About Goodstart Jindi Kindergarten and Extended Care
Jindi Kindergarten and Extended Care
Goodstart Early Learning work in partnership with Brotherhood of St Laurence & the city of Whittlesea at the Jindi Family and Children Centre located in Breadalbane avenue. The centre opened in February 2015 and offers a range of programs and services to provide holistic support to children and families, including a Kindergarten program with extended care and additional programs and services for families and the community.
Here at Jindi we believe in children learning through play in a safe, stimulating & inviting environment. We encourage children to learn at their own pace through high quality educational programs, having opportunities to explore their environments to build strong social and emotional skills. We welcome and encourage parents to participate in the program and be involved in their children’s early learning experience.
Jindi Kindergarten and Extended Care Offer Government funded kindergarten programs with extended hours of care for those families that require the additional hours of support through to 6.30pm each night. Our centre have three high quality and affordable kindergarten rooms for children aged 3-5 years in a new, state of the art environment. We offer flexible and extended hours (6.30am to 6.30pm, 52 weeks a year) where we can meet the changing needs of families. Each room has a university qualified early childhood teacher and highly experienced Goodstart educators delivering the play-based learning program that will support children in learning the skills they need for school and life.
Jindi Kindergarten and Extended Care is part of the local kindergarten central enrolment system delivered by the City of Whittlesea. All children attending a four-year-old kindergarten program at Jindi Kindergarten and Extended Care need to register with City of Whittlesea. Our team will assist with this process.
The partnership at Jindi is there to provide services to meet the changing and diverse needs of Mernda community. The Jindi Kindergarten and Extended Care centre was the first program delivered by Goodstart in partnership with another organisation and we are excited by the opportunity to provide an integrated service to the local community and support the growth and wellbeing of the Mernda children and families. Over time additional services for children, parents and families will be introduced to help strengthen families’ participation in the community.
For 4-year-old kindergarten enrolment enquiries please contact City of Whittlesea on 9217 2170 or keo@whittlesea.vic.gov.au
We provide early learning & care to these groups:
Kindergarten
Kindergarten
4-6 years
Vacation Care
Find us!
We're located at:
48 Breadalbane Avenue
MERNDA VIC 3754
Ph: 03 9717 0414
Opening hours:
Monday
6:30 a.m.
–
6:30 p.m.
Tuesday
6:30 a.m.
–
6:30 p.m.
Wednesday
6:30 a.m.
–
6:30 p.m.
Thursday
6:30 a.m.
–
6:30 p.m.
Friday
6:30 a.m.
–
6:30 p.m.
Closed (no charge for public holidays)
Krystal McIntosh Integrated Family and Service Manager
Hi, my name is Krystal. I am the Integrated and Family Service Manager at Goodstart Jindi. I started in this role in February 2018. Prior to this I was an Area Manager for 2.5 years and before that I was a Centre Director for seven years. I have been in the Early Childhood sector teaching children since May 2005. I hold my Advanced Diploma in Children’s Services and currently at university studying my Bachelors in Early Childhood.
I grew up in Mernda, I lived there for 25 years until I brought a house. I am the youngest child of a family of six. I also have four nephews and two nieces. I have two children. Both children are at school and keep me very busy.
In my spare time I like to spoil my children, travel, play netball and go on adventures with my family and friends.
I am excited by the opportunity to provide an integrated service to the local community and support the growth and wellbeing of the Mernda children and families. Over time additional services for children, parents and families will be introduced to help strengthen families’ participation in the community.
I believe in children learning through play. We encourage children to learn at their own pace through high quality educational programs and having opportunities to explore their environments to build strong social and emotional skills. We welcome and encourage parents to participate in the program and be involved in their children’s early learning experience. We provide a play-based learning program that will support children in learning the skills they need for school and life.
I believe that ‘play’ provides opportunity for children to learn, discover, imagine, interact and communicate. I think it’s important that we offer this to children in a warm, safe, friendly and inviting environment.
I believe my role is to support children, their families and staff to feel welcome at the service. I believe it’s important for me to create a safe environment for everybody feel, safe, supported and listened to.
I think it’s important for all children, families, staff and community to feel included in the decision making of the service.
I believe in reflection. I believe in evaluating what works well and where we need to improve and I welcome feedback each & every day.
Natasha Milenkovic Assistant Director
Hi, my name Is Natasha (my preferred name is Tash). I am the Assistant Director at Goodstart Jindi beginning in August 2019. I began my career in Early Childhood Education in 2011, I have 9 years experiences working in the sector, I hold a variety of roles from teaching roles and management. I currently hold my Diploma of Education and looking at further study opportunities.
My mother and father where born overseas in Greece and Serbia, my brother Daniel and I were born in Australia which makes us the second-generation Australians in our family.
I have always believed that the children of today are the future of tomorrow, collaboratively as an organisation in the child care sector we are fortunate enough to educate and support the children we care for, with passionate and nurturing teachers and educators the children in our care have the best possible opportunities to learn, grow and express their unique ways of development. My personal belief is caring for children holistically, which embraces and teaches the connectedness of mind, body and spirit.
“Jean Piaget is one of my favorite theorist, they need to be able to see, touch, taste, smell, move, and hear the things they are learning about. Children are little researchers. They learn by using their senses to explore how things work”
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