School is back!

Who was more excited on Day 1, the students or the teachers? Based on the smiles and laughter on display here at PPN it was difficult to tell!

As students reconnected with their friends and teachers welcomed their new classes to their rooms we were reminded about what makes our school so great – the people and the way we love and learn together.

Our biggest welcome goes to our new students and their families, especially our newest Foundation students. We hope you’ve been enjoying getting to know your wonderful teachers and new friends, as you explore our nature play space, complete fun activities in the classroom and learn all about school life.

Welcome to the 2023 school year, Prescott Primary Northern families.

For some of you, this will be the very first Prescott Northern Newsletter you will be receiving, and I would like to say a big welcome to you. I hope and pray that your child’s time here is a wonderful one, filled with the joy of learning. Our weekly newsletter is an important way for us to stay in touch and share with you the things that are coming up at school, and also a great way of sharing some of the highlights that happen each week. I would encourage you to read it each week and have conversations with your child about the things that are happening in their life.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our many returning families. I pray that the Christmas/New Year Break was filled with some memorable family times. We are looking forward to another great year at PPN.

You will notice some work has happened around the school over the break, some will finish in the next week or so, and others will continue over the next few weeks. One of the main things we are working on at the moment is extra playground area for our students. Our Nature Playground extension will be completed in the next couple of weeks, and we are very excited about that. Our children will have hours of fun and challenging play in that area. We are also working on creating an extra grassed play area at the western end of our Basketball Court. We hope this provides some much-needed additional places for our kids.

I would also like to remind you about the Parent Information Evening next Tuesday evening. This is an opportunity for parents and carers to come and meet with teachers, and receive information about the school activities this year. It’s also an excellent opportunity to meet with the people your child will spend much of their lives with this year. Three sessions of the same information will run for each Year Level during the evening, so if you have children in more than one class, you can make it to both Year Levels. Sessions will run from 6:00 – 6:30pm, 6:30 – 7:00pm, and 7:00 – 7:30pm. We would love to see you there.

Given the challenges and upheaval of COVID during the last few school years (we were doing at-home learning this time last year), we are looking forward to a year when we can get together more easily and provide the community experiences we were able to enjoy previously.

So, welcome to 2023. It so good to have you as a part of our PPN family.

Have a great week with your kids,

Mark B

Hey Family,

Welcome to 2023.

Today is the first day of February and I am wondering how our New Year’s resolutions are going. Research shows that 80% of people have usually abandoned their New Year’s resolutions by February, so I’m hoping that we are all in the 20% whose goals have actually become a part of our lifestyle.

Pastor Craig Groeschel shares that one thing that we can do to help us build better habits, is to place “who goals” before “do goals.” Instead of focusing on what we want to do, he encourages us to focus on who we want to become. By prioritising who we want to become, our identity shapes our actions.

So rather than setting a goal to lose weight, we can set a who goal to become a healthy person. The flow on effect is that healthy people eat healthy and exercise regularly, and the result is that we will lose weight. In the same way, we can set who goals to be a patient mum, a financially free dad, a loyal friend, a generous giver, a kind neighbour and so on.

In John 15:5 Jesus says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus tells us that the key to achieving our who goals is for us to stay connected to him. When we are connected to Jesus, he will give us the love and the power that we need to transform into the kind of people that we want to become.

God bless,

Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai

Learning well starts with being well.

The concept of wellbeing is not new, but the impact and importance of our wellbeing is continuing to be revealed and understood. Our experience of wellbeing day to day, and in the longer-term, can affect our relationships, ability to learn, physical health, confidence and our emotional state.

At PPN, we believe that the wellbeing of our students, staff and families is not only a vital part of our learning journeys, but a foundation of becoming the people God designed us to be.

To support the wellbeing of our community we have the following opportunities and services available:

- Ongoing care from classroom teachers and all staff members

- Specific wellbeing and social/emotional growth lessons in each year level

- A professional counsellor on campus two-days a week

- Small group programs to support specific social and emotional needs

- Support through our Inclusive Education team to ensure all students have the opportunity to find success

- A chaplaincy team committed to serving our students, families and community

- Weekly wellbeing tips for families in the school newsletter

- Breakfast Club which provides a free breakfast to students who may have gone without (starting Week 3)

Please keep an eye out for further information about our wellbeing program and new initiatives for 2023.

If you have concerns about the wellbeing of your child please discuss this with their classroom teacher. If additional support is required, we will work together as a team and discuss the situation with you to ensure you and your child are supported in the best way possible.

We hope you all had a great holiday season and are ready for the year ahead.

Canteen is now operating back on campus 5 days a week. We are delighted to be serving the PPN community in this way in 2023. 

In addition to the menu items available for pre-order online, the canteen will be open during lunch time for students to purchase small snacks/drinks. 

To view our current menu please visit Flexischools, please take note that certain items may not always be available due to ongoing supply issues. We will do our best to keep things updated. 

We look forward to adding new and exciting items throughout the year taking into account seasonal produce. 

We hope you all have a wonderful year ahead, and thank you for your continued support.

With Gratitude 

Margarita and Karen

MK Catering

Healthy Food Policy

As an Adventist school, we value our health message and seek to nurture healthy food choices for both our students, staff and their families.

Please make note of the following:

• No peanuts or products containing nuts are to be bought onto the campus as we have anaphylactic students who may have a reaction if exposed to this.

• Prescott Primary Northern has a “Fruit and Veg Only” Rule for Brainfood time (around 10 am every day).

