LAST MINISCHOOL Mini- news 2017
It is with regret that I announce to the community of Norfolk
Island that Minischool Educational Preschool will be closing at
the end of next week once all the preschoolers are settled at
school and the centre of their choice.
Due to Government changes, high expectations to conform to
Australian standards, very little support or assistance offered
for essential services such as early educational centres, higher
cost of living, commercial land rates, introduction of tax and
wage changes etc, etc, the list goes on and on.. It is time for
Minischool to finish its run of being a premium early education
centre for all 3-5 year old island children.
Here is the story of Minischools beginnings. In 2009, a group of
like minded parents banded together to try to increase the options
of better quality early education on the island.
Back then, you had to either be a resident or buy an existing
business which was 5 years old.... as none was available, we
couldn't comply by breaking new ground for a much needed
alternative or other option for the parents of Norfolk Island. WE
are so fortunate that Adon Butterfield and his wife Rauni Lange could
help start just what was needed.
Rauni, a Montessori teacher from
Germany helped to open Norfolk Islands own Montessori Kinderhaus
with thanks to Tarn and Khan Christian for the first venue.
We
opened in January 2010.
After a couple of years, Rauni returned to her Montessori school
in Germany and the reins were handed on to Cristina McRitchie in
2012.
Minischool educational preschool was relaunched under the
guidance of teachers Cristina and Mandy Ellem. It flourished and
doubled its numbers in a short time (now over quadrupled its
numbers in its current fantastic venue on Queen Elizabeth avenue).
We included a much needed vacation care programme plus before and
after school care for the peace of mind of working parents.
The Minischool minibus made the whole island our classroom and
the community of Norfolk Island helped to teach the preschoolers
from 2010-2017 all about our island, culture, customs, food and
way of life.
We could jump into the bus whenever we got a call
that the ship was in, a new lamb, piglet, calf or foal was born,
if we wanted to pick guavas to make guava jelly... the list goes
on. Life was wonderful and simple, the parents entrusted us with
their children without the need to heavy duty risk assessment
paperwork.. Risk assessment is what teachers do constantly anyhow!
Thank you everyone within the community who have encouraged,
enjoyed the preschoolers and helped them to learn & grow. Thanks also to the
community off island also sent us wonderful ideas and educational
supplies as well as our own purchases to keep preschool teaching
fresh, new and inventive and constantly changing and evolving and
to keep young minds active.
The newspaper articles (thanks to Jonno & Jo for the ink
space and to Alison for all the extra internet uploads) kept the
community informed of all the fabulous things we did at
Minischool.
The facebook page and our blog kept families
especially grandparents (and aunties, uncles and cousins) off
island up to date with a photo gallery of their little loved ones
growing and exploring. I got so many thank you's from grandmas and
aunties during this time as well as great feedback from this
community at large.
Sadly we could have existed like this for a long time into the
future, providing an amazing service with programmed and themed
activities in an safe environment with loving staff members. But
back in early 2016 life on Norfolk Island changed, it became all
about meetings, forms, expectations, excessive and unnecessary
paperwork, paperwork, paperwork to conform tho the Australian
accreditation system. Expectations from parents that money would
be received back through Government schemes, not knowing the real
cost to run these accredited centres.
Preschool became financially and emotionally exhausting and more
about paperwork & conforming to Australian standards than
praising what was already fabulous and working well on Norfolk
Island. We provided a service that worked, helped every working
parent when they needed it most and was the best on offer to
educate little minds in an amazing environment. We made wonderful
discoveries island wide as well as in our own imaginative gardens.
I give a huge thanks to Peter and Natalie for providing the most beautiful
exploring gardens for Minischool at Shangri la.
My sadness is for the families from 2017 and in the near future
who have not had the chance to experience the magical early
learning centre that the children and families of Minischool knew
and loved.
My hope for the future is for Norfolk Island to find its way
forward and place importance back into its people & essential
services such as a working hospital and early learning for 0-5
year olds.
This is such a fabulous community, you deserve better.
Thanks everyone for your support for the past 7 years.
Cristina xx
Minischool Educational Preschool
https://www.facebook.com/minischoolpreschool
https://norfolkislandpreschool.blogspot.com
