUNE 2025 TO FRIDAY 4 JULY 2025
  The main Secondary School Office will be open 8.00am to 4.00pm (closed for lunch 12.30pm – 1.00pm).
  The Halls Head and Meadow Springs Primary School Offices will be closed.
   
• MONDAY 7 JULY 2025 to FRIDAY 11 JULY 2025
  All School Offices closed to the public.
   
• MONDAY 14 JULY 2025 TO FRIDAY 18 JULY 2025
  The main Secondary School Office will be open 8.00am to 4.00pm (closed for lunch 12.30pm – 1.00pm).
  The Halls Head and Meadow Springs Primary School Offices will be closed.
   
• MONDAY 21 JULY 2025
  The main Secondary School Office will be open 8.00am to 4.00pm (closed for lunch 12.30pm – 1.00pm).
   
• TUESDAY 22 JULY 2025
  School Offices Closed. 

First Day of Term 3: Wednesday 23 July 2025

Please contact Main Administration on 08 9537 0000 if you require further information. 

On Friday 20 June, 16 students and staff took part in the World's Greatest Shave.

This charity raises money for the Leukaemia Foundation's fight against blood cancer, and managed to raise almost $10,000.

Thank you to everyone that took part, and the Year 12s involved in organising this event. A big thanks to our hairdressers and barbers, including Alumni Caiden Hoy, who now works as an apprentice barber, and the team from @wildandsavvyhairstudio, whose owner is also a FIAS parent!

Dear Parents and Carers

What a fantastic start to the winter sports season we’ve had at FIAS! This year, we’ve set new records with 24 soccer teams competing in the Peel Junior Soccer Association and 25 netball teams in the Mandurah Netball Association, making us the largest junior clubs in both competitions. We also have three hockey teams in the Peel Hockey Junior competition, along with strong participation in Hookin2Hockey.

While we’re proud of our numbers, what really sets FIAS apart is our commitment to sportsmanship, teamwork, and a positive sporting culture. We’ve had amazing feedback from associations and opposing teams about the way we play, coach, and spectate, which is something we truly value.

At FIAS Sport, it’s all about making sure players have a great experience throughout the season—playing with friends, developing their skills, and most importantly, having fun! Our dedicated volunteer coaches and managers put in an incredible amount of effort to create and maintain this culture, ensuring a supportive environment for everyone involved.

In addition to regular training sessions and weekly games, our teams have had development clinics with external coaches for our soccer and netball players. We commenced our NET skills program for our Pre-Primary players. We also held a Coach the Coach evening, designed to support our coaches in honing their skills—reinforcing the principle that coach development directly enhances player development.  We’ve had FIAS umpires advancing with their accreditation, players and coaches representing Mandurah/Peel at Association Championships, sharing of players amongst our teams to ensure games can go ahead, and some fabulous FIAS derbies. As we wrapped up the term, our MIX IT UP week brought a fun challenge for teams to finish strong, build team spirit, and celebrate the season so far.

It is exciting that as we continue to build our FIAS representation in the local associations, we also have the support of all involved to continue building the positive sporting culture at the school.  Well done FIAS!

Mrs Claire Booker
Sports Coordinator

Dear Parents and Carers

What a fantastic start to the winter sports season we’ve had at FIAS! This year, we’ve set new records with 24 soccer teams competing in the Peel Junior Soccer Association and 25 netball teams in the Mandurah Netball Association, making us the largest junior clubs in both competitions. We also have three hockey teams in the Peel Hockey Junior competition, along with strong participation in Hookin2Hockey.

While we’re proud of our numbers, what really sets FIAS apart is our commitment to sportsmanship, teamwork, and a positive sporting culture. We’ve had amazing feedback from associations and opposing teams about the way we play, coach, and spectate, which is something we truly value.

At FIAS Sport, it’s all about making sure players have a great experience throughout the season—playing with friends, developing their skills, and most importantly, having fun! Our dedicated volunteer coaches and managers put in an incredible amount of effort to create and maintain this culture, ensuring a supportive environment for everyone involved.

In addition to regular training sessions and weekly games, our teams have had development clinics with external coaches for our soccer and netball players. We commenced our NET skills program for our Pre-Primary players. We also held a Coach the Coach evening, designed to support our coaches in honing their skills—reinforcing the principle that coach development directly enhances player development.  We’ve had FIAS umpires advancing with their accreditation, players and coaches representing Mandurah/Peel at Association Championships, sharing of players amongst our teams to ensure games can go ahead, and some fabulous FIAS derbies. As we wrapped up the term, our MIX IT UP week brought a fun challenge for teams to finish strong, build team spirit, and celebrate the season so far.

It is exciting that as we continue to build our FIAS representation in the local associations, we also have the support of all involved to continue building the positive sporting culture at the school.  Well done FIAS!

Mrs Claire Booker
Sports Coordinator

Good afternoon, Tracey 

I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the students, and wider school community for the outstanding conduct of the Year 10 students at last night’s dinner dance

The maturity, respect, and enthusiasm shown by the students was truly commendable. Their behaviour and the way they carried themselves throughout the evening reflected the values and high standards of your school.

Events like these mark significant milestones, and it was clear that the students understood the importance of the occasion. They represented themselves, their families, and the school with great pride.

Please pass on my congratulations and gratitude to the students and all staff involved in organising and supporting the event.

It was a great night,  made even more special by watching the students enjoy themselves so wholeheartedly.

We look forward to hosting the class of 2026.

What a fantastic day at the Rugby Gala for our Years 7–10 teams! Our students showed great sportsmanship, teamwork and determination throughout the day.

A big thank you to Peta Sattler, Werner Nagel and Paul Terry for their support and guidance, and to all the parents who volunteered their time on the day.

Holiday Open Hours - Meadow Springs Campus 

- Monday 21 July, 10.00am - 3.00pm

- Tuesday 22 July, 9.00am - 2.00pm

- Wednesday 23 July, 8.00am - 12.00noon (First day of Term 3)

Please visit the website for further uniform information:
www.frederickirwin.wa.edu.au/school-community/uniform

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