Sutton Public School’s 150th Year celebrations are officially underway, beginning with the opportunity to purchase a paver on the school’s welcome pathway.
Principal of Sutton Public School Clare Sullivan was excited about her school’s plans for celebration.
“It’s our 150th celebration, and we have a range of activities planned to commemorate this really important anniversary, all culminating with our annual Country Fair on the 30th of October,” she said.
The welcome pathway is the first element of the celebration, and Clare put forward a callout to anyone with a history with Sutton Public School to come forward and purchase a paver.
“Our first project is that we want to lay a commemorative pathway celebrating all those who have been involved in Sutton Public School.”
“So, we’re looking for past students, their families, the staff and we’re reaching out as far and wide as we can because of our long and proud history and because of how connected our community is still.”
“Our offer of purchasing an engraved paver to be placed into the welcoming pathway into our school is there and open until the 31st of May, and we are seeking anyone and everyone who has a connection to the school to take part in that project,” she said.
The project has received a positive response so far from the community with 265 of the desired goal of 500 pavers already sold and plenty of stories attached to their purchases.
“We already have some orders, and some of them are from families that were here in the 30’s and 40’s, so we’re going right back!”
“We’ve had people that did their prac teaching sessions at the school but enjoyed it so much; a lady walked in off the highway the other day and purchased a paver because she had been involved with the school in 1978.”
“It’s got some momentum, and it’s quite exciting, we have a goal of reaching 500, so we can literally link the front gate into the playground, and we thought that would be a terrific way of doing it,” she said.
Clare believes the project’s success so far is a testament to Sutton Public School’s status within Sutton and its surrounding community.
“I think it shows how it’s a really lovely school, and it’s in the heart of the community.”
“We’ve been here all along, and people hold it near and dear actually,” she said.
Clare and her staff have enjoyed hearing the different stories of people as they come forward and hope the project can be completed in time.
“People are proudly including in their orders a little snippet of where their children have got to in the world.”
“It’s been a really rewarding thing to do and looking like it will be a huge success; we’re hoping to have it laid by our very important official ceremony on the 29th of October,” she said.
Other activities planned for the year include an indigenous bush tucker and medicinal garden, an art show in term three and the priorly mentioned Country Fair on the 30th of October.
For more information, contact the school at suttonpublicschool-fun@pandcaffiliate.org.au .
Max O’Driscoll
