Last week, two much loved teachers at our school, Todd and Virginia, got married in Queens Gardens. The whole school wishes them well

continue inside for more photos

Bwgcolman   school   kids are    learning    computer and social skills with what may  be  a  ‘first’  through their   very   own   online social networking site.

The Department of Education does  not  allow  students  to use  commercial  sites  such as  Facebook,  MySpace  and Twitter  while  at  school  as these  sites  can  be  “subject to   attack”   from   computer hackers and other less savoury members  of  the  community at large.

But  because  our  kids  love using sites like this, especially as  they  get  older,  Mr  Perry, the  School’s  IT  coordinator, has created a site purely for the use of the kids attending the Bwgcolman school.

It is called My SpaceBook and has  most  of  the  features  of commercial sites.

Users can chat, share photos, write  up  notes,  join  blogs and  do  all  the  normal  social networking activities.

It  is  completely  safe  from hackers   and   will   prove   a learning  place  where  each student can “own” his or her own site and practice all the
skills  they  will  need  to  use Facebook   type   sites   when they are older.

PLUS it provides a place where Mr  Perry  and  their  teachers can  discuss  the  good  things about  sites  like  this  as  well as problems and other issues such as online “identity theft”.

Students and staff are already excited  about  the  site  and joining up quickly so they can access its many features.

from PI Voice issue #42

unbelievable

the following takes place between 7am and 8am ...........

read inside for the rest of the Photo Essay

We have just completed our research on Volcanoes. 
Now we will be looking at the other disasters such as Earthquakes, Floods, Tsunamis, Cyclones and Fires.
We use a number of resources to find information like:  the Internet, books, posters, DVD’s and videos. 
We will also be making a display of these disasters in a cardboard box using paint and plasticine.
We really enjoy searching the Internet where we have found a lot of interesting things about natural disasters and reading information about how dangerous they can be.

From the SEN B class
Miss Georgina & Miss Beryl

woot!!!!! 

 We brought the Shield home after 40 years!!!!!!

Yesterday was such a great day. Understatement. It was magical! The boys started the day with the sprint events, Brando started really slow but somehow managed to win his little 60m race, then Eliar broke a record in the next race then, Allan won his race and then we were just unstoppable for the rest of the day....   We looked so good and were so loud and so fast and so fierce! We were the school that every one was looking at and talking about and it was just so great to be a part of.    Big thanks to Dolly, Sam & Tamsin for their hard work in training and making it all happen. The kids all new what they were doing and they all did it really well. Thanks to Virginia & all the parents for coming along and supporting us.    Miss Jen PE   Please pass on our congratulations to all the kids, staff, parents and community organisations that made yesterday such a momentus day in our island's sporting history - the 1st time we've brought the primary athletics shield home in over 40 years!   It was wonderful to see a formidible squad of kids (28) sent over and supported by Sunferries. Tears were brought to my eyes when I was filled in on yesterday's individual and group successes and conduct. And to think when I asked 7 years ago if we sent kids to districts the answer was not really cause they weren't good enough.   Well done - you've made us all very proud! I would also like to note that these successes were built on wonderfully managed and organised events and classes from Tamsin and in particular over the past few years by Jen and Sean.    Mr Todd  HOD

 we've seen the rest now we are the best

Bwgcolman  &  St  Michael’s  kids  are  all  training very hard in the lead up to the District Athletics Carnival in Townsville on Tuesday August 25th.

This  year  is  very  exciting  for  us  because  we  have  36 students competing and we are taking some cheerleaders too. We  are  travelling  over  in  the  morning  on  Sunferries leaving  Palm  at  6.30am  and  will  be  returning  that night  at  6.30pm  (big  thank-you  to  Zina  &  Council  for organising).

Remember everyone needs to meet at the jetty at 6.00am! Parents & families are welcome to come along too, just buy your boat ticket on the day.

Miss Jen PE

Science is alive and kicking at Bwgcolman Community School with students of all grades prodding, poking, investigating, examining, classifying, exploding, combusting and much more.  Year 8 students passed their Bunsen burner licence and celebrated the event with a spectacular "Flaming Ceremony" (see photos below).  Year 10 students took to the reef to identify coral species and other invertebrate animals.  Primary classes dissected toads to compare the internal organs of a cane toad to that of their own.  Year 8 and 9 students have also become very confident in identifying and using laboratory equipment precisely and safely.

This semester will again see high school students learning about science as part of the curriculum provided at the school.  Year 8 and 9 students will begin to study the physical sciences (Physics).  More specifically, Year 8 will investigate the "forces" that control the universe and therefore our lives and Year 9 will be studying "energy" in all its forms. I hope to see more of the primary classes this semester as we try to promote the innate interest children have in the world around them.

So keep checking this space for updates on all things science as students delve into the wonderful scientific world armed with their curiosity and geeky science teacher.

Bill Blackley was the Master of ceremonies. Cr Ruth Gorringe spoke to the students about leadership. She said we could be good leaders at home and in the community. Aunty Deanne Sibley awarded the badges and certificates to the 2009 Class Captains and Student Council.

After the ceremony the Grade 10 class had a BBQ to celebrate their achievements.

The grade 10 class would like to thank everyone who helped them.

School Captains: Thomas Massey & Rae Clumpoint

Vice Captains: April Morton & Owen Wilson

Social Captain: Naioki Castors

Sports Captain: Jimeka Richardson

Class Captains are:

Grade 6: Maurice Palmer & Kaiya Blackley.

