PRIMARY NEWS TE RM 3 , WE E K 4 | 7 TH AUGUS T 2 02 6
A MESSAGE FROM MR JOHN LONGLEY Thank you to the many families who joined us for our Parent, Student and Teacher Conferences on Thursday. These conversations are an important part of our partnership as we seek to support each child to flourish. It was wonderful to see students reflecting on their learning, celebrating their strengths, identifying goals for the remainder of the year, and sharing their Learning Journals with such pride. As you spend time looking through the Learning Journal together, I encourage you to celebrate the growth that has taken place, set goals for the months ahead and take a moment as a family to thank God for His faithfulness and provision throughout the year so far. We kindly ask that Learning Journals are returned to school on Monday, so they can continue to be added to throughout Semester 2. This week we also take the opportunity to honour Mrs Sally Leong as she begins her maternity leave. Sally has faithfully served our College community with great care, joy and dedication and we celebrate this exciting season with the Leong family. We pray in faith for God's protection over Sally and Baby Leong, and for a safe and healthy arrival in the weeks ahead. At the same time, we warmly welcome Ms Clarissa Randles as the full-time classroom teacher of Year 1L. We thank God for His provision in preparing Clarissa for this opportunity and look forward to the way He will continue to work through her as she serves our Year 1 students and families.
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Next week we look forward to Northside teams participating in the Write a Book in a Day event, which raises funds for Kids' Cancer Research on Thursday. Thank you Mrs Anthea Field for facilitating Please connect with your classroom teacher for details if you would like to sponsor any of the groups. On Friday, we send off our Mixed Netball Year 5/6 team to the Regional Competition. This is the highest level of netball competition ever reached by a Northside team. We pray for fun and fair games and opportunities to represent Christ-like character in the sports community. Go Saints! May God bless you and your family too,
Mr John Longley Director of Primary
PRIMARY ASSEMBLY Hosted by Year 5S Monday 10th August, 8:40am – 8:55am Parents are invited to join the Primary School staff and students in the Courtyard to enjoy Primary Assembly together. Please be aware that Primary Assembly may be moved to Encompass Church or cancelled at the last minute if the weather does not allow us to meet outside. Photos and videos of the students are not permitted at Chapel or Assemblies to protect the privacy of other students who may appear in the frame. Please note that parents and pre-schoolers cannot access the Students ONLY toilets during Primary Assembly. Staff and Visitor toilets are located in the Administration Building (near Reception) or on Level 1 in the Middle School Building. Parents are not required to sign in at Reception for Chapel or Assembly. Please be aware that students must remain with their class and their teachers during these events.
PRIMARY CHAPEL REMINDER Week A Only On Primary Chapel mornings (Week A), any Primary student arriving at school after 8:55 am should be taken directly to Encompass Church, rather than to their classroom or the usual school entrance. This arrangement applies only on Primary Chapel mornings (Week A). On all other mornings, students should continue to follow the normal arrival procedures. As Primary Chapel and Assembly alternate throughout the term, please check the weekly newsletter for reminders about each week's schedule. Thank you for your support in helping us ensure a smooth and safe start to the day for all students.
