Bolder Magazine - Issue #3

Research and Reflection through the Eyes of our Children

Animals, Gardens, Kitchen and Culture

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DESIGN THINKING MADE VISIBLE

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STORIES TOLD THROUGH THE LENS OF ‘NOURISH’ & ‘ENTWINED’

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CONNECTION CATALYSTS

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DIGGING DEEP

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BE BOLD BE BRAVE BELONG

FIND INSIDE A SPECIAL PULL-OUT FEATURE INCLUDING A FEW RECIPES FROM ‘LUNCH AT 61 POWIS ST’ RECIPE BOOK!

Contents

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Paul Whitehead

Nicole Hunter

Renata Biancardi Liam Jones

Nicole Hunter

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Jasmine Mawdsley

Heather Sanders Jasmine Mawdsley

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NOURISHING AN ATTITUDE

WEMBLEY

61–63 Powis Street, Wembley WA 6014 MAYLANDS

76 Seventh Avenue, Maylands WA 6051 PHONE

BROODING OUR CHICKENS

9387 5050

NOURISHING KNOWLEDGE

OUR GARDENS

REGGIO EMILIA STUDY TOUR

BUSH TUCKER GARDEN

Heather Sanders Fran White

FAX

NATURE IN A MODERN WORLD

LIVES UNDERGROUND: SOIL REVEALING ITS OWN STORIES

Kiah Hamersley-Rule Mira Dragicevic

9387 5051 EMAIL

office@boldpark.com WEBSITE

www.boldpark.com

EDITORS

Paul Whitehead and Nicole Hunter DESIGN

Angela Mitchell — angelamitchell.com.au

DIGGING DEEP: IN THE EARTH & OURSELVES

Julia Hughes Chloe Campbell

INTERVIEW WITH MALORA: MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAM LEADER

PHOTOGRAPHY

Rory Henderson and BPCS Staff PRINTING

The Big Picture Factory This magazine has been printed using solar power and low environmental impact FSC certified pulps in a facility that is ISO 14001 Environmental Management System accredited.

Enquiries related to editorial inclusions, advertising and subscription can be made to ‘Bolder Magazine’, Bold Park Community School, PO Box 2085 CHURCHLANDS WA 6018, Australia.

DISCLAIMER: Although the editors have

taken reasonable precautions to consider the contents of this publication and the embedded links to internet resources; the views expressed are ultimately the opinions and voice of the authors and may not necessarily reflect the views of Bold Park Community School.

cover spine artwork: pre-primary 2022 cover photography: Rory Henderson

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USE IT UP

Fran White

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GROUNDED IN DESIGN: MAKING A STATEMENT FROM THE FLOOR UP

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MY BUSH TUCKER GARDEN

THE RIGHTS OF TREES

Rachel Gardner Trish Hilton Renata Biancardi

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OUR CAMP JOURNEY: BROADENING HORIZONS

Jarryd Horsley

RECIPE PULL-OUT

Heather Sanders Jodie Sinderberry Max Loik

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INTERNATIONAL MUD DAY

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NOURISHING CHILDREN’S VOICES

Renee Yonge Ella Kennealey Zu Hara

Rhys George

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FOOD, CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION AROUND AND WITHIN OUR WORLD

Mairead Furlong & Year 3/4 Teaching Team

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FINAL WORDS

Paul Whitehead & Nicole Hunter

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Nourishing an Attitude In 2019, I was blessed to engage with an extensive Study Tour to the origin of Bold Park Community School’s philosophical core; ‘Reggio Emilia’ in Italy. Whilst this reflective journey was enhanced by tours of dozens of schools in Finland, London, Boston and New York; Italy had taken my breath away and truly reflected the heartbeat of our school village.

It was the collective culture of space and place. The grocery stores, the bistros, restaurants, the village ‘piazza’, the presence and dominance of fine art and the care in aesthetic from the pathways to the shop windows juxtaposing ancient and modern.

Language around education was rich and delicious. It did not speak of ‘curriculum’ as we do; but rather as ‘flexible and evolving’, an attitude in which ‘learning is a contagious culture’ engaging a ‘mosaic of materials’ from which expression of self and creative reflection flow. Wow! Supporting relationship and connection were at the centre of the architecture and the village itself cascades towards Piazza Prampolini, the town’s central gathering space.

And food?

Food was not just a means for sustenance of self but sustenance of ALL. The ritual, the colour, the time, the care. What stood out to me from the centres we visited across Reggio was that the chefs and staff working with the children were not focused on the food, but rather how it served the collective.

Knowing and loving the chef because they are showing love through their art: • Touching and preparing food together • Seeing and respecting its origin • Engaging in the rituals of preparing a ‘special’ place to eat together • Feeling pride in the culinary process as an artistic opportunity • Eating together • Serving one another • Allowing the table to frame the feast • Savouring the food as a nourishment of EVERY sense as it hosts the company we share.

Nourishing Knowledge

How do we bring THAT back to Bold Park Community School?

In this edition of Bolder, we share stories that emerged through the lenses of ‘nourish’ and ‘entwined’. The concept of ‘nourishment’ guided us through a time of global upheaval and uncertainty driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. While the term ‘nourishment’ most commonly refers to wholesome eating, we deliberately applied the term more broadly. How can we nourish our senses, emotional and mental wellbeing, relationships, or world? How do we bring about feelings and experiences of ‘nourishment’ for our students, families and staff?

A renovation of spaces and Nicole’s (and our staff) willingness to direct our Whole School Focus to embrace the heart of our mission was inspirational.

And so, our 2021 Whole School Focus, ‘Nourish’ was sown. Little did we know how well timed this focus would be as the world (and our world) was challenged by the Covid pandemic.

