Scribd
Upload
61 views

Village Life: Goodwill in The Gardens

Lucas Gardens School in Canada Bay, Sydney celebrates its 20th anniversary. It caters to students with severe intellectual, physical, and sensory disabilities. The school focuses on improving student mobility and communication through specialized facilities and a curriculum tailored to their needs. Knowledge is exchanged between the school and tertiary students who regularly visit to gain experience working with children with disabilities. Community support through volunteers and fundraising events is also integral to supporting the students' learning.

Uploaded by

ashbetteridge
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
61 views

Village Life: Goodwill in The Gardens

Lucas Gardens School in Canada Bay, Sydney celebrates its 20th anniversary. It caters to students with severe intellectual, physical, and sensory disabilities. The school focuses on improving student mobility and communication through specialized facilities and a curriculum tailored to their needs. Knowledge is exchanged between the school and tertiary students who regularly visit to gain experience working with children with disabilities. Community support through volunteers and fundraising events is also integral to supporting the students' learning.

Uploaded by

ashbetteridge
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Village Life

A good belly laugh is part and parcel of class time at Lucas Gardens School.

Goodwill in the gardens


By Ashlee Betteridge of Studies curriculum. Improving
Many locals probably see Lucas mobility and communication is a
Gardens School in Canada Bay as primary focus and facilities such as
they crawl down Queens Road in a hydrotherapy spa and a sensory
peak hour traffic. garden aid students’ learning and
But most probably don’t realise development.
the special work that goes on be- The exchange of knowledge at
hind the unassuming facade at this Lucas Gardens is a two way process,
small but important school, which as the school regularly hosts terti-
celebrates its 20th anniversary at ary teaching and nursing students,
the end of August. including psychology interns from
Lucas Gardens caters for students Boston.
with severe intellectual, physical “It’s great because the students
and sensory disabilities. learn about working with children
While the Department of with severe disabilities, and we also
Education and Training runs many get extra hands to help in the class-
special schools, most don’t cater room,” Ms Roberts said.
specifically for children with multi- Senior students at Lucas Gardens
ple disabilities. take part in a community access
“That’s been a real focus for this program where they visit Burwood
school. All the children have severe Westfield and take recycled paper
intellectual and physical disabilities, they have shredded to the pet store
and many also have sensory impair- for use as animal bedding.
ment” Principal Ann Roberts said. Students also recently raised
“They all have very high needs, money on Dolphin Day for the
and many also have medical needs,” Stewart House Charity.
she said. Once again, community goodwill
The school has places for 36 stu- comes into play because one volun-
dents, who range in age from four to teer is needed to push each wheel-
18 years. Around half are from the chair for the students to go on an
Canada Bay municipality, with the excursion.
rest largely coming from surround- Volunteers also come into the
ing inner west suburbs. school to read to students and help
Students follow a modified Board out in class.
14 VILLAGE VOICE DRUMMOYNE July

You might also like