HELPFUL INFORMATION

Staffing

• Centre Coordinator Natalie works in the centre Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and from home if required outside of these days.
• Educational Leader Elisha Pivetta works in her Educational Leader role every Monday from 10 am – 4 pm. She also works on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as the 4-year-old Blue Group teacher.
• All staff work part-time and therefore different days across the week. You will find a full staff roster in the kitchen, should you need to know who is working where and when.
• As we receive ten weeks of annual leave each year, leave outside of term-break times must be applied for with the Committee of Management. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Please chat with Natalie if you need to apply for additional leave. Please understand, approved additional leave must be taken as leave without pay.

Meetings and Professional Development

• We aim to host monthly staff meetings on a Wednesday at 4:30 pm. They are held at the kindergarten and run for two hours. The Centre Coordinator advises meeting dates with as much notice as possible. Please ensure you record your staff meeting attendance on your timesheet.
• We value Professional Development for all staff. Should you wish to attend a PD, please speak to Natalie and/or Elisha. As a team, we participate up to two whole-day PD’s annually. We close the centre so all staff can attend.
• Performance Planning meetings are held annually, generally at the beginning of term two. Natalie and Elisha meet with staff individually to reflect on achievements across the past year and to identify areas of focus for professional development for the year ahead. Before this meeting, you are required to re-read and sign the Code of Conduct Policy and other policies as required.

A-S-K, payroll and sick leave

• A-S-K (Administrative Support for Kinders) process our pay and petty cash. If you ever have a pay query, your first point of contact is the Centre Coordinator. If preferred, the Coordinator can pass on A-S-K’s details so can speak to them directly. Our contact at ASK is Helen.
• Pays are processed fortnightly. There is a sign-in book just inside the office door. Please ensure you fill it in before leaving for the week. You will be paid your rostered hours unless approved additional hours have been worked.
• Petty cash reimbursement claims can be made by filling out a Petty Cash form. Payment is made in to your preferred account. Please see Natalie or another member of staff when you need to make a claim so they can show you where the form lives.
• If you need to call in sick, please ensure you let the Centre Coordinator know as early as possible. The night before is strongly preferred. An SMS is acceptable if advising at least the night before. Notification on the morning of session must be via a phone call and as early as possible (6:30 am at the latest, if possible) as accessing staff can be difficult. If your call is unanswered, please leave a voicemail message. Natalie will SMS you to confirm your message has been received. If you don’t receive a confirmation of receipt of message, please call again. 
• As specified in the VECTEA, (1) absences on personal/carer’s leave exceeding 3 consecutive working days require a medical certificate, and (2) absences either the working day before or after a public holiday require a medical certificate stating that you are unable to work.

Team communication and collaboration

• We encourage open and direct, but always kind communication. The office door is always open. Natalie and Elisha encourage you to come and chat anytime you need support, clarification of centre procedures or policies, or strategies to support you, your team or the children and families.
• All staff must contribute to centre projects, policies, vision, Philosophy, Pedagogy, QIP and more.
• Collaboration is an essential component of working at Denzil Don Kindergarten. We believe that the kindergarten should reflect the values and opinions of every staff member, and therefore, we encourage your contribution and suggestions for change and improvement. Critical reflection is an important part of our practice and is regularly performed to ensure the best work practices.
• Our Team Charter was created as a team and reflects the goals, values, beliefs and actions that ensure Denzil Don Kindergarten is a supportive, welcoming and enriching workplace. It is reviewed annually, at the beginning of the year.   
• We use email to communicate and you are expected to action and respond to all team emails promptly, within planning time. Please note, planning time includes days when you are in session – so that is pre-session set-up, post-session pack down, and/or on your lunch break as all of these periods are part of your allocated planning time. 

Other important information

• Natalie will provide you with a Denzil Don Kindergarten email address and computer (ECT’s only). We ask you not to share your work email address with families (unless absolutely unavoidable). This is to assist time and workload management. Important information received from families by the admin team is always shared with you.
• Each room has a device for taking photos of children’s learning. As part of our Child Safe practices, we never share photos of children’s faces in the Journal sent to families. This decision was made during team critical reflection with children’s safety at the centre of the decision.
• On commencement, you will receive a centre key and be set up with a PIN number for the alarm. Access to the centre is available outside of work hours if you need it. Please message (SMS) Natalie before going in, just in case security calls to say the alarm is not armed.
• We use Microsoft Teams to share information and collaborate. This is also where digital copies of enrolment forms as well as children’s Immunisation History Statements are filed. Natalie will provide a tour of Teams at orientation.
• The service hosts two events a year; a Welcome Event and Art Show and Community Event. Attendance at the Welcome Event is welcome but not compulsory. Staff are paid to attend and work at the Art Show. The Art Show is an important event on our calendar.