As a school, we have a responsibility to educate and foster an environment of respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culture and knowledge. Our journey towards reconciliation began in 2019 when we formed the Reconciliation Action Plan Committee. Using the Reconciliation Australia RAP Framework, we embarked upon the first stage in the process - to ‘Reflect’ - to understand how we, as a school currently, and can further, embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customs and values into our everyday practices. Through this reflective process, we created our vision and commitments to reconciliation, which is outlined in the document below. In 2023, St Margaret's was the very proud winner of the Education Category in the Queensland Reconciliation Awards for its Reconciliation Action Plan.
St Margaret's Reconciliation Action Plan
First Nations Publications
St Margaret’s has published two unique anthologies, Ghidal and Mulu Maguydan, authored by the school’s First Nations students. The goal of these anthologies, an innovation of Secondary Teacher Margot Shave, was that St Margaret’s would enact its own form of Reconciliation – a coming together of stories as an expression of listening, debunking stereotypes and celebrating the unique cultures of these students.
The researching and writing process of the anthologies uncovered many stories that empowered First Nations students and allowed them a greater voice to share their stories across the school community. Through the school’s Reconciliation Action Plan, and the publication of the anthologies, the culture and identity of the First Nations students is being nurtured and affirmed within the school community.
A third publication, Our Stories, is now in the pipeline with the school’s First Nations students continuing to share their stories but also celebrating food as a cultural expression through the recipes of their families and communities.
Mulu Maguydan: A collection of stories from our Elders
'Gidhal: A collection of stories from our First Nations' People'