Four-year-old Logan Teelow, who turns five in February, is one of about 3000 transition students across the Territory starting school for the first time this year. 

His brother Roy is one year ahead and has been able to give him the low down on what to expect – a new routine, different faces and longer hours – but the nerves have not ebbed completely. 

For Logan’s mum, Brooke Mackie, the big adjustment is acknowledging her little boy is growing up, fast.

“It is a big day for parents,” she said, “as well as the kids.” 

“He is not a baby anymore. He has finished day care and is almost five. It is definitely an emotional time and I have a lot of friends going through the exact same thing.” 

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The 25-year-old mum of two, who will be having her third baby in just a couple of months, has spent the past couple of weeks in preparation mode, getting things ready for the start of the school year. 

There have been school uniforms to try on and buy and shopping trips to organise school-safe shoes and goodies for the lunchbox. 

“I bought five uniforms for Logan to save time on washing and I was lucky he already had a library bag, a school bag and a hat from pre-school,” Ms Mackie said. 

She said the new purchases would have stretched the bank if not for the $150 school voucher each child, enrolled in a government or non government Territory school or preschool, is entitled to. 

“We are so lucky in the Territory we don’t get a massive list of things we need to buy for our kids at the beginning of the year like down south,” Ms Mackie said. 

“I had a friend who had to provide an iPad for her child in year one, which is just ridiculous. Half the time they don’t even use all things required on the list.

“I wouldn’t mind having to buy the essential items like pencils, books, erasers and that sort of thing. But five glue sticks at the beginning of the year is a bit much.”

The school voucher covered the costs of the uniforms, but that was it, Ms Mackie said. 

“It doesn’t stretch too far when the school shirts cost about $25 each,” she said. 

“But not every parent is going to buy five uniforms, so it is definitely helpful.” 

Logan, who has spent the holiday playing with his brother, has mixed emotions about the next big step of his education. 

“I think he is excited to see his friends, but he hasn’t quite grasped the fact that he will be at school all day, a big jump from just three hours of pre-school and play time at day care. 

“It has been tough convincing him of the positives because he loved daycare and pre-school so much and he will be leaving a lot of his friends.

“He is a bit shy,” she said. 

In Katherine, 3900 students will be getting back to routine tomorrow with the start of school, compared to 11,500  in Darwin and 4400 in Alice Springs. 

This year marks a big year in NT education, according to Minister for Education Selena Uibo, with the roll out of several NT Government policies to enhance learning and support the wellbeing of both teachers and students.

Policies include the new Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum, the Teacher Wellbeing Strategy and the STEM in the NT strategy, which will prepare Territory students for the jobs of the future via the growing areas of science, technology, engineering and maths.

“Children are at the centre of all decisions made by the NT Government and I am pleased to welcome our new and returning students to the 2019 school year,” Ms Uibo said. 

“Our government is investing in our children because we know education is the key to creating generational change for Territorians.”

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