Learn, Respect and Celebrate

Learn, Respect and Celebrate (Yalbilinya, yindyamarra and yindyamangidyal) our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture, History and Achievements 

Dear Parents and/or Carers, students, families and visitors;

I would like to introduce James Sheahan’s support for our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students.

We have an Aboriginal Educator, Mark Rose and an Aboriginal Student Pathways Advisor, Catherine Rigney.

The Aboriginal Educator’s role is:

· To be the first port of call for our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Students, their families and our community; · To assist the teaching staff to improve the educational outcomes of our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students; 
· To support our school to be culturally inclusive across all Key Learning Areas; 
· To assist and provide encouragement and emotional support for our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students and to resolve student pastoral care issues; 
· To ensure our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students have a positive educational experience that leads to real post school opportunities.

The Aboriginal Student Pathways Advisors role is specifically targeted at improving post school outcomes and career choices for our identified students. This means working closely with students and the Aboriginal Educator to;

· Promote in school and out of school tertiary experiences including University of Sydney Summer School, University of NSW Winter Schools, Raise the Bar Leadership programs and many more opportunities for Years 9-12. · Develop Vocational Education opportunities such as Traineeships and Apprenticeships. 
· Engage in Alternative Pathways to University projects including pre admission to Charles Sturt University and Macquarie University. 
· Support the Aboriginal Educator in Cultural activities as appropriate. 
· Mentor senior students in study pathways, study techniques, assessment task completion and organisational skills