Happy holidays from PALS!

 

The PALS team wishes you all a happy and safe festive season!

 

New to PALS?  To find out more, click here.

This year has been a great year for PALS, and we’d like to thank all the schools that have been involved. Schools have submitted some of the most incredible projects and we hope the experience has been an enjoyable one for all those who have participated.

 

This year PALS had the opportunity to visit many schools across the State and share the message of Reconciliation and harmony. Thank you to all the staff and students involved. We look forward to visiting again in 2010.

As the school year draws to a close we would like to remind all teachers that final project submissions are a condition of receiving a PALS grant.

 

Although the PALS Awards are over for the year, teachers are still required to provide details of PALS projects for 2009. The acquittal forms are needed for auditing purposes and to ensure grants are available for schools next year. Please contact the PALS team if you would like an acquittal form sent to you. Thank you to those teachers who have already done this.

 

Congratulations to all schools that submitted PALS projects in 2009. A certificate of participation will be sent to each school to acknowledge all their hard work and creativity.



PALS funding for 2010 now open

 

Funding assistance for PALS projects is available for 2010.  Your school could be eligible for up to $750 to help with any costs associated with your PALS project.

 

Principals at all schools in Western Australia will soon receive a letter to introduce the PALS program for 2010. If you would like to get involved next year and haven’t seen the latest correspondence, visit the PALS website to download an application form or contact the PALS team to request a form or to find out more.



Ed! magazine competition winners

 

A two-page spread on PALS appeared in the Ed! magazine of The West on Tuesday 10 November. The article showcased some of the great PALS projects and included a competition with PALS fun packs as prizes. The winners of the PALS fun packs were:

 

Lachlan Vaughan, Wanneroo

G Wyatt, Gnangara

Corryn Smart, South Hedland

F Drummond-Hay, Queens Park

Muhammad Amin Diran, Thornlie

Jade Morgan, Collie

Lesley Davies, Cottesloe

Stephanie Hronsky, Mundaring

Alexis Gill, Busselton

Jai Cosnett, Jane Brook

Luke Battista, Collie

Emma Fourneau, Thornlie

Students at Oombulgurri Remote Community School

 

Thank you and well done to everyone that entered the prize pack competition.  Consolation prizes were also distributed due to an overwhelming response!

 

 

Yirra Yaakin PALS prize at Wardarnji

 

Yirra Yaakin sponsored the major prize for the PALS marquee at the recent Wardarnji Aboriginal Cultural Festival.  The prize included a Healthway pack and a Yirra Yaakin family pass for 2010. The major prize winner was Gabby Francis. Congratulations Gabby!

 

Yirra Yaakin shares the PALS values of promoting acceptance and understanding between all cultures and is a proud Indigenous organisation that promotes its role models in the community and educates through entertainment. Visit the Yirra Yaakin website to find out more.

 

 

Some ideas for PALS projects next year, to get you thinking!

 

Many schools are already planning their PALS projects for 2010.  Some ideas to get you started could be:

         

·         Invite local Indigenous Elders to the school to speak to students about Indigenous culture, your school’s surrounding area or to share their stories.

·         Arrange an excursion to a culturally significant place, or a heritage walk with guidance from a local Indigenous group.

·         Take a class to see the Yirra Yaakin play Honey Spot.

·         Find a school in an Indigenous community and form a sister-school relationship.

·         Build on your 2009 project: if your school created a bush tucker garden, invite a local Elder to teach students about bush tucker and bush medicine. If your school painted a mural, create an event to showcase the artwork and provide an opportunity for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to interact together.

 

There were so many fantastic projects this year. Check out the PALS website for more ideas.

 

 

Feedback

 

We want our PALS newsletter to be relevant and informative for teachers and the wider community.

 

If there is something you would like more information about or want us to include in our newsletter, contact the PALS team. Share your thoughts on how PALS can be bigger, better and brighter in 2010. We love to hear from you!