From the Deputy Principal

Connection builds community

I've watched more sport over the past few weeks than I would normally watch in a year and it has really crystallised my thoughts about the importance of ANY community activity, including sport, in building connection.  During the Olympics, we have watched elation and devastation; commitment and courage; sacrifice and resilience all played out on the sporting stage.  What has struck me the most, though, is the connection between not only team mates, but between all competitors.  The encouragement, sympathy and sportsmanship have been remarkable to witness and it is these human connections which, for me, far outweigh any win or personal best time. (Though, I may have been shouting at the television so loudly from time to time my husband became alarmed!)

It is these moments of connection, opportunities to reach out to one another and connect, that make our school community such a special place.  Yesterday we welcomed, for afternoon tea, two very special Noongar elders, Aunty Eliza and Aunty Annette.  As we sat around the kitchen table, Aunty Eliza told students about her childhood, going to 20 different schools and having many of her siblings removed from the family under the assimilation legislation of the time.  Most poignantly, she spoke about her Dad, who served in the war and, on returning to the area as an Aboriginal ex-serviceman was, once again, despite his service to Australia, treated as a second class citizen. Our students listened intently to Aunty Eliza sharing these very important stories of her own experience, and she encouraged students to be the people who make a difference in our society.  

From the sporting field to the kitchen table, our shared experiences should remind us: each one of us has the power to do incredible good and to connect with others to enrich our community.

Mrs Emma Franklin | Deputy Principal