EDUCATION

BURDEKIN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TEACH SIGN LANGUAGE DURING STORYTIME

Marina Trajkovich

YEAR eight students from Burdekin Catholic High School have visited St Francis recently as part of an ongoing program that teaches AUSLAN sign language to younger students.

The year eight AUSLAN class, who have been learning sign language as part of their Language Other Than English (LOTE) curriculum, recently visited St Francis Catholic School Year 1 students, translating picture books into sign language and sharing what they’ve learnt.

Burdekin Catholic High School’s Inclusive Practices teacher, Sandra Flanagan, says the year eights have been doing an incredible job picking up the language and learning more about the deaf community and inclusivity.

“Our school was looking for a way to share the Year 8 students’ knowledge of

BCH Year 8 students translating picture books into AUSLAN sign language for St Francis Year 1 students

AUSLAN with others. We also wanted the Year 8 students to realise the importance of being positive role models to our younger community members,” says Ms Flanagan of organising the excursion.

“Our Year 8 students were quite nervous about presenting to the Year 1 students, but it was such a wonderful experience for them.

“They were left feeling very proud of themselves and were so pleased that they were able to pass on such an important skill.”

She says that the year 1’s at St Francis were extremely attached to their student teachers and that it was great to watch her students confidently interpret the picture books.

“As a teacher, it was quite emotional to watch them interact with the other students. They were so engaged and developed instant rapports with the Year 1s.

“The Year 1 students were so enthusiastic about learning a new language and were very excited to share with everyone which new Auslan signs they had learnt,” says Ms Flanagan.

BCHS has been running AUSLAN classes for the last three years, getting great feedback from students who are learning more about inclusivity.

“The AUSLAN lessons involve the students in learning about the Deaf Community and the language. Each lesson, the students learn a new set of AUSLAN signs, and by the end of the course, students are quite confident in communicating and presenting AUSLAN to a group,” says Ms Flanagan.

“Several of our Year 8 students were so excited about learning AUSLAN as they have people in their lives who are deaf or partially deaf, and they felt that they were now able to communicate with them more effectively and with more confidence.

“This has promoted inclusivity for our students as they are so keen to put their newly learnt skills into practice. Many of our students have also been teaching their family members how to sign AUSLAN,” she says.

Ms Flanagan says that due to the success and positive feedback from the St Francis excursion, BCHS aims to continue these AUSLAN learning events.

“Events like these are crucial to promoting inclusivity,” she says.

“We are also hoping to get members of the deaf community to come and visit our Auslan classes to help our students gain a small glimpse into what it’s like to live with a hearing impairment and learn ways that they can help and support our deaf community.”

Schools celebrate National Boarding Week Students invited to eat like a refugee for a week

Marina Trajkovich

SCHOOLS in Townsville are participating in the annual Boarders’ Run Australia, with over 130 students from Townsville Grammar School getting ready to celebrate National Boarding Week.

Townsville Grammar School’s Director of Boarding and National Director and Queensland Chair of the Australian Boarding Schools Association, Mr Jaye Beutel, said the event is a great way to recognise the countries boarding community.

“Each of our boarders will run a kilometre, as will every other boarder in the country, making the combined distance similar to the circumference of Australia.

“It’s a fun way to recognize the significant contribution boarding schools make to families across our vast nation,” said Mr Beutel.

“The annual Boarders’ Run is a fun event where we can raise the profile of those students who generally have no other reasonable alternative to access education other than boarding school,” he said.

The Boarders Run will take place at the Bill Muller Oval on the school’s North Ward campus with other activities arranged for throughout the week.

There will be a boarders versus day students touch football tournament, an outdoor movie night and a ‘Do it for Dolly,’ fundraiser, raising money for Dolly’s Dream, an organisation that raises awareness of childhood bullying and youth suicide.

“National Boarding Week is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the fantastic efforts and commitment from our boarders, boarding staff, and schools across the country in providing this essential service to rural and remote families in Australia,” said Mr Beutel.

Marina Trajkovich

SCHOOLCHILDREN and teachers are invited to eat like a refugee, raising muchneeded funds to help children and families threatened by conflict and disaster around the world.

The Ration Challenge, started by not for profit humanitarian organisation Act For Peace, is a powerful and thought-provoking fundraising initiative that empowers Australian students to stand in solidarity with children who are living as refugees in other countries.

It invites school ages children to eat like a refugee during the week leading up to World Refugee Day from the 14th to the 19th June.

Every student registered by their teacher will receive a ration pack in the mail, containing the same rations, in the same quantities, as those distributed to Syrian refugees in camps in Jordan – just a small amount of rice, beans, chickpeas, lentils, fish, oil and flour.

Ben Littlejohn, The Ration Challenge co-founder at Act for Peace, encourages school students to get involved.

“By taking the Ration Challenge, students will raise money that will help save lives now by providing emergency food, healthcare and support to people hit hardest by this crisis,” said Littlejohn.

“By putting themselves in the shoes of a refugee for one week, they’ll learn about current global issues, develop empathy for others and feel empowered to make a difference in the world,” he said.

The Ration Challenge was established in 2014 and since then has captured the hearts and minds of more than 99 000 people who have taken part.

The schools program was launched in 2018, and since then, students and teachers have raised more than $1 million. So far this year, 50 schools have already registered for the program.

“This year marks the 10th anniversary of the conflict in Syria. Since it started, more than half a million people have lost their lives, and millions more have been left in need of humanitarian assistance.

“Now, as the world battles this pandemic, I’m not sure there has ever been a more important time to come together and take the Ration Challenge,” said Ben.

CONNECT NOW:

To register for The Ration Challenge, taking place this June, visit: https://schools. rationchallenge.org.au

Crazy Hair Day at Burdekin Christian College

Burdekin Christian College’s Junior School ended a busy week of eisteddfod participation, NAPLAN tests and Open Day preparations with Crazy Hair Day on Friday the 14th May. Students and teachers rocked their brand new dos or paid a visit to the on campus Crazy Hair Salon for a makeover.