Meet The Teachers

Liz Lynch

Nominated Supervisor (Director)/Educational Leader

3 Year old and 4 Year old group Teacher (Red group and shared team teaching in the Three year old Groups)

Liz has been working in the Early Childhood field since 1999. She first became involved at East Ivanhoe Preschool as a parent when both of her children attended. After completing a Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Social Sciences – Children’s Service, Liz worked in Childcare for 11 years.

After completing a four year degree at Melbourne University on Early Childhood Studies, Liz worked as a Four year old Teacher at Mernda Villages Kindergarten until a Three year old position arose at East Ivanhoe Preschool in 2011. In 2013 Liz began teaching 4 year old Red group.

With an involvement at EIPS that stretches from parent, to holding key positions on the Committee of Management over several years, and now teacher, Liz has a wealth of knowledge and experience about our Kinder.

Annie Millsom

4 year old Educator (Red group) and Art Program (Red and Blue groups).

Annie has been working at the Kindergarten since 1990. She completed her Certificate III in 2012 and has experience working with children who face additional challenges such as autism, language support, global developmental delay and down syndrome.

An artist by training, having studied Fine Arts at the University of Melbourne and Painting, Sculpture and Experimental Studies at RMIT, Annie has combined her time at the Kindergarten with working as graphic and textile designer, an illustrator and artist. Her work has been exhibited both in Australia and internationally. You can see her mosaics locally at our Kindergarten, at East Ivanhoe Shopping Village and East Ivanhoe Primary School.

Annie has a strong interest in the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy and its emphasis on creativity as crucial to a child’s development. She has incorporated art as an important part of our emergent curriculum, which is driven by the interests, ideas and imagination of the children.

In 2013 this led to a dedicated Art Program as part of our four year old curriculum. Many of the art works that can be seen as part of our Kinder have been made by our children, under leadership from Annie, not least our 50 Year Celebration Mosaic. Images of some of this wonderful creativity can be seen on the dedicated Art Program page.

Kate Atkinson

4 Year Old Educator (Red and Blue groups and Educator for Orange and Yellow groups)

Previously a Florist, Katie is now an experienced co-educator who has worked in Early Childhood since 2010 and has been at East Ivanhoe Preschool since 2012. She has a background of experience in supporting children with additional needs in her previous work role, and retains a strong interest in this area.

She has a Certificate III in Children’s Services and completed her Diploma in Children's Services with Gowrie Victoria 2017.

Sarah Mansfield

3 Year Old Educator (Educator for Four year old groups and Team teacher for Three year old groups).

Sarah is a child care professional who first experienced East Ivanhoe Preschool as a parent and loved it so much that she came to work here in 2013.

She has two decades of experience in the Early Childhood industry, working in other three year old programs and as a nanny. She completed her Certificate III in Children Services in 2001. In 2017 she completed her Diploma of Children’s Services with Gowrie Victoria.

Having been part of the EIPS community as a parent, on the Committee of Management and now in a teaching position, Sarah brings a great range of skills to our Kindergarten.

Pushpa Perera

Early Childhood Teacher (Blue group) Four Year old Group Teacher.

Pushpa has been working in the early childhood education sector since 1996. She is a fully qualified and registered teacher and holds a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) degree from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Before moving to Australia, Pushpa worked in Wellington, New Zealand for 17 years gaining valuable experience.

Pushpa’s aspiration for children is for them to grow into critical thinkers, to be innovators of change, to become competent, intelligent and powerful individuals who are confident to challenge the status quo. She strives to provide meaningful experiences that will encourage children to understand themselves and the world around them.

Pushpa loves spending time with family and they play a very important part in her life. She feels very fortunate to be working in an environment where the values and beliefs are so close to her own.