About Us
At Jack and Jill Kindergarten the focus is on play-based learning. Our learning program caters to your child’s individual needs and offers equipment and activities that are tailored to your child’s stage of development.
Kindergarten will help your child become more aware of the world around them. It helps promote language development and social skills as well as intellectual, physical and emotional skills. Jack and Jill Kindergarten provides an opportunity for your child to develop a strong sense of self in a safe and nurturing environment.
The Kindergarten is supported and run by a dedicated parent committee. We work in conjunction with Bayside Council.
Our Dedicated Team of Early Childhood Educators
Jodie Toms
Junior Group Teacher
Director and Nominated Supervisor
Jodie has over 20 years experience working in various early learning services and has been the Director at Jack and Jill Kindergarten since 2010.
She believes it is important for educators, parents and children to work closely together, to ensure the best outcomes for each child. with relationships being key to ensuring that each child and family feels connected and valued as part of the kindergarten community. Providing a rich, educational play based program that reflects each child’s interests, challenges their skills and promotes social interactions, investigating, making discoveries, problem solving and independence, gives each child the opportunity to develop skills for life and a love of learning, ensuring they have a positive start to their educational journey.
D'Arne Finnis
Senior Group Teacher
D’Arne has been involved in the Early Childhood Education sector for over 25 years having taught at a variety of settings across Melbourne. She has been the Director of several Independent Early Learning Centres throughout her career but has always had an affinity for community kindergarten and the wonderful community that it provides children and their families. D’Arne has a passion for neuro-motor development being the connection of a child’s physical development to their cognitive development and has studied this area of development extensively. She is the mother to 3 children and is a fellow Bayside resident who loves swims in the bay, walks on the beach tracks and catch ups with friends at the local cafes.
Suzy Williams
Senior Group Educator
I believe that children learn through all experiences, and that I believe each child has a unique way of communicating, original imagination and natural curiosity. My intention is that each child’s potential is nurtured and cultivated through reflective practice and inquiry. I believe children learn in many different ways. My aim is to create an atmosphere that is richly infused with learning opportunities, exploration and encouragement. My intention is to cultivate authentic, collaborative connections between children, families, educators and our community.
Lisa Ward
Senior & Junior Group Educator
The early education of each child is an important and special time. It’s a time that they can learn important skills in a place where they feel safe, confident and supported. I believe children learn best when they are able to freely explore and experience the world around them. Children who feel safe and supported can truly be at their best. I feel a great sense of privilege to be a part of this amazing time for children and their families.
Sarah Moore
Senior Group Educator
Sarah joined Jack and Jill Kindergarten in 2025. She is originally from Harrogate, North Yorkshire in the UK and now resides in beautiful Beaumaris. She lives with her husband and three children, and when she is not working, her happy place is in the pool or on an exercise bike. She arrived in Australia almost 8 years ago and had a previous career as a forensic scientist. She hopes to be able to contribute to the happiness and educational opportunities in all children’s lives that come through the Jack and Jill Kindergarten.
Andrea Cummins
Educational Leader
Andrea has over 25 years of experience as an Early Childhood Teacher, Director, and Specialist Inclusion Support Facilitator. For the past 5 years she has worked as a consultant providing professional learning and parent education sessions throughout Australia. Andrea has been the Director of a Kindergarten for 21 years, founding a Bush Kinder program and is passionate about outdoor play and inclusion support. Andrea has a Diploma in Teaching Early Childhood from Melbourne University majoring in Special Needs. She mentors and provides Pedagogical Leadership to our educators and supports the development of a rich learning environment and program.
Fiona Finch
Junior Group Educator
Fiona has been at Jack and Jill since 2008. She is drawn to teaching by powerful memories of her own happy childhood as a precious, priceless time for curiosity, unhurried exploration and imagination, and a desire to create a space where children can create their own rich memories. She loves working here because the beautiful large garden space presents ever evolving opportunities to learn from and in nature and because her colleagues are so passionate, kind and fun! As a local, she loves the strong sense of community in Beaumaris. Fiona believes that all children deserve to work with authentic adults who validate their emotions and keep them safe, who recognise and value children as individuals and who are skilled in fostering the social skills that enable children to engage meaningfully with others.
