Kirinari and Wiyanga students hit the ground running for 2020!

2020HighNeeds01
Wiyanga High Support Needs Centre students have had a delightful start to 2020

The start of 2020 at Kirinari and Wiyanga High Support Needs Centres has seen students enthusiastically embrace coming back to school and interacting with all their friends and teachers.

Wiyanga and Kirinari are purpose-built facilities which offer students with High Support Needs an alternate platform for learning and inclusion. These facilities are open to students from all over the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta who have a diagnosis of moderate intellectual disability and low adaptive functioning.

For Kirinari students at Xavier Catholic College Llandilo, students have settled in well. High Support Needs Specialist Teacher George Massih said board games, discussions, drumbeat therapy and online activities have been used to introduce new students to their peers.

“Life skills are at the core of everything that is done at Kirinari. Students have started cooking classes, planting vegetables, collecting bottles for our return and earn and practical road safety lessons in the community. New students have also been taken on a tour of the college which included visiting the oval, basketball courts, canteen, Xavier centre and science labs,“ Mr Massih said.

2020HighNeeds02
Kirinari High Support Needs Centre students have been super keen to learn important life skills like planting vegetables

Meanwhile at Wiyanga, at St Patrick’s Marist College Dundas, students welcomed three new classmates: Year 7 students Estella and Tanisha and Year 11 student Negin. All students had been looking forward to coming back to school as they had missed their classmates, teachers and the engaging learning experiences.

Wiyanga High Support Needs Specialist Teacher Brendan Harwanek said so far this term, the students have been looking at their place in their community.

“This involved exploring their identity, the diverse cultural background of their peers and reflecting on how their individual qualities can aim to imitate Jesus Christ. The learning surrounding their self-reflection involved detailing their interests, creating self portraits, taking note of important events in their lives and creating a class cookbook which includes a unique family recipe from each class member,“ Mr Harwanek said.

Expanding the learning opportunities for Wiyanga students has also involved more occasions to interact with peers from St Patrick’s Marist College Dundas. They have enjoyed participating in homeroom, assembles and peer support lessons as well as classes across the key learning areas of PDHPE, Food Technology, Music and Visual Arts.

“It is encouraging that not only are our Wiyanga students developing their functional academics within the centre, they are able to access general education lessons with their same-aged peers,“ Mr Harwanek said.

2020HighNeeds03
Wiyanga students have already started learning about their place in the community which has seen them explore their identity and diverse cultural backgrounds

Learn more about High Support Learning Centres

Written By

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au

02 Mar 2026
Catholic School Open Days
We are enrolling now! Attend your local Catholic school's Open Day to find out more.

04 May 2026
Western Sydney Careers of Today | Parent Education Forum 2026
Choosing a career path has never been more complex. With industries rapidly evolving and new roles emerging every year, many parents feel unsure about how best to guide their child’s future. Join us for an informative and engaging evening designed to help you navigate what’s next.