Free Kinder For 2024
The Victorian Government has committed $9 billion to expand kindergarten programs across the state. As part of this initiative, “Free Kinder” will be available for all Victorian three and four year old children at participating services to allow every Victorian child to get the best start in life no matter where they live.
Summerhill Park Kindergarten will be opting into this initiative in 2024, offering 15 hours of “Free Kinder” per week to families.
The funds provided by the government fall short of our ongoing operating costs, so to ensure we can continue to offer our high quality program, we request a voluntary contribution from our families to go towards class materials, supplies, incursions, and administration. These are outlined below.
In addition, while we will be offering 15 hours per week of kindergarten at no cost under the Free Kinder Initiative, for the hours above 15 hours per week a gap fee applies.
2024 Timetable and Fees
Red
3 Year Old Program
2 days per week
Wednesdays & Fridays 8:30am - 4:00pm
15 hours
Voluntary contribution of $350 per term
Blue
4 Year Old Program
2 days per week
Mondays & Tuesdays
8:30am - 4:00pm
15 hours
Voluntary contribution of $350 per term
Yellow
4 Year Old Program
2 days per week
Tuesdays & Thursdays
8:30am - 4:00pm
15 hours
Voluntary contribution of $350 per term
Green
4 Year Old Program
2 days per week
Mondays & Thursdays
8:30am - 4:00pm
15 hours
Voluntary contribution of $350 per term
Purple
4 Year Old Program
3 days per week
Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays
8:30am - 4:00pm
22.5 hours*
Fee of $1200 per term
* Our Purple 4 year old group kinder program is based on 22.5 hours of kindergarten. The fees for this group reflect the hours offered beyond those subsidised as part of the "Free kinder" program. For those wishing to attend 15 hours only of kinder, we would recommend our Blue, Yellow and Green 4 year old groups.
Our 2023 Sessions
Blue
4 Year Old Group
TUESDAY
8:30am - 4:00pm
THURSDAY
8:30am - 4:00pm
$1000 per term
Yellow
4 Year Old Group
MONDAY
8:30am - 4:00pm
WEDNESDAY
8:30am - 4:00pm
$1000 per term
Red
3 Year Old Group
FRIDAY
8:30am - 1:30pm
$450 per term
$200 maintenance levy - refundable against family contribution at kindergarten events
Healthcare card holders and Early Start Kindergarten children will continue to access free kindergarten at SPK (up to 15 hours)
* All kindergarten fees and sessions may change from year to year & should be used as a guide only
Meet our Teachers
SPK employs staff with the appropriate early childhood qualifications and experience to meet regulatory requirements.
Megan is a kindergarten teacher with 16 years’ experience. She has two secondary school aged boys who attended Summerhill Park Kindergarten & Megan was a member of the committee at that time. She has been employed with SPK since 2009.
Megan bases her program on encouraging children’s creative expression through open ended experiences, developing healthy relationships & expanding upon the children’s ideas & interests.
Megan Bennett
Educator of Blue Group
(Bachelor Early Childhood Education)
Megan Bennet
Director / Educator of Yellow Group
Christine has 30 years’ experience as a kindergarten teacher, enjoying 23 of those at Summerhill Park Kindergarten. Christine enjoys the children’s creative thinking & loves to provide an open-ended creative program that encourages the children to extend on their individual skills. She enjoys lots of singing with the children to encourage language & concentration skills.
Christine Pritenang
Educator of Red Group
(DipEd Early Childhood Education)
Karen Newton
Educator of Yellow Group
(DipEd Early Childhood Education)
(GradDipEd Special Education)
Karen is a kindergarten teacher with 35 years' experience. She has a true passion for working with kindergarten learners and supporting each child to reach their full potential is a challenge she is continually proud and excited to be involved with. Karen strives to create a community of learners and nurtures growth within a positively enriched environment. Her teaching encompasses individual learning programs as she believes these are instrumental towards fostering a strong sense of wellbeing and identity. Outdoor learning and open-ended experiences are strong aspects of her program and she is continually inspired with how children express their own creativity and knowledge.
