Welcome back to the 2011 school year. I hope your first few days back have been enjoyable.  For those SSTUWA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educators that are unaware, I am the ATSIEC (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educators Committee) member on SSSTUWA State Executive and WA ATSIEC member on the AEU ATSIEC for 2011. I was very fortunate to be able to attend the recent AEU Federal Conference in Melbourne, between the 16th-18th January 2011.

I would strongly encourage Aboriginal and Non Aboriginal SSTUWA members to nominate for the ATSIEC Committee via the normal process of nominations. If you are not sure speak with your school based SSTUWA representative at your school. The Committee meetings take place via teleconference. Four meetings are planned, with two of the meetings close to the SSTUWA State Council in June and November.

The ATSIEC Committee provides a forum for us in terms of discussing Aboriginal  and Torres Strait Islander Educators views and day to day issues we face. This committee is also a group that is involved in strategically formulating Aboriginal Education policy within the union to engage with Department of Education as well as Australian Government education initiatives in relation to Aboriginal Education. This type of forum has taken on greater importance in particular with recent developments in the Australian Curriculum to the teaching of Aboriginal Languages.

Basically, we don’t want Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Educators thinking that you are alone in the schools, please use the SSTUWA ATSIEC Committee as a support. Please give consideration to joining this committee.
Nomination forms can be accessed at www.sstuwa.org.au/nomination
Nominations close 25th February 5pm

ATSIEC Meeting Dates

Below are proposed ATSIEC Meeting dates. Meetings are currently via teleconference starting at 4:00pm.

• Term 1:  Tuesday 15 March
• Term 2:  Thursday 12 May & Thursday 9 June
• Term 3:  Thursday 25 August
• Term 4:  Thursday 3 November

INFORMATION

National Close The Gap Day

Will be held on Thursday 24th March and will feature a focus on young Australians with a Schools Kit to allow students and teachers around Australia to get involved and make their own contribution to closing the gap.

National Close The Gap Day is an annual event of major significance to all Australians in seeking to close the gap in Indigenous health equality. Since 2005, more than 140 thousand people have joined the campaign, which calls for national action to close the 10-17 year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians within a generation.  Close the Gap has been supported by all Australian Federal, State and Territory Governments and Oppositions.   For more information check out the Close The Gap website.

In recognition of the generational nature of Australia’s efforts to close the gap, 2011 will see new emphasis placed onstudents with schools around Australia being encouraged to hold their own events on, or during the week of Thursday 24th March. A National Close The Gap Day Schools Kit has been developed and will include:

• Suggestions for National Close The Gap Day school events and activities:

1. Free posters, stickers and printed Close The Gap material
2. The 2011 National Close The Gap Day DVD
3. Education resources for teachers, including material to help students  to organise their own campaign action or event.
4. Ideas and options for students and teachers to make their own contribution to closing the gap.

NAIDOC Week:  July 3 to 10, 2011

Below is link to information regarding NAIDOC Week and a colouring competition for students:

http://www.sstuwa.org.au/resources/a-torres-strait-islander/naidoc-2011

http://www.sstuwa.org.au/resources/a-torres-strait-islander

Bronwyn Croghan is still the SSTUWA organiser who assists the Aboriginal and Torres Trait Islanders Educators Committee (ATSIEC). She is a great support of the ATSIEC Committee. We welcome input from ATSIEC members, these can be emailed to Bronwyn Croghan. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it