Welcome to Pinewood Pre-school

Our Preschool

Pinewood Preschool extends a warm welcome to all preschool children, their parents or guardians and prospective families. The warm, caring and friendly Pinewood Preschool community will ensure that you and your children will be happy, feel safe and have an enjoyable experience while attending our preschool.

Pinewood Preschool is a community kindergarten offering  4 year old preschool programs and 3 year old preschool programs to over one hundred families within the Monash municipality. The preschool is conveniently situated on Pinewood Drive, Mount Waverley, and offers children a bright and inviting opportunity for exploration and discovery in a natural environment and picturesque setting. The preschool is managed by a Committee of Management, made up of volunteer parents, and we encourage active participation across all areas of the preschool’s operations.

At Pinewood Preschool, we believe that young children learn best through play based experiences and are capable and resourceful learners, who actively contribute, initiate and explore their interests and ideas. We promote each child’s confidence and positive self-image through a range of provisions, experiences and opportunities that build upon their understandings, skills, values and sensitivities and promote success.

We value the importance of positive and trusting relationships, and believe this helps to build the foundations for a love of learning, respect and tolerance. This will assist in making your child’s next step in their learning journey a relaxed and enjoyable one.     

 'The city of Monash owns the buildings on the land upon which the kindergarten is located. We acknowledge the support of the City of Monash in the delivery of Early Years Education within our community.'

'Pinewood preschool ackowledges the traditional owners of this land and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend this to all  First Nations People.'

Committee of Management

The Committee of Management is made up of members of the association (parents or other interested community members) and is elected during the AGM, which is held in November each year.

The Committee of Management is responsible for the smooth running of the preschool, meeting all the legal requirements and regulations as necessary, issuing annual reports and fundraising.

Without the dedication and hard work of those volunteering to each of the positions, the preschool would not operate. Whilst participation can be demanding at times, the rewards are great and a great deal can be achieved when the team pulls together. Maximum participation by the Committee leaves the educators free to concentrate on the children we entrust to their care.

Our Educators

Debbie Brereton

Debbie Brereton has a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and is the Director of Pinewood Preschool. She is also the Educational Leader and Nominated supervisor and works with the 3 year old group where she has been educating children for over 20 years. She is married with three adult children and one granddaughter and another on the way, her children all enjoyed Pinewood Preschool when they attended themselves! She loves the community feel of Pinewood and believes in building and nurturing positive relationships with all children and families, and that all interactions with children are to help them reach their full potential in all areas of development. Debbie loves pretending our kinder swings are a rocket ship and explores outer space almost every week!

Emilia 4yrs ... Debbie is good at playing hairdressers. I like Debbie cause her got light hair. Debbie did my hair, and I did her hair. Her looked like a tree. That's why I love Debbie.

Gayle Dever

Gayle Dever has a Diploma in Children’s Services and has spent over 20 years working in early childhood education. Gayle has also taken on an administration role as well and looks after our enrolments among other things. She is married with two adult daughters who both attended Pinewood Preschool! Gayle is passionate about children having the best start possible in life and believes that children learn best through play. Gayle builds the best sandcastles in the preschool sandpit with all the children, who love playing outside no matter what the weather. Gayle has recently added the role of Administrator, including enrolments within the preschool. 

Harry 3yrs ... I love Gayle because she plays Packing-Up Time music, and we can dance and pack-up at the same time! That's cool.

Kirsty Dunn

Kirsty Dunn has a Bachelor of Childcare and Education and is an educator in both Pinewood's 3- and 4-Year-old groups. All her children have been lucky enough to attend Pinewood Preschool and the experience for both them and Kirsty was a fantastic one! Kirsty loves being part of the Pinewood Community as she develops relationships with children and their families. Every day brings a new adventure that she can’t wait to be part of - the sky is the limit, especially with our fantastic outdoor play area. Kirsty absolutely loves nature and can’t wait to bring in all her animals to meet the children. She firmly believes that children learn through play, as they explore, experiment, and let their imaginations take them to wonderful places.

Aaryan 4yrs... I love Kirsty cos she showed me what to do on a leaf. She helps me make the leaf. 

Gabrielle French 

Gabrielle French is from Maitland in rural NSW. Gabe and her Husband Shaun moved to Melbourne in 2015 so he could undertake a study opportunity in the field of Health Sciences. They have added 3 beautiful boys to their family here in this beautiful city.

