Foundation Visit the Playhouse

Last week, our Foundation students embarked on a very exciting milestone – their very first school bus trip! There was a buzz of excitement as the children climbed aboard the bus and headed off to the Dunstan Playhouse to attend the acrobatic performance ‘A Simple Space’.

The show had everyone captivated with incredible stunts, laughter, and surprises around every corner. The students were amazed by the performers’ strength, balance, and creativity on stage. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience live theatre and respond to it through sharing our thoughts and opinions back in class.

We are so proud of how our Foundation students represented our school on their very first excursion. We can’t wait for the next adventure!

National Simultaneous Storytime

This morning our students joined 2 million other students across Australia for National Simultaneous Storytime. Children across schools, libraries, childcare centres, preschools and homes all read the same book at the same time.  The book was The Truck Cat, written by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell – a south Australian artist will also be joining us during Book Week.

It was great to see our students enjoying reading together in their classrooms and a special event put on by Mrs Blyde in the library.

OT STEM Squad

Welcome to part two of our story. In this visit to Highercombe, two weeks after our initial introduction, the OT Squad comprising of Pavani, Deed, Gracie, Amreen, Ryan, Viraj, Neil, Jacob, Charlie and Lucas, became scribes as they heard life stories of our new residential friends.

Hearing about migrations from the Netherlands, Germany and England to name a few, and embarking on careers that reflect both current and “olden day” jobs, our team spent some quality listening time, to document their resident’s stories and grow closer in their intergenerational relationships. In the coming month, these stories will be re-written and presented as a gift back to their Highercombe friends.

We then enjoyed another round of billiards with Judith, being a good sport even with a sore lower back. Highercombe also embraced some beautiful cultural sharing by Deed, afternoon biscuits delivered by Gracie’s remote-control car, and an entertaining piano performance of Fur Elise by Charlie (with no sheet music!).

This team of Year 6’ers initially learnt of the human benefits when they make connections with music, use their left and right brain to engage in creative and mathematical activities, and take part in fine motor and gross motor skills. The bigger lesson they are now learning in their intergenerational engagement at Highercombe is that humans thrive, and brain connections grow through emotional connections as well.

“Our brains have specialized areas dedicated to processing social interactions, emotions, and empathy. When we engage in social connections, these brain regions are activated, leading to the release of feel-good neurotransmitters like oxytocin and dopamine, which contribute to positive emotions and well-being.” (Neurology Medical News, 2023)

As I watch our team spend time with Judith, Lydia, Patricia, Sam and Colin, just to name a few, I am reminded of the purpose God has given to each of us as His creation.

"Love one another as I have loved you" - a new commandment given by Jesus in the Gospel of John (John 13:34). It emphasizes the importance of loving others with the same selfless, sacrificial love that He has shown us. This commandment highlights the core of Christian discipleship and is a key element in following Jesus' teachings. 

Stay tuned for part three coming soon: highlights of more scientific demonstrations, potential poetry recitals and a card trick or two to come!!

SACSA Cross Country

PPN Playdate – Autumn has Arrived!

This week we invited families with little people to enjoy the nature play space and reconnect with friends, while discovering more about what and who makes PPN a beautiful school for our children and parents. Mornings like these are a highlight for us as a school as we get to showcase God and the wonderful presence, He has among the PPN community. This is something we pray regularly for – that families may come and wonder what is different about our school, and find the answer is Jesus.

This Autumn playdate gave us an opportunity to introduce our new baby chicks to visitors, who sat and enjoyed the warmth of a fluffy bundle of joy. Our Year 6 students have been learning so much about the care, nurture and growth of healthy baby chickens and shared their wisdom with families in our makeshift petting zoo. Children were drawn to a pile of crunchy maple leaves to toss and dive into and then attempted to replicate the trees in an Autumn painting activity using kitchen brushes. The scent of lemon and lavender filled the air as children, both big and small, played at the playdough station, making patterns with pinecones, star anise and gumnuts.

Conversations come so easily when children are happy, engaged and involved. With a hot drink in one hand and fresh veggies from our Year 6 Produce Market in the other, the adults were able to relax and experience what life at PPN is like. We welcome any new families who would like to join us and consider Prescott Primary Northern as a school for their child. Our next gatherings are for Storytime in the library on Monday 2^nd June or our Spring playdate on Monday 15^th September.

