One school’s passion for a parrot is about to spread.         

Wentworth Public School’s Year 3 and 4 class has drawn together an educational kit out of a year-long project it undertook with teacher Cyrus Katrak to monitor the endangered Regent Parrot.         

Mr Katrak said the Regent Recovery kit would be distributed to about 20 public schools in western NSW, Victoria and South Australia that lie within the area where the parrot lives.

“Our philosophy is the parrot doesn’t recognise state borders so why should we,” he said.         

Mr Katrak said the kit was based on the NSW COGs model that uses an integrated unit to teach across all subjects.          

One of the surprises for the teacher of 15 years was the dedication his young students showed in helping to protect the parrot whose numbers in the wild are between 2,500 to 4,000.         

“I was blown away by the level of enthusiasm the children showed,” he said.         

“The unit has allowed the children to build up some expert knowledge on the species and to explore the links between a species and its environment, and what threats challenge those environments.”         

The project, which was funded through the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change and Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority, uses the latest classroom technology including interactive whiteboards.         

Mr Katrak said the Regent Recovery kit could be used as a framework by other schools to explore the plight of animal species in their areas.          

The focus on a local species meant the work was “truly relevant” to the students’ world and enhanced their interest in the study.         

“As pressures on our natural environments increase, it is vital that we encourage our children to really think about their future and develop the values and attitudes needed to bring about positive changes in their society,” he said.         

Mr Katrak said developing the kit with his students had been a career high.         

“It’s definitely been very fulfilling and really exciting,” he said. However, Mr Katrak said a project like his succeeded only under a supportive school leadership.         

“The community reaction has been tremendous and that’s really been one of the fantastic things to see how many groups [within the community] are willing to work with schools.”          

The kit is backed up with a range of resources including pens, stickers, letterheads and even frisbees.