Filter Content
SSO Appreciation Week
What Is Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week?
Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week is an occasion where teachers, parents, and students can show their thanks for all the hard work of these classroom angels. Teacher aides, or SSOs (School Service Officers) work really hard all year round, and Teacher Aide Appreciation Week is here to show appreciation for them and all the hard work they do.
A lot of the hard work that teacher aides do is clearly visible. Whether that’s standing at the school gates, welcoming students, or helping in the classroom. And, as most teachers know, this work is often the difference between a good lesson and a great one.
Of course, this isn’t to forget the impact that our SSOs can have on individual students. For young learners with special educational needs and disabilities, having an extra helping hand can be the difference between success and failure. Without our SSOs, some students might struggle through school and can find it very challenging. Our SSOs give them a helping hand and support them throughout their learning journey in order to help them succeed in their goals.
It’s frequently said that teacher aides are the glue that holds the classroom together. And, not unlike glue, a lot of the hard work that teacher aides do goes unnoticed. From preparing worksheets, to decorating classrooms, many of these day-to-day jobs are key to ensuring that schools run smoothly.
So, after giving us so much of their time and effort, we think it’s about time we stopped to say thanks.
Yr 6 Visit Migration Museum
Conductors and Insulators - Year 6 Science
They also thought about how this knowledge might be used in the real world. Throughout the lesson, students worked together, planned carefully, and followed the scientific process to make sure their tests were fair. It was a fun and hands-on way to learn about science!
Nature Bingo
This week, the Nature Play Space was busy with children running around finding natural items to complete their nature bingo. There was a small incentive to get most of the nature bingo done, which sent the students into a busy scurry of activity and searching. They moved around the playground looking for things such as sticks, a feather, something orange, something prickly etc. The students enjoyed the search with many of them finding a large number of items.
Have you done a nature hunt or bingo with your family? Try coming up with a list of natural items that you and your family need to find on a nature walk and enjoy the challenge of finding them together!
Many years ago, I watched a short video called “The Science of Happiness” and the message of this video has stuck with me since then.
The people who created the video looked at the scientific research into what makes us happy and then planned and actioned experiments to test the research. In this instance, they devised an experiment to test the theory that one of the greatest contributing factors to happiness is how much we practise gratitude.
The participants were given a survey to complete before they started the experiment and the same survey, worded slightly differently, at the end of the experiment. The survey was used to measure their overall feeling of happiness. After completing the first survey, they asked the participants to think of someone who had inspired them in their life and to write that person a letter, expressing their gratitude and thanking them for being a special part of their life.
After writing the letter, the people in the study thought that they had finished the experiment, but then they were asked if they would like to call the person they had chosen and read the letter to them over the phone. It was optional, they didn’t have to call the person if they didn’t feel comfortable or had not set aside the time to do so. They shared the results of those who made a phone call as well as those who were not able to make the call.
The results of the experiment showed that the people who wrote something down but were not able to call the person had an increase in their happiness of between 2% and 4%. For those who personally expressed their gratitude, there was an increase between 4% and 19%.
This week we are acknowledging and saying thank you to our Classroom SSO’s, otherwise known as Teacher Assistants, who help our students every day by supporting learning in the classroom. It is great that we have this formal opportunity to say thank you to this amazing group of people and the contribution that they make to the teaching and learning experiences of our students. We hope that through the actions of expressing gratitude, our students can experience the joy that comes from celebrating and thanking people who help us and are a positive influence in our lives.
If you would also like to test the theory that gratitude is linked to happiness, try reaching out to someone this week and thank them for what they do. If you can’t speak to them in person, write a note or an email letting them know how much they mean to you. Whether you send them a note or express your gratitude verbally, the benefits to your happiness are scientifically proven, and I am sure that they will also feel blessed by your gratitude and appreciation.
Have a wonderful week,
Kerri Charity
Deputy Principal
Hey PPN Family,
As a kid I used to love going to the Easter Show (our equivalent of the Royal Adelaide Show in Auckland, New Zealand) with my family, because of the food and the fun games where you could win prizes.
I have never been good with the rides, so I was always more of a Ferris Wheel type guy than a roller coaster one. I remember going on a ride called the Super Loop when I was around 10 years old that just went around and around in a big circle. I was sitting next to this guy who was full on yelling and laughing during the whole ride while I was just hunched over in my seat moaning and groaning because it felt like my stomach was about to fly out of my mouth.
So for me, the Easter show was always about the hotdogs on a stick (dagwood dogs) hot chips with tomato sauce, toffee apples, candy floss (fairy floss), caramel popcorn (is anyone feeling hungry? ?) and of course, the grand fireworks at the end of the night.
As we enjoy the Show Day tomorow, I am reminded of the greatest show on earth that will take place at the end of time. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV) Paul describes what will take place when Jesus comes to take us home to heaven, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
Jesus died and rose again so that everyone who believes in Him will receive eternal life as a free gift from God (John 3:16). Because of His sacrifice, the second coming of Jesus will be the greatest show day in the history of humanity. There will be angels and fireworks and loved ones coming back to life, and we will all be going on the ride of our lives as we fly up into the air to meet Jesus. I really hope that we will all be there on that day. And also that my stomach won’t turn upside down this time around.
God bless,
Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai
Let’s Play
As the days get longer, warmer and drier outdoor play becomes a much more comfortable proposition for families. Like the author of the article below, my childhood was filled with hours of free-play. I was lucky enough to grow up in a safe regional town, on a street filled with similarly aged children. The tarmac was our cricket pitch, the bush over our back fence became our playground and the cliché’d ‘be home for dinner’ was a reality.
As I parent, I have a twinge of sadness that my own children haven’t had the same experience. But the social, emotional and physical benefits of unstructured outdoor play are undeniable.
Notification of Enrolment Changes
Please note that Prescott Primary Northern requires at least one terms notice when a family is leaving the school or a term's fees will apply. You will soon receive an email asking you to indicate if you are planning to re-enrol your child/ren in 2025. Please respond to this email as quickly as possible to assist in our planning for the new year.
If your child is in Foundation – Year 5 and is not returning as a student at Prescott Primary Northern in 2025, please notify the school in writing as soon as possible. (principal@ppn.sa.edu.au)
Enrolments 2026
Daily Health Check