As we considered this idea of nourishment more broadly, we also began to recognise the circularity it involves. Nourishment relies on a cycle of ‘nourishing’. We continued to research these connected relationships in our world through the lens of ‘entwined’. Recognising that the capacity to ‘nourish’ individual and social wellbeing is ‘entwined’ with our world’s and society’s wellbeing.

As we approached the end of 2020 we ambitiously advertised; seeking a ‘Culinary Specialist’ – not to run a ‘tuck shop’ but rather to ‘nourish an attitude’! It was never to be a mission of what was to be ‘done’ but rather ‘who’. Who would bring the ‘music and dance’ to the harvest and season it with care, connection and community? Fran joined our team late in 2020 and Rosa in 2022, taking time to listen and question and then plan and create – knowing the answer to the ‘Who?’ question…was COMMUNITY!

While our beautiful Wild Café holds centre stage in this publication, we hope you can see that the ripples of ‘nourishment’ flow beyond the deliciousness of the Wild Café and into experiences with earth, nature, community and others. Importantly, we hope you also agree that through these encounters beyond the classroom and textbooks, it is possible to deeply nourish knowledge when it is entwined with feeling, relationships and a sense of belonging.

I hope that you consider accessing a copy of recipe book, ‘Lunch at 61 Powis Street’ and as you flick through the pages (some sampled in the centre section of this publication) you will feel the warmth of the collective, a community who have been learning together. We share our recipes and celebrations in hope that the same aromas will fill your treasured kitchens and homes.

With kindness and love from us all.

Paul Whitehead Principal Bold Park Community School

Nicole Hunter Pedagogista

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Reggio Emilia Study Tour The preschools and infant/ toddler centres of Reggio Emilia are world renowned for the quality of their educational programs. Since our beginning, Bold Park has been inspired by the principles and practices evident in these quality environments, and we are not alone.

Educators from all over the world regularly travel to Reggio Emilia to immerse themselves in dialogue with this leading educational project.

While our context here is very different to Reggio Emilia, their approach continues to be a ‘touch stone’ and we value the opportunity to send our staff to study tours for the professional learning, challenge, and inspiration these tours provide.

Over many years, staff from all over the school have had the opportunity to travel to Reggio and each time they come back their enthusiasm, motivation, questions, and commitment is contagious. As you will read in the reflections shared here by Liam and Renata, the experience has deep impact.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, but just felt in the heart.” Hellen Keller I am so grateful for the support and amazing company I had in travelling to Reggio Emilia, it was one of the most beautiful and moving experiences of my life.

My time in Reggio Emilia was full of highlights, but the most important thing I gained was a sense of inner growth. I learned a lot about how they maintain their authentic educational approach and reflected on the beauty of their connections, environments, and community. I appreciated their mutual respect and admiration for children, and how visible they make the power of education, an education lived as a political act that transforms society. During the Study Tour, I was inspired by their genuine expression of “beauty” that went beyond just the external appearance.

I loved how much emphasis they put on the presence of joy, which is a source of happiness and creativity, and the way they described how it builds resilience through positive experiences and memories.

When I left Reggio, I felt a strong sense of hope - a burning flame within me and the understanding of the importance of keeping that flame alive.

It can be hard to do it independently, so we are responsible for supporting each other and keeping up the work by reminding ourselves and others about our roles as researchers with the children and transforming education based on respect, connection and creativity. As educators and facilitators, we may get busy with the daily routines/ expectations and only sometimes realise our impact on others and society. Still, we must keep reminding ourselves and others that our role is crucial. This experience was both personally and professionally reflective, and it took me a while to put all my feelings into words.

Renata Biancardi Visual Arts Specialist

As I reflect on my Reggio experience and the impact it had on me, I am reminded of the beauty that lies within the small things. Each image in my camera roll represents a moment in time, capturing an intricate world around me. Whether it was the rough texture of weathered stone on a centuries-old building, the lines of a winding cobblestone street, the geometric shapes formed by architectural masterpieces, or the vibrant colours of renaissance and modern artists, each detail held its own story.

In embracing the concept of ‘Resonance’, I am reminded of the ripple effect that even the tiniest actions can create. The slightest nudge, at the right time and in the right manner, has the potential to shift a student’s trajectory, unlocking hidden potentials and paving the way for their unique journey. Just as my camera lens focused on the small details, I am determined to approach my teaching with the same level of attentiveness and mindfulness. I will try my darndest to identify the small wins, the milestones that may go unnoticed in the grand scheme of things but hold immeasurable value in the lives of students and my colleagues – even when the day seems difficult.

In the face of the awe-inspiring grandeur that surrounded me, it would have been easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of the individual elements that composed the larger whole. However, The reality of the education landscape can be I made a conscious effort to look closer, to truly see demanding and overwhelming, often overshadowing and appreciate the small wonders that existed within the joy and wonder that drew us to this profession the vastness of my surroundings. Each detail, when in the first place. I will refuse to let the weight of examined with intention, revealed a world of its own— these challenges diminish the importance of the an intricacy that was not only visually striking but also small things—the moments of joy, the glimmers more accessible to the senses. of understanding, and the growth that occurs in incremental steps. By shifting my perspective and As I embarked on my journey to Reggio, a place adopting a lens that celebrates the small wonders, synonymous with innovation and inspiration in I hope to inspire students, colleagues, and myself education, I arrived with an open mind and an to find fulfillment, purpose, and reassurance in the eagerness for knowledge. My experiences there left journey rather than being solely focused on the an indelible mark on my teaching practice, sparking a destination. flurry of ideas and an overwhelming surge to improve my teaching. Yet, upon my return to the realities of We are faced with much, there are difficult days, but everyday life, I found myself swept up in the demands we are amazing teachers. and pressures, often neglecting to pause and truly Liam Jones absorb the wisdom I had gained.

