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State Chess Championship
On Monday, a team of 12 chess players, travelled to Tyndale Christian School to participate in the annual STATE Chess Championship. 170 students from 18 schools participated in this competition from all around the State. Schools were invited to present a team, if they had won one of the Interschool tournaments this year. Prescott did an amazing job, finishing equal second place, then on a countback ranking system, came home as third place medal winners! We have never placed in a STATE tournament before, so this was an outstanding result from our little school. Well done to all players, but a special congratulations to Aishwarya, who came second overall and was the top ranking girl player of the day, coming home with a huge trophy and $150 prize money! She is officially now the best Primary School girl player in the STATE! We also congratulate Burnside Primary School for first place and Nailsworth Primary school narrowly defeating us in second.
A great team effort - well done everyone. Chess Club will resume next year in Term 1, Week 3.
Fun in the Surf and Sun!
The Year 3’s participated in the first ever Mini Beach Safety Excursion at Grange Life Saving Surf Club as part of their Health Unit. The weather was just perfect, and the day was filled with fun and laughter for the students and adults too! The Year 3's learnt about sun, beach and water safety, and this is what they had to say:
3A “It was an exciting, fun day full of sand, salt water, enhanced with games, body boarding, surfing, laughter, safety chats and jellyfish sightings! Praise the Lord!!!”
3B “ We had an amazing experience at the beach because we learnt how to paddle on a surf board. We liked the beach because we learnt new strategies on how to stay safe, and we liked playing the beach games. It was the funnest thing this year - practicing saving people was good, surf boarding was great, everything was great - just EVERYTHING!!!
3C “It was amazing, awesome and exciting because we got to play games in the water with our friends while learning how to rescue people. We also used the surf boards to paddle in the water which was so much fun. We learnt about dangerous creatures in the ocean, what rips are and how to get out of it, and we also learnt how to be safe in the sun. Pretty much everything was great!
Chicks at Prescott Primary Northern
Our new students have arrived! Well, baby chicks at least, who have taken up residence in one of the Year 2 classrooms as part of our Science studies around Growing and Changing.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This classic question will be something for us to scratch our heads over as we watch for some egg-citing changes to develop.
The chicks will be with us for the next two weeks, after which they may be adopted by families with suitable living arrangements for the chicks.
If you are interested in adopting some chicks, please be aware of the following:
· Any adopted chicks cannot be returned
· There is no guarantee regarding the gender of the chicks – please consider this in the event of ending up with a rooster(s)!
· Different councils have different regulations regarding homing backyard chooks and re-homing of roosters
· Chicks are flock birds and must go home in pairs at least – no single chicks will be adopted out
· Families wishing to adopt must provide a suitable transport container and may collect their chicks from next Thursday, 4th November.
Please see the attached information sheet for further information regarding adopting chicks, suitable living arrangements and whether you would like to order a starter pack for care of your chicks (this is highly recommended for families taking care of chicks for the first time). These packs are $35 each and contain essentials such as feeding and drinking equipment, feed and bedding. These can only be paid for by cash and are payable before and on pick-up day. Extra information can also be found at <https://www.hennypennyhatching.com.au/general-resources/>.
Families wishing to adopt will need to contact Mr Matt at the school, or via email mattmackay@ppn.sa.edu.au by 5pm Wednesday, 3rd November.
Sunshine For Vitamin D
We have had some beautiful sunny Spring days this week. Students have been enjoying this good weather for nature play. We know that too much sun can be harmful, but moderate sunlight is very good for health. Exposure to sunlight helps ensure sufficient Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is important for bone growth, muscle function and a good immune system. Our bodies work best when they get some sunshine everyday!
Australia will celebrate and thank the teaching profession on World Teachers’ Day on Friday 29, October 2021. Our teachers and staff (with support from parents and carers) have ensured education has continued across the country this year, despite major challenges. It’s reinforced the significant role our teachers play in the lives of children and students, their families, and communities. I would like to say a huge thank you to our teaching staff this week. The things we have asked them to do during the last 18 months are beyond anything requested of them before. I saw on www.worldteachersday.edu.au that AITSIL (The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership) are asking people to go on and leave a virtual apple for the teacher – very cute. That got me thinking, how could parents from Prescott Primary Northern do something to let our teaching staff know how appreciated they are?
