Our Lady of Dolours Mitchelton – a Brisbane Catholic Education School with 170 students – began their reconciliation journey in 2021, and it has since grown into a community partnership.
From students to teachers and parents, everyone is involved in taking steps to achieve a more reconciled future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Our Lady of Dolours First Nations parent, Amy Leah Tebay, said she has enjoyed being part of the school’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group since its inception.
“Our role as a collective is to come together and really shape up and drive our school’s reconciliation journey and the actions we want to take as a school and community,” she said.
“Our vision is to take steps in demonstrating our commitment to reconciliation by embedding learning within the curriculum, investing in learning for our teachers, and uplifting their capabilities so they are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to pass this on to our children.
“We have an amazing opportunity to educate our children so they can share all that learning and truth telling with their families and take that with them into the future as they become adults and champions for reconciliation.”
Year 4 First Nations student Archer said he recently enjoyed celebrating National Reconciliation Week and learning more about culture.
Year 5 student Maelie said recent activities “made me feel good that we’re embracing Indigenous culture and making a future where reconciliation is there with everyone”.
Principal Tricia Howard said she believed teaching reconciliation was important because “our children are the future”.
“As a Principal, my proudest moment has been being involved in our Reconciliation Action Plan and seeing the enthusiasm and passion at each of our meetings,” she said.
“It was also a memorable moment during National Reconciliation Week to create a heart with our community and plant it at the front of our school.”
Assistant Principal Religious Education Leisl O’Brien, said their school was fortunate to have a group of staff members and parents who were deeply committed to reconciliation and keen to share its importance with the school community.
“We see reconciliation as business as usual every day in our school,” she said.
“We celebrate in many ways - through the materials and books we use, through our liturgies, and this year we brought our families in and asked them to reflect on what reconciliation means to them.
“Our children are the future, and our children must take this important message out into the world.”