Page 901 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 16 March 2010
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The government recognises the importance of parents and friends groups in the running of Catholic schools, and all schools clearly benefit from greater levels of parental involvement and commitment. That is why in the 2008 election we did promise $15,000 in grants to parent groups in all Canberra schools. That commitment was delivered on and more than $450,000 as part of that commitment flowed to Catholic school P&Fs. During the 2008 election, we also committed to providing an increase of $4.1 million in funding over four years to promote equity in Catholic and independent schools. This was delivered in last year’s budget and has helped support a range of very positive projects, in particular helping students with a disability in Catholic schools.
Catholic schools are also represented on our safe schools task force, an important body that ensures open communication between schools, parents, students and a range of outside organisations, such as the police, on issues of school bullying and violence.
Catholic schools take part in the minister’s physical activity foundation and challenge, a project I initiated to ensure students are physically active in our schools. Catholic schools have been great participants in this challenge, with nine schools participating and six winning prizes last year. Famously, or perhaps infamously, it was at St John the Apostle’s in Florey that, playing touch football against year 5, I dislocated my finger as part of that challenge. I missed my media call with the Central Coast Mariners as I was rushed to Cavalry Hospital for some urgent medical assistance, because the finger would not go back in. But, after all of that, St John’s won a gold award under the challenge. How they did that, I will never know.
Independent and systemic Catholic schools have also been involved with the Shaddock review, something that was raised in question time today, looking into services for students with a disability in schools. They will also be involved in the implementation of its recommendations, and I look forward to announcing the government response in the near future.
The cooperation between the government and the Catholic school system at the higher level is significant, and there are many examples also of individual schools working together. I think the best practical example of this cooperation in our city is the shared campus between Holy Spirit and Gold Creek primary schools in Gungahlin. These two schools, one Catholic and one public, share the library and resource centre, hall, canteen and playing areas. The schools take great pride in working together, sharing campus values, having joint sports teams and participating jointly in various activities throughout the year.
In fact, one of my favourite stories in relation to these two campuses is hearing of teachers at playground duties at these particular schools where, primary school kids being primary school kids, will be involved in some games, chasing each other around the playground. One breathless student from Gold Creek primary raced up to a teacher and went, “Miss, miss, the holy spirits are after me,” as she was running around the playground trying to avoid being tagged in a game. I am very much looking forward to attending later this month to turn the sod on a new joint sports facility being provided for these two campuses.
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