Stockton Public School Newsletter

Term 2 Week 6: 1 June 2022

From the Principal

Well hasn't the weather changed this week....Winter is certainly here!

Uniform

I make no apologies for insisting that students are in navy jumpers. It is school uniform. I am, and always have been, impressed that the uniform at Stockton Public School is so good! Winter notoriously brings in random jumper, hoodies and beanies. I call these “weekend wear”. We have a collection of second hand jumpers for students to change into if they come in “weekend wear” to school. Weekend sports jumpers are not school uniform. Please remember the school office have second hand jumpers if your child needs one, and also sell new jumpers. You can even call the office to order, pay online on the school website and your child will be wearing the jumper within the next 10 minutes.


Stockton Public School past students

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting some ex-Stockton Public School students. Mr Alan Proud, Mr Peter Nicholson and Mr Dennis Harvey went to Stockton Public School as primary school aged students back in the 1950's. It was lovely to hear their fond memories of Stockton Public School. I’m sure you will not be surprised to hear that there were lots of changes since then, but structurally it is the school they remember.

Some notable memories

– H Block was the girls part of the school – that is where 3/4S, 4/5A and 3/4G are this year.

- B and C Block – where are infants classes are – was the boys school – the senior part of the school.

- They remember a shop across the road in Lomond Street that were allowed to go and buy food sometimes.

- They remember a teacher who used to live on a boat on the harbour side of Stockton.

It is always so lovely to hear stories from past Stockton Public School students. I have included some photos below. It is hard to envisage the SPS they knew, but nice to keep the stories alive.

 

National Reconciliation Week

This week is National Reconciliation Week 'Be Brave, Make change' is a "challenge for us all to Be Brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can Make Change for all” Reconciliation week starts on the 55th anniversary of the change to the census to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with thanks to the 1967 referendum. SPS classes will be recognising Reconciliation Week in lessons this week. We have a responsibility to uphold the respect and recognition of culture, history and achievements of our first nations people.

 

Sport

Weather is playing havoc with our sport plans. We are beginning to think Mr K is the jinx for the PSSA cricket. Their 2nd round was cancelled yesterday, which was probably best as I think they would have been blown off the ballast. Hopefully we will have a reschedule date soon. Girls and boys soccer was rescheduled last week until 9/6. The girls netball gala day is on today - cold conditions but that's winter sport. Congratulations to the girls rugby league team who played with great sportsmanship last week. The girls played in the Rebecca Young Gala Day and had the pleasure of meeting and having a photo with the namesake Rebecca Young. Interesting fact: Rebecca Young is an ex-Stockton Public School student. Thank you to the parents who are helping out with transport. Thank you to the teachers who have shown great patience and flexibility in pivoting with the unpredictable weather conditions.


SRC

Yesterday afternoon we had our very first Student Representative Council meeting. It was an enthusiastic bunch of students who were keen to share their ideas with me. We will meet at least twice per term where I can hear from the students. Each representative was voted in by his/her class peers. Our school leaders are automatic members of the SRC. This group of students will be the SRC representatives until the end of the year. Next year our SRC members will be the class representatives for a semester. Yesterday's topic of discussion was our next PBL reward day. Today they will to go back to their respective classes and hold a final vote before the decision will be made. My apologies I thought all SRC members received their badges at our Week 5 Celebration assembly.  I was on leave that day and have found out yesterday afternoon that the students did not get their badges. I will find a time to bring the whole school together to hand out them out. I look forward to working with these students throughout the year.


Have a wonderful fortnight

Ms Jodie Holt

Principal

Stockton Public School visitors

Our first SRC meeting

Girls Rugby League team

Celebration Assembly

On Monday 23rd May, all students and staff attended our very first whole school Celebration Assembly. It has been a long wait between school assemblies (thanks Covid!), so we were all very excited to be together to acknowledge student achievements so far this year. 

Congratulations to our SRC members, sporting legends and Shore award winners! 

Our Celebration Assemblies will be hosted in weeks 5 and 10 of each term. We hope to open our assemblies once again to parents, carers and families, so watch this space for updates. 

Mrs Windred 

Year 6 Fundraising BBQ

On Saturday 21 May, Year 6 students and parent volunteers ran an election day BBQ to help raise money for Year 6 end of year activities. 

Although it was a wet day, smiles remained on everyone's faces and we managed to raise $600. 

This money will help fund:

  • Year 6 farewell
  • Printing of their year book
  • End of year celebration


A huge thank you to all those students and parents who volunteered their time! A BIG shout out to Ella R and Hayley A who were manning the stall most of the day.

GRIP Leadership Conference

On Tuesday 24th May, our school leaders and Mrs Windred visited the 2022 Grip leadership Conference at Civic Theatre Newcastle. 

It was a great opportunity for our captains and prefects to learn skills to improve leadership, teamwork and creating ideas to better improve our school. 

A special thanks to the P&C who generously helped subsidise part of the ticket cost. 

We look forward to attending again next year!

Our Little Artists

Last term, KW and and 1/2T worked collaboratively with a local artist named Sue Prior.

Sue has completed an artwork for The Year of the Tiger and asked Stockton PS  to create some tiger artworks to accompany her art.

With our artworks combined, Sue has created a display in a shop front in the Hunter Street mall. This shopfront is located opposite the old David Jones building near the bookstore.

Be sure to check it out next time you're at the mall. 

Reading at Stockton Public School

Zones of Regulation

ZONES OF REGULATION - WHAT IS SELF-REGULATION?

Well, let’s break it down.  “Self” means you/me.  “Regulation” means the process of being in control or to have management. So, add these two terms together and you get “self-regulation”. Self-regulation means you/me being in control and having management of ourselves.

Self-regulation is a skill that many children have a difficult time learning and achieving without help. In a given day, a child (and adults) encounters multiple situations and circumstances that require an awareness of self and others as well as the ability to have or gain self-control.

The Zones of Regulation program helps children to identify, address and use strategies to achieve good self-control and emotional regulation in a non-judgmental and safe way. Using the zones helps to take the focus off of the child as being “good” or “bad” and places the focus on obtaining control to get back to the “green zone.” Zones of Regulation teaches children how to recognise the relationship between emotions, feelings, and their internal “state of being” with the behaviours and actions that we see. 

Behaviour Code for students

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School Office News

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.

School Security Hotline

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.

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Stockton Public School