HELPFUL INFORMATION

Staffing
  • Our Centre Coordinator Natalie works in the centre Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and from home if required outside of these days.
  • Our 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 behind the office door, 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 and promote Professional Development for all staff. Should you wish to attend a particular PD, please speak to Natalie and/or Elisha. As a team, we participate in a whole-day PD annually (usually in November). We close the centre for the day 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/to date 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, petty cash and other financial duties. 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 Rosa when you need to make a claim; they will explain the process.
  • If you need to call in sick, please ensure you let the Centre Coordinator know as early as possible. Where possible, the night before is preferred. An SMS is acceptable if advising at least the night before. Notification on the morning of session must be via mobile and as early as possible (preferably before 6 am) as accessing staff can be very difficult. If your call is unanswered, please leave a voicemail message. The Coordinator 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. The Coordinator and Educational Leader 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 component 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.   
Other important information
  • The Centre Coordinator will provide you with a Denzil Don Kindergarten email address and computer (ECT’s only). We discourage staff from sharing their work email address with families unless unavoidable. This is to assist time management and workload reduction. 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. From 2024, we will no longer share photos of children’s faces in the monthly 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 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 set-up the Art Show. The Art Show is an important event on our calendar.