Arranounbai - An update from Stephanie

Stephanie Hopkins has been a passionate educator for over 25 years. Her teaching experience spans all ages Kindergarten to year 12 in both Australia and in the U.K. and includes a variety of roles, specialising in Gifted and Talented students as well as those with special and higher needs. She was an Assistant Principal of Hebersham (Mt Druitt) Public School where she fostered a program within a behaviour unit. After a short time in London based special schools, Stephanie found her calling in special education when she moved to Arranounbai School in 2013 and where she is currently Principal (since 2018). She relishes all her teaching interactions but none more than as Principal at Arranounbai. It is her wish to be a part of delivering the highest quality of care and education to these children, whilst promoting greater understanding and inclusion in the broader community.

Stephanie was awarded a Pride of Workmanship award in 2020 by the club and gave us an update on the school, the progress in several significant areas and future plans to modernise parts of the facilities and improve the environmental suitability for its students

Stephanie (left) receiving the Pride of Workmanship Award from ADG Johanna Johns.

Arranounbai currently has 36 students and 7 different classes. The students suffer from a number of disabilities; both physical and mental, so catering for people who are unable to properly communicate or cannot move easily is made possible in all achievable areas. Catering for wheelchairs, and sufferers of conditions such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy and autism, is done with special equipment and very dedicated staff. Stephanie said her pool of staff are truly amazing with one member having been there for 27 years.

Some students move to a regular school after a year or two- which is often a difficult transition for the student and his/her family, together with the Arranounbai staff. Others graduate having spent all their schooling years at Arranounbai and then are assisted to find work experience and a suitable vocation.

Covid lockdowns: the added difficulty

Naturally during Covid lockdowns, because of safety concerns, many programs had to be limited and changed; however classes were maintained. A variety of classes like sport, cooking and gardening were adapted or modified. Significant adaptation did occur, especially through a new gym instructor who is a Hip Hop dancer, Yoga and Gym instructor and has introduced many new modified sports programs, including a special wheelchair sports program at PCYC at Dee Why with all able-bodied participants also playing in wheelchairs.

Technology had to meet the Covid response from March 2020, using a couple of tech-friendly staff members and every child having an iPad at home: ZOOM and similar programs where extensively used to enable the schooling at home. Teaching using many techniques and programs done at the school now had to occur in the home and created many challenges to students, families, and staff. Despite the complications, the students took to it well.

Story time was led by Stephanie each afternoon whilst each morning a segment called morning circle; that involved discussions with families and the students on ZOOM, proved very popular. In the middle of the day, sports, Hip Hop, art, music, or games often occurred. A great hit was cooking; including making of pizzas starting with base ingredients which were sent to 40 families - every 4 weeks. The method and results all seen by each family using ZOOM.

At the end of lock down some retraining of the children to now attend the school was necessary, but the home involvement of students, siblings and family was very beneficial.

A shot from the This is school life video

Communication: Creativity during Covid.

One key objective at Arranounbai is that every child be a functional communicator. Some children can speak, some use key word signs, others use iPads with a special app that they touch or some with “eye gaze” that follows the eye to parts of the screen. Despite the fear that this would all but disappear during lockdown and absence from school; every morning the children would ZOOM one another and conduct informal talks on their iPads whilst waiting for the classes or morning circle to begin. This proved very popular and highly beneficial for both students and families and in many cases opened up the other communication forms to speech. Chats and emojis became a real hit and great motivator and generated a high level of interactions within families plus between students and families. This culminated in a music video (This is school life) involving every student, with scenes from home filmed by their families then collated and put to music by the school staff proved a great hit and was adopted as a template for entries from other schools by the Education Department.

Restart of Work Experience other Programs

Different responsibilities around the school for several of the students have emerged.

One big hit was the weatherman who made daily reports to announce if activities like morning tea and outdoor activities can occur given the prevailing weather conditions. The student must research the weather each day. This has continued now post Covid.

St Luke’s Year 9 students’ partnership with Arranounbai has recommenced a few weeks ago. It has been on hold since 2016. The fact that they are their peers has more influence with the Arranounbai students, especially when compared with staff and training videos.

Other programs like iFly at Penrith and Sailability at Manly have also returned. Supporting a day at Bear Cottage has now also recommenced – this also helps the children from Arranounbai understand that other children are worse off and have bigger struggles than them.

The Future:

Rotary’s support is greatly appreciated: Awards for both Stephanie in 2020 & the student award to Brock (who is making some progress in several areas) in 2022.

The projects like shade cloth over the quadrangle together with the bikes are also very valued and the student’s level of excitement and enthusiasm with the bikes has been most gratifying.

The aim is to upgrade the areas for the bikes with a track (incorporating a roundabout), sun shelter, swings and trampoline is planned. An open day will be held on Thursday 23^rd June (time to be confirmed) Please contact Rick or Lindy to ensure that a place for you is available. STOP PRESS: see 'Sunrise @ Arrnounbai' that occurred on Friday 24th June.

The meeting really appreciated the excellent and very entertaining presentation from Stephanie together with great and important work that Stephanie and her staff perform.