Co-educator It was during this that I stumbled upon the realisation that my camera roll, with its emphasis on the small things, mirrored what I have come to understand to be my focus. It reminded me that true transformation and impact often stems from the small, seemingly inconspicuous moments—the individual connections, the genuine conversations, the subtle gestures of support and encouragement. These are the moments that hold the power to ignite a fire, to nurture innate curiosity, and to set a lifelong path of growth and discovery. This not only applies to our students but among colleagues and ourselves also.

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Nature in a Modern World Witnessing how our growing menagerie of animals has enriched our community has been a joy. They have gifted our days with a new dimension of vibrancy and joy. We have seen many examples of how the connection and experiences with the animals have promoted an understanding of vulnerability and empathy as children learn to interact with gentleness and kindness. We have witnessed actions of nurturing and caregiving, from hand-feeding the chickens to designing and building a haven for the guinea pigs. We see how being around animals evokes curiosity as the children observe and wonder about the animals’ behaviours. Above all, though, we have seen how our animals provide uplifting and restorative emotional responses. Offering a pathway to uncouple from distressing feelings of separation, the nervousness of entering a new environment; facing an academic challenge to providing a bridge for social connections and a sense of belonging.

Kellert, S. (2013). Birthright: People and nature in the modern world.

Yale University Press, New Haven/ London.

Of course, this is no real surprise. It is increasingly recognised that direct contact with nature is essential to psychological well-being.

However, although we may be born with this inclination to affiliate with nature, it is equally recognised that this biological urge must be nurtured and developed (Kellert, 2013).

“Our inborn affinity for the natural world is, in effect, a birthright that must be cultivated and earned... it is not a hard-wired outcome, but one that requires conscious and sustained engagement” (p xiii; Kellert, 2013)

Equally, we are cautious to protect the welfare of the animals, ensuring they are not overhandled and have safe and suitable housing. These all form part of the valuable learning experiences these well-loved creatures provide for the children.

Nicole Hunter Pedagogista

Brooding Our Chickens The Curious Creatures took on the exciting task of raising chicks for our kitchen garden and providing a wonderful opportunity for us to do some real-life research. What are the basic needs of chickens? How do we care for them? What breed of chicken is best suited to a school environment? How will we care for them over the weekends and school holidays?

What can we do to ensure our classroom is safe for chickens?

we could watch them explore their brooder box. We came to understand that the chicks preferred slow movements and quiet voices.

Once the chickens were big enough to spend time away from the heat pad, we set up a pen so they could stretch their legs outdoors. Some of us were even able to spend time in the pen with them, hand-feeding them. When they were ready to go into the coop, we created the Chicken Guidelines sign to share what we knew about keeping our chickens safe and healthy.

Once the children completed their research, the chicks arrived. We knew we had to ensure they had food, water, heat and a clean coop.

Over time we observed the changes in the Also, to keep us safe, we must wash our hands chickens’ appearance and behaviour as they before and after handling the chicks. As we grew. With our Music Specialist, Danielle, we welcomed the chicks, we noticed that they explored the changes in their sounds and their would run away and hide under the heating ‘chicken language’. These changing sounds pad when we put our hands near them. We inspired us to create a piece of meditative music realised this must frighten them and thought from the recorded sounds of our chickens. We about how big we must look to a little chick! have called this “Chickitation”, which we find From then, we decided to observe the chicks pretty soothing and hope you do too! and only handle them once they felt safer in our classroom. Some of us noticed that if we Jasmine Mawdsley sat calmly and quietly, the chicks were likelier Teacher Year 1/2 to venture out from under their heat pad, and

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Our Gardens Gardening with children has a long history at Bold Park. It provides authentic and meaningful learning opportunities for children to connect with nature and the sense of accomplishment gained from nurturing seedlings into flourishing plants giving joy and satisfaction.

Of course, not everything thrives and with that comes learning to deal with disappointment and recognition of the vulnerability that can also exist in nature.

Designing and revamping two garden spaces became a year-long project for our early primary group. During the process, the children learnt about the ecological interconnections of living things and considered nature’s fragility and robustness. They studied nature’s beauty, coming to see this not just in living flowering plants but in the cycles of nature as they harvested seeds from dying plants.

The group’s shared cooking experiences motivated them to develop these gardens. When cooking with local bush tucker foods, they realised that once prolific and endemic species could be difficult to come by, so they created the bush tucker garden. The second garden space was in an area that had once been a permaculture garden. The children wanted to include plants they could harvest throughout the seasons. They also wanted this garden to be a tranquil place in the playground where they could hang out and relax, and they called it “The Peaceful Patch”.

Heather Sanders & Jasmine Mawdsley Teachers Year 1/2

Bush Tucker Garden Nourishing Earth, Body, Mind and Heart Through our Bush Tucker project, we wanted to spread the word about Australian Bush Tucker, which is rich in history, cultural connection and deliciousness. Although, when we first began, we did not realise just how hard it would be to source fresh ingredients. The children’s responses to this dilemma were incredibly insightful and filled with active solutions for changing this situation! “…not many people know about bush tucker or what it tastes like; farmers don’t grow it because shoppers don’t buy it...” Lucy “When the white people took over from the Aboriginal people, they thought the Aboriginal food was not important. They just had their own food, so bush tucker was forgotten about…they didn’t try the indigenous food, and so the bush tucker food was forgotten about…they didn’t think about how that would change the future, like now, we can’t get bush tucker food.” Ruby M “We need to tell everybody about it!” Jamie “We can change the future because we all have a little power and we can get people to try it and get shopkeepers to put it in the shops!” Amelie “If we get the bush food and ask people at school to try it…we could make and sell our dukkha and jam and cereals.” Jamie “We could add dried Lilly Pilli, macadamia and wattle seeds.” Ian “… and make spices and tell people how to use them.” George “Then the shopkeepers would turn to the farmers and ask them to grow it so they can put it in the shops, and then it would slowly change, and there would be bush tucker available, and more people would know about it and eat it!” Ruby M

These ideas sent us on a journey of growing bush tucker and preparing food to share so we could spread the word!