I would like to encourage you to send a note along with your child this week, letting their teacher know how much you appreciate them and all they do for your child. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or elaborate, just a small note of encouragement and appreciation. You would be surprised at what a difference it will make.
I would personally like to thank our teaching and leadership staff for all they do for our kids. To be a rock and a constant for our children in uncertain and changing times should never be underestimated or taken for granted, and I don’t. I often spend time thinking about what makes the difference as far as an outstanding teacher is concerned. The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership has done an excellent job outlining the skills and practices needed for excellent teaching. However, I think there is more. Author Parker Palmer is renowned for his saying, “ We teach, who we are.” He explains, “After three decades of trying to learn my craft, every class comes down to this: my students and I, face to face, engaged in an ancient and exacting exchange called education. The techniques I have mastered do not disappear, but neither do they suffice. Face to face with my students, only one resource is at my immediate command: my identity, my selfhood, my sense of this “I” who teaches—without which I have no sense of the “Thou” who learns. Here is a secret hidden in plain sight: good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” (Palmer, 1997) This helps explain why we are so blessed by the teaching staff we have at Prescott Primary Northern.
Have a great week with your kids, and don’t forget to thank their teachers,
Mark B
In John 3:16 we read, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This is probably the most well-known verse in the Bible. It contains the primary message of the Scriptures, that God loves us unconditionally. This love was manifested in the death of Jesus to save us from our sins.
The magnitude of God’s wonderful love for us, is evident in the story of the criminal who asks Jesus to remember him when he returns to bring in his kingdom. In Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise,” (NIV).
This criminal had probably made many mistakes in his life, and yet in his final moments he receives eternal life as a gift from God, because he believed in Jesus. This is the amazing grace of God.
Regardless of how many mistakes we have made in life, the good news is that God loves us, and that we can have eternal life when we believe in Jesus.
God bless,
Roland Talamavao-Amituanai
Access to PPN Campus
We are really happy to let you know that we have received word from the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA) that effective as of today, we are now able to have parents/caregivers on-site at school providing COVID safe measures are in place and followed. This means you will be able walk onto campus in the mornings for drop off, and are permitted to go and wait outside classrooms to pick up your children at 3:15pm (Monday to Thursday) and 2:30pm Friday.
All parents and visitors are required to COVID-Safe QR check in when entering the school, and practise physical distancing from other adults. We have placed COVID Safe QR Codes around the school entrances, and we ask that you use them on entry. If you require a paper sign in, please do this at the Front Office. We ask that you please share this information with family members who may need to come onto campus.
Should you need to talk with staff inside buildings, we ask parents and other visiting adults to wear masks when entering school buildings. Masks are not required outdoors if adults can physical distance.
We hope that this eases some of the congestion and angst, particularly around pick up time, and also provides us with opportunities to feel more like a community once more.
We have also been advised to remember that restrictions still remain around indoor spaces, and that further restrictions may be placed on us again at any time.
We thank you for your patience and understanding and are so much looking forward to having families on campus again.
Change of Enrollment
Please note that the school requires a term’s notice if children are not returning to school otherwise there will be a term’s fees to pay. This means that if your child is not returning to Prescott Primary Northern for 2022, then the school should have been notified already.
Lunch Deliveries
We would like you to know that taking commercial/fast food type lunches (e.g. Hungry Jacks, MacDonalds, Subway etc.) to classrooms for students is something we will no longer do. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, there are risks involved in food being served later than it should be, and the school is not able to pass that food on. The foods in question can be particularly susceptible to these risks. Secondly, the arrival of some of the commercial foods into a classroom can be very unsettling for the class. Finally, it can create a feeling of lack for some children in the class whose family cannot, or choose not to provide these popular meals for their child.
We provide healthy fresh food options at our canteen that are well-priced, and we are willing to help sort something at short notice if it is an emergency.
Please do not be offended if we say we are not able to deliver these lunches to your child’s classroom.
Many thanks
Mark Borresen
Principal – Prescott Primary Northern
Bus Requirements for 2022
If you are requiring the bus service for your child in 2022, please complete the online form below to register your interest. Demand is very high for our bus service and many of the routes have been full this year so it is very important that you register your interest as soon as possible to secure a spot on our buses.
Full-time bus fees per term: $308 per child
Part-time bus fees per term: $208 per child (part-time is one way, either to school each day or from school each day)
Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop is going to be closed from 12th November 2021 until January 2022.
