November 2010 InthisIssue:

• MilduraEarlyYearsWorkshops• DEECDEarlyYearsAwards• BookReview–ThePeopleofBudjBim

ThisNewslettercontainssomesnippetsofsomegreatactivitythathasoccurredoverrecentmonths.OurpartnershipwiththeWannikstrategyin2010hasbeenpositiveandproductivewithanumberofschoolsengaginginawiderangeofactivitiesfromEarlyYearsthroughtoTransitionsandPathwaystoEmploymentandfurthereducation.PlanninghasoccurredwiththeDaretoLeadteaminvolvingtheWannikBranch,regionalteamsincludingtheKoorieEducationCoordinators–KECs,andKoorieEngagementSupportOfficers–KESOs.Welookforwardtobuildingonthisteamapproachin2011.SteffArmstrong–ourIndigenousEarlyYearsandLiteracyConsultanthastakenupapositionastheIndigenousLiaisonOfficerwithACERandwewishherwellinthisnewrole.SteffhasbeenvitallyinvolvedforanumberofyearswiththeVictorianDaretoLeadactivityandhasprovidedmuchsoundadviceandpracticalsupporttoschoolleaders,community,staffandstudentsacrossAustralia.Steffstillmaintainshercontactandherinvaluableadvice.Asweplanfor2011,itistimelyforyoutocontactustoletusknowifthereisanysupportthatwecanprovidetoyourschoolorNetworkofschools.ProfessionalDevelopmenttimeispreciousandifyouhavesomedatesthatwecanplanwithyouitwillbegoodtoplacetheminthediaryassoonaspossible.PDcanbetailoredaroundtheneedsofyourschoolandcommunityandcoverawiderangeoffocusesintheareaofleadershipandimprovingoutcomesforAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderstudents.Contactus:RobertMiller–VictorianStateCoordinator Mobile:0422394966CliffDowney–sharedroleasVictorianStateCoordinator andSchoolCorporatePartnershipscoordinator Mobile:0423029281

An action area contact near you: Robert Biggs Robinvale Secondary Sheila White, Horsham College Gary Fletcher, Mooroopna SC Neil Pryor, Benalla John O’Meara, Yea Secondary College Darrelyn Boucher, Cockatoo Primary Roger Gale, Ballarat Secondary College Doug Vickers, Bairnsdale West Primary Leigh McLaren, Corio Primary Geelong Fiona McKenzie, Nth Geelong SC Angelique Den Brinker, The Grange P-12 College Hoppers Crossing Leonie Fitzgerald, Dandenong Sth. Primary Sue Reiffel Bundarra Primary Portland Mary Pendergast Warrnambool College Jenny Manual Wilmot Rd. Primary Shepparton Lyn Keating Drouin Primary Jenny Mason Mornington SC Alison Byron Kalianna School Bendigo Dennis Norton Mildura Senior College Rick Tudor Trinity Grammar Judith Rivers Our Lady of the Way, Reservoir Anthony Rodaughan, Kurnai College, Morwell

MilduraEarlyYears

OnJuly16thkindergartenteachersfromtheMilduraareacametogethertodiscussimprovingthreeareasofAboriginalEducation:enrolmentandattendance,literacyandnumeracy,andinvolvingparentsandcommunity.TheworkshopwasruninpartnershipwithDaretoLead,DEEWR,DEECD,MilduraCityCouncil,DepartmentofJusticeand‘BestStart’.Arangeofimprovementstrategiesresultingfromtheworkshopwillbeshared.DaretoLeadCoordinatorSimonFewingsiscollatingthisandworkingwithpreschoolsActionAreacontactKylieLoverageandMattHollandMilduraDEEWRmanagertoplanfurtherprofessionaldevelopment.Kylieisproducingaframedcopyoftheattachedphotofromtheworkshopforeachkinderwiththetagline“WearecommittedtoKooriEarlyChildhoodeducation”MelrosePrimaryschoolstaffparticipatedinaDaretoLeadworkshoponJuly26thrunbyCliffDowneyandKESO’sRosieShultzandDianeTattersall.Thefocuswasimprovingstudentandfamilyengagement.OnJuly30th.,PrincipalnetworksintheSheppartonareadiscussedwaystohelpstaffunderstandKoorieculturalidentityandtheimportanceofthisforstudentclassroomengagementandimprovedlearningoutcomes.WorkingwithDebraKiley,HumeRegionKoorieEducationCoordinator,DaretoLeadwillofferaPathwaysandTransitionsworkshopinSheppartonintermfour.

ExcellenceAwards2010AwardsApplicationsforthe2010DaretoLeadExcellenceinLeadershipinIndigenousEducationAwardshavenowclosed.Thesuccessfulapplicantswillbeannouncedinthenewyear.Itistimetostartthinkingaboutpreparingforthe2011awards.Ifyouareinterestedinapplyingforanaward,contactClifforRoberttodiscusstheprocessASAP.Preparationwellinadvanceisthekey.

