Why do we have School Values…

Recently, a student confidently came to speak with me, asking why we needed to have School Values (Respect, Kindness, and Resilience) at Northern. This was an excellent question, showing their curiosity and deep thinking. So why do schools have values?

Values define the expected culture of a school. Building a good culture is hard work and not something that happens overnight. It involves all of us playing our part in creating the positive culture we want. So, what does this mean for our students, staff, and parents? As we often explain to students, our School Values serve as a behavioural compass guiding how we act, what we say and our choices. We want all of our students, parents, families, staff, and the wider community to understand and be able to reflect our School Values in their interactions with each other. This isn't always easy to do and is a challenge for us all. As Susan Lee, a brilliant author of ‘Raising Kids Who Care’ (2021) writes, “Imagine who you want your kids to become. Be that”. Lee also reminds us that parents' modelling is likely to profoundly influence their children, whether they realise it or not. Yet again, this emphasises what we believe as a Christian school: that God gives children to parents, not schools; however, as a school, we need to keep working with parents and carers in the education and nurture of their children.

So why are our School Values ‘Respect,’ ‘Kindness,’ and ‘Resilience’?

The Values stem from our Christian worldview shaped by the Bible, reflecting the teachings of Jesus. We believe everyone is important and valuable and should be treated with respect because we are all made in God’s image. We show respect by treating others well and putting their needs before ours. This is the same as the love God showed for us that we read about in the Bible. The Bible repeatedly tells us to love God and, therefore, to love others.

God is always kind, compassionate, and slow to anger; therefore, He expects us to always show kindness, even to people we may struggle with. We know that Jesus showed his loving-kindness for us on the cross when we were so undeserving. His act of kindness to us should be both the motivation and the power for us to be kind to others. God does not call us to be selective or random in the kindness we show others. Instead, we must be intentional and deliberate in our kindness - the same loving-kindness that God has poured on us so richly, in Jesus.

When we face challenges, resilience helps us stay strong, knowing God is always with us. Resilience allows us to trust God’s plan, knowing He is with us through all circumstances. It helps us grow in faith and depend on His guidance. We can overcome setbacks, learn from our mistakes, and become stronger with resilience. By nurturing resilience, we help our students face life with courage and hope.

This term, we are focusing on our School Value of Resilience, where we will intentionally focus on our students' understanding of resilience by promoting and celebrating resilience by encouraging our students when we see them showing resilience in their learning and different parts of school life.

What does research say about Resilience?

Susan Lee highlights that research has found seven key areas that can increase our resilience:

• Warm, open communication with parents who care.

• Skill in a task, hobby, or sport gained by trying hard and being supported.

• Ability to participate and contribute to a wider family network, giving a sense of identity and belonging.

• Supportive teachers and schools that encourage involvement and ownership.

• An accepting friend or peer group that supports diversity and loyalty.

• A church or a community group that values children (church, sports club, local library).

• Understanding the value of money - does chores, saves, raises funds, casual/part-time job

Can I please encourage you to reflect, pray and be empowered to intentionally parent in a way that builds resilience in your children? Children are such a blessing and a gift from God, and parenting children requires intentionality, best effort and nurturing. We hope our School Values of Respect, Kindness, and Resilience define our expected culture at Northern. As a school, we are so thankful for your incredible and essential role as parents and carers, so I would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation.

Bethany Armstrong - Principal

We have had a wonderful start to Term 3. Seeing how much the students enjoy playing and working together has been lovely. In English, we have just started a unit on Procedures. We will use recipes for cooking activities each week and write some of our procedures. Students will make shortbread this week and gift some to their Year 6 buddies!

In HASS this term, we are learning about the past, present and future. In each lesson, we have explored a different aspect of the past (e.g. schools, transport) and learnt about the differences and similarities to present day. The students have enjoyed exploring old artefacts and reflecting on how life has changed. In the coming weeks, we will examine why these changes have happened and what the future might look like.

In Mathematics, we are focussing on money. The students have been learning to recognise the different coins we use in Australia and have practised using them to purchase different items from our ‘Shop’. It’s been challenging to add the different coins together to make the price of the items, but we have been using our skip-counting skills to assist. We are also practising ordering the coins from least to most valuable.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the students progress throughout the rest of the term.

Claire Gardner - Year 1 Teacher

Current Northern families are warmly invited to attend our Light Festival

Join us for a self-guided light walk through our School, a sing-a-long around the fire pits on the Oval, hot spiced apple cider and hot chocolate to keep you warm, as well as soup and doughnuts. There will also be a student art exhibition in the Performing Arts Centre with our theme of ‘Transforming our Heads, Hearts, and Hands’ and other exciting surprises, including a Laser Show. The evening will conclude on the Oval with a fireworks display.
We'd love to see you there!

This event for our current families is presented by the Northern Community Engagement Committee as part of our 30 Year Anniversary celebrations. Please note due to car parking restraints only immediate families are able to attend. Tickets are FREE but essential. Book now or via our Facebook Event.

If you would like to reserve a Disabled Parking space, please contact us so we can ensure your needs are catered for.

