Meet the Minischool TEAM

Minischool meet the staff team.

With all of our new beginnings at Minischool I would like to share a favourite quote from Walt Disney who was part of my magical childhood.

“We keep moving forward opening new doors and doing new things because we are curious and curiosity keeps leading down new paths”-Walt Disney.

By opening up a new pathway I thought it would be great to have a fresh start and introduce the team at Minischool.

 

Minischool began as Montessori Kinderhaus by a group of parents looking for an alternative to any early education offered on the island. Montessori teacher Rauni Lange ran this from 2010 until 2012 when it changed hands and became Minischool Educational preschool. Our aim is to provide early learning in a fun, fresh and inspirational way in a homelike setting.

Preschool and early education is lifelong learning and is the basis of all education.

About us. There is me… Hi my name is Cristina. I had my first trip to Norfolk Island as a 6 week old baby and have loved it ever since. I have lived here full time for the past 8 years. I received a diploma in children’s services nearly 20 years ago. Since then I have been a full-time nanny in between working in Long day care centres, Preschools, Preschool prep & out of school hours centres within primary school grounds both in NSW and in Qld as assistant director and preschool group leader. My preschools have been through the Australian accreditation system. I deferred my bachelor of learning management at CQU when I took on this business full time in 2012. Mum to 3 young children, one is on the Autism spectrum and has taught me so much extra patience, love and understanding towards every ability. I love researching new ideas and themes to encourage the children to learn in a fun way that suits their needs so they can be the best little people that they can be. I recently completed the active afterschool coaching course and am looking forward to using it when we begin Minischools afterschool care at the beginning of term 3. Coming to work each day is an absolute pleasure. Surely it shouldn’t be called work when we have this much fun.

And meet my team. This is Mandy, my rock.

Mandy has an impressive background. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma of Education in primary teaching, and a Bachelor of Special Education.

Mandy worked in special ed in a school support unit, as a social educator for adults with disabilities, 13 years as an early school support teacher in K-2 working with children with mild intellectual disabilities. When Mandy came to Norfolk Island she fell in love with the preschool age group and studied a certificate 3 in children’s services while on island. She loves that dress ups and laughter is just one of the pleasures of going to work each day.

We welcome to the team Jen who has a diploma of children’s services and a bachelor of teaching. We look forward to spending more time together soon.

 

This is Lauren whom the children adore.

Lauren has been a helper at the primary school for years and is known to join in our day time pyjama parties just for fun and loves to pop into our new location to surprise us and give the children lots of cuddles.

And high school student Eloise (photo to come) who will help the Mooshies (Minischool out of school hours children) with the walking bus from school down the footpath to minischool when the weather is fine. We are sure there will be plenty of fun adventures ahead.

It is the end of week 2 at our new and very loved home called ‘Shangrila’ on the corner of Shortridge road and Queen Elizabeth avenue.

The move has been 6 months in the making and we are very grateful to each and every individual and family who helped out through every move.

Thanks to Peter and Natalie for allowing us to love your corner as much as you do. Cheers for a long and happy association.

Thanks to Eve and Robyn for sharing Aunty Jan’s house on Potts farm with us in between our moves. This is an excellent location & great 4 bedroom house that is for sale and worth having a look at. We hope it sells for you soon.

Thanks to Michelle Nicholson at Norfolk Island Central school and to Suzanne Hardy. We love that we are now such a short walking distance from the school, and can walk together to enjoy the library each week. Look out for us next week. We will be the Kings, Queens and Knights on Queen Elizabeth avenue walking up the hill to storm the castle library.

Thanks to Christian Bailey agencies for your help in moving all of our equipment and our cubbyhouse which was gifted to us by Ma from Vegemite Village.

Thanks to All Star painters who painted & Crosscut constructions who repaired Ma’s cubbyhouse so we can treasure it for years to come.

Thanks to the Norfolk Island Police for cooking our BBQ for our end of moving working bee. With over 90% of our families helping to move, there were plenty of mouths to feed.

Thanks to each and every parent of Minischool who contributed in any way possible to make our transition into our new home a smooth and shiny one. Also thanks for our school warming gifts, we look forward to putting many of them to use in the kitchen & into the garden shortly.

