Thankyou

Well, we finally made it! We managed to pack all our shoeboxes of love and send them off to the Samaritans’ Purse, ready to be sent overseas. Thankyou to all the families who participated in this project, allowing their children to perform a very special kind of community service right before the season of giving starts.
I would also like to publicly publish a massive thanks to Mrs Susan Lock (Teacher in the Mead Room) for her tenacity, patience, unfailing positivity, organisation and, above all else, her time for keeping this project moving in the right direction. Susan only works three days a week but in the past few weeks you may have mistakenly thought she was now full time, she spent so much of her personal time organising shoeboxes (including long days on the weekend!)
I watched as Susan assisted children to pack their boxes, letting them take their time to make their choices, never rushing them or choosing for them. I can guarantee that every child who packed a box with Susan gave the box a big hug and kiss and an extra bit of love before it was placed on the pile. Dedicated to the children owning the process to the end, yesterday she enlisted the assistance of the Chapple and Edgerley children to pack the boxes into the car ready to go, sent with love and hope.
If you feel inspired by Susan’s efforts please visit a giving tree this Christmas and give your child the time to choose a gift for another child less fortunate than them in Australia, there are plenty of them out there. What your child receives in empowerment and hope will far outweigh the value of the $20 gift.
Thankyou Mrs Lock for making sure we know how important it is to care.

In the Classrooms

Langley
We have had an opportunity to have a closer look at some of our feathered friends this week courtesy of The Nature Education Centre. The children have been fascinated with the features of the parrots; the claws and the beaks and the texture of the feathers. We have recorded the children’s thoughts and used paints to represent our discoveries.
“There’s his claws. He’s a sharp birdie. A birdie, it colour, the colour on it” Ryan observed.
“It feels like soft. He’s got big teeth. Does he want to talk? All the feet not working, they’re not working. Those ones are kind feathers” said Alec.
“It’s got claws and eyes and a beak. He’s tired. Its soft feathers, blue, blue and dreen (green)” Ruby told us.
“The bird not moving because they don’t have any batteries” Tommi suggested!
We look forward to further observing our live feathered friends around the center!
Kind regards,Jess, Adele, Kerry and Jennifer

Mead
"I'm writing a letter to my Uncle Bob the Builder" Ollie said as he busily wrote at our writing table.
"I'm making my very own book", Henry told us.
Many letters, books and other literary forms have been written this week as the Mead children have really explored and practised their letter formation, and used their imagination in many different ways. The children are also loving signing in and out as they arrive and depart the room, in the 'Sign in book'.
"If I draw some lines I can write really neatly now," Charlie H proudly exclaimed!
"I can't forget to sign in every day, otherwise you wont know I am here!" Ryan reminded us.
Emma, Susan and Emma

Cooper
In Cooper we have been reading the story Witch Witch Please Come to My Party, a repetitive story with many fantasy characters. This started the children thinking about parties and invitations. Several children played at the writing table making invitations (in their three year old writing)...
"It’s for a picnic" explained Erin, "at eight thirty."
"For my Mum and Dad. A show" said Daisy deciding it would be at six o'clock.
"Show, show" exclaimed Fergus.
"It’s an invitation... for Maya when it’s her birthday" said Jasmine. "How do you say 'Love from Jasmine'?" she asked as she wrote.
The children drew pictures and decorated their invitations and stuck photos of themselves on. They folded the invitations and put them in envelopes and remembered to write the name of the guest on the front. We have displayed our writing work in the room - the children have proudly been showing their friends and have inspired even more invitation making!
Kind regards,
Ali and Susan

Chapple
This week in the Chapple Room we have been talking about what it means to be a good friend. A good friend is someone who lets you join in, is kind and thinks about you, isn’t bossy and when you decide on things together. We’ve also had a wonderful sharing our favourite storybooks with each other during Show and Tell time. One of the most surprising finds was that some books don’t have illustrations, but you can make your own pictures in your head while you read them! Chapple children have been learning to write numbers and also to recognise numbers in our environment and understand why they are there. This week we all thought about the numbers on our mail boxes and drew pictures and wrote the numbers.

Edgerley
This week in Edgerley we have been very thoughtful authors, writing story’s for books that are sad, happy and non-fiction. Here are some of our titles.

