By Ewen McRae
Kings Park Primary School was abuzz with international friendship last week, with the school hosting a group of teachers and pupils from its sister school in Japan.
Kings Park has had a partnership with Tenma-Cho Elementary School from Shizuoka, Japan, since 1998, with the schools alternating visits every year.
Kings Park pupils last week put on a special assembly for their visitors, showcasing the multicultural make-up of their school before the visitors joined in classes.
Teacher Stephanie Cefai said it was a chance to showcase what made their school unique.
“We have students from so many backgrounds, so to showcase that to our visitors is really special,” she said.
The visitors from Japan visited sites around Melbourne and spent time with host families during their five-day stay.
Ms Cefai said the partnership between the schools was a valuable learning tool.
“The students get to study Japanese here as a subject, and then they can tie it in by experiencing the culture behind that language,” she said. “It’s a really nice way to bring both communities together.”
