Cathy Freeman ‘Today is a School Day’

At Wurrumiyanga, on the first day of every term we do the Cathy Freeman ‘Today is a School Day’ walk to school, which is a walk through the community on the first day of school, collecting students along the way.

The ‘Today is a School Day’ concept was inspired by Shepherdson College Principal, Simon “Spike” Cotton, who started this wonderful tradition in Galiwin’ku to celebrate the first day of the school term. It has been rolled out in Wurrumiyanga and Galiwin’ku, and Palm Island and Woorabinda will be next.

In Wurrumiyanga, we pick up the kidsat 7.30am (when it’s cool) and drop them at the Give Way across from the shop and church, and walk down to the school from there. The police get involved with their sirens on, Red Cross get involved, all the teachers and Yellow Shirts.

The kids all have breakfast when they get to school. Wurrumiyanga schools are part of the School Nutrition Program, providing breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon snack. There are lots of great reasons to go to school – learning, food, fun and friends.