Parent School Partnership Initiatives

Pastoral

Mr John Jacky

Indigenous Student Liaison

Enrolments

Indigenous students make up approximately 3% of our College student population, possibly the largest student population of any PSA school in WA. The 3% is maintained through an annual intake of approximately seven students into Year 8 each year.

Staff

The educational and pastoral support provided to the Indigenous students comes from every corner of the College, including the two specialist Indigenous staff. Mr Derek Hunter and I have had the privilege to be involved in the many facets of College life from providing support in the classroom to student excursions and Outdoor Education camps. We have had the flexibility in our roles not just to support the Indigenous students and families but to enjoy a similar role within the wider student population.

PSPI

The Aboriginal Parent Schools Partnership Initiatives Committee (PSPI) continues their support by securing supplementary funding from the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) to ensure the continuity of qualified tutors at the after school Homework Classes. The after school Homework Classes (HWC) is currently in its sixth year of operation and provides support to all students keen to access the program.

The annual UWA Year 8 Discovery Day excursion as well as the Reconciliation Assembly are other projects that will continue to receive PSPI support.

Involvement

The Indigenous Student Liaison Department has been privileged to share in a number of achievements and celebrations over the years. For instance, the past six years has seen Indigenous enrolments double with a high percentage of students going on to complete their Year 12 graduation and becoming members of the Trinity Old Boys Association; this is something special. The way the College attracts Indigenous guest speakers, with many being Trinity Old Boys who have gone on to achieve their goals, is always a highlight. Especially when men like Trinity Old Boy and Class of 1984 member Mr Kevin Brahim, State Manager of the

INDIGENOUS STUDENTS

Back row: Daniel Mills, Joshua Kitaura, David Michael, Eric Bin Sali, Steven McGuire Second row: Mr Derek Hunter (Aboriginal Teaching Assistant), Jeroide Shadforth, Samuel Vale, Jordan Morich, Mark Kickett, Daniel Bin Omar, Christopher Smith Front row: Thomas Betts, Matthew Bullen, Wesley Yarran, Kohwin Bin Sali, John Robert Gallagher, Clinton Yarran, Lance Mongoo, Dane Pigram-Matsumoto Absent: Mr John Jacky, Clem Hansen, Terrence Little, Trae Turvey, Reece Garlett, Tyron Nieuwburg, Nestor Zimmermann, Callum Morich, Ryan Morich, Damon Guerinoni

Commonwealth Department of Education Science and Training, addressed our 2007 NAIDOC Assembly; it shows our current cohort that College success with Indigenous boys’ education is evident.

We also continue to celebrate the many achievements in sport and in the classroom with boys being acknowledged with end of year Speech Night awards, in dance with boys representing GIG and in music – particularly someone like John Robert Gallagher who began his Classical guitar lessons in Year 8 and is a current member of the Senior School Guitar Ensemble. Then in consecutive years (2006 and 2007) two Indigenous students have achieved student Prefect positions. All this says our Indigenous students are accessing the wide range of curriculum areas on offer, are making the most of their opportunities and are achieving well.

Another extension to our College reconciliation process is the recent introduction of an immersion to the Kimberley. The immersion started in Broome and flowed on to the remote destination of Indigenous communities in the Dampier Peninsular. The immersion involved the Indigenous Student Liaison Department, the passionate drive of Mrs Marya Stewart and our Campus Ministry in implementing the inaugural Kimberley Immersion. In the College’s magazine Trinity News (Winter 2007 edition) there is an article on the immersion by Mrs Stewart for those who wish to know a bit more. The three week immersion planning began in 2005 via the Indigenous Liaison Department and our Campus Ministry and involving the Broome Catholic Diocese Office, local schools, CEO Broome, Indigenous organisations and communities before it took place in June this year. With all the planning aside, to finally participate in the inaugural immersion with Mrs Stewart and three of our non-Indigenous Year 11 students, Ian Chia, Ben Tomasi and Christian Ruggiero was something extra special. We immediately felt that this immersion is going to be a worthwhile program to add to the Trinity College calendar.

Speech Night

Once again a proud moment for all of us as Year 12 student David Michael delivered The Acknowledgement to Country in Nyungar Language. We congratulate David and also Speech Night award winner Thomas Betts for his Year 8 Merit Award in Mathematics and Callum Morich for his appointment as a student Prefect for 2008.

Farewell Class of 2007

We congratulate and farewell Damon Guerinoni, Steven McGuire, David Michael, Daniel Mills and Joshua Kitaura who are members of the Class of 2007. They have made an outstanding contribution to the College and we wish them every success for the future

Mr John Jacky

Indigenous Student Liaison

Pastoral