In a South Australian first, a new miniature supermarket has opened at Our Lady of La Vang School, Flinders Park. The supermarket will support the education of students with an intellectual disability, autism and a range of specific needs with hands-on learning experiences.
La Vang Fresh Food, as the students have named their new mini Woolworths store, was brought to life over the Easter school holidays through a partnership with Woolworths and Fujitsu.
Our Lady of La Vang provides a tailored education for students with moderate or severe intellectual disabilities ranging from Reception to Year 13, educating over 60 students.
The mini store has been established to mimic the operations of an actual Woolworths supermarket, with baskets for fresh food, shelving for groceries, ticketing, signage and uniforms the students can wear to create a fully immersive experience.
Woolworths team members from the nearby Fulham Gardens supermarket have been helping students stock shelves and provide register training in readiness for opening.
Fujitsu has supplied the registers so that students learn to scan grocery items, handle and process sales.
“Our new Mini Woolies store will provide our students with opportunities to learn new skills in a safe and familiar environment and practice them in a real-life situation,” said Stephanie Grant, Principal at Our Lady of La Vang School.
Speaking at the official opening, Ms Grant said “this is about providing an authentic curriculum. It provides an opportunity for students to learn literacy, numeracy and communications skills.
“We anticipate it will promote teamwork, interpersonal skills and independence skills. The students will learn more about the retail industry and for some, this can become a possibility within a post-school pathway. It will also enable some students who find the complexity of transitioning to a bus and then to a supermarket very challenging the opportunity of a shopping experience.
“As many classes have a cooking program, we can see that the Mini Woolies Store will enable them to plan, shop, cook, eat and clean up - mirroring activities that they can participate within their community.”
Woolworths Group Technology Director Laurence Bennett said, “we’re really proud of our new mini supermarket at Our Lady of La Vang as our first South Australian school and the opportunities it will create for students.
“Having seen the success of our previous Mini Woolworths stores with students employed as Woolworths team members, we look forward to seeing how the students gain independence and the skills from La Vang Fresh Food.”
Clare Burden, Head of Industry & Retail, Fujitsu Australia Limited said, “Fujitsu is excited to partner with Woolworths on the mini Woolworths store initiative and expand the opportunities we can offer students here in South Australia. We are incredibly proud of the impact our technology and support is making on young lives as well as their parents and educators.”
The new mini Woolworths at Our Lady of La Vang is the 10th mini-supermarket of its kind.
Mini Woolworths Ambassador Kiara Misciagna is a recent graduate from St Edmund’s College in Sydney and during her senior years at St Edmund’s, she experienced the full effects of the Mini Woolworths program. Since then, she’s been employed by her local Woolworths store as a store greeter, assistant within the Deli department and helps replenish stock on shelves, demonstrating the importance of gaining confidence and independence for job-seekers.
Dr Neil McGoran, Director of Catholic Education South Australia, was pleased to be one of the students’ first customers!
See La Vang Fresh Food on Channel 7 News!
A special group of educators within Catholic Education SA have achieved the National Certification of Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers.
Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation recognises and rewards highly innovative and exemplary expert teachers.
