Chev Need to Knows
1 August 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
I am writing to you today to ask for your support in helping our young people make the right choices in their digital lives, and I ask that you please read this message with your children, to ensure that both you and they are clear about the points below.
It is fair to assume that most students will be aware of the social media incident that took place earlier this year, and the ramifications for the students who were involved. We are therefore disappointed to let you know that our Dean of Students and Wellbeing staff are having to spend significant amounts of time dealing with incidents where group chats have quickly spiralled from general communication to hurtful or disrespectful behaviours, which then spill over into the learning environment, disrupting the school’s core business of educating our students.
When students are distressed or anxious about incidents taking place in their digital world, this has a direct, functional impact on their learning, and understandably compromises their ability to focus in the classroom. Whilst this is a challenge which all schools face in this digital era, we believe that by working in partnership with you, our parent and carer community, we can deliver a consistent, clear message to our students.
Please make your child aware of the following points:
If a student is a member of a group chat on any platform including but not limited to WhatsApp, Snapchat, iMessage (i.e. 'regular’ sms text messages), TikTok or others, and one person in that group shares or says something which is a cause for concern, all students in that group may be implicated by association. What this means in practice is that although every student in the group chat may not have directly engaged in unkind, disrespectful behaviour or contravened the school rules in another way, their association with or encouragement of these behaviours means that they may be subject to consequences such as merit loss or potentially suspension.
Any student who creates, follows, likes or joins a group which uses the school’s name in its handle or group name may be subject to consequences such as merit loss or suspension, regardless of the nature of the content being shared or posted in that group. Examples could include group chat names such as ‘chevgames’ or ‘chevalierwords’ or ‘15studentsofchev’. Similarly, using the College logo or branding as the group’s image or avatar carries the same penalties.
- Finally, we gently and respectfully remind all parents and carers that by signing the Conditions of Enrolment for your child, you have agreed to item 24 which states that the Principal or the Principal’s nominee, i.e. a member of staff, may search the student’s bag, locker, mobile phone and electronic devices or other possessions where there are reasonable grounds to do so or as part of a general screening program. As you will appreciate, phone searches are a key part of the ‘untangling’ that has to take place when students become involved in online or digital incidents. Please also be aware that if content of a criminal nature is found, we are obligated to hand the device to the police. If you do not wish this to occur, please do not let your child bring a phone to school.
We suggest that the simplest ways to avoid your child becoming inadvertently involved in any incidents are:
1. to limit the apps they are allowed on their device, and
2. not to permit them to join any group chats.
We would suggest you review this regularly with your child and ask them to show you their phone; this need not be punitive and can be done in the context of showing your child that you are interested in, and care about, their online lives. Auditing their list of friends, and making sure they have not ‘friended’ anyone they do not know, is also highly recommended.
We live in an era when it is incredibly easy for teenagers to makes the wrong choices; the internet was not designed for young minds, neither were smartphones. We understand that joining group chats can make teenagers feel included, at an age where it is normal and natural to want to feel accepted. However, Chev offers many, many opportunities for our students to join in and feel part of our wonderful community, and the digital space does not need to be the main driver of that feeling of belonging.
We are now in the season of Summer Sport Sign-Ups - our extensive extracurricular program is the perfect example of how we as a community can engage in activities that bring us together and foster a sense of belonging, rather than through the small, handheld devices which have encroached into every corner of our daily lives. Our phones are undeniably important and are here to stay, but young people need consistent, regular reminders in how to use them wisely, and together with you, we can provide them with that.
Thank you for your partnership and best wishes,
Rebecca Graham
Acting Principal
Heartworks@Chev
Heartworks at Chev returns on Friday 8 August 3.30 - 5.00pm. We’re kicking off this term with a focus on community and will have an afternoon of board/card games. The afternoon will also include a sausage sizzle. Students have been asked to register their interest for catering purposes using the link in Student Notices by Wednesday 6 August.
Save the date for 12 September when we’ll be having a Movie night.
Sandy Abbey
Assistant Principal - Faith Formation and Mission
Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN
Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN reports will come home with your child on Monday 4 August.
Parent Teacher Interviews - Monday 4 August
Parent Teacher Interviews for Years 8-11 will be held via Teams on Monday 4 August from 4.00pm to 7.30pm. Bookings for these interviews will stay open until 9.00am Monday 4 August.
John Hargreaves
Acting Senior Assistant Principal – Learning and Teaching
Diverse Learning
Please find below two upcoming events for parents of neurodiverse students:
School leavers
Nova Employment is a registered NDIS provider in Bowral. They are holding their next 'Pathways to Employment' session on Friday 29 August from 10.00am - 2.00pm.
This is a great opportunity for students with diverse needs who are leaving school or planning future employment opportunities to meet with their local NOVA team and discuss options.
Bookings are essential. Please call Donna on 02 8886 5800 for further information.
Positive Partnerships Autism Workshop: 23 September in Goulburn
Positive Partnerships is a government-funded program that offers free neuro-affirming workshops to parents/carers of autistic young people, including those on the pathway to identification.
This is a one day workshop in Goulburn on 23 September:
Visit the Positive Partnerships website for more details and to register:
More information about workshop content:
https://www.positivepartnerships.com.au/workshops-online-learning/workshops
Margaret Hampton
Leader of Learning - Diverse Learning
Year 11 Student Leadership
The process of Year 11 Student Leadership is now well underway. Applications were due on Wednesday 30 July.
It was very pleasing to see 77 students submit applications for consideration.
All students who have applied will be invited to attend an interview during Week 3.
