Deputy Head of College News

Reconciliation. A concept we cannot ignore or remain indifferent.

When did you first hear the word' 'sorry'? When did you first experience 'sorry'? How about 'reconciliation'? 'Forgiveness'?

These terms comprise the fabric of our Marist Family as a Catholic faith and learning community. Not only are they family terms, they are familiar experiences. We take time to listen, we take responsibility for any hurt we may have caused, we endeavour to reconcile our differences with another.

Reconciliation is not a new word or new concept for you or for me. At the core of reconciliation is - acknowledgment of wrong-doing, apologising for any hurt or pain you may have caused another and seek their forgiveness. Not a simple thing for an individual, nor for a nation. Reconciliation between our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of our nation is not a simple thing either. However, it is one we cannot ignore or remain indifferent.

Officially National Reconciliation Week has two bookends. The first bookend, today, 27 May, which acknowledges the anniversary of the 1967 referendum when Australians voted to remove clauses in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The second bookend, June 3, marks the end of National Reconciliation Week and the historic 1992 Mabo decision in which the High Court of Australia recognised native title. The recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights over their lands did survive British colonisation.

The theme of Reconciliation Week is ‘Bridging Now to Next’, a theme which acknowledges gaps which remain in our society and a theme which is optimistic and full of hope. 'Bridging Now to Next' also calls us to participate and do our bit. What can we do?

Through different conversations with staff and students this week, there were little bits of gold shared with the everyday practical ways we can be 'Bridges Now' . These examples included:

• Find out more about the story of Brisbane’s Boundary St and the site our new Olympic stadium - Barrambin (Victoria Park)
• Share your learnings of our Indigenous history with others, to build their knowledge and awareness, instead of letting ignorance linger
• Deliberately pause your mind whilst wandering around Mt Cooth-tha or cycling along one of our inner-city waterways and consider the sacredness of our Country
• Consider the origins and true purpose of an Acknowledgement of Country at your next gathering

Congratulations to the staff and students who represented our College at this week's National Reconciliation Week gatherings. Keep doing your bit, building those bridges from now into next!

Participate and Win!

The College continues to work through our Cyclic Inquiry alongside other Marist Schools Australia (MSA) schools. Our inquiry now shifts towards focusing on mechanisms for learning and teaching improvement. As such, we will be inviting all families, students and staff to participate in a Diagnostic Inventory of School Alignment (DISA) survey. The survey and associated report focuses on the quality of teaching and learning with specific reference to the organisational, intellectual and social capital within the school.

Registration

To register for the DISA survey please complete this brief form before Friday, 30 May. The College will then contact you with instructions on how to complete the survey.

Participate & Win!

This time around, respondents will enter the draw for one of 10 $50 tuckshop vouchers. We're hitting the road too, with free Grandstand Canteen lunches up for grabs for those who respond on the spot at this weekend's Super Saturday Football and Rugby home game. Be sure to drop by the umbrellas adjacent to the Grandstand Canteen to register and participate in the survey… and then enjoy a free lunch on us!

Thank you for your commitment to this important initiative which will help shape the future of Marist College Ashgrove.

Tuckshop Volunteers Needed

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the volunteers who generously gave their time and support during the previous term. Your contributions were greatly appreciated and made a significant difference.

As we are in Term 2, we find ourselves in need of help and support, in Tuckshop.

We are kindly asking for any parents, caregivers, or community members who are able to volunteer their time to consider assisting us. Your help is invaluable and essential to the continued smooth running of this service.

If you are available to lend a hand, please don’t hesitate to sign up in our Term 2 link below.We truly appreciate your support.

Term 2 link: https://signup.com/go/hizeWrf