Nature Snapshots

I am sure you can recall situations where you have made really good plans to do something or to achieve a goal and then as aptly noted by Scottish poet, Robert Burns, “The best-laid plans of mice and men oft’ go awry.” This famous line, part of which is used as a title of a novella by John Steinbeck, is from a beautiful poem written to a mouse whose house suddenly gets ploughed over by a farmer, despite the mouse’s careful planning of the build.  

The past few weeks, unfortunately, we have had a lot of colds and flus around the school, and I know for some of our community, the illnesses may have hit quite hard.  It is in moments like these that I have reflected on what is the appropriate way to respond when our plans go awry as indeed, they will from time to time. 

My thoughts are that when things don't go according to plan, it's a reminder to trust in God's sovereignty and His ultimate plan, even if it doesn't align with our own desires or expectations.  God is still in control, and He is continually working all things, including difficult situations, for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28).  This understanding encourages me to seek guidance from God's Word, trust in His promises, and rely on His wisdom in navigating challenges.  

I wonder how you deal with all things, not just in big decisions, but your daily lives when things do not go according to your expectations and preparations.  Would you see it as an opportunity for growth and development?  Would you learn from the challenges you face along life’s journey?  Think on these as you find ways of keeping well in the colds and flus. 

Hey PPN Family,

One of my pet peeves is watching a YouTube video on someone else's account and getting hit with ads. As a long-time YouTube Premium member, it drives me a little crazy when others won’t join the cult—just kidding! (LOL)

The main reason I get annoyed is that I simply hate ads. Even junk mail goes straight into the recycling bin at my house. Why? Because I know if I even glance at it, I might end up buying something I don't need—just because it’s on sale.

This reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 6:22–23 (NLT):

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness.”

In Jesus’ day, the eye was thought to be closely connected to the heart, acting as a source of light shining into it. The word translated as “healthy” actually meant to have a single, undivided purpose.

When we read this verse alongside Jesus’ teaching about the two treasures (just a few verses earlier), we see the call to have a singular focus on Him and His kingdom.

Our eyes light up our hearts. So, the question is: What are we fixing our eyes on? Are we focusing on things that bring us closer to God, or are we distracted by material things that shrink our spiritual lives?

God isn’t against us having nice things—after all, everything we have comes from Him. But Jesus is speaking here about the loyalty of our hearts. He invites us to fix our eyes on things that make us long for the treasures of

heaven more than the things of earth. These are the things that will fill our lives with love, joy and peace.

God bless,

Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai

The Power of 'Yet' and 'But':

Here at PPN, we believe in helping every child become a confident and resilient learner. One way we do this is by encouraging a growth mindset—the belief that we can improve our abilities through effort, learning, and persistence.

The truth is, that a growth mindset isn’t just an approach to learning – it is an approach to life.

Two small but powerful words can help support a growth mindset: “yet” and “but.”

When children say, “I can’t do this,” it can feel final, as if they’ll never be able to succeed. But if we add the word “yet,” the sentence changes:

“I can’t do this… yet.”

“I haven’t reached my goal… yet.’

That one word reminds us that learning, and life, is a journey. It’s okay to find things difficult at first. With practice, patience, and support, we can get better. “Yet” opens the door to possibility.

The word “but” can also help shift thinking. We often hear things like, “I made a mistake” or, “this is hard”. If we add “but,” we can reframe the moment:

“I made a mistake, but I learned something important.”

“I didn’t win the race, but I’m proud of how hard I tried.”

“This is hard, but I can ask for help.”

“But” helps us see challenges in a more positive light. It encourages children to look for the learning, even when things don’t go as planned, and consider the current challenge as an actionable stepping stone for what comes next.

As parents and teachers, we can model these changes too – in both our conversations with other (including our children) and our self-talk. A growth

By using “yet” and “but,” we remind children that their brains are always growing. Mistakes are part of learning, and effort leads to progress. These simple words help build resilience, confidence, and a love of learning that will last a lifetime.

Let’s keep cheering our children on—one “yet” and “but” at a time!

Learning Expo – Tuesday 27 May

Step inside your child’s classroom, see their learning first-hand and better understand what they get up to at school by coming along for the PPN Learning Expo on Tuesday, 27 May. Classrooms will be open 9:15 – 10:30am. No RSVP required.

Team Colours Day

Position Vacant - Bus Driver

Guitar Group Lessons

Daily Health Check