Covid forces Logan school to close tuck shop

The option of a “tuckshop day” has been taken off the table for busy parents at a Logan school after Covid-19 wiped out its volunteer committee.

Woodridge State School parents have been left frustrated and saddened after learning their school’s beloved tuck shop has had to close due to rising Covid cases at the Logan school.

The tuck shop closed on Tuesday after the rise in Covid cases left the Logan Central school’s P&C without enough volunteers.

As Covid rips through southeast Queensland schools, with more than 1400 new cases a day, some classes have had to be merged because there aren’t enough teachers and assessment has been crammed into the last few weeks of term.

“I am writing this with urgency,” parent Tenille posted on a community Facebook page. “Woodridge State School will be losing their tuck shop.”

Tenille, who did not want her last name used, told the Albert and Logan News that the hard decision was due to a lack of volunteers as a result of Covid-19 mandates and rising case numbers.

“So the school had no option but to say, ‘okay, we’ve got no parents on the board, we haven’t had parents on the board for over five years, we need to shut down the P&C’,” she said.

Woodridge State School closes tuck shop. Source: Facebook/Woodridge State School

Other concerned Woodridge parents posted that the tuck shop was “the heart of the school”. “Volunteered there when my children went to school and saw myself how much it helped students, parents and teachers,” one parent wrote.

Another said: “Sad to see this happening to such a vital part of a primary school.”

A third parent said: “Every home is different … but when you have to leave at 5.30am to drop the kids at daycare and school before going to work, tuck shop is an easier option rather than making lunches, and at least you know your kids are getting fed.”

Tenille said she hoped to re-start the P&C committee, with hopes the tuck shop would return before the end of the year.

“We now have to start from scratch,” she said.

Queensland Association of School Tuckshops’ spokeswoman Christine Ogden confirmed it had been difficult for tuck shops everywhere to run a full roster of volunteers.

“People are just concerned about Covid,” Ms Ogden said.

“Children get up to a third of their daily food intake from schools, so it’s really important that we have tuck shops as a service.

“Most parents are also working these days and they need to have a bit of a break with lunch-box making.

“It’s also a place where younger children get to go to a retail shop in a loving and caring environment and learn how to manage money and talk to people over the counter.”