Dear families,

We hope you find our termly Newsletters informative, as they showcase the activities and programs offered across our MEYM services. We also have numerous upcoming events and opportunities for you to be involved. Please read on to learn more about how four-year-old kindergarten is transitioning to Pre-Prep, School Readiness, Reconcilliation week and more!

General Manager – Shanna Whitelaw

Dear Families,

As Term 2 unfolds, we have plenty to celebrate and share—from exciting new initiatives to important health reminders that help keep our kindergartens safe and thriving.

This week is Reconciliation Week and it is a time for reflection, learning, and connection. This year’s theme, Bridging Now to Next, encourages us to acknowledge the past while building a future grounded in respect, truth, and unity. Not just this week, children at our MEYM services are engaging with this theme in meaningful ways—through storytelling, art, and discussions that spark curiosity and understanding. By exploring First Nations perspectives in books, connecting with Country through nature play, and expressing their learning through creative projects, they are actively shaping a future where inclusivity and respect are at the heart of our community. As we support these experiences, we take steps together towards reconciliation—not just in words, but in action.

Keeping Our Centres Healthy

As the cooler months set in, we’re seeing an increase in flu and gastro cases across our Kindergartens. To keep everyone healthy and safe, we ask families to follow the recommended exclusion periods and be mindful of common symptoms.

• Flu Symptoms: Fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle aches, fatigue, and sometimes nausea. Children should stay home until symptoms have significantly improved, and they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours.

• Gastro Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and sometimes fever. Given how easily gastro spreads, it’s essential to wait 48 hours after the last symptoms before returning to care.

If your child is unwell, we appreciate you notifying your child’s teacher so that we can notify all families to be on the lookout for symptoms. We truly appreciate your support in keeping our Kindergartens safe and ensuring a healthy environment for all children, families, and educators. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Service Coordinator.

Stay Connected!

We love sharing stories from our services, celebrating our teaching teams, and keeping our community updated—but we want you to be part of the conversation too! If you haven’t already, we’d love for you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

It’s a great way to stay informed about upcoming events, see the incredible work happening at MEYM, and engage with our community. We encourage you to like, comment, and share to help us spread the word about the work we do.

🔗 Follow us on: 📷 Instagram and 📘 Facebook

Share Your Experience with Us

We see the impact of high-quality early childhood education every day—but hearing directly from families means so much. If MEYM has made a difference for your child and family, we’d love for you to share your experience. Testimonials help highlight the dedication of our Teachers and educators and the positive impact of early learning.

If you’re happy to provide a few words, please get in touch via gm@meym.org.au . Your stories help us advocate for the importance of early childhood education and the incredible work happening in our Kindergartens.

Celebrating Excellence – MEYM Impact Awards

This year, we proudly launched the MEYM Impact Awards, recognizing our Teachers, Educators and staff who go above and beyond. The recipients of Term 1’s awards exemplify dedication, creativity, and excellence in early childhood education, and we are thrilled to celebrate their contributions.

🏆 Term 1 Recipients:

• Wonder, Investigation, Connection and Possibilities – Mouna Adam (Newlands Preschool)
• Striving for Excellence and Innovation – Maissa Seidam (St Linus Kindergarten)
• Leadership for Children and Families – Zoe Chia (Lake Park Kindergarten)

Congratulations to each recipient—you make a real difference in the lives of children and families, and we are so grateful for your passion and commitment.

Body Safety Superstars at MEYM

We are thrilled to welcome Body Safety Superstars to our kindergartens, ensuring all children have the opportunity to participate in this engaging and empowering program. As leaders in prevention education, Body Safety Superstars provide age-appropriate, non-frightening sessions that help children understand emotions, early warning signs, and their right to set personal boundaries.

Through storytelling, interactive activities, and practical exercises, children learn how to identify feelings of safety and discomfort, practice assertive communication, and build confidence in seeking support from safe adults. At MEYM, we believe that fostering body safety awareness is an essential part of early childhood education, and we are proud to bring this valuable program to our centres.

Thank you for being a part of the MEYM community. We appreciate your support in creating safe, engaging, and enriching early learning environments for all children.

Shanna Whitelaw, General Manager, gm@meym.org.au

Area Manager – Nikki Gill

Dear Families

Exciting News for Gowanbrae Children’s Centre! In the next 2 months centre will be having a substantial, long awaited sand pit upgrade and playground cleanup. Please see the concept plans below.

We would love to hear your suggestions of upgrades that could improve the kindergarten that your child attends. If you would like to share your ideas, please email me at n.gill@meym.org.au

Nikki Gill, Area Manager

Early Childhood Curriculum & Support Manager – Shauna Lui

School Readiness: If your child is in 4 year old Kinder and will be off to school next year, you might be wondering about school readiness. “Does my child need to write their name? Do they need to be able to sit for long periods of time? Does my child need to count to 100?” How do I know my child is ready for school and how does Kinder support my child in getting ready for school?

