Cultural News

NEW - National Apology Day 

On Monday 13th February, the FIRE Carriers, Mr Butts and Mrs Dyke attended the National Apology Day breakfast at the Queen’s Gardens in Shepparton. It has been 15 years since the first apology was made in parliament. The children listened to Jarvis Atkinson and learned more about the significance of the Apology given by Keven Rudd to the Stolen Generation. Later that day the FIRE Carriers shared prayer at Assembly regarding the National Apology.

I thank our students for their participation.

Our “Dreaming Garden” for 2023

We are asking for some School Community input regarding our “Dreaming Garden” design that will be created this year.

Here are some photos of the proposed site.

Existing Fur Tree with bolders    

Area next to the Fur Tree

Area near the sandpit    

 Vacant block near Hall Street            

Vacant block near Hall Street

Vacant block near Hall Street

• The garden will focus around the Yorta Yorta Dreaming “Ina Yillian” which is the creation story for the Dhungala (Murray River). There is a strong connection to the importance of the rivers to the traditional owners, the Yorta Yorta people.
• The garden will have an interactive element and students will be able to use the space to learn more about plants used for food, medicinal plants and tool making. 
• Areas we would like to include are story boards that children can design the images from the Dreaming story. This space will allow for reflection on the elements that are shared in the Dreaming.
• We hope to have a space for a fire pit.
• There will be other meeting space near the large fur tree with rocks placed around it. This space could then be used during yarning sessions with our Koori Worker, elders or classroom teachers.
• Woven into the garden design we hope to have pieces of artwork that can be created from our Community.
• Our children will also have a voice into what can be included in our garden design through sessions with Marissa (Koori Worker)

Please help support this project by offering some suggestions or help with the design process. Contact Marissa (Koori Worker) or Catherine Dyke (Indigenous Education) with your suggestions.

mkerr@smmooroopna.catholic.edu.au

cdyke@smmooroopna.catholic.edu.au

REMINDER - Opening the Doors Foundation

Opening the Doors Foundation can offer financial assistance in the form of a grant, for school related costs to indigenous students, based on an application.  

The school can apply for this grant on your behalf with an Authority Form and a Certificate of Aboriginality or Recognition of Aboriginality form completed and returned to the office, or the link is attached below if you would prefer to apply direct.

https://app.openingthedoors.org.au/

Please find attached an information sheet with the Authority form and a Recognition of Aboriginality form our Koori Educator is able to sign off on if you are unable to locate your Certificate of Aboriginality.

If you require any further assistance, please contact either the school directly, or Koori Education Worker Marissa Kerr.

Thank you,

Naomi Egglestone

Office Administrator 

Update - Rumbalara Dental Clinic

The Dental program will run again this year.

We will send out information and permission forms regarding this once we receive them from Rumbalara.

The dental staff will visit our School to complete dental health checks. 

Acknowledgement of Country               

At St Mary’s Primary School Mooroopna we Acknowledge the Traditional people of this land. The Yorta Yorta Nation are the Traditional Custodians of this area and we remember their elders, past, present and future. We remember that the Aboriginal people of Australia will always be the  traditional owners of the land on which we gather today. We continue to grow through education and reconciliation to a better future for all Australians.