Principal Reflections
Welcoming the Message Stick
The Message Stick is currently journeying throughout the Armidale Diocese in preparation for the 2024 Catholic Schools NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Conference to be held in Tamworth next term. This Sunday, during our celebration for the Sacrament of Confirmation, Father Roel will welcome the Message Stick to our Parish and hand it onto St Edward's School.
An epic journey
Commencing in March, and reaching its final destination in late October, the Conference Message Stick is embarking on a historic journey across the Armidale Diocese. Visiting each of the Armidale Diocesan Schools and their local Parish, the Message Stick will prompt celebration and cultural learning both in the schools and beyond the school gate in local communities.
In all, the Conference Message Stick will travel around 1700 kilometres as it journeys from the sprawling black soil plains of the west to the mountainous New England High Country, before completing its journey upon arriving at the venue for the Catholic Schools NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Conference, the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre.
St Edward's School staff will actively engage in enlightening everyone about the history, meaning, and importance of this particular item. As a result, all the classrooms have an allocated time next week and week 1 of Term 4, to proudly display the Message Stick and learn more about its significance.
System School Improvement- Clarity Suite
This week, members of our curriculum team at St Edward's School attended the Clarity Suite Professional Learning Workshop, presented by Dr Lyn Sharratt from Canada. The two days allowed for us to collaborate, refine and identify next steps to support school improvement alongside Armidale Catholic Schools personnel and approximately seventy principals and teachers from our system of school. This Armidale Diocesan initiative revisits the work done with Dr Lyn Sharratt over the past eight years in our system of schools. Big thanks to Denikah, Natasha, Andrew and Peter for their excellent work with curriculum.
Alison Hatton
(Principal)