The ACT community has chosen the name, logo and uniform of its newest public school, set to open its doors for preschool to year 6 students at the start of 2021 in Molonglo Valley. The high school for year 7-10 students opens in 2023.
The ACT Government is committed to every child having a place at a great local public school, and with the opening of the newest public school in Molonglo just over the horizon, it was important to me to provide an avenue for local families to become connected to the school community well before the start of the new school year in 2021.
The ACT Government asked the community to provide their feedback using the Your Say online voting system, community drop-in sessions, emails and social media and this helped to finalise the different aspects of the school's identity. The community voted for:
School Name: Evelyn Scott School
School Uniform: Blue with the Australian Reed Warbler design
The name of the school was selected from a list of Aboriginal leaders known for reform and activism. I would like to thank their families for allowing the ACT Government to name a school in honour of one of these leaders.
Dr Evelyn Scott was a tireless advocate of social justice for Indigenous peoples across Australia and she devoted herself to the cause of Reconciliation. It is important to remember, value and respect First Nations People to build a strong sense of cultural integrity for the school, students and community.
School Principal, Jackie Vaughan has spoken with the family and said "It was my great privilege to inform Evelyn Scott's family that the new school in Molonglo will be named in her honour. I am so very excited to have the school named after such an inspirational trailblazer".
Jackie is building connections with members of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to ensure a strong and inclusive focus on cultural integrity, including Ngunnawal history and culture for the school.
The ACT Government recognises that Australia was and is Aboriginal land and I am grateful for the support of these families as we seek reconciliation.
The school logo and uniform was chosen from four design concepts which were based on the natural habitat of the region. The logo and uniform concepts have been developed with consideration regarding gender neutrality, ease of manufacture and ease of matching colour and distinctiveness from other schools.
As at the end of August, 504 people have been engaged to build this school. This number will increase as the project continues and moves into futures stages and completion.
I look forward to the first day of the 2021 school year, welcoming new students to all our schools across the ACT, and particularly the first students at Evelyn Scott School, ACT's 89th public school.