Grade 7: Amber Friday, Retemoi Sam, Jerri Blackley & Ngarie Pearson.

Grade 8: Sharmika Curley & Khalani Pearson.

Grade 9: Anthony Bourne & Jaytina Johnson

By Loretta Baira, Naioki Castors, Jimeka Richardson & Ronella Cummins

Nine girls from Year Six at Bwgcolman were recently chosen to travel down to Victoria and have a holiday at Cottage by the Sea at Queenscliff.

The lucky girls were: Shonelle Castors, Rasharna Prior-Bounghi, Malanee Tanner, Tessa Friday, Tajah Bulsey, Shirl Curly, Lekeisha Ryan, Christine James and Kaiya Blackley.

They were chosen to go because they come to school every day and do the right thing at school every day.

The Catherine Freeman Foundation and Cottage by the Sea helped make the holiday happen for us.

The holiday really was an incredible experience and we all have memories that will last a life time.

First things first, Melbourne is COLD!!!

Not that we got much time to complain about it as we went snorkelling in Port Phillip Bay on our first day (freezing cold water), and on the second day we went surfing in the ocean (again freezing cold water).

Other highlights included having Cathy Freeman stay overnight at the Cottage with us, visiting a wildlife sanctuary, going shopping at Westfield Geelong and shopping at the Queen Victoria Markets – we loved Melbourne Shopping!

On the last night of our holiday we travelled into Melbourne City and we got all dressed up to go to the Catherine Freeman Foundation Ball.

It was at a posh hotel in the city and there were lots of famous people there. Aside from our friend Cathy Freeman, we also met Ray Martin, Shelley Craft, Lane Beachley, Grant Hackett and Christine Anu, just to name a few.

Even amongst all of these famous people we felt like we were the special guests. As fun as our holiday was, we did miss our families and it was nice to return home to Palm.

by Jen Healey (PE)

courtesy of Palm Island Voice

Bwgcolman Community school’s year 3/4 classes have been busy cooking up a storm or two in the kitchen this term.

Miss Kirsten, Miss Rhiannon and Miss Tanya’s class (MidA) led the way for their Kitchen Chemistry unit. Every week students have been learning different recipe procedures – and enjoying the outcomes.

We have made everything from play dough to damper and will be making pizza faces next! The students especially enjoy creating things that they can eat.

Here are some of the things students enjoyed the most about the recipes:

Everyone loved mixing all the ingredients together!

For the remainder of the term the students will be deciding which recipe’s they would like to do – among the suggestions were cakes, sausage rolls, turtle and cupcakes.

We’ll see what goodies we end up creating!

courtesy of Palm Island Voice

 WhooHoo!!!  Many many thanks go out to Christian College for their great donation of 30 computers to the school

Our kids can now use machines in every room that actually work.

The College also donated heaps of clothes to the church as well as books and resources. The clothes have come just in time for winter.

Once again..... thank you Christian College

by Tamsin Butterworth Highschool PE

Year eight students have been drawing traditional Indigenous artefacts and exploring pencil and charcoal techniques, with some amazing results.

The year nine class has been learning about portraits and chose one of their favourite music artists to draw. The year ten class has been very busy this term with their first aid certificates and TAFE courses, but they have been exploring the theme of fire, in relation to the Victorian bushfire that happened earlier this year.

This term students will be exploring different painting styles from history and I am sure the students will have another successful term.

Sonja Vassallo(High School Art Teacher)

courtesy of the Palm Island Voice

The book, by Pamela Allen called “Who Sank the Boat” – now “Who Bin Sink da Boat” – has been translated into the normal language of Palm Island kids. This translation has been done by Tyler Kidner, Kaiya Blackley, Tessa Friday and Ella Morgan who made them into a PowerPoint presentation for use by teachers of the lower classes. As part of the school’s ‘Making The Jump’ language program, the new presentation allows younger students to see the differences between the way they talk at home and the way they talk when they talk “school” or mainstream talk.

For example, part of the story reads:

Congratulations to the kids that participated in District Cross Country yesterday. They all did really well and their attitude and behaviour was a credit to the school. Moira Murray will now be competing in the Regionals next Tuesday.

by Jennifer Healey 21/05/2009 1:21 PM

And also from all of us here at Bwgcolman Community School and all of the Island - congratulations on a great day

ABC Stateline did a segment on the painting and decorating of the new courthouse. The article features local artists and some of our kids

Welcome back for the new year. Hope you had a great break.

Well its been a long start to the year.

We've been through goodness knows how much rain in the last month and a bit - think we only had 1 or 2 dry days. We've lost the roof to the computer lab, another block is leaking like a sive, several rooms have been flooded, machines exhibiting phantom faults, blown out 4 switches so blocks are offline. ahhhh well............

And now there is another Cyclone on its way

Once this is out of the way we should be getting back to operating normally

There is funding and the go ahead for a documentary film about Palm run by the intrepid Smart and Strong team sometime in April

In the meantime - have fun

just kidding but the person that turned up to talk to us today did win the Gold Medal in the 2008 Olympics. Melanie Slanger, who won a Gold medal in the 4x100m swimming for Australia at this years Olympics and Chris Weir who is the current Australian Tri-athlete coach turned up to talk to us today. - more photos inside

Now hopefully the Indigenous people that live here will get housing as well.

Sean and Adrian, the 'Smart and Strong' guys with Ella, one of our budding young film makers hard at work editing their student film - which we hope to have the world premiere here on our site