Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said Rochester Primary School is celebrating the rescue of its school crossing.
Mr Walsh said for a small regional school, which would never qualify for paid crossing attendants, a decision by Campaspe Shire to maintain the infrastructure outside the school is still a major good-news outcome.
He said an email this week from Campaspe Shire chief executive Declan Moore to principal Graeme Hodgens said the shire will pick up the cost of supervisors for four weeks from the start of term three.
“The school will continue negotiating with the shire, but everyone connected with the campaign to keep the crossing in place should take a bow,” Mr Walsh said.
“After the work we have all put in I am delighted with the outcome because regardless of traffic numbers there are times at the crossing, especially those 15 minutes after the primary and secondary schools get out for the day, when there are students, parents and cars everywhere,” he said.
“On a wet day that is even worse as more parents come in cars to collect children.”
Mr Walsh said when he got involved in helping the school save its crossing, the end game was simply to not lose the infrastructure.
He said anything from there would be a bonus.
“Even if the crossing ends up with just the flags and no supervisors it is still a much better outcome than what Graeme and his school were facing,” Mr Walsh added.
“Education Department policy won’t allow for teachers to fill the roles of supervisors on a permanent basis so it may turn to volunteers amongst the parents of students or the wider community,” he said.
“The shire has to train and accredit those people, and you have to remember they would be volunteers, not paid supervisors, but the school has every right to be excited about this outcome.”