Sad
“Grandma and Grandpa Died” by Aadi
“Little Black Riding Hood Gets the Fox” by Lachlan F

Happy
“The DJ” by Jamison
“Little Thomas and Other Stories” by Lachlan Th
“My Daddy and My Family” by Nickolas
“The Night Garden Tom and Jerry” by Francesco
"Thomas the Tank Engine and the Eastern Rosella” by Aadi

Non-Fiction
“Dougal” by Eddie
“Tris and Brian’s Wedding” by Jamison

We also finally created our own real wedding cake with five layers. It was super yummy and just the thing for our afternoon wedding.
Kind regards
Mel and Rosalie

A New Arrival

We would like to congratulate Austin and his Mum and Dad, Bonnie and Kurt, on the arrival of baby sister, Audrey Mae, on the 16th of October.
Congratulations from your extended familiy at Princes ELC

Multi DVD Burner

Dear Parents,
We have been dismally unsuccessful in our attempts to burn copies of our artsPACes multi media presentation that the children prepared and performed in!!! We would ideally like to burn a copy for every family free of charge. We are hoping that a family may have a multi DVD burner that we could either borrow or pass the master copy and blank DVD’s to have copies made. If you are able to help us out please let us know. We have had many requests for copies so if we are unable to find a multi burner we will still offer the DVD but for the price of professional copying.
Thanks
Mel

Summer Shorts

New microfiber maroon shorts for two year olds are now available at Princes on Parade for sale. These shorts are lightweight, comfortable and dry quickly. We hope to have microfiber shorts in bigger sizes available in the future.

Information for Expectant Mothers – Slap Face

Dear Parents,
We have had a single isolated case of Fifth Disease (more commonly known as Slap Face) in the Langley room. By the time children present with a fever or the five fingered red mark on their cheek (hence the name slap face) they are no longer contagious but may be uncomfortable and need time off from Kindergarten. But more importantly Slap Face can be detrimental to pregnant mothers in their first trimester. If you are in this situation and concerned please see your doctor immediately.

Nativity RSVPs

Dear Parents,
Thankyou to all the families who returned their RSVP slips for children’s attendance at our annual Nativity. Children are currently waiting to find out what role they will play on the day and begin rehearsing in earnest. We are not able to assign these roles until the remaining eighteen families who have not returned their slips have passed them back. If your child’s slip is still outstanding please return it to us as soon as possible or e-mail Mrs Julie Porter at jporter@pac.edu.au indicating whether your child will be performing with us on Thursday the 18th of November. We require these responses urgently.
Thanking you in anticipation
Mel

Christmas Dates for Your Diary

Dear Parents,
thankyou for your patience, waiting for details about classroom christmas parties. Your P&F reps have done a wonderful job scheduling parties that don't clash and have also tried to avoid clashes with parties from our sister schools. Below are the details to date. Please add them to your diaries. In some cases more details will follow soon.

Mead Room Christmas Picnic:
27 November - Sausage sizzle with ‘Santa’s Little Helper’ at Bush Magic Park (at the Aquatic Centre, corner of Jeffcott Road / Fitzroy Terrace, North Adelaide), 10.00am onwards. Further details to follow closer to the time.

Langley Christmas Gathering:
20th November - 2pm – 4pm at Sasmee. Miniature trains at Goodwood.

Chapple Christmas Gathering:
21st November – Please look for more details on the classroom door

Cooper Christmas Gathering:
11th December – More details to come

In the Classrooms

Langley
This week the Langley children have been retelling their own versions of some familiar stories. We have investigated the story of the Three Little Pigs with puppets and other props. Oliver L decided that his story had a big bad dinosaur in it rather than a big bad wolf.
“But mine’s a dinosaur” Oliver explained.
“What’s the dinosaur going to do?” asked the Teacher.
“He going to blow the piggy house down” Oliver explained.
“It’s da wolf” explained Gabe to Oliver as he picked up the wolf puppet.
“Here a wolf” Oliver agreed as he picked up the toy wolf.
“Dere’s two!” observed Gabe excitedly.
Grace has also been telling us her own version of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt;
“We’re going on a bear hunt, we’re going to catch a big one, we’re not scared, we’re not scared. Uh oh! Grass! Swash, swash, swash!” she said as she read to the other children.
Kind regards,Jess, Adele, Kerry and Jennifer

Mead
"Run, run as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Girl!" Jade yelled excitedly.
After reading and exploring some different versions of the classic story 'The Gingerbread Man' this week, the Mead children have seized the theme with great energy! We have had role play, rivers running through our room, puppet making and have baked our very own gingerbread men.
"Gingerbread men aren't real. They're only in stories" Jesse told us as we mixed the biscuit recipe together.
"It's going to bake but it's not going to run away. It's not going to be a real one" Ryan explained to everyone.
"No, he will bake and then he will jump out (of the oven)" Ollie challenged.
"I will grab him and hold him and eat him" Elliott said, imitating gobbling something up.
Best wishes,
Emma, Susan and Emma
Cooper
The Cooper children love the song We're Going on a Lion Hunt and We're Not Scared! We have sung and sung and sung this song in our room. This week we went to look for places in our yard where we could hunt for lions: long grass, puddles, mud, a bridge and a cave. The ELC yard has so many good places for exploring and the children recited the song as they played, with lots of chopping and sploshing and tip toeing. At the end we had to shut the gate - bang! - safe from the lion. We found the Langley yard was a great place to hide!
Kind regards,
Ali and Susan

