Sustainability

We are trying hard to minimise the waste from the building project, as whatever goes into the builder's skip bins is counted against our school waste target! We have been so proud of our work so far in reducing the amount that goes to landfill. Cleanaway, the company who takes our landfill and paper recycling, remarked last week that we hardly produce any waste in comparison to other schools.

You can help by thinking about the packaging you send to school.

We know that convenience and pester power are two of the strongest motivators for pre-packaged biscuits, yoghurt and muesli bars to make their way into lunchboxes. We want to help , and the Prep-1-2 students are leading the way. We are hoping that one day per week we can cook things like banana bread and muesli slices. Would you like to help? It would take about an hour or so and you get to work with a lovely group of students! Families can donate to cover costs and this will help busy households reduce waste and provide yummy snacks to their children.

We would also like to make bees wax sandwich wraps to sell at cost price. If you have cotton fabric you could donate, please send it in. If you would like to help make the wraps some time in the next few weeks, speak to Trinity or Bernadette.

Free to a good home

As part of our build, we want to reduce items going to landfill. Some things we will sell and others we are happy to see go free to a good home. These shelves will be available in the next couple of days, so get in quick!

There may be some timber as well. check with Bernadette or Kitty

Gardening club

Thursday mornings at 9

Friday at 9 or 2:30 (drop in when you can!)

We need your help to get ready for our spring planting!

Parent Opinion Survey

Please complete the online Parent Opinion Survey to assist us to improve the way we work with you and your child.

Each year, parents and carers at all Victorian Schools are asked to give feedback on their child's learning and the relationship between families and the school. We would love to hear from every family, about the things you love about our school, and how we can do better.

The survey takes 20 minutes to complete and gives us lots of information: last year's results informed our School Review. Please take the time to participate.

Student Learning Goals

Communication between home and school has come up as an area we can improve, and teachers are sending home Reading, Writing and Maths goals with students. Teachers use assessment tools to pinpoint the area of need for your child in reading, writing and maths. During conferences, the teacher gives the student feedback on their learning and they work together to choose the next goal to work towards. Teachers are also including information each week in the newsletter about learning in each class.

Over the next few weeks we will trial Grades Prep-4 students bringing home a booklet to share with you, and you can track their goals after each conference. Please make sure you take the time to chat about the learning goal and support them to practice at home where necessary to help them reach their goal.

Students in Grade 5-6 will email their goal to share with their parents and carers, and we ask you to discuss and support their work in achieving their next step.

If you have any feedback about this please let us know so that we can make adjustments as necessary.

You might hear the terminology: Bump it up. Students can see what they have achieved and what they need to do to reach the next step: they are bumping up their work to the next level.

If you are not on Sentral, please contact Kitty asap as we are moving all notes across to an online format wherever possible. You can let us know your child is sick via Sentral, and we send out updates on important things you need to know.

Art, Music and Creativity in the Bush

In Art this Term we have two very exciting collaborations/event coming up!

During Art class this term we have been creating Art in the bush with an emphasis on connecting to our natural environment through land art and making ephemeral bush sculptures. These are artworks which don’t last long and have no negative impacts on the environment.

Next Wednesday Uncle Rick is coming to do a welcome to country ceremony in the bush at school where we have been making Art. Parents and carers are most welcome to join us for this at 2:30. This will be followed by a grass weaving workshop for grade 5/6 students.

On Tuesday 30^th August at 2:30 we will be fortunate to have the Resonance String Orchestra come and perform and collaborate with our students. The focus will be on a conversation between the orchestra and Chewton Students on what it means to live and create on Jaara Country. Much of the Orchestra music is inspired by the natural world and includes the work of First Nations Artist Dindy Vaughan. After the performance, students in grade 5/6 will participate in a workshop led by the Orchestra and our Art Teacher which focusses on responding creatively to the sounds of the orchestra

What's happening in Grade 5-6?

5/6 Have been really busy and engaged in their learning this term. After a such a great camp experience early on we are a class united with strong connections and care for one another!

It is just as well as we embark on an ambitious class production, where we will re-create passing a bill in Parliament as part of our Inquiry into Types of Government and Democracy

POHAG (Post Office Hill Action Group) enlisted our services to plant natives near the creek behind the school, where Gorse once populated the area. Always competitive, Marta and Francesca planted eleven!

Grade 5/6 will be representing Chewton in the Mt. Alexander Chess Tournament in September, we can expect to see some tense times ahead.

What's happening in Grade 3-4 ?

What's Happening in Grade P-1-2?

The Prep-1-2 class have been busy scientists this week, undertaking an audit of our soft plastic waste. Students worked with Trinity and Bernadette to sort the soft plastics.

We found lots of food wrappers, zip lock bags, some plastic bags and also clear plastic wrapping. We also found lots of contaminants- mouldy sandwiches, plastic straws and things that could go into the general recycling bin! It was so stinky we had to put masks on!

Grade P-1-2 will talk to everyone at assembly this week to remind them to take a bit of extra time to put things into the right bin and to try and cut down on plastic wrapping. Did you know that zip lock bags can be reused?

