Despite there only being a few school days since the last newsletter, there is so much that is occurring in our wonderful school. With the capital works well behind us, it is fabulous to experience our new classrooms and learning areas. It is also inspiring to see the efforts undertaken by our Specialist staff with their learning areas.

On Thursday morning I was able to meet with our Parents' Club and reflect on the great work that is being planned for our students and their families this term. Such events and opportunities include a Mothers’ Day Stall, Mothers' Day Breakfast, Grandparents’ Day and a Movie Night later in the school term. Well done to Chris Weiss and his Fathers’ Breakfast Club who are this year preparing events for our Mothers’ Day Breakfast to be held on Thursday 9th May, 2024.

Just a few matters

House Cross - Country – Monday 22nd April 2024

We are delighted that Mr Boulton has organised for this to occur in and around a course involving Canterbury oval from 11:30am on Monday 22nd April. For this year, students from Years 3-6 will be involved with students turning 9 years in the 2024 calendar year being able to progress, where applicable, to the district level. If you are able to join us on Monday, please come along and encourage our students. This is a great opportunity for our Sports House Captains to exercise some organisational and leadership skills, with guidance from Mr Boulton and our staff.

Priorities for resource spending for our students – Your fundraising efforts are making a difference!

Thank you again to the 102 parents who took the time to complete the Parents' Club survey last term. The intention to provide resources in the areas of STEAM Education; Technology; Library and Classroom Resources, Arts and Music; together with Ground Facilities and other areas, has been a wonderful motivator for all staff and students. Our Year 6 students have long lobbied for soccer goals and through their own efforts, and with some support from Mr Boulton, have sourced what is required. Similarly, Mr Rampant has identified over $1800.00 worth of music equipment to contribute to our Performing Arts Program. We look forward to the impact of these new resources on our programs and the opportunities for our students. We expect that by the May meeting of the School Council there will be a number of submissions to enhance and further develop each of these areas. Importantly, they will be impacting the opportunities for our students in no time.

Student Enrolments for 2025

At this stage we continue to provide school tours for a number of interested families for 2025 and beyond. Parents are now encouraged to formally commence the enrolment process from this term and use our website to make the application. At this stage we have made it clear to our feeder pre-schools and childcare centres that we will be taking enrolments beyond our current enrolment zone. This zone was created some years ago to greatly reduce the demand on the school, given limited resources. With our new Capital Upgrade that situation has now changed.

As part of the enrolment process, we look forward to conducting a highly detailed Foundation Information Session at 7:00pm on Thursday 9th May. We encourage parents of students enrolling for 2025 to attend. On this occasion we will be providing detail in relation to the Foundation Program, but also the Specialist areas of Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Music, Japanese and Physical Education and Sport, along with some exciting undertakings for 2025 and beyond.

Performing Arts - State Schools' Spectacular 2024 & Aero Schools' Aerobics Competition.

We are delighted that our Assistant Principal, Ms Georgina Kirwan, has taken the initiative to have 16 of our Year 6 students selected for the magnificent opportunity this is the State School Spectacular. This is a significant undertaking with students needing to master over seven dance routines and other functions as they rehearse and prepare for the major event to be held in September. These students will have access to Google Classroom to enable them to receive the associated videos and practice guidance. Additionally, we also have 22 Year 5 students who have expressed an interest to train, prepare and compete in the Aero Aerobics Competition also in Term 3. After the extraordinary success of 2023 when we entered for the first time, we are keen to continue to progress this wonderful opportunity. Again, we look forward to a number of staff assisting with these opportunities for our students and our school.

External Providers

At this stage we allow a number of external providers to operate in our school. This has significant benefits for our students and provides considerable convenience at a range of levels, including for parents who no longer need to transport their children to other venues. These include TheirCare; Creative Music, Tuned-In Kids, Chatham Challenges; Dance Fitness, Hello Yoga, Chess Club, Education Space and more recently, Code Camp. Also involved is a significant number of private providers who assist with NDIS plans or related matters.

For Term 2 we will be trialling Code Camp who will be providing Coding opportunities for students on Wednesdays from 3:45 – 5:00pm. A flyer was distributed again on Compass late Wednesday for your interest.