School readiness encompasses a broad spectrum of skills beyond academic knowledge. To name a few: the ability to manage emotions, self-advocacy, prosocial behaviours, self-help skills. Our Kinders aim to build these skills through our developmentally and age appropriate play-based programs.

We acknowledge that your child will be entering a structured environment when they go to primary school, and you might be wondering if Kinder needs to have similar structures to get your child to ‘practise’ and acquire the skills to be successful in the school environment. Research and developmental psychology show that structured environments limit opportunities for open-ended play, which supports critical thinking, creativity and emotional regulation. These are key skills that are prioritised at the Kindergarten level. Kinder-aged children are not developmentally ready for the same levels of focus, compliance and task persistence as older students. The Kinder environment and programs are literacy and numeracy rich. There are books, signs, songs and stories. Your child is learning maths skills like estimation, 1:1 correspondence, problem-solving and counting when building with blocks, or shoveling sand into a bucket. Play also supports key skills for learning like persistence and perseverance, willingness to take risks and make mistakes. 

We see children as people with agency and autonomy and this reflects in our practice as professionals when we consistently provide opportunities for children to exercise their rights. For example, we encourage children to tune in and listen to their bodies, identifying when they are hungry, thirsty or tired. Not even adults feel hungry at exactly the same time! The teaching teams at your child’s Kinder will invite your child to eat together with their peers, but ultimately leave it to the child to decide. Chances are, your child is deeply engrossed in meaningful play and rather than interrupting their train of thought, the teaching team will wait for the right moment to approach your child if they need a reminder to break for some food. We value your child’s concentration and commitment to their exploration and learning and respect their decision. Many teachers in school also support children snacking throughout the day, eating “brain food” or having “brain breaks”. This is best practice, supporting students’ needs throughout the day. 

In the same vein of meeting your child’s learning needs, we know that children have varying learning styles. Your child might be able to focus when they are sitting and rocking on a wobble cushion. They might need to squeeze a fidget toy or stretch a noodle. They might absorb information and knowledge better when they walk or move. Everyone is different and likewise, focus and learning looks different for many. A child who needs to move will expend all their energy to sit with their legs crossed and body still. This leaves them with no more capacity to listen and learn. We believe in meeting children where they are and advocate for schools to do the same. 

Please reach out to your child’s teaching team, or to me if you have any questions. You can reach me at s.lui@meym.org.au 

Shauna Lui – Early Childhood Curriculum & Support Manager, s.lui@meym.org.au

Enrolment Officer – Sam Zuccarelli

Best Start Best Life Reforms – what you need to know: Four year old kindergarten is becoming Pre-prep. Pre-Prep starts next year across Victoria for eligible children. Pre-Prep hours will range from 20 to 22.5 hours each week at our MEYM services for children who meet the criteria with program hours increasing up to 30 each week by full roll out.

Pre-Prep is a play based learning program led by qualified teachers. Like four year old kindergarten Pre-Prep will follow the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. Pre-Prep offers a longer program in the year before school which means there is more time to deepen learning and development.

To find out more information and to check your child’s eligibilty for Pre-Prep in 2026, please visit https://www.vic.gov.au/preprep or email enrolments@meym.org.au

Multi/Mixed Age Groups: Multi-age groups provide unique opportunities for children’s learning and development and can enhance the social and emotional skills of both age groups. In early childhood education, a multi/mixed age group is where children aged 3 to 5 years old are combined in the same group.
Historically, children have always lived and learned in groups of children of different ages, both within and beyond their family settings. Building relationships with children of different ages is a valuable skill for participation at school, during play, and in children’s wider communities. Multi-age groups can occasionally create different dynamics in the way the different age groups mix. This can lead to developmental opportunities and teachable moments related to responsibility, leadership, patience, compassion and empathy. Younger children are exposed to more advanced language use through their interactions with older children, facilitating a richer vocabulary and better comprehension skills.  Older children naturally find themselves in leadership roles. This not only aids in building their self-confidence but also fosters a sense of responsibility, nurtures positive behaviours and establishes a foundation for strong leadership skills. 

Communication: We kindly ask that you check your email, including your inbox and spam folder, and ensure that you review our communications. Note that we frequently share our services good news stories, updates and photos on our social media platforms, including facebook and instagram.

Picking up your child from kindergarten: It is important to pick up your child on time. If you are running late please ensure that you call your kinder service. Educators will attempt to call you and if they cannot reach you they will call your authorised nominees. Please ensure your authorised nominees are up to date. Late collection fees may be implemented for late collection.