Grade 3-4 Lady Northcote Camp

By Aiden

On the First day of camp, we were put into Groups. There were lots of schools.

After we unpacked, we did Some amazing activities my Group made damper. It was really good and tasty.

Then after we got free time, we played gaga ball it is really fun.

For diner we had tasty pasta and for dessert we had delicious ice-cream and topping.

After dinner we got ready for bed. All the cabins share a Bathroom with the cabin next door.

On the 2 day my Group did Canoeing. Sadly, nobody Capsized later we made pizza.

On the last day We packed up and did the tune challenge Where we had to do a whole week of challenges and get points Who was in the winning team with 400 points in 2 places was Lego Batman with 385 Points Then we all lined up to get on the bus and we all went back home.

Lady Northcote Camp by Edan

Lady Northcote is by far the most exciting camp l have ever been on, and that's saying something. It was awesome!

Activities

Lady Northcote has really fun activities such as...

● Zip Lining

● Bush Cooking

● Pizza Making

● Movie Watching

And the Tonn Challenge! But my personal favourite one was Orienteering, where you had a colour and you had to find 15 cards with your colour on and writing on it. Then you had to combine the words at the end! It was really challenging but that made it fun!

Schools

There were four schools that went to Lady Northcote Elphinstone, Taradale, Reedstale and finally Chewton.

Tune Challenge Activities

All the activities we did in the Toon Challenge, Farmer Sam, the Hooping Game, Sharks and Seals and my favorite of the Toon Challenge was Crate Stacking. Where l piled up nine point five crates and then floated back to the ground by my safety harness.

Cabins

There were small five meters in length and two meters long cabins. Each cabin had two bunk beds in them. Two rooms are shared between one toilet and two sinks.

Food and Drinks

At Lady Northcote the food was spetacula! We had amazing garlic bread and great pasta for the first night at Lady Northcote, and we were good after that. Buuuut then after we had delicious ice cream! And I was fine with that :) For our second dinner we had chicken wings and vegetables. And of course ice cream! For both breakfasts we had cereal or pancakes with apple juice. And finally we had scones with cream and jam for afternoon tea!

Trip up an Back

Going to Lady Northcote took around one hour and a half. You had to drive to Kyneton in your own car then go on the bus and start to go to Lady Northcote!

I will give the camp four point five stars. This was my first camp with my school. It is my favourite camp I have ever been on, and that's saying something!

What I liked about school camp.

By Kai

I liked the movie Onward. I liked playing basketball. I didn't like canoeing because I almost flipped over four times!

The food was pasta and ice cream.

There was a flying fox, I was too scared to go on it. There was a kind of a scavenger hunt. There was a gaga pit.

Grade 3/4 camp 2022

By emilia VERACINI-SHAMIER

On august the 10 2022 grade 3/4 left to go to lady northcote. with three other schools. The names of these schools were elphinstone, taradale, reedsdale, and last but not least chewton!!!.

Lady northcote was an amazing camp you do the best canoeing, big swing and the funnest zipline. you get to meet other kids from other schools and play in the gaga pit with them. You can make new friends and have heaps of fun!

Lady Northcote is about making friends, having fun, and pushing your limits. I met two new friends and they were both from taradale. My favorite highlight was the zipline, then we went home.

School Camp

By Layla date 10-12 August

Day 1 10th

On the bus

I sat next to Xanthe on the bus. It took 1 hour to get there. And it was hard to say bye to my brother.

Arrivals

The camp was named Lady Northcote Recreation Camp. As soon as we got there we got to eat. After that there was an emergency meeting where we had to stand in a circle. And then we got to run around free. Then we went to the cabins.

Activities

Chewton was 1 group. Then there was Taradale which was another group. Then there was Elphinstone and that was another group. And last but not least Reedsdale. But today we will be talking about chewton because that's my group. So the only activity on the 10th of August was making dampers. We started a fire and went to find some sticks. And started to cook them. But when I was about to eat it EXPLODED WITH FIRE and I burned myself on the finger. Then we had a night-walk. It was fun.

Day 2 11 August.

Today we woke up and got dressed to go eat our breakfast. We got pancakes, toast and cereal. The pancakes were DELICIOUS.

Grade 3/4 Camp

BY TYRONE.

When we got to camp

We saw lady northcote booya it was amazing

I was in Jack's dad’s car. his name is dan. we beat the bus. All my friends were

on the bus.

So now let's talk about all the highlights of the camp and all of the best bits about camp.

So my best bits about camp were drum roll please.

flying fox, orienteering, dinner, toon challenge, kitchen and garden,

Movie, ga ga pit, breakfast, canoeing, desert, sports.

And that my 2022 ¾ camp lady northcote.

The camp

I had Layla and Merri and Maisie in my cabin. Maisie is from a different school and she is my friend. I loved the flying fox! The flying fox was so fun, it was so high. We went canoeing and we went on the bus for one hour, I was very tired.

The end by Xanthe

Grade 5-6 join POHAG for tree planting

Great community connections and having fun in the bush behind the school! Thanks to everyone from Post Office Hill Action Group.

STEM this week

Chemical Reactions - carbon bush, bottle volcanoes

Capillary Action