Wandin Preschool celebrates 60th birthday with Open Morning and cake 

Former staff and students joined currently enrolled children and families at an open day on Sunday, 10 November, celebrating 60 years of operation for Wandin Preschool. 

Just under 70 people were in attendance for the celebration, which included looking at old photos, watching a commemorative video, and enjoying a barbeque lunch and cake. 

Among the esteemed guests were founding members of the preschool Ray Taylor and Valmae Gaudion as well as Wendy Bartsch, who was one of the children who attended the preschool in its first year of operation.

For current Kindergarten teacher Geni Kogelman, being able to hear from community members about how the kindergarten began, and about the ‘devotion and dedication’ which took place to bring it to life was an ‘extraordinary’ opportunity. 

Prior to the preschool opening three years of fundraising, meetings, and advocacy took place. 

Ms Kogelman shared with local news source Star Mail that it was interesting to hear the list of fundraising ventures the original local community members came up with to raise the funds to build the service 60 years ago, such as waste paper drives, bottle drives, and fabric drives with Fred Guadion (Valmae’s husband) taking a truck load of paper all the way into the city to cash it in.

There was also a fishing competition in a local dam, with lucky tagged fish, and a local dance which had 300 attendees.

Mothers of the preschoolers donated their time to cater the dance, making items “like two dozen jelly cakes or 10 sponges,” and actress and singer Tony Lamond came and sang.

“In the planning process a significant donation was made by Percy (PJ) Mould, a local councilor, who heard of the plight of the parents in developing a kindergarten for Wandin and he came forward and donated a block of land,” Ms Kogelman said.

“This gave the committee a wonderful gift and great hope in their efforts as this was one aspect of their work and fundraising efforts that they now didn’t need to find additional money for.”

“The efforts and determination to get a kinder up and running in Wandin, for the Wandin families is a credit to them all, we continue to have these strong community connections with our families 60 years later, they have created such a legacy,” Ms Kogelman shared with local news source Star Mail.

“It is amazing that these community members are still here to help us celebrate their efforts and to think that Valmae’s great-granddaughter is in the kinder program this year, experiencing Wandin kindergarten all these years later.”

In 2021, Wandin Preschool amalgamated into Yarra Ranges Kindergartens who took over the administrative demands from the parents on the Committee of Management who had done so over the previous 57 years. 

In 2025 Wandin Preschool will be offering 7.5 hour sessions for children in the three and four-year-old programs, which will be the longest sessions they have ever offered at the kinder, as a result of the Victorian Government’s Early Years reforms.

“We always have dreams and plans to make modifications to our setting, we can only do this through our fundraising efforts and we are in the process of developing some new ideas to incorporate more playscapes into the playground, there is hope that we may be able to apply for grants in the coming year to help us achieve these goals,” Ms Kogelman said.

“Once again, the community spirit shines through with these celebrations with the Parent Support Group assisting to coordinate the events, seeking donations from local businesses, creating promotional signs, running stalls and donating their time in support of our kinder.”

Staff, she continued, have also supported events by being involved with the planning, promotion, attending events and also seeking community support and creating take-home appreciation cookie gifts for attendees on the Open Morning.

Read the original coverage of this story here.