Our Team

Leadership

The Leadership team has in excess of 35 years’ experience in varied roles within the Early Childhood sector.  Understanding what it takes to run a high-quality early learning Centre, the team are the cornerstone of what makes SHBELC stand out from the crowd.

Centre Manager - Glenice

Glenice believes “working with families and children is incredibly humbling. Knowing we have such a privileged purpose in their lives and seeing the work our educators do to impact and enrich the lives of children and families is incredibly rewarding”.

Having worked in the Early Childhood sector as an advocate for children for nearly 30 years, Glenice oversees all aspects of operations at SHBELC.  She drives initiatives to support employee engagement, retention and professional development. Her experience, knowledge and passion are integral in SHBELC being:

• a great place to work for all staff,

• a place that delivers positive and life transforming outcomes for children and families,

• a Centre filled with plenty of heart that provides children with the opportunity to experience the joy and wonder of learning, while they and their families make lifelong memories.

Business Manager – Sue

When it comes to anything money, Sue is the go-to-person at SHBELC. With her three daughters attending Kindergarten at SHBELC many years ago Sue has a long term interest and commitment to the ongoing influence SHBELC has in the local community.  Sue has extensive experience in Government funding, Childcare Subsidy and all things fees related, which gives her a broad and deep understanding of any questions or issues related to the financial aspect of having your children enrolled at SHBELC.  This expertise sees Sue working closely with families on any given day to ensure high level family satisfaction and financial viability. 

Education Manager - Alicia

Alicia is a passionate Early Childhood Educator who has worked at Surrey Hills Baptist Early Learning Centre for the past 19 years. In that time, she has witnessed many positive changes and developments within the Early Childhood Education sector such as the development of the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards. Alicia continues to advocate for children through her teaching practice and her role as Education Manager. In her capacity as Education Manager, Alicia strives to inspire and support colleagues and educators whilst developing and fostering collaborative relationships and partnerships with children and families.

Finance Manager - Kim

Kim joined SHBELC in 2023 - she has had a long career in Finance across a number of sectors. Her financial expertise and lateral thinking are invaluable as she works with the Treasurer and fellow members of the Leadership team to develop the annual budget. Kim is passionate about working with families to ease the financial strain care and education can have on families. Being a not for profit service SHBELC prides itself on keeping costs as minimal as possible ensuring all families have access to high quality education and care.

Community Connections - Karen

Karen’s role at SHBELC is very unique. She has been engaged by the Baptist Unition of Victoria and SHBELC to reach into our community and support those in need, in particular the children, families and staff. In her Community Connections Role, Karen also reaches into the local and wider community to offer support and a sense of belonging, this is done through community fundraisers, community projects, music programs and new parent groups. Karen is a wealth of knowledge and has a heart for people, she is a true asset to the SHBELC community.

Staff Representative - Heather

The Leadership team comprises of a range of staff and educators across each area of the Centre. As such SHBELC invites a staff member to join the Leadership team in order to share valuable perspectives, thoughts and ideas that originate from a staffing and practical level. The role of the Staff Representative is to work collaboratively with staff and Leadership to ensure SHBELC remains a team focused environment.

Staffing Team

Working at SHBELC is regarded by staff to be “much more than a job”. It is the opportunity to be part of a caring community where everyone strives to provide  excellence in education and care for all children, in an environment where  everyone is encouraged to strive for ‘remarkable’.

Our staff are enthusiastic, passionate and committed to providing your children with the best while attending SHBELC.  The educators and staff work in partnership with families to foster a nurturing, child-focused educational and care environment. Our commitment to quality begins with our inclusive, engaging curriculum and extends across all that we offer and do.

Our first priority is to create a warm and caring atmosphere that makes coming to the Centre each day a pleasure – for you and for us!

Possessing a wealth of experience, our educators are highly trained, with qualifications ranging from Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care to a Bachelor in Early Childhood Education.  All staff engage in ongoing professional development to enable the provision of the highest standard of individualised early education and care for your child.  In each program area  a Lead Educator facilitates the team in the implementation of the daily program

Our innovative program is centered on the Australian Early Years Learning Framework yet tailored to the individual developmental needs of every child. SHBELC is a not-for-profit organisation and we care about making genuine community connections. The staffing team is a collection of difference, all united under the one Vision of preparing children for life. They strive to exceed by delivering personalised learning and care in the context of raising ethical, respectful and engaged children who are the leaders of our future.

When it comes to delivering quality education and care for families,  this team is simply a step ahead of the rest.