On Wednesday 26th May we held a special assembly which was attended by all students from Preschool to Year 10, along with all staff, some Board members and parent reps to officially launch our school's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Cycle 3 and 4 students who were on the RAP Working Group spoke to the whole school to explain what a RAP is, the importance of a RAP and shared our RAP vision.
Mandy Brown, a local Peramangk leader provided a Welcome to Country and read some of her poetry about Reconciliation and Sorry Day.
Ruth and Lauren's Cycle 1 Primary class also presented an Acknowledgment of Country that they had written themselves.
In addition to speaking about the RAP, students spoke about the meaning and significance of Sorry Day (26th May) and Reconciliation Week which starts on Thursday 27th May.
It is important that our school celebrates the launching of our RAP and fully understands the significance of committing to doing what we have said we will do and working towards achieving our stated actions.
Our RAP and the process of reconciliation does not just sit with one person or a committee, it is the responsibility of all of us to play our part to recognise and respect the First Peoples of this land, to acknowledge the past injustices, and the ongoing inequalities, experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since colonisation, and to commit to working towards a more equal and respectful future.
I would like to thank the RAP Working Group for their input and particular thanks to Nat Costello and Tim Moore for their leadership in this area.
All of the students also enjoyed a performance by 'Imbala'; a Peramangk dance group in the afternoon.
Cathy France
Principal
We have been exploring the colours black and white in the Infant Program. We have made white play dough and have been doing black and white marble paintings and black and white collage. To incorporate our focus of the senses we have also been spreading crackers with 'black' vegemite. Abigail is practising her spreading skills and experiencing the salty umami taste of vegemite.
At Preschool this month, children have been learning about the world around them and their place on it. They explored the continents, their diverse cultures and learnt how to use Google Earth and Montessori maps to help them visualise those abstract concepts and allow them to connect what they learn in the classroom to what they experience in their daily lives, community, and to the larger world.
This term we are learning about the Earth and solar energy. On Friday, we completed several scientific investigations to discover more about the way the sun supports life on Earth. We explored how we get different temperatures based on the angle of the sun's rays hitting the Earth, and why the weather is warmer near the equator. We did this by examining a torch light shining on black paper at perpendicular and oblique angles, just as the sun's rays hit the Earth at a perpendicular angle near the equator and at an oblique angle near the poles. We also used string to consider the distance between the sun and the North Pole versus the sun and the Equator. We used the Tellurium to investigate how the Earth's rotation on its axis contributes to the different seasons we experience throughout the year. Our favourite activity looked at the impact of the Earth's rotation and how it ensures that heat from the sun is spread across the globe rather than just concentrated in one spot. This involved using a candle to simulate the sun and a marshmallow to simulate the Earth. We discovered that if the Earth (marshmallow) did not rotate on its axis, there would be an intense, concentrated spot of heat, resulting in a burnt marshmallow (on one side only), whereas when it was rotated, the heat was more evenly distributed and did not result in a burnt spot.
"If the Earth was still, one side would always be cold. The side that is facing the sun will always be hot." - Daniella
"If the Earth didn't spin, one spot would get all the heat from the sun." - Stella
"It would be too cold to survive on one side and it would always be night-time." - Lilly
"If the Earth was still, one side wouldn't get any Vitamin D." - Lachlan
"If the sun is shining at a direct angle, it is hotter. If the sun's rays shine on the Earth at an oblique angle, it is spread out and not as hot." - Ollie
"The North Pole is colder than the Equator because it is further away from the sun." - Audrey
This term Cycle 3 has commenced a program called the Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum. The focus is on developing healthy and positive relationships.
So far we’ve covered the UN Convention on the rights of the child. In this session, the students watched some videos outlining the 53 articles of the rights of the child. We then shared the book ‘For Every Child’ and discussed the content. The children then had to select one right that resonated with them and represent it using visual art.
The following week, the Year 4/5's and the Year 6's split and absorbed different sessions. The focus was on gender stereotypes for the Year 4/5's. We shared some old advertisements from the 1950s, highlighting the specific role for a man and a woman in a family. There was some mature, thoughtful and progressive discussion generated from this.
