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Latrobe City Moe Heights Preschool teacher's Win at Victorian Early Years Awards 2024 Minister's Award

Latrobe's Jacinta Anderson won the 2024 Minister's Award at the Victorian Early Years Awards, recognizing her innovative, trauma-informed teaching supporting vulnerable children. Morwell Park Kindergarten also excelled as a finalist.

By news@gippsland - 2nd December 2024 - Back to News

Latrobe City Council is pleased to announce that Moe Heights Preschool teacher, Jacinta Anderson, was a finalist at the Victorian Early Years Awards 2024, in the Early Childhood Teacher of the Year category and won the 2024 Minister's Award. The award recognises an early childhood teacher who has demonstrated evidence-based innovation and exemplary practice in early childhood education and care. Their nomination demonstrates how they have made a significant contribution to the development and delivery of high-quality early childhood education programs.

Latrobe City celebrates Minister's Award for trauma-informed education and Morwell Park Kindergarten's recognition as an Early Years Awards finalist for supporting learning transitions

Supporting early learning

Jacinta is dedicated to the education and wellbeing of young children, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds and children with additional needs. By utilising trauma-informed practices and providing children with innovative, hands-on experiences that develop learning and knowledge, Jacinta ensures every effort is made to meet the children's needs and engage them through fun and fulfilling experiences.

Morwell Park Kindergarten was also a finalist at the Early Years Awards, in the Continuity of Early Learning category. This award recognises early childhood services, schools or other organisations that support continuity of early learning through successful transitions.

Morwell Park Kindergarten, Morwell Park Primary School and Our Place began a collaborative journey in 2023 when all three services combined on the primary school premises. The aim was to improve education outcomes for children in Morwell, whose developmental risks were triple that of the state average.

Pride in excellence

Latrobe City Council CEO, Steven Piasente, said he is very proud of the achievements of both Jacinta and Morwell Park Kindergarten. "With a deep understanding of the developmental stages of young children, Jacinta provides a nurturing environment that promotes growth and development, whilst developing strategies to strengthen family partnerships and participation. We are extremely proud of Jacinta and grateful for the high-level of teaching that she provides our youngest community members," said Mr Piasente.

"The staff at Morwell Park Kindergarten, and especially Sarah Burkett, who has been instrumental in the early success of the kindergarten to date, should be extremely proud of their work. The team introduced the Talk Boost language program, which accelerated language skills by 18 months, over 10 weeks. I look forward to seeing how this program and others like it will develop into the future," he said.

Honoured and grateful

Speaking about her nomination for the award, Jacinta Anderson said she was grateful to be a finalist at the Victorian Early Years Awards 2024. "I was very surprised and happy to be nominated and was one of three finalists for the Victorian Early Childhood Teacher of the Year in 2024, after also being a finalist in 2023," said Mrs Anderson

"I was very honoured to win the 2024 Minister's Award, the last award presented on the night, chosen by Hon. Lizzie Blandthorn MP. Through this award, the Council will receive a grant of $15,000 that will enable me to access professional development opportunities in 2025," concluded Mrs Anderson.

Pictures from Google Maps.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com