Ready to swing into Prep

By Monique Preston

Jan 29, 2024

Ready to go: Evanie Hoge, 5, is all geared up for school. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Evanie Hoge can not wait for her first day of Prep.

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The five-year-old will be among hundreds of Prep students to start school on Tuesday in Greater Shepparton.

Evanie will head to St Mary’s Primary School in Mooroopna for her first day of school and is looking forward to it.

“I’m excited,” she said.

When asked what she thought would be the best thing about going to school, the youngster quickly answered with “swinging on the swings and going down the slide”.

Go time: Evanie Hoge, 5, with her mum Natalie Hoge, is all smiles for her first day of Prep. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

An avid counter – who explains she can already count to 109 – Evanie is also looking forward to doing some maths, colouring in and arts and crafts in the classroom.

Evanie was already planning her lunches a week before the start of her school journey.

“Ham sandwiches, and grapes. Maybe some mandarins as well,” she said.

Having had her school uniform since October, mum Natalie Hoge said Evanie had worn it at home a few times.

Ms Hoge said she thought Evanie would enjoy school and wasn’t anticipating any tears. Except maybe from her dad, Darcy.

See ya: Evanie Hoge, 5, waves goodbye as she sets off on her new school adventure. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

But they will be happy tears, she said.

“She’s very, very excited to go,” Ms Hoge said of Evanie.

“She’s not going to have any trouble.

“There will be no separation trouble at school.

“She’ll just be like ‘see ya’.”

With Prep students at St Mary’s having Wednesdays off for the first six weeks of school, Ms Hoge said she thought, if anything, Evanie would still want to go to school on her days off.

“I reckon on Wednesdays she will say I want to go to school,” Ms Hoge said.