Welcome Back!

In true Cavendish style we are back and into things full swing, including making sure we are across our Emergency Management Plan!

In all seriousness though, thank you to our many CFA volunteers and other community members who have not rested since mid-December. Thank you for keeping us safe.

And thank you to our students and their families for showing common sense and resilience in these challenging times. As always, we are here to help and support you all should you feel the need.

We extend a warm Cavendish welcome to our new staff members. Miss Lee has settled into the 2/3 classroom and is thoroughly enjoying our CPS way of life. Mrs Deb Neale has completed two Kitchen Garden days and is looking forward to leading lots of learning in this area.

Stadium & Maintenance Update

Our builder Alan Turner has kept the ball rolling on our stadium upgrade. Our access ramp and fire tanks are complete, with the remainder of the fire safety upgrades close to finishing. Painting inside and out has been done, and glass being installed. Alan is hoping that they may be finished by the end of February - how exciting! Watch this space for a grand opening celebration!!

Painting has been completed in the staffroom and Music Room, and we have installed new flooring in the student toilets. Most of the new toilets are in - we are still awaiting delivery of the final few.

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)

To begin the year the teachers and I attended SWPBS introductory training at Dunkeld Primary School. The SWPBS approach supports wellbeing, and social/emotional learning in all areas of our school. This approach will be underpinned by our new values - Respect, Excellence, Dedication, Growth, Unity and Mindfulness.

To compliment this, we will train in the Berry Street Education Model and will deliver weekly wellbeing focus lessons based on the Zones of Regulation and the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships program. Keep your eye on the newsletter to see information about what your child has been learning through this approach.

For the first two weeks our whole school focus has been upon building class relationships and setting expectations.

Students from F-6 have completed School Values education sessions to "unpack" our values of Respect and Excellence.

The students settled on the following statements to define these values at Cavendish primary School:

RESPECT: At Cavendish Primary School we show respect to people, places, property and things.

EXCELLENCE: At Cavendish Primary School we aim for excellence in everything that we do. We give our best effort, setting goals and working toward achieving them. We don't quit because we have grit!

In the next fortnight your children may come home and talk about the "Zones of Regulation".

The "Zones of Regulation" are a teaching tool we use to help students understand their emotions, their emotional triggers and how to regulate themselves so that they can learn, be mindful and reflective.

Picnic Sports

We hold our traditions dear at Cavendish Primary School, the Picnic Sports being no exception. Well done to all students and family members who participated in the true spirit of our school. A bit of friendly rivalry never hurt anyone!

Thank you to all who attended, helped set up and pack up and many thanks to Callie and Michael Leese who organised and cooked our delicious barbecue lunch as a welcome to Miss Lee. Have a look at the action photos later in this newsletter.

Camps, Sports and Excursion Funding

If there are any families that hold a concession card you may be entitled to the Camps, Sports and Excursion Funding (CSEF). If you do hold one, please contact Tammy in the office to apply for the funding.

Book Club Orders

The Scholastic Book Club Order forms have been handed out. Orders are to be placed online by 16th February 2025.

Thank you

We had a few things over the holidays that required some help. We would like to thank the following people for their time and assistance:-

Claire Quinn, Kate Thomas, Emma Thomas and Mady Kelsall for assisting me in pulling up the vinyl in the student toilets.
Paul Quinn and Ben Cross for washing down the inside of the stadium in readiness for the wall paneling to go on.
Anne McNaughton and Nettie Purvis for watering the vegetable garden over the holiday break.
Paul Coates for erecting our boards in the staffroom after being painted and for fixing a fallen light in the F/1 classroom.

2025 is going to be a year of looking forward. Looking forward to opportunities for our kids, and looking forward to seeing them grow academically and with positive wellbeing.

Kate Steele

Principal