Dear Parents and Carers
NAIDOC Week and Welcome to Country
Thank you for another smooth beginning to the term. We had a very busy end to last term/semester. It was wonderful to welcome so many to our NAIDOC Week assembly, which was so capably facilitated by the students in 3FJ and their teachers, Miss Filov and Mrs Jonklaas. A choir performance and an Acknowledgement of Country by a special guest made the morning even more memorable. The information the Year 3 students shared about the significance of both Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC week was informative and thought provoking. The students also joined the school choir to sing Gina Williams’ Wanjoo (‘Welcome’), and the 100 strong choir performed ‘Love is the Key’. The other highlight for us was that Professor Marion Kickett, Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University, performed an Acknowledgment of Country and spoke to us about the history and significance of a Welcome to Country.
Professor Kickett likened the ‘Welcome to Country’ to welcoming someone to your home. ‘Kiya Noongar Boodja’ was her way of saying ‘Hello, welcome to my country/my home’. She explained that the practice showed a respect for both the visitor and the host, and was like a ‘blessing’ that indicated the intention was that the visitors would ‘go well’ or ‘be well’ while they were visitors in your home. Professor Kickett subsequently looked at a range of student work displayed in the library, and spoke with the students in 3FJ. It was fascinating listening to her relate vignettes of her time as a child, which included approaching emu nests for eggs, and how they would only take what was ‘needed’ (no more than half the number of eggs that were in the nest). We were very grateful for the glimpses into her culture, and she appeared to really enjoy her time at Kapinara, interacting with students and staff.
School Review
The following day, on the last day of term, we completed the final element of our Department’s School Review process. As I mentioned previously, this is a relatively new process. The previous review process designed for Independent Public Schools such as Kapinara, looked retrospectively at the implementation of our three-year business plan and the accompanying three year ‘Delivery and Performance Agreement’. This new process is for both Independent Public Schools and those within the Department of Education WA that are not. The process is centred around three key questions: Where are we at? How do we know? What are doing as we move forward with that knowledge? Having considered the information we had previously submitted electronically, and having met with and spoken to staff and students, the reviewers completed a report which we received today. The report can be viewed on our website. While it is essentially a ‘present and forward looking’ process, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedication, care and energy that so many people have invested throughout the last three years, that has led to such a positive validation of our efforts. Thank you.
Welcome back!
We are absolutely delighted to welcome Colleen Corradi Brannigan back to Perth from Italy. I look forward to sharing more about the special project she is undertaking with students this year.
What’s happening
Finally, I’d like to draw your attention to key dates on the Term Planner.
- Applications for Enrolment in Kindergarten AND Pre-Primary must be received by this Friday (26 July).
- Children will be dressing up for a Book Week assembly at the end of Week 4.
- The Faction Athletics Carnival is on Wednesday 4 September.
- A special Year 6 musical will be held in the Churchlands SHS auditorium on Wednesday 25 September.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Best wishes
Elizabeth Blackwell