WHEN it comes to challenging gifted and talented students, the principal of Our Lady of the Rosary School, Kenmore, has just the right idea.
About 40 students from Years 2-4 spent much of the year working out who is responsible for resolving drainage and erosion problems at the school and how to get them fixed.
On December 3 those studies culminated with a presentation and tour of the problem for State Member for Moggill Bruce Flegg.
Principal Andrew Oberthur said during the course of their investigations students discovered the issue would need cross-government intervention so they invited local Brisbane councillor Margaret de Wit, but she could not attend the inspection.
The students told Dr Flegg stormwater run-off from Moggill and Kenmore roads was washing out the road leading to the school oval, leaving it unsafe for walkers and impassable to traffic including police and ambulance.
Along with severe erosion, students said the run-off also carried rubbish that blocked nearby drains and caused flooding on the school oval.
Year 3 student Josh Roach told Dr Flegg the erosion was a danger for cars and wheelchairs.
“There is a big bump so when they go down they can scrape the underside of their vehicle and wheelchairs could run over it,” he said.
Year 4 student Kaitlin Wong said cross-country runners used the road regularly.
“I was one myself and we had to go up and down this driveway and lots of people kept on spraining their ankles it was so slippery when it rained,” she said.
“Up further there is a big ditch and people kept on slipping over them and getting scars and bruises.”
Mr Oberthur said the issue had been ongoing before he became principal in 2009 and students had also written letters and were preparing a petition.
Dr Flegg said he would attempt to organise an onsite meeting with Main Roads and council staff.
He said the run-off was a significant issue that needed a solution.
“Solution has evaded us over a number of years but we shall revisit it with renewed effort and see if we can get a solution for it,” he said.
Dr Flegg said the students did a “fabulous job” presenting their case.
“This is a community issue that impacts the school community as well as the broader community,” he said.
“They are confronted with a real-life community issue that has safety implications, has some difficulty because of uncertainty about which level of government has responsibility and how to fix it.
“I think it’s a great part of education to be able to engage with a community issue that’s complicated and has been going on for some years and be able to present their case.”
