School Shop

The Mypolonga Primary School Shop was first developed from a student’s idea at a class meeting in 1994. Students embraced the idea and started making a range of craft items to sell. Community members shared their skills which generated a great deal of enthusiasm. The shop opened most nights after school but there was only a small turnover.

A local tour operator who ran Proud Mary Nature Tours offered to stop at the shop as part of their itinerary. This changed the clientele and dramatically increased turnover.

Students invited local craftspeople to place their goods for sale on consignment. These goods include knitted and sewn items, folk art painted items, greeting cards and other handmade items.

The shop is now open for business every Friday during school terms. On bus tour days the students rotate through rostered activities, which include working on the outside and inside counters, chocolate coating apricots, bagging apricots, selling homemade lemonade, and monitoring the map, visitor’s book and reconciliation board.

The students are responsible for all financial record keeping, working hard to balance the books. The students learn a lot about providing customer service, balancing the books and always improving what they do.

Mypolonga Primary School Shop Book

The Mypolonga Primary School Shop has evolved over time into a venture which impacts very positively on the curriculum and whole culture of the school. To learn more about the history of the school shop and the evolution to get to where it is now, the school made book to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Mypolonga Primary School Shop. This book can be purchased during the school shop or at the front office.