UPCOMING PRIMARY EVENTS Term 3
WEEK 5B
Monday 10th August - Friday 14th August
Monday 10th August: Primary Assembly - 8:40am in the Courtyard (Weather Permitting) Athletics Squad Thursday 13th August: Athletics Squad Friday 14th August: Running Club Bowls training
WEEK 6A
SCIENCE WEEK Monday 17th August - Friday 21st August
Monday 17th August: Primary Chapel – 9:00am in the Encompass Auditorium: Musical Production Focus Science Week Dress-Up Day Athletics Squad Friday 21st August: Hot Chocolate Sales for Bundoora Extended Care Fundraiser Running Club Bowls training
UPCOMING PRIMARY EVENTS Term 3
WEEK 7B
BOOK WEEK Monday 24th August - Friday 28th August
Monday 24th August: Primary Assembly - 8:40am in the Courtyard (Weather Permitting) Athletics Squad Tuesday 25th August Lawn Bowls Gala Day Year 3 Melbourne Museum Wednesday 26th August: Bundoora District Primary Athletics Thursday 27th August: Year 1 Traffic School Excursion Athletics Squad Friday 28th August: Book Week Dress-Up Day Running Club
UPCOMING PRIMARY EVENTS Term 3
WEEK 8A
TEACHER AIDE APPRECIATION WEEK Monday 31st August - Friday 4th September
Monday 31st August: Primary Chapel – 9:00am in the Encompass Auditorium: Year 2 Item Athletics Squad Tuesday 1st September: Last day to upload VPRC books Thursday 3rd September: Athletics Squad Friday 4th September: Parents and Friends Father’s Day Stall CSEN Primary Athletics Championships
WEEK 9B
Monday 7th September Friday 11th September
Monday 7th September: Primary Assembly - 8:40am in the Courtyard (Weather Permitting) Thursday 10th September: Year 2 Sleepover and Breakfast
UPCOMING PRIMARY EVENTS Term 3
WEEK 10A
Monday 14th September Friday 18th September
Monday 14th September: Whole School Chapel Tuesday 15th September: Footy Colours Day Thursday 17th September: Last Day of Term 3 PREP - YEAR 2 ATHLETICS CARNIVAL: Thursday 8th October To avoid a muddy Athletics Carnival, the Prep - Year 2 Athletics Carnival will be moved to early in Term 4.
To see Term 3 Primary events, click HERE to access the family calendar
PRIMARY NORTHSIDE
EXCELLENCE AWARDS CARLA , PREP: IDENTITY For your fantastic effort and perseverance in phonics! Carla, you have been working so hard on blending your sounds together to read new words. Keep up the good work!
GEORGE ABI, PREP: UNITY It was great to see you packing up so quickly after our free-play time and then helping others pack away their games without anyone asking you. Thank you for serving your classmates and showing the love and unity that God delights to see. AARON, PREP: HONOUR For showing honour to your teachers with your kind words and affirmations. It brings us great joy to hear how much you love being at school.
LEEYA, YEAR 1: FAITH For showing honour to God with all your effort in Praise and Worship.
JOSHUA, YEAR 1: IDENTITY For your perseverance and effort in practising our Chapel performance. NAOMI, YEAR 1: IDENTITY For growing in confidence in sharing your ideas in class with the group. You have shown bravery in sharing your ideas and helped our class to learn together.
PRIMARY NORTHSIDE
EXCELLENCE AWARDS JAYDEN , YEAR 2: UNITY For consistently showing care and patience as you support your classmates with their learning. Your kindness and willingness to help others make our classroom a more encouraging and connected place. MILA, YEAR 2 : FAITH For demonstrating the College Value of Faith through the kindness, compassion and genuine care you consistently show towards others. You notice when people need encouragement and responds with thoughtfulness and empathy, reflecting God's love in your everyday actions. Thank you for making a positive difference in our community, Mila. Well done!
BENJAMIN, YEAR 3: FAITH For consistently completing your work to a high standard and then seeking to help those in need, creating a safe and supportive classroom. Your dedication to demonstrating God's love to others in our room is a blessing for all. Great work! ACELLYNE, YEAR 4: HONOUR For consistently demonstrating our school value of Honour through the kindness and care you show your classmates. Your thoughtful words, willingness to help others, and Christ-like compassion make our classroom a welcoming place where everyone feels valued. Thank you for reflecting God's love in the way you treat those around you. JOVAN, YEAR 4: UNITY For being courageous and supportive as your friend transitions to a new school. Well done on being so supportive of them, even though it is also hard for you and you have your own mixed feelings in saying goodbye.