During our project, we partnered with Tucker Bush, who came to the school to get us started in growing our bush tucker. We dug the soil with our hands, connecting with the earth, getting our hands dirty and making our hearts happy.

We planted many bush foods, from warrigal greens to native lemongrass, saltbush and lilli pillies. We created recipes and food to share so we could spread the word! We even set up a stall at Perth City Farm market with our Lilli Pilli Muesli, and Native Dukka’s, both resounding sellouts!

It is great to see that native bush tucker plants are becoming more widely available; Tucker Bush even supplies plants to Bunnings, so we encourage everyone to choose a plant or two for their backyard and then get cooking!

Heather Sanders & Fran White Teachers Year 1/2

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During the year of our “entwined” focus our educators engaged in professional learning to enrich their own understanding of the Earth’s interrelated biospheres and our relationship, as humans, to these. These experiences inspired our early years teachers on pathways of research into children’s relationship to soil. Revealing an often overlooked resource right at our feet leading us to discoveries of hidden creatures through to metaphoric journeys of ‘digging deep’ as shared below.

Lives Underground: Soil Revealing its Own Stories Over the school holidays, we invited the children to collect soil samples from their homes or holiday destinations, bring them to school, and tell the ‘story’ of their soil.

Where did you dig for this soil?

“I got this from my farm, and I really loved the noise so I brought it here thinking you would love the noise too!”

“It is from my pumpkin patch…”

“It is from Trigg beach, I feel salt. It is sand.”

“It’s from my back garden. Bugs and slaters go under soil.”

What living and non-living features might we discover in the soil when we bring out the digital microscopes?

“It looks like snow; it looks like Elsa’s ice.”

“I see crystals.”

“It’s a snake. Or a line.”

“A dead creature; it looks like a worm.”

“It is alive because something you don’t think is alive might be alive. You can’t tell. Some things are alive but don’t move like a strawberry is alive, but it does not move.”

Looking through the digital microscope, together with the children we discovered previously unimagined life within soil. The invitation to share soil stories thus transformed into an experience of earth revealing its own story. We all speculated about what might live within this microscopic world of soil. More-than-human ‘things’ moved, ‘things’ that had never been seen before with the naked eye. The children imagined themselves as these ‘things’- moving and creeping within the soil. Children, teachers and soil acted as co-researchers.

We invited the children to graphically transform into imaginative creatures living in the soil. Colourful, imagined creatures emerged from this encounter between humans and soil. Imagination leads them into a mysterious underground world and deepens their relationship to soils’ life within.

The discovery of life within the soil led to a ‘soil mural’, an ecological portrait of the lives of ‘things’ imagined and discovered, and a story of the soil’s interconnectedness. Using a vast array of materials, layering on our discoveries, it was a vehicle for sharing of findings, wonderings and stories as the children represented their understanding of soil’s life and interconnections through this creative means.

Kiah Hamersley-Rule – Teacher Mira Dragicevic – Co Educator

Digging Deep: In the Earth & Ourselves A hole in the ground may be a negative space, but what we found inside was rich and valuable.

Observing the children in the digging pit, we notice just how fascinated they were in digging to find the next layer of dirt, coming across hard and soft earth of many colours. This variation was the object of much discussion and speculation. We started a mixed-media artwork to explore this further.

We then turned our attention to the biological sciences. What life existed within the soil? What plants and animals? We discovered some surprises through literature - discovering more than roots and ants down there!

Snakes, mice, spiders, and many familiar creatures used soil for hunting and shelter. There were stranger creatures that we hadn’t seen that lived their whole lives in soil, like the mole cricket.

We then began to focus on what we knew about the role of roots. Our understanding expanded as we discussed their function in nourishing the plant and communicating with other trees and plants, leading us to add more layers to our artwork.

We then started to link to our own ‘roots’ by looking at our family tree, which is part of the history curriculum. However, instead of focusing on the branches of a tree, we turned our family trees upside down and used the roots to create the fractal patterns of generations. We continued to add layers to our artwork as we discussed our family traditions, recipes, celebrations and anecdotes of when our family members had to ‘dig deep’ in their lives. We decided that our roots nourish us and make us who we are. We can draw on our ‘roots’ for strength and harness the metaphor of ‘digging deep’ to reflect on ways to support ourselves and take charge of a challenge we may face.

The final result of our artwork was a beautiful rendering of love for self, family and the Earth.

While this project may have started with a hole, it developed into a journey that has filled us up.

Julia Hughes– Teacher Chloe Campbell– Co Educator

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other. These meetings are supported by the educators, but it gives the students a voice and helps them develop skills to problem solve and build their tolerance towards each other.

In Middle School, subjects are led by subject teachers and have dedicated times in the timetable, during which students learn specific content and skills. With the opportunities for educators to collaborate (like on Wednesday afternoons), there are often projects that take place that are integrated between subjects. For example, last year, we had a Forensic Science focus. In science, students learned about collecting and testing various types of evidence; in Maths, they learned about scale and ratio with respect to crime scene sketching; and in HaSS students learned about the justice system and ran a mock criminal trial which was later dramatized through the Arts.

The students also have strong connection to the Wild Café.

While they have a full day every week that is dedicated to the Arts, where they learn new skills, some of the Middle School students also volunteer their time in the mornings before school to train as baristas, learn how to prep and serve food to customers and how to run a kitchen.

Interview With Malora Middle School Team Leader

Tell us about your current role at Bold Park and a little about your personal philosophical approach to engaging with students here.

Opposite page: Top left and bottom right – images by Stephanie Jayne Photos

Since 2022, I have been the Middle School Team Leader at Bold Park. Fostering relationships is a big part of my job and something I value above everything else when it comes to working with high school students. Primarily this is with the students – making sure they feel a sense of belonging, have adults that they connect with, and feel safe to be able to learn and connect with each other. Relationships with parents and the community is also a big part of the process as this partnership ensures that students are well supported both at home and at school.

