We actively recognise and support our 197 students who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. We acknowledge that adolescence can be a challenging time in a young person's life. Similarly, we acknowledge that emotional and physical wellbeing are critical factors in the teaching and learning process. We seek to support students to balance the stresses or barriers to learning so that they can be an active member of the school community.
Community Links
The school collaborates with local community organisations and government initiatives to encourage cultural engagement, personal development and to deliver opportunities for students beyond the classroom.
Our partnerships include:
Deadly Choices Program
The Deadly Choices Education Program is a health education and capacity development program aimed at supporting students to be positive role models and mentors for their family, peer group, and community by leading a healthy lifestyle. The Deadly Choices team run various programs on school grounds throughout the year, targeted at specific groups of students.
For more information visit the Deadly Choices website.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS)
ATSICHS provide a diverse range of health and ancillary services to more than 12,000 clients throughout the greater Brisbane and Logan areas. Students are encouraged to receive an annual health check. Primary health care is provided through their medical clinics, however, each term a doctor visits the school to conduct scheduled health checks for identified families. For this to take place, a parent/caregiver must be in attendance.
For more information visit the ATSICHS website.
ARTIE Academy
ARTIE (Achieving Results Through Indigenous
Education) Academy runs in partnership with the FOGS (Former Origin Greats).
The Academy’s vision is to improve educational outcomes for both male and
female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Using innovative
approaches, the Academy aims to create high expectations for effort, behaviour,
achievement and commitment.
Our ARTIE Coordinator, Bridgitte Waller, is a proud DTulua woman, driven by a profound commitment to effecting meaningful change for First Nations communities. Drawing from 7 years of experience working with First Nations youth at Cherbourg Shire Council and The Brisbane Broncos Girls Academy, she now brings her passion to the ARTIE Academy. Here, Bridgitte's focus is on mentoring and empowering young individuals, guiding them towards fostering their voices and carving out paths they can take pride in.
With a steadfast dedication to First Nations empowerment, Bridgitte has championed opportunities and growth through
innovative youth goal-setting initiatives and program development. By providing
essential mentorship, unwavering support, and structured goal-setting
strategies, she aims to empower students to overcome challenges and seize
opportunities.
Bridgitte is based at Marsden State School each Wednesday and Thursday. He consistently encourages, rewards and informs students of opportunities in a concentrated effort to 'Close the Gap' in educational outcomes between First Nations and non-First Nations students. All First Nations students are provided with the opportunity to be a part of this program with consent from a parent/caregiver. We host term launches where group attendance goals are set, as well as individualised goals for targeted students. Rewards and recognition afternoons are held at the closure of each term.
Semester Two each year sees the opportunity for many First Nations students to be provided with additional in class tutoring by University of Queensland Education students. This extra support comes as part of ARTIES partnership with UQ, and is very much welcomed at our school.
For your child to participate in the ARTIE Academy program an ARTIE Permission Form must be completed.
Joe Kadel can be emailed at: bridgittew@fogs.com.au
Solid Pathways Program
The Solid Pathways is an online critical and creative thinking program for high-achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who have performed in the top two bands in Year 3 NAPLAN for numeracy and reading.
The Solid Pathways program offers enrolled students weekly online lessons that develop life-long skills to support them across all curriculum areas. Lessons align with the Australian Curriculum and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures Cross-curriculum priority. The Program aims to raise students' expectations of themselves as learners.
Regular attendance in the online lessons is crucial to support students' developmental progression.
For more information visit the Solid Pathways website.