Principal's Report

It was Principals’ Day today and frankly I have been overwhelmed by the kindness and recognition that was expressed by our students, staff and parents. Both Ms Kirwan and I were in awe of the special assembly created for us, the booklet designed by each class of students and the many cards and warm wishes we received. Again, I thank all involved and in particular Ms McLean our Wellbeing Coordinator who led everyone to make it a special day. It was so much part of the culture that makes our school special. Thank you.

Over the coming term we have some of the most exciting and engaging events of the school year in progress. During the last year and since the passing of the pandemic we have so much occurring in our school. This is due in part to the re-emergence of many traditional Chatham events, but also the introduction of a range of exciting and creative experiences, which broaden the depth of our curriculum provision and provide so much for our students and community.

This will be the most dynamic and engaging term in our experience! 

In the last few weeks, we have had a plethora of events at our school including a Year 1 excursion to Rippon Lea, a Year 6 Excursion to CERES, a Year 3 Billycart incursion, a Year 5 & 6 Girls' Division Football Carnival, and amongst other matters, an emerging House Athletics Carnival. All of these events are central to our curriculum provision and provide extraordinary opportunities for our students to develop new skills, knowledge and confidence.

In the coming weeks we have the 2023 CBCA Book Week incursion entitled ‘Way Too Cool’, ICAS testing in English, Science and Mathematics, an Australian Mathematics Test Competition, a STEAM Fair and Science Performance, and later, a Preparatory to Year 2 Cultural Infusions Incursion. We are delighted to advise that our Assistant Principal, Ms Georgina Kirwan has undertaken to create a Chatham Aero Schools Aerobics Team. These seventeen students from Year 4 will participate in a competition scheduled for Sunday 27th August at Nazareth College in Noble Park. This of course is yet another wonderful first for our school and we look forward to these students participating.

We continue to finalise a number of aspects of the Capital Works Program and are awaiting some further furniture supplies and associated fittings. We are hopeful that matters will be finalised sooner than later. At this stage we are still awaiting the rectification to the new toilet floors and urging the architectural firm Williamsboag to get this resolved and completed. Again, once this occurs, we will be able to get the portable toilets removed and access the new facilities.

Music Week 7th – 11th August

Together with our staff and external providers, Mr James Rampant has provided a comprehensive program of events and experiences for our students and community. Apart from a celebration of our classroom Music Program, Music Week is an opportunity for students who are learning an instrument to perform and demonstrate the hard work they have been putting into their practice and to enable a range of pop-up performances around the school. The instrumental instructors, school staff and Mr Rampant will be moving around the school to encourage and supervise performances. Parents of students involved will have received a communication reflecting the timetable of events, which will be occurring in a range of locations both before and after school.

On Wednesday evening from 6:00pm parents will be given the opportunity to visit the school and view the new facilities. This will also involve performances from our Year 6 students and a number of others over the period. Following the experience, parents will be given the opportunity to visit the new staffroom upstairs and enjoy some refreshments prior to going home. This area is strictly only for parents and other adult visitors.

Information about these arrangements was provided on Compass on Wednesday. We encourage our parents to make the most of this opportunity. 

Access to the School between 9:00am – 3:30pm

Please be advised that between the hours of 9:00am to 3:30pm all access to the school is through the main gates in Weybridge Street. Parents, volunteers and visitors are then requested to proceed to the main entrance where they will meet with office staff. Those requiring access to classes and other areas of the school will then sign in and proceed to those areas. Upon leaving the school the exit will also be through the main doors and Weybridge Street gates. These arrangements are consistent with security and child safe standards and requirements.

Preparatory 100 Days of School Assembly

This followed on from the magnificent day we had on 26th July where our Preparatory students dressed as though they were 100 years old. Yesterday morning we enjoyed an extraordinary School Assembly with our Prep students singing four songs in Japanese with Mr Rampant and receiving their special 100 days certificate. Also presented was a slide show about the 1st and 100th day for each of our Preparatory students.

We were also pleased to enjoy a presentation by our Year 6 Environment leaders: Heidi, Annabel and Mael, who gave an expansive commentary on the state of our Chickens and the work and efforts involved in their animal husbandry. Also sought were families to assist with the rewarding opportunity to care for them outside school hours.

The morning was also enhanced by the provision of a Coffee Cart made available at no cost by our Out of School Hours Care provider: Team Kids. We thank Randy and Mia for their support and initiative here.

NAPLAN Reporting – Years 3 & 5

Parents will have received their child’s Individual NAPLAN Report last week and the associated documents to make sense of the new four proficiency levels. We are delighted with the positive results achieved across all areas of Year 3 & 5. Over the last week my staff together with Department of Education and Training personnel have been analysing and reviewing the individual and comprehensive cohort data and triangulating this with other data and assessment instruments used at those levels. In essence, we are truly delighted with what we are reviewing. Importantly, the forensic review of the results and test instruments have enabled us to identify the factors that enable students to be exceedingly as opposed to being strong and/or alternately the specific matters that enable them to move from developing to being strong in an area. It is of great interest that very few students were identified as requiring additional support at both Year 3 & 5. Regardless, where this is required, teachers will be in contact with parents about an Individual Education Plan with specific goals to address. 

House Athletics Carnival – Hagenauer Reserve, Box Hill

At the time of writing, we are preparing in earnest for this event to be held on Tuesday 8th August. Our Physical Education and Sport teacher, Ms Edwina Aikman is now leading and organising matters here and we are grateful for the way in which she has prepared this and is focussed on other upcoming events. Please be advised that in order to provide this experience we do need about twelve volunteers to assist. Again, we are grateful for those who have already made themselves available. Please contact Ms Edwina Aikman at edwina.aikman@education.vic.gov.au if you are able to assist us on the day.

Chatham Roof – Main Building

Whilst we are near the very completion of the Major Capital Works Project, we are about to embark upon another project to complete the works needed on the roof of the main building. This has been funded quite separately by the Victorian School Building Authority and involves about $290,000 of works. This will involve the replacement of flashing, gutters, downpipes, replacement of tiles in places, and replacement amongst other things of the fascia. As a result, the works will be done in two stages commencing on Monday 21st August and completed by Tuesday 9th October 2023.

Attached to this newsletter is a copy of the works for Stage 1. This will result in the erection of scaffolding and protective barriers at the front of the school. Again, I do not expect this to affect teaching and learning experiences nor disadvantage students, staff and parents. Parents will continue to enter the school through the main entrance from Weybridge Street between 9:00am and 3:30pm.

I will continue to inform you of matters as they are planned and developed, or indeed if short term changes need to be made.

Chess at Chatham and other extracurricular programs

We are delighted that following on from the Chess demonstration conducted last week with our students, we now have thirteen students who have commenced a Chess Program at Chatham. The Chess Club is conducted every Wednesday at lunchtime in the School Library by Chess Ideas. If you would like your child to be involved, please contact Sharon Beets at admin@chessideas.com.au

This organisation meets all Child Safe requirements, and we are delighted that both Sharon Beets and Jerome Pirotais will implement the seven-week program. Currently we have a number of programs provided by external providers at lunchtimes including Hello Yoga and Dance Fitness.

Again we have a great deal occurring in our school and I strongly urge you to refer to the calendar on our website, which is updated regularly.

Christopher Cotching

Principal