Rooty Hill High School - 60th Anniversary Missing Link

60th Anniversary 2022

PRINCIPAL’S ADDRESS Friday 5 August 2022

Well – here we are…finally.

This is our third attempt to have an afternoon together with future students from our primary partner schools, current students, current staff and families, alumni – students and staff, partners and our community.

On behalf of our wonderful staff and students who have organised this celebration for us today we welcome you here. Please give a round of applause to our organising team and our team leaders – Melissa Scerri and Janice Stuart.

Today we celebrate.

Today we acknowledge we live, work and play on Darug lands.

Today we value the contribution of our culturally and linguistically diverse community.

Today is a chance to recognise our history and 60 years of success and innovation.

Today we recognise the power and importance of the local community high school in shaping the future of western Sydney….and the world.

Today we recognise our alumni are everywhere and, unlike he 50th anniversary they are connected to us through social media and technology in ways we never imagined.

Today is about highlights and memories.

Today is a special moment in time.

Today is a reminder that we must live in the present and make the most of every day we can be together.

Today is a reminder of who we are. Our 60th anniversary is the opportunity to recognising an evolving school culture that values our past, connects to our present and creates our future.

We have persisted, we are persisting, and we will persist. We are Rooty Hill High School- badanami, merana, ngioba..learning, leading, achieving.

Congratulations and let’s celebrate.

Christine Cawsey AM Principal Rooty Hill High School Badanami, Merana, Ngioba – on Darug lands

60th Anniversary Opening Ceremony

With 250 Nations, each with their own language and LORE L O R E - referring to the customs and stories of First Nations peoples learned from the Dreamtime. Growing up I haven't been very in touch with my culture and my family's past. But in the more recent years I have learned more about my tribe's beliefs and its past.

Acknowledgement of Country

By Kimberly Le Roux I begin today by acknowledging the Darug people, the traditional custodians of the land on which we stand today, and I pay my respects to the elders past, present and emerging.

The people of Erub island have an animal as its totem. My tribes Totem is the turtle. The turtle is my spiritual animal, and it is mine and my family's duty to look after and protect it.

Good afternoon, students, visitors and guests. Today is quite the special event as we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of Rooty Hill High School. But before we begin, we would like to introduce the acknowledgment of country by Kim Leroux, Shay Ryan, and Jacob Stirk.

Good afternoon my name is Kim Le Roux and I am a proud Kamilaroi woman. I have lived here on Darug land my entire life, although my tribe is originally from Narrabri.

I have a deep connection to Rooty Hill High school, my family including my mum, along with my 3 uncles, my brother and I attended. During my years here I had many wonderful teachers with a few that are still here today, Ms Munzie, Ms Di Rocco, Ms Reyes, Mr Krawiarz and also Ms Cawsey. These teachers I valued a lot.

They have also taught my own two children too, and I hope they will get to teach my youngest children when they are of high school age. I have fond memories of meeting so many great friends while attending RHHS, most of which I still see today, but my favourite thing of all in attending RHHS was meeting my best friend and marrying him.

Happy 60th Anniversary hope everyone enjoys the day Much love Thank you.

Acknowledgement of Country

By Shaye Ryan Yaama Shaye Ryan Ngaya Gamilaroi / Biripi miyay djuul…

Hello, I am Shaye Ryan, a Kamilaroi and Biripi girl.

My story about Rooty Hill begins with my mum who was a student here. Since then, all of my siblings have attended Rooty Hill High School. Each demonstrating their cultural understanding throughout various programs, events and opportunities. I'd like to acknowledge the work that has been put into creating these opportunities for Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander students to set, meet and achieve academic and cultural results.

Acknowledgement of Country

By Jacob Stirk Good afternoon, Ms Cawsey, the official party, Rooty Hill High School and special guests my name is Jacob Stirk, and I am a Torres Strait Islander man from Erub Island.

First Nations culture is the oldest living culture in the world. Aging over 60 thousand years and still practiced today.

With everything I know and everything I am yet to learn; I carry the beliefs and title of my tribe with me and do so in pride. I acknowledge Darug Elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with us today. Thank you, Kimberly, Shaye and Jacob. Please stand for the Australian National Anthem.

Please be seated. First, I’d like to thank everybody for attending. We appreciate your engagement on this special day.

