Handing down the sentence in Wollongong Local Court, Magistrate Michael Stoddart said 33-year-old Kim Janssen had acted disgracefully when she pocketed up to $150 a time from monthly takings between February and November 2008.

"This is a serious offence because you were in a position of trust and you have let down yourself and your family," Mr Stoddart said.

Janssen was the treasurer of Lake Heights Public School P&C and was responsible for the day-to-day banking and bookkeeping of accounts, as well as payments to suppliers.

When a number of suppliers to the canteen complained to the principal in November 2008 about slow payments, suspicions were raised and a Department of Education and Training (DET) investigation was launched.

An audit carried out by the DET's risk business analysis unit later revealed $13,870 in funds and stock were missing, but after her arrest in November last year, Janssen told police she had taken no more than $1050 in small amounts.

She took the money to buy groceries and petrol after regularly putting her weekly wages through poker machines and had no idea where the remaining missing stock and money had gone from the canteen.

Janssen told Mr Stoddart: "I am deeply ashamed. I had a 10-year association with the school and I threw it all away."

"Why?" the magistrate asked.

"Exactly," Janssen replied.

She told the court that she had not played a poker machine for more than a year and had already paid back a portion of the money she embezzled.

Mr Stoddart said he hoped for her sake that the 300 hours of community service imposed would teach her a lesson.

"At least that's putting something back into the community for what you have done," he said.