Education in brief

Surfing Brisbane Water Secondary College students James Pettit, John Peake, Josh Foley, Carl Bennett and Anthony Whitehall competed in the Surfest Schools contest at Newcastle Beach at the end of last term.

The boys surfed through to round three.

Newsletter, May 10 Rugby skills Students from some Year 3 and 4 classes at Ettalong Public School will be introduced to rugby skills over the next month. The lessons are designed to be age-appropriate, with no tackling involved, and are suitable for boys and girls.

From the lessons, 20 students will be chosen to play in a Gala Day of Walla Rugby at Erina Oval on Friday, June 8.

Newsletter, May 25 Ettalong Public School Newsletter Mitchell wins Mitchell Manson from St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School has won the Central Coast Junior Cricket Under-11A's fielding award. Mitchell took more catches than any other player on the Central Coast in the 11A's competition last year.

Newsletter, May 19 St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School Newsletter Place in team Dylan Frazer of Pretty Beach Primary School has gained a place in the regional boys hockey team. Dylan will play in the three-day state carnival at Newcastle later in the term.

Newsletter, May 13 Waterfront cross country Woy Woy Public School had its Cross Country Carnival on Friday, May 21. The course was changed this year to take advantage of the spectacular Brisbane Water waterfront.

The children ran from the school out to Bowden Rd and down to the waterfront.

From there, they ran towards Lions Park turning around at varying points to run back to school up Park Rd.

Newsletter, May 20 Woy Woy Public School Newsletter Safari trip Brisbane Water Secondary College junior campus has organised a camping trip to Central Australia next year for students, their families and friends. The tour will visit places including Longreach, Mt Isa, Kakadu, Darwin, Katherine Gorge, Alice Springs and Uluru.

Newsletter, May 26 Brisbane Water Secondary College Junior Campus Newsletter Public speaking Ettalong Public School's Year 5 and 6 Multicultural Perspective's Public Speaking Competition was held on Wednesday, May 19. Ettalong Public School will field representatives at the district final to be held at Woy Woy Public School on June 24.

Newsletter, May 25 Ettalong Public School Newsletter Asthma friendly Pretty Beach Public School is aiming to become an Asthma Friendly School. The school will distribute information to parents and teachers and collect records of students with the condition.

Parents will receive an information sheet and a record card to be completed if their child suffers from asthma.

Newsletter, May 26 Pretty Beach Public School Newsletter Zone Cross Country The Zone cross-country carnival was held on Friday, June 4 at Umina Oval. The first six in each division will go on to the Regional Carnival.

Ettalong public school Newsletter, June 1 Poetry award A year 6 student from Ettalong Public School has been awarded third place in the "Write for Fun" 2004 poetry competition. The student's poetry was awarded third place out of 12,000 entries from around Australia. The poem will be published in the "Poetry Rock" publication released in August.

Ettalong public school Newsletter, June 1 Gastro outbreak Ettalong Public school has warned parents of a gastroenteritis outbreak affecting Central Coast students. Common symptoms of this virus may include nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, headache and muscle aches.

The risk of spreading the virus is reduced by washing hands thoroughly with soap and running water for 15 seconds before handling and eating food and after using the toilet and by those affected staying home from school or work.

Ettalong Public school newsletter, June 3 Big Fundraiser The Mega Fun Day organised by Year 5 and 6 students from Woy Woy Public School raised over $3600 for the school. The money will be used to subsidise the Year 6 excursion to Canberra and the Year 5 excursion to the Great Aussie Bush Camp, making them more affordable for parents.

The school will also now be able to run some Personal Development programs for the students as they prepare for high school.

Letter, June 8 Woy Woy Public School Class project Students from Pretty Beach Public School have participated in a competition to commemorate World Environment Day. As a class project, every child had the opportunity to enter with Kindergarten students painting an environmentally friendly scene.

Stage 1 students coloured and labelled the Water Cycle, stage 2 students wrote and illustrated postcards from a place of environmental importance to them and Stage 3 students wrote poems about whales.

Newsletter, June 3 Pretty Beach Public School