Timetables: Timetables for our 2026 programs are available to view on our website.

Important notice on when to commence kindergarten: Currently, children are eligible to attend one year of 3-year-old kindergarten and one year of 4-year-old kindergarten prior to starting school. An additional year of kindergarten may be considered only if a child demonstrates delays in two or more key areas of learning and development that meet the specific eligibility criteria established by the Department of Education. A second year of 4-year-old kindergarten may not be granted solely based on the child’s age.

Please keep the MEYM Enrolment Officer notified of the following change in family circumstances: Change in address or phone number, update of authorised nominees for your child, update of concession card or visa status, update of your child’s Medical Action Plan, Court orders, Child Protection or Child and Family Services support. Note that a change of phone number will impact upon your being able to digitally sign your child in and out of kinder.

Absences from Kinder: If your child is going to be absent from kinder please call or email your child’s kindergarten service. Absences of 2 weeks or more: If your child will be absent from the kinder program for a period longer than 2 weeks please inform the MEYM Enrolment Officer in writing to enrolments@meym.org.au with the length of time your child/family will be absent.

Cancellation: If you wish to cancel out of a kindergarten program, please advise the Enrolment Officer in writing giving 14 days notice of cancellation noting the last date that your child will attend in the program.

Kinder Tours: For families wishing to have a tour of our kindergartens please book a visit through our Book-a-Tour on our website. Families have an opportunity to view our wonderful kindergartens and meet some of our educators. Allow 15 minutes for the tour.

Important Dates:

Note that our kindergartens are closed on the King’s Offical Birthday on Monday 9 June.

Term Dates 2025
Start of term 1, 28 January, Finish 4 April
Start of term 2, 22 April, Finish 4 July
Start of term 3, 21 July, Finish 19 September
Start of term 4, 6 October, Finish 19 December

MEYM Professional Development days – Kinder is closed on the following dates so that MEYM staff can attend professional development. In 2025 these closure dates are Friday 4 April and Monday 3 November.

For any enquiries regarding kindergarten programs, enrolment or orientation, please email Samantha, Enrolment Officer at enrolments@meym.org.au

Thank you, Samantha Zuccarelli, Enrolment Officer, MEYM

Important Dates: 30 May — First Nation Artist Incursion (Blue group), 06 June — Reconciliation week morning tea (Blue group), 09 June – King’s Birthday public holiday.

What’s happening in our kindergarten program: Body safety incursion – On the 5^th and 12^th of May (Red & Yellow Group) and the 8^th and 15^th of May (Blue Group), Hannah visited the Red & Yellow Group for a body safety incursion. Children learned to identify emotions and body responses, practiced asking for consent before physical contact like hugs, and respectfully acknowledged others’ boundaries. They also learned how to set up boundaries by saying “Don’t touch me, I don’t like it” to communicate personal limits. Hannah introduced body parts using their correct anatomical names, discussed the concepts of public, private, and personal areas, and explored appropriate contexts for exposure (e.g., in kinder and at the beach). Additionally, children explored “green choices” (safe/respectful) versus “red choices” (unsafe/disrespectful), and learned the important distinction between secrets and surprises. The children participated enthusiastically in learning these essential safety concepts and the skills to keep their body safe.

Blue Group: The children have been engaged in drawing their self-portraits, creatively capturing their unique features and expressions. These special artworks are displayed around our room.

We have also noticed wonderful moments of discovery as children revisit their individual learning portfolios. With great interest, they have been recalling experiences, celebrating progress, and sharing memories of their kindergarten journey so far.

First Nation Artist Incursion (Red & Yellow Group) On Tuesday the 20th of May, Bayley Mifsud an Aboriginal Artist and Illustrator visited the Red Group at Gowanbrae Children’s Centre. Bayley is a proud Peek Whurrong woman of the Maar nation, from south west Victoria. Bayley’s Aboriginal name is Merindah-Gunya which means ‘Beautiful Spirit’ in Peek Whurrong language, which was chosen by her Elders and parents. Bayley shared with the children her new book exploring family, country and symbols used in her art. We discussed the meaning of the symbols used in Bayley’s art and other Aboriginal art. Each child chose a symbol and painted it on a tablecloth. It looked so beautiful and the children were very proud of their work. We had our tablecloth proudly on display for our morning tea with families for Reconciliation Week.

Child Reflections: It has been lovely to hear from families that children are sharing their kinder experiences at home—talking about playing in the construction area, new kitchen (donated by families) and recent incursions. We are glad they are enjoying their time here.

Recently, we worked with the children to create simple and straightforward safety rules for using the bikes. The children shared their ideas, and together we agreed on clear guidelines to keep everyone safe while riding. It is nice to see them taking responsibility for their play space.