Having 60 years of Rooty Hill shows us that over time, the passion and spirit of thousands of students and staff has layered upon itself to create the school we are now. This anniversary makes us excited about what comes next- where we will be at our 70th, and 80th, and 100th anniversaries.

There will be new people contributing to change, just like everyone with us now has.

Rooty Hill High School is one of the oldest secondary schools in Western Sydney. As a result, it is heavily interconnected with the community. It has become a home for many students and so many have progressed from primary school, secondary school, and finally the rest of their lives.

Speaking of our deeply rooted community, we would like to mention some special guests that we have among us. Firstly, we would like to welcome the current and former members of parliament who have had lots of engagement with our school.

Thank you to the staff, students, and family alumni who have taken their time to return to our school and attend our anniversary celebration.

We would also like to thank our school partners, who have been assisting us over the years. Especially the representatives of Class of 71 who kindly donate to our best art projects and the principals and students from our partner schools that are attending today. And finally, a welcome to our director, Jason Miezis and a very special welcome to our executive director, Ms Deb Summerhayes.

In this time of celebration, we look back and appreciate the efforts of our school that has helped shape us to who we are today. We'd like to thank all of you for coming to celebrate this huge milestone with us and look forward to what this day has to offer. Since the 50th anniversary in 2012, we’ve progressed into this 2022 community with prosperous amounts of diversity, teamwork and school spirit. We once had, and still have, incredible artists, musicians, athletes and scholars. And so today, come join us in celebrating the success of our school, and the journey we all have endured to be here today as a community in 2022.

OKAY SOOO.. let’s get excited! Today, we’ll have performances all day, a scavenger hunt through the school with a prize for the winner, gaming in the library with prizes, an SRC fashion show, with even more prizes, unlimited rides such as dodgem cars, and plenty of food!

Thank you. I’d now like to introduce the flag progression that is immediately followed by another performance by our music students in Years 9, 11 and 12.

We’d now like to introduce our principal Miss Cawsey to address and close up the assembly. (Please see Page 1).

Thanks Ms Cawsey. Well that almost concludes our assembly! If you’re unsure about what we have on offer today, you can find the program for the day posted around the school and on your year group google classrooms. I’d also like to give a warning that there will be flashing lights at the back of the school where the rides are, to be mindful of anybody who might have epilepsy. Enjoy the rides, food, games, and performances, and thanks again for joining us in celebration of our 60th anniversary!

60th Anniversary Opening Ceremony Song Lyrics

Throw Your Arms Around Me: Let’s celebrate the past Oh, 60 years has gone so fast We will go on a journey

We have lots of memories To share with you this anniversary We will tell you our story From Little Things: Come gather round let me tell you a story About Rooty Hill High in all of its glory This land that’s called home by the Darug nation We’re serving their legacy through education Cut to ‘62 and Rooty Hill was booming, A population growth left a community looming They needed a school to educate the youth To give them dreams, hopes and skills, Isn’t that the truth

CHORUS From little things, big things grow From little things, big things grow In 1997, Chris Cawsey arrived At a school named Rooty Hill for which she had lots of pride We’re so grateful to her for leading us all Through pandemics, bush fires, floods, and many more We planted the seeds so long ago, Watching the next generation grow We look forward to the future, but don’t know what’s in store We’ll be with each other and experience it all CHORUS From little things, big things grow From little things, big things grow Don’t Stop Believing: Just a small-town girl Livin' in a lonely world She took the midnight train going anywhere Just a city boy Born and raised in South Detroit He took the midnight train going anywhere A singer in a smokey room A smell of wine and cheap perfume For a smile they can share the night It goes on and on and on and on BTS - Dynamite: This is getting heavy Can you hear the bass boom? I'm ready (woo hoo) Life is sweet as honey Yeah, this beat cha-ching like money, huh Disco overload, I'm into that, I'm good to go I'm diamond, you know I glow up Hey, so let's go 'Cause I-I-I'm in the stars tonight So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight (hey) Shining through the city with a little funk and soul So I'ma light it up like dynamite, whoa oh oh Don’t Stop Believing: Strangers waitin' Up and down the boulevard Their shadows searchin' in the night Streetlights, people Livin' just to find emotion Hidin', somewhere in the night Don't stop believin' Hold on to that feelin' Streetlights, people Don't stop believin' Hold on Streetlights, people Don't stop believin' x3 Don’t Stop!