Last week at Dernancourt School R-7, we celebrated Reconciliation Week. During National Reconciliation Week, 27th May – 2nd June, all Australians are invited to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories, to share that knowledge and help us grow as a nation. The 2019 theme for Reconciliation week was “Grounded in Truth: Walk Together with Courage".
We started our celebration and acknowledgement of Reconciliation Week with a Special assembly presented by our indigenous students on Tuesday 28th May. These students confidently presented the assembly with Senior Choir performing one of their 2019 Festival of Music pieces "Colour of Your Jumper" by Archie Roach. Each class contributed to the decoration of the Gym by decorating a tree which was displayed and referred to as part of the assembly. The assembly concluded the whole school standing together on the asphalt while our ATSI students raised the Australian and Aboriginal flags.
Special thanks to Mrs McCade and Mr Smith for their work in coordinating the 2019 Reconciliation Week acknowledgement assembly and the whole school tree activity.
Throughout the rest of the week, classes participated in their own activities in order to support students to reflect on the meaning of Reconciliation Week and to acknowledge the way that all Australians need to work together to continue to reconcile and come together with understanding and friendship. The activities highlighted the message of the week - Grounded in Truth, Walking Together in Courage.