PRIMARY NEWS TE RM 3 , WE E K 5 | 1 4TH AUGUS T 2 02 6
A MESSAGE FROM MR JOHN LONGLEY There has been plenty to celebrate across the Primary School this week! I particularly enjoyed seeing the Year 2 Stop Motion films, where students creatively demonstrated scientific processes and forces through examples such as bending materials, cooking an egg and even eating food. As we enter National Science Week, I encourage our families to share in the wonder of exploring God's creation. The more we discover about the complexity and beauty of the world around us, the more reasons we find to praise our Creator for His wonderful works. There is also a growing sense of excitement as Mary Poppins performance week draws closer! Many Primary students are involved in the cast, ensemble and dance troupe, while our Prep to Year 2 students will perform a choir item with Mrs Kim during the intermissions of the evening performances. After months of preparation, it is wonderful to see everything becoming practically perfect as our young performers prepare to step onto the stage! I hope our community will rally around them and encourage their creativity. A sincere thank you to the staff and parents who have invested so much time and energy into making this special opportunity possible. Congratulations also to our Year 5/6 Mixed Netball Team, who competed at the Regional Finals today following their historic Division victory. Continued over page...
Next week, they will compete again at the Christian Schools Event Network Championships. We are incredibly proud of the teamwork, encouragement and determination these students continue to demonstrate as they make the most of every opportunity. Go Saints! Finally, Book Week is only one week away, so it is time to get those costumes ready! We look forward to our Book Parade on the morning of Friday 28 August. Alongside our student prizes, this year we will also recognise the bestdressed parent or guardian and best-dressed under-5, so our youngest community members and their families can join the fun too! May God bless you and your family too,
Mr John Longley Director of Primary
ARE YOU LEAVING NORTHSIDE? Families that are not returning to Northside in 2027 must advise the College as soon as possible. Families must submit a completed withdrawal form before the last day of Term 3 (Thursday 17th September 2026). Families who withdraw late in 2026 may be required to pay a term's fee in lieu of notice. Families may choose to have an exit interview with the relevant Director of Learning. Please indicate your request on the form and an interview will be arranged on your behalf. These may take place by telephone or in person at the College. Withdrawal forms are available at Reception and emailed to enrol@ncc.vic.edu.au. Please contact the Enrolments team if you have any questions.
PRIMARY ASSEMBLY Monday 17th August, 9:00am – 9:40am Parents are invited to join our Chapel session at Encompass Church. Enjoy a special visit from Ms Westland, who will share some exciting news about our upcoming musical, Mary Poppins. Our Musical Cast will also delight us with a song from the show!
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. 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 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 Year 5-6 Community Service
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 Year 5-6 Community Service
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 Friday 11th September: Year 5-6 Community Service
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 Wednesday 16th September: Prep Bush Kinder Incursion 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 ELIZA, PREP: UNITY For consistently demonstrating our College Pillar of Unity by working cooperatively with her peers, sharing thoughtfully, and including others in classroom activities. Beautiful effort, Eliza!
LUCAS, PREP: IDENTITY For putting thought and effort into your writing. It is amazing to see how far you have come in such a short time. I am so proud of you Lucas!
SAMUEL, YEAR 1: UNITY For showing unity by helping set up the classroom environment for others to be ready to learn. ALEX BERNARDO, YEAR 1: IDENTITY For working hard to complete your Inquiry work and share what you know about how jobs have changed. You have demonstrated making great choices to help your learning. Keep up the great work! KINGSLEY, YEAR 2: HONOUR For consistently making positive choices in the classroom by listening carefully and being ready to learn. Your responsible attitude sets a wonderful example for others. ELIJAH O, YEAR 2: IDENTITY This term, you have demonstrated our College Value of Identity by showing a positive attitude towards your learning and always striving to do your best. Your encouragement of others to stay focused and work hard has been a wonderful example to those around you. Congratulations!
PRIMARY NORTHSIDE
EXCELLENCE AWARDS MADDISON, YEAR 3: IDENTITY For displaying growing confidence in yourself and recognising the wonderful creation of God that you are. You have strengthened your identity in Christ and are exhibiting this in all areas of the College. Well done!
