Indigenous Education Focus Team: notes from first meeting

• 'Building awareness'
  • Awareness is relevant whether Aboriginal student population is a minority or a majority.
  • Commitment from the whole school is needed and can be achieved through building awareness.
    
    
• Strategies to be developed using What Works. The Work Program
  • Cultural day with primary schools.
  • 'Opening the mural' ceremony.
  • Partnerships in literacy programs between Year 7/8 students.
  • One on one tutoring.
  • AEW to work more in the classroom.
    
    
• Targets
  • 'Dare to Lead' targets.
  • Staff commitment to Indigenous focus to be reflected in a signed document.
  • Staff to set other targets: focus on literacy in Year 7/8, Year 10 to Year 11 retention to increase by 10% to 20%.
    
    
• Focus agenda
  • Must focus on the practical to build awareness.
  • Listen and learn from first hand experience, such as with community Elders.
  • Focus on existing programs, with more people assisting and new strategies.
    
    
• Resources and funds available
  • PSFP, Attendance and Retention, Literacy.
    
    
• Group goals
  • Increased community involvement.
  • Community BBQ at 'neutral' location
  • Commitment to educational and cultural harmony.
  • Improved Year 7/8 literacy skills.
  • Improved Year 10 to Year 11 retention rates.
  • Building partnerships with communities.
  • Continuing to raise profile, awareness and consciousness among all staff and students.
    
    
• Indigenous Focus Team outcomes
  • Commitment to program.
  • Assisting Dearnh in her work.
  • Building partnerships with the community and closer relationships with students.
  • The key is to work on relationships.
  • Ensure program is systematic.
    
    
• Issues for next meeting
  • Thorough reading of What Works. The Work Program
  • How do we measure literacy?
  • What other literacy tests are available, such as TORCH?