Staffing
Our staff are our most valuable asset. Each teacher and carer brings their own individual skills and experiences to the classroom enhancing their own personal teaching style.
We believe that the foundation of quality educational childcare for children lies in the experienced and qualified staff in our centre. We encourage and support staff to continue their personal and professional education and development within the workplace both through formal study and on-the-job training.
All of our staff meet the requirements set out by the Department of Community Services Regulations 2004 and offer the highest levels of childcare.
We encourage you to come and visit the centre, meet the carers who will educate, support and care for your child, see the friends your child will make, read about the day’s activities and adventures, let us show and tell the treasures we’ve created and inspect our first class facility and newly developed fun-filled playground!
Amy Kewley
Director
Amy holds a Bachelor of Teaching (Birth to 5 years) and has worked in Early Childhood for over 7 years. She has worked as a Room Leader, Assistant Director and now Director.
She has a great passion for working with children and guiding them through their developmental stages. Amy really loves her role as Director of the centre as it allows her to experience both the teaching aspect with the children and her staff and also the administrative and financial sides of a childcare centre.
Nicole Mackinnon
After School Care & Vacation Care Coordinator
Nicole is our Coordinator of Brookvale Out Of School Hours Care -“BOOSHC” which includes before school, after school and vacation care. Nicole has worked in children’s education, sport, recreation and fitness for over 20 years and brings a wealth of experience, professionalism and energy to the centre.
With a Physical Education degree and a passion for sport & fitness, Nicole brings significant knowledge and experience to the centre. Nicole is qualified to coach several sports and runs sporting programs including tennis, gymnastics, dance, fitness and cricket in the After School Care program.
Lissa Burnett
Administration Assistant
Lissa joined the team in June 09 and helps Amy with general office and accounts duties. Lissa has a background working in the IT industry and currently works Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Lissa provides an important link to Brookvale Public School for our centre and ensures that the School can benefit from our activities and vice versa.
Lissa has two daughters at Brookvale Public School and loves the opportunity of working within an industry that plays such a meaningful role for the community.
Michelle Cohen
Michelle started at our centre in 2007 as a teacher with our Before and After School Care. Michelle really enjoyed working with this age group but decided she wanted to experience working with other ages as well. Michelle then moved to working as a Floater in the centre which allowed her to work with all the different age groups. Michelle has recently moved to the Quokkas room as an assistant teacher on Mondays & Tuesday. She enjoys watching the children grow and develop knowing that her care guides their achievements.
Belinda Comber
After School Care & Vacation Care Assistant
Belinda has worked in childcare for just 5 years and has worked at our centre for 3 years in our After School Care. She has completed her Certificate III in Children’s Services and is currently studying her Diploma. Belinda enjoys working with the older children from Brookvale Public School, planning exciting activities and helping them in the afternoons with their homework. During school holidays she works at our Vacation Care developing an interesting program and taking children on excursions. Belinda also enjoys helping in classrooms in the centre when needed.
Natalie Cooke
Natalie has been working in the Early Childhood industry since 2004. She holds a Diploma in Children’s Services and a Certificate in Caring for Children with Special Needs. Natalie has also worked with children of Primary School age but most of her experience is with pre-school aged children. She started with us in 2009 and has taken on the role of Room Leader of our Nursery children. Natalie brings to the Sugargliders a wealth of knowledge and a fun and nurturing personality.
Chanel Crowley
Before and After School and Vacation Care Assistant
Chanel has worked in childcare for over 6 years and has been at our centre since 2005. She has completed her Certificate III in Children’s Services and is currently studying a Diploma in Children’s Services. Chanel has worked in all of our rooms and currently works with our Before and Vacation Care groups with the primary school aged children. She enjoys guiding the children’s development and develops strong bonds with the children in these groups. Chanel also works in each of our long day care centre rooms each day covering the teachers for programming time.
Daniel Hamilton
Daniel starting with us working in both of our Preschool classrooms but has recently taken on a permanent position in our Kangaroos classroom. Daniel has been a great addition to our centre and our preschool children greatly enjoy a male figure as one of their teachers. He is always full of enthusiasm and enjoys doing sports and gross motor experiences with the children.
