The parents of a popular community school love it so much, they don’t want to leave. So in united force they are fighting to keep their children from going elsewhere.
Parents of Kyeemagh Infants School have launched a petition to expand the school so it caters for more pupils.
The school is a Kindergarten to year 2 school. Parents want it to go to year 6.
The online petition is urging the Department of Education to consider progressively including senior years.
P&C president Gina Moeke says the majority of parents are supportive of the campaign.
“Even though we’re such a small school of about 60 children, informally we already call it Kyeemagh Public School,” she said.
“This would benefit not only current students but the community at large.
- Kyeemagh parent
She says the school has enough space to cater for an expansion.
“We have a room ready to go, and we’re also looking at fundraising for demountables that could easily go on the property. Only two classrooms would need to be added.
“My daughter is in year 2 but I have kids at Brighton-Le-Sands Public School because I wanted them to be separated so they can learn in their own environments and grow as individuals,” she said.
“She would love to stay at Kyeemagh because she has lots of friends there, and it’s pushed her learning and confidence to be independent.”
Fellow parent Louise Sheehy says nearby schools at Rockdale and Arncliffe are full.
“With more families moving to the area and developments going up, schools are becoming overcrowded,” she said.
“[This expansion] would benefit not only current students but the community at large by helping to take the pressure off other schools.”
Parents say the move to expand will also help cater for children with special needs.
Kyeemagh Infants School has 19 pupils including three special needs children who are ready to go into year 3.
Karen Houghton, a mother of a year 2 pupil with Down syndrome, says it is a challenge to find a mainstream public school that caters for special needs.
“Kyeemagh Infants is an amazing place for my daughter – staying would be perfect,” she said.
“In my experience a lot of the other schools in the area haven’t been as inclusive, whereas Kyeemagh just see her as a little girl – not a person with a disability.”
A spokesman for the Department of Education says the Department encourages parents to have their say with regards to the future of their children’s school.
“As part of ongoing education provisions, the department gives consideration to all available options to respond to increasing enrolments in any area,” he said.
The P&C hopes to get 2000 signatures and hold a meeting with their local MP to discuss the plan.
Would you like to see Kyeemagh Infants School expanded beyond year 2?