PRIMARY NORTHSIDE
EXCELLENCE AWARDS KOSI, YEAR 5: FAITH For consistently demonstrating maturity and intelligence throughout camp and representing our school so wonderfully. You showed great respect to all adults, warmly greeting them and enthusiastically engaging in every learning opportunity. MIA, YEAR 5 : HONOUR For consistently being a loving, encouraging and supportive friend who brings joy and positivity to those around you. You showed great courage in trying new things and embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and a wonderful attitude.
DANIEL, YEAR 5: IDENTITY For your commitment to improving your written tasks and your perseverance in ensuring your writing is completed to a high standard. You have made commendable progress and are an example to your peers that hard work pays off. Well done, Daniel! Keep shining! KEVIN, YEAR 6: FAITH For making such a positive start to the new semester and showing a huge improvement in your submission of homework. You should be very proud of the steps you are beginning to put in place to prepare for high school next year. JACINDA, YEAR 6: HONOUR For representing our school with integrity, respect, and excellence in every opportunity, both inside and outside the classroom.
JOANNA, YEAR 6: UNITY Cooperating with peers to complete an assignment
SEEDS OF SCIENCE: NURTURING SCIENCE FOR ALL
DRESS-UP DAY
DISCOVERING GOD'S CREATIO N
SCIENCE WEEK 15 - 23 August 2026 Science allows us to explore the wonder of God's creation and equips us to care for it well. Science Week is an opportunity to celebrate curiosity and nurture appreciation for the world God has made. FUN AC TIVITIE S
SCIENCE S DEMONSTRATION
NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK 2026
15 - 23 August 2026 - Australia Wide
SEEDS OF SCIENCE: NURTURING SCIENCE FOR ALL
SCIENCE WEEK DRESS UP Monday 17th August 2026
ASTRONAUT
BOTANIST
MARINE BIOLOGIST
DOCTOR
Science allows us to explore the wonder of God's creation and equips us to care for it well. Science Week is an opportunity to celebrate curiosity and nurture appreciation for the world God has made. Throughout Science Week there will be a range of activities and demonstrations that students can participate in. To commence the week, students are welcome to come dressed up like a scientist. A scientist comes in many forms. Your child can be an astronaut, a botanist, a marine biologist or a doctor for the day, there are many possibilities! *Students who do not choose to dress up will need to wear their school uniform. This is not a casual clothes day. *No gold coin is required.
BOOK WEEK & COSTUME SELECTION Friday 28th August 2026 As we look forward to celebrating Book Week together, we are excited about the opportunity to encourage a love of reading and creativity across our school community. This is a special time where students can bring their favourite characters and stories to life through costume and imagination. This year’s theme is Symphony of Stories, and we encourage students to explore books that inspire courage, curiosity, and character-building journeys. As we prepare for this fun and meaningful event, we would like to remind families of a few important guidelines to ensure that our celebration reflects the values of our Christian ethos: Costumes should be positive, respectful, and in keeping with our Christian Values. We ask that students choose characters who embody traits such as kindness, bravery, honesty and compassion. Please avoid costumes that are scary or inappropriate, including witches (good or bad), wizards (good or bad), demons, vampires, zombies, or any that involve blood, gore, or horror themes. These can be upsetting to our younger students and are not in line with our school values. Weapons of any kind, such as swords, guns, or other imitation weapons are not permitted. Continued over page...
Students should be dressed modestly and appropriately, with costumes that allow for safe play and participation throughout the school day. Closed-toe footwear is required. Children who come dressed in costumes that do not align with these guidelines may be asked to change into their school uniform (parents may be contacted if there is no change of clothes available). We strongly encourage creative, home-made costumes that reflect beloved characters from books and stories. If you are unsure whether a costume is appropriate, please speak with your child’s Home Group Teacher ahead of time. Thank you for your continued support in making Book Week a joyful, inclusive and values-aligned event for all students. We look forward to seeing the wonderful ways our students bring books to life through their costumes and imaginations!
