Stockton Public School Newsletter

WOW!! What a fortnight we have had! It has been really busy and will continue to be until the end of the term. We have had a netball gala day, an author visit, a visit from Newcastle High School for Year 6 students, a cricket game, AFL sports sessions, a soccer gala day for girls and boys and an athletics carnival. Thank goodness for the long weekend – I think we all needed a break.

Further down in the newsletter is events comin up – please keep your eye on it as we are going full steam ahead into the school holidays.

Thank you to all of the parents that helped out at our Athletics Carnival with events or in the canteen. We are very grateful for your help. Thank you to Mr Gilshenan for his organisation of the carnival. It was a fabulous day. Thank you to the team of teachers that helped with organisation and on the day. I am always proud to be a part of the team of staff here that support each other and put the students' interests first. Thank you to the teachers who have put up their hand to lead sports groups. It is always a huge feat in organisation with notes and transport. But the benefits are always in watching the students get involved.

Have a fabulous fortnight

Ms Jodie Holt

Principal

On Wednesday 1 June years 3-6 were lucky to attend a workshop by the very talented Sami Bayly. Sami is a natural history illustrator who loves all things weird and wonderful. She finds the beauty and importance of all animals regardless of their appearance.

Sami's first book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals, won the Children's Indie Book of the Year Award and the Australian Book Design Awards. It received the Honour Award for the CBCA Eve Pownall Award and was shortlisted for the ABIA Book of the Year for Younger Children and the ABA Booksellers' Choice 2020 Book of the Year Awards.

Her second book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals, received the Honour Award for the CBCA Eve Pownall Award and was shortlisted for the Children's Indie Book of the Year Award, the ABIA Book of the Year for Younger Children and the Queensland Literacy Awards for the Children’s Book of The Year. She has recently released a third book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature.

To keep up to date you can follow Sami on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samibayly/

PSSA Soccer Gala Day

On Friday, an incredibly talented group of soccer players set off for Adamstown Oval for the PSSA Gala Day. The girls' first game was against Newcastle East. With amazing assistance, Layla scored 3 goals to tie the game. We went into 5 minutes of extra time down 4 corners to 1. Superb attack and defence enabled us to end up with more corners and winning the game! Our round 2 game was against Hamilton, while everyone did their very best, we went down 5 -1. Then came the fun third game where positions were swapped and a great time was had. Super team work led to another wonderful win.

The boys first game was against Fern Bay where they won 4 – 1. Unfortunately, an incredibly strong Kotara South team beat us 4 – 0 in the second game. However, we finished with a strong performance, 5 – 4, against Cessnock West. Special mention goes to Sam who scored his first goal ever! Kenny, who received the referee man of the match for his goal keeping exploits. And to Kingston who was the outstanding player of the day.

We would like to thank all players for their superb teamwork and sportsmanship, parents who were able to provide transport, and Mrs Miller and Mr Gilshennen for their outstanding coaching and Mrs Manning who was called in from the bench to assist on the day.

Please note we are not accepting cash at the front office. Please call the office and arrange to make a payment. Payments can be made via our website using the "Make a Payment" link or tapping your card on our EFTPOS machine from the Clyde Street gate.

You may be unaware that our school does not have an internal phone system. We are also cohorting as a staff and our office ladies cannot enter all classrooms across the school. For that reason, as from 2.00pm we will not be taking and passing messages to students about changing pick up arrangements at the end of the school day. It is a difficult process to get messages to classrooms as they are now on a staggered leaving time plan. We also run the risk of the message not making it to your child and then perhaps leaving a child stranded or anxious about the change in  plans. It is paramount that your child knows how they are getting home each day before they come to school each morning. This will avoid disappointment and confusion in the afternoons when parents/carers call and we tell you that we are unable to fulfil the request.

Should you become aware of a security incident at our school please contact the School Security Unit's hotline 24/7 on 1300 88 00 21.