Chapple
This week in Chapple we have been exploring the topic ‘sink or float’. We have been experimenting with a range of different objects, and discussing what qualities make them sink or float.
Sam G discovered: I’m putting water in there (alfoil tray) and it makes more weight and it makes it sink.
Zac also experimented with the alfoil tray, remarking: If I put everything in there it will sink.
Hamish found an object that sinks and floats, saying: If you put the lid the right way it sinks because it has water in it but if you put it up the other way with no water it floats.
Also this week, we have been continuing with our Storymaker topic. We have been working hard to create a Fairytale setting, including a beanstalk, a castle complete with flags and paintings of our favourite characters. Please feel free to visit the Chapple room and explore the new decorations.
Eleanor and Kate

Edgerley
What a work out we gave the carpentry table this week in Edgerley. We shared a design for a wooden bird house that Hugo’s Dad had illustrated for us and talked about the different features. We were so excited to discover that Hugo’s Dad was going to come to Kindergarten to make it for us (and our Rosella’s). Inspired by all this construction talk we pounced on the carpentry table, comparing lengths of wood and discussing possible construction techniques. Aadi and Alan worked together to cut lengths of dowel for the children. Once they were attached to the bird houses I asked the children what they were.
“It’s the church for the bird” said Dougal
“The church?” I wondered aloud
“Yes, it is where the bird sits” clarified Aadi
“The church has to be long for the bird to fly on it” added Roshan
Finally I connected the dots, “Yes I see, what a great perch you have made” I said!

We also continued our fascination with weddings, particularly tiered wedding cakes, and created our own. Next week we plan to cook and assemble a real one! Thankyou to the Fleets for sending their wedding video in for us to view.
Kind regards
Mel and Rosalie

Desperate for Soft Toys

Dear Parents,
We have now run out of soft toys for our shoeboxes of love. If your child has completed a shoebox but you have not donated a small soft toy please pass one to Mrs Porter in the new week. If you can already hear the sleigh bells jingling and are dying to get into the giving season a month or so early we’d love you to pop out and purchase a small soft toy or two so that children can complete the final shoeboxes of love. What better excuse to go shopping!!
Thankyou
ELC Staff

Nativity RSVP

All families should now have received a note about the ELC Nativity on November 18th. Please return your RSVP slip to Mrs Porter as soon as possible as we would like to assign children their roles and begin practising. Spare forms are available from Mrs Porter if required.
Thankyou
Ali Blake

Nativity Costumes

Dear Parents,
We need broad sheet newspapers for part of our costuming preparations. If you have any donations of broadsheet newspapers please pass them to Mrs Porter at the front desk. We are also hoping that there may be some sewers out there amongst you who could help us with innkeeper and camel costumes. Thankyou to Estelle Chapple who has already volunteered. For those who like to keep their hands busy of an evening in front of the television we are also on the lookout for people who could help us stitch bells onto ribbons.
If you are able to assist please let Mrs Porter know.
Thankyou
Mel Bishop

Library Excursion

We will be visiting Norwood Library on Wednesday, 3rd November to investigate their children's section and hear some stories. The library is very kindly opening that morning especially for our ELC students and to thank them for this we would like to make a donation to the Friends of the Norwood, Payneham and St Peters Library Service. We invite all children attending this excursion to bring along a gold coin donation on the day which we will present to the library.
Thankyou
Ali Blake

Unlock the Secret of Happy Children

Have you ever wondered what things make children truly happy? The truth is quite surprising! Psychologist and author, Steve Biddulph, will be in Adelaide in November speaking about this very subject. Steve is the successful author of books such as Raising Boys, The Secret to Happy Children and Manhood and is well renowned for combining humour, powerful stories and practical help in a way that leaves parents inspired. Steve is a wonderful, knowledgeable (and sometimes painfully honest) speaker who will give every parent food for thought. Steve’s sessions and books come highly recommended by the staff of Princes ELC, he is a must see speaker. Get in early to avoid disappointment. Tickets can be booked via venuetix on 82258888 or www.venuetix.com.au. Tickets are $30 plus booking fee.

The Secret of Happy Children
Date: Tuesday 2nd November
Time: 7.30 – 9.15pm
Venue: The Journey Uniting Church, 2-30 Surrey Farm Drive, Golden Grove

The Secret of Happy Children
Date: Wednesday 3rd November
Time: 7.30 – 9.15pm
Venue: The Corner Uniting Church, Cnr Oaklands and Diagonal Roads, Warradale

Raising Boys
Date: Thursday 4th November
Time: 7.30 – 9.15pm
Venue: Adelaide West Uniting Church, 312 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Brooklyn Park

A New Arrival

We would like to congratulate Nathaniel and his Mum and Dad, Nicole and Anthony on the arrival of baby sister, Angelina, on the 12th of October. We would also like to thank Nathaniel’s family for allowing us to adopt the fish that now live outside Chapple room. They have been an immediate hit and are loved by the children!