School parties as year wraps up
THERE is so much to celebrate at Tarwin Lower Primary School that the community needed a whole day to do so last Wednesday.
The school’s Celebration Day lured family, friends and local residents to the school grounds to mark the opening of the learning stone and vegetable garden, enjoy a music concert by students and see the Senior Grade Project Expo.
“It’s a big celebration of a big year, and it’s just showcasing our kids and how fabulous they are,” principal Sharyne Munday said.
“We had our review this year and we had fantastic results, and we’ve had our kids performing at exceptional levels so it’s just amazing.”
An indigenous icon, the learning stone is a rock surrounded by seats in a peaceful part of the schoolyard for students to reflect. School parent Dave Reyment made the red gum seats.
In indigenous culture, the stone is a place for engaging and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s John Murray, a Koori support engagement officer, instigated the project.
“It’s a place for us to sit and tell stories, and engage with each other,” he said.
There are now 53 such learning stones across Gippsland and the Mornington Peninsula.
Sonia Weston, manager of Ramahyuck Aboriginal Corporation, conducted a Welcome to Country and another Koori support officer, Ringo Hood, led a smoking ceremony to cleanse spirits.
Music teacher Ian Chambers and students performed the indigenous song Yil Lull, praising Aboriginal people and their connection with their culture.
The vegetable garden was built on the site of a former overgrown garden bed.
“If you have seen the transformation in the past 12 months, it’s just amazing,” Mr Munday said.
Parent Kathy Lagoudis has overseen the construction of the garden and reinvigoration of a shed through the Sustainable Edible Education Developing Students project.
Last Wednesday, students and others took home the first vegetables grown.
This year was the first of the three year undertaking and next year, the community will become more involved.
The project was assisted by the local Grants Only Group that found a $22,800 grant from the RE Ross Trust to support the three year initiative.
Growing, growing: Tarwin Lower Primary School students, from left, Austin Pedley, Lillian Aveling-Burston, Violet Aveling-Burston, Patrick Aveling-Burston and Archie Moore, celebrate the opening of their vegetable garden with, back, from left, project coordinator Kathy Lagoudis, principal Sharyne Munday and school council president Kel Aveling-Burston.
Milestone reached: Kathy Lagoudis cuts the ribbon to officially open the vegetable garden at Tarwin Lower Primary School.
New start: Tarwin Lower Primary School students watch a smoking ceremony conducted to open the learning stone.
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