"We have events like NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Celebration) and hundreds of people come to the school.
We parents and community members feel like this is our
school and we have a say in what happens."

...Parent

We are a small regional school community with a high Indigenous population. We are working hard at creating a safe, happy and inclusive school where differences and group identities are positively developed and recognised, and where at the same time there is a strong sense of community.

Where It Began... Prior to 1996 the school identified a lack of cultural identity among the students, poor self-concept, erratic school attendance and poor learning habits. Some students' racist attitudes led to bullying, harassment and a range of other conflicts.

Getting Started... In 1996, the school community initiated a Cultural Studies Program to foster racial and cultural understanding and respect, and to combat racism. This program has become a cornerstone of our culturally inclusive curriculum.

How We Went About It... We based the Cultural Studies Program upon an inclusive curriculum that integrates English and SOSE, Lifeskills, and Art and Music curricula. Respect for all cultures, groups and individuals is encouraged and taught through explicit themes. The program uses a wide variety of sources and is strongly literature-based. It relies on Indigenous writers, artists and community leaders.

• Cultural Studies units include The Aboriginal Dreaming and Torres Strait Islander Creation Stories, Languages, Bush Tucker and Bush Medicine, Hunting and Gathering, Ceremonies — Dance and Music and Sports, Family and Kinship Issues and Art. Students have also studied issues around cultural identity, Reconciliation, and the Stolen Generation. Integrating these units within the regular curriculum ensures that cultural knowledge is valued and recognised as important for all students.
• Over the years our school's cultural room has also evolved into a parents' room which community members use for socialising. It has been decorated with paintings and 'smoked' and dedicated by a local elder.

The Commonwealth Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program (IESIP) has enabled us to provide important staff.

• A 0.5 curriculum coordinator coordinates the Cultural Studies program.
  
• A community development worker supports the involvement of Indigenous parents in their children's education.
  
• A teacher aide is employed to work with students at risk of suspension.

What We Are Learning... There has been tremendous support and enthusiasm demonstrated for the Cultural Studies Program by students, staff, parents and community members. Cultural Studies has provided a relevant and timely curriculum which empowers all involved. The school is a much happier environment and we have seen some amazing results:

• Bullying, harassment and suspensions have been reduced and there are fewer children in the 'quiet room' at lunchtime.
• More students are solving conflicts equitably.
• Our highly successful literacy initiatives have significantly improved the literacy standards of many students in the school (and we have won national literacy awards three years in a row).
• Education is now valued and supported by our community. Many parents and community members are involved in the school, with adults participating in lessons by sharing stories, helping with art and NAIDOC activities.
• Student numbers are stabilising after having dropped.

The Cultural Studies Program has been a vital addition to our supportive school environment. Our experiences support the belief that bullying, harassment, aggression and other misbehaviours are much less likely to occur when students are coping academically in the classroom, especially with literacy, and when cultural knowledges of the community are valued and included as a central part of the curriculum.

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