Kaayi (Hello – Awabakal)

Yaama Ngindaay (Hello everyone - Gamilaraay)

Nungamanladi (Hello - Bardi)

Welcome to the 2025 school year. This year we have 13 Aboriginal students at St Kevin’s, about 10% of our total school enrolment.

Greetings above are in the traditional languages of our current students and families.

I look forward to working with all parents, staff and students in the important area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education.

I’m at school each Wednesday and Thursday working with students and teachers and communicating with parents. I assist our Aboriginal students with their learning and I help teachers with their planning and teaching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. This is a cross-curriculum priority in the Australian Curriculum and the NSW Schools Curriculum, designed for all students to engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures.

Throughout the year we acknowledge, commemorate or celebrate special days and weeks such as Harmony Day, NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week, Indigenous Literacy Day, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday.

One of the days we commemorate is today, 13^th February, the Anniversary of the National Apology to Stolen Generations Survivors.

The National Apology to the Stolen Generations delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in the Federal Parliament on 13 February 2008 was a watershed moment for reconciliation and truth-telling in Australia. 

(Reconciliation Australia https://www.reconciliation.org.au/)

It is important to acknowledge this anniversary each year as Australians continue working towards reconciliation with our First Nations peoples. Some of our Aboriginal families at St Kevin’s have been impacted by past government policies of forced removal.

St Kevin’s Primary School Aboriginal Crest

Aboriginal artwork created and painted by St Kevin’s Gamilaraay parent Jade Porter, © 2019.

The artwork represents the staff in the centre with students in their learning environments around the outside, all connected.

St Kevin’s Catholic Primary School acknowledges the land upon which we work as traditional Awabakal Country.   We pay our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

 

Thank you for your ongoing support. Please contact me at school if you would like any assistance.

Nginowa (Goodbye, see you later – in Awabakal)

Yaluu (Later – in Gamilaraay)

Phil Taylor

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Teacher