St George State School Assembly
Balonne Shire Council Mayor, Councillor Samantha O’Toole, Councillor Scott Scriven and Acting CEO, Mr Graeme Kanofski PSM, St George State School Principal Mrs Glenda Moloney; staff and students, good morning.
I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around St George and by paying my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people with us this morning. I also take this opportunity to congratulate the school community on the respectful video you have created to acknowledge the first people of these lands.
Your acknowledgement video is one of many things that demonstrate just how creative this school is and how much the school community values and nurtures creativity.
There was the school’s 150th Anniversary celebration, the Dance Party at the end of last term, Pyjama Day, the Olympics dress-ups, and of course St George State School’s Got Talent – I’m sure no-one will ever forget the ‘Sticky Chairs’ performance by your teachers!
Creativity is evident here in other ways, too. You have worked with the musician Josh Arnold to create an inspiring school song and the instrumental music program offers students a fantastic opportunity to learn the wonderful language of music and experience the pleasure of paying with others.
Graeme and I are very much looking forward to attending the school orchestra’s performance in the Cultural Centre this afternoon, and I hope some of you will also be able to attend the Queensland Symphony Orchestra performance tonight.
There is yet another creative activity that I know is very important at this school – reading! You have a book club, you have a Book Fair, you participate in National Simultaneous Story Time, and of course you celebrate book week. Book Week not only gives you another chance to dress up; it allows you and your families to discover the best new children’s books of the year.
The theme for this year’s book week told us very clearly, ‘Reading is Magic’. It is, but it is also particularly important to me because, when I was sworn in as Governor nearly three years ago, I made a public promise to all Queenslanders that I would promote literacy, especially for Indigenous children and young girls.
Over the past three years, I have travelled widely throughout the State to honour that pledge, and that is why, later this morning, I will be reading a special story book to your Prep students. I will also be leaving copies of the book with your Principal to add to the library collection so that you can return to it later and read the story for yourselves.
It has been a genuine pleasure for Graeme and me to be with you this morning and I am looking forward to presenting this week’s Student of the Week and Goal Setter awards. Awards like these are important because they acknowledge not only your personal achievement, but also the contribution that you make to the school and to the wider community.
I congratulate each of this week’s winners, but also those who have won these awards in previous weeks, and I encourage all of you to continue to strive for these awards in future – in the words of your school song, you are all strong like the river.
Thank you.