Principal Learning Day 

Last week I attended a workshop with principals across the Whitsunday region. We heard key messages from the Regional Director of Queensland Education and about  the current direction the North Queensland region is taking. We heard about the focus of the new Equity and Excellence road map.  

The three focus areas of the Equity and Excellence road map are: Educational Achievement, Wellbeing and Engagement and Culture and Inclusion. 

We heard a clear message around knowing our learners, knowing our curriculum and knowing our strategies. We believe at Bowen State, that each student should be moving forward in his/her learning, and that regular feedback and opportunities for the “next steps in the learning” should be regularly discussed.  

At Bowen State School, some of the key practices that align to this include academic case management, allocated planning time for teachers and fortnightly opportunities for teachers to discuss the progress of their students. Over the day we heard some of the changes that will occur with the launch of Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum commencing in 2024. It is important that we continue to build our teacher capacity around these curriculum changes and how this will positively impact the teaching and learning next year. 

NAIDOC Celebrations 

Last week on parade our CEC worker Karenne Williams beautifully unpacked, in student friendly language, what the acknowledgment of “National Sorry Day” means to our school, the Bowen community and the nation. The important key messages shared reminded me of how we embrace the important culture and history of the “First Nations Peoples of the Bowen area”. Part of our commitment to our “first nations families” at Bowen State is to ensure there is a positive and accepting culture of inclusion for all students and that there are culturally significant support provisions in place to ensure students feel welcomed, included and valued.  

In the last week of this term we acknowledge a day of rich cultural learning of the “First Nations People” as part of our annual NAIDOC Day celebrations. This year we have planned activities for students to commence our “seeds of wisdom” initiative. Part of this is the planting of donated local native and significant bush tucker plants used by “Juru people”. We are so proud to continue the cultural learning opportunities within our yarning circle and I would like to thank the parents and local businesses who have made this happen. Check out our bush tucker garden this NAIDOC Day on Tuesday 20 June.  

Christien Payne

Principal