Shalom! Meet our Team

Gani Gani Kindergarten is staffed by a team of passionate, caring and highly trained educators.

Colleen is the Director of Gan Gani and also coordinates the Jewish program at the kindy.

Since graduating in South Africa with a degree in education (BA equivalent, RSA), Colleen has since furthered her studies in Australia with a qualification in early childhood and in teaching dance.

Colleen strongly believes in instilling a culture of respect, tolerance and acceptance amongst the children and their families at kindy as well as in the larger community. Her long standing affiliation with the kindy, including the attendance of her own children, has made her a special part of the Gan Gani family.

Sally has extensive experience teaching in kindergarten settings both in Australia and the United Kingdom.

She holds a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood and has special interest in the areas of children’s literature, art and nature education.

Sally has had two children attend Gan Gani. Sally enjoys yoga, gardening and going on outdoor adventures with her young family.

Alex holds a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) and a Bachelor of Arts. Her past work experience includes many years as a teacher and, more recently, a research officer in the field of socially and emotional development.

Alex loves working with both children and their families to support learning and development and also works in our Inclusion Support area.

She and her husband have two children, a dog and a cat, and in her free time she loves spending time with her family, friends, travelling, reading, bush walking and swimming in the ocean. 

Lorraine has been working in the community with young children for nearly fifteen years and holds a Certificate III and Diploma of Early Childhood Education.

She has three grown up children. Her two daughters attended Gan Gani and she still remembers the excitement of occasion and the smell of freshly baked Challah on Shabbat.

Lorraine enjoys bike riding, walking her dog and bush walking and has two cats. She and her partner love to entertain and spend lots of time in the kitchen.

Janice is one of our Inclusion Support Educators.

Janice is married with one grown up daughter, and she is passionate about her volunteer work with a Greyhound dog rehoming group.

Sandhya migrated to Australia in the year 2000 and she absolutely loves living in Brisbane.

She has always worked with children, as teaching has been her passion.  Sandhya is one of ourInclusion Support Educators. 

Sandhya has two children.  When she is not busy with her family or teaching, she enjoys reading. 

History

In 1989, a group of play-group mothers who met at the South Brisbane Synagogue decided to establish a Jewish community kindergarten and Gan Gani Kindergarten was born.

Under the presidency of Judy Schnitzer, Gan Gani was envisioned as a local Brisbane community kindergarten and preschool with Jewish traditions at the heart of our educational programs.

The roots of our name

Our name comes from two Hebrew words that encapsulate our community kindergarten. The use of Hebrew, the traditional, cultural and religious language of the Jewish people, is spiritually symbolic and meaningful.

The word “gan” literally means “garden”, while “gani” comes from the same root word but is used to refer to a kindergarten. 

Together, “gan gani” means ‘our kindergarten garden’. 

We couldn’t think of a better name for our little community that reflects so important a concept for us! Could you?

Who We Are

Gan Gani is a not-for-profit community kindergarten, rated as Exceeding National Quality Standards.

Managed entirely by a volunteer management committee of current and past parents, our emphasis on family, hands-on learning and Jewish tradition can be felt in everything we do.

The kindergarten is affiliated with Lady Gowrie QLD, a non-profit, early childhood organisation that has a long tradition and commitment to best practice in children’s quality care and education throughout Australia. 

Visit The Gowrie (Qld) Inc for further information.