Fluorescent Lights Replaced

Over the student break some 250 plus fluorescent tubes were replaced with LED battens and panels throughout the school. Whilst the double fluorescent tubes were replaced at no cost, we were somewhat surprised to find that the replacement of single fluorescent units would need to be funded by the school. Aussie Greenmarks Pty Ltd were the accredited provider who completed the works over the three-day period. Suffice to add most importantly that the quality of these lights has made an enormous difference across the school. I expect that in time we will get the single tube lights replaced. It is noted further that through remote dimmer switches we have the capacity to determine the brightness of the new lights for various contexts and student needs.

School Security and Facilities

Over the last few months, we have been very concerned about dogs and their owners accessing our school grounds out of hours. Too often we have arrived at school to find that the owners of these dogs have not cleaned up after their dog. This is very disappointing. The effect on our students and school has been highly inconvenient and distracting. Additionally, we have become aware that a number of students from accompanying private schools, unknown to us have deliberately disregarded our property and caused ongoing damage. Where those involved are known or can be identified contact has been made to the principals of those schools involved to take appropriate action. Frankly, we have contempt and zero tolerance for such entitled and reckless behaviour.

As a result, as is the case with other schools, I will now need to secure the premises so that we can be confident that it is safe for our students, staff and families when they are onsite. I will have further arrangements to communicate in due course.

First Aid/Nursing – Chatham Primary School

Many of you will now be aware that our Division 1 Nurse Ms Karen Scanlin has moved to work in the western suburbs of Melbourne. Karen had previously worked two days per week in 2023. Whilst we have not replaced Karen with a nurse, we have ensured that we have a highly skilled and diligent Level 2 First Aid person filling this important position. Ms Shaina Webb is here at the critical times between 11.00am – 3.00pm Monday to Friday and we convey our appreciation for the important and high level of care she provides in this important role for this school. This provision is possible through the Education Contributions made by our parents. The Department of Education provides no such funds for this important role. Ms Webb has included some details in this newsletter.

Road Safety and Traffic Reminders

Our students are aware that they do not ride scooters or push bikes in the school grounds after 8:45am in the mornings or before 3:45pm in the afternoons. Perhaps what is less understood is that whilst they are riding on the footpaths around the school they are also encouraged to do so safely, by travelling at a slow speed. The prospect of flying down a footpath is dangerous for our many pedestrians but also dangerous from the perspective of cars reversing out of driveways. I would ask that if your child rides to school or uses a scooter, that they are reminded of these expectations, for themselves and others.

Again, I look forward to keeping you updated and will continue to communicate via Compass notifications as required.

Christopher Cotching

Principal

Hello parents, caregivers and the Chatham Primary School community. For those of you I have not yet met, my name is Shaina Webb, and I am thrilled to have taken on the role of First Aid Coordinator this year.

I have worked in early years learning and education for coming up to 14 years, holding a Level Two First Aid Certificate for much of that time, and joined Chatham in 2018 as an Integration Aide. I have two children who are in Years 2 and 4 at a primary school closer to our home, as well as two dogs, a cat and possibly too many houseplants.

I am in the First Aid Room from 11:00am to 3:00pm each day, outside those hours our wonderful administration team will tend to any students’ needs. The majority of first aid injuries and treatments don’t require any follow up, however there are a few instances when you will hear from me. Should your child have any form of head bump they will be visually inspected for redness, swelling or bruising, their pupil response checked, a cold compress (not ice) will be applied to the site, and they will be monitored until they are deemed alright to return to class, and you will get a courtesy call to let you know of the incident. I will also let you know any time your child has a particularly large or unusual bandage to avoid alarm at the end of the day.

In addition to tending to the students’ First Aid needs and administering medication, I have been updating our First Aid processes and equipment for yard duty, classrooms, excursions and camps, and have revised our incident record forms to track areas or activities with high incident involvement. I’ve created a central database for Student Medical Alerts and have been in contact with these families regarding Action Plan and medication status.

Should your child have any conditions of which you feel we should be aware please feel free to get in touch. I am honoured to be trusted to care for all of our students’ health and wellbeing.