Encounter’s new beacon of early learning excellence

There is a new beacon of innovative, fun-filled learning in Victor Harbor, South Australia, with Encounter Lutheran College’s brand-new Lighthouse Early Learning centre open for business, much to the delight of the community’s littlest learners.

The new centre opened in May and features a bespoke nature playground, along with modern and secure facilities, catering for 55 youngsters between three and four years old.

Lighthouse Early Learning is part of Encounter’s $8 million building program undertaken in partnership with LLL, which also incorporates the new Wilderness Centre.

LLL Head of Client Relationships Sam and Communications Officer Jason were delighted to take up the offer of a tour of the new facilities and chat with Director of Early Learning Vanessa.

‘It’s such a great space. The children have really enjoyed exploring all the different options for play,’ Vanessa said.

‘There’s space for quiet time when they need a little break. We have little nooks and the sunroom where we have together time.

‘We have a nice, big kitchen area where we do cooking activities with the children, and we integrate with the college with that as well. The Year 12s come down and do some cooking with us.

‘We have a lot of options with the space.’

One of the most striking features of the state-of-the-art building is the colourful beach huts on the exterior wall that faces Adelaide Road, which are also functional spaces for the children to use on the inside.

Each box has its own colour scheme and number, which hold particular significance:

• 78 – the number of students on the very first day Encounter commenced.
• 2001 – Encounter’s first year as a school.
• 1517 – the year of the Reformation, a year marking the beginning of the Lutheran Church.
• 8:12 – a reference to John 8:12, a verse in the Bible declaring, ‘I am the light of the world’. This is a reminder that we can look to God for light, love and hope throughout our lives.

‘It’s been exciting for all of our families, too, because they’ve been watching it while it was under construction, and also for our educators, who have had this as their vision and their dream,’ Vanessa added.

‘To see it go from the germination of a little idea to what it is now has been amazing.’

If your school, retirement living/aged care facility or congregation has a missional objective that could be achieved through an LLL partnership, contact LLL (www.lll.org.au; lll@lll.org.au; 1800 556 457).

Read about more uplifting projects that LLL supports thanks to its missional partnership with depositors in Together in Mission at www.lll.org.au/tim

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