At Bold Park, we are very fortunate to be able to get to know each and every student on a personal level. Students feel comfortable with their teachers and adults in their space and learn how to communicate to get their needs met.

My role also includes working with and supporting an excellent group of educators who are all passionate about their respective fields, but also so willing to collaborate with each other to create authentic projects for the students where the learning is deep and relevant to what’s happening currently or relates to what the students are interested in finding out more about.

I am also a very passionate Maths teacher for Years 7–9.

Learning Maths is all about confidence. I think it is important to meet students where they are at and build on the knowledge they have, take our time and integrate Maths concepts to contexts that students are exploring in other subjects.

You joined the school in 2012 – what role have you served in at the school?

I joined Bold Park in 2012 as the Science Lab Technician. I was doing a post graduate degree in Forensic Science at the time and needed to work in the field of science to be able to apply for Permanent Residency. I fell in love with Bold Park on my first day. I think for me it was the relationships that the students had with adults in the space that I noticed straight away. It wasn’t something I experienced as a high school student not too long before then. My role at Bold Park expanded to a teaching intern where I continued to build relationships with the students and brought my love for Science into the classroom.

After completing my teaching degree in 2018, I took on the role of Maths teacher for Years 7–12.

Middle School has been on a growing trajectory yet many people may wonder ‘What happens in Middle School’? Tell us EVERYTHING! The Middle School years are such an important part of our students’ learning journey. Until recently (2021) Middle School and College were combined unit. Since then, with the older students on the other campus, the Middle School students have had the opportunity to establish themselves in the space and see themselves as leaders in the Wembley campus.

Similar to Primary School, we get together once or twice a day for our class meetings. Here students have the opportunity to share their celebrations or a joke with each other and bring to the table any problems they are experiencing at school, in the playground or with each

In Middle School, we also run the Outta Boundz program, where once a week, for an hour, students go out into the community and learn a new skill or volunteer their time.

Each term, we do something different- from sailing to martial arts, sewing to skateboarding. Students also attend a 4-day camp in Term 3.

When you look to the future – what do you envision?

As Middle School has grown over the last few years, there have been more opportunities that have opened up – the café for example has been a wonderful new addition. These leadership opportunities have helped develop a sense of responsibility among the students and it has been incredible to see them step up.

I would love to see Middle School continue to grow over the next few years. I am open to new projects and community connections and more space for our students to explore their interests.

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This collaborative poem and the children’s illustrations were created in response to their investigation into Bush Tucker.

AL F E A T

By the Nourishing Numbats In my bush tucker garden there are raspberry jam wattles, prickling the ground with their stalks. It’s crown of leaves move in the wind like cars on a round about.

In my bush tucker garden, is a blueberry lily, its leaves are large and green, its berries are like bubbles shining in the sun. The blueberry lily tastes sweet upon my tongue.

In my bush tucker garden is green, green warrigal greens. Yummy healthy smooth leaves creeping everywhere.

In my bush tucker garden, are crunchy, beautiful, juicy, sweet lillypillies. The lilly pilly shrub stands tall and strong.

In my bush tucker garden bignay wooshes and swishes in the wind like a swooping magpie protecting its eggs. Its smooth bumpy leaves clean the air as they move.

In my bush tucker garden are boobialla with smooth green leaves and round berries shining in the sun.

In my bush tucker garden is sea purslane stretching out like a snake slithering along the dessert floor.

In my bush tucker garden is lemongrass with soft furry seeds blowing in the wind. Its long skinny crunchy stems wobble dancing.

In my bush tucker garden is a karkalla (pigs face) with smooth sharp leaves like spines on a funny porcupine. Its soft bright pink flowers opening for the bees like little helicopter pads.

In my bush tucker garden I see a tall strong salt bush. Its soft sliver leaves brush against my side as I walk along.

My bush tucker garden is beautiful.

My bush tucker garden is scrumptious!

Heather Sanders, Jodie Sinderberry – Teachers Max Loik – Co Educator

Find me on page 10 of the recipe book

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Pull out feature recipes to keep!

Find me on page 14 of the recipe book

Find me on page 22 of the recipe book

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Use it Up The Fight Against Food Waste The statistics around food wastage in Australia are confronting. Each year in Australia, 7.6 million tonnes of food is wasted, equating to about one in every three shopping bags. Food wastage is one of the significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, with up to 10% of global greenhouse gases coming from food produced but not eaten.

Food wastage occurs for many reasons; aspirations for a grand cook-up that never eventuates, miscalculating the amount we need, or when our busy lifestyles don’t align with when the avocado on the counter finally ripens.

As we become more environmentally conscious, awareness of food wastage is growing. As part of our Arts Day program, the Year 3s and 4s worked in the kitchen to explore means of reducing food wastage through cooking. We discussed ways to use old produce and created new recipes, including ‘brown banana muffins’ and lunch box muesli bars.

We engaged with the 5000 Meals Project, a Western Australian initiative addressing food insecurity in Perth communities. This innovative company packs up rescued food from supermarket chains to send to schools across the metropolitan region to prepare meals for those facing financial hardship. This movement helps reduce the amount of food ending up in landfills and supports members of our community experiencing food insecurity. Over a term, we produced over 110 meals taken to the 5000 Meals community kitchen and distributed to those in need. That’s 110 meals saved from landfill.

Fran White Culinary Specialist

Find me on page 64 of the recipe book

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Maylands design students transform their community through murals

“Design is thinking made visual.”

Saul Bass

Grounded in Design Making a Statement From the Floor Up On our move to Maylands, the teaching team was eager to find ways to connect with the local community and share who we are. With the Certificate IV in Design central to our pathway of learning, students decided that the design and installation of stunning murals, visible to the community around us, would be an authentic way to achieve these goals.