Artwork by Briony Stewart © 2026 Children’s Book Council of Australia
WHAT’S ON : COMPETITIONS COLOURING COMPETITION Competition entries due Friday 28th August Students are welcome to start collecting colouring sheets from the Library. Once completed, please return to the Library for your chance to win.
THE GREAT BIBLE HUNT Running @ recess and lunch on Friday 28th August Collect your clue sheet from the Library to search for teachers dressed as Bible characters or Bible objects around the College. Use the clues to help find each teacher. Submit completed sheets to Mrs Drowley by the end of lunchtime. The team with the most correct answers in the fastest time wins.
PRINCIPAL’S CHOICE AWARD Dress Up Parade Friday 28th August @ 8.55am Join us in the courtyard as we all come together to celebrate our favourite books in costumes. Be dressed up for your chance to receive a ribbon from Ms Munro. A large number of students and parents will have the chance to receive a ribbon.
Artwork by Briony Stewart © 2026 Children’s Book Council of Australia
WHAT’S ON : EVENTS MONDAY 24TH AUGUST @ LUNCH
THURSDAY 27TH AUGUST @ LUNCH
LEAP, FOLD AND SHARE
NOTES TO NONNO
Come to the Library and make origami frogs sitting on lily pads.
Write a special letter to a grandparent in the Library, inspired by the book My Nonno Loves.
TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST @ LUNCH
FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST @ LUNCH
STORY SCULPTORS
WATERCOLOUR WONDER
Create air-dry clay characters inspired by the shortlisted CBCA books in the Library.
Join our art teachers in the art room to create beautiful watercolour paintings inspired by the book Dawn.
WEDNESDAY 26TH AUGUST @ LUNCH
FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST @ RECESS & LUNCH
LILY PAD LEAPS
THE GREAT BIBLE HUNT
Make your way to the oval to participate in relay races.
Collect your clue sheet from the Library to search for teachers dressed as Bible characters or Bible objects around the College. Use the clues to help find each teacher. Submit completed sheets to Mrs Drowley by the end of lunchtime. The team with the most correct answers in the fastest time wins.
2028 PREP APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN Families with a sibling born between 1st January 2022 to 30th April 2023 are invited to apply now for 2028 Prep entry. Applications are received online.
ATTENTION YEAR 6 PARENTS: CHROMEBOOK PROGRAM Students in Year 7 next year will need a College-approved device. The Secondary ICT Device Program means that parents no longer need to source their own device. We will provide you with further information about this Program shortly. Please do not purchase a device for Secondary School.
COLLEGE UNIFORM UPDATE WARDROBE SUITE
The new approach to our uniforms is to have a “Wardrobe Suite”. This means that on cooler days, students can wear warmer uniform pieces, and on warmer days students can wear lighter uniform pieces, irrespective of the time of year. Alongside this, families have received an updated Uniform Policy and a visual Uniform Wardrobe Guide to support clear expectations. As you consider uniform options, please be reminded that the Sport uniform can only be worn on allocated Sport days. Please be advised that the new shirt with the black piping is for girls only.
If you are buying a boy’s shirt, please ensure there is no black piping.
NEW GUIDE AVAILABLE Further details, including key expectations and visual examples, can be found by clicking below: UNIFORM POLICY UNIFORM WARDROBE GUIDE
5/6 STEAM OZHARVEST FEAST PROGRAM CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Greetings parents, As part of the 5/6 STEAM program in Term 3 students will be participating in a program called FEAST (Food Education and Sustainability Training) where they will learn about food, food waste, nutrition and develop basic cooking skills. The students are very excited about this unit of work after its huge success last year and are looking forward to learning all new curriculum and all new recipes that they are encouraged to try at home! There will be 5 cooking sessions in total - 4 that will take place every Week A Monday starting 3rd August until the end of term and a 5th session on Friday 11th September. The practical nature of the cooking classes requires additional adult supervision. We are looking for 4-5 volunteers to assist with the cooking sessions each week.
