Educators value each child’s individualism by following their interests to develop appropriate open ended activities and experiences, which are stimulating, nurturing and presented irresistibly.
4 Year Old Kindergarten
My name is Bec, I am the 4-year-old teacher of Bunjil and the Director at St John’s Kindergarten. I have been working in Early Childhood Education for over 10 years, predominately in Long Day Care, educating and caring for children from birth to Kindergarten.
As a Teacher, I believe I can provide foundations for lifelong learning among children. I value the diversity of children’s unique potentials that I can foster to grow and develop. Through collaborative partnerships with families and the community, I will encourage a love for learning, cultivated through respect and positive dispositions. Every community is inspired and developed by diverse cultures, values, and beliefs. Therefore, my role as a teacher is to develop supportive pedagogy, curriculum, and practices to support all children to flourish and develop skills for the twenty-first century and beyond. Through an inquiry-based curriculum and child led learning, I will broaden children’s skills and knowledge of their world, while fostering their sense of belonging within a safe and secure environment. I hold high expectations of myself and the children, while teaching with high morals and ethics. Ultimately, I endeavour to inspire and provoke happiness, respect and encourage positive attitudes for life and learning. My passion is community Kindergarten that will provide long lasting memories and skills for our future generations.
Bec will be on maternity leave throughout 2026 and will return at the beginning of Term 1, 2027. During this time, Jodie will be acting as Director and will continue to support the children, families, and staff in the day-to-day running of the kindergarten.
Bec : Director and Kindergarten Teacher | Bunjil, Waa and Muk Muk Groups
Hi I am Jodie,
I have worked in the ECE profession for a long time. My passion is supporting children reach their full potential, and for every child to have the opportunity to succeed in their early years and future. I endeavour to provide a calm and nurturing approach in the classroom, where the children can independently grow and develop.
My children went to St John’s when they were younger, now both in High School; I am proud to still be a part of this wonderful community. I am excited to be teaching our Waa and Muk Muk groups. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone, our adventures throughout the year.
Jodie: Kindergarten Teacher | Bunjil, Waa and Muk Muk Groups
Hi I’m Stacey,
Stacey: Group Leader| Bunjil, Waa and Muk Muk Groups
30 years ago I started working with children and I still love what I do, being involved in children’s development and seeing them grow….what more could you ask for?! Moving ahead with them both mentally and physically is always exciting, and I hope to do this for many years to come. Personal interests include Bushwalking, Photography, Gardening and training my two Australian Cattle Dogs, Flynn and Kelly to do Agility…. or what children might call Trick dogs. (This was a comment heard from a child while competing at the Royal Melbourne Show.) We travel across the state to compete and have a ball in the process.
Belinda : Educator | Bunjil, Waa and Muk Muk Groups
I moved to Australia from Southern California and settled in Croydon with my husband and our two boys. Before joining the team at St John’s Kindergarten, I worked with Uniting in inclusion support, where I supported children to participate fully in early childhood environments.
I have been involved with St John’s for many years through inclusion support roles, which has allowed me to build strong connections with the children, families, and educators in our community. I enjoy supporting children to build their confidence in being active and engaged in their environment so they can thrive in their early years.
I work on Thursdays and Fridays in the 4-year-old program and enjoy filling in across the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday groups when needed. I feel very lucky to be part of the St John’s Kindergarten community.
For the life of me I cannot find Laura or Terry’s photo. I think Terry needed a new one and probably Laura too.
Terry: SRF Educator | Bunjil, Waa and Muk Muk Groups
3 Year Old Kindergarten
My name is Katrina and I am the teacher for Balam Balam group on Monday and Tuesday. I started my journey into Early Childhood by completing my Diploma of Community Services (Children’s Services) at Swinburne TAFE Croydon. I then completed my Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at Charles Sturt University in Albury, NSW with the intentions of working as a teacher at a Primary School. It was not until my final placement in a kindergarten that I discovered my passion was to teach the early years all along! I initially came to St. John’s Kindergarten as the additional assistant for the pre-kinder program in 2012 as my maternity leave from my previous job was finishing. With our pre-kinder teacher leaving in the middle of the year, I was fortunate enough to be allowed to step up into the teaching role and having been doing so ever since! At home I have two children, Jack and Sarah who keep me on my toes during the rest of the week! I have been at St. John’s for over 10 years now and still love the wonderful sense of community that we have as a kinder.
Kat: Kindergarten Teacher| Balam Balam Group
My name is Anna, and I am the Room Leader of the Balam Balam 3-year-old kindergarten group at St John’s Kindergarten.
I have a strong passion for early childhood education and a genuine love for working with young children during their important developmental years. I believe the early years are a time for exploration, discovery, and building the foundations for lifelong learning. In my role, I aim to create a nurturing, inclusive, and stimulating environment where each child feels safe, valued, and confident to be themselves.
I am dedicated to supporting children as they develop their sense of identity, independence, and belonging. I place great importance on building strong, respectful relationships with families and working in close collaboration to ensure each child’s needs are understood and supported. I enjoy creating opportunities for play-based, child-led learning that celebrates curiosity and encourages creativity.
Being part of the St John’s community is incredibly special to me. I feel privileged to work alongside such a passionate team of educators and to contribute to the warm, supportive culture that makes our kindergarten such a positive place to learn and grow.
I look forward to a wonderful year of learning, laughter, and connection with our Balam Balam children and their families.
Anna: Group Leader| Balam Balam Group
I have been working in the Kindergarten / Childcare sector for many, many years!
I absolutely love working with preschool children, building relationships with both the families and children, adoring their company and watching the children flourish and reach their full potential during these years.
I enjoy sharing their special moments at Kinder while helping them feel safe and secure, as they explore and learn all the wonderful things there are about being 3 and 4 year old kids.
When I am not working I like socialising with my friends and family, my husband Michael and our two children Jack and Karla. I would like to thank the staff and parents of St. John’s Kindergarten for making me feel so welcome and part of a team but really I am the lucky one as your children are amazing and always give me a special smile.
Davina: Educator | Balam Balam Group
I am originally from Wales and moved to Australia 14 years ago with my husband. Before coming to Australia, I worked as a nanny in London for several years, which sparked my passion for working with children and supporting their early development.
I am passionate about early childhood education, particularly the community kindergarten setting where children are the primary focus and are supported to thrive during their early years. I enjoy building strong relationships with children and families, supporting children’s wellbeing, and encouraging them to participate and have a go — even when something feels challenging. I feel very lucky to be part of the team at St John’s Kindergarten.
Laura works in the 3-year-old program on Mondays and Tuesdays and the 4-year-old program on Wednesdays.
Laura: Educator | Balam Balam, Bunjil and Muk Muk Groups
Administration
Hi, my name is Mel and I’m the Administrator here at St John’s Kindergarten.
I have been a part of the St John’s community for over 7 years, and I feel incredibly lucky to work in such a warm, nurturing environment where children and families truly feel they belong. As one of the first point of contact for many of our families, I take great pride in helping everyone feel welcomed, supported, and connected from the moment they walk through our doors.
I love getting to know the children and watching them grow and thrive during their time at kindergarten. It’s a joy to see their smiling faces each day and to be part of a team that is so dedicated to early childhood education.
Whether it’s helping with enrolments, answering questions, or offering a friendly chat, I’m always here to assist and ensure your experience at St John’s is a positive one. I’m proud to be part of such a passionate, community-focused team and look forward to continuing to support our wonderful families and staff.
Mel: Admin/Bookkeeping | Tuesday and Wednesday