Chewton Primary School Production - The Happy Tree

Our show is called The Happy Tree which is an adaptation of the Oscar Wilde story of The Happy Prince. The Happy Tree is a tale set in the tree-surrounded school grounds and weaves these songs together with a First Nations teaching, Chewton Primary’s amazing commitment to sustainability, the joy of singing, dancing and acting, and also celebrates the final years of our senior students.

Date

Thursday 18 September 2025 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM (UTC+10)

Location

Phee Broadway Theatre
Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine VIC 3450

Get your tickets to the performance:
https://www.trybooking.com/DFNCG

After school Care

Patsy will be finishing her regular Tuesday and Thursday after school care at the end of this term. A huge thanks to Patsy who has provided this service to our school community over many years. You are much appreciated.

For parents and carers who have students currently enrolled with Patsy, please contact Kerrie Patrick to enrol in the OSHC Adventures program. this runs Monday-Friday both before and after school.

Bushfire update

The CFA have predicted that this season will be longer and more intense.

In Term 4 we will run parent information sessions

Need some support?

Parentline Victoria 132289 8am-midnight 7 days For counselling and support for parents and carers or for any parenting concern.

The Orange door https://www.orangedoor.vic.gov.au/ 

The Orange Door helps and supports parents and families if you are worried about your child's wellbeing, you need support with parenting skills, you need a chat about a parenting problem, your child is showing challenging behaviours or your family is going through stressful times.

Safe Steps: 24 hour family violence hotline https://safesteps.org.au/ 1800 015 188

Working bee: Sunday 14th September 9:30am-12:30pm

 We need lots of helpers to finish off the outdoor eating. garden area and to do some preparation for the coming bushfire season 

Clean up at rear of sports shed

Dirt: to be moved to top up the older garden bed and build new beds along the front fence.

Sleepers to line new garden edges and along the edge of the teacher car park. Paint the edging with yellow paint if we still have some. We need more logs to be placed in teacher carpark

Put wooden tops on tables

Spread the rocks batter off the area near the shed.

Clear leaf litter from around the school: people to bring rakes: Bushfire preparation

Remove the rio rod from the sleeper near the pump

Things for parents to bring:

Wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes, drills for table

Music Trivia Night Saturday October 18th 

Wesley Hill Hall 7pm-late

Hey folks, we are full steam ahead with planning our fundraising music trivia night scheduled for Saturday 18 October. We will reveal a bit more creative detail in the coming weeks but for now we are looking for some commitment of help as follows....

Raffle - Alice and Laura are busily organising raffle prizes, if you have any prizes or contacts of people who can give prizes please be in touch with either of them. We are aiming to have all prizes finalised by 15 September so that raffle tickets can go home with kids and be distributed to local sellers in that week before school holidays.

Helpers needed for day and night of the event....

Catering - Clare and Taryn will be organising the catering for the night, we are planning supper platters to be served to each table as part of the ticket price. We would like parents to help prepare these platters on the day of the event.

Decoration - we have had offers of help to decorate the venue on the afternoon of the event and are looking for a couple more people to help with this.

Bar - as we have some great wine and beer associates in our midst as parents of the school we will be hitting them up for some grog that we can sell on the night 🤞 (pending liquor license, work in progress). We will need people to work the bar on the night and hopefully some with RSAs.

General help - we will need general help on the night with greeting, serving food, selling raffle tickets etc.

Please let Clare or Taryn know if you are able to help with any of the above jobs on the day or night of the event. We realise we also need people buying tickets and joining a table at the event so the more helpers we have, we can make shifts shorter so people can also enjoy the night.

That's all for now folks! Hope you can help out in some way and we look forward to hearing from you.

Krista (mum of Teyo and Toshi)

School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports 

Classroom expectations

Teachers have been working on classroom expectations as the next step in our professional learning. We are mapping our current class expectations to the matrix design  to bring consistency across the school. Expectations are developed with students and teachers in every class at the beginning of the year. 

Definition

Behaviour expectations are broad goals for behaviour, or the general ways we would like students to act.

Rules define the specific behaviours we want students to demonstrate.

Rules should be observable, measurable, positively stated, understandable and always applicable (OMPUA).

Rationale

When students know exactly what behaviour is expected of them, they are more likely to demonstrate these behaviours in the classroom.

Classroom expectations:

·     provide structure for students and help them to be engaged with instructional tasks.

·     are a cost-effective, easily implemented, preventative approach with demonstrated improvement in student behaviour.

·     are associated with an increase in academic and task engagement.

Our SWPBS coach Kerry Hammond has provided us with the following information on how this supports all students, including students who are neurodivergent.

Explicit expectations can significantly benefit neurodivergent students—students with ASD,  ADHD, dyslexia, or other cognitive differences—by providing clarity, reducing anxiety, and improving academic and social outcomes. These students often thrive in structured environments where expectations, rules, and tasks are clearly defined. Here's how explicit expectations can help, with references to support each point:

1. Reduces Anxiety and Uncertainty

Many neurodivergent students experience heightened anxiety when expectations are ambiguous or when routines change unexpectedly.

• Why it matters: Clear expectations help create predictability, which can be calming and allow students to focus more effectively on tasks.

• Reference:

  • American Psychiatric Association (2013) explains how individuals with autism spectrum disorder often show a strong preference for routines and predictability.

