National
Reconciliation
Week
National Reconciliation Week
Wednesday 27th May to Wednesday 3rd June 2026
National Reconciliation Week gave our school community a meaningful chance to come together, learn, and reflect on the importance of building respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all Australians. Throughout this past week, all students and staff participated in activities that deepened our understanding of this year’s theme, All In.
From prayers, picture story books, classroom discussions and dressing in the colours of the Aboriginal flag to our whole school creative art project, everyone in our school has played a part in acknowledging the histories, cultures, and contributions of First Nations peoples. These experiences have allowed students to share thoughtful reflections about what reconciliation means to them, showing a growing awareness of how we can all contribute to a more united future.
Last week, the Year 5 students were fortunate to have Dave Patton-Kerr (Felix and Sofia's dad) come to speak with them about his identity as a Gunditjmara man. He explained the significance of totems in Aboriginal cultures and shared that his totem is the yellow-tailed black cockatoo.
The students learned about the strong connection that Aboriginal people have to Country and the importance of being passionate custodians of the land, only taking what is needed to ensure a sustainable future. They shared in some storytelling and learned some of the traditional language, whist developing their knowledge of important Aboriginal traditions, such as smoking ceremonies and possum skin cloaks.
Thank you, Dave, for helping our Year 5 students to further develop their understanding of Aboriginal cultures so that they can contribute whole-heartedly to being 'all in' for reconciliation.
On Tuesday afternoon, our dedicated Fire Carriers had the opportunity to further develop their passion for learning about First Nations cultures and histories through their work with CESL’s Aboriginal Education Officer, Tanika Thornton. The session centred on important dates in Aboriginal history that feature as key dates throughout National Reconciliation Week.
In small groups, the students worked together to record their understandings of Reconciliation, Sorry Day, the 1967 Referendum, Mabo Day and what it means to be All In. Keep an eye out for our committed Fire Carriers at an upcoming assembly, where they will share their learning with you.
The conclusion of National Reconciliation Week on Wednesday was a wonderful celebration of the learning that had taken place across the week. It was terrific to see everyone in our school proudly wearing red, black and yellow to demonstrate that they are committed to walking the message of healing, unity and hope with First Nations Peoples.
This day also saw the coming together of our whole school art project that was carefully created piece by piece in each classroom across this special week. Each student and staff member created their own message stone to contribute to our very important message that was unveiled on the roundabout at the front of the school.
This week reminded us that reconciliation is not a single event, it's not just one week to be quickly forgotten, but an ongoing commitment—one that our school is proud to uphold. Together, we continue to listen, learn, and walk forward with respect and with open hearts.
We are ALL IN for reconciliation!
Natalie Shearer & Alicia Mansfield
Aboriginal Education Coordinators
