Director & Teacher Tuesday/Thursday Groups

My name is Fleur Hall and I have been teaching at Burrumbuttock Preschool since January 2013. I have worked in both NSW and Victorian Early Childhood Services for 18 years. I grew up in Burrumbuttock, living on a farm between Burrumbuttock and Howlong and attended both Burrumbuttock Preschool and School as a child. I returned to live here in 2012, building a house with my hubby Andrew and son Peter. Becoming a parent I believe is one of my greatest achievements as well as one of my biggest challenges. We welcomed Matthew into our family in 2015. As a family we love getting out camping and 4 wheel driving together. We have come full circle we say in our family as my mother Gwen was one of a committee group of parents that started the preschool, my sister and I both attended here and we have one child nearly finished and another to come.

I believe that preschool education provides a great foundation for every child’s future. Being part of a preschool group allows children to develop skills and understandings that will be used throughout their life time. As my favourite poem by Robert Fulghum states, “wisdom was not at the top of the university mountain but there in the sandpit.” Preschool allows children to learn about themselves and who they are, how to get along with others, how to become more independent, skills for learning about the world around them and how to communicate in a variety of ways. After all this time as a teacher, I still consider it a privilege to be allowed to educate and care for other people’s most precious things, their children.

My Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
• Current First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis Certificates
• Child Protection Training

Educator Tuesday/Thursday Groups

My name is Karen Jones and I have been working at Burrumbuttock Preschool for the last 8 years. I have been working with children since 1988 in a variety of roles. My previous position was at Chiltern Preschool where I worked for 11 years.

I have been married to David for over 25 years and we have a 26 year old son Benjamin who has completed his Bachelor of Education. My hobbies are gardening, watching Ben play cricket, reading and walking our greyhound Bart.

I have been very lucky to work in Preschools that value their families and the community that they live in. We should encourage members of our community to become actively involved in our preschool in a variety of ways. The door is always open…

Preschool is a vital element in a child’s life and I feel privileged to be a part of it. As educators we need to provide for our children a positive, engaging, encouraging learning environment for them to participate in.

My Qualifications:

• Diploma in Children’s Services
• Current First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis Certificates
• Child Protection Training

Educator Friday Group

I really enjoy working with children, especially preschool age children. My interest and hobbies include photography, card making, piano and violin.

My Qualifications:

• Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
• Certificate IV in Information Technology and Digital Media
• Current First Aid

Group Leader/Educator Friday Group

I was born and bred in Albury. I spent 11 years as a ‘nanny’ to two gorgeous children in London and I left when they were 15 and 16 and attending boarding school. I have worked in all facets of Early Childhood and feel that I have now found my ‘niche’ within the Preschool environment.

• I believe it is important for children to be given every opportunity to enjoy their childhood without undue pressure.
• I believe that every child is a unique little person and should be treated as thus.
• It is my responsibility as an educator to form a close relationship with each child’s family in order to become familiar with their cultural and linguistic identities.
• The environment in which children learn must be welcoming, safe and respectful- it should allow them to create, imagine and discover at a pace which is relaxed yet challenging.
• I feel reliability and consistency are important in order to gain a child’s trust. Educators should model appropriate behavior to show children what is expected of them.
• It is imperative that children have uninterrupted play time and that they are encouraged to participate in a variety of individual and group activities, designed to develop language, enhance physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth in order to acquire life skills such as co-operation, consideration, independence and self motivation.
• I believe children need to feel connected with, contribute to, their world in order to be environmentally aware of animals, plants and wildlife, and to learn sustainable practices through recycling.

My Qualifications:

• Diploma in Children’s Services
• Current First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis Training
• Child Protection Training