I hope everyone has had a great week.
Celebrating Diversity
Australia has a proud history of welcoming and celebrating people from all walks of life. In modern times, it has been built on the hard work of generational and Indigenous Australians, migrants, refugees and visitors to our great country. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 30.7% of Australia’s population, which equates to 8.2 million people, were born overseas. In Victoria alone, our state is home to people who speak 290 languages and have 314 different ancestries.
At Boronia Heights Primary School, our community of 512 students and their families speak 14 different languages: English, Polish, Persian, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, Gujurati, Punjabi, Sinhalese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Chinese (NFD), Cantonese and Mandarin. Whilst the majority of our students were born in Australia, we also have students who were born in twelve different countries.
We all have a story to tell about our ancestry. My dad was born in England and my mum was born in Australia. I can trace the Anderton name back to the Lancashire area of England in the 16th century, but it may even go back to the 13th century. My dad was born in the same area where the family name was established, which means they didn’t move around much! That was until his family arrived on a boat in the 60s along with all the other “ten-pound Poms” wanting a better life in sunny Australia. My great, great, great grandfather on my mother’s side came to Australia from China in the 1870s. The Nomchong family settled in Braidwood, NSW, then later established market gardens in Goulburn. These people, to varying degrees, have made me who I am today, and I enjoy learning about their history and listening to their stories.
This week is recognised in Victoria as Cultural Diversity Week. It gives us a chance to learn about the unique and shared cultures that are part of our community of learners. We’re marking this week and coinciding it with Harmony Day on Friday 21st March by asking the students to wear something orange, which is the recognised colour of support for inclusiveness, respect and belonging.
Cultural Diversity Week also coincides with several important cultural and religious observances, such as Ramadan – a sacred month of fasting, prayer, and reflection observed by Muslims worldwide – and Holi – a vibrant festival celebrated by the Hindu faith, marking the arrival of spring with colours, music, and joy.
We are very lucky to be part of such a multicultural, diverse community. It makes us a better place!
Smile Squad and visit by Minister for Health
The Smile Squad have been here for the last couple of weeks doing check-ups on the kids’ teeth. To help promote the work and service Smile Squad offers families, we had a visit from the Victorian Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, on Monday morning. It was a pleasure hosting Mary-Anne, Jackson Taylor MP, and visitors from Each and Dental Health Services Victoria to see first-hand what the service is all about. Our school captains, Samuel and Zoe proudly welcomed our special guests to the school and had some photos taken along with a small group of students. Special thanks go to Sarah Kiss, mum of Bailey and Olly, who gladly volunteered her time to come to the school for a publicity photo shoot and media comment. This was another great opportunity to showcase the amazing work we do every day.
Easter Raffle and Happy Hour Concert
On the last day of term, Friday 4th April, we hold our annual Happy Hour Concert on the front netball court beginning at 11:30am. Each year level will perform a song, the Easter Raffle will be drawn, and we will present students with the Principal’s Award for Term 1. This is going to be a wonderful way to end the term and I look forward to seeing lots of BHPS families and friends. Don’t forget that the children are dismissed at school at 2.30pm
Have a great week.
Mat Anderton
Principal