Last week we were fortunate to be visited by Jenny Moody, Director, Educational Leadership Newcastle and Tim McCallum, Executive Director, School Performance, Regional North Operational Directorate. Both visitors congratulated Jasmine and Archie on their warm welcome to Stockton Public School. Tim and Jenny visited a maths lesson in Mrs Thomas’ classroom and Year 6 bucket drumming lesson with Mr Kelleher. Both were wonderful lessons and showcased our school perfectly. Thank you to both Mrs Thomas and Mr Kelleher for allowing us into your classrooms. It was a fabulous opportunity for me to boast about our school, our fabulous educators and wonderful children. As you already know I am extremely proud of Stockton Public School.
SAS STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK
This week is SAS Appreciation Week. Our SAS staff are all of our administrative staff, general assistants and our student learning support officers. I am extremely grateful for the dedication these staff members display. We cannot do our job without them. From helping us with reading, to putting a cold compress on sick children’s foreheads, from mowing the grass to fixing broken things around the school, from sorting out our computer issues to answering our telephones, their hard work does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. A HUGE thanks to Mrs Golsby, Mrs Bell, Mrs Sewell, Mrs Luxford, Mr Castle, Miss Lantry, Dan Flaus, Jacqui Flaus, Ms Connell, Miss Anderson, Mr Dunford, Mr Heath and Mr Sewell.
Kindergarten and Preschool 2021
We are taking enrolments for preschool and kindergarten 2021. To enable us to correctly estimate enrolments and staff the school appropriately for 2021, any parents enrolling new children P-6 need to complete enrolment forms as soon as possible. Please let any neighbours and friends in the local area know that we are enrolling now. Please be reminded that if you live out of zone I am unable to confirm an enrolment even for siblings at this point in time. This is dependent on current and new enrolments across the school K-6. Please see the school website for current enrolment procedures. Please contact the school office if you have any questions or concerns.
We will be holding our Kindergarten Parents Information session virtually on Monday 31 August at 5:30 pm. We will be using Zoom to meet with all parents who have enrolled their child/ren at Stockton Public School. Please RSVP to the school email address so that you can be provided with the link for our Zoom meeting next Monday. This information session will give parents an overview and insight to Stockton Public School and our kindergarten programs.
COMMUNICATION
I have had some great feedback lately in regards to communication. It has been tricky for us all not allowing parents on the grounds in the mornings or the afternoons for the incidental conversations that happen. You may have noticed lately all email communications from teachers to parents are sent from the school email address. As a staff we have looked at staff wellbeing and one big impact on teacher’s lives are emails. We live in a society where we are well connected, over connected at times. Some teachers are receiving emails or Seesaw messages well into the evening, at a time when they cannot solve nor discuss issues or questions. I encourage you to send all communications to teachers to the school email stockton-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Our office staff check the school’s email account consistently during the day and any incoming emails for staff are forwarded during business hours 9-3. Staff will then respond by either email from the school email address or phone at their earliest convenience. They may try to contact you just before school starts or just after it finishes. Please note that email communication is not a private platform so if you have any confidential information you would like to share with a teacher could you please do so by phone or send an email requesting the teacher contacts you. I appreciate this is a different process to the past, but is one that looks after our teachers' wellbeing. Thank you very much.
ATTENDANCE
The following information comes from ‘School Attendance in Government Schools – Procedures’.
Regular attendance at school for every student is essential if students are to achieve their potential, and increase their career and life options. Schools in partnerships with parents are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. While parents are legally responsible for the regular attendance of their children, school staff, as part of their duty of care, record and monitor part and whole day absences. Parents are responsible for providing an explanation for absences by means such as a telephone call, written note, Skoolbag notification or email to the school within 7 days from the first day of any period of absence. If your child is absent from school, please contact the school on days of absence or explain the absence/s within 7 days (from the first day of being absent) with a written note, telephone call, Skoolbag notification, in person or via email. Partial absences (late arrivals and early leaving) must also be explained by a parent. If you drop your child at school late and he/she presents at the office for a late slip, he/she will be marked as a partial absence, no explanation. All absences must be explained. Parents will be contacted to explain this.
Last week the revised Department of Education guidelines and recommendations for COVID restrictions were posted on Facebook, Skoolbag and Seesaw. These revised guidelines did not cause too much change in our operations but were certainly good reminders. Please remember no adults are allowed on the school site unless deemed essential visitors. If you need a uniform, are dropping off your child late to school or picking up early, or you have any questions or queries please phone the school office or email the school email address. Thank you for your continued support during these difficult times for everyone.
Kind regards
Ms Jodie Holt
Principal
