St Paul's Anglican Kindergarten, CanterburyWhere Play is Learning
St Paul's Anglican Kindergarten, CanterburyThe teaching staff are highly qualified Early Childhood Professionals who strive to enrich children’s lives through vibrant and diverse learning programs, which prepare children for life, not just for school.
EDUCATIONAL LEADER & NOMINATED SUPERVISOR. EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER PRE-PREP
Toula is the Educational Leader at St Paul’s Anglican Kindergarten and has successfully completed her Diploma of Teaching. This is coupled with 35 years of experience and vast knowledge working with preschool children and early childhood development.
She has developed and maintained solid working relationships with other professionals and agencies (both internal and external stakeholders). Moreover, she collaborates with the families of the children, placing great value on open communication and feedback. She has a passion and dedication to the development of children with additional needs and seeks to offer support and assistance to the families. Her non-English speaking background is an asset as she has facilitated programs for children with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to further strengthen development.
Toula was involved in the establishment of Kindergarten curriculums. She thrives in her role as the Educational Leader, which involves the guidance of other Educators in planning and consistently supporting them to ensure effective teaching practices, furthering their knowledge and ensuring the adoption of National Quality Standards and Early Learning Years Framework within their program. Toula’s exceptional communication skills have been influential in coaching fellow Educators and Students providing effective leadership and experience.
She is a registered teacher with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
Toula shares the teaching role with Rita in the Pre-Prep Group.
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Lauren joined the St Paul’s team in 2012 as an educator (Certificate III in Children’s services) and has worked in all the kinder groups over the past 10 years.
Lauren also has a Diploma in Business Management (has over 30 years of experience) and since 2014 has been a part of the Leadership team at St Paul’s in her role as Office Administrator.
In 2023 Lauren will be continuing in her role as the Office Administrator
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR – 4YO RED GROUP
Bianca has recently joined the St Paul’s community as an Educator with the Pre-Prep group. After many years working in the corporate sector as an IT and Management Consultant, Bianca decided to follow her passion (and family career path!) and retrain as a teacher, completing her Masters of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary) at Deakin Uni. She also holds a Cert IV Training and Assessment, a Bachelor of Business Information Systems and is an accredited Myers Briggs Assessor and a qualified gymnastics, trampolining and cheerleading coach.
Combining a love of working with children with a passion for developing others, along with the opportunity to exercise her creativity … Kindergarten seemed to be the perfect match. Bianca has an interest in physical literacy and developing childrens’ fundamental movement skills and loves using her experience teaching Gymnastics and in particular Kindergym (preschool gymnastics) with the children.
In 2023 Bianca will be the ECT in 4YO Red Group
Email: bianca@stpaulskinder.org.au
HAZEL LU
EDUCATOR – 4YO RED GROUP
Hazel joined St Paul’s Anglican Kindergarten in April 2016. Before joining St Paul’s, Hazel worked for occasional care services in Boroondara for 9 years.
She has a Certificate III in Children’s Services.
Hazel has experience working with very young children (from 6 weeks), to 3 and 4 year olds and children with additional needs.
Originally from Shanghai China, Hazel speaks English, Mandarin and Shanghainese. She loves working with children and enjoys sharing her culture with them.
Hazel is the Educator in 4YO Red Group.
EDUCATOR – 4YO RED GROUP
Alison joined the St Paul’s team in 2015. She is a mum with three sons. Before motherhood, she was actively involved in various roles working with preschool aged children in the U.K. and Switzerland. She was an established playgroup supervisor who implemented and supported mothers with their younger children.
During the past 7 years Alison has had extensive experience in working with young children, having been an educator in our three year old, four year old and pre-prep programs.
Alison has a Certificate III in Children’s Services and is currently enrolled in the Diploma of Early childhood Education and Care.
In 2023 Alison will work alongside Hazel as an Educator in Red Group
ACTIVITY GROUP LEADER –
3YO RAINBOW GROUP
Natalie has been an Activity Group Leader at St. Paul’s Kinder for over 11 years. She has completed her Diploma of Children’s Services (Early Childhood Education and Care) and is currently completing her Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at Deakin University.
Natalie’s journey began as a Kindergarten Assistant in the UK (Drayton, London), which lead her to study and successfully help run an English as a Second Language program for students.
She has participated in numerous professional development programs, including most recently a sign language course and yoga instructor certification. Natalie completed the Bastow Leading People course in 2014. Her passion for sensory experiences has enabled her to further develop this area of the curriculum at St. Paul’s.