WathaurongKoorieKindaKitwinsAward The Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative andtheMingoWaloomAboriginal Best StartwontheawardfortheirKoorieKindaKitasthebestproject in DEECD Early Years demonstrating“PartnershipswithFamiliesandCommunities”AstheintroductionattheAwardsnightsaid“TheMingoWaloomKooriKindaKitprojectisagreatexampleofwhatcanbeachievedthrougharespectfulpartnershipbetweenAboriginalcommunitymembersandbroadercommunityorganisationsapplyingthepracticeprinciplesandoutcomesofTheVictorianEarlyYearsLearningandDevelopmentFramework.Introducingconceptslikeculture,placeandbelongingintoamainstreamkindergartencanbechallenging.ForanAboriginalfamilyandchildstartingKindergarten,theexperiencecanfeeloverwhelming.TheaimwastoreinforceasenseofidentityandprideforAboriginalchildrenwhilstgivingkindergartenteachersthetools,informationandknowledgetogivethemconfidencetosharetheirunderstandingofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderheritage,andmakekindergartensmoreculturallyrespectfulandwelcoming.Thekitincludesanacknowledgmenttocountryplaque,localaboriginalstorybooks,culturalactivities,Aboriginal&TorresStraitIslanderflags,languageposters,traditionalgames,ateachersresourceDVDandmuchmore!AvoucherinthekitforafreeculturalsessionwithUncleDaveTournieralsoensurestheWathaurongAboriginalCo‐operativeisabletobuildlinkswithupto75kindergartens.

TheMinisterforChildrenandEarlyChildhoodDevelopment,MaxineMorand,presentstheawardtoUncleDaveTournierandmembersoftheWathaurongAboriginalCooperativeandMingoWaloomBestStart

TwoWathaurongwomenCorrinaO’TooleandKerrieBlackbothworkedtirelesslytodevelopthekitandthecontentsofthekit,alongwiththeteachersresourceDVD.KerrieBlackisalocalartistandshedesignedtheactivitybooksandmuchmore!UncleDaveprovidedlanguageandsharedknowledgewithustodevelopthebooksandlanguagecards.AssoonasafamilyarrivesatthekindatheywillseeAboriginalplantsinthegarden,awelcometocountryplaqueatthefrontdoor,andtothenenterthekindaandseeposters,booksandculturalactivitiesinthekindersettingmakesthechildandfamilyfeelculturallysafeandwelcomed.

ImportantpeopleCorrinamentionedinheracceptancespeechwere,KerrieBlack,AuntyMay,UncleDave,MillaMillaPlaygroup,KylieEdwards,GeelongKindergartenAssosciation,MargBourke,COGG,andalltheDeadlychildrenintheWathaurongcommunityandallthemembersoftheBestStartLearningworkinggroup.

ThePeopleofBudjBimwaspublishedbyEmPress.ItiswritteninplainEnglish,fullyillustratedandretailsfor$25.ThirtytofortypercentofbookshopandonlinesalesgobacktotheGunditjmaracommunity.Foronlinesalesandalistofparticipatingbookshops,visitwww.empressspublishing.com.au

BOOKREVIEWThePeopleofBudjBimGibWettenhallhaswrittenabookThePeopleofBudjBimincollaborationwiththeGunditjmarapeople,whichbringstolifetheamazingstoryabouttheirtraditionaleelaquaculturesystemsandassociatedstonehousesettlements.DescribedbyFionaCappinTheAgeas"clearlywritten,enlightening...anexcellentteachingtool(and)amust‐readforanyonewhowantsthefullpictureonthehistoryoftheWesternDistrict."In2004,BudjBimbecamethefirstIndigenouslandscapetogainNationalHeritagelisting.Fouryearslater,theGunditjmarapeoplewonnativetitletomuchofBudjBim’sheartland.Thisyear,thetraditionalweirdammingLakeCondahwasrebuiltandthelake–previouslydrainedtoservesettleragriculture–wasrebornagainthisspring.RecentcarbondatingsuggeststhatanIndigenousfishtrapsysteminsouth‐westVictoriaisanincredible6,700yearsinage,makingitamongtheoldestintheworld.GibWettenhallistheauthororeditorofanumberofIndigenouspublicationscommissionedbyAboriginalAffairsVictoria,includingacompanionIndigenoushistorybookThePeopleofGariwerdandWilliamBarak:BridgebuilderoftheKulin.HeeditedDaughterofTwoWorldsbyGunditjmaradescendantDawnLee;andwastheghostwriterofIndigenousParalympianbasketballer,KevinCoombs’sbookAFortunateAccident.