Curiosity 

The Inaugural Year

Curiosity Early Learning Centre, opened it's doors to our first group of children on January 27 with 52 children.  After many years of planning and preparations, Curiosity became a reality.  

From a building site to a fully functional early learning centre within 6 months is a remarkable achievement that the team can be proud of achieving.

David Wilksch, our Principal has often referred to our first year at Curiosity ELC as being the ‘perfect storm’.  One that was not forecasted nor at times easy to ride through but one that offered many opportunities for growth and celebration. 

I often reflect upon 2020 as a year of professing God’s faithfulness and unbreakable hope that covered us: 

 Hebrews 6: 18-20 (TPT):

“And now we have run into his heart to hide ourselves in his faithfulness. This is where we find his strength and comfort, for he empowers us to seize what has already been established ahead of time—an unshakeable hope! 

We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God himself. Our anchor of hope is fastened to the mercy seat which sits in the heavenly realm beyond the sacred threshold, and where Jesus, our forerunner, has gone in before us. He is now and forever our royal Priest like Melchizedek.”

We started the year with a strong community focus, inviting our families into the operation and events of each day. We had over 100 people attend our Open House before our official first day.  Curiosity enjoyed a presence at the Mad Hatters Welcome Party with many staff learning the art of face painting.  Curiosity's first  Parent Partnership Night was also achieved before COVID-19 added many complexities for our community.

Throughout the year, the staff team pushed ahead with creative ways to stay connected to the children and their families.  At Easter time, each family was visited at their home by the Educator Bunnies, music and dance videos were sent home, our Curiosity YouTube channel went live, and many home projects were shared online and at the Centre. 

It was exciting to officially open the Centre on March 15 with the church joining us for a sausage sizzle celebration afterwards.  Our end of year Blessing Service was presented on ZOOM for our families to watch from home.  This was a momentous occasion as we sent our 33 founding children to school with a prayer of blessing.  

With the unpredictable nature to the end of 2020, we decided to record our ‘Starlight Star Bright’ concert so that we could create a live link for our families to watch together at home.  This was a huge collaborative project that Claudia Deanshaw supported us with.  We are extremely grateful to have her as part of our Curiosity Team.

Our learning community are blessed each week to have the support of various staff from the school to enhance our experiences through worship, library visits, story telling and times of devotion.  Pastor Reid, Wendy Janetzki and 

Throughout the year the children's wonderings and curiosities took us on many adventures.  From insects, plants, vegetables, birds, nests, bears, fairytales, fish, music, mud, bubbles, animals, colour, snails and expressions of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples stories woven throughout our year - there has been much to marvel at.  What we know of children is that they only feel the limitations that we put on them as adults.  When the gift of time, listening and validation of them as human beings is extended, the wonder is unlimited!

Throughout the year, our team was involved in various professional learning experiences around Cyber Safety, the Principles and Practices of Reggio Emilia and workshops supported by Early Childhood Australia and ECHO and GOWRIE.  We take the posture of being researchers alongside the children co-constructing knowledge each day.  With this comes an accountability to grow in ourselves a desire to listen deeply and reflect on the curiosities that the children present daily.

In our first year at Curiosity, there are many things we can celebrate as a community. 

Amongst a worldwide pandemic that has changed the way we do life in many ways, there has been a drawing sense of security that God has been walking us through each decision we have made.  We have seen God's hand at work with our community of learners growing to 73 children and 3 new staff by the end of the year.

God is good!