Volunteers Needed:

To make this a success, we would greatly value help with the planning and the organising of this event. We need help planning, stringing lots of fairy lights, cooking soup and many other activities.

If you would like to be involved with planning or participating in the Light Festival activities, please refer to the email previously sent with all the details, and we encourage you to register on our Volunteer Sign Up sheet.

Community Engagement Committee 

On Friday, 18 August, Australian schools will stand united in their communities to celebrate the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. We have participated for many years; it is a valuable part of building a safe culture at Northern Christian School. 

The theme for 2023 is 'Growing Connections'. This theme supports research findings that strong school community connections and social skills are protective factors in the prevention of bullying and help enable positive,
help-seeking behaviours in students.

Students and staff are encouraged to dress or accessorise in orange (the recognised theme colour of the event) to raise awareness . Each class will be focusing on the theme through an activity on the day. 

The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence is a positive day of action, bringing school communities together to help find workable solutions that address bullying and violence.

Book Week Parade
Wednesday, 30 August at 9.20am

Families are warmly invited to Northern's annual Book Week Parade. This year's theme is ‘Book Safari’. For the parade, students are encouraged to dress up as their favourite animal or book character. The event will be held in our Performing Arts Centre. You can RSVP via our Facebook Event.

Book Fair

Book sales as part of the Book Fair will open after the Book Week Parade.
Each class will be given time to complete their Book Fair Wish List on
Monday 28 August or Tuesday 29 August. Students will bring their Wish List home and share it with their parents and carers.

The Library will be open for book sales as follows:
Wednesday, 30  August, after the Book Parade until 11.30am,
1.00pm - 1.30pm
Thursday, 31 August from 8.30am - 9.30am, 11.00am - 11:30am 
and 1.00pm - 1.30pm

EFTPOS and cash may be used for book purchases.

If you are able to help at the Book Fair with book sales, please email me. All volunteers must have their Working with Vulnerable People Card.

Competition

To celebrate the upcoming Book Week and this year's theme of ‘Book Safari’, we will be holding a creative writing and/or illustration competition:

THEME: Wild Animals GROUPS: Prep - Year 2 and Years 3 - 6

• Students can work individually or in pairs.

• Students can be the author, do an illustration, or do both.

• The Library will be open for students to work on their entries at lunchtime on Wednesdays and Fridays, and we encourage students to work on their entries at home as well.

• Entries must be handed in at the Library by Friday, 25 August.

Prizes will be awarded at the Book Week Book Parade on Wednesday, 30 August.

Rachael Herring - Librarian

Friday, 20 October from 2.00pm - 4.00pm

This year, we celebrate 30 years of God's goodness and faithfulness at Northern Christian School. Together, we will continue to build a bright future that will transform not just the lives of our students but the wider school community.

You are invited to attend our afternoon of celebrations!

Our Service of Thanksgiving starts at 2.00pm. You will hear stories from our special guests, including from those who built our school, in some cases literally with their bare hands! The service will conclude with an afternoon tea where you will be able to reminisce with others as you look at the history of the school.

At 3.30pm, tours will commence so you can see our new Kinder precinct, some memorabilia and the beautiful work of our current students.

What a wonderful way to celebrate what God has done through Northern Christian School!

Tickets are FREE but must be ordered via EVENTBRITE. As this event is held during school time, current Northern students do not need to reserve tickets. Students must be accompanied by an adult after 3.00pm to remain for the afternoon tea and tours.

The Tasmanian Brick Enthusiasts Inc. and Brixhibition invite all Primary School students in the Southern Tasmanian area to compete in their Lego Competition running in Term 3, 2023.

Students are invited to take part in the challenge by creating their own Lego masterpieces to be displayed at school in the Learning Enrichment Room. There will be medallions for age-group winners, one of which will also be for ‘Overall Winner’ for the school. The overall winning entry will then have the opportunity to compete against other schools around Hobart and have their entry judged by the Tasmanian Brick Enthusiasts Inc. members, where place Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd  + other prizes will be awarded.

• Each Lego display is to be no larger than 52cm x 52cm x 52cm, or no larger than four 32x32 lug Lego baseplates.

• Each Lego display must be an original or freelance design - not made from a Lego kit.

• Some adult help is allowed, but the Lego design should mainly be child’s own design.

• Each Lego entry to be completed and displayed at your school, in-house or virtually, by no later than Monday, 11 September.

• Lego submissions can be handed into the Learning Enrichment Room from Monday, 4 September or virtually as a photo emailed to myself. Students are to be holding or positioned next to their creations. Photos will be displayed in the Learning Enrichment Room.

• All Lego Challenge Overall Winners will be judged by Tasmanian Brick Enthusiasts Inc. members, to determine the Grand Prize Winners by bringing their model (or photo) to South East Sports Complex, Montagu St, Sorell to be on display at the Brixhibition Hobart 2023 event Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 October.

• Grand Prize winners will be announced at 3.20pm on Sunday, 8 October during Brixhibition Hobart 2023 at Sorell.

Happy Building!

Luke Lamont - Year 6 Teacher