Rising star
Rita Green, Bennett Springs
Rita is the room leader of the Toddlers room, recently completing her Diploma. Her work colleagues say that she is the most compassionate and kind-hearted person filled with love that flows into her work and the relationships she has with the families, children, and her team. She certainly makes her families and children feel cared for.
Rita embraces our person-centred approach by listening to families and catering to their individual needs. She values all the members of the team and finds ways to demonstrate this as well as always being there to help and support them.
Honourable mention: Sophie Gasper, Heathridge
Sophie is a Cert 3 trainee and started at Heathridge with a natural talent, quickly earning the respect of the co-workers and families and developing great connections with the children.
Educator of the year
Chloe Glasson, Ballajura
Chloe is a Diploma educator in the Babies room. She continuously maintains a high level of work ethic and is always giving 100% effort each day. Chloe is honest, hardworking, and compassionate to everyone around her and demonstrates her work with integrity.
Chloe lives and breathes the MercyCare Mission and values, and she is passionate about integrating the Ethos Shapers into the centre. As well as being the Eco Warrior, she is now focusing on how she can champion protective behaviours into the programs across the centre. She embeds Aboriginal perspective within her room, and diversity and inclusion of all cultures is very important to her.
Honourable mention: Amber Mizen, Thornlie
Amber is a Diploma educator working in the Babies room. She has taken mini chef to the next level this year. She has really worked hard on the program, incorporating different skills, sustainability, and culture, combining this with growing and maintaining produce in the garden.
Inspiring Leader of the year
Dona Atukorale, Bassendean
Dona is the room leader in the Yakkan room (Toddlers). She always goes above and beyond what is required, and her passion is inspiring.
Dona attends seminars and workshops and brings back the information to the centre, sharing her new knowledge with the other educators. Dona works hard to provide educational and purposeful activities for the children, ensuring they know the ‘why’ behind each experience.
Honourable mention: Catherine Neasy, Merriwa
Catherine was 2IC at Merriwa and has recently stepped up into the Centre Manager role. She always places the children, families and educators needs as a high priority and understands each person has their own individual needs. Catherine goes above and beyond, showing respect and compassion to all.
Employee of the year
Joanne Taylor, Wembley
On paper Jo is the admin officer at Wembley, but in reality she is so much more! She goes above and beyond the expectations of her role each and every day.
Jo comes in with a big smile on her face and bursting with personality that is contagious, Wembley would not be the same without her!
Honourable mention: Donna Kemp, Bennett Springs
Donna is the cook at Bennett Springs and plays a key role every day, providing nutritious and healthy meals that incorporate indigenous ingredients and supports the variety of individual health needs.
Centre Manager of the year
Winner: Jacenta Booth, Bennett Springs
Jacenta is an exceptional Centre Manager that works tirelessly to ensure a smooth-running centre, a strong and positive working team and the best care for the children and families. Jacenta puts a 110% into everything she does.
She has built great partnerships with her local community and works hard to maintain these relationships, often volunteering in her own time. Jacenta inspires and motivates her team and supports everyone’s cultures and individual needs.
Honourable mention: Tammy Dodd, Landsdale
Tammy has shown so much growth and progression this year. She has put in the time and effort to create a positive team environment and this is evident through the amazing work her educators are doing.
Tammy really cares about her staff and takes pride in how the centre looks and feels. She loves to see the children happy and cared for by demonstrating a person-centred approach.
Centre of the year
Winner- Ballajura Early Learning Centre
When you enter the centre there is always a buzz of activity and each staff greets you with a smile. There are displays of children’s work that showcase the meaningful program that is being embedded across all the rooms.
The importance of the Mission Ethos Shapers is evident throughout the centre with the RAP and environmental sustainability being reflected in all environments. The animals have an amazing enclosure with a vegetable garden developed just to feed the animals. The menu incorporates indigenous recipes, using produce from the garden.
The centre introduced the staff skills program with art and music classes being run in each room.
Honourable mention: Landsdale Early Learning Centre
The staff have all worked so hard to build a new team and create a positive team environment.
The educators really take pride in how Landsdale ELC feels and looks, the centre presents beautifully with natural play environments and respectful displays and is like a home away from home. The practices are really person centred, catering to the needs of the families and children.