Gabe is an Early Childhood teacher (Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood 0-8 Years) and is an educator in both our 3- and 4-year-old groups at Pinewood. She completed her teaching degree in 2007 at Ourimbah University and has been happily teaching ever since.  She has a passion for early childhood and thinks it’s a very special and important time in the children’s lives, both in developing crucial social skills and building a foundation for future education. She feels privileged that she is part of this exciting time in children's lives and understands that it is also an exciting time of crash course education for the parents as well. She loves teaching the children through play-based learning and feels this is when they are more likely to take to the lessons as they are relaxed, happy and interested in what is happening. As a result of this enthusiastic engagement with the lesson and one another, her experience indicates the children are learning and retaining information at a higher level. Through “learning through play” we are able to expose the children to so many different concepts and make education a fun and effortless exercise on their part. 

Georgia 4 yrs... I love Gabe because she always does pastings and drawings with us. I like painting with Gabe.

Jeannine Barber

Hi! My name is Jeannine Barber and I have been a part of the Pinewood Preschool community both as a parent and as a part of the preschool committee, my 3 girls have all come through the kinder and it has been a joy for our family. I am now thrilled to have a continuing role within the kinder as part of the teaching team for the past 6 years and have a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.

Pinewood Preschool offer excellent facilities inside and outside and no two days of play are ever the same. I love that children are naturally curious and imaginative, and I know it is going to be lots of fun exploring Pinewood's play spaces together with the children!

Amna 4yrs ... I love Jeannine ‘cause she does drawings with me for my Mum.

Chea Sea

Hello, my name is Chea. My background is Cambodian but don’t ask me how to write it, I wouldn’t have a clue!!!!

I have a Diploma in children’s services, and I am loving every minute of being at Pinewood! I love how in my role I get to see that lightbulb moment a child has when they have discovered something or is showing how proud they are when they have achieved something that they have worked on for a long time.  I love how children are so excited about things and are open to learning about their environment, Children are so precious, and I am so lucky to be working with wonderful teachers and we all love contributing to children’s development.

Haydee 3yrs…I love Chea when she helps me with puzzles.

Julie Occhipinti

I have a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care and I am currently completing my Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).

I have been working in the early childhood sector for the past 6 years after a change in professions led me down this path. I am passionate about forming positive relationships with children and providing them with a sense of place and importance within the kindergarten environment. I value inclusivity, understanding all children’s strengths and interests enabling them to reach their full potential.

I am a mother to three boys, and barrack for the mighty Carlton blues and in my spare time enjoy the serenity of lakeside adventures at Bonnie Doon.

Leonardo 3yrs old…I love Julie when she plays chasey with me.

Kristine Wood

Hi, my name is Kristine, I hold a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. I have worked in early childhood education for over 19 years. I originally started at Pinewood preschool in 2020 relieving for a maternity leave position for 3 terms and I was lucky to be offered a permanent position in 2023. The teaching staff and my fellow educators are an amazing team to work with and I love watching the children grow throughout the year with their friendships and achievements.

Rosie 4yr…I love Kristine when she helps me at the collage table.

Maria Napoleon

Maria has a Diploma in Children Services and has spent 27 years in early childhood education. She enjoys spending time with the children as they play and learn, she is amazed at how much the children can teach us when they are a part of our preschool community and in are allowed to play in a wonderful environment being nurtured by wonderful teachers and educators. She is married and has 3 adult children and 1 granddaughter. Her hobbies are gardening, fishing, dancing, travelling, and meeting people.

Samantha 3yrs…I love Maria when she helps me with craft.

Sun Hee Oh

Hello, my name is Sun Hee Oh, I have a Diploma in Early Childhood education and care and recently joined Pinewood preschool. I can’t express how grateful I am to work with these excellent teachers and educators in a place where I can help maximise children’s potential. I wonder how wonderful it would have been to send my children to this kindergarten,

I love the moment when children learn language, use their imagination, and body movement, and learn musical skills through music and singing. Seeing children grow and develop in both body and mind through curiosity and playing is truly rewarding as an educator!

Jasmine 3yrs old…I love Sunny when she brings in her keyboard and lets us play music.