Did you know the Longreach School of Distance Education operates a tuckshop?
Yes, you reach that correctly.
‘But, how?’ I hear you ask.
Firstly, some context: Longreach School of Distance Education (LSODE) has 198 enrolled students ranging in age from prep through to year 10. The school opened in 1987 and has been a pioneer in distance learning ever since.
The school provides integrated learning to more than 100 geographically isolated families and their children, most of whom hail from extensive cattle or sheep properties.
Whilst the majority of learning is done online and from home, once per term students travel to Longreach to attend ‘cluster week’, an opportunity to network, socialise and learn in a physical classroom.
While attending cluster week, students may also participate in specialised workshops or the athletics or swimming carnival. Some years, they even have a musical!
Adding to the quintessential school experience, students have the opportunity to purchase Tuckshop one day per week while attending cluster week (while also offering parents / home tutors relief from lunchbox duties!).
Stephanie, the Volunteer Tuckshop Convenor, says that they cater for about 60 kids and a handful of adults each tuckshop day. Orders are made via Flexischools and make a small profit for the P&C.
“We don’t do it for the money. We do it for the kids” …. a sentiment shared by every Tuckshop Convenor ever!
The key to the LSODE Tuckshop success is keeping things simple; everyone is busy and so morning tea offerings include: fruit, juice poppers, mini pies and assorted muffins.
For lunch they serve nachos, an extremely popular choice! The kids love the crunch and the parents love the loaded salad and veggies.
LSODE Tuckshop is very lucky to have a great bunch of Mums and ‘Govies’ that are happy to step into the kitchen and help with meal prep whenever Stephanie asks.
We think LSODE is pretty luck to have Stephanie as their volunteer Tuckshop Convenor proving that distance is no barrier to running a successful tuckshop.
References: My School, Longreach School of Distance Education. School profile | My School
