Afsana

That's our secret handshake.

Noah

Not so secret anymore.

Afsana

No, you've just seen some great handshakes from schools around the state to kick off Public Education Week 2024.

I'm Afsana from Canterbury Girls High School.

Noah

And I'm Noah from Barrenjoey High School.

Afsana

We're excited to take you on a journey around the state to see all the amazing things happening in our schools.

Noah

This year's theme is Proud to belong and we hope these stories make you feel proud to belong to the public education system.

Afsana

Did you know we're part of one of the biggest education systems in the world? With more than 2200 public schools across NSW, it's pretty cool to be connected to so many other young people all over the state.

Noah

And next, we'll hear from Rivendell School students, the Secretary of the Department of Education, Murat Dizdar and Deputy Premier Prue Car, who will share what they think it means to belong in Public Education.

Brodie

We’re here today on Wangal and Burramattagal land to celebrate Public Education Week. Our school Rivendell, is a SSP school, meaning school for specific purposes. Our school prides itself on our respect and inclusion for everyone, giving every student a place to proudly belong. We are reminded by the beautiful and intricate scenery of our school, the diversity needed for nature as a whole to prosper.

Mark

Hi. My name is Mark.

Daniel

Hi, I'm Daniel.

Brodie

Hi. My name is Brodie.

Ruby

Hi, my name is Ruby. We're here today with the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car.

Daniel

And also we're here with the Secretary for Education Murat Dizdar.

Mark

The theme for Education Week is Proud to Belong. How can schools ensure that the proud to belong theme is inclusive for students from diverse backgrounds?

Prue Car

Thanks, Mark. That's such an important question. You know, New South Wales is a really diverse place. And in public education we pride ourselves on being a place where everyone can belong.

We have so much diversity in all of our 2,200 public schools and our teachers, our wonderful teachers and our support staff are wrapping their arms around everyone in all of our schools, each and every day.

We are proud to be a diverse system, and we're so proud of all of our schools and the work that they do to encourage and foster diversity and belonging in each one of our schools.

Ruby

How well do you think our schools are tackling the challenge of mental health?

Murat Dizdar

I really think our public schools are just phenomenal. It's not just about literacy and numeracy and the academics. Our schools know that wellbeing and healthy wellbeing of each of our students is so important.

So I'm really proud of our schools because as I move across the state, I see them tackling these issues, getting experts into the school, having learning support teams and support staff talk about the importance of mental health.

Prue Car

So my question actually is to Ruby; Ruby, what makes this school, your school, so special and a place where you feel like that you can belong?

Ruby

For me Rivendell is not just a place of learning. It's more of a community, and ever since I came through these doors, I've just been embraced with this acceptance, and just welcoming. Like these people, the staff members go above and beyond, their roles as educators. Just becoming my mentors, my supporters and my friends.

When I was at my worst, they were there. They were lifting me back up and when I was striving, they were on the sidelines cheering for me.

Prue Car

That is so beautiful.

Murat Dizdar

My hairs are standing up. That’s beautiful.

Mark, tell us why you think public schools are so important to their communities.

Mark

As a community member, there's a sort of connection that sprouts when a school is in the area. Everyone sort of can relate in some way their lives to the school and through that anyone in a public school is sort of a kin, in a way. And I just find that very important.

But as students, there's also a lot of opportunities for learning about civic leadership and responsibility.

Prue Car

So, Daniel, how do you think your school here creates a sense of belonging between you and your community through the building of your career and your pathways after school?

Daniel

I think the most important thing that Rivendell has done for me is provide me a safe place for me to really come into my own identity and learn to embrace that. And yeah, through that, I've been able to build connections in the community, build friendships and all round, just find like-minded people.

The teachers and support staff have been especially helpful in helping me realise what I want to do with my life and really help me work towards that in a practical and effective way. Like volunteering through Inner West Neighbour Aid and helping in the community garden or taking part in the Intergenerational Alive and Kicking program.

And yeah, I've really formed community connections through that as well, and I find that very valuable.

Murat Dizdar

Well, my question my final question is to the group. Can any of you see yourselves being Principal of Rivendell School? Back here leading the charge.

Mark

It's tough to see anyone else taking the role from Patrick.

Ruby

He just seems like. Yeah, he's just a leader. Like he's been there the entire time I’ve been here.

Brodie

It's also very big shoes to fill. Yeah. Yeah. Quite literally

Happy Public Education Everyone.

Please take the time to look through the rest of our presentational videos. And we hope you guys have a good, Public Education Week.

Prue Car

Thank you.

Murat Dizdar

Thank you, thanks for having us.

Afsana

One of the things that makes me feel proud to belong in my school is that no matter your interests, there are so many co-curricular opportunities that allow you to try new things and meet new people.

Next up, we'll hear from performing art stars about the experiences and friendships they've made through Pulse Far West.

Peter Hayward

Pulse Alive is a large scale performance event that is held in Sydney each year.
It’s for thousands of students from public schools around New South Wales.
The event aims to give every student who wants to be involved the opportunity to participate in the performing arts.

Students from public schools around the state audition for Pulse Alive to be part of the vocal team, the show band, or the dance ensemble. Those selected students are then given the opportunity to put themselves forward to come to Moree, Broken Hill, and Sunraysia as part of the Pulse program and help the students in these locations experience those large-scale performance opportunities.

Student 1

In Moree we have to travel to other places to do opportunities like this. So them coming to us is like really, really incredible, and I get to meet so many new people and now I have lifelong friends.

