As we progress through the most demanding time of the school year, we are absorbed with so much that is central to our routines and rituals at each level, but also the new opportunities and challenges that are created.

Student and Staff Illness

Having experienced the Influenza for much of last week I am highly conscious just how debilitating this has been over the recent period. The impact has been significant on students and staff, with Office staff away for a period last week and remaining so this week. The reality of such an impost does mean that matters cannot be done at that time.

There are however some financial realities that impact schools when this situation occurs. We do not receive any additional funds to employ casual relief staff and progressively, as personnel draw upon their entitlements the school is faced with an incredibly difficult condition. It is my view that the huge discrepancy between what schools are given in financial resources and what can be industrially drawn is becoming impossible to manage over the longer term. This situation has increased significantly in recent years.

Personal Student Hygiene

Over the coming weeks we are encouraging all students to take increased care of their personal hygiene. The notion of students washing their hands after the toilet needs constant reiteration and is even more crucial at this time. Increasingly, I will be getting our First Aid Officer, Ms Shaina Webb to supply increased sanitiser to classrooms and specialist areas along with ensuring our supply of air purifiers are up and working. Also involved will be a heightened focus upon toilets and soap dispensers with our contract cleaners: Tradeflex.

Principal Leave and Arrangements

Recently, I had cause to be on short term leave from 1st – 9th May 2025 inclusive. On such occasions it is incumbent on the Principal to make a recommendation to the Regional Director of the replacement. I was delighted and completely confident to recommend our Assistant Principal, Ms Georgina Kirwan who has the pulse and culture of this school in her every deliberation, as some eighteen years welded on, and highly committed, as a leader in this community – beyond us all. In this situation Ms Georgina Kirwan capably led and took stewardship of the school during the busy period. This also enabled Mr Zac Barry and Ms Kirstie Briggs to share intermittent acting periods as the Assistant Principal. Again, It is of enormous relief for a Principal to know that in their absence the leadership and work done by such people creates a sense of order and safety and brings new insights into emerging possibilities for leadership – and humbly, on occasions, better than what might be experienced with your current incumbent.

Staffing and Teacher Recruitment

Whilst we are delighted that generally our teachers choose to remain at our school invariably, we do have the normal progressions of teachers achieving promotions in other places or leaving in the short term to experience parental leave. We wish Mrs Siobhan Moore 1/2A and Ms Rose Yodgee 3/4C well as they embark on various aspects of their lives at this time.

After extensive recruitment processes, we are delighted to advise that Mr Michael Tiglias has assumed the role of teacher of Year 5/6C. Like Ms Hannah Spivak, Mr Tiglias also attended Chatham Primary School in his earlier years and has been very much part of this community throughout. Mr Tiglias will work closely with Mr Barry and Ms Spivak in the delivery of the Year 5 & 6 program.

We are also pleased to welcome Mr Declan Smith who will join us in Year 3/4C together with Mr Tim Clarke. Mr Clarke will assume responsibility for the class on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, whilst Mr Smith will do likewise on Thursdays and Fridays. I am also pleased to advise that Mr Smith will also perform the role of Performing Arts teacher on Mondays and Tuesdays for the remainder of the school year. In the coming days Mr Smith will collaborate with Mr James Rampant regarding program transition.

Education Week - Open Afternoon – 3:40pm – 5:30pm

I am pleased to advise that the classrooms and specialist areas of our school were open at this time.

We strongly encouraged parents and family members to use this superb opportunity to speak with our teaching staff and visit their child’s classroom and specialist areas during the time available. The purpose of extending the time to 5:30pm was to ensure that more families could visit our school. It was wonderful to see that many parents and families used this wonderful opportunity.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day – Thursday 22nd May 2025

This energetic, engaging and exciting opportunity occurred yesterday morning and once again our school was full to capacity with grandparents and special friends. This culminated in a morning tea in the Hall from approximately 10:30am and a performance from our Year 5 & 6 students on the marimbas, with a final performance involving the singing of our school song. Our Parents Club members Pam Nasiakos, Jo Haddock and Dannielle Roberts consulted with us to ensure this event went smoothly. We convey our appreciation for the superb organisation and efforts by Jo Haddock and Danielle Roberts and also the many parents who contributed with plates for morning tea.

The experience of visiting classrooms was thoroughly enjoyed by our grandparents and special friends, as was the opportunity to visit specialist program areas and our wonderful school library. For 2025, grandparents and special friends were also given the opportunity to donate towards the cost of new books to the school library.

Curriculum Day – Friday 16th May

Last Friday we enjoyed the morning session with a focus of teaching staff on the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model. This is being embraced by all schools and this provided an opportunity to review the theory and rationale for a different change in approach. I am pleased to advise that our teaching staff are highly conversant with these expectations and also our highly refined Chatham Instructional Model. Currently our Teaching staff meet on Tuesday and/or Wednesday afternoons to progress their knowledge and skills in this area.

