Early Learning Centre

Enrolments are open for free 3 and 4 year old sessional kindergarten.

Enrol through Casey Council for Hillsmeade Kindergarten.

Long Day Care enrolments with kindergarten is through the ELC office.

You can contact the ELC or pop in for a visit for enrolment inquires.

Phone: 9704 6313 - Option ELC

Email: elc@hillsmeade.vic.edu.au

Apply now to enrol your child in Foundation (Prep) for 2024

The Department of Education has released a new statewide timeline for enrolling in Foundation (Prep) for the 2024 school year.

If you have a child starting primary school in 2024, it’s time to enrol. Make sure to submit your enrolment application now.

If you are enrolling the sibling of a student at our school for Foundation in 2024, and both children will be attending our school at the same time, your child is prioritised for a place at our school as per the department’s Placement Policy.

What is happening in the ELC

Our Learning

During this fortnight in the 3 and 4 year old kindergarten, the children have been undertaking learning in the following areas:

Reading	Continuing to explore the concept of capital letters for the start of a sentence and the use of punctuation marks such as a question mark. Finding name on sign in sheet; identifying the first letter and finding other names that start with the same letter. Using sequencing picture cards to tell a story.
Writing	Creating their own illustrations through drawing, painting, collage, that tell a story. Signing themselves in each day. Writing letters for posting in the classroom post box. Strengthening and refining their fine motor skills through work with clay, dough, manipulative equipment.
STEM	Exploring the concepts of water transference using different measuring cups. This has been linked to the sharing of the story Alexanders Outing By Pamela Allen. The children experimented with transferring water from one container to another which caused the duck figurine to move as the water raised in the vase. Creating musical instruments using recycled materials and items collected from nature. Exploring the concept heavy and light using scales and a variety of objects. Making connections between numbers printed in numerical form and the corresponding number of items through a small group grid game with a number dice and tokens.
Inquiry	We have continued to explore our Unit of Inquiry, One World, Many Stories, through many different areas of the room, including small worlds which reflect familiar stories, puppet theatres, studying illustrations and paintings and considering the stories told within these, using felt boards to tell a story, acting out familiar stories and creating their own story books.
Social & emotional learning	Discussion with the children about why they placed their photograph on a certain emotion within the Zones of Regulation, what led them to feeling this way and what actions they could take to bring them to the green zone. Relaxation time while listening to music, reading a book or meditation/yoga.

News and Reminders

Drama Toolbox Incursion – Wednesday 13 September for the Joey Group.

Celebration of Learning

Painting symbols based on rolling a dice

Re-enacting the familiar story ‘Three Little Pigs’ using props