Reconciliation Week 2025: Bridging now to next. 

As part of our learning we are going to be working on issues related to the Stolen generations as part of the school curriculum. You may want to talk with your child about what they are learning. The Healing Foundation, Reconciliation Australia, Magabala Books and Nalderun are our sourced materials along with the DET Victorian Curriculum. 

Join us for our Reconciliation Walk on Friday 30th May at 10am. 

We need helpers, photographers, filmakers, friends and family to walk with us!

Open Day

Our Open Day was a great success with more than 40 people attending. Thanks to our amazing student leaders who led tours. Our grade 6 students led tours through every classroom, engaged students in each room,  answered questions and received very positive feedback from our visitors.

Thanks Ginger, Athena, Heidi, Jack, Edan, James, Oscar, Hunter and Layla!

If you have a child starting prep in 2026, please let us know as soon as possible and complete the enrolment form. If you know someone who lives in the Chewton area who did not come to the Open Day, please let them know to enrol as soon as possible to assist us in managing what looks to be a waiting list!

A big thanks to Luke for putting this video together to showcase our Reconciliation Walk and our beautiful school!

Home/ School communication

Staff are currently reviewing our communications process and we would like feedback from families about how we can improve our home/ school communication.

Currently we have information about the learning in each classroom in the newsletter every fortnight.

School events are communicated through the newsletter and via Compass

We meet with parents regularly, engage in the yard after school, are available for informal chats and have meetings at pre-arranged times with parents and carers.

We have student support group meetings for students who are funded under the Disability Inclusion Profile, for students working over 12 months ahead or below expected level, for students needing social and emotional support, for Koorie students and for students who are in Out of Home Care. 

Teachers and parents communicate via email, phone or informally at drop off and pick up.

Reports are available via the Compass portal at the end of Term 2 and at the end of Term 4.

We have parent/ teacher/ student conferences early in Term 1 and in Term 4 for feedback and goal setting.

Our school community follow our Child Safe Code of Conduct, listen respectfully to each other and treat each other with unconditional positive regard: we know we are all working together and want the best for our children.

Do you have suggestions on how we can improve our communications?

Student feedback

This week our House Captains will lead all our students in mixed age groups to discuss what they love about learning at Chewton, what they would like to change, ideas for improving our school and wellbeing supports. Our grade 4-6 students will be completing the annual Student Attitude to School Survey which gives us a snapshot of wellbeing and school connectedness,

What's happening in P-1?

It’s been a fun and busy few weeks in Prep/1! Here are some of the things we’ve been learning and doing:

Literacy:
Our Preps have now learned the last four Stage 2 sounds in the Little Learners program – g, d, l, and v. They’re doing a great job sounding out and spelling words like dog, log, and van!
Grade 1 students have been exploring the -er sound. They’ve been spotting it in the middle of words like Perth and permit, at the end of words like monster and number, and as a suffix in job words like teacher and baker.
Both year levels have also been learning about information texts (non-fiction) and how they are different from storybooks. We’ve been exploring features like glossaries, diagrams, contents pages, and interesting facts!

Maths:
In Maths, Preps have been practicing counting up to 20, and Grade 1s up to 100! We’ve also been filling in missing numbers and solving subtraction problems using counters to help us understand word problems.

Inquiry:
Our big focus has been learning about Bush Foods as part of our Reconciliation Learning. Students have been busy gathering facts about different bush foods, including which parts of the plants we can eat. They’ve drawn labelled diagrams and some have even written their own recipes using bush food ingredients!
We’re very excited to be planting these special plants in our school garden soon. Keep an eye out for our posters and bush food plants coming soon to the garden!

We’ve had such an exciting time and can’t wait to share our learning at the Reconciliation Walk on May 30th. We hope to see you there!

What's happening in 2-3-4?

Grade 2-3-4 are learning about  teh Yoorook Justice Commission, about the importance of truth telling so that we can walk together with First Nations peoples.

The Yoorrook Justice Commission is the first formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria.

Yoorrook was set up by agreement between the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and the Victorian Government, but operates independently of both.

Yoorrook delivered an interim report in June 2022, a critical issues report in August 2023, and will deliver a final report in 2025.

Yoorrook is led by five Commissioners, of whom 4 are Aboriginal and 3 are Victorian First Peoples. The Commissioners bring a vast range of knowledge and experience about First Peoples’ knowledge, systemic disadvantage, land rights, history, law, trauma and healing.

https://yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au/events/walkfortruth/ 

What's happening in 5-6?

Congratulations to all our Cross Country participants. Special mention to James, Edan and Jack for coming in the top 20 and going on to represent our school at Division on Friday!

Kath has been working with all classes on their Reconciliation topics. In the 5-6 room students are learning about Treaty, and developed their understanding of what a treaty is through role play. They decided that Treaty was negotiation and an agreement between two groups. It was really hard at times to work it out. Some people loved the debate, some people said it was hard to be a spokesperson and have to talk for the group not themselves. The otterclan people liked listening to the Otter and the Elder. The English listened and were respectful to the otter clan people and also very concerned for others in their group. Everybody enjoyed picturing the islands!

Rob's Retirement BBQ lunch 

22 May 1:30pm at the Fire circle

Rob has worked as a cleaner and maintenance person at Chewton Primary for many years. He has also been a parent here! We are sad to announce that Rob is retiring at the end of May. We would like to thank Rob for his many hours of cleaning, repairs and being available whenever we call to come and fix something. We don't know what we are going to do without you Rob! We wish you all the best in your retirement and thank you for your many years of dedication to Chewton Primary.

We are having a special BBQ lunch on 22nd May at 1:30 to say farewell to Rob and we invite all parents to join us. We will be at the fire circle. Information about sausage/ veggie sausage orders coming out via Compass.

Reconciliation Walk  Friday 30 May 

Thanks so much to everyone who has already volunteered. We need a few more people and also lots of walkers! Bring friends, grandparents and wear red, black and yellow

Equipment:

We need trestle tables, gazebos, 25m power leads, portable power source (solar preferred) that can power a TV for 3hrs

Volunteers:

Set up Thursday 29th from 4pm

Pack up Friday 30th from 3pm

On the walk: 9:45-2pm

Assisting students at each storyboard as they describe their learning.

Assisting walkers at each storyboard where there is not a Chewton student to share the learning.

Community Notices

 First Peoples connections and information

TERM TWO 2025

0-11 YEARS PARENT SUPPORT AND EDUCATION SESSIONS

The Loddon Children’s Health & Wellbeing Local will be offering weekly education sessions related to mental health and wellbeing for parents of children 0-11. These are available in person. The session is run by a lived experience parent and mental health clinician.

Sessions are open to any family with children 0-11.

Why join in?

·   Meet and mix with other parents.

·   Talk to mental health staff about your child.

·   Ask any practical questions you have about parenting at the moment.

·   Gain support for yourself as a parent.

Where: Activity Room 2, Downstairs, Bendigo Library, Hargreaves St,

BENDIGO 3550 Note the *dates are in an upstairs room at the library. Use the lift to find us.

Dates and topics:  Thursdays

*Apr 24th     1pm face to face       Sleep issues

May 1st        1pm face to face       Stop the tech

*May 8th      1pm face to face       ADHD What is it and how can I help?

*May 15th     1pm face to face       Managing big feelings

May 22nd     1pm face to face       Parent wellbeing

May 29th       1pm face to face       Anger in kids

Jun 5th          1pm face to face       Anxiety in kids

Jun 12th      1pm face to face       What is autism and how can I help? Presented by Daniel

*Jun 19th     1pm face to face       Setting limits and family rules 

Jun 26th      1pm face to face       Building social skills

If you have any questions, please contact Annette Clemments on 1800 433 977.

Book in here: using the QR code or email icfhwlocals@bchs.com.au

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