Prior to their arrival at the Maylands Campus, Bold Park students had a strong design thinking framework and a commitment to place-based education. Located in the heart of Maylands, the campus showcases the areas natural beauty, historical significance, and vibrant diverse community.

The design students initiated a major project to introduce themselves to the Maylands community in harmony with its values. Their exploration led them to community groups and activation plans, with a strong focus on promoting “street art through the heart of the town center” and cultivating a vibrant arts presence. This vision inspired the students to create murals that would enhance both the campus and the community.

The students embarked on a monumental project, beginning with immersive experiences like street art tours and festival visits. Their journey culminated in the creation of the stunning murals and comprehensive video documentation for their portfolios, capturing the evolution of their artistic process. Throughout this process, the students enjoyed invaluable mentorship from BlankWalls, an organisation internationally recognised for their expertise in murals and street art. Embracing an artist-led approach, this mentorship elevated the students’ understanding and execution, from the conceptualization of their designs to the finishing touches.

The results are two immense site-specific floor works, conceived and hand-painted by the students, that stand as a symbol of the campus’s identity. The lower floor mural pays homage to the school’s tactile program by emphasizing creative and design thinking, while the upper courtyard mural represents the diversity and inclusivity of the student body. The bleachers and stairs provide a canvas for students to experiment with techniques and express their more individual ideas, further enriching the artistic landscape. These murals serve as a bridge, seamlessly connecting the campus with the local community and fostering a profound sense of belonging and connection among the students.

These artworks authentically celebrate Maylands’ values and strengths, reflecting the town’s artistic heart and community essence.

Rhys George Arts Team Leader & College Cert iv teacher

“The best classrooms are constantly evolving communities where thinking is valued, visible, and actively promoted.”

Ron Ritchhart

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International Mud Day Each June, we celebrate our connection to and dependence on the Earth and each other through our Mud Day. It’s a joyous and playful event that gets us down and dirty in the mud pit, with a roaring fire, delicious homemade soup and the obligatory toasted marshmallow. For many, it is a heart-warming community event and highlight of our school year.

The concept emerged from a meeting between our founder, Gillian McAuliffe and Bishnu Bhatta, from Panchakal Orphanage Nepal, at the World Forum Foundation (WFF) in Belfast. The WFF promotes the global exchange of ideas on delivering quality services for young children in diverse settings. Gillian and Bishnu reflected on the diversity of their contexts and discussed how they could connect the children in their settings to some muddy play. In the Australian context, it was about overcoming our sandy soil and disinclination to get ‘dirty’. In contrast, for Bishnu, the inhibitor was the children not having access to a change of clothes for muddy play.

On her return, Gillian brought this discussion back to the school, where the children decided they would brave the mud to raise money to send to Nepal so the children there could get a change of clothes and have some muddy fun, too.

From this humble beginning, the event is now celebrated worldwide as International Mud Day on or around the 29th of June. In Nepal, this is the date of Asar Pandhra, which marks the beginning of the rice planting season and is a day of celebration across the country. According to Bhishnu, Mud Day is a perfect representation of this celebration, and it invites Nepalis to celebrate the productivity of the land, appreciate nature, and have fun with family and friends.

Bishnu sends this message to our Bold Park Families: We would like to extend a special thanks to Bold Park Community School’s Team, parents, and students for their incredibly generous fundraising to the Panchkal Orphanage since 2010. Because of the selfless and compassionate work of these individuals, we can ensure that these children receive countless opportunities in the future. All the children from Panchkhal and Naxal orphanage very much thankful to them for generosity and hope to get continues support. We tried our best to bring smiles on the faces of our children who are in need. This time we provided mattresses to all children which desperately needed. All the funds we have received spent on buying mattress, food, and sport equipment so on.

We are proud to continue this mutual tradition and opportunity to come together across the globe in celebration of our intrinsic connection to the Earth and through the Earth, to each other.

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Nourishing Children’s Voices The concept of the VOICE conference (Voicing Our Ideas for Children Everywhere) was developed in 2019 by Dr Fiona Mayne and Dr Gemma Scarparolo from The University of Western Australia. With a focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), the conference provides a platform for children between the ages of 5-12 to talk about issues related to the UNSDGs that concern them. BPCS was specifically approached to be the host for 2021, given our alignment with the values of promoting children’s rights and voices.

In 2023, we were permitted to host the conference on an ongoing basis under the Bold Park banner. Due to the Voice Referendum held in October of that year, a decision was made to retitle the conference Speaking BOLDly (Voicing Our Ideas for Children Everywhere) to avoid confusion.

While the conference’s overall premise remained the same over the years, it was inspiring to see how different, yet equally powerful, the discussions among the students in each cohort have been.

Our Upper Primary class of 2021, the SURVIVORS, embraced the idea of hosting the conference enthusiastically.

Responsible for content creation, they refined their message and developed target actions with support from Jeff Effendi and his colleagues from Draw History, who focused on the 3 P’s: Passion, Purpose, and Presentation. The SURVIVORS video conferenced with Angus Lonergan from UNICEF and

Bella Burgemeister (author and youth activist). Gemma and Fiona, along with some of their UWA graduate students, were also regular visitors to the classroom, offering guidance, encouragement, and expertise. It was an impressive inaugural conference, heralding the start of the BPCS relationship with this vital initiative. In a room filled with family and friends, the students welcomed special guests Christine Tonkin MLA, UNICEF Australia representatives, Elizabeth Spencer, CEO of The Literature Centre, and our Keynote Speaker, representing the 2019 Conference, Yahya Gilani.