Volunteer Opportunities: If you have any special skills, talents, and interests that you would like to share with us at kindergarten please in the first instance speak to your child’s teaching team about how you would like to contribute.

Teacher Communications: Please ensure your child has multiple spare clothes (including socks/undies) in their bag daily, as spills, water play, or bathroom accidents can occur. Labelling all items (clothes, lunchboxes, drink bottles, hats) helps us quickly return belongings to your child. As we continue to prioritise health, we kindly ask families to reinforce hand hygiene at home and keep children home if unwell. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain a safe, healthy learning space.

From the team at Gowanbrae Children’s Centre

Important Dates: Community days Term 2: Kingfisher: 10th of June from 2:30pm, Dragonfly: 11th of June from 2:30pm.

Last day of term:  Kingfisher: 1st of July, Dragonfly: 4th of July.

MEYM professional development day: Monday 3 November.

What’s happening in our kindergarten program: Learning Through Play! Outdoor Learning: The children have been showing a great interest in being outdoors despite the weather! They have been loving the new monkey bars, the swings and making their own obstacle courses around the yard. We are so proud of the children as they are learning to develop their gross motor skills such as running, jumping, climbing and swinging. They are also learning the ability to take turns, be aware of their surroundings and keep each other safe by standing at a safe distance from someone swinging across the monkey bars or on the swing. Being outside in the cold also allows the children to learn to develop one of their fundamental sensory skills linked to self-awareness and thermoregulation. This can look like noticing when their hands, nose or toes are cold, they have goosebumps or are shivering, understanding their body’s needs and then taking steps to maintain comfort or get warm, such as putting on an extra layer, running around or moving inside for a bit. 

Art and Craft: Art and craft is an everyday activities available for the children. While engaging in mark-making activities, children are developing/learning fine motor and emergent literacy skills. Appearing as what one may initially interpret as “scribble” is actually the beginning of essential, lifelong skills we use every day. As children explore drawing, they are forming the understanding that “symbols are a powerful means of communication and that ideas, thoughts and concepts can be represented through them” (VEYLDF, 2016). In addition to mark making, children love to create in our outdoor art area. During the creative process, children are learning/developing in all 5 developmental areas (Physical, Social, Emotional, Cognitive, and Language). As children manipulate resources and work to fit them together, they are strengthening their physical development. Through communicating their ideas, asking questions, narrating their process and sharing resources, children are strengthening their social development. Turning ideas into reality can challenge children to persist when they find something difficult. These instances provide valuable moments of complex problem solving, building children’s resilience and emotional/ cognitive development. Finally, craft provides opportunities to discover and utilise language that is less frequent in everyday conversations. Words such as “combine, rotate, connect, adjust,” etc, are a small example of how art and craft strengthen children’s language development.

Learning in the block area : The children at Lake Park kinder have access to an extensive collection of blocks, loose parts and small world resources. By utilising these resources, they are able to learn and develop a range of skills, including cognitive development, social-emotional skills, and motor skills. For example, children are forward-thinking as they plan out where to build a wall or how high the castle will be. They are turn-taking and negotiating space, resources and ideas with their peers. They are revisiting their learning through play and often create similar designs, just changing small parts to expand their plans and learning. The children’s motor skills are being challenged as they move large blocks, manipulate small pieces and balance resources in different places. All of these different skills are being developed as the children play independently, with their friends, and with their teachers.   

Service Improvements: Over the next couple of months, we will be looking at buying some new furniture and resources. We would love our community’s input on what you think our learning environment needs! There will be a clipboard in the foyer for you to add your thoughts to or send us an email!  

Teacher Communications: As you may have already seen, Zoe has moved from the Kingfisher group to become the ECT in Dragonfly permanently. We are so proud of Zoe for taking on this opportunity, and we know that everyone will support her through this new stage in her career!

From the team at Lake Park Kindergarten

Important Dates: Upcoming Stay and Play Sessions: Possum and Wombat – Monday, 16 June. Kangaroo and Echidna – Tuesday, 17 June.

Upcoming Incursion: Kangaroo: 29th July 2025 – Super Safe Harold, Echidna: 30th July 2025 – Harolds Big Feelings, Possum: 31st July 2025 – Super Safe Harold, Wombat: 14th August 2025 – Harolds Big Feelings.

Possum: 21 Aug 2025 – SES Incursion session.

Kinder Photos: August – dates: TBC

What’s happening in our kindergarten program: What a beautiful start we have had to the term! We kicked things off with a Body Safety – incursion session for all groups of four and three-year-old kindergarten led by Roxy, where the children learned about personal boundaries, the power of their own voice and the safe people in their lives. It was such a meaningful experience that gently supported the idea our voice matters, something we advocate every day. Children learnt how to verbally express a strong decline for a touch if they feel worried, scared or angry. “No, Don’t Touch Me!” It was an opportunity for children to understand and communicate that their bodies belong to them, and nobody has the right to touch them without their permission.

