“In joining the PAG, I felt more connected and responsible for the community around me than I had since I was a teenager. I hadn’t realise I’d disconnected so much. I was in this happy cycle of work/play/work/play… but it was exclusive and isolated to my existing circle – I didn’t really connect with people down the street. I do now. And the PAG team, a group of parents thrown together as representatives of the community and the kinder, have been a real delight to work with. I admit, that wasn’t really what I expected (I expected it to be really hard). With my fellow PAG members, I have learnt a lot about leadership, stakeholder management (executive/board), community engagement, fundraising, events, grants and dispute management. Personally and as a community, joining the PAG is deeply meaningful work, work with legacy and great learning opportunities. It’s worth the effort. The 2018 PAG did a great job, and they worked hard to ensure we raised funds for future improvements, and that the families attending our kinder had a sense of belonging – as well as implementing a number of exciting improvements like the Indigenous garden and the kid-powered water feature. I’m proud of our contribution to the community, and I’d do it again.”

“When our first child went through Glen Education McKinnon kindergarten, what I really loved was all of the extra activities and events that the then PAG organised. As a working parent, it’s not always easy to connect with other parents, especially as I wasn’t doing pick-ups and drop-offs. And as a hospital administrator, I didn’t think that ‘show and tell’ of a business case process would really engage the kids (unlike the time that the Dr came, or the physio with a full size skeleton or the time the zoologist came with live animals – my kids are still talking about that!) – so how could I show my kids I wanted to be a part of their foundational structured education experience when I was a full time working, boring bureaucrat? As it happened, a role came up on the PAG and so I put my hand up. What a great decision! The events that we have organised have provided such a great opportunity for me to meet many of the local families, they have given the kids other opportunities to interact with the community and see the value the community places on their kinder and the experiences they are having. My kids have seen that it takes work to organise events, but that the rewards are there too (fun activities, great BBQ’s, new facilities for the kinder). We have great friends from the kinder, too!. Working on the committee has reconfirmed for me the power of community and the sense of belonging it provides. It has been a pleasure to serve.”

“We moved to Bentleigh East three years ago and when my eldest son got accepted into the three year old program at Glover street, I was so happy. Not only for him, as the kinder was everything I hoped it would be, but also for me as I couldn’t wait to be involved in the local kinder community. I’ve learnt some fabulous skills from being on the PAG for the last two years and have formed some lovely friendships. I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved in all the planning and organising of events and fundraising items for the families and helping out behind the scenes. I have another two boys to go through Glover Street and I look forward to continuing my commitment to the PAG as we work for the benefit of our wonderful kinder and all the children who get the privilege of being students there.”

“I would highly recommend joining the kinder P.A.G. Not only did I feel I was contributing to our kinder, it was a great way to meet other families & feel connected to my community.”

“The best part of being involved in the PAG has been the friendships our family has made. My involvement has also made my children feel involved and a part of the Kindergarten community. They see the Kinder as more then then just a place to go and learn but also a place they belong, have fun and contribute too. Its been so rewarding see to all of the families really enjoy the events we have put on and see projects we have helped fundraise for happen at the Kinder.”