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Year 5 Camp
The Year 5’s have returned from their grand adventure to Ballarat. We made the journey over to Ballarat last week to explore what life was like living on the Goldfields. We spent a few days at our accommodation learning about teamwork and facing our fears. We were able to go soaring on the Giant Swing, some of us even daring to go upside down! The Flying Fox was a hit as we tried to beat the various challenges set for us. Some of us were lucky enough to hit the target during Archery and others were able to test their problem-solving skills as we took on some Initiative Tasks.
Day 3 took us to Sovereign Hill to explore and even try our hand at finding gold! We explored the many jobs that were available during that time period and even got to try our hand at candle making. We all left the sweets demonstration with mouths watering and were lucky enough to have a taste. We were all excited to see the gold demonstration and to see a real gold bar that cost over $350,000! Some students were fortunate to be able to find some flecks of gold while panning, leaving us wanting to find even more.
Year 5 camp was a time of learning and growth. We made new friends, learnt new skills and faced our fears. We had an amazing time and cannot wait to show everything that we learnt during our time away.
Year 6s in Canberra
As you read today’s Newsletter, our Year 6s will be enjoying their final few hours in Canberra before the long drive home. From all reports they have been having a blast exploring our nation’s capital and the important role the city plays in future of our country. We can’t wait to hear all about it when they return. Below are just a few photos of the fun learning experiences they’ve been having.
Foundation Playdate
Our Foundation students have been learning about Living and Non-Living things as part of their Science subject this term, and last week had the opportunity to share all that they have learnt with their parents at a special Foundation Playdate in our beautiful nature play space. Armed with treasure maps the Foundation students completed a variety of different activities and even created creatures of their own from playdough. The loose parts were a highlight with some amazing vehicles, structures, and cubby houses being built with the help of mums, dads, and grandparents. Our Foundation students got to investigate some worms and bugs up close with magnifying glasses and decorate rocks with colourful designs.
It was lovely to see our Foundation students showing their parents where they like to play and introducing them to the new friends they have made at school.
Community Playdate
Last Wednesday morning PPN hosted its second Playdate with Prescott for the year in our beautiful nature play space. The theme of the morning was ‘Living Creatures’ and our little friends had a wonderful time creating animal footprint paintings, molding playdough creatures, and exploring sensory trays of land and sea animals. The mud kitchen and sand and water play were popular, as were the loose parts on the oval. It was wonderful to see the children working together and using their imaginations to build elaborate structures and watercourses. Our fun-filled morning concluded with some songs together and lots of high-fives from our Year 6 helpers.
We look forward to our next Playdate with Prescott in Term 2 where we will celebrate Autumn.
Loose parts and nature crowns.
This week the middle and upper students had the opportunity to use the loose parts during their lunch times. They have used the loose parts in amazing ways, moving them around the back oval to add to their play areas and create some intricate play areas.
The final activity for this term was embracing the beautiful colours of the autumn leaves and creating nature crowns. The students had a variety of coloured leaves and decorated them onto a strip of paper they then placed on their heads. The students wore the colours of the sunset on their heads with the beautiful nature crowns they created. Have you enjoyed the beautifully coloured leaves this Autumn?
We are in our final week of the term, PPN Family. So many good learning experiences have taken place, so much adjustment and embracing of newness for our students. With such a busy program, school life seems to zoom past so quickly. If we aren’t intentional, we can miss the joy of being in the moment with our kids. Just this week, there have been several times when I have been in a real hurry to “deal with” a situation that I almost didn’t hear a child call my name because they wanted to share something that they had experienced or brought from home for show and tell, or to tell me about their wonderful camp experience. You see, I get so wrapped up in getting things done and the speed of demands that I sometimes forget to slow down, listen and be there.
The kids will be around a little bit more over the next couple of weeks, and I would really encourage you to take some time to slow down and just be there with them. If you are anything like me, you struggle with the concept of being idle, of not actively ticking things off the list or that I am somehow shirking my adult life responsibilities if I am spending time with the kids and grandkids or even time in stillness and quiet spiritual reflection.
I read a short piece recently titled, “The courageous act of stillness”. The writer reflected that in the hustle, bustle and rush of our lives right now, it actually takes courage for us to step away from the demands of the “to-do” list or busy work and life schedule because busyness is seen as a badge of honour. I am not advocating laziness, but I am endorsing having the courage to see sitting in the stillness or being with our kids and teenagers as a wise, valid and profitable use of our time. The article concluded with this thought, “I used to think that to be still was a battle won through effort. Warring against the barrage of busyness, resisting the pressure to perform, fighting against the fear of appearing lazy. But I am learning that being still is not a battle won through struggle. Rather, it’s that tender white flag of surrender. Laying down all of my weapons and my armoury of self-protection. Relinquishing the urge to strive. Waving high that white flag of surrender, is a very brave act indeed.” (Choat, 2019)
Be brave during this holiday break, and take time to be with our kids and still. The benefits are wide ranging for all.
Mark B
“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me.” Matthew 11:28–29
So many awesome events. It was only a few weeks ago that I was along with the Year 6’s got to sit down and take part in an agape feast, were we discussed the severity of Christ's death on the cross and what that means for you and I today. I was blown away at not just there reverence, but their deep theological questions, we certainly have a mature lot here at PPN.
