Eilleen Taylor Kindergarten unveils 'complete makeover'

The overhaul as seen the community-based, non-profit organisation expand its capacity from a 27 children to 36. Leica McLeod has been an early childhood teacher with the kindergarten for 20 years and was delighted to see the upgrades complete and felt it would provide the children with an enhanced learning experience.

‘‘It really is a complete makeover,’’ she said.

‘‘We have a fabulous new kitchen, so we can provide cooking experiences for the children.

‘‘We have extended our building which allows us to have more children, which is good for the community.

‘There are new sliding doors which allows us to run indoor-outdoor programs.

‘‘It is really modern and fresh, which keeps us up with the times — it is so beautiful and it has a natural feel, which is important."

Other upgrades include a new office space, new flooring, shelving, tables and chairs. Moira Shire Councillor Ed Cox was at the opening and hoped the upgrades set the kindergarten up for the years to come.

‘‘This facility was founded by Eilleen Taylor, who was a lady who had a real passion for children and education,’’ he said.

‘‘It is great to see these upgrades completed because it was important to help this facility cater for the community going into the future.’’

The upgrades were part of a $5 billion plan from the government to make sure every Victorian child had access to at least five hours of subsidised three-year-old kinder by 2022. A figure which will progressively be scaled up to 15 hours a week in the next decade.

Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp said this was the largest social, economic and educational reform ever undertaken in early childhood in the state’s history.

‘Cobram families will reap the benefits of this upgrade and local kids will get the best out of kinder,’’ he said.

‘‘This is about giving children strong support from an early age, so they’re ready for school and ready for life.’’