Possum, Kangaroo and Wombat groups ventured out on their first community walk. Before we stepped out, we had a group discussion about road safety and stranger danger. The children showed their understanding by talking about why it’s important to hold their partner’s hand, listen to instructions, stop at the curb, and check both sides for cars before crossing the road. We decided to bring water bottles, dress for the weather, and pick our walking partners. The children noticied things in nature, using five senses, we noticed a cut-down tree, lemons, tree moss and a bird of paradise flower. We also listened for the sounds of birds chirping. The children showed interest in the house numbers we walked past, practising their double-digit number recognition.

Echidna Group introduced new routines such as a hello song which shares how we’re feeling that day and taking time to connect with each other. It has been so heartwarming to see the children grow more confidence in expressing themselves. Even the quietest voices are starting to shine during our group times, where they are proudly sharing their thoughts, feelings and stories. To help everyone feel even more connected, we created a special classroom book called the “Who Do You See?” book, filled with photos of each child and educator. The Echidna children love flipping through it and naming their friends. It has become a lovely way to build belonging and recognise that we all have a place here in kinder.

Possum Group is currently engaged in a meaningful inquiry titled “What Do We Know About Country?” Together, children and educators are deepening their understanding of Indigenous perspectives, including the people, language, and connection to land. As part of this exploration, we have been learning words from the Woi-wurrung language and observing patterns through activities such as sand tracing and drawing. Our learning has extended outdoors through active participation in gardening experiences. The children have planted a variety of seedlings and are closely observing their growth, developing a sense of responsibility and connection to the land. We also hosted a special planting event that welcomed parent involvement, strengthening our community ties and shared respect for Country. We are committed to deepening children’s understanding of how we are connected to the land and our responsibility to care for it.

Following a rich discussion sparked by the children’s curiosity about what grows in our own garden and how we can be more sustainable at kinder, the Kangaroo Group organised a special incursion with Bunnings. Stephanie from Bunnings visited and brought along violas, potting mix, terracotta pots, and gardening tools for the children to use in a hands-on planting experience.

During her visit, Stephanie spoke with the group about the variety of insects that can be found in our garden, encouraging children to observe and identify them. She highlighted the vital role bees play in pollination and maintaining a healthy ecosystem, helping the children understand their importance in nature.

Wombat group is focusing on supporting children to recognise and express their emotions in healthy ways, building emotional awareness and regulation. Children are learning to share resources with their peers and problem solving by engaging in learning experiences.Family Stay and Play sessions were organised for all the groups, where families were invited into the room to experience a day in the life of kinder. It was truly special watching the children proudly share their spaces, routines and favourite activities. There were big smiles all around and we’ve been asked when the next one is!

From the team at Moomba Park Kindergarten

Important Dates: Body Smart Super Stars May 22^nd and 29^th, Wear it Yellow Day – May 26^th, Playworks Loose Parts excursion June 5^th

What’s happening in our kindergarten program: Children have been exploring the Kulin Calendar with Elise. They have been showing a strong interest in weather and the leaves falling off the trees in our Yard so we have been linking this with our Indigenous knowledge and practice.

This is a project that may last all year but we are so enjoying supporting the children in this interest and learning.

Children have also been exploring a sense of self and a feeling of belonging. We are using photos of the children to make matching games, self-made jigsaw puzzles and other amazing learning experiences.

We are beginning to start to discuss with the children about our nature play. Over the next few weeks, we will build the children’s confidence about leaving the building. We are still working through a few ideas about exactly what this may look like for us as staff – and we may begin with smaller groups taking turns before taking the whole group out.

Rowan and Elise will be giving out further information about nature play shortly.

Volunteer Opportunities: Thank you to Elanor for helping to carrying some compost and top up our garden beds. We now look forward to doing some planting over the next few weeks.

Service Building Works/Improvements: The children had a enjoyable time watching some arborists tidy up some nearby trees the other day. The workers where also highly entertained by the children and their cheer squad leading one of them to tell us he felt like Santa!

Teacher Communications: We have had a number of children with head colds and other illnesses. Please if your child is unwell the best place to keep them is at home. We thank you for your support on this.

From the team at Newlands Preschool

Important Dates: On Tuesday July 1^st (3yo Green and 4yo Blue) and Friday July 4^th (3yo Blue and 4yo Purple) we will be taking part in National Pyjama Day. We are asking for a gold coin donation to go towards supporting learning programs for children in foster care. You can find more information at www.nationalpyjamaday.com

We will also be participating in the Biggest Morning Tea to support the Cancer Council. In the week beginning 16th June the children from each service will set up a stall, offering morning tea for families to purchase. More information will be provided in the next few weeks.