Online Orders will be attended to if you want to order something from the Uniform Shop.
The Uniform Shop will open from 10th January 2022 for appointments only. Please ring the Front Office to secure your appointment.
Fun Run
Part Time School Bus Driver
Dyslexia Awareness Month
6 Ways Parents Can Help Their Dyslexic Child
Find out as much as you can about dyslexia then explain it to your child.
1. Look out for signs of emotional stress
Consequences of dyslexia are frustration, anger, low self-esteem or becoming withdrawn.
Before reading and spelling can be improved your child needs to believe they can succeed.
2. People with dyslexia need constant praise and support to rebuild self-esteem
It is very important to have someone who believes in you and is supportive. Praising even very small achievements will build self-confidence.
3. Never compare their schoolwork with that of their brother or sister
Perhaps because they already feel bad about themselves people with dyslexia are often sensitive to criticism.
4. Don’t get angry when kit is lost or homework forgotten
Failing to remember spoken and written instructions or forgetting where something has been left is a consequence of dyslexia. They can’t help it and will feel depressed by being unable to remember.
Help them become more organised by introducing strategies.
5. At the beginning of each school year meet your child’s teacher
Make sure they know about dyslexia and what they can do to help.
6. Get your child assessed as early as possible
Students assessed early (by age 7) show the best response to reading interventions!
Organisation Strategies
A person with dyslexia is likely to find it difficult to organise everyday tasks.
1. Provide checklists. Set routines.
2. Colour-code their timetable so that lessons can be seen at a glance.
3. Pack school bags the night before and put them by the front door.
4. Establish a place where everything must be put away immediately after use.
Spelling Strategies
1. Mispronounce the word the way it is spelled
For example, ‘want’ say ‘w…ant’. This is good for silent letters and for ‘Wed…nes…day’.
2. Link the word to a picture
A picture is more readily remembered and acts as a visual clue. For example, ‘first’ is often misspelled as ‘ferst’. Draw an ‘i’ winning a race and say ‘I come first’. They will remember the picture of the ‘i’ which is the part of the word which is forgotten.
3. Mnemonic
This strategy uses a phrase where the first letter of each word spells the one you want to remember.
As a mnemonic for ‘does’ say “does Oliver eat spaghetti?”
The first letter of each word spells the word ‘does’.
Drawing a funny picture will reinforce the memory.
Try to start the mnemonic with the word you want to remember.
Writing Strategies
A vital skill to develop before writing is learning to express ideas clearly and simply. Read a small bit then ask them to tell you about it in as few words as possible. Someone with dyslexia needs much more time to complete writing tasks.
1. Plan using key words.
People with dyslexia need a visual plan to help structure their ideas. Before starting a writing task, make a list of ideas using only one or two words for each bullet point. When writing, each point can be expanded into a sentence. Cross it off the list as it is written.
2. Use a computer rather than writing with a pen.
Request that the school accept written work produced on word processing program. This will help with speed, spelling and legibility.
Reading Strategies
1. As you read, create simple thumbnail drawings in the margin beside each point.
Many people with dyslexia focus so much effort upon the mechanics of reading that they cannot remember what they have read. When you look back the pictures will help remember what you have read.
2. Build up words by uncovering part at a time.
Encourage your child to use their finger or a small card to reveal a word in chunks. Build up the word by syllable and learn to recognise prefixes and suffixes.
3. Use a coloured background.
Some people with dyslexia experience a ‘glare’ when reading black text on a white background. This can make it difficult to focus and tiring to read. Try laying a sheet of coloured acetate over the page to see if it helps.
4. After a short burst, take over the reading to provide a rest period.
Discuss what you have read to make sure it is understood.
Memory Strategies
1. Picture thinking.
People with dyslexia usually think in pictures.
Use this strength by visualising the thing you want to remember.
When revising a topic make a page of drawings to represent the main points.
2. Give no more than two instructions at a time.
e.g. put your bowl in the dishwasher then brush your teeth. To make it more memorable the dyslexic should repeat it back or visualise doing the action.
3. Reinforce learning with actions and multisensory activities.
See it. Hear it. Say it. Do it.
https://www.nessy.com/uk/parents/dyslexia-information/6-ways-parents-can-help-d
Do's & Dont's of Dropping Your Kids to School
Daily Health Check
Calisthenics Comp
