RECONCILIATION Action Plan
INTRODUCTION As a school, we have a responsibility to educate and foster
an environment of respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culture and knowledge.
Our journey towards reconciliation began in 2019 when we formed the Reconciliation Action Plan Committee. Using the Reconciliation Australia RAP Framework, we embarked upon the first stage in the process - to
‘Reflect’ - to understand how we, as a school currently, and can further, embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customs and values into our everyday practices.
Through this reflective process, we created our vision and
commitments to reconciliation. This document provides a
framework for our school to realise our vision and commit
to reconciliation. We are proud of the work we have done in developing our vision for reconciliation, which reflects the
importance of reconciliation to our school community, our society and the future of our nation.
Artwork throughout this document was created by our First Nations students. These artworks were created with the guidance of artist Nikita Newley as she encouraged the students to represent their place on this land.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The St Margaret’s community acknowledges the traditional custodians
of the land we gather on each day. We pay our respects to the Elders past
and present, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the nation.
ST MARGARET’S VISION FOR RECONCILIATION Our vision for reconciliation is an Australia that embraces unity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians, and a national culture that
represents equality and equity, historical acceptance of our shared history, and removal of negative race relations. By establishing a better understanding and respect for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, we will develop an enriched appreciation of Australia’s cultural heritage and move towards the maturity of our community and Australia as a nation based on mutual respect and trust, and support reconciliation.
RAP OUTLINES Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the classroom
ST MARGARET’S COMMITMENT We believe in the power of shared learning experiences, and welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into our learning spaces. We believe that having Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in our classrooms is an essential part of learning about and understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
ACTIONS (UP TO 2021) Elders Stories and Gidhal projects – giving students a voice
Lesley Williams invited to speak and share her yarns Artist in residence – Nikita Newley Audit of Indigenous perspectives in the curriculum
WHAT’S NEXT Look for opportunities to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the classroom 1. Artist in residence 2. Story telling in English 3. Dance in HPE 4. Historical Perspectives
Early Years Learning Framework – Early Learning Specific
We believe in fostering authentic connections between our vision, our plans for reconciliation, and the principles and practices of the Early Years Learning Framework. We commit to fostering a strong working relationship between the two, and to ensuring that reconciliation is authentically embedded into our early learning environments.
Opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students and Children
We believe in celebrating cultural identities. St Margaret’s commits to providing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to cultivate a shared pride for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, contributions, identities and histories within our school community. We believe that these opportunities will have a positive impact on the wellbeing of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Boarding Context: ‘See My Difference See My Worth’ festival
Cultural Competence for Staff
We commit to reflection regarding our own level of cultural competence, and to provide opportunities for staff to build upon and extend their own knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories. We support staff in actively developing their cultural awareness to ensure greater cultural competence and understanding.
Began the conversation
Investigate a PD opportunity for the staff to complete a cultural competence course
Welcome to Country
We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land. We honour their legacy through formal acknowledgement and ensure that significant events at our school begin with a Welcome to Country address. We acknowledge that welcoming visitors to Country has been part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures for thousands of years.
Acknowledgement of Country is now embedded into assemblies, chapels and functions. Classroom displays of the Acknowledgement
Look for an Elder who could partner with the school from the Yagura or Turabul Peoples. Continue to embed
We will celebrate National Reconciliation Week (NRW) each year from 27 May to 3 June and commit to talking about reconciliation in our classrooms and within the school community. This is an important time for all Australians to learn about and understand our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to recognise how each Australian can contribute to the national reconciliation effort.
Celebration of Reconciliation Week
Build on 2021
We believe in fostering relationships with our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and believe that these bonds must be built on mutual respect, trust and inclusivity. We recognise that these valuable relationships help to create opportunities for a deeper understanding between our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous staff, our students, and our community members.
Lesley Williams
Celebrate National Reconciliation Week
Build Relationships with Community
Celebration of Reconciliation Week, National Sorry Day Gidhal and Elders Stories
Acknowledgement added to the website and electronic email signature
National Sorry Day
Floral Friday and Dancing
Nikita Newley
Elders Stories and Gidhal
Work with Margot Shave to build connections with Elders Stories with the full school community
RAP OUTLINES Teach about Reconciliation
ST MARGARET’S COMMITMENT
ACTIONS (UP TO 2021)
WHAT’S NEXT
St Margaret’s commits to ongoing learning about reconciliation in Australia, and to understanding the ideas, history and progress that has been made towards reconciliation within our country. We recognise the role that our RAP plays in the story of reconciliation in Australia, and we commit to promoting its understanding and integration within our school community.
