Our Staff
Where the Passion Begins
Carmen Lau
Director & 4-year-old Teacher
Hi, my name is Carmen and I am a qualified kinder teacher. I have been working within the three and four year old programs at Doncaster East Preschool since 2015. I live locally and love that we have an abundance of nature parks and reserves nearby. I am actively involved within the local Chinese community and the Melbourne cultural arts scene. I speak Cantonese as a second language and incorporate this into the kinder program where I can. I am passionate about building a sense of belonging and community for both our children and families, and love the inclusion of cultural traditions and languages that families bring into the kinder. I enjoy supporting the children to develop their independence, curiosity, creativity and love of literacy, and believe every child is a capable learner. My fondness for food and travel transcends into our kinder program where I enjoy cooking experiences with the children, exploring and discovering our natural environment, and engaging in messy play!
Claire Denadic
Educational Leader & 3-year-old Teacher
Hi, my name is Claire and I am a qualified kinder teacher. I joined the Doncaster East Pre School in 2021 and instantly felt at home. As a teacher, I aim to provide all students with a warm, caring, engaging, encouraging and fun learning environment which ensures all children are given the opportunities and stimulation to reach their individual goals and become lifelong learners. In my spare time I volunteer with local community groups, spend time with family and friends and I love to go on adventures with my 3-year-old daughter and spending time out in nature.
4-year-old Educator
Hi, I’m Suzie and I have my Diploma in Children’s Services and been working in childcare/kinder for 20 years. I live locally so I know the area very well. I am married and have 3 gorgeous boys. I speak Greek as a second language and add it to the program by reading books and singing songs to the children. I enjoy reading, cooking, going for walks and spending time with my family, watching movies, doing puzzles and playing lots of board games! I enjoy being a part of Doncaster East Preschool, watching the children grow and develop throughout the year into confident, well mannered, independent school children. I hope to foster a sense of belonging within the program encouraging safe, secure and supported relationships between the children, teachers and parents. I encourage the children to participate in science experiments throughout the year, developing their learning, curiosity, creativity and imaginations.
Suzie Berdenis
Jeanine Conroy
3-year-old Educator
Hi, my name is Jeanine. I have my Certificate Three in Children’s Services. I’m married with two teenage children and have lived locally for over 20 years. I like to travel and go on camping holidays with my family, enjoy going for walks with my dog and playing netball with my friends. The staff at Doncaster East Pre-school have always made it a joy to come to work. I truly believe that the support we have for one another as a team, ensures that the children at our pre-school get positive outcomes in their early education. Helping children find a sense of belonging at kinder is of utmost importance to me and I enjoy ensuring that both the children and their families feel comfortable in our environment which in turn leads to the children becoming strong, independent learners. Seeing the joy in a child’s face when they successfully learn a new skill is something I thrive to achieve.
Selika Harris
3-year-old Educator
Hi, my name is Selika, I am a Diploma qualified Educator and have been working in childcare for 10 years. I am so excited to be part of the Doncaster East Preschool community and I’m looking forward to getting to know all of the children and their families. I believe that all children deserve a high quality education and a warm, safe, nurturing and stimulating environment for them to develop their personalities and skills. I love watching children grow and learn.
Pikying Soo
Administration Officer
I have a Bachelor of Science degree and have always wanted to do something in a different field. I am now the Administration Officer at Doncaster East Pre-School and delighted to be able to continue to contribute to the school where my child also attended in 2021-2022 during which I volunteered on the Committee of Management as Fundraising Coordinator.