Student 2

I’m one of the principal vocalists in Pulse Moree and I’m singing a variety of songs from the show this year. It’s been really great working with the students here in Moree and I had an experience the other day with a little kid who said to me that it's the best thing he's ever been a part of.

Student 3

Being from a rural area like Wagga, things like Pulse Alive really helps to bring musical kids together. It gives people like me experiences that we’d never usually have.

Lacey

I'm Lacey.

Karla

I'm Karla. I'm from Forbes High School.

Lacey

We live in Bedgerabong which is in NSW Central West.
We don't ever have any experiences like this, and especially not the ones that they have in Sydney, so it was really special.

Male voice

Would you do Pulse again?

Karla and Lacey together

100%

Noah

I wish I could go out West and join in. I'm free next year if you want me because that looked like so much fun.

Next we'll be learning about Boccia, a fun and inclusive sport that provides an opportunity for people with disability to feel proud to belong to a team.

Peter Cardy

We believe our boccia competition is the biggest boccia competition in the world! With over 500 schools involved, we know of no other educational department doing a competition this big, for students with disability.

Today, here at Marrickville, we have 30 schools involved taking part in our boccia event, competing against one another to find a spot in the state finals.

James Boyer

It's a very inclusive sport. Anyone can play, regardless of their ability.

Darren Lang

It's a game of skill and strategy.

Brenton Sweet

A wonderful game for these students today. They're having a great time. Students lining up at the end and they all have two boccia each and they're trying to get towards the jack, as close as they can.

Peter Cardy

Boccia is a disability sport, designed specifically for people with cerebral palsy or similar disabilities and it's played from a wheelchair.

We've expanded our competition to include other disabilities and make them sit in chairs to play the game.

Brenton Sweet

My students have had so much positivity coming to this event. They've been so excited.

Michaela Davies

All of the schools here are having a good time just getting to know each other. Coming together, being a part of a community who are interested in the sport.

Peter Cardy

It's an excellent opportunity for these students to represent their school and compete, and we'd love to see future growth and expansion of this across the state.

Noah

We all have a role to play in supporting our peers to feel proud to belong at school and celebrating the cultures and histories of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students is such an important part of this.

In the next video, we'll hear about how the Deadly students at Brisbane Water Secondary College find a sense of belonging at school through the Aboriginal Learning and Engagement Centre or ALEC.

Mitchell Marlin

My name is Mitchell Marlin, and I'm the classroom teacher in Aboriginal Learning and Engagement Centre. We’d seen that a lot of students were dropping out, they weren't seeking employment, they weren't getting their HSC, and they just didn't really have the supports they needed to get through school.

Teacher

Now most people did use sources and that's great. But what we need to do.

Mitchell

So the ALEC was designed to help students reengage in school, feel culturally safe at school as well. But since being here, a lot of students have gone on to finish the HSC. Some of them have the first person in their whole family to get their HSC. All students up to five years after schooling are supported and they all go into something as well.

So today we've got our semester awards. Every 2 terms we get together and we celebrate success of student, academic, not just first, second and third, but also their efforts in their subjects. We celebrate attendance. Once again, it's always good for our students to get that 85% and above.

There’s some students that have shown significant growth over the years.

Student 1

When I wake up in the morning, head to my roll call. Just being surrounded by people that I have something in common with. It just makes sense. Everything clicks.

Student 2

The ALEC has made me proud to belong to my Aboriginal culture. People at school have seen that I'm an Aboriginal person and like, being able to do the Acknowledgement of Country like Deadly Award assemblies, being one of the speakers there and all these other things, it makes me feel very appreciated.

Student 3

They definitely make me feel really comfortable and proud to belong within the Aboriginal community and also at school with my culture. Staff and students at the ALEC really helped me create my idea for this major work, as when I was first starting the major work I had no clue what I wanted to do, so figuring out ideas of what I was interested in and what to research on really helped me make this piece.

Afsana

I'm really proud to belong to a school that values diversity and celebrates our multiculturalism.

In the next video, we'll hear about the Multicultural Playwrights Program, which welcomes students from migrant and refugee backgrounds to explore the theme of belonging in a live performance for their families. The show was even live streamed so family members anywhere in the world can watch.

Student 1

Belonging to me means, being accepted and a place where you're comfortable and respected.

We’ve been planning a play with different schools and our play’s about friendship.

Students together

My friend is the best!

Gabby Pasztor

I think Public Education is really important for everyone to have the same opportunities, to do something creative and exciting like this program. Primarily in our area, we have students from China, Korea, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam. Students from all over the world.

Student 2

I think if the teacher chooses us to do this program, I think in the teacher’s hearts, we are very important.

Gabby Pasztor

Well, I think when you move to a new country, it's very isolating. And it doesn't matter your age or it doesn't matter where you work or where you study. It can be a really scary experience.

I think it's really nice to go from feeling isolated to feeling like, oh, actually, there's a lot of people in the same situation as me.

Student 3

And the 3 drama teachers let us be confident, let us be very happy. And I think they are very kind and I'll be very happy here.

Student 1

It showed me how to accept everything that’s coming up. Like to accept what I had before and what I have now and how I belong here.

Gabby Pasztor

I came to Australia when I was six, so I'm an immigrant myself, and it's through programs like this that really helps them to belong and helps them to enjoy where they are and what they're doing.

Students together

Friends, friends new and old. Make me braver, make me bold. Surprise!

Noah

It's so great to see some of the amazing things happening in our schools and hearing all the reasons why we can all feel so proud to belong in public education.

Afsana

Thanks for tuning in and we hope you have an awesome Public Education Week.

Here are some amazing highlights.

Noah and Afsana together

See ya!