Natalie co-authored the books: ‘Inspiring Play Space’ and ‘Inspiring Ideas’.
In 2023 Natalie will continue to be the Activity Group Leader in Rainbow Group.
Email: nat@stpaulskinder.org.au
EDUCATOR – 3YO RAINBOW GROUP
Kate has a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care and has been an Educator at St Paul’s Anglican Kindergarten since 2010.
Kate has experience working with children with additional needs and has completed a course: Autism MOOC at Swinburne.
She has a particular interest in creating inspiring outdoor play experiences and has had vast experience as an Educator in the 3 and 4 year old groups.
In 2023 Kate will continue to be the Educator in the 3YO Rainbow Group
ROWENA KIELY
EDUCATOR – 3YO RAINBOW GROUP
Rowena Kiely recently joined St Paul’s Anglican Kindergarten as a Support Worker in the Red Group. She is Certificate III qualified and has previously worked as an Educator in a three year old kinder group for over 2 years.
Rowena has previously worked as a Teacher’s Aide, Playgroup Coordinator and also developed and facilitated her own Early Learning Program at a primary school in Doncaster East.Since 2014 Rowena has been the Principal of a Dance School teaching children aged 3-16 years several styles of dance.
Prior to working in the Early Childhood Sector, Rowena worked in Human Resources Management following her postgraduate studies.
In 2023 Rowena will work alongside Kate as an educator in Rainbow group.
EDUCATIONAL LEADER & EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER – PRE-PREP
Rita joined St Paul’s Anglican Kindergarten in January 2019 and has been the Early Childhood teacher in our three and four year old groups.
She has come from a diverse career background from working as a scientific photographer at La Trobe University, to having an advisory role in the development in the National School Canteen Healthy Guidelines.
Her passion for Early Childhood education was developed while raising her three children and volunteering to teach kindergarten children about her hobby of beekeeping. Rita believes early childhood is a significant period where children shape their identity, begin to have an understanding of their role in the wider community and continue to develop their dispositions for learning.
Her goal as an educator is to celebrate each child’s diversity, view them as confident and involved learners and to ensure all children are supported by creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment in programming and practice.
Rita enjoys developing relationships with families and working with them to make shared decisions about their children’s education. With a bilingual background, Rita has an interest in developing programs that support children with English as a second language.
Rita has a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education at RMIT.
In 2023 Rita will share the role of ECT in the Pre-Prep program with Toula.
Rita will also share the role of Educational Leader with Toula.
RANIA DRAKOPOULOS
EDUCATOR- PRE-PREP
Rania joined St Paul’s Anglican Kindergarten in 2016.
She has a Diploma in Children’s services and prior to joining St Paul’s has had vast experience in Early Childhood as an Educator for sessional kindergartens, long day care and occasional care working with children ranging from six weeks to six years of age.
Rania is very passionate about her Greek Heritage and teaching children about diversity, inclusion and culture and has extensive experience working with children with additional needs.
Rania enjoys creating and making art/craft experiences with the children.
In 2023 Rania will be the Educator in the Pre-Prep Group
MEL PRIOR HOCKING
LUNCH / RELIEF
Mel joins the team at St Paul’s Kindergarten after taking some time away from teaching to raise her three young children. Mel holds a Diploma of Children’s Services and a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, and has over ten years experience working with children from six weeks to six years of age. Mel has taught in both sessional kindergarten and long day care environments, and has been fortunate to work with a diverse group of children and families over the years.
Mel values children’s thoughts, ideas and contributions and views these as a source of inspiration to her work, personal life and professional development. She recognises the important roles that peer and adult relationships play in children’s day to day learning, and believes that children are active and capable learners who play a key role in their own learning. Mel enjoys developing relationships and close working partnerships with families, and looks forward to working with the children, families and educators at St Paul’s Kindergarten in her relief position.
CHLOE MCARTHUR
LUNCH/RELIEF
Chloe is delighted to be joining the team in 2023. She has a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care and has been an ongoing educator in the sector since qualifying in 2014, with experience in both sessional kindergarten and long-day care environments.
She is also a Cantonese and Mandarin speaker with a background in marketing and event management prior to moving to Australia from China.
Chloe is a mother who enjoys spending time with children of all age groups, believing that children are all natural born explorers. Besides encouraging the children to develop a wide range of life and social skills in kindergarten through play, she is passionate about encouraging children to develop their natural confidence and independence. This builds confidence as well as motivates them as individuals and also to extend help and care to others in a team setting – skills sure to be appreciated by everyone around them.