We would like to thank and acknowledge the 77 students for putting themselves forward and wish them all the best as they participate in the next part of the process.
SLEEP HEALTH WEEK - Free Webinar
Findings from the Black Dog Future Proofing Study show that high-quality, regularised sleep plays a vital role in adolescent wellbeing and that many teens are not getting the recommended 8–10 hours of sleep each night or sleeping and waking at consistent times.
So, to mark Sleep Health Week, on Monday 11 August at 4 pm, the Black Dog Institute and the Sleep Health Foundation are co-hosting a free 45-minute live webinar for teachers and parents: Sleep On It: The Missing Link in Student Wellbeing.
The session will:
- Highlight key sleep-related findings from the Future Proofing Study
- Suggest strategies parents can use to support teen sleep at home
- Introduce Sleep Ninja for the Classroom – a new curriculum-aligned program with engaging lessons on sleep for Years 5–8, available from 2026
When registering, participants can submit questions for the panellists to address during the session.
Presenters include:– Kate Maston, Black Dog Institute Psychologist and Future Proofing Program Manager– Kayla Grant, PDHPE Teacher and Wellbeing Advisor– Dr Linda Schachter, Sleep and Respiratory Physician– Dr Moira Junge, Sleep Health Foundation CEO and Health Psychologist (Facilitator)
Register here: Webinar Registration - Zoom
Kelly Walker
Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Growth
ISA Round 9 - Winterfest
ISA Round 9 is tomorrow, Saturday 2 August. Team fixtures and bus information can be found in the Parent Lounge and Orbit app under School Links / Extra Curricular.
The BBQ and Coffee vans will be situated at the JFC and Meadows/Far Avenue tomorrow from 9.00 am. Please see below for the link to volunteer.
IMPORTANT: We aim to have fixtures and bus times uploaded to School Links by Wednesday each week. Please check the fixtures every Friday afternoon/evening for any last minute changes to bus times and/or game cancellations.
Parent Volunteers
We’re seeking parent volunteers to help make our home game hospitality a success by assisting at the Sports BBQ and Netball Desk Duties.
Your support is greatly appreciated!
Click here to view the BBQ volunteer roster.
Click here to view the Netball volunteer roster.
No Art Enrichment – Wednesday 6 August
Students are advised that there is no Art Enrichment on Wednesday, 6 August.
Summer Sport - Registrations are now open
Students are now invited to register for Summer Sports via the Student Café. Registrations will close Wednesday 20 August.
In registering to trial for a Summer Sport, students acknowledge:
- Attendance at all training sessions is compulsory (Typically Tuesday and Thursday)
- Attendance at all Saturday games is compulsory
- Students must attend scheduled trials
Accessing Summer Sport registrations:
- Log into Student Café
- Click My Activities
- Click Extra Curricular
- Click Sign-up available (top right-hand corner)
- Select the sport and the complete form
Alternatively, students may access the registration form via the QR codes located at Student Services or outside C1.
Athletics Carnival – Friday 22 August
Registrations are now open
- The Athletics Carnival is a compulsory school event, and all students are expected to be in attendance.
- Students who wish to participate in COMPETITIVE track and field events MUST register online via Sports Tracker at http://pickmyevents.com
- All students have been emailed their Sports Tracker login details at the beginning of the year. Students who did not receive the email or are unable to access Sports Tracker must see Coach Phillips in C1 during B1 or 2 on Tuesdays or Thursdays. DO NOT EMAIL.
- Registrations will close 9.00 am Monday 18 August 2025. NO EXCEPTIONS
- Students cannot register for competitive events on the day of the carnival.
- House spirit events will be held on the day. Students do not need to register for these events.
- Students can access Carnival rules via Daily Notices from Monday 4 August
- Students can access the Sports Tracker Student user guide from Monday 4 August
Coach Phillips
Extra Curriculum Administrator
Sports Uniform Survey Notice
Thank you to the parents and students who took the time to complete the College uniform survey last term. The response was enormous, and we were grateful to receive your feedback.
The next phase of our uniform refresh will feature the sport uniform, with four concept designs being presented. Survey participants can vote on the concepts, a polo shirt, tracksuit and style of tracksuit pants.
Like the new formal Chevalier school uniform, the sports uniform will form part of a phased rollout, beginning with Year 7 in 2027 and being completed by 2029/2030, ensuring families have time to prepare without added financial pressure.
The below survey is your invitation to participate in the design phase. We welcome your feedback and encourage you to get involved in this important initiative.
Survey link: Please click here to begin.
We recommend completing the survey on a laptop to view images in full.
In Student Services, throughout this period, you can view printouts of the designs, along with sport uniforms from other schools provided by our supplier to give you a chance to feel fabrics and view styles.
Thank you for your participation and support.
- ISA Round 8 - 26 July
- Flexible Monday - 28 July
- HSC Major Works Options - 28 July
- Year 11 Biology Depth Study - 28 July
- Year 10 SIM Bootcamp - 28 July
- ISA Round 9 - 2 August
- Winterfest - 2 August
- Flexible Monday - 4 August
- Year 8 to 11 Parent Teacher Interviews - 4 August
- Year 11 U Turn the Wheel - 4 August
- Year 10 Course Information Incursion - 4 August
- Year 8 CAPALoT Festival - 4 August
- Year 7 Future Anything Day - 4 August
- Year 11 Student Leadership Interviews - 5 August
- Year 11 2026 Subject Selection Info Night - 7 August
- GSSCC Competition Day - 9 August
- ISA Round 10 - 9 August