WILLIAM, YEAR 3 : IDENTITY For your persaverence and effort in showing good behaviour and trying hard with your handwriting when writing a descriptive text.
CYNTHIA, YEAR 3: HONOUR For demonstrating the College Value of Honour by consistently completing your work to a high standard and taking pride in your achievements. Your dedication and positive attitude towards learning have been wonderful to see. Well done!
UNA, YEAR 4: IDENTITY Una, for demonstrating wonderful self-control and regulating your emotions and actions throughout this week. You have shown growth in living out our school value of Identity by making wise choices and responding intentionally in challenging situations. Thank you for reflecting Christ's character through your actions.
JESHURUN, YEAR 4: FAITH For your awesome contributions to our class bible study discussions. Your enthusiasm in sharing and your depth of knowledge are an inspiration to your class and your teacher.
PRIMARY NORTHSIDE
EXCELLENCE AWARDS LEA-ROSE, YEAR 4: IDENTITY For consistently setting a great example for others through your patient, polite, and considerate attitude. You often put others' needs before your own and show patience and grace in many small ways, living the values Jesus taught. Your small acts of grace make a big difference and are noticed and appreciated! JUDE, YEAR 5 : FAITH Your perseverance and growing faith in yourself have been wonderful to see, especially in Mathematics, where you continue to push through even when the work feels challenging. Your determination, positive attitude, and joyful spirit make our classroom a brighter place every day.
SURI, YEAR 5: IDENTITY It has been such a blessing to watch you blossom into a dependable and loyal friend. You continue to take risks in your learning to push yourself to face your fears, demonstrating that real courage is in trying. With your identity rooted in Christ, you eagerly respond with compassion to the needs of others around you, just as Jesus would. You are incredible, Suri. Shine on! PAUL, YEAR 6: FAITH For making such a positive start to the term and showing a huge improvement in your submission of homework. You have deepened your level of comprehension and shown an increased maturity toward your school work. Well done! MADELEINE, YEAR 6: IDENTITY For your responsiveness to feedback from your teachers, and for representing Northside in such a responsible and positive manner at various sports competitions. We are so proud of your maturity and willingness to be accountable. Keep it up, Mads!
TOYS FOR KIDS FUNDRAISER THANK YOU! A huge thank you to all of our students, families and staff who supported our Toys for Kids Fundraiser.
TOGETHER WE RAISED
$950.10 The money raised will be used by our VCE VM students to purchase toys and essential items for children in local families experiencing hardship. These gifts will be distributed through the Skybus FoodBank program, helping bring some joy and practical support to families in our community. Thank you for your generosity and for helping us make a real difference to those in need.
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.
SEEDS OF SCIENCE: NURTURING SCIENCE FOR ALL
SCIENCE WEEK DAILY ACTIVITIES MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Daily Quiz on Schoology
Daily Quiz on Schoology
Daily Quiz on Schoology
Daily Quiz on Schoology
Daily Quiz on Schoology
Dress up day!
Grade 4-6 incursion: Time for Tech
LUNCH TIME ACTIVITIES AND DEMONSTRATIONS KEY EVENTS
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
1-minute Demo: “Instant crystal seeds”
LUNCHTIME ACTIVITY
Scavenger Hunt: Seeds of Science From Tiny Beginnings
Kahoot competition for: Lower Primary Upper Primary
Virus simulation seeds that spread and protect!
Kahoot competition for: Lower Secondary Senior Secondary
WHERE
Science Lab 601 and School Grounds
Science Labs 601
Science Labs 601
Science Labs 601
Science Lab 601
ORGANISER
Ms Ngiam and Student leaders
Mrs Eng and Student leaders
Ms Ngiam and Mr Khater
Mrs Eng and Student leaders
Ms Ngiam and Ms Pasztetnik
Prizes given for the Daily Quiz and Scavenger Hunt winners!
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
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.
Continued over page...
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.
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