• All food provided by Prescott Primary Northern will be wholly vegetarian (i.e. containing no meat products)

• Drink bottles should only contain water

Lunch Deliveries

In order to maintain a healthy and positive learning environment, we are unable to deliver commercial/fast food type lunches (e.g. Hungry Jacks, MacDonalds, Subway etc.) to classrooms.

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.

If required, we can provide an emergency sandwich. Your child’s classroom teacher will help facilitate this as needed.

Our school canteen provides a range of healthy and tasty lunch and snack options. Items from their menu can be ordered well ahead of time, which may help some families with busy morning schedules.

Birthday Treats

Birthdays are an exciting time for children and our teachers celebrate each child on their birthday.

Please DO NOT send in anything for your child’s birthday. If anything is brought to school, we will unfortunately have to send it back home with your child.

Your child’s classroom teacher will ensure each child is recognised and celebrated on their birthday.

Parking and Safety Around The School

In the interest of safety and efficiency around the school during the busy drop-off and pick-up periods we ask that all families take note of the following:

1. Parking out the front of the school

Parking in the front carpark (in front of the school office) can be convenient, but parking and walking your child to the gate and then reversing out into traffic during drop-off and pick-up times it significantly impacts the flow of traffic. If you are walking your child to school or collecting them in the afternoon, please use the back car park or respectfully use nearby on-street parking.

2. Keeping the car park entrance clear

In the afternoons, it is very important that you do not park in the entrance to the back carpark. If the drive through line is full, please wait with your left indicator flashing while on Nelson Road. When the line starts to move, please move into the drive through zone without blocking the carpark entrance.

3. Turning left only out of car parks and drive through

In peak times, when families wait and try to turn right onto Wright Road from the drive through, it again, slows the whole drive through down - often to a complete stop. We are asking kindly that you turn left only out the drive through onto Wright Road. Similarly, when exiting the back car park please only turn left onto Nelson Road.

4. Side gate entrance

We have opened the side gate walkway again to allow an alternative entrance, rather than going through the Front Office. If you are walking your child to school, you are encouraged to use this entrance. 

Using the School Car Park

Please keep the following information in mind when using our school car parks:

· Maximum speed limit—10kph

· Use the marked car park areas—you must be parked prior to your children exiting your car—do not stop in the middle of the car park and let your children out while your car is still running.

· Look out for little people

· Please keep to designated walkways

· Only cross the carpark at the crossing provided

· The car park closest to the double yellow gates in the church carpark is only for those who have a Disabled Parking Permit. Please do not park there unless you have the permit. There are also 3 Disabled Carparks over by the main church entrance for those with the appropriate permits.

· No right turn is permitted out of the Car Park on Nelson Road. Please turn left and go round the roundabout.

Children need to be accompanied by an adult at all times in our car park.

If you arrive 10 minutes after the afternoon bell the car parks are usually less congested.

Asthma/Medical Records

Each year the school needs to update student asthma records. If your child is currently listed as asthmatic, please ensure you have supplied a current action plan to the school.

If your child has recently been diagnosed with asthma, please update and upload the plan in Consent2Go. If you are unable to do this, please call for information and help.

Medication

If your child requires regular medication to be administered during school hours, please send it to Student Services. Please note that staff may only give medication, prescribed by a doctor, in an original, labelled (with your child’s name) pharmacy container. Any other medication that your child requires must be in the original packaging, labelled with their name and clear instructions on how and when it may be administered.

Contact Details

If you move or have new mobile or home telephone numbers, please let the Front Office know. Children can get distressed if we are unable to contact parents because we do not have their current details. Please keep emergency contact details (eg grandma, aunty) up to date as well.

Student Absences

Please inform the school if your child is away or will be late to class either by:

· SMS on 0429 557 989

· email: reception@ppn.sa.edu.au

· Or phone on 8396 2577

For extended periods of absence please fill in the official Exemption Form.

Uniform Policy 2023

Below is a copy of the 2023 PPN Uniform Policy. We ask that you familiarise yourself with the details. In particular, please draw your attention to:

PE Classes & Uniform

This year, our students will be participating in a specialised PE lesson each with with Miss Pfiefer. Students will wear their sports uniform on the day they have these lessons. All out fitness lessons and activities will be led by the classroom teacher.

Please take note of the days each class will need to wear their sports uniforms for 2023:

Swimming Week

Next week (week 2) is Swimming Week! From Monday the 6th of February to Friday the 10th of February all students in Year 1 to Year 6 will head to the Waterworld Swimming Centre for a 45-minute swimming lesson every day. You are welcome to observe the lessons, but may need to pay for entry to the pool.

Coming home with your child this week is a swimming note outlining the timetable for the week and what your child needs to bring. Please be aware students will be getting changed back at school, so will need to bring 2 towels, one for themselves and one to put on the bus seat after they finish swimming.

PPN Basketball in 2023

The PPN Library team are excited to welcome back all the returning students and look forward to getting to know all the new students in 2023! We have lots of fun activities and events planned for the year, and can’t wait to share and read some awesome books with you.

Borrowing Limits

Please note that the number of books students may have on loan at one time are limited as follows:

Foundation, Year 1 & Year 2 - 2 books

Year 3 & Year 4 – 3 books

Year 5 & Year 6 – 4 books

Important Information

· Students need to return their library books before they can borrow more.

· Please ensure that your child has a named waterproof library bag. These are available from the Uniform Shop.

· At the end of each term an overdue notice will be emailed to the parents of any student with overdue books – please note that students will be verbally reminded of any overdue books throughout the term and library staff will check the library for the overdue books before the notices are sent out.