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What are you doing this Saturday night? I’d love to see you at our CEC Quiz night starting at 6.45pm this coming Saturday. Our CEC put in so much planning and preparation for this night with the quiz, food, silent auction and fun, and so it would be great for as many of us to enjoy this evening as possible. Please call the Front Office (83962577) for more information and come along and enjoy as well as supporting projects around our school.
There are very few days that go by where I don’t receive letters or emails promoting “solutions” to addressing children’s academic challenges and emphasising the importance of maximising the academic performance of our children. Now I am the first one to encourage and facilitate our children reaching their academic potential, but as I have been talking about for a long time, it is the whole person that we need to keep sight of as we help our children to adulthood. I wrote earlier this year about residuals – things that we want our children to have as they move to independence. I read this article recently that gives some more specific skills to guide us in developing the skills our children need to flourish, not just academically, but physically, socially and spiritually as well.
“At a time when we hear a great deal about growth mindsets, good mental health habits and creating digitally savvy students, we can easily overlook the skill sets that form the building blocks of long-term school success. These are skill sets that are also easily forgotten when we narrow our focus onto numeracy, literacy, performing arts, STEM and other academic areas.
While all these other mental skills and academic areas are important, the skills I want to focus on here are ones that can be taught, or at the very least drawn out, alongside every other skill when we as parents and teachers know what to look for.
Following are five skill sets that contribute massively to overall student success and contentedness at school.
- Friendship skills
The ability to get along with others is hugely important for children and teenagers. Those students with a strong set of friendship skills are easy to like, easy to relate to and easy to play with. The skills they possess include knowing how to win and lose well, how to approach others to join in a group and how to lead rather than boss.
- Organisational skills
The ability to organise your time, your space, your items and other aspects of your life is a massive plus for any student. The best way to help children who are organisationally challenged is to introduce them to systems and processes to help them organise themselves. These processes include the use of visual reminders, anchoring (i.e. linking new behaviours to habitual behaviours) and the mapping out of activities.
- Optimism skills
It may seem strange to see optimism as skill set, but as leading psychologist Professor Martin Seligman discovered through his research, optimism can be taught. Seligman found that while some children are more inclined by nature to see a glass as half empty than half full, all children are capable of developing an optimistic explanatory style through exposure and direct teaching. The skills of optimism include being aware of self-talk, reframing negative events into positive events and the practice of perspective-taking.
- Coping skills
Kids will generally face a number of challenges during the course of their school lives including overcoming the disappointment of not being picked on a team, working their way through difficult learning situations and dealing with rejection. The impact of these challenges will depend on each kid’s own spirit, the support they receive and their coping skills. The good news is that coping skills can be taught or, at the very least, encouraged if adults know what to focus on. Coping strategies include parking problems for a while, normalising difficult situations and accepting and moving on. Some kids will use coping strategies quite naturally, while others need parental and teacher input to help them cope with even seemingly minor challenges.
- Relaxation skills
The ability to relax and get away from it all is vital for the maintenance of mental health, which in turn affects a student’s ability to perform. Many of today’s kids live with pressure. That pressure needs to be released through relaxation and play, otherwise it can lead to anxiety and other mental illnesses. The ability to relax and unwind is paramount to your child’s school success. Relaxation techniques include mindfulness and meditation, participating in hobbies and enjoying creative pursuits.
These skills are part developmental and part environmental. That is, kids will naturally develop many of them as they mature but the skills also need to be nurtured environmentally. They need to be recognised, encouraged, taught and modelled by adults who children and teenagers respect and admire. That makes parents and teachers ‘Very Important People’ in the process of acquiring them.” (Grose, 2018)
Have a great week with your kids,
Mark B
What Will He Say?
This man had nothing left, he was sick, he had a skin condition, and as a result he got kicked out of his home, and had to live outside the city. This man had nothing left, his life seemed pointless, hopeless even, and then he heard Jesus was coming. Jesus had just been at the town before his, and would most likely be passing this way. Immediately a sense of hope filled the man, he could imagine meeting Jesus and being healed, his life would be different, transformed, new and never the same again.
There was no doubt in this man’s mind, Jesus was his last and only hope. So when he saw Jesus, he fell to his knees and he begged Him. “If you are willing, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40).
