Prescott Primary Northern eNewsletter

North Wing Update

I hope you all enjoyed some extra time over the long weekend with your family and maybe even had a little sleep in! (Sorry to those of you with early risers) Our teachers have been busy working on mid-year reports which go out in a couple of weeks and we look forward to sharing your student’s development. We also have a Learning Expo Morning coming up on June 21, 9.15am to 10.30am when classrooms are open to families and the students will share some of their learning. We would love to see you here.

As a teacher and as a parent, I have spent many hours of my life working through friendship issues with my own children and with students. There have been times when I wished I could have been with them whenever they were around other kids to make sure they were ok and playing well. The difficulty is, my very presence would change everything and not allow them to become independent. Remember, one of our aims as parents (and teachers) is to step away to allow independence to grow. I have spoken with some parents recently about this and I thought some practical suggestions on helping our children socialise well, would be a good place to start as we support our kids. I hope you find these suggestions helpful.

“Coach your child in positive social skills

Children who develop healthy friendships generally have a definite set of social skills that help make them easy to like, easy to relate to and easy to play with. If your child is struggling to make friends consider coaching them using this three-pronged approach:

Be open: Some children close themselves off to forming new friendships, preferring to stick to one or two friends. Encourage your child to be open to forming friendships with a wide variety of children in and outside school and in doing so encircling themselves with many friendship groups

Be inclusive: Encourage your child to include a wide number of children in their games and activities rather than restricting the possibility of joining in to certain children. Healthy friendship groups are open and inclusive of others, while unhealthy relationships, such as cliques are restrictive, one-sided and full of gossip and criticism

Be aware: Encourage social awareness in your child. For instance, a socially-aware child would be discrete when giving out birthday party invitations at school, being protective and sensitive to the feeling of those not invited. This level of social awareness doesn’t necessarily come naturally to all children, but it can be reinforced by parents and teachers.

Encourage friendships with both genders

The primary school age is an ideal time for children to form friendships with both genders. This is particularly valid if your child has siblings of their own gender, or don’t have siblings. It’s through these early relationships that we gain the confidence to mix with different genders in later life. Forming friends helps to break down the mystique that can form, when a child has little contact with the ‘other’ gender.

Understand the impact of gender on friendships

Research shows that boys’ friendships groups are more inclusive and less changeable than friendships enjoyed by girls, particularly those in the eight to twelve year age group. Be prepared to support your daughter through the hurt of friendship breakdowns and remind her that new friendships are just around the corner. Help her reflect on her own place in a friendship breakdown, and be open to restoring a relationship once emotions are in check.

Remember, friends of a feather flock together

If you think that your child doesn’t have as many friends as a sibling or other children their own age, don’t be too alarmed. On average, children usually have only two or three significant friendships at any one time. It’s the quality rather than the quantity of friendships that counts. If you are concerned that your child lacks friends at school encourage him to take up a variety of extra-curricular activities. It’s easier to strike up a friendship with someone when you have something in common.

Above all else encourage your child to be friendly by talking to others, showing an interest in what other children do, offering help when needed and being willing to enter a new game or social situation. Consider teaching your child, if necessary, alternatives to fighting and arguing when there is disagreement and conflict within groups.” (Grose, 2019)

Have a great week with your kids,

Mark B

The Hunter Chronicles

We are excited to have 50 of our students from Year 3 to 7 attend Bible studies each Friday morning at 8:40am. We are using the Hunter Chronicles novels, which unpack seven great teachings from the Bible in each book. In addition to the books, we are utilising the study guides that help to further unpack the story and key concepts. The children are loving the first book in the series and enjoying the discussions and interactions with their mentors. A big thank you to all our mentors that come each week and lead our small groups. Our student chaplains have taken an active role working alongside me with our Year 3 students.

If you are looking for a good quality series of books that are exciting and captivating for your children, I can highly recommend the Hunter Chronicles. They are roughly aimed at 8-12-year-old children.

