Dear Families,

At Berwick Chase you may have heard a few new words and stories popping up at the dinner table lately—tokens being earned at school, classes celebrating milestones, or the excitement of balls being added to our reward tubs during our fortnightly assemblies. These are all part of our School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports (SWPBS) program, which we have been steadily implementing across the school over the past year.

SWPBS is a framework that helps schools build a consistent, positive approach to behaviour. It focuses on explicitly teaching expectations, recognising positive choices and creating environments where students feel safe, supported and ready to learn. At the heart of this work at Berwick Chase are our three key values: Respect, Resilience and Responsibility. These values guide our expectations, shape our conversations with students and underpin the positive behaviours we celebrate each day. They are the key drivers of our success focus as a school community.

Like any meaningful change across a whole school, it takes time. Research and experience from schools across Australia and internationally show that it typically takes two to three years for schools to fully embed these practices so that they become a natural and sustainable part of daily school life.

This week marks a really positive milestone on that journey for Berwick Chase. I’m very pleased to share that the school has been awarded the SWPBS Blue Award. This recognition acknowledges the work our staff have done to establish the key systems and processes that support students to behave in productive, respectful and supportive ways. It is an important step that demonstrates the strong foundations we are putting in place.

Of course, there is still work ahead. Our next challenge is to continue embedding these practices so that they remain consistent in every classroom and across every part of the school day. Just as importantly, we want to ensure the systems remain meaningful and relevant for our students and community over time.

However, it is also important to pause occasionally and celebrate progress. Achievements like the Blue Award recognise the collective effort of many people who are committed to making Berwick Chase a great place for children to learn and grow.

I would particularly like to thank our Student Wellbeing team and the staff who have been part of the SWPBS implementation team. Their leadership, planning and persistence have been instrumental in moving this work forward. I would also like to acknowledge all of our staff who bring these practices to life in classrooms and playgrounds every day.

The most rewarding outcome of all is seeing the growing number of smiling faces around the school. When students feel recognised, supported and connected, the whole community benefits.

It’s wonderful to see this positive momentum building here at the Chase.

Warm regards,

Christ Short

Principal

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