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Dear Families,
As we move through the term in a changed educational landscape, we are reminded to stop and consider what matters the most, what will have the most impact on the learning of our students, and how can we best support every child in our care. National Recocilication Week reminded us that we are "in this together" and that couldn't be more true.
With permission, I'm going to share the story of my friend and colleague, Annette Williams. I urge you to condiser what reconciliation means to you.
I wanted to take a moment to share with you a little piece of my story and why Reconciliation Week is so important to me.
I will never forget the day that Kevin Rudd said sorry to Aboriginal people on behalf of our nation. It was 2008 and I was working at Marymount College at the time. I had been asked to take our Indigenous students along with the Sacred Heart Indigenous students to Elder Park to watch Mr. Rudd’s speech on the big screen with half of Adelaide. One of these students just happened to be my daughter.
Thousands of people gathered to hear this message. As I looked around the crowd the mix of culture was breathtaking. Australian and Aboriginal flags flew high while others were draped on shoulders. There was a buzz in the air of nerves as well of excitement. The sun was shining, and the wind had that slight sting of cold. I could not take my eyes off the crowd. Here I was on the land of the Kaurna people, the land of my stepfather’s people.
There were so many times in my life where I had experienced shame in being Aboriginal. I grew up in a country town where it was not popular to be Aboriginal and thankfully, I could mask my identity by the colour of my skin. I was ashamed of my own people and in all honesty, I was ashamed of my own story. To look at I am white, to listen to I am eloquent, the woman you know now is educated sprouting messages of success and champion behaviour however this woman is one with a very big story not dissimilar to those in our classrooms today.
Mr. Rudd began his speech and silence fell over the crowd. I heard stories of the sorrow and grief that had have formed our history. One such story told of a group of white government officials who upon arrival in a camp wrenched the children out of the arms of their mothers, threw them in the back of a Ute and drove away at speed.
As this story was being told my daughter who was sitting on the grass in front of me leant back into me. One day I will share with her the power of that moment. In that instant the mother in me wept and I held my daughter tight. In my mind I was screaming, “Don’t you dare take my baby away from me!” I will never know the torment my grandmother felt birthing a child that would be taken from her but in that moment something in my heart and mind shifted.
I looked around Elder park and like so many with tears in my eyes felt a belonging like I had never felt before. These were my people, my history, the faces of my story and now they would be my future.
In the spirit of reconciliation, I acknowledge my past and I look forward in hope to create new memories and traditions not only for my own children but for all of OUR children. I humbly strive to be an example for my people for what can be achieved with hard work, resilience, and perseverance. There is nothing perfect about my story and for that as a mature woman, I am grateful. I would not be the person I am today if that was not my story.
This year the theme of Reconciliation Week is, ‘All in this together.” Kind of ironic really as we are in the middle of a pandemic - one story.
I ask of you this… please do not let our history, our nation’s story, be lost. It is imperative that we tell our children their nation’s story, warts, and all. It may not be pretty, but it is our story. When we know our story, we learn from our past and can look forward into the future with hope for the world that together we can create.
As a Nation we require reconciliation to live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward in the knowledge our diversity makes us richer and with that together, we are stronger.
FULL CIRCLE:
RECONCILIATION WEEK cont….
I ask that you take a moment to read the following information about our history as a Nation.
What is National Reconciliation Week?
Each year National Reconciliation Week (NRW) celebrates and builds on the respectful relationships shared by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians.
The dates that bookend the week are significant milestones in the reconciliation journey.
May 27—Marks the anniversary of Australia’s most successful referendum and a defining event in our nation’s history. The 1967 referendum saw over 90 per cent of Australians vote to give the Commonwealth the power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognise them in the national census.
3 June—Commemorates the High Court of Australia’s landmark Mabo decision in 1992, which legally recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a special relationship to the land—a relationship that existed prior to colonalisation and still exists today. This recognition paved the way for land rights or Native Title.
Who is involved?
All Australians are invited to participate in our nation’s reconciliation journey.
Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of us all as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples.
Yours in the spirit of reconciliation.
Annette Williams
During Reconciliation Week at Andamooka Primary, the students considered what Reconciliation means at school, at home and in the world. The students created their own story stones, telling the narrative of their families, using their own symbols and colours.
Let's keep the coversation going!
Kind reagrds,
Morwenna Stanford
Principal
Visitor's Book
A reminder to remember to sign into the Visitor's Book if you are coming to school for any other reason than to drop off your child.
Occasional Care
Occasional Care services have resumed for the term. Please remember to book in to secure your spot.
Parent Group
Please be aware that Parent Group has not yet resumed for Term 2. Keep an eye out for any changes. We will certainly let you know when it's back on!
Social Distancing
Please be mindful of restrictions to access on school grounds, for the health and safety off all staff and families. If parents/family members need to attend school for any reason, please present to the front office being mindful of only one person in the space at a time due to social distancing rules. With regards to school drop off, if you feel your child will need assistance saying 'goodbye' at the steps, please let us know and we can help in the mornings. We also ask that you wait either in the carpark or socially distanced near the steps at the end of the day. Thank you for your understanding.
Hats and Water Bottles
Please ensure your child has a broad brimmed or bucket hat and a drink bottle every day. The school enforces a strict 'No Hat, No Play' policy, for the benefit of all students. Be mindful we have also turned off the drink fountains for hygiene reasons during this time. The students still have access to water to fill up drink bottles in their classrooms, at the fountains and in the library.
Uniforms
If your child requires any uniform items, please see Anne at the front office. We actively encourage all students to wear their Andamooka Primary School uniform with pride. We are currently reviewing the Uniform Policy.
Student Sign In
If your child is late to school, it is a requirement they sign in at the front office, in the sign in book. Junior Primary students need to be signed in by a parent or caregiver, whilst Primary students can sign themselves in. Thank you.
The Junior Primary class have been investigating patterns. The students have identified many examples of patterns around our school and have decided that patterns are all around us. Some patterns are formed naturally and others are man-made. Pictured below are some of the patterns we identified.
The students have discovered that they can create different patterns using a variety of objects and that there is a connection between skip counting and patterning.
Krystal- ‘Patterns can grow bigger or smaller.’
Dominic- ‘Patterns go around and around (repeat).’
Alicia- ‘You can make patterns with colours, shapes and numbers and you can use pictures too!’
Julian- ‘Sometimes food has patterns printed on it…..like my chocolate biscuit.’
Harrison- ‘They go over and over and over again.’
Indyanna- ‘Patterns repeat themselves and keep going.’
This week the whole school celebrated Reconciliation week. The students walked down to the local creek and whilst they were there, they were lucky enough to hear some dreaming stories from Dave Wallis who works at Roxby Downs Area School. Dave told the students some dreaming stories which had been passed down through his family. When the students returned back to school they had the opportunity to share some of their own stories with each other. From this they then created their own dreaming stories which were based around creation or morals.
This term in music we have been learning about rhythm and how to keep a consistent beat. In the last couple of weeks students have been using a range of virtual musical instruments and percussion instruments to create performances in small groups.