Ngalangangpum School in Warmun, St Joseph’s Primary School in Kununurra and St Joseph’s School in Wyndham recently hosted on-Country graduation ceremonies for staff completing Education Support certificates. 

The graduations celebrated the achievements of the first cohort of Aboriginal Teaching Assistants (ATAs) to complete their studies through an in-service partnership between CEWA and the University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) in the Diocese of Broome, and saw graduate’s families, school staff and the local communities joined by CEWA and UNDA representatives to mark the occasion.  

The ceremonies were the first on-Country graduations held for UNDA graduates. 

Six ATAs from the three schools achieved Certificate IV in Education Support, with a further two from Ngalangangpum School completing Certificate III. 

These graduates are the first of many, with 35 ATAs from Broome Diocese Catholic schools currently studying through UNDA’s School of Education. 

Dr Tony Curry, Director Leadership and Employee Services for CEWA, represented Executive Director Dr Debra Sayce at the ceremonies, and spoke of the significance of continuous learning for Catholic school communities, as well as the value of achieving the qualifications for each of the ATAs – individually as well as their whole school communities. 

Dr Curry was joined at the ceremonies by UNDA Dean of Education, Professor Catherine Mansfield, who conferred the awards on the graduates. 

The partnership between CEWA and UNDA aims to deliver Education Support qualifications through a flexible learning model in the East and West Kimberley regions, in the workplace and at the Broome UNDA campus where possible.  

The partnership, including initiatives like on-Country graduations, is part of CEWA’s commitment to strengthening a culture of continuous learning in Kimberley schools for staff as well as students, and providing the best possible education with a well-qualified and dynamic workforce in the region.

Congratulations to the following staff members: 

Ngalangangpum School 

• Renee Arnold – Certificate III Education Support 
• Vanessa Thomas – Certificate III Education Support 
• Sonia Bray – Certificate IV Education Support 

St Joseph’s Primary School Kununurra 

• Judith Brennan – Certificate IV Education Support 
• Sandra Kelly – Certificate IV Education Support 

St Joseph’s School Wyndham 

• Latarney Johnson – Certificate IV Education Support 
• Sally Johnson – Certificate IV Education Support 

• Sunny Duinker – Certificate IV Education Support 

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