Chewton Primary School

Newsletter 12th September 2024

Chewton Primary School is situated on Djaara Country.

We acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people, the custodians and caretakers of the land. We thank them for the care they have taken and continue to take of Country: the rivers, mountains, trees and animals. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We follow Bunjil's teaching: Care for self, care for others, care for Country.

We commit to Be Brave and Make Change.

We will be a voice for generations.

Now, more than ever

Dum and bundjil time Frog and yellow (flowering) time

Upcoming Events

11-13 September Lady Northcote Camp Grade 3-4

13 September Meeting Place

15th September Parent club fundraiser: Fashion parade

20th September Footy Colours Day and Last Day of Term 3 - 2:30pm Finish!

20th September Last day for parent/carer opinion survey (extended!)

Footpaths around the school

Have you completed the Mt Alexander Shire Council survey about footpaths around the school? This information is vital for future planning of safe access to the school for walkers and riders. Even if you drive to school, can you please fill out the survey? We would love footpaths along Baker St, Hunter St and Angus St.

We have asked for a supervised crossing at the Post Office and for an unsupervised crossing on the corner of Fryers Rd and Main St and also at Mount St, where we commonly cross the road for school events.

You can use the 'other' box to add these requests in. The date has been extended to 11am Tuesday 17th September.

Footpaths survey.pdf

Outside Hours School Care

Do you want to access after school care for your child? We are exploring options for 2025. Please complete the survey The survey has been extended to Friday 13th September to let us know what your needs are. We are also investigating before school care and will send out another survey next week.

From the Office

Parent/Carer Opinion Survey: Have you completed the survey?

Have you completed the parent/carer opinion survey? Look for the reminder in your Compass News Feed sent out this morning!

It should only take 10-15 minutes to complete. We use the information to see what we are doing well, as a school, and how we can improve!

Camps!

While Grade 3/4 students are currently on camp at Lady Northcote Adventure Camp, there are more camps coming up in Term 4!

Grade 2 students will be going to Boomerang Ranch for their camp, staying overnight from Thursday October 17th - Friday October 18th.

Please return students' Medical Information Form, if you haven't already :)

Grade 5/6 students will be going on Urban Camp from Wednesday November 6th - Friday November 8th.

We are currently seeking an expression of interest to finalise numbers. To secure a place, please return your form and pay a $50 deposit by Monday September 16th!

School Saving Bonus

In Term 4, 2024, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 will receive the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus.

The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education-related costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks.

The School Saving Bonus is not available for full-fee international students, home schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.

Actions for parents and carers

Before 18 October 2024, the Department of Education is asking parents and carers to:

- Complete enrolment: If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025. For more information, read about Enrolling in School.

- Check your contact information: Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date with us. You can check this information by contacting us directly.

We need to ensure your contact information is up to date as the Department of Education will email you twice:

- in October, to verify your email address

- in November, with your $400 School Saving Bonus.

Please check your junk mail regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email.

To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, check out the below information sheet, or visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus.

Whooping Cough

Whooping cough cases are continuing to increase across Victoria, particularly among school-aged children.

Whooping cough is a very contagious infection, mostly spread through coughing or sneezing. Symptoms include:

· blocked or runny nose

· tiredness

· mild fever

· severe bouts of coughing, often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound on breathing.

Whooping cough can lead to life threatening infections in babies.

If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops whooping cough symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the spread of the infection.

Students diagnosed with whooping cough must not attend school

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they must not attend school for 21 days after the onset of the cough, or until they have received 5 days of antibiotic treatment. You must notify the school if your child is diagnosed with whooping cough.

To further reduce the spread of infection to your child and the school community, the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 require that some students who were in the same classroom as a student diagnosed with whooping cough should not attend school.

Your child should not attend school for 14 days after they were last exposed to a person diagnosed with whooping cough, or until they have taken 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment if they are:

· aged less than 7 years; and

· not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.

This exclusion is required by law – refer to the School exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services.

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to let us know.

More information

For more information about whooping cough, refer to Whooping cough on the Better Health Channel.

Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough. The Department of Health recommends staying up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. A free booster dose of the pertussis vaccine is covered under the national immunisation program for students aged 12 to 13. If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination status for whooping cough, please discuss with an immunisation provider, such as your doctor.