  • Attwood (2007) emphasizes the need for structure and predictability to reduce anxiety in autistic students.

2. Improves Task Understanding and Execution

Students with ADHD or executive functioning difficulties may struggle to infer implicit rules or organize multi-step tasks without explicit guidance.

• Why it matters: Explicit instructions break down tasks into manageable parts and clarify what success looks like.

• Reference:

  • DuPaul & Stoner (2014) note that students with ADHD benefit from clear, consistent instructions and feedback.

  • Rief (2008) emphasizes the importance of clear directions for students with executive functioning challenges.

3. Supports Social Understanding and Classroom Behavior

Neurodivergent students may not naturally pick up on social cues or unspoken classroom norms. Explicitly teaching these expectations can help them navigate social environments more effectively.

• Why it matters: Clear social expectations support inclusion and reduce misunderstandings.

• Reference:

  • Baron-Cohen et al. (2001) discuss how individuals on the autism spectrum may struggle with "theory of mind," making it difficult to interpret others’ intentions without direct explanation.

  • Williams (2001) argues for explicit teaching of social rules to help students with autism understand peer interactions.

4. Promotes Equity and Access

Neurodivergent students are often unintentionally disadvantaged by systems that assume all students can intuit or infer expectations.

• Why it matters: Making expectations explicit levels the playing field and reduces the cognitive load required to "guess" what is expected.

• Reference:

  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework (CAST, 2018) encourages multiple means of representation—including explicit instruction—to ensure all learners can access content and demonstrate knowledge.

  • Hehir et al. (2016) found that inclusive practices, including clearly communicated expectations, improved outcomes for students with disabilities.

5. Enhances Academic Performance and Independence

Over time, explicit expectations help neurodivergent students internalize structures and strategies that lead to independent learning.

• Why it matters: Students learn how to organize, plan, and monitor their own behavior and work.

• Reference:

  • Meltzer (2010) explains how explicit instruction in strategies and expectations supports the development of self-regulation and executive function skills in students with learning differences.

Conclusion

Explicit expectations are not merely helpful—they are essential for many neurodivergent students. By providing clarity, structure, and consistency, educators create more inclusive, equitable learning environments where all students have a better chance to thrive.

References (Full Citations)

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).

2. Attwood, T. (2007). The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

3. DuPaul, G. J., & Stoner, G. (2014). ADHD in the Schools: Assessment and Intervention Strategies (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

4. Rief, S. F. (2008). How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

5. Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Hill, J., Raste, Y., & Plumb, I. (2001). The "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test Revised Version: A Study with Normal Adults, and Adults with Asperger Syndrome or High-functioning Autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42(2), 241–251.

6. Williams, K. (2001). Understanding the Student with Asperger Syndrome: Guidelines for Teachers. Intervention in School and Clinic, 36(5), 287–292.

7. CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

8. Hehir, T., Grindal, T., Freeman, B., Lamoreau, R., Borquaye, Y., & Burke, S. (2016). A Summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education. Abt Associates.

9. Meltzer, L. (2010). Promoting Executive Function in the Classroom. Guilford Press.

 First Peoples connections and information

You can find out more about Yoorrook here

https://yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au/ and Four Corners have an excellent program on Yoorrook. 

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/four-corners/series/2025/video/NC2503H008S00 

We also heard about the current Treaty work being undertaken in Victoria. You may have heard that Djaara have begun Treaty negotiations with the Victorian government.

Sushi Dates for 2025

http://www.schoollunchonline.com.au 

14/2

14/3

16/5

13/6

8/8

12/9

24/10

14/11

12/12

Term 4 dates

Term 4 6 Oct – 19 Dec

• 7-15 October Somers Camp selected 5-6 students

• 10 October World Mental Health Day

• 10 October Goldfields Team Tennis/ softball (9/10-12/13 YO) TBC

• 17 October Goldfields Cricket Blast/ Basketball (9/10-12/13 YO) TBC

• Tuesday 21 October at 2.30pm Vaping prevention session for Grade 5-6 students

• Wednesday October 22 + Thursday October 23 I Am Mindful (I.A.M) program yr 5/6 students in 2 x 2hr sessions, Teacher PD 3.30-4.30 and Parent education workshop on Zoom 7.30pm-8.30pm 

• Wednesday 29th October Vaping prevention session with Bron Grieves 2:30pm

Preparation for Puberty grade 5-6

• Tuesday 28th Oct 9:30-11am

• Friday 7th November 2.30- 3.30

• Thursday 13th November 9.30- 11am

• Tuesday 18th Nov at 9,30 a- 11

• Tuesday 25th November 9:30-11am

• 4 November Curriculum Day

• 10-12 November Grade 5-6 Anglesea

• 7 November Kickball P-2 (change of location to Maldon)

• 11 November Remembrance Day

• Bike Ride 3-6 Date TBC

• Halloween dress up (week of 31st)

• 18, 25 November, 2 Dec Prep Transition 

• 3 December International Day of persons with disability

• 9 December Whole School Step Up Day

• 10 December Human Rights Day

• 16 December Xmas Carols, Yabbying

• 17 December Graduation/ End of year picnic 5-7:30pm

• 18 December Year 6 Big Day Out

• 19 December Pool Day 12-2:30