Principal's Report

The reprieve of the hot weather this week has been welcome even if our wonderful brick building has retained the heat somewhat. Please be advised that on hot days or overly windy days, we do modify our recess and lunch times and make other arrangements. Please be assured that all of our air conditioners have been serviced recently to manage the significant conditions and are working well in all classrooms and learning spaces.

Foundation Enrolments for 2025

In recent times we have conducted tours for prospective parents who have an interest in enrolling their children for 2025 and beyond. It is such a magnificent time to be joining our school as we have seen the completion of our major capital works, and our brand-new classrooms and modified specialist areas are now complete. I have advised prospective parents that until our new boundaries are finally declared we will be taking enrolments from outside our immediate and current zone. This smaller zone was put in place some years ago to reduce the size of the school given the lack of space. Now that our Building Program is largely completed, we do have the capacity to extend this enrolment zone. Appropriate processes are in place with the Department of Education to change these arrangements.

Other Developments

Again, we do expect to use student break periods in June and July to have further enhancements to our library and school hall areas. As of the beginning of 2024, our new Performing Arts and Music area is located in the spacious double classroom on the northern side of the Foundation to Year 2 building, opposite the location for the new Visual Arts Centre. Additionally, our Instrumental Music rooms have been located in the former Year 4 classrooms at the western end of level 1 of the main building. These developments also include ongoing enhancements to the STEAM room at the southeast corner level of one of the main buildings.

School Council 2024

The first meeting of the new School Council is scheduled for Monday 18th March. We are delighted that following the call for community co-opted positions we were able to fill these with expressions sought from parents by Wednesday 13th March 2024. These will be considered by the School Council on Monday evening. Additionally, we do still have one parent-member casual vacancy on our School Council. Please contact me if you have an interest in joining our School Council in this capacity.

School Review – February/March 2024

Our School Review has continued and will be completed following our final day on Tuesday 26th March 2024. On Tuesday 12th March we had a School Review Field Day, and an opportunity was provided for student representative groups in Years 3-6 to meet with the reviewer and senior Department of Education personnel to provide feedback. Additionally, all staff, both Education Support Officers and Teachers were able to contribute to matters sought by the School Review Panel. Also, a small group of parents made themselves available to discuss matters raised by the School Reviewer. These experiences provide a marvelous opportunity to receive timely and focused feedback and for us to consider matters for the next School Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027. Again, I will keep you informed as matters progress.

School Camps – Year 3 & 4

Today we will be visiting a number of venues in the Yarra Ranges and Dandenong Ranges as we consider the possibility of a School Camp for Years 3 & 4. Unfortunately, more and more schools are finding that they need to dispense with School Camps. At Chatham, we are doing everything in our capacity to make this a reality for our students. Providing the Principal and Assistant Principal attend, we are endeavouring to proceed with an opportunity for students in Years 3 & 4.

Student Leaders at Chatham

We are excited and focused about the role of our Student Year 6 Leaders at Chatham. It is a program that provides extraordinary opportunities for the individual growth and development of all students involved. The feedback from the destination schools at Year 7 from the Government, Independent and Catholic sectors informs us that our students are highly prepared, confident, articulate and have high-order presentation and leadership skills – and mostly beyond their peers. 

All Year 6 students will receive their Leadership Badge and Rugby Top at a School Assembly on Monday 18th March 2024. Again, we encourage our parents to join us for this marvelous experience.

As always there is so much occurring at our school, and I will have more to share in the coming weeks.

Christopher Cotching

Principal