Principal's Message

                                                                     Mrs Josie Crisara

Class of 2020

The final Chapel and Assembly for our Year 12 students was held on Friday 30 October. It was livestreamed to parents so that they could feel a part of this important event. This was the final school activity for a wonderful group of young people who have faced the challenges of this year with resilience and looking forward.  The theme of the Chapel was 'Hope' and the Principal’s address spoke about the book by Kobi Yamada, ‘Maybe’, which looks at the potential and possibilities in everyone. The students were presented with a gift pack which included a copy of the book. The students then celebrated with a picnic lunch up at the farm. It was a wonderful way to enjoy and reflect upon their time at Aitken College.

Brookhill Colours and Long Tan Awards

We congratulate the following Year 12 students who received awards:

Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Award:  Angus M

Remembrance Day Service  

As we were unable to have our traditional service this year, students were shown a video recording of our school-based service during assemblies. A one minute silence was held on Wednesday 11th at the 11th hour.

One of our Year 8 students also assisted the Craigieburn RSL to produce a video for their yearly service. The video link can be found  at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqtWkp2KLb4&t=1s

Lest we Forget.

NAIDOC Week

A number of activities were held during the week to celebrate the Always Was and Always Will Be theme, acknowledging the first peoples of our nation and the path to reconciliation. 

In assemblies students were read stories for understanding of issues and the following poem by Alison Overeem, UAICC, Tasmania:

Always was, Always will be

Always was

 Always will be

The Lands I walk on

And the Lands that walk within me

To know the history of First Peoples

Is to know the importance of place,

To know what being on country is,

Is to know and feel the connection

To want to hear the stories and feel the stories is our call to all,

To want to know and hear the Lands

as a gift, to our being and knowing,

To know and hear from First Peoples, is how we as First and

Second Peoples are called to the growing

To know the significance and compass that abounds us,

as First Peoples through place,

 is to know our links to the Land surpasses all time and space

But in knowing that connection

Is to know and reflect on, dispossession and its true realisation,

To hear the Land relation, is a call to know

and reflect on the impacts of invasion and colonisation

What is country, what is milaythina ningee (Mother Earth) in the

now and in the forever time for First Peoples?

Stolen lands,

At the colonisers hands,

Stolen connection,

By forced removals,

Under the myth of protection

In Lutrawita, the 9 Nations of our ancestors lived in harmony with the Land,

The Land is us,

And we are the Land

Imagine and reflect on what happens when that is taken away?

Declaration of “The Black War” here in Tasmania must be told and must be heard,

The impacts of broken Treaties must be learned

May our Churches and agencies discern,

For it is in Nature’s classroom that we truly learn

Learn the struggle and the survival of a people and place in realisation,

Hear the cries of our people at the hands of colonisation

Reflect on Always was Always will be,

Not in words, but in action too

And embrace the message to unlearn and be free,

Not just in words but in hearts, souls and spirits too

And reflect on the privilege of the Land walked on and with:

Know its stories

Feel its stories

Feel its call

And feel its heart

Always was

Always will be

Within me

The Land is my compass

It connects me

It connects me to place past present and future too

It’s who I am

It’s who we are as First Peoples

And in the discerning of justice for Land return,

It’s the knowing of the importance of Place,

The healing of Place is the place to Learn

It’s in knowing this connection to Land, through this lens of

discernment the true lessons are learned

Honour the land and the stories sitting within Country wherever you may be,

And be in the knowing and the growing of:

Always Was

Always Will Be

As you gather

Can you hear the stories of place?

And as you walk and gather and stand?

Can you hear the connection in the forever time

of First Peoples’ Connection to Land?

Walk it

Feel it

Know it

Hear it

Honour it

Sit and be

With what it means to truly honour,

The words “Always was, Always will be”

Written by Leprena, November 2020, NAIDOC week

Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group

The College is developing a Reconciliation Action Plan to bring an authentic Indigenous presence. We would love members of the wider College community to be in the Working Group. This would involve attending a few short Zoom meetings held after school. If you are interested, please email admin@aitkencollege.edu.au by Tuesday 17 November. 

The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), will be as a formal statement of commitment to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. It is an overarching, aspirational statement that provides an opportunity for our school to publicly articulate to the wider community what reconciliation means to us and what it is that motivates our commitment to reconciliation.

2021 College Leaders

During Term 3 current Year 11 students were interviewed for Leadership positions for 2021. Students presented speeches at assembly and also attended an interview. We congratulate the following students:

World Teachers (staff ) Day

On 30 October we celebrated the staff of the College for all that they do. They really appreciated the gifts prepared by the Parents and Friends with the note: “A little something to say THANK YOU and we think YOU’RE AWESOME for the support you have provided to students and the school community during this time”.