Central Coast 2023 kindergarten students start first year | Photo gallery
It’s a massive milestone in our lives – starting big school. The My First Year initiative has launched across the Central Coast – meet our 2023 kindy super stars.
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They have dreams of becoming astronauts, scientists, rock stars, mums and dads and mechanics.
The kindergarten cohort of 2023 across the Central Coast is thrilled to have finally started big school.
NewsCorp has launched its My First Year initiative across the region for the first time, which celebrates the milestone reached by our kindy super stars.
Express Advocate photographer Sue Graham hit the road, visiting some of the biggest schools with more than 80 kindergarten students to the smallest school with just two.
Peats Ridge Public School welcomed Isla and Eunice to kindergarten this year, bringing the total number of students at the school to 13.
Principal Robynne Scott said they were thrilled to have two kindergarten students.
She said students at Peats Ridge came from eight local families with many siblings among the tight-knit school which originally opened in the 1930s.
Ms Scott said Eunice and Isla had settled in well with older students taking them under their wings.
“They are learning to be at school,” she said.
Pears Ridge Public School’s sole teacher Sarah Byrne, who teaches the 13 K-6 students, said she referred to the school as “the retreat” and loved the challenge of teaching K-6 within the one classroom.
Isla and Eunice have quickly become besties saying they loved the school’s fairy garden and being around their big brothers and sisters.
Coast’s Christian Schools Nate and Elie shared their thoughts on what they enjoyed about starting school.
“Maths … I just like it. Counting is fun,” Nate said.
“At first I was a bit nervous but then I saw friends and the teachers,” Elie said.
“I love free play.”
Nate said homework was “super boring” but not always.
“Sometimes they make homework to draw a monster … that is fun homework,” he said.
When asked what they wanted to be when they grow up.
“Astronaut!” Nate yelled.
“A rock star, scientist and a mum,” Elie said.
Coast Christian School principal Matthew Drennan said the school had grown from having eight kindergarten students in 2019 to 38 in 2023.
Mr Drennan put the growth and success of the school down to “wonderful staff, academic success” and promoting all those aspects of the Empire Bay school.
“What people want is for their kids to be happy and safe … that to me is the ultimate,” he said.
“I feel strongly about kids having the right type of school where they feel safe and happy.
“If you get that right and teach them well, the results take care of themselves.”
The Express Advocate visited Central Coast Sports College during their “investigation session” where they play, learn and explore.
Kindy student Winter was busy drawing rainbows and said she wanted to be an “artist so I can make rainbows for everyone”.
Maddi wants to be a “cook” and said she loved having sandwiches at the school’s cafe.
“There’s salad too … only healthy food,” she said.
The kindy students were also keen to show off their pet hermit crabs named Sherbet and Brad.
Introducing our kindergarten students of 2023
St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, East Gosford
Tacoma Public School
Wadalba Community School
Porters Creek Public School, Warnervale
Coast Christian School, Bensville
St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, Woy Woy
Gwandalan Public School
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School, Wyoming
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Kincumber
Bateau Bay Public School
Central Coast Sports College
Peats Ridge Public School
Lisarow Public School
Central Coast Grammar School
CCGS has one of the biggest kindergarten years on the Central Coast, with 88 new students.
We decided to ask what a few questions about their first term at school.
Here’s what they said:
What’s the best thing about school?
Amilia – “I like learning and doing sport.”
Keshav – “I like seeing Sunny the Dog.” (Sunny is the school’s wellbeing ambassador)
Lyra – “l like giving treats to Sunny.”
Henry – “I love doing everything!”
Has anything surprised you about school?
Lyra – “There’s a really big area where we can do sport and I never had that in preschool.”
Keshav – “There’s even basketball hoops.”
Amilia – “I was sad to leave my preschool but I’m surprised how fun it is in Kindy!”
What’s the best thing to eat at the canteen?
Henry – “I haven’t got a lunch order yet. But I can’t wait to get one! I have a sandwich today.”
Keshav – “I like it when I have treats in my lunch box.”
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Amelia – “I would like to be a teacher. I would like to be a CCGS teacher so I can come back to school here.”
Lyra – “I also want to be a teacher that works here at our school. Or maybe a dentist.”
Henry – “I’d like to be a soldier.”
Keshav – “I’m going to teach people how to swim or be a motorbike rider or an artist.”
Have you made any friends?
Keshav – “I’ve made friends with lots of people in my class.”
Amelia – “To make friends you must always be kind and remember that no friendship is perfect. If you make a mistake it’s OK.”
Henry – “We need to be kind.”
Lyra – “If someone falls down, you should help them up, get them a bandage and give them a hug.”
Wyoming Public School
Narara Public School
The Entrance Public School
Wyong Creek Public School
Jilliby Public School
Wyee Public School
Lakes Grammar – An Anglican School
Erina Heights Public School
Kincumber Public School
Wamberal Public School
Woodport Public School, Erina
Point Clare Public School
Gosford Public School
Lake Munmorah Public School
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