Last week, we talked about “Justice" and this week we honoured several students from all the classes in our school for demonstrating this value.

Felix, Sanvi, Amreen, Ruby, Ryan, Alice, Abel, Grace, Lavanya, Kiaan, Seraj, Amariah, Hannah, Hunter, Leonardo, Raagi, Lucy, and Levi.

Jaskaran, Ntokozo, David, Miya, Sade, Kiera, Hasini, Ashton, Andrea, Melvina, Charlotte, Abak, Adior, Nate, Cameron, Giovanna (absent), Simon (absent), and Jasreen (absent).

Learning Expo

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

ICAS Competitions

If your child has received an ICAS form and is wishing to participate in the competitions this year, please submit your form and payment by the 21st of June.

Music Recital

Parking & Respecting Our Neighbours

As you know, PPN is a thriving and growing school. For many years, we have enjoyed a positive and often reciprocal relationship with our neighbours in this community. We recognise that as our school grows, however, parking options during drop off and pick up times can often be limited. Out of respect for our extended community, we remind parents and caregivers to be mindful of the private parking areas and driveways of our neighbours, in particular the units directly next to our campus. Please do not stop or park across or in these spaces. We appreciate your patience and consideration of our community when getting your child/ren safely to and from PPN.

School Fees

Please check your statement, and if you have an outstanding balance you need to make your payment promptly.

A big Thank You to all the wonderful families that make their school fee payments on time.

Bread Tags for Wheelchairs

Entertainment Book

Reading Is My Secret Power

Book Week is celebrated each year in mid to late August. This annual event highlights the importance of reading and draws on the joy of stories and the creativity of Australian Books.

So this year to enhance the atmosphere we been decorating the Discovery Centre in the theme of the year, "Reading is my secret power".

This concept creates a dynamic platform to explore how reading empowers each of us, no matter what age, race, gender, or religion.

How awesome that we share this universal secret power with so many people! Did you know that your secret power begins pre birth? So, being read to as baby in the womb could have been the first time you used your secret powers - without even knowing.

The Discovery Centre also hosts many other activities at the school including Bible studies, Chess Club, Stem Club and so much more.

Basketball Semester 2

Nominations are open for Semester 2 basketball teams. Please click the link below and fill in your details. See Mrs Charleson for any questions you may have.

https://forms.gle/Umr6naLzFdvExKm6A

Basketball Game Review

Wildcats All Heart in GS Shooters Shoot-out

Last week Prescott’s Wildcats played against the winless Good Shepherd Shooters. In what could have been an easy stat-building game towards their finals campaign, in the days and minutes leading up to tip-off, Wildcats players and Coaching staff were in vigorous discussion about the hapless Shooters and the prospect of them going an entire season without a win.

It was decided that the Wildcats would play a heavily modified style of game, with several aims; to help as many Shooters experience the exhilaration of scoring a goal (some weeks their team has only managed one basket for an entire game), to do our best to ensure the Shooters got one win for their season, and on the Wildcats front, to encourage and provide ample opportunity for our junior players to shine.

Sade and Gem, DID manage to fire away the most shots they ever have in a game, and both also played their biggest, most important defensive games for the season. Top effort Sade and Gem.

As for our Grade-6 Wildcat players; I am extremely proud of your sportsmanship and humour. Kaitlyn, Scout, Tanner, Zukiah and Jonah all took to their missions with dash and enthusiasm, playing outside the squares, Penguin defence, kacky-handed, super encouraging (of our own and the other team), and even invented an all-new “T-Rex” Defensive technique, and what’s more, all had fun doing it.

Needless to say the Good Shepherd Shooters came away with their biggest (and only) win of the season, and, in my mind, ALL players left the court winners.

Thanks Scarlett for scoring.

Now lets get back on track for FINALS!

If you want to see an awesome match-up this week; Wildcats V’s Radioactive Cheeseballs, get on down to Court-1, Golden Grove Rec Ctr, straight after school Thursday, 3:45 tip-off.

Coach HATCHARD

Prescott College