Popular pedal power program

The school’s Bike Education Program was implemented by former teacher Jim Shannahan in 1998, inspired by his love of cycling and his desire to teach students how to stay safe on the road.

“It’s good to get fresh air. It’s good exercise, and it covers lots of aspects for the kids, including road rules and that sort of stuff, which is pretty important,” Mr Shannahan said.

The program is typically completed by students in Years 5 and 6, combining classroom learning with practical cycling skills.

“In the classroom we’re talking about the road rules, a little bit of bike maintenance stuff, and then the practical side of it, we do group riding skills and bike and helmet safety checks.”

Over six to eight weeks, students gradually build their cycling skills and confidence, beginning with exercises in the school grounds before progressing to riding at a nearby estate.

Before the final ride, students complete a written and practical test.

A course is set up at the school, with parents stationed at different points to watch students demonstrate what they have learned.

Then comes one of the highlights of the program, a 35km ride from M.O.V.E through Kialla Lakes to KidsTown for lunch, before returning through Seven Creeks Estate.

For Mr Shannahan the program has always been about more than simply teaching students how to ride a bike.

He hoped students walk away with “a bit of pleasure in riding for a start, bit of exercise out in the fresh air, knowledge of road rules, and awareness of what goes on around them on the road”.

“I enjoyed passing on some of my love of riding,” he said.

Nearly three decades after he first spearheaded the program, Mr Shannahan’s legacy continues to be felt at Kialla West.

“They tell me they’re still using the exact same program 20 years later,” he said.

“So I’m a bit chuffed about that,” he said.