M E D I A R E L E A S E
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Friday 20 February, 2004
BOWRAVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL WINS COMMUNITY COMMITMENT AWARD
Bowraville Central School has won the inaugural Cohesive Community School Award, established last year by the NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Training,
Dr Andrew Refshauge, to recognise schools’ efforts in promoting cohesion in their community.
The NSW Department of Education and Training’s Deputy Director General Schools, Dr
Alan Laughlin, who will present the Award on Monday, said it reflects the 2003
Government commitment Promoting Harmony, Valuing Diversity
– Labor’s Citizenship
Policy .
“Since their earliest days many schools have been the hub of their communities, rural, regional and suburban,” said Dr Laughlin.
“They maintain that role, but it has changed in our increasingly diverse society.
“This award recognises schools that have been particularly successful in valuing the diverse backgrounds of community members and of encouraging harmony among them.”
Bowraville Central School has played a key role in developing the Bowraville Community
Alliance (BCA), made up of a range of community organisations including Aboriginal groups and government agencies, to enhance the social cohesion of the local community.
The School has a strong commitment to developing mutual respect and reconciliation, and continues to play a vital part as coordinator and facilitator of the BCA, which has an ethos based on the four “R’s”: Respect for each other; Recognition of differences; Responsibility of everyone to contribute; and Resilience of groups and individuals to overcome hurdles.
Dr Laughlin will make a presentation of the Award to the School at a special assembly at midday on Monday 23 February.
Invitees include signficant contributors to the BCA.
Tracy Bugden, recently appointed Project Manager of the BCA, called the initial meeting and has worked tirelessly and mostly voluntarily in fostering partnerships between government agencies and services providers.
Jenny Joske, the chair of the BCA, has used her immense respect in the local community, especially the Aboriginal community, to promote and develop the Alliance.
Terry Bates, a community member, provided outstanding advice in the early days about the direction BCA should take, and Dawn Thornton from the Premier’s Department collated the community survey and presented it as an exceptionally professional document.
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Mary Lawler, a community member, was instrumental in promoting the BCA through community bodies, in the Community Newsletter and through badges, while Coral
Hutchinson at Nambucca Shire Council supported the Area Assistance Scheme application and promoted the BCA to Council.
The official party includes Dr Laughlin, Mr Frank Shaw, the School Education Director Port
Macquarie, Mr Glenn Thorncroft, Principal, Ms Shirley Ballangarry and Mrs Ruth Walker,
Aboriginal Elders o f the Gumbaynggirr nation, Mrs Sandra Buchanan from the School’s
Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness Association, Senator Aden Ridgeway, a Gumbaynggir man and Democrat, Andrew Stoner MP, the State Member for Oxley, Luke
Hartsuyker, the Federal Member for Cowper, Mayor George Hicks from Nambucca Shire
Council, and Mrs Robynne McGinley from the Nambucca Valley Phoenix Disability
Service, Bowraville Chamber of Commerce and Bowraville Computer Technology Centre.
Eight other school nominations received special commendations: Homebush Boys High
School, Blaxcell St Public School, Chester Hill High School, the International Grammar
School, Kinchela Public School, Newport Public School and Punchbowl Public School
(joint application), Parramatta Public School and Willoughby Public School.
Contact: Sven Wright, DET Regional Media Officer, ph. 02 4924 9982
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