For the remainder of the day teachers were required to review the substance and structure of Semester 1, School Reports with their colleagues and complete outstanding online E-Learning Modules determined as mandatory by the Department of Education.

NAPLAN 2025

At this stage we have been able to access the Preliminary Reports for our 2025 NAPLAN from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Whilst these are only preliminarily results, they are extremely positive about our achievement in Numeracy, Reading, Spelling, and Grammar and Punctuation at Years 3 & 5. The results for writing are not available at this stage. The final results for students in Years 3 & 5 will arrive from Monday 21st July and will be shared with parents at the Parent Teacher Discussions scheduled for 30th July 2025.

House, District and Division Cross Country

We have been delighted with the enthusiasm and interest shown by our students with these events. The experience of the House Cross Country with House Leaders enthusing our students with House chants and parents readily availing themselves to volunteer and cheer on our students was just magnificent. Moreover, the Chatham circuit we created with regular practices at recess and lunchtimes by Mr Boulton and myself, really lifted the excitement for the events and the preparation of all students involved. Again, we have been delighted with the achievement of these students and wish eight of them well as they progress to the Division competition at Ruffey Park, East Doncaster on Monday 26th May.

Later this term, students in Years 3-6 will be given the marvellous opportunity to experience Hooptime. Whilst enjoyed by our students this does create resourcing challenges for schools, quite apart from the costs involved for parents. We can later look forward to House and District Athletics in Term 3.

Year Foundation Enrolments for 2026

At this stage we are yet to confirm the numbers of students enrolled at Chatham Primary School for 2026. The Department of Education Student Insight system seems to be experiencing significant problems. We have made repeated requests of the Department of Education to establish clarity around such matters and look forward to these issues being resolved. Recently, the Open Afternoon for prospective parents on Wednesday 7th May 2025 provided a magnificent opportunity to visit our school, its facilities and programs. Despite only occurring to 4:30pm, a number of new families availed themselves of the experience.

State Schools' Spectacular 2025 – ‘On the Air’

Our sixteen Year 6 students have enjoyed attending the area rehearsal with other schools to continue learning the seven dances and associated routines. Again, this is being led and coordinated by Ms Georgina Kirwan with assistance from Ms Hannah Spivak. From this stage, rehearsals will become bigger with more schools involved as well as costuming and sets being prepared. The major event will be held at John Cain arena on Saturday 13th September 2025.

Rolling Facilities Evaluation

Subsequent to the completition of our Capital Works Program the school has once again been reviewed for outstanding maintenance works. Clearly there are still some areas that require attention, not the least the external stairs leading to the Year 3 & 4 classrooms. Recently I was advised by the Victorian School Building Authority that they have appointed a Principal Design Consultant to manage the Planned Maintenance Program at Chatham Primary School. At this stage Mr Patrick Giles of Guymer Bailey Architects Pty Ltd has been appointed to visit our school, conduct a detailed investigation of priority works and thereafter provide a report to the VSBA for review. Once this occurs the VSBA will provide a briefing to the Principal on the proposed works.

Occupational Health and Safety Audits 29th March and 30th April 2025

The focus upon this area between 29th March and 30th April has been considerable. On 29th March 2025 we were visited by an OH&S consultation from Marsh Consulting to review the extent to which our school was compliant with the requirements. This visit occurred over a major part of the day and whilst we were largely compliant, a number of areas for improvement were identified. To some extent where practicable and where resources were available, matters were dealt with by Ms Judy Holland and an OH&S consultant Ms Carol Fuhrmann.

On the 30th April 2025 a more comprehensive audit was conducted by an officer from Ernst and Young on behalf of the Department of Education. Such audits are largely in response to requirements communicated by the Victorian Office of the Auditor General.

Whilst the officer was prepared to acknowledge the exceptional diligence in places he did identify approximately ten areas for improvement. These will be more fully expanded in the report we receive in due course. One such concern was the number of staff who had not completed their mandatory Occupational Health and Safety E-Learning Modules on time. The Curriculum Day afforded some opportunity for this to be ameliorated although additional allocation of times will be necessary in the future.

Perhaps one of the greatest challenges is about storage of materials. Currently, we have a separate storage area to house equipment for our Kitchen Garden but much of what we endeavour to keep is loosely placed in our Mod Five portable and the area adjoining the bike shed. Ideally, we need a designated shed to manage much of our ongoing maintenance equipment for the longer term. This matter will be discussed with our School Council in due course.

Vale – Ms Anne Geddes

It is with considerable sadness that I report the passing of Ms Anne Geddes in recent days. Anne often provided volunteer support in the classrooms taught by Mr Tim Clarke and has been involved in our school for over ten years. Anne also contributed as a volunteer on school camps with her last Camp being with our Year 3 & 4 students at Arrabri Camp in 2023. Anne also contributed to our Special Days and along with staff she would dress up in a character for Book Week. A service for Anne was conducted at 11:00am Tuesday 20th May at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, East Kew.

Christopher Cotching

Principal

Parents' Club