“ N a v i g a t i n g Y U M I t o a S u c c e s s f u l F u t u r e ”

T A G A I S T A T E C O L L E G ECelebrating 10 Years as Tagai State College

Welcome back to school students, staff and parents. Term 4 may be the last term for the 2016 school year, but will continue

to be a busy one as we work towards closing this year and preparing for 2017. Our Year 12 students will continue forging ahead as their race to the Graduation finish line draws near in Week 7.

This year, we have celebrated many accomplishments of staff, students and parents.

Our collective stories of success include

higher school attendance rates, academic improvement, strong performance in sport and showcasing of language, culture and artistic talents.

I would like to thank Mrs Vanessa Stevens for her time with Tagai State College as Head of Campus at Mabuygiw Ngurpay Lag.

We warmly welcome Ms Lynette Kim Sing as the new Head of Campus at Mabuyag.

Ms Kim Sing is a passionate supporter of Rugby League and has over 30 years of teaching experience.

This term, we will be continuing to Lead the Change through delivering on our three college priority areas for this year:

1. Student Engagement – attendance, behaviour and wellbeing

2. Literacy and numeracy3. Entrepreneurship and Innovation

We wish Mrs Judith Ketchell well with her studies while she is away this term. Mrs Ketchell will resume in the Executive Principal role in January 2017.

Leading the Changeby Stephanie SavageActing Executive Principal

Hans Ahwang-Ware.Waybeni Koey Ngurpay Mudh students wearing Erub Arts Centre designs for the Land and Sea Deportment Fashion Show, choreographed by Hans Ahwang.

Mabuygiw’s new Head of Campus, Ms Lynette Kim Sing.

Vanessa Stevens with son Richie.

On Tuesday 13 September Waybeni Koey Ngurpay Mudh celebrated its annual Culture Day with a

full day’s program of activities. The morning activities included coconut husking, coconut weaving, cultural games, Year 7 Torres Strait studies displays, restoration commencement of the late Nino Sabatino’s mural painting, TAFE Art stall, Cultural exchange program display, hair braiding, Indigenous Leaders of Tomorrow (ILT) information display, Malu Os drinks stall and numerous other fundraising activities.

During this time staff and uncles with our senior boys prepared the kup muri, whilst our ladies and female students prepared the tables for our feasting.

In the entertainment space outside of the Language and Culture Centre (Yangu Pawaw Ngurpay Mudh), our talented teachers Mr Pierre Wong and Mrs Laban along with our

local Ukelele Group entertained our guests with a few tunes.

Followed by the big lunchtime feasting everyone enjoyed a full afternoon’s program of dancing and singing.

It was kicked off with a captivating creative Deportment modelling performance by our very own Hans Ahwang and senior students showcasing the talented work of our local artists, Rosie Ware Designs, Badu Arts Centre and Erub Arts Centre.

The dance teams that entertained our guests into the afternoon included Kazi Meta, Canon Boggo, Tagai staff, Lagaw Minaral and Badulgal.

An event that has been celebrated at our school for over 20 years, this is our school’s largest annual and highlight event. It provides our students and their families the opportunity to practice and showcase our culture with our staff and community.

It is important that our students are proud and confident of their identities. Culture Day fosters a shared learning space between our whole school community, which strongly benefits positive educational outcomes. We remember the old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”.

On this note, Waybeni Koey Ngurpay Mudh would like to acknowledge all those that contributed to the success. Mr Bua Mabo, Mrs Tassie McDonald, Pastor Allan Mosby, Mrs Camilla Sabatino, Joyce Cowley, Sonia Mayor, Zaleah Nona, Merepa Ware, Anson Dorante, Harriet Dorante, Mr Bakal Nomoa, Mrs Rita Dorante, Pastor Edmund Tamwoy, Pastor Pedro Stephen, James Ahmat, Clint Sedan, Hans Ahwang, Rosie

Ware Designs, Erub Arts Centre, Badu Arts Centre, Jacob Seekee, Caitlin Moloney, My Pathway, Torres Strait Islander Media Association (TSIMA), Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA), KCD – Queensland Health, Torres Shire Council, Canon Boggo and Kaziw Meta Hostels and all students, teachers, parents, families and other community members that assisted us.

Culture Day Splendour

Pastor Wilson David and Mr Gabriel Bani.

by Mo BillyCommunity Education Counsellor, Waybeni Koey Ngurpay Mudh

Tagai State College31 Hargrave Street | PO Box 1000Thursday Island QLD 4875

Web www.tagaisc.eq.edu.auPhone 07 4030 6308 | Fax 07 4030 6303Email contact@tagaisc.eq.edu.au

T A G A I S T A T E C O L L E G ECelebrating 10 Years as Tagai State College Waybeni Koey Ngurpay Mudh hosts girls rugby league

Student artwork in Recognise campaign

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate Year 11 student Sian Newman-Richtsfeld whose artwork was recently chosen to represent Torres Strait Islanders in the Recognise campaign. Her work will appear on shirts and postcards nationwide.

Artist StatementSian Newman-Richtsfeld, Year 11 student

In this design the large stingray represents the ancestors and elders who have guided and protected us from bipotaim (before time) till now. The smaller stingrays are the young people who are coming up, protected by their knowledge. They are able to build on this strength and knowledge. The circles represent shared conversations about how to move forward and keep culture strong. The young ones have begun by following in the path of the ancestors and now the younger generations are taking the next steps towards becoming adults and leading the future. The big stingray leads the conversation but then the younger ones

are joining in, showing new pathways and eventually leading.

by Monique NicholsonArt Teacher, Year 11 Co-ordinator

On Friday 26 August, Waybeni Koey Ngurpay Mudh played host to the Bamaga girls rugby league team. The girls were here to play our Tagai squad in the second of these matches played this year.

The last match was played in Bamaga and was won convincingly by the Tagai squad. Coach, Daniel “Nacho” Bardon was thorough in his preparation of the Tagai girls. He cautioned against complacency and insisted upon structure in game play. He spent a large amount of coaching time on defensive techniques.

The Tagai girls were again victorious, winning the match by a whopping 96 points to 6. Interviewed after the game, Coach Bardon praised his girls for sticking to their game plan. The game was played in exemplary spirit with the girls from both teams mingling for a post game lunch, kindly prepared by Mr Branch and his hospitality students.

Thanks also goes to the TAFE boys for their help in officiating and general event organisation and supervision. This was yet another example of a sporting event uniting schools, campuses, faculties and communities.

by Barry TarrantTeacher, Tagai TAFE

Fancy Dress for Book Weekby Vanessa StevensFormer Head of CampusMabuygiw Ngurpay Lag

Book Week is a fantastic time every year in Australian schools. Book Week is all about celebrating books and reading, and

Mabuygiw Ngurpay Lag included the annual fancy dress ball where students and teachers come in costume as their favourite book character.

Last Friday night, Mabuygiw Ngurpay Lag celebrated end of our Book Week with our annual Fancy Dress Ball. Many characters turned up for a good time and danced the night away.

Parents and teachers joined in and a good night was enjoyed by all. All students, happily, received their own book to keep.

Army commandos: Vincent Millie and Kidden.

Frozen Elsa and Anna: Floralita and Sepa.

Batman and Superman: Shaun and Colin.

Fr Frank Whap and Mrs Mary Whap.

Woody: Jimmy.

Our Basketballers: Tuviyah and Gerrard.

Aladin: Johnathan.Count Dracula: Richie.

Both Waybeni Koey and NPAC girls with Barry Tarrant and Coaches Daniel Bardon and Elsja Mosby.