23/12/2024
End of year message from our president
As the end of the 2024 school year has come, I want to re-cap the year we have had as the Hobartville P&C.
After attending the Celebration of Achievement ceremony I would like to congratulate all of the students on a wonderful year of achievement, learning and growth. I hope this year has brought you many happy times, created special memories and lasting friendships.
I want to acknowledge our dedicated teaching and support staff for educating, nurturing and helping our children navigate their way through their schooling experience. Thanks to Mr. O’Brien, and to Mr. Morton for being a positive liaison between the P&C and staff, and to Miss McMillan for collaboration between the SRC and P&C.
Appreciation also goes to the administration staff in the front office who work tirelessly, and often behind the scenes, to ensure the smooth running of each day, and assist the P&C with their endeavors. Also a special mention to Mr Kev who frequently helps us with the set up and pack up of events.
I would also like to personally thank my team. We have a team of over 20 members, many who gracefully donate their time to the P&C. The Executive meet regularly to plan and prepare for upcoming events and meetings. Thanks to Amanda Carly and Alycia for their hands on help and ideas; Kate for meticulous account keeping and treasury; and Savanna for documentation, Facebook communications and creativity. The team have worked tirelessly for the betterment of the school and community. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time at various events throughout the year.
2024 has been a very busy year for the P&C, with fundraising as a major part of what we do. Throughout the year we have hosted multiple events including fun food days; Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas stalls; morning teas at special events like Education week/Book parade and Easter hat parade; election BBQ and raffles. Our major events of the year were the disco and colour fun run. From these events we have raised around $16,000.
In 2024 we recognize the increased cost of living and household stress that occurs for some members of our community. We wanted to focus on bringing people together in a safe and familiar space, to create a sense of belonging to the community. The P&C have proudly introduced before school Mother’s Day and Father’s Day breakfasts’ as well as kindergarten parents meet and greet welcome morning tea. We have received a lot of positive feedback from these events, and it is wonderful to see so many families getting involved.
In May we celebrated our crucial Emergency Services. Our school was fortunate enough to be chosen to have the Westpac Life Saving Helicopter land on our oval. After much co-ordination we had the Richmond Fire and Rescue, Hawkesbury Police and Hawkesbury SES attend to speak with the students at stations about the importance of their services. The whole school also saw the helicopter land and listen to the pilots talk about the vital service.
In 2023 the P&C purchased many physical items for the school, where as this year we have contributed in a more subtle way. We subsidized the cost of in-school weekly athletics programs in term 2, and also the cost of the bus fares to stage 2 and 3 camps. These came to almost $5,000.
The canteen which is managed by the P&C and run by Amanda and Makayla have achieved great success this year. The ladies work tirelessly and volunteer additional hours to ensure Hobartville has a healthy canteen. The ability to get lunch orders prepared and delivered to kids and staff in a timely manner as well as serve is commendable. Thank you also to the year 6 helpers in the canteen
The canteen also caters for special events like the Principal’s morning teas, and staff recognition days. Often for these special events they make personal biscuits to enhance the celebration. To date in 2024 the canteen has made a profit of over $6,000. Some of this money has been used to replace the glass front fridge that displays drinks and cold items.
The P&C also run the second hand uniform shop within the school. We have opened more frequently this year and hope to increase opening times next year. Along side uniform shop is lost property. Several times per year we go through the lost property, return labelled uniforms to kids, and wash and add to the uniform shop unlabelled and unclaimed items.
Our big and long term goal is to re-invigorate the area between the library and classrooms. We are in design phase and hope to gain funding shortly to commence works. So far we are focusing on a sensory area, yarning circle, raised sandpits, interactive music and outdoor seating that can be used as an outdoor classroom.
In 2025 we hope to continue with our school community breakfasts, subsiding parents’ expenses and even have a few extra ideas in mind to improve the school experience for the kids. We start with the kindergarten parents meet and greet morning tea on the first day back. Our first meeting is is in week 3 of term 1 and AGM is in March. I would encourage anyone who wants to help out, keep up to date with what is happening within the school, or have your say on matters to consider joining in 2025.
Team work really does makes the dream work, thank you again to the P&C team.
Happy and safe holidays to everyone, thank you.
Hayley Walton
President of Hobartville Public School P&C
