Chewton Primary School
Newsletter 11th September 2025
Newsletter 11th September 2025
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 teachings: 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.
Poorneet (tadpole season) - September to October
Kulin seasons
Read more here!
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.
Thursday 18 September 2025 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM (UTC+10)
Phee Broadway Theatre
Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine VIC 3450
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.
Term 3 21 July – 19 Sept
11-12 September Grade 2 Boomerang Camp
11 September RUOK Day
18 September School Performance 6pm Phee Broadway
19 September Footy Colours Day. Hot dog lunch, End of Term 2:30pm
6 October Term 4 Commences
7-15 October Somers Camp
10 October World Mental Health Day
17 October Goldfields Cricket Blast/ Basketball (9/10-12/13 YO)
18 October Music Trivia Night Major Fundraiser Wesley Hill hall 7pm
19 October Chewton CFA open Day
Tuesday 21 October 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
Wednesday October 22nd Parent workshop on Zoom 7.30pm-8.30pm I am Mindful
Wednesday 29th October Vaping prevention session with Bron Grieves 2:30pm
Friday 31st October: Halloween dress up day
Preparation for Puberty Grade 5-6 students
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
3 November Curriculum Day: Assessment and Reporting. There will be OSHC available
10-12 November Grade 5-6 Anglesea camp
7 November Kickball P-2 (change of location to Maldon)
11 November Remembrance Day
13 November Bike Ride 3-6
18, 25 November, 2, 9 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 5:30pm
18 December Year 6 Big Day Out
19 December Pool Day 12-2:30
Bushfire update
The CFA have predicted that this season will be longer and more intense.
In Term 4 we will run parent information sessions
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
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
We will be holding an information session for parents with updated 2025-2026 information about the upcoming season and our school relocations.
School Council requested a change to our trigger for relocation and met with Maree Edwards and people from the Emergency Management team at DET to outline our concerns around the impact of relocations. The request went to the Minister for Education, but we were refused, as the government decided the change could not be made state wide. School Council's actions did trigger an investigation on Mt Alexander fuel loads that the CFA and DEECA will be undertaking. This will not make any change for the upcoming season, but we hope that it will lessen the amount of relocations in 2026-2027.
Bernadette is working with the DET psychologist to develop a wellbeing plan for us to put into place to support our students, staff and families.
Please complete the short survey to let us know whether you will attend an information session and what format best suits you: 4pm, 6:30pm, in person or online.
Bushfire Information session survey
Don't forget the Chewton CFA will have a fantastic Open Day on October 19th. Lots of things to help you prepare for the coming summer! Put it into your calendar!
10am-2.30pm, 19 October
1 Mount St, Chewton
In preparation for the fire season, Chewton CFA is hosting an open day on the 19 October. A number of activities are planned for all ages, including presentations from local groups on fire-resilient plants and evacuation modelling for the Chewton community by Dr Dhirendra Singh (CSIRO). The brigade is also currently running a poster competition for Chewton PS students in P-1, 2-4 and 5-6, and winners to be announced on the day. Come down for a fun and informative time!
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)
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).
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)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).
Attwood, T. (2007). The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
DuPaul, G. J., & Stoner, G. (2014). ADHD in the Schools: Assessment and Intervention Strategies (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
Rief, S. F. (2008). How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
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.
Williams, K. (2001). Understanding the Student with Asperger Syndrome: Guidelines for Teachers. Intervention in School and Clinic, 36(5), 287–292.
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Hehir, T., Grindal, T., Freeman, B., Lamoreau, R., Borquaye, Y., & Burke, S. (2016). A Summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education. Abt Associates.
Meltzer, L. (2010). Promoting Executive Function in the Classroom. Guilford Press.
There is a new electronic sign in on the shelf at school. It is very easy to use. If you are late dropping your child or early picking them up, please do this electronically. You are also able to do this from your Compass app.
CSC 2026
Thank you to those families who have chosen Enrichment and Language classes for next year. If you have not received the welcome email, please check your junk folder or contact 8824-Transition@schools.vic.edu.au
If you have any questions about Bus Travel for Orientation Day or 2026 please contact kellie.veall@education.vic.gov.au
The Castlemaine Secondary College will be hosting a Family Information Evening for students new to year 7 in 2026.
Monday 8 December 6:00 to 7:00pm
Orientation Day will be held at Castlemaine Secondary College
Tuesday 9th December 9:00am - 3:15pm
Grade 5/6 have had numerous roles in the upcoming school concert; creating costumes, developing narration skills, remembering steps and dance sequences. They are learning a lot about cooperation, sharing and adapting to the demands of a developing performance.
We have been writing scientific methods, recounting our experiences of our experiments and learning how to break them down into steps. This term we have created pure oxygen by mixing some common household items demonstrating how oxygen is an accelerant for fire. We have shown how carbon can be synthesized with the aid of ignition, bicarbonate soda and icing sugar. Carbon is the framework for all living tissue, and its structure is so interesting forming shapes we can relate to our maths knowledge.
Maths this fortnight has been division with manipulatives, division with decimals, division with split strategies, division with inverse multiplication and applying practical worded problems to utilise our skills and process. How can you divide up the money from school fundraiser? How do you make sure your restaurant tips are divided accurately? How can you distribute the right amount of ingredients for batch cooking?
Our 5/6 students participated in the Hot Shots Tennis competition playing singles and double against other schools! It was wonderful to see the students improve their skills as the day progressed demonstrating their kindness, respect, and community spirit.
Also, our grade celebrated our school wide behaviour target with a lunch class party. Thank you to all the parents who sent beautiful food along to share !
Monday- Friday 7am-9am
Monday- Friday 3:30pm-6pm
contact Kerrie 0410 734 733
Available for our Curriculum Days
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.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/djaara-treaty-first-nations-state-australia-victoria/105337078First Nations Days of Significance:
Term 1
February 13th: Anniversary of Apology to Stolen Generations
Term 2
May 26th: Sorry Day
May 27th - June 3rd: Reconciliation Week
May 30th: Reconciliation Walk
July 7th -14th: NAIDOC Week
Term 3
August 4th: National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day
August 9th: International Day of the World's Indigenous People
Meeting Place Dates 2025
TERM 1 - 21 February, March 7, April 4
TERM 2 - 9 May, 23 May, 13 June, 27 June
TERM 3 - 25 July, 15 August, 29 August, 12 September
TERM 4 - 24 October, 7 November, 28 November, 12 December.
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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.
• This is peak flowering season for many wildflowers, such as Murna (Yam Daisy), Gitjawil Matom (Chocolate Lily), Bam (Bulbine Lily), 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.
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 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