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First Day Term 1 2022
Graduation and Awards Program
On Monday, the 6th of December, our Year 3-6 classes attended and participated in a special Graduation and Awards Program, with a particular focus on celebrating our graduating class of 2021. Awards such as ICAS, Chess, STEM, 2022 School Captains and the Florey Music Awards were presented to students, as well as graduation certificates for our Year 6 classes. We are so very proud of our students and look forward to celebrating the Year 6 classes tonight with their families.
Choir and Band Excursion
Welcome to the last Prescott Primary Northern Newsletter for 2021. For some of our families this will be their final Prescott Primary Northern newsletter ever. We would like to wish those families who will not be with us in 2022, God’s richest blessings and we are so glad we were able to travel this journey of life with you for a while, at least.
It has been another topsy turvy year with all sorts of things thrown our way in life, but we have been able to make the best of it as a school. We have been through another brief season of lockdown, restrictions around camps, excursions, volunteers and access to campus, and mandated vaccinations for workers and volunteers in a school setting is on its way. We still have many challenges ahead. It is often our first reaction in times of uncertainty to look for the problems, complexities and difficulties, but I would like to encourage you, and myself, to look for things that we can be grateful for. You may say I am being blindly optimistic and kidding myself, but the research is on my side if we are to be able to live in our best mental health. I read an article the other day that confirmed the importance of living life with an inclination to gratitude. It said, “Medical studies confirm the link between gratitude and mental health. When test subjects wrote down three good things (Seligman et al., 2005), kept a gratitude journal (Kerr, O’Donovan, & Pepping, 2014), or wrote letters of gratitude to other people (Toepfer et al., 2012) all demonstrated improvements in levels of anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction.” (Theology of Work Project, 2021)
The Bible suggests we do something similar in Phillipians 4:8,9, “If there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8–9)
How can we practice gratitude in our everyday lives? Here are four suggestions. 1. Notice something good three times a day. 2. Find gratitude in something hard 3. Thank another person. 4. Replacing the urge to compare, with gratitude for what you have right now. (Theology of Work Project, 2021)
Why should we practice in our everyday lives? Because I firmly believe it changes where we look and what we look at. For any who have ridden a bike, and even driven a car, you will know the truth of the saying, “You will go to where you look.” The same holds true for gratitude. If that is what we are looking for, that is where we will go in our thoughts and attitude.
I love this saying from Alphonse Karr, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.”
I would encourage you this Christmas break to be thankful. Thankful for the amazing blessings we do have in this city, state and country. For us to be thankful for the incredible blessings we have in being a part of the Prescott Primary Northern family. There will be many things that we can find that will annoy us, or not be exactly as we would prefer. However, I would encourage us to live a life of gratitude for the many amazing blessings we do have, and I think that will put our minds and lives in a far better place.
Have an absolutely wonderful break with your kids, a blessed Christmas, and I look forward to seeing you again ready for another year of gratitude in 2022.
Mark B
Christmas is one of the best times of the year all around the world. It is a season full of joy, hope, and love. I can’t prove this scientifically, but people seem to be happier, and more willing to help others during this period. And drivers even seem to be friendlier on the roads.
One of the greatest stories that highlights the power of Christmas, was the Christmas truce on the Western Front of the First World War in 1914. During these unofficial ceasefires, soldiers from both sides of the war gathered in “no man’s land” on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, to mingle, and exchange food and souvenirs. Some of them also engaged in a game of kicking the soccer ball around.
I believe that one of the main reasons why this significant event was even possible, was because the core message of Christmas is one that unites all of humanity. When Mary was pregnant with Jesus, an Angel of the Lord came to her husband Joseph and gave him this promise in Matthew 1:21,
“And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins.”
Christmas reminds us that we are all God’s children, and that He loves all of us. That is why He sent Jesus to save all of us from sin and death. The foundational spirit of Christmas is about giving gifts to others, and this is born out of the heart of God, who gave us the ultimate gift. In the words of the well-known verse:
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 (John 3:16).
I pray that you may all have a safe and wonderful Christmas with your families this year. As you enjoy wonderful occasions of great food, fellowship, and the giving of gifts, remember that Jesus, is the reason for the season.
God bless,
Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai
School Holiday Office Hours
Holiday hours will apply to our Front Office 8.30am - 3.30pm Mon - Thurs, and 8.30am - 3.00pm Fri. The Front Office will be closed between Monday, 20 December 2021, and reopen Monday, 17 January 2022.
Challenges in Delivering School Services 2022
The State Government recently mandated compulsory vaccination for all volunteers and workers in an Educational setting. The breadth and timing of this mandate is providing challenges for Prescott Primary Northern leadership in being able to staff all of our usual programs for our students in 2022. We ask for your patience and understanding as we do all we can to put things in place. We will certainly have our main teaching program in place, but some of our extracurricular programs may be impacted by the mandate. We are doing our very best to plan and provide to minimise any impact, but thank you for your patience in advance.
Applications for SSO Position at Prescott Primary Northern
Applicants for the above position will need to be a committed follower of the Christian faith, support the philosophy of Christian Education and be in regular church attendance. Applicants must follow current vaccination guidelines for schools. This means that applicants must be double vaccinated before the commencement of work in 2022.
Part-time Bus Driver
Due to demand for our bus service, we need to add another bus to our school bus fleet and are looking for another Bus Driver to fill this role.
Applications for Canteen Manager at Prescott Primary Northern
Prescott Primary Northern is currently seeking applications for a Canteen Manager for 2022. This is a position of 5 days a week (hours to be negotiated), beginning early 2022. This is a contract position until the end of 2022, with a three-month probationary period, with the possibility of continued employment into 2023. The applicant should be a committed Christian and willing to uphold our Adventist ethos. Applicants should submit their resume to markborresen@ppn.sa.edu.au. If you have any questions please call the school on 8396 2577 and speak with either Tamara Bernoth or Jason Davis or email to tamarabernoth@ppn.sa.edu.au or jasondavis@ppn.sa.edu.au. Applications close 9th December 2021.Applicants for the above position will need to be a committed follower of the Christian faith, support the philosophy of Christian Education and be in regular church attendance. Applicants must follow current vaccination guidelines for schools. This means that applicants must be double vaccinated before the commencement of work in 2022.
Applications for Canteen Assistant at Prescott Primary Northern
Prescott Primary Northern is currently seeking applications for a Canteen Assistant for 2022. This is a position of 5 days a week (4 hours a day - total of 20 hours a week), beginning early 2022. This is a contract position until the end of 2022, with a three-month probationary period, with the possibility of continued employment into 2023. The applicant should be a committed Christian and willing to uphold our Adventist ethos. Applicants should submit their resume to markborresen@ppn.sa.edu.au. If you have any questions please call the school on 8396 2577 and speak with either Tamara Bernoth or Jason Davis or email to tamarabernoth@ppn.sa.edu.au or jasondavis@ppn.sa.edu.au. Applications close 9th December 2021.Applicants for the above position will need to be a committed follower of the Christian faith, support the philosophy of Christian Education and be in regular church attendance. Applicants must follow current vaccination guidelines for schools. This means that applicants must be double vaccinated before the commencement of work in 2022.
Prescott College
OSHC Vacation Program
