Cherese Rootman
Childcare Director
Adelaide,SA
Summary
Accomplished teacher successful in classroom management, student evaluations and test preparation. Proven history of improving student learning outcomes by adapting lesson plans to student needs. Dedicated to promoting academic performance and fostering social skills and character development. Accomplished Fundraising Coordinator with success in raising funds for school projects, such as our Alphabetti programm. Excellent multi-tasking educator ready to wear the hat of many rolls. To seek and maintain full-time position that offers professional challenges utilizing interpersonal skills, excellent time management and problem-solving skills.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Educational Leader
Brighter Beginnings Early Learning Center
Prospect, SA
11.2024 - 04.2025
- Creating and Maintaining a Quality Improvement Plan for the Center.
- Completing regular critical reflections on various activities and existing procedures.
- Established a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement within the classroom through regular reflection on instructional practices and student outcomes.
- Maintained accurate records of student progress through diligent
documentation practices, ensuring timely communication with stakeholders about achievements or concerns. - Actively communicated and pursued government funding, such as IDFM and the government approved kindergarten program with success over multiple cases.
- Created opportunities for reflection in alternative and quick thinking ways to support the center and its staffing needs.
- Successfully working with a room leaders to make a success of the current policies and procedures.
- Creating a center's layouts for all plans and documentation, to align with the NQF requirements.
- To Create and collaborate with educators on planning, implementing and evaluating the curriculum.
- To provide support and mentorship to other educators, not only at my current centre, but others under the Being group as well.
- I have an excellent standing with parents and promote a transparent and trusting culture.
Early Childhood Teacher
Brighter Beginnings Early Learning Center
Prospect, SA
12.2023 - 04.2025
- Led a team of educators within the kindergarten room, creating clear procedures and routines that helped the team succeed in their initiatives and meet learning and wellbeing goals for children
- Developed individual cycles of planning for each child, ensuring learning experiences were meaningful, responsive, and aligned with their developmental needs.
- Mentored junior educators, supporting them to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and progress in their careers.
- Reduced operational costs by introducing practical, cost‑effective solutions and closely monitoring how resources were used within
the room. - Championed change during periods of transition, guiding the team
through new expectations while keeping morale, communication, and consistency strong. - Worked collaboratively with cross‑functional teams to
support broader organisational goals, contributing to a culture of teamwork and innovation. - Built strong, trusting relationships with families and
stakeholders, ensuring everyone felt informed, included, and confident in the learning journey. - Communicated regularly with parents and staff, ensuring all
voices were heard and considered in decisions affecting children's
development. - Created daily observations that offered families a clear window
into the children's learning, routines, and experiences. - Designed and implemented child‑centred, inclusive curriculum plans that supported every learner's strengths, interests, and needs.
- Advocated for children by working closely with internal teams and external services to ensure the room operated smoothly and met the needs of all learners
Executive Service Manager
Nido Early School
Adelaide, SA
12.2025 - Current
- Led the daily operations of a busy early learning service, ensuring the centre remained safe, compliant, and aligned with organisational and regulatory expectations.
- Provided clear, consistent leadership to educators and room leaders, supporting them through day‑to‑day challenges, coaching them through reflective practice, and helping them grow in confidence and capability.
- Stabilised the service during periods of staffing pressure, operational change, and leadership gaps, ensuring children, families, and educators continued to experience a calm and predictable environment.
- Oversaw all compliance requirements, including incident management, documentation reviews, risk assessments, and ongoing quality monitoring across the centre.
- Managed rostering, staffing allocations, and daily operations to ensure ratios, supervision, and safety were maintained at all times.
- Supported educators with programming, documentation, and curriculum expectations, helping them meet quality standards while maintaining realistic workloads.
- Built strong relationships with families, ensuring communication was warm, transparent, and responsive to individual needs.
- Handled escalations, concerns, and sensitive conversations with
professionalism and emotional intelligence, always prioritising child safety and respectful communication. - Led recruitment, onboarding, and performance conversations, working closely with HR to ensure fair, consistent, and supportive processes.
- Provided coaching and guidance to the service admin team, helping them understand expectations, boundaries, and the importance of accurate communication and documentation.
- Coordinated maintenance, centre jobs, and operational requirements, ensuring the environment remained safe, functional, and welcoming.
- Supported the centre through audits, visits, and compliance checks, ensuring documentation and practice were aligned and audit‑ready.
- Advocated for educators and children by identifying gaps, raising concerns appropriately, and implementing improvement plans where needed.