The Connect 4 dinner at WaterWorld provided a night filled with fun for not just students, but families and staff as well. It was wonderful to see the students laughing and having fun together, strengthening their sense of community within the school as their families shared a meal with the staff and their friends.
The annual sports carnival was another highlight of the term, providing students with an opportunity to showcase their athletic abilities and sportsmanship and boy do they run fast! It was inspiring to see the students encouraging and cheering on one another, but the testament to our strong community that exists at Prescott Primary Northern was the representation of parents and families coming to support their kids. It was beautiful to see so many proud faces cheering on their little ones and volunteering their time, making the day run smoothly. Shout out to Miss Pfeiffer for such an incredible day
The Year 5 camp to Ballarat and to Sovereign Hill was spectacular. A very full day of driving well over 8 hours across the Victorian border was well worth it. The camp leaders did a spectacular job and teaching our kids so many skills including archery, team building exercises, zip lining and the unforgettable giant swing that I personally was much too scared to participate in, yet mostly all of our students overcame their fear and embraced the giant swing with all they had. There was zero regrets. The camp kitchen staff served the best vegetarian food I have ever tasted on any camp. It was a real blessing. Visiting Sovereign Hill and learning all about the gold rush in Australia, its impact on the land and on our culture today was fantastic. Being thrown into a world where everyone is dressed up in character and the olden day shops ran just like they used to, people spoke funny old English and the kids just absorbed it all. Although amongst all the learning and sightseeing, I’m pretty sure their favourite activity was panning for real gold in the town river using authentic methods used back then, and still to this day. Watching the kids get to know each other in a setting outside of school was precious. The stories by the campfire cooking damper and the encouragement to face their fears during scary activities. The Year 5’s built bonds that will last for many years to come, and I feel blessed to have been there at the inception of so many friendships.
Overall, the first term of the year has been filled with meaningful experiences that have allowed the students to learn, grow, and connect with one another. I look forward to next term and the rest of the year, as I get to hang out with not only all of the students, but so many of you reading this as well. Thank you for making the beginning of 2024 so special. God is truly amongst us as a community here at PPN. And for that, I’m grateful.
The secret skills your child needs to succeed
Children with strong social skills have been shown to do better in life. The ability to navigate the world socially (what’s known as social and emotional intelligence or EQ) often matters more for lifetime success than how smart our kids are!
But what are social skills, and what developmental milestones should we expect our children to reach… and when?
Social Skills
Social skills are about so much more than the ability to talk and learn language. Communication is critical for social success and the psychological immunity it brings. But there is much more to real resilience and immunity. Skills like self-awareness, impulse control, emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and the ability to communicate clearly: these are qualities that lead to flourishing relationships, academic success, and most of what else predicts great outcomes in life.
How to help
Here are some simple tips and tricks to help your child share more easily, be more confident around other children or adults, or navigate those tricky social situations that we all struggle with.
Empathy, empathy, empathy: Research tells us pretty clearly that the more empathic we can be, the more likely it is that our children will be empathic.
Be a model: Our children watch and learn from us. How we speak to them (and others) and how we interact with them (and others) is the example they’ll follow as they grow. They’ll be terribly imperfect in their early years, but your modelling is important as an example.
Be an emotion scientist: If you can be an example with your own emotions, and then be curious about your children’s emotional world, they’ll learn that emotions are to be discovered, understood, accepted, and regulated. They’ll learn that if you’re ok with emotions, they can be too. Being understanding of emotions helps our children know that their feelings are a normal part of being human. (Note, this doesn’t mean letting kids have huge emotions whenever they feel like it. Instead, it means teaching them about their emotions and helping them learn to regulate them.)
Identify emotions in friends: When your child takes turns, point out how happy the other child is. Ask them, “How did Liam feel when you let him have a turn?” You could read a book and ask, “How does this person feel when that happens?” This teaches emotional intelligence and empathy quickly and effectively. Start as early as you can.
Just a reminder that PPN students can borrow library books this week to enjoy over the holiday break, but don’t forget your local library will be open all holidays and run some fantastic school holiday activities.
Wishing you all a safe and fun holiday break. See you all next term!
Please be respectful to our neighbours and don’t park in their driveways or block access to their property. Please do not allow children to make excessive noises or run onto their property.
Personal and Social Progress Reports
Personal and Social Progress Report is now ready for viewing on the SEQTA Engage portal and app. You can access the report by clicking the following link - https://prescottprimarynorthern.cp.adventist.edu.au/
If you are having trouble logging in the SEQTA Engage portal, you can reset your password on the same website.
If for some reason you still can't get this to work or have forgotten the username you set up for SEQTA Engage, please contact the Front Office on 8396 2577.
Parent Teacher Interviews 2024
Parent Teacher Interviews are a wonderful opportunity for our teachers to connect with our families to discuss their child's learning journey so far and work together to establish goals for the remainder of the year. Parent Teacher Interviews will run on Tuesday afternoon, the 30th of April from 4:00pm onwards, and Wednesday half day, the 1st of May, from 1:20pm onwards. This will mean our students will have a half day on the 6th of April, finishing school at 12:45pm. Please plan for this accordingly. Please click on the link: https://pnorthern.click/PTO to book in your parent teacher interview. If you have forgotten or do not have copy of your pin, please click on obtain pin/password and a copy will be emailed to you. If you have never registered with PTO, click on Obtain PIN, enter your email address and a PIN will be sent to you.
