Tinonee Public School offering use of defibrillator and Little Library to community

The first is a defibrillator, now attached to the wall in the school office, and principal Karen Austin wants the community to know it is available for the use of the entire Tinonee community.

"It's available during school terms and hours, so 8am-4pm it's available at any stage in an emergency. There's both adult defib pads and child defib pads," Karen explained.

The school and the P and C shared the costs of the defibrillator, which cost them around $2400.

"The defibrillator came about because we realised that where Tinonee is situated we're kind of in the middle of nowhere and we get so many visitors to our school, both aged and babies and infants, that we felt it was really important to have a defib in the school and that everybody be trained," Karen said.

The Tinonee community is also encouraged to make use of the school's new Street Library, which is situated at the school fence on Manchester Street, by both contributing and taking the books contained within.

The Street Library was decorated by the school's Aboriginal education students along with Corey Saunders, Tinonee Public's learning and support officer.

"Everything was donated to start us off and we bought the paints, so Corey and our kids painted it, which looks absolutely superb," Karen said.

"And considering we're on Biripi country and we're right across the river, we thought it was apt that our Aboriginal education kids painted it."

The Street Library, funded by Communities for Children and Mid Coast 4 Kids, is one of 11 that are popping up around Taree and surrounds.

Tinonee resident and program manager for Mission Australia, Bree Katsamangos manages Communities for Children and Mid Coast 4 Kids. It was she who contacted Tinonee Public School to gauge their interest in taking ownership of a Street Library.

"They are a part of the 'Paint the Town REaD' community reading initiative which is about creating opportunities for the community to support early literacy," Bree said.

"We are hoping the Tinonee community will embrace the library, working together to keep it stocked - enjoying the books through borrowing and most importantly supporting the kids to read - because we know that kids who read, succeed!" Bree said.