Badu Island State School: An extract from the school's Annual Report, 2000.

Badu Island State School is located in the Torres Strait approximately 45 kilometres north of Thursday Island. The Badu Island Community population fluctuates around 1200 people depending on community events. Most Badu Islanders are employed through the Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) scheme which is coordinated by the Community Council.

The school has a strong educational relationship with the neighbouring cluster schools of St Paul's State School, Kubin Village State School and Mabuiag State School.

Currently the school campus is located towards the back of the community. According to the future town plans it is anticipated that the school will become more central in location when the community housing program is complete.

The campus buildings include a school visiting personnel flat, library, staffroom, technology room, store room, 7 double teaching classrooms, administration area, groundsman shed, 2 amenities blocks, a tuckshop building, a basketball court, a sports oval and adventure playground areas. Beautiful gardens surround the school buildings and there is a large paved, covered multi-purpose area in the centre of the school.

Badu Island State School is promoted as "Our School Is Your School Too" and "Our School Is a Safe and Caring Place".

In 2000 there were 176 students enrolled at the school. Fifteen of these students are enrolled at the pre-school which is situated off campus in a more central location in the village. The remaining 151 children are year 1-8 pupils. Approximately 80% of the students are Torres Strait Islanders whilst 20% are Papuan students.

The enrolment trend at Badu Island State School has indicated an increase over the past 5 years. This has to be closely monitored in the future to ensure adequate classroom space and school facilities are available.

The flexible grouping of classes continued in 2000. The composition of the classes was a single year one and composite classes of 2/3, 4/5 and 6/7. The students were grouped according to academic ability.

The staff at the school consist of 1 Principal, 1 Deputy Principal, 11 classroom teachers, 1 Physical Education specialist teacher, 10 teacher aides, 2 administration assistants, 2 cleaners and 2 unit support officers (groundsmen). The composition of class teachers in 2000 was:

• 5 Indigenous teachers (2 registered teachers, 1 community teacher, 2 assistant teachers)
• 7 non-Indigenous teachers (6 registered teachers, 1 community teacher)

The Principal of the school is a Torres Strait Islander and is also 0.5 District Group Principal. The Group Principal role has allowed for the appointment of a Deputy Principal to the school.

Literacy, Numeracy, Technology and Cultural Activities are priorities within our Key Learning areas. Major focus is placed on these areas especially in professional development activities.

The Community Council has been very supportive of school initiatives and provides CDEP workers to work at the school in the role of teacher aides under the direction of the Principal and Deputy Principal. This has proved to be very valuable to the school. All of these workers receive training.

Standard Australian English is a foreign language in this community and is mainly the third language for most students at school and fourth in a few cases. The main language spoken by the students is Torres Strait Creole, now known as 'Yumpla Tok'. The main language spoken by the community adults is 'Kala Lagaw Ya' the traditional language of the Near Western Torres Strait group of islands. The Papuan residents speak their traditional language as well.

The Badu Island culture is incorporated into all school activities wherever appropriate. Myths and legend stories are depicted in large wood burning murals around the school buildings. There is also a large map of Badu showing significant sites and traditional place names.

NAIDOC Week is a very big school/community event whereby nearly all community members get involved in the program to promote their culture, discuss history and celebrate community/school achievements.

Most mornings (8.00am - 8:30am) a nurse from the Medical Health Centre (MAP) comes to the school to attend to students' health needs. The local health centre staff are encouraged to become involved in the planning and implementation of the school health and nutrition program. The majority of students at our school suffer some form of hearing loss throughout the year.

The pre-school program is offered from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm each day. The council bus provides transport for the students to get home in the afternoon. All teachers are encouraged to become actively involved in the development of school policies and planned school, cluster and district professional development activities.

Community involvement in school decision making is actively encouraged and supported through various school/community committees such as P&C, TSIREC, ASSPA, SPSS, PCAP, Homework Centre Management Committee, Social Justice Committee, Behaviour Management and Critical Incidents committees.

Parents and the community are kept informed on all school related issues through regular school newsletters, Principal and Community Liaison Officer school reports at monthly public meetings, parent committee meetings and regular TSIREC reports.

The school has a very close working relationship with the Community Council. The Community Council is always kept informed on all school issues.

The Parents and Citizens' Association and the ASSPA committee meet regularly to deal with school and educational issues as they arise. These committees are very active and supportive to the school.

The school employs an elder as a Community Liaison Officer. This officer has daily contact with the school and plays a very important role in maintenance of close school/community relations.

Badu Island has been nominated to host Badu, Mabuiag, Moa (BAMMOA) Interschool Sports. BAMMOA Sports is the cluster athletics sports carnival held every second year between the near Western Torres Strait Island schools. Badu Island State School also hosts the annual Under 12 District Rugby League Trials.