The Year 6 students of 2023 had been eagerly awaiting the conference planning since discovering in Year 5 that it was a biennial event. The Year 5’s quickly joined in the excitement. The DRAGONS were supported by Fran Burgess (event management and marketing), Nicole Hunter (finding the message), Kobi Morrison (sharing knowledge through music and Indigenous perspectives), Matt Lambe (logo and music video production), and Lee Drinkwald (conference songwriting). We were also grateful to have the support of the Valuing Children Initiative and, in particular, Dr Vickie Absalom-Hornby, who visited almost weekly to support the students in refining their research and presentations.

This experience reaffirmed to our students that their voices matter and should be heard. As it happened, the theme for National Reconciliation Week encouraged all Australians to Be a Voice for Generations in continuing the reconciliation journey. Through discussions with Kobi, the DRAGONS decided that being a Voice involves sharing ideas, speaking up for others when necessary, standing up for what you feel is right, and being heard. Doing so for Generations looks like stepping in to represent those who cannot represent themselves and recognising that any change takes time.

The format of each event included the children sharing presentations they had prepared from their research into the SDG’s. With particular SDGs resonating with topics students personally felt strongly about, such as animal rights and welfare, diversity and inclusion or climate action. The presentations included an overview of the issues, a discussion of how they impacted the students personally, activities BPCS takes to work towards change in these areas, and actions or organisations that the audience and wider community could support going forward.

A second space was also activated, including videos and static displays prepared by the students, allowing the audience to speak directly to the presenters.

We look forward to future evolutions of the conference in 2025 and beyond as the children of Bold Park continue to be supported in critical evaluation of the world around them and their work to change the world for the better.

Renee Yonge & Ella Kennealey – Teachers Zu Hara – Co Educator

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The Rights of Trees We know that given time and direct contact with nature, children develop meaningful connections to place and the natural elements of that place. In our local area and on the school grounds, we are fortunate to be surrounded by an array of towering trees. Despite our urban setting, trees are a substantive element of our sense of place, and every day we witness the diversity of ways these trees enhance children’s play and well-being. Our trees provide shade and dappled light during hot summers, drop leaves, nuts and bark that invite playful games, collections, and microworlds for exploration.

Trunks and branches act as props for cubbies or adventurous climbers. So, when our pre-primary teachers noticed their new cohort of children had a contagious curiosity and fascination for trees, they knew they had a project spark. The children’s interest in trees was so strong that they called themselves the “Tree Heroes”, and together with their teachers, they embarked on a year-long journey connecting to nature and place, with trees leading the way.

Throughout their year-long journey of exploration and research into trees, the children poetically endowed trees with a life force and culture. The children tell us trees have hearts and feel happiness, sadness or fear. They can also feel tired, have nightmares …” or dreams about the sea”. The children propose that trees can speak in “tree talk”, and if they did, they might say, “I love everything” or “Don’t step on my roots!”. It’s just that we can’t hear because trees have “ very quiet voices”. They suggested that trees might even “... sing in the night to make themselves happy” or attend a “forest school” where they learn how to grow and be nice to each other and where “..the big trees teach the little trees how to drop their leaves”.

These magical and anthropomorphic conceptions of trees also led the children to wonder: should trees have rights? With little hesitation, the children decided that, indeed, trees deserved to have rights. The Tree Heroes declared what they felt these rights should be, unique kinds of tree rights, and they would like us all to join with them in this magical way of seeing trees and respecting these rights.

Trees Have Rights Trees have the right to love from other trees and from us.

They have the right to soil, water and sunlight.

They have a right for somewhere to grow, and to some shade and oxygen.

They are part of the whole world family.

They help us to breathe and give us love.

They give us flowers, medicine, furniture, paper and wood for the fire.

They give us places to play and climb and they make the whole world brighter.

Rachel Gardner – Teacher Trish Hilton – Co-Educator Renata Biancardi – Visual Arts Specialist

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Our Camp Journey Broadening Horizons

Camps are an essential and exciting element of our nature-based practice. Offering the children extended time and enriching experiences beyond the school grounds. Taking the knowledge and experiences children develop through our Wildspaces, such as campfire protocols, building shelters, and tree climbing, into a broader outdoor educational context. Through the ages, camps progress from short-stay camps within Perth to more adventurous and further afield destinations our College students have experienced, such as canoeing down the Blackwood River.

The links we can make to camps and outdoor education are the most obvious; however, as with many experiences we offer to our students, we know that there are multiple layers of learning and growth to access through the shared experience of the challenge and adventure that can come with camps. Students develop their self-awareness and ‘tool kit’ of strategies to manage being away from home. Camps also deepen the sense of belonging and connection between students in their class group as they support each other through challenges and enjoy shared adventures.

Year 3 marks a milestone in our camp’s progression with the first overnight experience held on the school grounds for the year 3 & 4 cohorts. This overnight experience at school offers the first ‘stretch’ we provide to children as they broaden their connections beyond their own family to camp out under the stars

with their ‘school family’ where they are drawing on their resources of self, friends and teachers to experience success in this growth experience.

Of course, we are mindful that success can look different for each child. For some, the stretch might be staying for dinner. For some, it might be staying the night. For this reason, as with any of our camps, we are mindful to offer a range of opportunities so that each student can find their ideal stretch and build their sense of self and belonging within their class cohort.

As the children mature our camps extend both in the distance away from home and the length of time. For our Middle School and College the camp experience has included destination such as Kalgoorlie, kayaking on the Blackwood River or walking the Cape to Cape.

While the thought of extended time away from the comforts of home and family can be daunting, we are constantly reminded of the value derived from these experiences to our students sense of autonomy, capability and belonging. We are truly grateful to not only have families support in providing these growth opportunities, but also the commitment of our amazing teaching staff who leave behind their own families and comforts of home, to make these experiences possible.

Jarryd Horsley Health and Physical Education Specialist & Camp Co-ordinator

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Food, Culture, Community and Connection Around, and Within Our World Laughter is brightest, where food is best.

Irish Proverb

The saying “You are what you eat” resounds on multiple dimensions and many stories of our human existence can be found in the ingredients, preparation or serving of food, making it a culinary experience a compelling language to learn through as we see in the following story.

Embedding food and nutrition into our learning about the world around us makes our learning more relevant and builds links with our daily lives and living. We have studied food cropping patterns around the world, explored food cultures in History and debated the sustainability of food practices in Indigenous and modern cultures. One thing we know for sure is that students love learning through ‘food’.

Did you know Irish language has over 100 adjectives to describe the humble potato? Few plants have been as central to the destiny of a nation as the potato has been to Ireland. In preparation for our upcoming Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations, we learned about all things Irish including the history of the potato and how it became a staple food for subsistence farmers. As we researched An Gorta Mor (the Irish famine) we stumbled across the long and storied history of The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the people of Ireland, who despite being thousands of miles apart, remain forever entwined because of one small act of kindness in 1847.

Upon hearing about the plight of the starving poor in Ireland the Choctaw People met to discuss ways to help.

Central to Choctaw beliefs and practice is the concept of ittibachvffa: to be one in unity in mind, thought or action.

Over $5,000 (in today’s economy) was raised and made its way to Ireland. Although this relationship has enjoyed many interactions across the years the Irish people were able to fully demonstrate their enduring gratitude when the pandemic hit with over $3 million raised for the Choctaw Nations during COVID. When we discussed what to cook for our Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations ‘something with potato’ was the obvious choice. We asked Prof Rosa, our Food Artelierista, if she could help and she characteristically jumped at the chance.

Rosa is Italian and loves all and any excuse to showcase and celebrate food from around the world. We forward a recipe for ‘boxty (potato) pancakes. Unbeknown to us Rosa washed, peeled, boiled and mashed a batch a potato at home ready to make ‘boxty (potato) pancakes the next day. They were a fitting addition to the singing, jigging, and general shenanigans of our Paddy’s Day. We enjoyed the traditional boxty rhyme too, once we updated it!

Boxty on the griddle, Boxty on the pan, If you can’t make boxty You’ll never get a man (sic) fan In the month of June our celebration of food, culture and connection continued around the world to Festa Junina, a Brazilian harvest festival adopted from European Midsummer celebrations. Festa Junina celebrates the end of the rainy season, rural farming life and the beginning of harvest. It is of course accompanied by a range of traditional foods.

Our Brazilian community arrived in costume, with a musician playing piano-accordion in tow. We learned the history and traditions of Festa Junina, were invited to dress up, learned a traditional dance outside in the sunshine, played many fun games and tasted a range of home-baked delights prepared by our Brazilian families including Pao De Qeujga (cheese balls) and Canjica (sweet dish made from corn). We had never heard of Festa Junina before but now we will remember it forever.

Here at Bold Park, there are smaller and equally meaningful connections made around food. For our recent 3/4 sleepover the Story Goats (year 2’s) baked banana bread for morning tea after our big night out under the stars. Adorned with edible flowers, warm slices were shared with bursting pride as we sat a while getting to know each other better.

Not to mention the breakfast of champions prepared for us by Prof Rosa and the Middle Schoolers; pancakes, berry compote, banana, maple syrup, cream…all the toppings our hearts desired.

Whether it be exchanging knowledge on ingredients, celebrating through food or the simple act of preparing a meal to share, food will forever be the thread that connects us to each other and the world around us.

Mairead Furlong & Holly James – Teachers Shannon Puig & Liam Jones – Co-Educators

Irish Boxty recipe Equipment • Cup measures: 1, ½ & ¼ cup • Spoon Measures: 1 tablespoon • 2 x mixing bowls • Whisk • Wooden spoon

Ingredients • 1 ½ cups grated raw potatoes • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes • 1 large egg • 1 tablespoon skim milk • Salt and pepper to taste • ¼ cup olive oil/butter

Method • Toss grated potatoes with flour in a large bowl.

Stir in mashed potatoes until combined.

• Whisk egg and milk together • Mix into the large bowl with potatoes • Season with salt and pepper • Heat oil/butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Drop in ¼ cup pancake mixture, fry on both sides until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel lined tray.

• Serve warm with a choice of toppings: salsa & sour cream, mushrooms, sautéed vegetables, homemade tomato sauce, ham & cheese, bacon, honey or maple syrup. So many choices!

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Final Words Through our Bolder magazines we capture a glimpse of the lived philosophy and practices at Bold Park Community School over time. Collating stories and experiences that reflect the values and priorities of our unique approach. With each edition, you hold a sample of how distinctive energies, provocations and collective learnings emerge when our educators listen and respond to children and young people across the whole school experience (18 months to 18 years of age).

We love that the Bolder collection makes visible immersive learning in the intentional, connected contexts of people, place, space, time, nature and the ‘mosaic of materials’. It is so fitting that this edition, which captures our Whole-School Focus of being ‘nourished and entwined’, should feature food in many stories. We literally ‘ingest’ the world through food for our essential nutrients; it can be an influential element of cultural belonging and a sense of identity.

We hope we have also highlighted the many ‘nourishing’ traditions and practices that continue to forge cohesion in our community, such as International Mud Day, our Camps Program and the heartbeat of our Wild Café. We hope to have revealed our team’s default position to look outwards for opportunities to connect with communities beyond our own and seek ways that show our care and concern for our world and those around us.

Each magazine has invited readers to ‘peek into the window’ of what our children experience at Bold Park: The Importance of Play (Bolder- 01); Reconciliation through Walking and Learning Together (Bolder-02). We believe Bolder-03 captures a spirit of our approach that shows it is possible to nourish ourselves, our knowledge and our experiences by celebrating the entwined nature of all life on Earth.

Paul Whitehead & Nicole Hunter

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