What’s happening in our kindergarten program: Earlier this month we went through our Assessment and Rating visit which we successfully completed and now can relax for another 3 years. Well done to all staff and children who showed what a great place Oak Park Kindergarten is.

Our 4yo groups held Mother’s Day afternoon teas for their Mum’s or a special person who was available at that time, and cooked them a lovely feast of scones and damper.

The following week our 3yo groups invited their families to join them for International Family Day, they joined them for afternoon tea and a play.

This week we are recognizing Reconciliation Week in which we are doing through discussions, stories, art activities and cooking experiences.

Incursions/Excursions: All groups have participated in incursions this month. 4yo Yellow, 3yo Green and Blue experienced the Reptile Encounters, Feathers Fur & Scales incursion following up children’s interests on animals and 4yo Purple followed up on their dinosaur interest with the Victoria Museum Dinosaurs and Fossils incursion. Next month our 4yo’s will be doing the Life Ed Victoria Becoming Healthy incursion and we will also have the Henny Penny Hatching experience the last fortnight of this term.

Nature Program: Unfortunately, Bush Kinder is on hold at the moment due to the long grass and a large hole in the fence. We have reported these to Council and are patiently waiting for them to be fixed. In the meantime, we will try and get out for some community walks instead.

Child Safety Information: All staff and children have been working with Body Safety Australia over the past fortnight to empower and educate children to understand and communicate their right to bodily autonomy. Through age-appropriate songs, activities, stories, games, group conversations, group work and guided discussion, the children are encouraged to reflect upon and explore, and recognise how their body feels when they feel unsafe. Child Safety Standards are a high priority at Oak Park and MEYM and has been one of our goals in our Quality Improvement Plan. Teachers will be following up on these sessions by continually discussing feelings with children and what they can do when they have particular feelings as well as emphasizing that they are in charge of their bodies and can say ‘Stop, I don’t like that’ when someone is making them feel uncomfortable.

Parent Fundraising Group: We had an extremely successful Easter fundraiser, raising $1,800! Thank you to everyone who donated goods and purchased raffle tickets. Well done also to our Parents Group for getting some local businesses to donate to our Kindergarten. This month we have had a jar at Grill’d Highpoint collecting bottle tops. If we are the winning jar we will receive $500, and if we are not successful we will receive $100, which for very little work is fantastic! We have also signed up to receive donations for the National Container Scheme. So, when you recycle your bottles and cans, you can set your app to donate the money to Oak Park Kindergarten. We will also be setting up a collection bin at the kindergarten soon if you can’t get to a donation point. More news will be coming shortly from our Parents Group. In June we will be doing our annual Tony’s Pies fundraiser, which is great to stock up the freezer for the cold winter months! Our current fundraising goals are a cubby house, more toys for both rooms and a washing machine.

Volunteer Opportunities: This term we have been hosting Early Childhood Graduate Diploma students from Victoria University as well as some Year 10 work experience students from the local secondary schools.

Service Building Works/Improvements: Last fortnight the soft fall in the lower playground was completed where it was removed during the build last year for our ramp. Our builder Nash returned to reinstall our slide for us and fix a few little things in the 3yo room that we had picked up.

From the team at Oak Park Kindergarten

Important Dates: Kinder is closed on Monday 3 November for professional development for all staff.

Anzac Day- 25^th April, Mothers/Special persons Day Celebration- 8^th May, Dental Talk Visit – 15^th May

Reconcilation week 27^th May- 3^rd June, Last Day of Term Two-3^rd July

Parent/Teacher Conversations
Parent/Teacher conversations will be held at the end of June or the beginning of Term 3. Exact dates will be announced soon (TBA).

These meetings are a great opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, share insights, and strengthen our partnership in supporting their learning.

What is happening at our service: Anzac Day- Reflection- Term 2: At the start of Term 2, we talked about Anzac Day and why this day is important. We explained to the children that it is a time to remember the brave soldier who helped keep us safe. We looked at ANZAC biscuits, the children showed interest, so we decided to make ANZAC biscuits together at kinder. As we baked, we talked about how these biscuits were made during the war to send to soldiers, because they didn’t spoil easily and could travel long distances.

We also watched a short video showing a dawn service ceremony and saw how people come together to show respect for the soldier. We also talked about the Army and the special medals that soldiers wear. This experience supported the children in beginning to understand the importance of remembering others and showing care and respect.