Kruti Joshi
Kruti began as room leader of our Preschool Classroom at the beginning of 2010. Kruti and her husband have recently moved here from India. In India Kruti studied Early Childhood Teaching at University and also gained years of experience working in Early Childhood services over there. She is very keen to extend and enhance her knowledge and skills through her teaching at Brookvale Early Learning Centre. Kruti also brings with her a very multicultural approach to teaching and respects all cultures and races.
Kiran Kiran
Kiran started at our centre in November 2009 with 0-2 years age group. She has a Bachelors degree in Commerce (B.com) and before joining BELC she worked as a Kindergarten Teacher in Singapore. She is currently nearing completion of her Certificate III in Children’s Services and also intends to complete a Bachelor of Teaching degree thereafter. She describes herself as a simple person full of patience, care and love for all children. Babies are the most prestigious gifts of God and she feels passionate and thrilled to be working with them.
Olena La Macchia
Olena started as Co-Room Leader in our Sugargliders Room in July 2009 and brought with her over sixteen years of childcare experience focusing mainly on early childhood. Olena moved to work in the Bilbies classroom in 2010. Growing up in a multicultural environment, she has developed an interest in other cultures, languages and music.
Working mainly as nanny in Australia and overseas, Olena also brings bi-lingual centre based care experience. Olena also has a background in dental assistance so she has a keen interest and understanding of the importance of proper nutrition in early childhood. Olena is diploma qualified and is currently furthering her studies with a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education).
Clare McEwan
Assistant Director & Quokkas Room Leader
Clare has been at our centre for 5 over years. She is currently studying her Certificate II & Diploma in Children’s Services. She is Room Leader of our Kindy classroom but has also worked with other ages over her time in childcare. Clare is also Assistant Director of the centre which involves her overseeing the running of the centre when the Director is not present. She enjoys working with 3-4 year olds and easily develops strong bonds with all the children and families in her class.
Alana North
Alana joined the teaching team at Brookvale Early Learning centre as a casual teacher when she first arrived in Sydney from the UK. After a few months working with all age groups Alana decided that she would like to take on a full time position and also further her knowledge and education in Early Childhood. Alana now works as a room assistant with our 2-3 years class and will be starting her studies for her Certificate III and Diploma in Children’s Services. Alana brings with her a caring personality and she easily develops strong bonds with both the children and their families.
Angel Pere
Angel started in childcare in 2008 when she took on the room assistant position in our preschool room. She has years of experience working with children of all ages through babysitting and nanny work. Angel brings an amazingly happy personality to our centre that is loved by all the children and families. She also contributes to our multicultural awareness by incorporating parts of her Maori background into our programs. Angel is currently studying her Certificate III & Diploma in Children’s Services.
Rebecca Phillips
Rebecca started as Room Leader in our Bilbies Room in July 2009. Rebecca has a degree in Early childcare and comes to us from Tauranga in New Zealand where she spent the last 10 years working with preschool children at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Childcare Centre. Rebecca has two adult children and a grand-daughter.
Rebecca feels passionate and privileged to be working with the 0 to 5 year age group as these are the prime years in a child’s life and development. Rebecca is looking forward to working with staff and parents to maintain a warm and nurturing educational environment for our children.
Natalie Spencer
Natalie started at our centre in 2008 when she decided on a career change from working in a law firm. Natalie has brought a lot of love and energy to the centre. She began working with our 3-4 year olds and then moved to our 2-3 years classroom. She then decided she wanted to experience all classrooms and age groups in the centre so took on a floater position covering other staff members days off. Natalie is enjoying learning more about all the different ages and their development.
Fitria Suud
Fitria started at our centre in April 2009. She works 3 days a week at the centre as our cook then 2 days teaching in our classrooms. Fitria enjoys preparing the children’s meals and working alongside our other cook to devise menus that are nutritionally balanced and healthy for the children at the centre. She enjoys working at the centre as she also gets to spend time with the children and watching them grow and develop. She has completed courses in Safe Food Handling and Menu Planning & Nutrition.
Donna Thalib
Donna began at our centre as an afternoon assistant but soon took on the role as one of our cooks making all our delicious meals. Donna also enjoys spending any free time she has in the classrooms with the children. Donna has her Safe Food Handling and Menu Planning Certificates. She has a large input into our menus and daily nutritional intakes for the children.