From the Principal

National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 is All In. It’s described by Reconciliation Australia as a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every day – not just during this week.

This commitment is one we embrace at MLC School and seek to live out through our words and our actions.

For Uniting Church schools, reconciliation is not an optional extra; it is central to who we are. The Church speaks of walking together as First and Second Peoples and understands reconciliation as part of God’s call to right relationship, truth and justice. Through its covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, the Uniting Church in Australia has committed itself to listening deeply, acknowledging past wrongs, and working towards healing and a more just future.

Reconciliation matters because it calls us to tell the truth about our shared history, to honour the dignity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to build relationships shaped by respect, justice and hope. In a school community, this work is especially important. Schools help form the hearts and minds of young people, and they are places where students learn not only knowledge and skills, but also empathy, responsibility and the importance of walking alongside others with humility and care.

The MLC School Reconciliation Plan was developed by staff, students and parents and is a living framework that guides how we advance reconciliation through education, relationships and institutional practice. It begins from the acknowledgement that MLC School stands on Wangal Country and recognises the need to address historical and ongoing injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Since its implementation, the Plan has provided a clear roadmap for meaningful and measurable action across our community.

Part of this commitment is our Indigenous Education program, led by Tim Lennon, Director of Indigenous Education. This program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students whose presence deepens and enriches our community in meaningful ways. Central to this is our Scholarship program, made possible through the generosity of Old Girls, one of whom made a substantial gift for an enduring scholarship and the ongoing financial support of all other members of our MLC School community. Through this shared commitment, students are provided with opportunities to learn, grow and contribute, strengthening the richness and diversity of our school.

The program also incorporates professional learning for staff, ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives are thoughtfully embedded in classroom practice, and strengthening our understanding of connection to Country. Through music, drama and dance, students are offered opportunities to engage with and appreciate the depth, skill and storytelling of the world’s oldest living cultures.

A new initiative this year has been the introduction of a group of Indigenous dancers, whose work brings to life the rich traditions of storytelling through movement. Earlier this week, they performed at Chapel for the Senior School, sharing a powerful expression of culture, identity and connection to Country. Their performance offered our community a meaningful opportunity to listen, to learn and to engage more deeply with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives.

Importantly, it is our students who bring this work to life each day – through their curiosity, their willingness to learn, and their commitment to building respectful relationships.

As a community, this week is an invitation – not only to reflect, but to act. Each of us has a role to play in listening, learning and contributing to a more just and reconciled Australia. The call to be All In is one we take seriously at MLC School, and one we will continue to live out together.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal