On Friday, 10 October, KU Sunbeam Preschool celebrated the remarkable achievement of 100 years of delivering high quality education and care since its establishment in 1925.
For the service’s 100th Anniversary celebration, families, children and staff gathered in KU Sunbeam’s outdoor play area. Amongst attendees were KU Children’s Services CEO, Christine Legg; KU Children’s Service’s Board member, Birgitte Maibom; KU Sunbeam Director, Sarah Kim; Manager, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Programs, Gisella Wilson; Lead Education and Quality Manager, Brooke Rankin; Education and Quality Manager, Deborah Loveday; Education and Support Manager, Amy Kabos; and Learning and Development Practice Facilitator, Laure Hislop.
Among the special guests was City of Sydney Councillor, Zann Maxwell.
To fundraise for new projects in the service, the children and families worked together to create a recipe book which was available on the day.
Guests enjoyed a historic display showcasing milestones at the service over the past century, as well as refreshments and activities, including a bubble show and photobooth. Followed by speeches from Zann Maxwell, Christine Legg and Sarah Kim who acknowledged the service’s dedicated staff and their valuable contribution to the local community over the decades.
KU Sunbeam first opened in St Mark’s Church Hall in Alexandria in 1925. In 1934, the service relocated to a building in Lyne Street, previously used as a school hall, with an open outdoor area.
Later, it closed briefly when the City of Sydney Council took over the property in 1953; demolishing and rebuilding the new preschool building in 1956, which has been operational since 1958.
Today, KU Sunbeam offers a welcoming hidden oasis for all children to safely discover, play and learn.
“KU Sunbeam has been a cherished part of this community for generations”, said Christine Legg.
“It’s wonderful to see so many families, educators and support staff come together to celebrate such an important milestone. We are not only celebrating KU Sunbeam’s remarkable history but also the dedication of its educators and the enduring relationships with families that continue to shape the preschool’s success today.”
KU is proudly not for profit and committed to supporting exceptional outcomes for children and families as well as creating optimal experiences for staff. Part of the KU Difference is the high level of support provided to our teachers, educators and other service-based staff through the expertise of KU’s Central Office teams. Our specialist teams include Early Childhood Education, People Services, Finance, IT, Marketing and more.
As we deliver leading high quality inclusive play-based learning programs, KU continues to provide opportunities for children to become the creators, thinkers and doers of today and tomorrow.
Established in 1895, KU Children’s Services remains proudly not for profit and enriches the lives of more than 10,000 children and their families each year through services including long day care, kindergartens, preschools, NDIS services, inclusion services, family programs and more.
Pictured left to right: KU Children’s Services CEO, Christine Legg; Councillor, Zann Maxwell; KU Sunbeam Preschool Director, Sarah Kim; Education and Support Manager, Amy Kabos; the KU Sunbeam Preschool team; Education and Quality Manager, Deborah Loveday; Learning and Development Practice Facilitator, Laure Hislop; Lead Education and Quality Manager, Brooke Rankin.
