You may have noticed that one part of our school we think really important is our Values program. Each Monday morning after Assembly, we begin our week with Values. We also have two students from each class honoured for the week for doing their best to show the value we have been learning about, in their everyday lives. We take photos of these students and put them in the Newsletter, we give them a special honour badge to wear for the week and present them with a certificate.

Why do we make such a big deal of this?

One reason is that focusing on and celebrating when our kids make good choices and treat each other well, is a great place to begin to create a positive culture. We often spend time sharing what our children are doing wrong, but I think it is important to celebrate the positive things.

Another reason is the value of character education. As a school, we see and emphasise the importance of academic development. Having our students develop and grow literacy, numeracy, knowledge, and understanding are vital and central to what we do. However, we also believe there is more to a good education than academics.

One of the early contributors to Adventist Education helped explain the importance of developing our children’s characters when she wrote, “The world does not so much need men of great intellect as of noble character. It needs men in whom ability is controlled by steadfast principle.” (White,1903) I think the sentiment of this statement is even more relevant today for our boys and girls. As a dad, I almost automatically jumped in to guide and assist my girls in academic things, but I had to be really intentional about conversations and opportunities for us to develop character steppingstone moments.

These thoughts came to my mind as I was reading a book the other day. If you are looking for a good read, I would recommend it to you. It is titled “Legacy”, written by James Kerr. In the book, Kerr draws lessons from the culture and understandings of the sporting team with the highest winning percentage on record, the New Zealand Rugby team, the All Blacks. There are lots of little gems in there about life and learning, but one sentence that jumped out to me as I reflected on sharing values with our children was this, “A collection of talented individuals without personal discipline will ultimately and inevitably fail. Character triumphs over talent.” (Kerr, 2015)

I think that is such a great lesson in life and an important one for us to share with our children as we guide, direct and support them.

Have a great week with your kids,

Mark B

Hi PPN Family,

There is a worship song entitled A Beautiful Exchange which came out a few years ago, and the central theme is that Jesus has taken all of our brokenness upon himself, and in exchange, he has given us all of his blessings.

Paul echoes this thought in Ephesians 2:4-6 (CEV) where he writes, “But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much He made us alive with Christ, and God's gift of undeserved grace is what saves you.  God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and He has given us a place beside Christ in heaven.”

The great news for us is that Jesus has taken all of our sins, weaknesses, and faults upon himself, and in exchange, He has given us His life, His power, and His love.  Jesus took the punishment for our sins, and in exchange, He has given us a home in heaven with him.

This is a beautiful exchange indeed, and it is one that God is hoping that all of us will make.  So, let’s make that exchange family.  Bring all of your brokenness to Jesus, so that He can give you all of His blessings.

God bless,

Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai

PLEASE NOTE: Our Chapel programs in Week 6 will be held online as new carpet is being installed in the church building. Thanks for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you back in Week 7.

That’s Rubbish

Take a stroll through a park or one of great local bush tracks and you’ll probably feel what research consistently tells us – exposure to nature is linked to improved attention, lower stress, better mood, and increased levels of empathy and cooperation.

The disregard some people have for the powerful, natural beauty around is truly shocking.

That’s why we’ve been celebrating Keep Australia Beautiful Week at PPN.

But focusing on reducing litter and better caring for the environment doesn’t just make the bush a better place to be. Here’s just some of the ways being a Sustainable Superhero can bring positive change to the rest of your life:

- Making small, positive changes can bring big rewards. Simply changing the way you deal with rubbish or respond when you see it on the street can have flow-on effects for the rest of your life. (Buy or borrow Atomic Habits by James Clear for some inspiration).

- Thinking of others and acts of service are good for everyone. Volunteering your time doesn’t just benefit the community, but helps you build new skills, and creates confidence and purpose.

- Doing the right thing encourages others to do the same. Being a role-model grows your impact, because you never know who is watching.

Thank you for being great role-models to your children as we care for the environment and each other.

Book Week Parade

Please keep an eye out for a booking form that will be sent via email early next week. We understand that this may be disappointing but appreciate your assistance.

Year 1 Kazoos

Our Year 1 students have had a lot of fun learning about sound in their science classes.

Each student was able to make a Kazoo (a simple musical instrument), and really advance their understanding that sound is made up of vibrations, and the vibrations move through the air as sound waves.

With Kazoos in hand (and mouth) our students explored how these vibrations can move fast or slow – depending on how high or low the pitch is when they blow the kazoo.

The kazoos made it easy for students to not only hear but feel these vibrations as they played.

What a fun way to learn!

Book Week Pyjama Day

Uniform Shop

All colours of library bags are available again.  Orders can be made via Flexischools.

Daily Health Check

Do's & Dont's of Dropping Your Kids to School

Book Week 2022