We extend our heartfelt best wishes to Mrs Ellen Bax as she enters her well-earned retirement. Mrs Bax served as the Principal of Plattsburg Public
School from 2009 to 2024, leading our school community with dedication, compassion and an unwavering commitment to student success.
Mrs Bax has been a truly wonderful Principal and will be deeply missed by our staff, students, and families. Her leadership has left a lasting impact on our school, and her legacy will continue to shape Plattsy for many years to come.
We would also like to sincerely thank Mr Hopson for doing an amazing job as Relieving Principal during this transition period, right up until Mrs Bax’s official retirement. His support and leadership have been greatly appreciated by our whole community.
Looking ahead, we are pleased to welcome Mrs Shahn Radcliffe as the newly appointed Principal from 2026. We look forward to working with Mrs Radcliffe as she brings a wealth of teaching and leadership experience to Plattsy.
Mrs Bax has also written her final message to our Plattsy families, which we are pleased to share as part of this newsletter.
Thank you, Mrs Bax, for everything you have given to our school community.
You will always be part of the Plattsy family.
In 2024, we received some deeply confronting news: my husband faced a brutal battle with cancer. During a quiet holiday weekday, I packed up my office and left Plattsburg Public School for the last time. With caution, I can say the battle was hard fought and won.
At this point I want to acknowledge Miss Emily Bruce, a beautiful, kind and talented teacher who did not get the same chance to fight and was cruelly taken this year from her beloved children and family. I believe there are scores of her students out there that carry wonderful memories of her and will think of her in the years ahead. Vale Miss Emily Bruce.
The very best thing about Plattsburg is the people. The families, some with ties to the school stretching back more than 100 years, the teachers and of course the kids. I was fortunate to work alongside an extraordinary staff, people of integrity, humour (thank god) and a deep care for children.
As kids grow and move on, primary school memories naturally begin to fade as they step onto the larger stage of life. My hope is that when they think of “Plattsy,” it is with warmth - memories of fun, laughter and belonging.
I have left messages in the school photos about what we did each year. The expectation is that these messages are formal and glorifying but I broke from that in the hopes that a genuine message read in 10 or 20 years time may spark a real memory.
It’s been incredibly gratifying to hold new born babies in the canteen and have that same baby greet me 13 years later in Coles at the Wallsend Plaza. It’s been gratifying to have a young man complete with his first ‘bum fluff’ beard greet me at Big W Jesmond (his first job) and talk to me about how he’s getting along. It’s been gratifying that parents share photos of high school formals and other milestones allowing us to keep following how kids are growing, changing and achieving.
A personal message to the families who have lost children, wives and husbands. I think of you and those you have lost, I remember.
I’m far from religious but I have been blessed to work at Plattsburg. Without doubt I was never perfect and accepted that I could not make everyone happy. But everyday my goal was to give the kids a sense of belonging and pride and happiness. Thank you to a community that helped create meaningful experiences for kids. Thank you to the volunteers that worked (and I mean worked) to give kids things to look forward to. Thank you.
If there is any legacy I hope remains, it’s that Plattsburg continues to be a place where kids feel known, safe, valued and heard. Kids can have some great ideas - just not a swimming pool!
Principal of Plattsburg Public School was the best job ever. I’m off to (hopefully) grow old, not grow too fat and have an adventure or two. In signing off I use my favourite school motto - Festina Lente (Hasten Slowly).
