Principal's Report

Our students have started in such a positive and engaging manner again with so much occurring this term. Next Thursday 25th July we look forward to our students from Years 3-6 participating in the House Athletics Sports to be held at Hagenauer Reserve, Box Hill. This is a wonderful experience and we encourage parents to join us. If you would like to volunteer to assist on this day, please express your interest to Mr Boulton at: walter.boulton@education.vic.gov.au

Despite the inclement weather over the period of the student break there was an enormous amount of positive work occurring in and around our school. This included painting and carpeting of the School Library; the refurbishment and painting of the School Hall; the attention to defects identified as part of the Capital Works Program; the spreading of some ninety metres of playground mulch; repairs to shade sails; plumbing repairs and considerable IT infrastructure works. The work in the School Hall and Library area will continue to occur for a number of weeks, however students will be able to access these areas from next week.

Open Afternoon for Foundation Parents 

On Tuesday 23rd July we will be conducting an open experience for parents of Foundation students for 2025. This will be an opportunity for these parents to revisit some of our classrooms and specialist areas. It will be a wonderful opportunity for parents to witness again our new facilities and meet our teaching and education support staff. Those attending will enter the school via the main office area.

Cyber Safety at Chatham Primary School

I wrote about this previously at the end of Term 2 and I am assured by the focus and diligence my staff have in this area. The provision of our own devices really assists in ensuring that expectations are readily met and observed at all times. Basically, our students in Years Foundation to Year 2 use our updated iPads and can only use Kiddle as a search engine under teacher direction. Please be advised that these devices are not used for recreational purposes on wet days or at other less structured times.

Our students in Years 3-6 all have individual logins which enable considerable oversight of individual usage. For students in Years 3 & 4 the default search engine remains as Kiddle although with teacher direction, access can be made through Google. Years 5 & 6 students have Google as their default search engine. Regardless, no student at Chatham Primary School accesses these search engines without the direction of teachers and all staff. Our students are well aware of our expectations in this regard and almost without exception are respectful and compliant in this regard.

International Students – Short visitations

We are delighted that once again we have been visited by approximately 28 International students for short stay periods of between two and six weeks. The demand on our school to provide places for these students is great and we have needed to greatly restrict those that would like to join us in addition to these numbers. Generally, only classes with smaller numbers of students have been given the opportunity to accommodate these students. Such experiences are mutually beneficial for all involved and we are delighted by the way these students have integrated into our classes and joined with our students, all the time observing our motto of Being Safe, Fair and Kind. Please assist us to make these students feel welcome in our school community.

Parent-Teacher Discussions

As a reminder, Parent-Teacher Discussions will be held on Wednesday 24th July 2024. This will provide a marvellous opportunity for parents to join with their child’s class teacher(s) to discuss the progress reflected in their child’s Semester 1 report. These reports were made available on Compass on Friday 28th June 2024.

These Parent Teacher Discussions will be held from 8:30am until 4:30pm on this day.

I would encourage all parents and carers to book a time to meet with their child’s class teacher(s) or specialist staff if they have not already done so. It is expected that Year 3 & Year 5 Individual NAPLAN Reports will be available to parents on this day. We have advised parents of students in Year 3/4N that they can collect their child’s NAPLAN Report on Friday 19th July from the School Office.

Please ensure that you arrive at your child’s classroom or at the relevant specialist area five minutes before your scheduled meeting. Entry to the school on the day will be through the main gates on Weybridge Street. Students do not attend school on this day.

Performing Arts at Chatham Primary School

Currently our students at Years 5 & 6 have been immersed in preparing for the Aero Aerobics Schools Competition to be held on Thursday 1st August at Community Bank Stadium and for the State Schools' Spectacular scheduled for Saturday 14th September at John Cain Arena.

Today together with Mr James Rampant and Ms Georgina Kirwan, students in Year 5 & 6 were advised about their roles in the upcoming School Production ‘Chatham in Wonderland’. This was met with great excitement from our students and matters and involvement will start to intensify in the coming weeks as we prepare for our performance in Term 4. More information will be provided in a timely manner over the coming weeks.

Parent Opinion Surveys for 2024

For 2024 the Parent, Caregiver and Guardian Opinion Survey will be available to complete online from Monday 29th July to Friday 30th August. This is an annual survey provided and designed by the Department of Education. The survey seeks feedback from parents on school climate, community engagement in learning and teaching practices for student engagement and outcomes. It is expected that all parents are to be invited to participate in the survey. We expect to get information about the survey the week beginning Monday 22nd July 2024 and thereafter will be in contact with all parents about an opportunity to participate.

External Providers at Chatham Primary School

Currently we have a number of external providers in the areas of Instrumental Music, Tutoring, Dance, Chess, Coding, Chatham Challenges and Yoga. The provision of these services is dependent upon the level of interest. Recently I advised parents of students at Years Foundation to Year 4 through Compass that Hello Yoga would not continue this term unless there was a greater level of interest. Please visit helloyoga.com or contact Rebecca Majernik on 0431 151 682 if you are interested in your child being involved.

Chatham Parents Club

The work of our Chatham Parents Club and the Fundraising Committee of the School Council is crucial to the social fabric and engagement of our school community. Additionally, the funds raised contribute to school amenities, programs and myriads of opportunities for our students. In the coming term we have the Fathers’ Day Stall and Breakfast and next term such events as the Colour Run. Recently our community thoroughly enjoy the Chatham Movie Night.

I advise that Ms Jacquie McGowan has relinquished her role as President of the Parents’ Club effective at the end of Term 2. On behalf of the school community, I express our gratitude for the drive and contributions of Jacquie this year. Currently we do not have a Vice President in this role.

In the coming weeks I will work with our other office bearers of the Parents’ Club and conduct a meeting which all parents are welcome to attend. I will endeavour to give all parents sufficient notice of these arrangements in order that we can continue the long standing great work of our Chatham Parents Club.

Chatham Gives Initiative

In December 2023 our School Council established a Chatham Gives Program.

This is a discretionary program set up to support those facing financial hardship. Funds that are provided to this program are derived from the fundraising efforts of the Parents Club and/or Fundraising Committee of Chatham Primary School.

The funds that are provided are in the form of:

• Payment of excursions for the child(ren) involved
• Payment of a school camp
• Payment of school uniform for the child(ren) involved, on occasions the Principal may draw on the support of State Schools Relief for this purpose
• Lunch orders
• Food vouchers up to a certain values if needed at high stress times - before school holidays, at Christmas, etc, with caveats upon the form of expenditure.

The families and students involved in this program remain anonymous with the Principal and/or Business Manager the only formal liaison. 

Access to this program can be discussed with the Business Manager or the Principal, if parents and/or carers are facing financial hardship.

Parents and/or carers can also donate to this program by contacting the Business Manager at: dimitra.ouliaris@education.vic.gov.au

Christopher Cotching

Principal