New Benches

Our Year 6 classes have been enjoying the new benches that were installed outside of their classrooms this week. A space to sit and eat their lunch while enjoying the fresh air outdoors.

Here we are in the final week of Term 1 for 2020. Next week is made up of Pupil-Free Days to help our teachers transition to online learning if we need to in Term 2. We have had many families following the Prime Minister’s advice and having their students learn from home where possible over the last week or so. I would like to say a big thank you to the many families who are faithfully working on keeping their students learning happening in a very different environment and also to the families who place their trust in us here at school. A big thank you to our school staff as well, who are currently digging deep and going the extra mile for our kids and families.

We spent some time this week making a video for families about how important it is that we listen to our kids at the moment, and that we give them cues towards safety and security, in uncertain times. Many of our children are concerned and worried about what they are seeing and hearing in the media and in conversations around them. There will be times when this will result in them acting in ways that are unusual for them and tantrums and meltdowns are more common. I am not asking us to excuse poor behaviour, but I am saying we should look deeper, even more so than usual, into the reasons why kids are acting this way. In times of stress, emotions can often be amplified and the levels of our pools of self-control can become very shallow. Many of us adults are struggling to keep things together and we are likely to be far more mature and in control of our feelings and emotions. Imagine what it must be like for our little ones who don’t have the experience and impulse control that we have. It is no accident that the Prime Minister announced millions of dollars in increased funding for mental health services on the weekend. We need to be aware and care for one another.

My plea to you in these times of turmoil and difficulty is to model love, care, warmth and understanding to our kids. To send cues of security and safety to our children, even when, no, especially when, they are being stubborn, rude, argumentative and defiant. This will pass and when we get through, it is really important our children know they are loved and valued and we are all in a good place to pick and go and live with joy, sense of belonging and identity that helps us ride the storms of life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22,23

Have a great week and a wonderful holiday with your kids, and we will see what school looks like on the other side of the break.

Mark B

Greater Love Has No Man

This week we have seen the Coronavirus spread at an alarming speed through different countries. Amidst the doom and gloom, we have also seen heroes stand tall in these uncertain times.

There have been Storm Troopers handing out toilet paper on the street, restaurants giving out free coffees to people lined up outside of Centrelink and other notable examples of people drawing together to support each other.

One of the stories that has stuck in my mind is of Father Berardelli. He was a 72 year old priest who become ill with the coronavirus. One of the parishioners bought the priest a respirator so that he could live but Father Berardelli decided not to use it so that younger patients could be saved.

Just as Father Berardelli gave up his chance of life for others, so too, Jesus gave His life for us. He paid the price for our sin so we could be set free.

If your family needs support in any way during these difficult times, please don’t hesitate to contact Pr Roland or I. We would live to chat and support as we can. Just email Chaplain@ppn.sa.edu.au

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

Uniform Shop

Library Update

The library has been very quiet over the last few weeks; we are missing the laughter, talking and even the running of the children along the halls! We wish that things were different, but it is important that where we can, we make decisions to keep our children safe and learning.

This thing we are all a part of, it’s a living history. Our children are all part of this, and it will be talked about for generations to come. Across the entire globe, businesses are closed, sporting events have been cancelled, and people are being quarantined. These are unprecedented times we are living in!

Some of the things that your children can do is to keep a journal over the next 5 or more weeks. Handwritten or typed, using drawings or photographs, they record their day-to-day activities, fears and feelings - maybe they can make a video journal! As parents, let them interview you and include your responses in the journal. And finally, when all this will be over, make sure the journal is saved in a safe place for them, so that one day they can share it with their children and grandchildren.

A great online resource for children regarding COVID-19 can be found at the Time for Kids digital library. Google, AT&T, HP and PwC Charitable Foundation have worked together to provide this digital library free for the remainder of the year! The link is available here: https://time.com/tfk-free/

Book Bundles to Borrow

We are encouraging children who are still attending school to borrow additional books from the library over the extended term end break. However, if parents have already chosen to keep their child/ren at home, we don’t want them to miss out! You can email Mrs Cowley on victoriacowley@ppn.sa.edu.au and request that a ‘book bundle’ be prepared for each of your children. We will then coordinate with you to arrange pick-up or drop-off of the book bundles. It is really important for the kids to have access to a broad range of reading materials and we want to support you in this endeavour.

Notable Books for 2020 announced

The Children’s Book Council of Australia have announced its list of Notable Books for 2020. In addition, they have also released the Shortlist for 2020 and you can access it yourself here: https://www.cbca.org.au/shortlist-2020. We already have the majority of these books available for borrowing in our library.

Finally, our thoughts and prayers are with you daily!

Best wishes from Mrs Cowley and Mrs Blyde.