Afterschool care enrolment forms will be available from Minischool straight after Bounty day. Or call 51862 to reserve a copy for your 5-12 year old.

Minischool updates & photos can be found on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/minischoolpreschool   and our blog http://norfolkislandpreschool.blogspot.com

 

Cancer Council fundraiser. The biggest afternoon tea. May 2014

On Thursday 29th of May, Minischool joined in with The Cancer Councils initiative to hold the biggest morning tea(or in our case afternoon tea) as a way to raise funds and awareness for cancer research.

In our Minischool family we have all been affected by Cancer. It has a huge emotional impact when it happens to our Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters and even our children have all been affected by this disease. My own family and extended family have had a mixture of survivors and losses.

 For those of you who may not know, my co-worker Mandy's boy was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour when he was a baby. This is something no mother should have to go through but they are strong & survivors and I am intensely proud of their family. Their 'little' boy is now in his first year at school and blooming.

 Mandy who also lost her father to Cancer not long ago has hosted the biggest morning tea as a fundraiser each year among friends.

 This year we are proud that she will host it at the new Minischool. We have only been in our new premises  for 4 days but it was great to be filled with afternoon tea, cakes, love and laughter among our Minischool family and friends.  The minister of passionfruit slice was one of the first to arrive and sample our goodies and we counted approximately 27 adults and many, many kids who loved the gardens as much as the fairy bread and popcorn.

 The Minischool children helped with decorations (the blue and yellow balloons and signs looked great kids)  and preparations. They asked lots of questions (mostly "when can we have cake?") and learned a little bit of understanding about healthy bodies and trying to make a difference in this world by fighting for what we believe in.

 For people who arrived to the fundraiser from the announcement on Minischool's facebook page, it was a good chance to have a sticky beak at the new premises over a cuppa too.

 Any donations towards Cancer research were gratefully accepted. Over $400 has been raised so far.

Thankyou from the bottom of our hearts.

♥ Cristina & Mandy

Mini Update May 2014

MINISCHOOL Educational Preschool Mini News Update May 2014

 

MINISCHOOL Educational Preschool Mini News

WE HAVE MOVED!

A huge thanks to the large portion (around 90%) of our past and present Minischool parents who went over and above a labour of love during the past 2 weekends to move us into our new premises closer to the school and Burnt Pine.

This project has been in the pipeline for nearly 6 months and now we can enjoy our amazing new space.

Our preschool numbers are fully booked but we do have a waiting list available. Stay tuned for the details of our familyfun open day so you can see our new play-spaces.

Coming soon……MOOSH. Minischool out of school hours care (after school, 3-5pm weekdays plus school vacation care).

We are open 50 weeks a year (Only closed for 2 weeks over Christmas/New Year). Let us know if you are interested in your child being a Mooshie or joining the MOOSH club for 5-12 year olds. It is going to be FUN!!!

Cristina and Mandy 51862

• Minischool is a fresh, fun, inspirational &
  educational preschool offered to 3 to 5 year old children of Norfolk Island. Offering
  a choice and leading the way in quality preschool and early education since
  2010.

Minischool Mini News April 2014

Minischool mini newsletter APRIL 2014


Well hello again everybody, April was a hive
of activity for our Minischoolers with Easter crafts and activities right
through the school holidays. Vacation care is a very important part of our
preschool as an unbroken momentum of learning & fun throughout the year, we
can continue with all our fun activities all year round, throughout every
season. This also helps our working parents (we have some exciting news about
after school care for working families later on in this column).


Easter activities were all about celebrating
new life, we got to handle some baby chicks and experience this first hand.
Then there were the Easter crafts and activities, our fluffy bunnies seemed to
multiply overnight. We loved painting a gazillion egg cartons over the holidays
and were even prouder to see our useable artworks for sale in Foodland and P&R
groceries. Did you see them, the children reported back when they saw their own
on the shelf. There were Easter bunny and egg plays, dances and songs to sing….
Then came the CHOCOLATE. Cooking from cookbooks we made bunny pops and guava
eggs and Teddy even showed us how he learned to make Rocky Road at big school.
And that rascally bunny that hid us some eggs to find was very tricky.