Mother’s Day / Special Person’s Day – Stay and Play: In the second week of May, we celebrated Mother’s Day and Special Person’s Day with a lovely Stay and Play session at kinder. The children were so excited to welcome their loved ones and share their kinder space. Families joined in a variety of fun activities such as painting, drawing, making jewellery, baking pretend cupcakes, and playing in the sandpit. Earlier in the term, the children had asked to bake chocolate chip cookies for Mother’s Day, so we prepared a special afternoon tea together. The children proudly helped serve the food, making the day even more special. It was wonderful to see the children lead the way, confidently showing their families where they play, learn, and grow. We’re so proud of their independence, ideas, and the joy they shared. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the day so memorable!

Dental Visit – Learning About Healthy Teeth: This month, we had a wonderful visit from Ellie from the Coburg Dental Clinic. Elle spoke to the children about how to take care of their teeth and why it’s important to keep them healthy. She explained the correct way to brush our teeth and reminded us that we should brush twice a day—once in the morning and once before bed. Elle also talked about the kinds of food that help keep our teeth strong and healthy, such as fruits, vegetables, cheese, milk, and water. She explained that too many sugary foods and drinks like lollies, soft drinks, and chocolate can harm our teeth. The children were highly engaged throughout the session and asked thoughtful questions. They enjoyed learning about dental care and even practiced brushing techniques together. Ellie also reminded us about the importance of visiting the dentist regularly for check-ups and cleaning. It was a fun and educational experience that helped reinforce healthy habits in a meaningful way!

Reconcilliation Week: Fundraising for Children’s Ground: As part of our Reconciliation Week activities, the children and staff will be wearing yellow on Thursday, 29th May to show support and raise awareness. To make a meaningful contribution, the children will also be baking special treats during the week. On Thursday morning, these baked goods will be displayed in the foyer and available for purchase. All money raised will be donated to Children’s Ground, an organisation that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and communities.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to actively participate in giving back, showing kindness, and learning the value of community support.

Teacher Communications: Session Time: The kinder session runs from 8:30-4:00pm. All the families, please pick up your child on time at 4:00pm. If you are running late, please call the staff so we can inform your child.

Outdoor Play During the colder months: As the weather begins to get colder, we kindly ask that children come to care with a warm jacket and hat for outdoor play. Outdoor play is an important part of our curriculum, and we will continue to go outside even on cooler days. Please ensure all clothing items are clearly labelled to avoid any mix-ups.

Children’s Illness Reminder:  At PVCCKIndergarten are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all children, staff and families. To help the spread of illness, we kindly ask that you keep your child at home if they are unwell or have recently received any medication such as Panadol or Nurofen. This helps protect others in our community and ensure your child has time to fully recover before returning to kindergarten.

Please remember to notify the kindergarten if your child will be absent from their session. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Labels: Please label all your children’s belongings to avoid things getting lost or mixed up!

From the team at Pascoe Vale Community Centre Kindergarten

Important Dates: Kinder is closed on Friday 4 April and Monday 3 November for professional development for all staff. Wednesday 2nd June- Pyjama Day for groups A and B Thursday 3rd June- Pyjama Day for groups B and C. Last day of term 2.

Whats Happening in the Program: We are focusing on our sustainability and how we can reduce our carbon footprint. We are taking part in the Resource Smart Schools program, in which we track our electricity, water and paper usage over a certain time. We are also looking at ways to increase our biodiversity- we have reinstated our worm farm (if you are an expert we would love to have your help!) plus we are planning on planting more Indigenous edibles into our garden beds. We recently conducted a biodiversity audit of our kindergarten with the 4-year-old children and found that there are no butterflies in our yard- we are currently looking at ways that we can attract more butterflies, and bees, into our yard. We have had many incursions over the first half of term 2, including the responsible pet program, where we learnt what to do around an unfamiliar dog; road safety, where we helped Thingle Toodle to blow out her birthday candle as we learnt how to safely cross the road; and the Essendon Football Club, where we extended our knowledge on all things AFL, and learnt how to keep our bodies healthy through exercise.

Incursions/Excursions: We have had a great time with the incursions that have recently taken place. The 3-year-old group recently took part in the Bodysafe Superstars incursion, where they learnt about emotions, resilience and having safe people in their lives. The 4-year-old children will be partaking in this program over the coming weeks.

Child Safety Information: Both 3 and 4-year-old groups will be participating in the Bodysafe Superstars program, learning about their emotions and body bubbles, whilst looking at who is a safe adult to them. We please ask that parents refrain from using their mobile phones whilst in the kinder room. This includes at drop off and pick up times. If you need to take a phone call, please do so in the front courtyard.

Parent Fundrasing: The recent cake stall on election day raised over $500, which will be spent on new big books for the kinder room. We have recently received the new chairs for the kinder room from past fundraising money. Our next fundraiser is the Tony’s Pies fundraiser, orders are due in by Monday the 2nd of June, with pies being delivered on Thursday the 5th June. Order up big as they can be stored in the freezer!