If you are able to assist with all 4 classes you would be required from 10:40am until 3:15pm. Otherwise we would love your help for a 2 hour slot, either with: Year 5s from 10:45am to 12:45pm Year 6s from 1:15pm to 3:15pm The dates are 17/08, 31/08, 11/09, 14/09. Continued over page...
During the lesson you will be required to do the following:
Wear enclosed shoes (no thongs, sandals or high heels) and suitable clothing such as long pants and a comfortable top Arrive 15 minutes prior to the lesson starting to help set up Lead a small group of 5 children through preparing their set recipes and make sure they are being safe and handling all food properly Monitoring safe food handing and working conditions including; trip hazards (power cords), knife safety and hygiene Electric fry pans must be supervised closely Assist with clean up and re-packing all equipment If you are able to Volunteer, you must have completed the School Volunteer Induction which involves having a current Working with Children Check. Please DM Mrs McDonnell through SEQTA indicating the dates and times that you would be able to help us out. On behalf of the students, your assistance in helping this program be a success is greatly appreciated. Many thanks,
Gillian McDonnell STEAM Teacher
Understanding the VCE Years Help for those who have never had a child undertake VCE Do you want to understand more about VCE in Australia? Do you want to know more about all the pathways available to Victorian students? Join us for our Understanding the VCE Years Information Evening, designed for parents of students in Years 6–10 who have not previously had a child complete the VCE. How and when do students choose subjects? What meaning do exams have in the scope of the study score? What if a student doesn’t feel called to do one of the Big 4 professions – Medicine, Law, Engineering or Teaching? What do all of those V’s mean (VTAC, VCAA, VCE, VM, VSL, VSV, and VET) and how do they influence the senior years of schooling?
11th August 2026 6:30pm-7:30pm I Pathway Forge
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER This seminar does not replace the Year 10 Information Evening or the VCE/VM Information Evening. Questions and topics will be specific to those who have a child approaching the VCE years.
NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE’S Production of
A musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia)
! T U O D L O S T S O M L A PURCHASE TICKETS HERE Plenty Ranges Arts & Convention Centre 35 Ferres Blvd, South Morang
THE PREMIERS' READING CHALLENGE The Premiers' Reading Challenge is finishing on Friday, 4th September. Please ensure that all books read are uploaded by Tuesday, 1st September. This allows our Library staff time to verify the books students have read, so that students don’t miss out on receiving their official certificate! Thanks for being part of the Premiers' Reading Challenge. We can’t wait to celebrate students' reading success!
A NOTE FOR FAMILIES
Much of what Mr. Nelson gathers from around the college remains untouched
At Northside, we are passionate about caring for God's creation and being wise stewards of the resources He has entrusted to us. Recently, we have been collecting food and organic waste and have noticed a significant amount of food being thrown away each day. The property services team has been collecting large quantities of uneaten sandwiches, rolls, yogurt pouches, milk, and fresh fruit from around the College, much of which has never even been touched. We would love to partner with our families to help reduce this unnecessary waste. We encourage you to have a conversation with your child about the importance of eating the food packed for them and being honest if there are items they regularly don't enjoy. Rather than quietly placing food in the bin, we encourage students to respectfully speak with the person who prepares or provides their lunch so that, together, you can find solutions that work for everyone.
REDUCE WASTE
SAVE MONEY
TEACH GRATITUDE
These simple conversations can help reduce waste, save money, and teach our students valuable lessons about gratitude, stewardship, and respectful communication. Thank you for partnering with us as we seek to care for one another and for God's creation.
7 TIPS FOR TRANSITIONING TO POSITIVE PARENTING So, you're tired of the disconnection and power struggles that traditional parenting techniques bring and you're ready to give positive parenting an honest go, like this mother did. But you're not sure where to start. If you're a newbie to positive parenting, these tips should help ease the transition.