The most recent topic was identifying positive relationship traits for the Year 6’s.
Meanwhile, the Year 4/5’s looked at their relationship circles and identified where people in their life fit in.
Such a bonus to have Libby onboard for the Friday afternoon sessions!
With our increase in numbers, we are running four Occupations at the same time! The conditions for the Exploring Fungi team this year have been fantastic. We have identified 16 different species of fungi on our site so far and we have been fascinated by their diversity as we have explored our key question: are fungi friend or foe? In the rest of the term, we hope to grow our own oyster mushrooms after our site visit to a mushroom facility next week. The Caring For Children group has been working with children from 0 to 6 to understand their needs through different developmental stages. Maintaining wellbeing and developing resilience has been the central focus for the Thrive Guide crew as we use strategies for increasing self-awareness. In the Farming Fabrics occupation, we investigated different fabrics and their uses. A highlight has been working alongside the Hills Spinners and Weavers to learn the ancient craft of making textiles from raw materials.
Cycle 2 students have been enjoying the experience of performing creative dance movements to represent various Australian animals. “Koori Dreamtime”, featuring the didgeridoo, has been used to accompany their performances.
Sorry Day is on May 26th and is also the start of Reconciliation Week.
Why do we acknowledge Sorry Day?
National Sorry Day or National Apology Day is important for Australia because it is a day to remember and acknowledge the Stolen Generations. It is an annual event that has been held in Australia on 26 May since 1998, to remember and commemorate the mistreatment of the country's Indigenous peoples. The point of Sorry Day is for Australians to show empathy to those affected for the crimes committed against them in an ongoing journey of reconciliation.
Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021, More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action.
The staff on the Cultural Connection committee recently watched a webinar which focused on some new resources purchased by our school called ‘Our Land Our Stories’.
A key message that came from the webinar was that Reconciliation is not a week of the year but needs to be embedded in everyday practice and conversations. A question that was raised for us to ponder is…..how can we become an ally?
What is an Ally?
An ally is an individual who speaks out and stands up for a person or group that is targeted and discriminated against. An ally works to end oppression by supporting and advocating for people who are stigmatised, discriminated against or treated unfairly.
Contributor Sally Lawrence said the series was all about giving teachers the tools to feel confident teaching Indigenous culture in the classroom.
“In our talks around the country, educators have agreed that currently embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures within the Australian curriculum is not being realised to its full potential,” she said.
“Our Land, Our Stories supports all Australian teachers to build their cultural capability to ensure that the generations of bright minds in our schools learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures than the majority of us did throughout our own primary, secondary, and teacher pre-service education at university.”
The series is aimed at primary school-aged children, with books designed for lower, middle, and upper-primary school children included in the set.
Three D radio is a local community radio broadcaster. Thursday mornings from 9am-11am, there’s a great show, often with multiple acknowledgements of Aboriginal culture and current affairs. Freewheelin’ is a magazine-style show with interviews, film reviews and social commentary on a bed of new & used music. The show is hosted by Andrew Bunney - a musician, film maker and lapsed lawyer (So their website says).
In the spirit of being active and getting together as a community let's walk or run to school!
When: Friday @ 8.30am in weeks 6 & 8
Where: Bridgewater Oval
Attila is looking for parent volunteers to supervise the run to school.
Please see the information sent out on skoolbag form for more details.
Please RSVP the Wednesday before the active Friday or if you know your schedule RSVP now!
Add these dates to your family calendar Friday 4th June & Friday 18th June
Thank you to Briali Bedson who recently ran an acrylic art workshop as part of our adult electives. Ten keen and 'eager to learn' adults (parents and staff) attended the Friday evening workshop held at school.
There was much laughter and we had lots of fun learning some new skills, and in the process some impressive art work was produced! Thank you Briali for making the session conducive to learning no matter what the level of skill or talent, and encouraging all of our efforts. We greatly appreciated you sharing your skills.
Term 1: 27 January – 9 April
Term 2: 28 April – 2 July
Term 3: 27 July – 24 September
Term 4: 12 October – 8 December