Curriculum Day Reflection

As outlined in my email yesterday, our Curriculum Day on April 24th saw all staff engage in professional learning around Autism, The Resilience Project and the High Impact Wellbeing Strategies released by the Department in recent weeks.

We welcomed Chris Varney form the ‘I Can Network’, celebrating diverse thinking providing skills for neurodiverse students to have a voice and be safe in their learning environment. Chris is autistic, and discusses his journey through school, the successes and challenges experienced along the way and how we can support all students setting up safe and supportive learning environments.

I again encourage all parents watch the Ted Talk by Chris. It is a powerful reflection of how people may view autism and the power of a mother who had an ‘I Can’ ethos. https://youtu.be/T1HQKB2txgY

Junior School Council – NUDE FOOD

One of our goals and actions as part of JSC this year is to reduce the rubbish brought to school and in the environment.

Nude Food is commencing Wednesday for all classes. We are wanting students to bring lunch without packaging each Wednesday to support our part in reducing rubbish around the school ground and caring for our environment.

When students bring lunch without packaging, they will get to write your name and place it in the raffle that will be drawn out in assembly each week. One lucky person will receive prize each week, hopefully for a local shop in Newtown.

Open Day

We will be holding an Open Day on Wednesday May 17th celebrating Education Week ‘Active Learner: Move, Make, Motivate’. On this day we will be holding an Open Morning from 9am until 11am whereby parents, carers and grandparents can visit classes to engage in the learning taking place within our school. Following this we will be hosting the Cheer Toastie truck, whereby students will be able to order a cheese toastie or two for lunch. Please complete the activity permission slip and payment request sent via Sentral, no later than Friday of this week. No late orders will be accepted.

We receive $2 of every toastie sold and will be using this towards the installation of football goals on the oval.

Any parents that are able to volunteer their time for an hour or two from 12pm until 2pm would be greatly appreciated. Please contact the office to confirm your availability at Chilwell.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Student Survey

In the next few weeks, we will be undertaking the 2023 Student Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS), that students in grade 4 to 6 will participate in.

We value student voice as a means to improving student engagement, wellbeing and quality instruction and are conducting a survey to highlight positives and also areas for future development.

The AtoSS is an annual student survey offered by the Department of Education to assist schools to gain an understanding of students' perceptions and experience of school. Students will be asked about their thoughts and feelings in relation to their school, their learning, peer relationships, resilience, bullying, health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general. This is an anonymous survey, and we will be able to share results pertaining to this later in the school year.

Congratulations to students that attended the District Cross Country. We are very proud of their efforts.

Again, welcome to Stacey Parsons (PE), Renita Micheilin (Italian), Jess Andrews (Counsellor), Kirsten Baker (Leave replacements), along with Educational Support Staff, Abbey Thomas, Olivia Castle, Logan Hockley and Eloise Ritchie who have all secured contracts until the end of the year.

It has been great to engage with so many families throughout our tours these past couple of weeks. I have been so impressed by our school leaders Minnie, Caden, Sayuni, James, Daniel, Niki, Finn and Ella for leading these tours. They have certainly shone, and parent feedback has been outstanding. Please ensure enrolment forms are completed and returned to the admin team and we are monitoring numbers closely due to being at capacity and are not taking any enrolment enquires outside our school zone.

A final reminder to all grade 6 parents/cares that Yr6-Yr7 enrolment information needs to be returned by May 12th in order for the administration team to forward onto secondary schools for 2024 enrolment.

Thanks and have a great week.

Kind regards,

Meg

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING