Week 9 Term 1 2025

Acknowledgement to Country

We wish to acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the land we work, learn and play on and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.

Coming up in Week 10

Monday 7th April 

Tuesday 8th April

• JC: 'Anything But a Bag Day"
  
• JC: 9:00am - 10:30am - Stay and Play
• SC: 9:00am - 3pm - Swimming Regional Carnival
  
• SC: 12:30pm - 1:25pm - Assembly 

Wednesday 9th April

• JC: 11:35am - 1:25pm - Band 
  
• JC: 2:15pm - 3pm - P to 6 Farewell Assembly 
• SC: Year 7 Camp: Day 1
• SC: Year 10 Immunisations
• SC: 9:15 am - 10:15am - Dance Nation 

Thursday 10th April

• SC: Year 7 Camp: Day 2
• SC: 9:10am - 11:10am - Perseus Program 

Friday 11th April

• JC: Cross Country (and P&C Special Lunch Order)
• JC: 2:00pm - 3pm - Band
  
• SC: Year 7 Camp: Day 3

Coming up in Week 1

Monday 28th April 

Tuesday 29th April 

• SC: Parent Teacher Night 

Wednesday 30th April 

• JC: 11:35am - 1:25pm - Band 
  
• SC: 9:15 am - 10:15am - Dance Nation 
• SC: Parent Teacher Night 
  

Thursday 1st May 

• SC: Elevate Study Skills Presentation 
  

Friday 2nd May 

• JC: 2:00pm - 3pm - Band
  

Principal's Message

School Review

Last week we had a team of seven external education staff visit Caroline Chisholm School to undertake school review to help us to draft a new Strategic Plan. The panel had a full day visiting classrooms a few weeks ago, followed by 3 days onsite last week where they had access to a range of school data, they met with 76 staff members, spoke to a range of students and student leaders and met with families both face to face and online.

The following Dimensions and Elements were selected as focus areas by the school following self-evaluation: 

Some key findings were

• Leaders, teachers, support and administrative staff all feel a sense of collective purpose and shared sense of responsibility in meeting the needs of all students. 

• There is a high sense of collegiality across all staff at the school, and they feel a sense of trust and optimism in leadership and their ability to set a clear strategic improvement agenda. This was also reflected by families that spoke to the review team.  

• The review team heard there is a strong appetite from all staff to co-construct a narrow scope of practices, processes and procedures to meet the learning needs of all students.  

• The collective capacity of Learning Support Assistants (LSA) is being strengthened by professional learning and coaching.
• Staff are early in UDL implementation, and some teachers can see the potential for how it can be used to meet students at their point of need.  

• The review team heard staff value aspects of the Berry Street Educational Model and see it as a way of supporting learning. The Ready to Learn activities, and Check-in Circles and Brain Breaks are used in some classes to help students develop strategies for self-regulation.  

• Teachers across both campuses expressed interest and willingness to strengthen ties between campuses to learn from each other to meet student need.  

• On the junior campus, the review team saw evidence of teachers and students engaging with ready to learn scales. Students were able to describe the strategies that they can use if they are not yet ready for learning. 

• On the senior campus, end of unit student surveys were identified as ways students were able to have voice in their learning. 

• Students and teachers on the senior campus identified the breadth of electives as a way students can provide input into how they learn. 

• The review team observed a calm and welcoming environment with students who are friendly and settled.  

• Parents who spoke to the review team expressed that teachers, executive, and administrative and support staff are approachable and accessible.  

• Staff, students and families see the administrative team as another system of support for students at the school. Administrative and support staff value the contributions they make in this area.  

• Teachers identified that there is a strong focus on wellbeing and meeting the social and emotional needs of all students.
• Many students spoke about the variety of wellbeing supports being provided in response to need.  

Recommendations

• Co-design a clear and focused vision for teaching and learning at Caroline Chisholm School to align curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.  

• Implement an agreed Professional Learning Community practice where evidence is used to respond to student need and monitor impact.   

• Identify the current wellbeing needs of students to inform the evaluation of the appropriateness and impact of existing practices and programs.  

• Align professional learning and induction processes to ensure all staff understand the agreed practices for teaching, learning and wellbeing at Caroline Chisholm School. 

Over the next few months, we will be working with staff, students and the community to create a new Strategic Plan for CCS.

Learning – Science

Recently I was invited into a year 7 science class to observe students undertake an experiment. Students had worked in pairs to plan and create a structure to protect an egg from impact forces when dropped from a height of approximately 7m. Students hypothesized if the egg would break or remain intact and then following the experiment, then unwrapped the protective structures to determine the outcome of their experiment. 

The students were buzzing with hypotheses and reflections. It was wonderful to see students so engaged and excited about learning. Thanks year 7 for sharing your learning with me.

Vandalism

Sadly, we arrived at school, on the Senior Campus, on Monday morning to extensive vandalism. Unknown people entered the school grounds over the weekend and proceeded to destroy the large, windowed foyer area that had a beautiful mural painted on it by CCS community members a few years ago. You will see from the images that the damage was well planned and thorough. Police have been notified about the incident.

If you or your young person hear anything about the incident, please email us info@chisholm.act.edu.au

Unfortunately, the clean-up and repairs have cost a significant amount of money. Not only have we had to pay for the glass repairs but also two replacement fire extinguishers which were used to impart some of the damage.

New school flags

This week David Smith MP visited the senior campus to present school leaders with new flags for the flag poles. Colby, Cassy and Layla represented the school beautifully during this time. Well done student leaders.

Promoting positive behaviours

Each fortnight the Junior Campus and Senior Campus have a targeted focus behaviour. So far this term the foci have been -

Week 3 & 4 - JC and SC 

• Right place
• Right time
• Ready to learn

Week 5 & 6 – SC

• Respectful interactions 
• Respectful language

JC - 

• Safe hands
• Safe feet
• Safe bodies

Week 7 & 8 - SC

• Acting on instruction. Respect isn’t just about words; it’s about how you listen and respond.”

JC - 

• Listen to and follow directions in a timely manner.

Week 9 & 10 - SC

• Acting on instruction. Respect isn’t just about words; it’s about how you listen and respond.

JC - 

• Keep on learning without distracting myself or others around me.

All staff provide fast and frequent positive feedback to students demonstrating the focus behaviours. Staff provide verbal praise, award house tickets and generally provide positive reinforcement. We share this on these on the school electronic noticeboard, Facebook and the Parent Portal.

Special Farewell

Please join me in congratulating Nicky Smith (Deputy Principal on the Junior Campus) on winning the Deputy Principal job at Kaleen Primary School. Nicky has played an instrumental role in leading the Junior Campus at CCS since 2021. During her time, Nicky has led significant improvement in student culture and created a community on the JC. We will miss Nicky’s positivity and strong leadership in teaching and learning but know that this is a wonderful career move for Nicky. Nicky commences her new role day 1, term 2.

Please enjoy the upcoming school and Easter break. Travel safely if you are going away.

Warm Regards,

Julie

Junior Campus Student Leadership

A Word from the Minister for Public Relations, Billy D

Parliament Session Update

Today in parliament our Minister for Environment presented a bill for students to celebrate World Environment Day by cleaning up different areas of the school, participating in an activity (yet to be determined) as a community and competing in a poster competition with prizes to follow! We also passed a bill to have a book cover design competition in Week 6 Term 2, as presented by our Minister for Library. The Minister of Events shared a bill to “bring anything but a bag to school day”, which we are hoping will take place in Week 10.

Parliament Event

On Tuesday in Week 9, the JC held an All-Sports Day run by our Ministers for Sport and Year 6 committee members. Sports included volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, master tag, netball, cricket and soccer. Students from K-6 completed several rotations where they got to learn new skills, play some fun games and be with their peers outside of the classroom on a beautiful sunny day close to the end of the term. 

We will be holding another All-Sports Day session later in the year so students can participate in the sports they missed out on in the first session. 

Junior Campus PE News

We have had a wonderful start to the year in PE. During the first few weeks we played new games to connect and cooperate with new class members. Our Sporting School sport for the term was netball. All grades thoroughly enjoyed learning the skills and playing modified games. After the success of netball, we will be revisiting netball later in the year. In the lead up to the cross country in week 10 we are now busy learning and running the course in PE and in class time.

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Cross Country

• The Junior Campus cross country will be on the last Friday of this term, Friday 11 April.
• Students are encouraged to wear house colours.
• The first race will be at 9:15.
• Parents and carers are most welcome to come along.
• Ribbons will be handed out on the day.
• Below is the race order. Our aim is to finish all races by 11:00.

Junior Campus Art News

Students at Chisholm Primary have been focusing upon visual art this term. They have been investigating the fundamentals of all visual art such as line, shape, colour and texture. Students have produced artwork in a variety of mediums and have enjoyed their hands on experiences. Look at our wonderful creations!

I’m sure you agree that we have some very talented artists at Chisholm Primary. Well done!

SEL/Respectful Relationships

We are excited to share an important development in our school’s approach to social and emotional learning. This year, we are merging the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) program with the Zones of Regulation to create a comprehensive learning experience for our students from Preschool to Year 6.

This combined program will continue to foster essential social, emotional, and relationship skills in our students, helping them to develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, and positive interactions with their peers. Through these lessons, students will explore how emotional responses impact their own and others’ feelings, develop strategies for respectful relationships, and apply protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

Led by Mr. Pratt and Ms. Jen, these engaging sessions will take place for one hour each week, providing students with explicit skill-building activities designed to deepen their understanding of emotions, beliefs, and respectful interactions. Our goal is to create a culture of respect and equality within our school community, equipping our students with lifelong skills that will support them both in and outside of school.

We encourage families to continue these conversations at home and support students in applying these valuable lessons in their daily lives. Thank you for being a vital part of our commitment to fostering a safe, supportive, and respectful learning environment.

Ms Jen and Mr Pratt

Executive teachers

Lost Something?

Library News

Senior Campus Deputy Principals Report

It’s been a busy couple of weeks across our school and we need to start with a huge well done to all our Senior Campus students, who had a great day out at our annual Athletics Carnival. It was wonderful to see all of our students trying their best and having a go at a range of healthy physical activity and engaging with pride in our school culture. Special thanks to Mr Darrington and his team for coordinating this great event for our community. Yesterday, our year 8s had their Adventure Day at the Cotter River and from all accounts they had a great day. There were many exhausted students, and teachers, when they returned to school in the eventing. Thanks to Ms Miley-Reid and her team for making this day such a success. Today, our wonderful P&C are running our annual Colour Run which is another great opportunity for our school community to come together around positive participation and engagement in healthy, culture building activities. Our year 7s are heading off on camp next week and we can’t wait to hear all about their adventures. Thank you to Ms Bindley and Ms Catchpole for their hard work to get ready for camp.

Focus of the Fortnight

Our teachers are on the look out and awarding house tickets for students who positively demonstrate our focus behaviour of acting on instruction. This focus highlights the importance of active listening and thoughtful action as integral parts of respect. Whether it's following a teacher's guidance in the classroom or cooperating during group activities, students are encouraged to demonstrate respect by listening attentively, clarifying where needed, and taking prompt, positive action. Acting on instructions not only fosters a safe and supportive learning environment but also equips students with essential life skills, such as accountability and teamwork. We would love our families to support our focus through conversations about acting on instructions and seizing opportunities to celebrate moments of success with your students.

Reports

Even though it feels like we only just started the school year, we are nearing the end of term 1, which means our senior campus teachers are busily preparing to complete mid semester progress reports. This also means that students are currently working through assessment tasks that demonstrate their learning. Now is a great time to ask your students what they are working on, whether they have any at home assignments, ask them to explain their understanding of what they are learning to you and encourage them to reach out if they require additional support. Reports will be emailed home to senior campus parents on Monday of week 10 (7 April).  As an early “Save the Date”, Parent Teacher Interviews for senior campus students will be help in week 1 of next term on Tuesday and Wednesday, 29 & 30 April, 4-6pm.

Senior Campus Flexible Education News

Allow me to introduce myself for those who I haven’t had a chance to meet, I am Deb Walkenhorst, and as the SLC supporting students in Flex, my role is to work closely with students, families, and teachers to ensure every young person has access to the right balance of support and challenge in both Flex Space and in mainstream classes.

We know that meaningful inclusion and strong peer connections are key to student success. This term, we have been focusing on increasing opportunities for students to learn alongside their same-age peers in mainstream classes, while still providing targeted support through Flex Space when needed.

We know through research that meaningful inclusion and strong peer connections are key to student success. By spending more time in their regular classes, students are engaging with the full curriculum, developing independence, and building confidence in their learning. Flex Space remains available as a supportive environment for when students need additional guidance, coaching, or a quieter place to refocus.

Our team continues to work closely with students, teachers, and families to ensure the right balance of support and challenge. We appreciate your partnership as we help our young people grow in confidence and capability! If you have any questions, please reach out—we’re here to support every step of the journey.

Year 10 News

Contact Classes:

INTRODUCING - The Year 10 Contact Class Teachers for 2025 are:

Reminder these contact class teachers are your first point of contact for communication.

Alternatively, you can contact Samantha Hunia, the Year 10 Coordinator.

Year 10 Leaders:

The Year 10 House Captains did a fabulous job at the two Carnivals recently held. The Swimming Carnival on Wednesday 5^th March (Week 5) and the Track & Field Carnival held on Wednesday 26^th (Week 8). It was amazing to see so many of the Year 10s attend and also participate in many events on the day. Looking forward to our Final Cross Country Carnival on Tuesday 6^th May (week 2, Term 2).

On another note, the 2 fastest students in the school are Norman. G & Amber. W.

On Monday 31^st March, the Student Advocates received new flags for CCS from David Smith MP. The students were able to discuss their passions and give the guests a tour of the school, including our new Science Lab and the famous Sport & Recreation Gym.

Formal & Fundraisers:

Year 10 Students have received a note for our End of Year Formal, which is happening on Tuesday 9^th December. Please see note for all Payment details. Please return the note ASAP if your child is hoping to attend.

To help lower the final cost of each student’s tickets, we will be holding some Fundraisers throughout the year. It would be super appreciated if all Year 10 students could jump on board to help, anyone keen to see Mrs Hunia. These are the confirmed Fundraisers coming up:

1. Federal Election BBQ – Sat 3^rd May (end of Wk 1, T2)
2. Cross Country BBQ - Tuesday 6th May (Wk 2, T2)
3. Selling of Cakes from Baking Class - Mon 23rd June (Wk 9, T2)
4. Book Week Dress Up & Market Day – Thursday 21^st Aug (Wk 5, T3)
5. RUOK Day Yellow Dress Up & Stall - Thursday 11th September (Wk 8, T3)
6. Mufti Day & Square Prizes – Friday 26^th September (Wk 10, T3)
7. Halloween Free Dress Up - Friday 31st October (Wk 3, T4)
   

Our first Fundraiser was on Harmony Day, Friday 21^st March. The students helped to make delicious orange treats to be sold.

Year 10 Immunisations:

The Year 10 Immunisations will be held on Wednesday 9^th April (week 10). If your child has still not returned their slip, it isn’t too late. They can even bring it on the day.

Sports Science:

The Year 10 Sports and Exercise Science class have enjoyed the first term of their science elective. They’ve been learning about some of the body systems; like muscles, bones, and the cardiovascular system, as well as learning about joints, anatomical descriptive terms, and speed and acceleration. We’ve enjoyed talking and focusing on science in our bodies and look forward to next term where we get to be the ‘test dummies’ for our assessment task and calculate our average speed and velocity when running.

Health:

In health this term our unit encourages students to make informed, balanced decisions about their health. This has been done by addressing various lifestyle factors such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental health, and social habits. The unit promotes a holistic approach to well-being and we hope the Year 10’s have enjoyed learning about their health in a wholistic way and maybe they’ve even applied some of these ideas and practices to their own lives! Mrs Bindley’s favourite lesson so far was when we all looked at our daily screen time and talked about if this is a healthy habit or not and then set ourselves some goals around our personal screen time.

Maintaining High Expectations:

• Please ensure your child is wearing the correct uniform to school. Please provide the student with a note if they cannot be in school uniform and have them dress in colours as close to the school uniform as possible.
• The year is already flying by. Your child is still working towards their Year 10 Certificate journey. Just a reminder that students should be aiming to have attendance of 85%, be avoiding E grades and suspensions. If you would like a list of unexplained absences to help advise the front office to explain this absence, please email Mrs Hunia for a list.
• No Mobile Phone Policy is still happening at CCS. Please remind your child to have their phone and earphones away 9am – 3pm. No warnings will be given.
• In the past we have seen Year 10s slip into negative habits towards the middle of Year 10, with the end of the year so close. Please continue the communication to your child about stepping up to leadership and doing their best all the way to the end of year 10, to avoid missing out on End of Year celebrations.

School Youth Health Nurse:

Last week, Britt the School Youth Health Nurse started with the senior campus. She is available on Mondays and Tuesdays. Students can book an appointment via email brittany.gropler@ed.act.edu.au with Britt directly or drop by Connect in break time to make an appointment. 

The School Youth Health Nurse can provide health and wellbeing support regarding:
✓ Relationships - family, friends, and partners 

✓ Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol and Other Drugs 

✓ Body Image/Healthy Eating and Physical Activity 

✓ Sexual and Reproductive Health 

✓ General health, sleep, development, and wellbeing 

✓ Mental Health

 THE SCHOOL YOUTH HEALTH NURSE DOES NOT PROVIDE:
▪ Treatment such as medication administration and first aid
▪ Physical examinations
▪ Ongoing counselling or specialised Mental Health Services

Careers News:

Future Options Meetings – 83 of the 94 Year 10 students have accessed information to support transition from year 10 to further study, training or employment, often with family members in attendance. Livia Tigwell is hoping to complete these meetings before the Easter break, so that students are ready to make their college applications when they open at the start of term 2. Further information will be sent to all families and year 10s as it comes to hand. This will include the application weblink, timeline for applications and college open day dates.  Any student not wanting to remain in mandatory schooling until the 17 years of age is encouraged to make the most of work experience opportunities throughout year 10.  Queries about college or support with applications are welcome at any stage by contacting Livia Tigwell.

Work experience – 27 year 10 students have already completed work experience placements, some on more than one occasion, which is ideal.  Students are able to have several work experience placements, and during year 10 is a good time. High schools are able to be more flexible about the timing than colleges, as they set specific weeks aside, potentially limiting options, and also expect the young person to make their own placement arrangements, which many find challenging. A meeting can be set up with Livia Tigwell to discuss this. Students taking one of our vocational courses, Hospitality, Furniture or Sport and Recreation, are encouraged to supplement this learning with work experience, especially if that is a pathway option in the future.

Senior Campus Athletics Carnival

CCS 2025 Athletics Carnival – A Day of Team Spirit and Sportsmanship!

The CCS 2025 Athletics Carnival was a fantastic success, with students displaying outstanding sportsmanship, enthusiasm, and team spirit throughout the day. From sprints to long jumps, every event was filled with energy and determination, making it a memorable experience for all involved.

The students’ behaviour was exemplary, and it was wonderful to see everyone cheering on their peers, embracing the competitive spirit while maintaining a strong sense of camaraderie. The atmosphere was electric, and the participation across all events was incredible.

A huge congratulations to Mullaya, who took out the overall points victory with an impressive 708 points! Karingal, Jumbanna, and Cooinda also put in outstanding efforts, with the final scores as follows:

🏆 Mullaya – 708 points
🥈 Karingal – 677 points
🥉 Jumbanna – 649 points
🎖️ Cooinda – 535 points

A big thank you to the staff, students, and volunteers who made the day run smoothly. Your hard work and dedication ensured a successful and enjoyable event. We can’t wait for next year’s carnival!

School Boards Appointed Member Positions

Seeking Expressions of Interest for Appointed Members on ACT Public School Boards

The Education Directorate is seeking expressions of interest for the Appointed Member position on school boards across the ACT.

School boards assist in shaping the strategic direction and priorities for schools, such as by:

• monitoring and reviewing school performance
• reviewing curriculum
• reviewing and helping to implement policies
• approving the school budget
• developing relationships in the school community
• encouraging parent participation in student learning
• making recommendations.

Typically, school boards are composed of:

• The school’s principal
• 3 parent and citizen members
• 2 staff members
• 2 student members (at high schools and colleges)
• 1 Appointed Member
• Up to 2 Board Appointed Members (if any)

An Appointed Member is generally an individual from outside the immediate school community who is interested in and dedicated to public education. They offer an independent perspective to board discussion and decision-making. Appointments are made for up to two years, with the possibility of re-appointment.

We encourage people with diverse backgrounds, skills and experience, and an interest in public schools, to apply by submitting an expression of interest form to the School Boards Team by 5pm, Friday 9 May 2025.

For more information on joining a school board, please visit the Education Directorate website.

Community Notices

Could you use an extra $500 towards school costs in 2025?

The Saver Plus Program is about boosting financial skills, to develop (and keep) good savings habits.

You can put money towards education expenses including:

• Computers, laptops, and tablets
• Books, uniforms & shoes
• Sports & music, camps, excursions, and more…

If you save up to $50 a month for 10 months, Saver Plus will double it. $500 saved + $500 matched = $1000 (in 10 months).

Visit www.saverplus.org.au for more details. 1300 610 355