The Community Vision, 'Linking solid traditions to future freedoms' has been developed by the community.

Exploring our Community Vision - ‘Linking solid traditions to future freedoms’

For the last eighteen months, Dauan Island School and wider Community have come together to formulate a future direction through IDEAS, captured in the vision for the school. ‘As a remote Top Western Island in the Torres Strait, some seven km from the Papua New Guinea coastline’ says the Principal, Fiona Brimmer, ‘it was vital to re-engage the community with the school in ways that were both meaningful and sustainable’.

The development of a vision and the future direction was essential with the coming and going of five different principals in 18 months. ‘Continuity and sustainability of school direction and community were at an all time low’ recalls Ethel Larry, the teacher of the early years student group, who has been a long term teacher in the school and is a resident of the island ‘The development of the school vision, schoolwide pedagogies and values essential for quality school has seen the employment of a young community person, Julio Dai, to paint the vision on the front school wall causing everyone who passes for the first time to stop in awe.’

The vision, ‘Linking Solid Traditions to Future Freedom’ is at the center of the decision making process and the vision links the traditions of the past to the choices available for the future leaders, putting Dauan Island State School on the road to quality schooling for all.

‘The students, parents, island teachers and community developed this future focus, talking and planning together throughout our engagement with IDEAS.’ recalls Fiona.

‘Sustainability for the small island community is going beyond the school with the community council expressing interest in the visioning process for the community as a whole’ says Teena Akiba, a member of the community's ASSPA Committee. Initial discussions between the school and community council, which will be supported during a Semester 2 visit by John McMaster, University of Southern Queensland IDEAS Core Team member, have seen a commitment to the process as a way of engaging the whole community in the future directions of the small island.