Tip #1: Reframe Parenting Goals and Roles It's really helpful to get out of the mindset that you must control your child's behaviour. That's an exhausting endeavour, and a feat you'll never accomplish because, in the end, the only person you can ever really control is yourself. The goal of positive parenting is to raise thoughtful children with a strong sense of what is good and right and the inspiration and selfdiscipline to reach their highest potential. That means your role is model, encourager, and mentor. I like to say I went from punisher to healer. Rather than punishing my child when his behaviour got off track, I looked for the inner hurt that was causing his bad behaviour and did my best to heal that hurt, whether it was disconnection, tiredness, hunger, or frustration.
Tip #2: Reframe Discipline I've come to think of discipline in a different way. As I was trying to set a daily rhythm for our homeschool, my plans kept failing. I'd start the school year off with a bang, but several weeks in, our routine would slip, I would be less consistent with sticking to my predetermined schedule, and frustration would creep in. I realised I needed more discipline to keep a tight, consistent routine for the long haul. Did this mean I needed someone to come and sit me in a corner when I got off schedule? Of course not! What I needed was inner motivation and better time management skills, not punishment. I think of discipline in the same way now for my children. My goal is always to teach them how to govern themselves – their emotions, spaces, time, behaviour, etc. Therefore, I ask "what does he need right now to build self-discipline?" The answer has never been an arbitrary punishment.
Get Ahold of Yourself This is probably the most challenging aspect of positive parenting, controlling your own thoughts, words, and actions. Old patterns are difficult to break, and you may find that you slip back into negative thinking, yelling, or a desire to punish often. Like everything, practice makes you better. The more you choose a helpful or positive thought over a toxic thought or to step away and take a deep breath when you're angry, the easier it will become for your brain to take that new pathway.
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7 TIPS FOR TRANSITIONING TO POSITIVE PARENTING
Tip #4: Get Your Partner On Board This is such a huge subject that I wrote a whole book about it. (Go ahead and pre-order it!) You can't control your partner either, but you can inspire and influence him/her. Explain the brain science behind your change of parenting, your goals, and your new plan. Make sure your partner understands that this is not permissive parenting (a common worry I hear). Start by having a discussion to answer the following questions: 1. I feel that my partner is a good parent because____. 2. I feel that my role as a parent is to ___. 3. My parents were ___ and I feel that was ___. 4. It's most important to me for my child to be ___. These questions provide a good jumping off point to find your common ground. I recommend posing the question and taking turns answering each one and then letting the conversation flow.
Tip #5: Learn How to Decode Behaviour Understanding what's driving your child's behaviour is key in coaching her toward improvement. You'll have to become quite a good detective. We often want to punish children for simple immaturity and childish behaviour that we find inconvenient. While blatant disrespect for people and property should not be tolerated, rowdiness, tears, overwhelming emotions, and poor ability to handle difficult situations don't need punished so much as they need worked through. Time takes care of many "misbehaviours" because it allows your child's brain to grow and mature. Example and mentoring take care of the rest.
Tip #6: Become a Problem-Solver I've said before, "Look for solutions rather than punishments. Children need to learn how to fix their mistakes, not just pay for them." Sometimes the solution might look like a consequence (taking away a toy that keeps getting thrown or making a child earn money to pay for a broken or wasted item) but the intent behind the lesson – and the empathy that accompanies it – will mean the difference between a punishment and a solution. The goal is to empower and encourage children to right their wrongs and fix their mistakes, and this should feel good, not bad. If it is attached to shame – "You naughty child!" – it will feel bad. If it is presented in a positive light – "Oops, mistakes happen. I know you'll think of a fantastic way to fix this, and I'll help you if you need me"- this facilitates learning.
Tip #7: Grace for All Children need to be given grace while they learn and grow. Parents do, too! As you embark on this new journey, there are bound to be a few hiccups along the way. Don't beat yourself up. Be your own gentle, encouraging friend.