The siblings who joined us in the school
holidays also enjoyed being the wise older children and developed great skills
by running fun games for their brothers, sisters and their friends.


I know that vacation care brings out the best
in my own children and rather than competing with children their own age in the
playground, they can be a leader by inventing imaginative and innovative game
and activities.


We celebrated 2 birthdays in April of our
oldest child Bailey who turned 5 and our youngest child Toby who turned 3.
Happy Birthday boys! Birthdays are important to us and celebrated by all the
minischoolers getting involved in making a card together and organising a
party, cooking & activities for their friend. We even had a fairy bread
making course at the lions park on the way to the airport, farewelling some of
our friends off on their holiday.


Next in April came Anzac day and its
importance, we used our Anzac biscuit recipe and told tales of life nearly 100
years ago compared to now, finishing our last vacation care day off by making
some red poppies for remembrance.


While we began the preschool year with a back
to basic approach reviewing and introducing concepts such as numbers and time,
phonics and letters, colours, shapes and sizes, we are now moving on to more
advanced learning styles (still taught in a fun & interesting way aimed at
pre-schoolers).


We now are building skills and identifying
areas of need through planning and checklists. We also acknowledge the need for
non-academic skills such as turn taking, sitting in your own space and
listening during group time for a healthy transition to big school.


Some of our full time pre-schoolers have
already filled 2 scrapbooks full of their work samples and show improvement in
all key learning areas everyday because they want to, not because they have to.


Our most exciting news though is that we have
been approved to move into our new premises, with a few little working bees
over the next few weekends at our new premises (Shangri-la on the corner of
Shortridge road) and at our half way preschool on Potts farm road, we will be
on track to big bigger and brighter than ever.


With our moves comes a new chapter as we open
up as an after school care centre from 3-5 pm on school days. A walking bus or
minibus pick up will be arranged for parents who are interested in having their
5-12 year olds cared for in a safe & fun environment. They will learn
organisation, preparing & cooking skills as they prepare their own
afternoon tea as a daily activity. We will also work around the schools active
after school program for those who already participate in this.


The benefit of an afterschool care centre is
that working parents can have job hours that extend beyond 2:50pm without fear
of young school children being without care.


Our heads are already filled with all the
fantastic areas we can build in our amazing garden space such as a dinosaur garden,
fairy grotto and pirate cove as well as an outdoor mud kitchen and out of this
world playground…. But more of that next time! In our May newsletter we will
advise everyone of our OPEN DAY so you can come and see for yourselves.


We finish off this newsletter as we are
preparing to surprise our mummies with an envelope of goodies made with love
from their pre-schoolers.


As we celebrate all things ‘mum’ this week,
we congratulate Minischool mum Jess on the quick arrival of baby Harrison. We
know that Bailey will be a wonderful big brother.


As a mother of preschool and primary children
myself, I am so lucky and blessed to work and spend so much time with them. I
appreciate being spoiled with love by all the children and hope you do too.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Minischool Mini News March 2014

Minischool Mini news March 2014


March was a great time to re-introduce and give a fresh
approach to learning all about ourselves, colours, shapes, letters and sounds
as well as numbers which turned into simple addition. It certainly has been a
fun start to the year with extra excursions around the island to learn
together.


We are so close to having our amazing new space and gardens
up and ready for us and we will be sure to invite you all to our fun open day
once we settle in after Easter.


Speaking of Easter, we have been getting stuck into a
variety of Easter crafts, some to hang on our walls and many to place in our
scrapbooks to remember our early learning years.


Here is what our 3-5 year olds though about Easter, I love
their creativity and imagination.

I asked “where does the Easter Bunny live?”


J-At the Easter Carnival, J- No he lives in the sky, B- at
foodlands, A- I know, Its Easter Island, M-On the other side of the Island, A-
At Easter land (who with?) his helpers, the other Easter Bunnies (how many?)
there are 14! K- In a tunnel (why? Because he wants to hide because everyone
wants his chocolate, T- in a tent, B- In his own imagination, O- In a tunnel
making eggs and eating carrots, J- He lives into Christmas with Santa Claus
they help each other out at Christmas and Easter. The Easter bunny lives at
Santas house and they drink cups of tea, eat bananas, peas and carrots and he
loves potatoes pumpkin, zucchinis and that is all.


