David's Message

Dear Sunshine Heights Parents and Carers,

We've come to the end of National Reconciliation Week—a time for all of us to reflect on the importance of learning from, listening to, and celebrating the cultures and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

At Sunshine Heights, we proudly acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, learn, and play. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging, and extend that respect to all Koorie students, their families, and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are part of our Sunshine Heights community. Our school sits near the banks of Kororoit Creek - a journey place used by First Nations People as a path from Altona Beach to the volcanic plains of Western Victoria. It’s a reminder that Sunshine Heights is a journey place too: a place where every student, family, and staff member walks their own learning path.

Reconciliation Week invites us to continue that journey together, with respect, honesty, and a commitment to learning. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the past and build a future that values every voice. This week, I encourage every one of us to think about how we can contribute to reconciliation—not just in words but in actions. That might be by learning more about First Nations histories, sharing stories, attending a local event, or simply having a conversation with your child about why we do an Acknowledgement of Country before each meeting.

For some of our families, being able to take over custodianship of these lands is a vital part of the reconciliation process. Last weekend a number of families and students joined myself, Hayden O'Doherty and Steve Hardman as we worked on the Nugal Nganjin Garden. There is an expression "A society grows great when Older [People] plant trees, the shade of which they will never sit in." - just as the First Nations people shaped the land around us, we have an amazing opportunity to continue to shape our school grounds and beyond for our future generations. 

If you do get a chance to this weekend, please walk along the creek, and visit the beautiful spaces that the Friends of the Kororoit Creek have created over the years. While you do, you can rest assured you are walking the same paths as the First Nations People have for more than 50 millennia.

At Sunshine Heights, our commitment to reconciliation is part of our commitment to empowering every student with the knowledge, skills, and passion to create our future together. If you’d like to learn more, I’d encourage you to visit Reconciliation Australia’s website or reach out to our team. Let’s keep walking this journey together.

Best wishes,

David and the Sunny Heights Team