March 21, 2023
St Joseph’s Catholic School in Murgon is enthusiastically celebrating Harmony Week (March 20-26).
Principal Tracey Gerrard said St Joseph’s was an example of “culture in action”.
“We love to nurture our multilingual students to speak and share their language at school,” Tracey said.
She said 66 per cent of the school’s students were First Nations.
“Many of our students speak a mix of Wakka Wakka language at school,” she said.
“We think it’s important our students know their local First Nations language so they can connect and serve our community now and into the future.”
Ms Gerrard said the school was in the process of introducing Wakka Wakka into its curriculum and classrooms.
“Our students will be the ones to continue to Close the Gap in our region, and we want to equip them with the right skills to do so,” she said.
Tracey started at St Joseph’s eight years ago, for the first year as Assistant Principal Religious Education and then seven as Principal.
She said she had “fallen in love” with St Joseph’s and its students.
“As soon as a role became available, I applied and I was soon on my way to Murgon from Nanango,” she said.
“Being a Principal is so rewarding because I feel part of something larger.
“There are so many opportunities for me to engage with our families and students outside of school and make strong and positive connections within our community.
“The most important part of my role is to connect, engage and earn the trust of the Murgon community.
“I have really worked hard to remove barriers, so our parent community and especially our Cherbourg parents, feel welcome and comfortable on campus.
“Since our parent community has become more confident to enter our school and engage with our staff, our enrolments have soared.
“This has also meant greater student engagement and more learning.”
Tracey said there were many benefits to leading a rural school.
“The school is small, so I know all our students their families and their needs,” she said.
“As a community, we have worked hard to learn about our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures, and I feel blessed to be welcomed into their community.
“Working rurally has different challenges but it is extremely rewarding when I see my students achieve.
“For anyone considering working in a rural school, I would encourage them to take that opportunity as the rewards are amazing.
“The relationships with students, families, and staff are life-giving.”
Footnote: Harmony Week is an opportunity to recognise diversity, bringing Australians together from all backgrounds. The week is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
