This week's kotowaza: Take the time to be kind

Give away: there are free shelves to take home. Great for the shed, a bedroom or storage area. Please help us save these items from landfill.

ABBI’S WELLBEING NEWS

From Linda Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator

Abbi has been visiting at least once a week this term and working in classrooms, with individual students, and with small groups. Abbi spends time outside during breaktimes where the children and staff come up for a pat too.

What is a Therapy Dog?

Therapy dogs are trained to bring joy, comfort and presence to anyone who is willing to interact with them.

Research

There is a lot of research that exists outlining the effects of Therapy dogs on peoples emotional, social and physical selves. Specific benefits have been documented in health and wellbeing, social engagement, rapport and communication; reductions in stress and increases in oxytocin; improvements in mood and coping skills; increased capacity to learn new skills; increased capacity to communication, concentration, focus and attention; increases in pro-social behaviours (i.e. smiling) and reductions in anti-social behaviours (Jones, Rice and Cotton 2018)

Thanks Linda! We are very lucky you bring Abi in to share love and joy in our lives each week!

Grade 3-4 students planting with POHAG

Lots of fun this week planting Dianella, silver wattles, black wattles, purple coral pea, rough wattle, casuarinas and running postman! thanks to everyone from POHAG for braving the cold this week!

Students in P-2 learnt about reptiles this week. They found out about habitats, diet and what type of reptiles live in the bush at Chewton. It is a bit cold for finding lizards in the bush at the moment, so students looked for life-size models Ana made as part of her PhD work. Back in the warm classroom, students made masks. Thanks to Ana and Hadley for another great session learning about our local flora and fauna! There are still two skinks in the bush if you are looking for an adventure!

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 Tuesday 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. 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 Djaara 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

Lady Northcote by James

Wednesday

Hunter picked me up from home. In the car Em put on Big Chungus 3. We sang Big big chungus big chungus big chungus big chungus big chungus for about 20min. When we got to the Kyneton Showgrounds we got on the bus. I sat next to Hunter. Then I realized my bff Phoenix was going to camp too. When we got to lady Northcote we met Jordan. Blah blah blah blah Let's get onto the cabins I was with Kai Gus and Jack in Cabin 11a. It has two bunk beds and hiding spots. Our First activity was Bush Cooking. We cooked damper. It was yummy. It took a while but it was worth it. Then we went canoeing. Jordan helped us. We played a game called sharks and seals. It was fun. I was with Miki and Aiden. Mickey was in the front, Aidan was in the back and I was in the middle.

PS, Kai Almost flipped over 4 times. Then we played fun games. We played Pacman. It was fun. Then we did Kitchen garden. We looked at the Garden and it was booooring.

Then we made pizzas. I didn't like my pizza. Then we did orienteering.

I found one myself. I loved the Flying fox. And we Watched on wood. It was funny.

menu

Dinner

Pasta

Dessert

ice cream

Breakfast

Pancakes

Lunch

Soup

Dinner

Roast Chicken

Dessert

Chocolate mousse

Lunch

buns