I really appreciate your support in keeping our students safe and well.

From the P/1 classroom

Over the last 2 weeks in Prep-1, we have been developing our writing skills. We have been working hard on writing drafts, listening to feedback, editing and publishing our final pieces. Congratulations to everyone for producing some fantastic stories, information books and poetry! - Sue

Jack wrote a great story about a frog and a dog!!

Atticus and Oscar wrote a fantastic poem about dinosaurs!

Lila wrote a whole book about the adventures of Dark the Dragon!

Solomon has written a book of interesting facts about lots of different animals!

From the 5/6 classroom

The 5/6 class had a disco today, to celebrate reaching another 100 values cards as a class, as part of the SWPBS program! Congratulations! And great limbo-ing!

From the Art Room

Students have been learning about weaving this semester.

Here are some of the P/1 students showing the weavings they have made on their decorated plate looms.

They are discussing the word texture, what it means, and words that can be used to describe it.

Wellbeing

Kimochis

This week P/1 were recapping the eight feeling lessons. Students were reminded of words and strategies for expressing their feelings and noticing them in others. With the feeling of frustration students practiced clicking their fingers and saying the Kotowaza: Maybe Next Time.

Students in 2 – 6 explored the feeling of silly and discussed the Kotowaza: For silly to be fun, it has to be fun for everyone. One of the key messages in the lessons was how important it is to be an upstander when we hear jokes that are made at someone’s expense.

Are You Ok?

On Thursday all classes explored the meaning and importance of Are You Ok? Day with Margot.

P/1 talked about how to recognise when someone is not ok and students in 5/6 discussed how to approach and talk to a friend who they think needs help.

At lunchtime all students were invited to write colourful messages of support and friendship on the back of painted CDs to hang in our Are You Ok? tree.

Hands on Learning

This week the team (missing our younger members) helped prepare for R U Ok? Day by painting CDs and making signs. Lunch was as usual a highlight of the day with vegie pasties and fresh orange juice on offer.

Cricket/Tennis Carnival

Grade 3-6 students participated in the Cricket/Tennis Carnival last Friday and had a very fun day!

Dear Chewton families.

Resonance String Orchestra has fond memories of working with Chewton PS artists in our 2022 "Creating on Country" project with Kate Meade.

On September 21, Resonance's Artistic Patron and acclaimed cellist Zoe Knighton (Flinders Quartet) is holding a benefit concert to support the work of Resonance in the Mount Alexander and Macedon Ranges Shire communities.

Since 2009, Resonance has offered high-quality teaching and learning experiences for musicians of all ages. In 2025 we will be undertaking three exciting projects culminating in performances with Flinders Quartet, Bendigo Symphony Orchestra (Ulumbarra theatre), and electro-acoustic artist Natasha Anderson.

To help us fund these initiatives, Zoe will perform gratis in a recital in Castlemaine on Saturday 21 September at 3pm. For more details and to purchase tickets, please visit https://events.humanitix.com/resonance_fundraiser.

This concert presents a wonderful opportunity to both support Resonance and hear Zoe, a consummate performer who will present an exquisite performance combining the words of Charles Mackesy's The Boy, the mole, a fox and a horse with movements of solo Bach.

In Zoe's words:

"Charlie Mackesy’s story about a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse gives us life lessons in a way that can relate to all generations. Every time I play Bach, I have new insights into the “human condition” and find it fascinating that the notes he wrote 250 years ago still seem so contemporary today. Bach and Mackey’s profundity make for a natural pairing, each adding layers of emotion to the other."

Also on the program will be CSC's Thomasina Challender, recent successful A.Mus Candidate, performing solo Bach, and two delightful items by Resonance String Orchestra.

We do hope Chewton families can join us for the special event.