Volunteer Opportunities: If you would like to volunteer within the kinder program, please let your child’s teacher know.

Teacher Communications: Melanie has stepped away from the role of Service Coordinator and will continue with her teaching duties on Monday-Thursday. Rowan will be taking over as the Service Coordinator, you can contact her for any service needs at r.howell@meym.org.au

From the team at St Linus Kindergarten

Important Dates: Body Safety Superstars: Green Group 5/5/25 & 12/5/25, Blue Group 7/5/25 & 14/5/25

Dentist Visit: Green Group 6/5/25, Blue Group 8/5/35

Green Group Monday 12th May Mothers Day Special Persons Day, Blue Group Thursday 15th May, Mother’s/Special person’s Day

Blue Group Wednesday 28th, Biodiversity audit incursion

Blue Group Wednesday 28th – 29th National Reconciliation Week, wear yellow to celebrate First Nations.

What’s happening at our service: The blue group children have been interested in a lot of physical play and this term we have been focusing on their motor skills while engaging in perceptual motor skills (PMP) through creating an obstacle course with the children. When children are participating in PMP related activities they are also building strength, muscle and coordination as well as how to overcome challenges.

We have also introduced group games during group time such as “What’s the time Mr. Wolf?”; Snug in a rug and Doggy who got your bone. The blue group has been enjoying these games during the session!

We have also been singing and dancing to Wombat Wobble as a part of welcoming the Wombat season as we head to winter according to the Kulin nation calendar. Children were invited to wear something yellow as a part of celebrating National Reconciliation week.

The Green group have continued engaging with their love of blocks, big and small. From DJ sets to rocket ships to houses, these blocks can be transformed into anything. Although some blocks have definitely seen better days! Another interest in creating boxes. Often the boxes are a great addition to what they are building with the blocks. Another popular experience has been our mud kitchen which has been moved to the  sandpit, lots of hours of sand cooking has been had already. The Green Group also have loved engaging in different game songs such as, ‘the color game’ ‘pass the bean bag’, stretchy lycra and any other finger rhymes.

Both groups have also enjoyed a number of exciting incursions including body safety, dentist and  Blue Group biodiversity audit with CERES. One of the highlights was also hosting Mother’s and Special person’s day with our families.

Lastly, Turner Street Kindergarten is taking part in the ResourceSmart School Program and we are currently working towards completing our first core module to achieve our first star rating. We are excited about embedding sustainability practices for our service.

Child Reflections: Please come and look at our children’s voices wall where we asked the green group children some questions about themselves .

We’ll soon be adding more of the children’s voices to our entry, sharing what they love most about coming to Turner Street Kindergarten.

Incursions/Excursions: Photo day: Green July 29th, Blue  July 30th

Teacher Communications: Please remember to pack a spare change of clothes in your child’s bag. Please also make sure clothing is labelled, especially jumpers and jackets as these are easily mixed up when children wear the same clothing.

From the team at Turner Street Kindergarten

Storytime: Storytime is a fun interactive event for children aged 3-5 years. The sessions include songs, rhymes and stories. There are also regular Rainbow Family Storytimes. Contact libraryevents@merri-bek.vic.gov.au

Storytime session times are Mondays 10.30am at Glenroy Library, Wednesday 10.30am at Campbell Turnball Library, Thursdays 11am at Brunswick Library and Friday 10.30am at Coburg and Fawkner Libraries.

Nepali Storytime. Enjoy stories, songs, and a craft activity. This session is in Nepali. All are welcome. Storytimes are held at 6.30 pm on the first and third Wednesday of the month. Term 1 dates Wednesday 5 February Wednesday 19 February Wednesday 5 March Wednesday 19 March Wednesday 2 April Wednesday 16 April No need to book, just come along and join the fun! Nepali storytime is made possible by the Department of Health Victoria Multicultural Storytime Grants program.

Rhyme Time: Held during school terms on Tuesdays 10.30 at Fawkner Library, Wednesdays 10.30 at Glenroy Library, Thursdays 10.30 and 11.30 at Coburg Library and Friday 10 and 11am at Brunwick Lirbary.

WordPlay: Let’s use our words to play!  Word Play is a free literacy program for families to learn English together and make the most of pre-school play. Learning through play is an important part of pre-school learning and in these relaxed sessions we use books, puppets, puzzles and blocks  to learn together.  Word Play is aimed at pre-school children aged 3-5 years. Wednesday 10.30am at Fawkner Library.

Coburg Farmers Market: Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. An array of local Victorian farmers and makers for the weekly farmers market at 92 Bell St, Coburg.

Come and visit, and pick up some quality local goods and enjoy the live music.

MEYM would like to thank you for taking the time to read our Newsletter