Why does he like to give eggs out? W-He wants to give them
because he is nice, A- He likes to be busy, busy, busy making them.

“How does the Easter Bunny make eggs?”


A-   
The Easter Bunny gets eggs from the brown
chickens, he mixes them all together and gives to us. K- He has an egg factory
which gives them to the Easter bunny and he gives them to the children. K- He
splits the egg yolk out & puts in a special eating glue in and covers with
chocolate. B- He gets some chocolates and eggs and covers them with little choc
bits (people take the wrappers off and shove them in their mouths.) J- He buys
some chocolate from a shops, opens the wrapper, tips it in, cooks it. He adds
some grated carrot and rolls them into little Easter bunnies and eggs with
spices. When he is on Norfolk he grabs some guavas then tips them in to the
bottom and gives to the people.


“ What does he do for the rest of the year?” B-He makes more
Easter eggs, J- He goes on holidays and sleeps forever, K- He has fun at
Minischool.
Hope everyone had a very hoppy Easter!


YES we are open 50 weeks a year and offer vacation care to
3-7 years olds ( and their older siblings if needed).

Call 51862 to enquire about vacation care vacancies

Mini News January/ February 2014

Minischool Mini News January & February 2014

Thankyou to all of our blog and facebook followers, we have had such an interesting year so far already.

We began our preschool year at the beginning of January when we returned early in the New Year to enjoy a summer of activities and preschool vacation care.

Our preschool graduation was a success. The afternoon tea ceremony, cake cutting, presentation of folders and super cape gifts were much appreciated by the graduates but their highlight was when we left the parents at home and headed out for a teacher/ student dinner. The kids enjoyed ordering the biggest pizzas and scribbling their artworks and names all over the paper tablecloths before tiki touring on the way home. Thanks to Pauline, Michael and Meliss at The Rock for hosting our dinner out. We already miss our big boys as they head off to school.

So far this year, we have already covered themes and learning of

All about me, where we learnt how tall we were, the letters in our names, what our footprints look like and eye colour. Plus what are the same and differences between us, our friends and family.

Valentines day and love, We learnt about the best emotions, what made us happy and loved, posted letters to our parents to let them know we loved them (thanks to Jasper for licking 18 stamps!) we also made huge heart cookies and gave loads of free hugs.

We then enjoyed the winter Olympics with games and obstacle courses (the jumping Olympic course was our favourite). We included an international theme to learn about the continents, flags of the world and international costumes. Lots of laughs as we found out what ducks and other animals sound like in 7 to 10 different languages. Our Minischoolers got to have an up close view of the beach carnival from our gazebo. Thanks to all of our parents and volunteers who came and had fun with us especially cooling off with a splash-a-thon at the end of the day.

At the beginning of autumn, it was a great time to learn about all the seasons. We learned about weather patterns and what clothes we need to wear in each season. Lots of leaf collecting and leaf craft. The windy weather was perfect for testing our handmade bag kites. Many of our kites also made it to the foundation day kite festival which was great to see such a good turn out from our little ones, even if all didn’t enter, we hope you had fun anyway J

Last week we went on a guava (porpay) hunt in 3 different locations and now have plenty of juice for making guava jelly to enjoy on our lemonade scones. One of our older children invented Guava pops- Just pop yourselves over to our blog for a photographic display on how to make these easy and tasty treats for kids.

You will find our guava jelly & lemonade scone recipe on there as well.

http://norfolkislandpreschool.blogspot.com

There were also plenty of ending and beginnings during the past week. An excursion to the airport farewelled one of our friends, we hope he saw us as we raced the place in the field at the side of the runway.

Thankyou to all of our parents, families and community members who have helped us on our transition towards our new home closer to the school and town. It has been done with minimal disruption to our children thanks to your support.

New Adventures await us on this fabulous early learning journey.

♥ Cristina & Mandy

Minischool is a fresh, fun, inspirational & educational preschool offered to 3 to 5 year old children of Norfolk Island.

Love is still in the air