By Mara Pattison-Sowden
SCHOOL’S in for kindergarten students in the Upper Yarra who will benefit from a new building.
The Upper Yarra Children’s Centre in Yarra Junction will receive $200,000 for the construction and fit out of a kindergarten building from the Brumby Government’s investment in early childhood learning.
Upper Yarra Community House runs the Children’s Centre in Little Yarra Road, which presently has 20 children enrolled in four-year-old kindergarten.
UYCH Family and Children’s Services manager Jenny Holinger said the new funding would double the number of places available for children and allow parents more flexibility.
“It will fill a huge need in the area, and it will enable the children’s centre to open four-year-old kindergarten every single day,” she said.
“At the moment, we can only open on certain days to coincide with day care.”
Ms Holinger said parents would be able to pick up and drop off their children when it suited – and still get the required hours of care.
“With the new kinder, we can also offer three-year-old kinder every day, which will be much more flexible for working parents,” she said.
Ms Holinger said the new building will be attached to the present one, will share the existing kitchen and will have toilets, office and storeroom. It is planned to be “up and running” during 2011.
Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato delivered the news to Ms Holinger, UYCH CEO Sally Brennan and kindergarten teacher Pam at the Yarra Junction centre.
Ms Lobato said the funding would deliver exiting new facilities and enable the UYCH to expand its good work.
“At this centre, the Upper Yarra Community House provides a vital range of children’s services, including long day care, occasional care, out-of-school-hours care and a kindergarten,” she said.
“It fulfils such an important need in the Upper Yarra community by providing this range of high-quality educational and child care options for local families.”
UPPER YARRA STAR MAIL