- Fostered a culture of teamwork, respect, and continuous improvement, encouraging open communication and shared responsibility across the centre.
- Stepped in wherever needed — from covering rooms to supporting admin tasks — to ensure the centre remained stable and supported during challenging periods
Educational Leader
Guardian childcare and education
Adelaide, SA
05.2025 - 12.2025
- Joined the centre during a period of significant staffing challenges and immediately stepped up to support leadership, especially after the Assistant Centre Manager resigned during my training period.
- Took on a wide range of centre leadership responsibilities to keep the service stable and running smoothly, supporting the Centre Manager wherever needed.
- Reviewed existing programs, identified what wasn't working, and
implemented improvements. I later presented some of these initiatives at a company‑wide training session. - Created, updated, and maintained all medical management plans for the centre, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Worked closely with the HR team during staff performance reviews, supporting documentation, feedback, and follow‑up planning.
- Led the planning for the centre's Preschool Boost program, identifying team training needs and deciding how funding should be allocated for the greatest impact.
- Critically reflected on centre practices and identified areas where major changes were needed. Developed clear plans to implement, support, and monitor improvements across the service.
- Stepped in wherever the centre needed support — from covering in rooms to helping in the kitchen — to ensure smooth daily operations.
- Assisted with managing bookings, logging maintenance jobs, and
coordinating centre requirements. - Supported the centre during ESB visits, ensuring documentation and practices were aligned with expectations.
- Completed regular risk assessments across the centre and implemented strategies to maintain a safe and compliant environment.
- Acted as the first point of contact for Inclusion Support, writing Support Plans, SIPs, and individual development plans for children requiring additional support.
- Conducted ongoing assessments of centre practices and implemented improvement plans to strengthen compliance and programming quality.
- Maintained accurate documentation of children's progress and ensured timely communication with families and stakeholders.
- Designed and delivered community and family events to strengthen relationships and build a positive centre culture.
- Built a collaborative, reflective team culture by encouraging open
conversations about practice, quality, and continuous improvement. - Mentored new educators, trainees, and students, working closely with RTOs and facilitators to support their development and confidence.
Grade 3 Teacher
HH Academy
Port-Elizabeth
01.2022 - 07.2023
- Planned lessons according to departmental standards to cover requirements and prepare for standardized tests.
- Collaborated with administrators on classroom policies, management strategies and discipline.
- Implemented classroom management improvements to enhance class morale and engagement.
- Sourced supplies to fill gaps in student activities.
- Boosted individual perseverance and resilience by setting challenging goals and providing realistic support.
- Promoted exploration of building blocks of learning by leading diverse, hands-on activities.
- Drove student learning by establishing clear classroom plans and group objectives, as well as actionable strategies to achieve each goal.
- Stayed abreast of new trends in education by attending professional development courses and in-service trainings.
- Kept classroom clean, organized and safe for students and visitors.
- Taught students subject-specific material, learning strategies and social skills.
- Provide all required documentation and proof of work as the Department (Umalusi) would evaluate grade 3 as an exit grade yearly.
Grade 2 Teacher
HH Academy
Port-Elizabeth
01.2019 - 03.2020
- Planned lessons according to departmental standards to cover requirements and prepare for standardized tests.
- Collaborated with administrators on classroom policies, management strategies and discipline.
- Built positive relationships with parents to involve families in educational process.
- Assessed student learning progress and comprehension with routine tests and standardized examinations.
- Promoted exploration of building blocks of learning by leading diverse, hands-on activities.
- Sourced supplies to fill gaps in student activities.
- Organized classroom supplies and decorated walls to create fun, nurturing settings and meet learning needs.
Education
Bachelor Of Education - Foundation Phase
UNISA
South Africa 02.2016 - 10.2021
Skills
Time management
Problem-solving skills
Activity planning
Special Education
Student Counseling
Lesson planning
Classroom management
Timeline
Executive Service Manager
Nido Early School
12.2025 - Current
Educational Leader
Guardian childcare and education
05.2025 - 12.2025
Educational Leader
Brighter Beginnings Early Learning Center
11.2024 - 04.2025
Early Childhood Teacher
Brighter Beginnings Early Learning Center
12.2023 - 04.2025
Grade 3 Teacher
HH Academy
01.2022 - 07.2023
Grade 2 Teacher
HH Academy
01.2019 - 03.2020
Bachelor Of Education - Foundation Phase
UNISA
02.2016 - 10.2021