Kind Regards,

Heather Cummins

Co-Director of Music

Community Notices

First Peoples Connections and information

Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation) https://djadjawurrung.com.au/

DJAARA - Home | Facebook

Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation https://nalderun.net.au/

Anti-racism https://racismnoway.com.au/ https://alltogethernow.org.au/racism/racism-in-schools/how-to-discuss-racism-with-children/

Reconciliation Week 2024 Now more than ever https://www.reconciliation.org.au/now-more-than-ever-nrw-2024/

Treaty https://www.firstpeoplesrelations.vic.gov.au/treaty

Dum and bundjil time

Frog and yellow (flowering) time

September-mid-November – as the weather warms, the peak flowering season for many wildflowers begins. Frosts and rainy days are often still common.

As the water warms over spring, River Blackfish and Murray Cod become more active. These are caught in traps constructed along waterways using stone and woven baskets.

Watjarang (Platypus) along Campbells Creek breed and lay eggs. This is peak flowering season for many wildflowers, such as Murna (Yam Daisy), Gitjawil Matom (Chocolate Lily) and Bam (Bulbine Lily), which can be seen at the Muckleford Nature Conservation Reserve, Kalimna Park and Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park. Gurndi (Cranberry Heath) berries ripen and are ready to eat.Sticky Everlasting, Clustered Everlasting, Grey Everlasting and Orchids, as well as for shrubs such as Downy Grevillea, Rough Mint-bush, and Fairy Wax-flower.

• Watjarang (Platypus) breed and lay eggs

• Brushtail Possums carry their young from nests

• River Blackfish spawn

• The bush is bright with yellow daisies that provide a landing pad where insects can warm up on cold mornings

• Australian Reed-warblers begin calling along creeks and rivers

• Rainbow Bee-eaters arrive from northern Australia to nest along creek and river banks

• Large flocks of White-browed and Masked Woodswallow arrive from northern Australia and can be heard calling in the sky

• This is peak frog breeding season – large frog choruses can be heard in wetlands and along creeks and rivers

• Black Wattle and Red Box flower.

The Dja Dja Wurrung seasons were compiled by Uncle Rick Nelson and Karl Just, with contributions from Frances Cincotta, Elaine Bayes, Damien Cook, Tanya Loos, Geoff Park, Cassia Read and Trace Balla. More information on Mt Alexander Shire Council's website.

See Drew Barwick explaining Djaara seasons here

Consumer Deposit Scheme

Drop your containers at Chewton Servo and donate your proceeds to Chewton Primary School.

Every little bit counts!

Castlemaine Circus have some awesome Spring Holiday Classes coming up!

Parkour: September 23rd and 25th

Circus: September 24th and 26th

Aerials: September 24th (10-14yrs)

These classes are suitable for all levels and will focus on a range of different skills. The classes are jam packed with fun activities and a great way to be social and move around!

Zinda Festival – a feast for the senses!

Zinda is Bendigo’s largest annual celebration of cultural diversity, and it is lining up to be another full day of delicious authentic cuisines, traditional performances, interactive activities for the kids, dance workshops and more! And it is FREE.

Presented by Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services, the event kicks off at 11am on Saturday 12th October at Garden for the Future, White Hills and will feature a sea of colour and costumes with a long list of performers, from local community groups, bringing the stage alive.

Be sure to bring your dancing shoes as we celebrate. Our K-Pop and Bollywood dance workshops will put a spring in your step and the African drumming ensemble will have the crowd moving its hips. The henna art, hair braiding and face painting activities will have everyone looking great and feeling rich with culture.

This year, we have teamed up with the City of Greater Bendigo and the team from the Bendigo Lions Club to offer free parking. If you make your way to the corner of Kennewell street & Hamelin street, White Hills, (GPS coordinates: 36°43'26.8"S 144°18'16.8"E) you will be guided to your space by the lovely group of volunteers. It is then a short 150m walk, or skip, across the foot bridge (wheelchair friendly) where you will be greeted with delicious smells sights and sounds as you start your Zinda journey.

None of this would be possible without the continued support from the Victorian State Government and major sponsorship from the City of Greater Bendigo, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, Bendigo Tafe, Bendigo Market Place, Wise Employment/Access Skills Training and Win Network.

Zinda truly comes alive because of our heart-warming list of sponsors, partners, volunteers, community groups, performers, businesses & organisations and most importantly, you!

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and look forward to seeing you there!

For more information, follow our socials or jump onto the website:

Website: https://zinda.org.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZindaFestival/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zindafestival/