Sunata article about the RAP Enews articles about events
Audit the curriculum to better embed reconciliation teachings.
Flyer articles
Yalari page in The Link
Explore Current Affairs and issues
Raising awareness of significant issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the process of reconciliation is vital. We commit to integrating this knowledge into our curriculum delivery, policies and procedures, and into the ethos of our school.
Curriculum and policy review
Continue curriculum and policy review
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags
St Margaret’s is committed to reconciliation; with respect and pride, we fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags in acknowledgement and recognition of the histories, cultures and contributions of Australia’s First Peoples.
Completed in 2021
Take Action Against Racism
We take a strong stance on racism and understand the serious negative consequences that it can have on people who experience it. St Margaret’s commits to building a shared understanding of what racism is, how best to respond to it when it occurs, and to creating a tailored solution that reaffirms our shared ethos. Only when racism is understood can it be overcome.
The school has a no tolerance for racism policy
Curriulum Planning
We commit to integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures into our curriculum planning and development. This process reaffirms our ongoing respect for and commitment to reconciliation. Our curriculum documents have been or will be audited to assess the extent that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions have been embedded. In this process, we will strive to identify opportunities that will allow for a stronger representation of this content in our curriculum.
Review has been completed of when and where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content is taught
Staff are committed to improving the educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and to developing their knowledge and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in Australia. We also commit to ensuring that all staff comply with these inclusive policies, and that ongoing amendment of these documents ensures inclusivity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Enrolment and Employment policies are inclusive
St Margaret’s is committed to implementing its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in a meaningful and sustainable way. With this in mind, all staff will be involved in its operation and ongoing development and will be encouraged to participate in its implementation through staff development opportunities.
Presentations to the staff about the RAP
Inclusive Policies
Staff Engagement with RAP
Racism, diversity and inclusion are explicitly taught in the curriculum through RVE.
Full curriculum audit to look for areas that need to be developed and reflected
Discussion about the importance of increasing this; however, we need to start with cultural competence training Looked to increase the amount of Indigenous literature we have for students to access
Yalari Partnership
Open invitation to join the RAP committee
Presentations to the staff about the RAP
Open invitation to join the RAP committee
REFLECTION My name is Charli Jones and I have been boarding at St Margaret’s since Year 7. I live in the Torres Strait, but I am a proud Aboriginal woman. My Mum’s side of the family comes from North Stradbroke Island. We are Quandamooka people; Salt Water Murries. We are from the Nughie and Noonuccal tribes.
My totem is the porpoise and the carpet snake. My dad is a New Zealander, a Maori man. He is from the
Whakatohea tribe, and his totem is a traditional canoe his people used to voyage on before settling on land. Despite being Aboriginal, I lived in the Torres Strait for all my life. I learnt their language and culture and know little about mine, but I am still learning each day.
Having St Margaret’s engage in reconciliation activities throughout the school means a lot to me and my community. It shows that there are people willing to learn and be connected as one.
Reconciliation requires the Australian community to recognise and respect the First Peoples of this land,
and to acknowledge the past injustices and the ongoing inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. You can’t make a future without acknowledging the past.
By stepping through this journey together, everyone is able to see the light in a different perspective, i.e. be willing to open their eyes, erase stereotypes and see the whole picture. I am not asking for people to
understand our culture and its significance to us; I ask them only to try to appreciate why it is important to
share and acknowledge that there are First Nations people within this school community. We want the school
environment to be a safe place where people feel they belong, not just Indigenous kids but all minority groups. I believe continuing this program will not only help the students, but it will also assist the teachers to have greater insight and more involvement in bettering the future and striving towards equality.
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School 11 Petrie Street Ascot QLD 4007 Australia Telephone: +61 7 3862 0777 Facsimile: +61 7 3862 0701 mail@stmargarets.qld.edu.au www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au
St Margaret’s School Council Ltd ABN: 69069684019 CRICOS Code: 00511K A School of the Society of the Sacred Advent