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Cardboard Box Creativity
The joy children express when engaging in play was present on the faces of our students this week. They had the opportunity to show-case their creativity whilst working together as a team. With a blank slate, the students used the carboard boxes however they pleased. It was exciting to see how each child had a new and innovative idea with the same objects. Forts, cars and helmets were all created, each unique idea bringing laughter and fun. What can your family create using a cardboard box?
Community. It brings a sense of belonging, the feeling of home, and knowing you are not alone. I am ever so grateful to belong in a community which I consider family: our Prescott Primary Northern family. I shared in my Principal Remarks last week, that it is my prayer that you and your family find a sense of belonging here at PPN and feel the warmth of family and community as the year unfolds.
Helen Keller's story inspires many of us. If you would like a good read, I encourage you to read her biography or even part of her story. One of her more famous quotes has stuck with me over the years: "Alone, we can do so little; together we can do so much." Let's reflect on this thought for a moment. Have there been times when this quote has reigned true in your life, your family, your journey? Have you ever gone through a challenging time in your life when the road ahead seemed too difficult to travel? Maybe you feel like you are currently on that road!
Our current climate and the uncertainty of the world around us can bring a level of anxiety, frustration, or confusion. It is only human to respond this way. But the silver lining with everything happening around us, is that we belong to a community of people who are supporting one another through this journey.
There may be times in the upcoming weeks, when you receive information from our school surrounding COVID cases and steps to take to monitor your children. It is my hope that you know you can reach out to your community for support and guidance. We are doing everything in our power and strength to care for our community - students, staff and families alike. I hope that whatever uncertainty you may feel this week, this term, and this year, will be replaced with a sense of peace and strength as you walk forward with our community.
As you move forward into the week ahead, remember that as a PPN community, together we can do so much.
Blessings,
Tamara
Hey Prescott family! It’s Pr. Mal here. You may or may not know me yet, but I am one of the new members of the chaplaincy team this year at PPN. I’m very excited for what God has planned for our school this year, and for the opportunity to connect with our community.
A little bit about myself, I am originally from Sydney, New South Wales but moved over to Adelaide in 2009 with my family. Weirdly enough, I went to PPN from 2009-2012, where I graduated in Yr. 7. I went on to finish Yr. 12 and I am currently studying teaching at university. Last year, I was picked up to be an assistant chaplain at our sister school, Prescott College Southern, and this year, I have the privilege of working at both.
A little thought I wanted to share with our Prescott family this week stems from Acts 2. Peter and the disciples were commissioned by Jesus before his return to heaven to go make disciples of their own, reaching out to people of many different nations. To help and guide them, Jesus left them with a parting gift - the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples as they preached to the people of Jerusalem. The disciples were empowered and transformed into more influential figures speaking the truth about Jesus, while also speaking different languages to cater for the different people in Jerusalem.
This was the beginning of the early church post-Jesus. People were drawn to the message of Jesus, and this ‘change’ that they saw in the disciples and the people that believed in Him. So, people gathered, fellowshipped together, shared food together, and praised God. Every day, they multiplied in number because of the strong and close the community they had built together.
Now, I have only been here at PPN for a couple weeks, but I can already see how close and amazing this community is. The similarities between our community and the community in the early church are few, but one thing that is at the centre of both is Jesus. Jesus was at the centre of the community that Paul and the disciples built in the early church. In verse Acts 2:45 it says that the people sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources together so that each person’s needs were met. That is the type of community we get with Jesus at the centre. I can see our Prescott community continuing to flourish with God in the centre too.
Many blessings,
Pr. Mal
The Magic Ratio
5:1 - that’s the magic ratio, according to John Gottman at least.
Gottman is an expert in the field of relationships, and has identified that we need to give more positive feedback to others than negative in order for a relationship to remain stable.
He calls this the 5:1 Relationship Ratio.
Unfortunately, this runs counter to how many of our brains work. We all have a natural negative bias – our brains are seemingly trained to look for the negative. It’s often how we find and act on ways to improve ourselves and others. Even when we want the best for those we love – including our children and partners – our ratio of positive to negative feedback can get out of balance.
How true does this sound for the words that you say and hear?
Here’s a challenge for everyone - parents, staff and students included: Spend the next week consciously praising loved ones with positive feedback. Maybe choose one person a day, and see what difference it makes.
And not just tokenistic praise, make it real and genuine acknowledgement of tasks competed, effort applied, time spent, or characteristics that you love.
Take the time to notice the types of connections you are having with your loved ones - are they based on positive feedback or negative feedback?
As you make a conscious effort to connect positively, notice people's responses. Are there any changes? If so, what?
Have fun forming positive connections this week.
Alison Borresen
It is with great sadness that we let you know that Mark Borresen's wife, Alison, passed away peacefully on the 10th of February, after a lengthy battle with a long running illness.
Alison's family, friends and school community came together on Sunday to remember and share memories and stories of the amazing, inspiring and much-loved wife, mum, daughter, grammy, aunty, friend and colleague that touched our lives just by being in it.
We are upholding the Borresen family and friends, as well as our school community, in prayer as we mourn the loss of our dear Alison. We are grateful for Alison's teaching ministry at Prescott Primary Northern from 2011 - 2016.
In memory of Alison, and her love of helping kids learn, the family are creating a special project in the nature play area here at Prescott Primary Northern – a special place where she taught, Mark leads, her daughters attended and now her eldest grandson has started in Foundation.
We look forward to the time when our God puts an end to suffering and death, and we are reunited with our loved ones once more.
Bus Driver Position
Daily Health Check
No Right Turn
Canteen
Do's & Dont's of Dropping Your Kids to School
The Library Team would like to say a big hello to the students and families of PPN! We have been busy preparing, decorating and planning for a fun year ahead.
Library borrowing will begin in Week 5 of this term.
Please familiarise yourself with the following information. It will be particularly helpful for our new families (and a good refresh for our existing families!).
- NO LIBRARY BAG = NO BORROW - We have a no bag, no borrow policy in our library. To be able to borrow, children must bring a library bag with them to their weekly library time. A library bag helps to protect library books from spills and damage, and can be useful in preventing them from getting lost. Library bags can be purchased from the uniform shop.
- Premier’s Reading Challenge – Every year PPN students participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge. The Premier’s Reading Challenge is a literacy engagement program that was introduced by the Premier in 2004 to encourage students to read more books, develop a love of reading and improve literacy levels. The Challenge requires students to read 12 books throughout the year. At the end of the year, each student who has completed the challenge will receive either a certificate or a medal. This year we are trialing a different approach to record keeping for the Challenge. In the past it has been the child’s responsibility to complete their reading record, however this year the children’s reading record will be kept in the library, and each week during their library time they will be able to update their progress.
- Book Week, our favourite week of the year, will take place between August 20-26 in Week 5 of Term 3. Book Week is an annual event, organised by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, that celebrates books and Australian children’s authors and illustrators. The CBCA ‘Book of the Year Awards’ kick off the start of Book Week with the winners announced on the 19th of August. The Notables List is announced on the 22nd of February and the Shortlist on the 29th of March. In the months leading up to Book Week we read and explore the books in these lists with students during their weekly library time.
The theme for Book Week in 2022 is 'Dreaming with eyes open…'
At PPN Book Week is a week-long celebration of books, reading and service. We have already secured our Book Week visitor, as well as the Scholastic Book Fair, and are looking forward to the Book Week Parade, which is always the highlight of the week. More information about Book Week will be provided closer to the event.
