Cooinda News

It has been great for us all to be back in Cooinda and our mob all together after a few tough years. There have been lots of happy faces and we are all glad to be back together. Jackson Parkes and Lisa Selsby successfully implemented our 2021 Year 7 Aboriginal Studies program where we received a lot of feedback from our students and all were glad to have the opportunity to learn about our amazing cultural heritage and to learn about the many stories and heroes that have contributed to the 60,000+ years of our nation. 

We are now one term into our 2022 Aboriginal Studies program and have welcomed all of our Year 7s to this course. Mr Parkes and Ms Selsby have begun implementing our 2022 Cooinda Cultural Program where we have many activities planned for the Cooinda kids this year.  This is an exciting program that creates stronger connection to culture, history and to other members of the group and it is always rewarding to see our kids forming lifelong bonds with each other. 

For the last two years we have been planning, developing and designing our bush/medicine garden and yarning circle. Our biggest thanks goes to Janine Webb for her grant application, Gavi Duncan for his creative ideas and knowledge, Josh Cheverall for his design and preparation of the space and for the continuing support of our Principal, Andrew Backhouse. Many of our Cooinda and mainstream students will now begin researching and then planting many bush food plants and bush medicine plants. We are proud of the progress we have made so far and look forward to a day in the near future when we can invite families and community members to join us to connect with the space that is really special to us. 

Our PLP letters have been sent out to all families and we look forward to meeting with students, their parents and other family members over the coming two terms. Personalised Learning Plans are always beneficial and a really positive time spent with our students and their families. Recently some of senior students went up to the University of Newcastle's Aboriginal Enabling Program Yapug with Mr Parkes and met with other schools that are embarking on this program. It was beneficial for these senior students to connect with a space where they can go to continue their education after school. 

We are looking forward to Term 2 where we will be welcoming our new Year 7s into our Cooinda roll call group and they too will be joining us in the Cooinda Cultural Program. 

Mr Jackson Parkes and Ms Lisa Selsby