Jesus looked at him with compassion, He didn’t judge, He didn’t look at how dirty he was, He didn’t notice the skin condition. He saw the man’s struggle, his pain, his need for something more than anyone else could offer. And in Mark 1:41 Jesus responds with “I am willing”.
The man was healed, and Jesus asked him to not tell anyone. But how could the man keep this life changing experience to himself?! When he saw someone, he couldn’t help but tell him what Jesus had done in his life.
I want to propose that you are like this man, you may not be physically injured, but we all need something more than this world can offer us. And when we approach Jesus, He doesn’t respond with “but look at this huge list of things you have done wrong” No! Jesus looks at you with love, with compassion, and He says “I am willing”
Right now, at this very moment, He is willing.
Jesus knows that we could never deserve His perfect love, His perfect Grace, and the price that He paid. But He loves you.
That is all, He loves you. And because of this He wants to be part of your life, He wants to be involved, but He can’t force that on you, and He won’t ever force that on you. We need to go to Him, and say “If you are willing” and the best part is, that we already know His answer, we already know that he is willing and eager to be involved in your life, to be involved in your journey, no matter how many ups and downs there are, He wants to be with you through the joyful times, and He wants to comfort you through the trials, He wants to be right beside you, reminding you that no matter how hard it is, no matter what the circumstances, together, with Jesus, you can get through it all.
“Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
Jesus is willing to work in your life, all you need to do is ask Him. Because He IS willing.
Hope Born, Chaplain
To receive the Prompt Payment Discount on your school fees, please pay by Thursday 9 August 2018.
If you have already paid your fees, we thank you.
Last week, we talked about "Service (Home)" and this week we honoured several students from all the classes in our school for demonstrating this value.
Our values program this year is focused on RESPECT, INTEGRITY, SERVICE, and EXCELLENCE shown through His children and people at Prescott Northern. “Up, Up and Away says it all because with God’s values… we will rise!!!
“Rise up and shine, for your light has come.
The shining greatness of the Lord has risen upon you."
Isaiah 60:1
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The Uniform Shop will be closed Thursday 9 August 2018.
It will be re-open on Tuesday 14 August 2018 at 3.30-4.00pm, alternatively you can order through Flexischools.
The Australian Mathematics Competition will take place this Thursday (9 August 2018) in the hall after recess (except for the Year 4's). Also, coming up we have the ICAS Mathematics Competition which will take place next Tuesday the 14th of August. This will be the last ICAS for the year. Certificates and results will be available early next term.
Last chance – we only have a few books left so be quick!
FORCE Now 1 & 1 
With Farid on vacation, Alanna under an injury cloud, some Force players either late or AWOL and knowing the high calibre teams Pedare have historically fielded, things looked bleak for Force going into last week’s game.
With little encouragement, hobbling on a heavily bandaged ankle, Alanna bravely took the court from the get go and this new-look Force team, in only our second week together, are already starting to gel. Twins Alanna and Seth, along with Simon and Tanner all scored early, helping Force go into the main break with a comfortable 8 point lead.
The second half saw Force initially extend their lead, before Force players toned down their defence, allowing Pedare’s All Stars some offensive rebounds and put-back baskets.
Scout, in only his second game of basketball - ever - bagged his first hoop AND iced the game, earning foul shots at the final buzzer.
Jonah, now a senior player, easily carved up Pedare’s press, seemingly at will, and later in the game served as a model Prescottian, inspiring and boosting players from both teams.
Tanner and Seth equal top-scored for Force, with 6 points apiece.
In true team-spirit, all Force players present scored and parents from the opposite bench even came over and personally thanked Force players for being such great sports.
A proud Coach Hatchard
Come & Try Scouting 
Ridgehaven Scout Group, situated on the corner of
Milne Road and Penny Street, Ridgehaven
has vacancies for boys and girls.
Joeys Ages 5-7
Cubs Ages 8-11
Scouts Ages 11-15
Venturers Ages 15-18
For more information contact the Group Leader, Val Mott
Mobile: 0423187749
Email: valmott@senet.com.au
Your child is entitled to three free sessions.
