Creating brighter futures for the children of Lynedoch Valley
We believe that every child in the Lynedoch Valley has the right to receive the best possible education that will help them realise their full potential. Acknowledging that each child is unique and learns differently, we strive to leave no child behind and support each child where they are at.
We support children from Lynedoch Valley with full scholarships to access high quality education best suited to their needs. They receive daily meals, transport, socio-emotional support and can participate in creative arts and sport. Parents and guardians are also supported through workshops and community support.
The learners attend our own beautiful small Montessori primary school that we started in January 2020. Here, we extend our Montessori learning to provide children aged 6 – 12 with the opportunity to flourish through a diversity of learning experiences. By offering a variety of learning opportunities, understanding learner needs and having prepared teachers, we hope to help shape confident, self-aware and equipped young individuals that can actively participate in the community and society.
The Team
Jessica Eley
Rosaline Van Niekerk
Magdalene de Villiers
Gretchen Matthys
Atiyyah Cariem
Shannon Daniels
Janine Rozaan Jaftha
Yvette Ras
Caro Theron
Lynedoch Schools Coordinator
Jessica Eley
Jessica Eley is a qualified teacher, specialising in learner support and special educational needs.
She has worked in this field since 2013, working in the private school sector, abroad in France and Vietnam, and locally as well. She holds two diplomas from UNISA in Tourism and Event Management and a Post Graduate in Education. Her passion is working with children and providing them with individualised support catering to their specific needs. Originally from and living in the area, Jessica is driven and motivated to provide the children in the Lynedoch Valley and surrounds, with the support, guidance and love to the best of her ability to create a better future for them.
COMMUNITY COORDINATOR
Rosaline Van Niekerk
Ross is a registered Assessor and Facilitator in Lynedoch Early Learning. She holds a NQF level 4 and NQF level 5 Diploma in Early Childhood Development.
She is the epitome of someone who practices what she believes within the classroom, due to her practical experience of working with children. Her vision is that every person working with children must have an accredited qualification, because we those are the people who help build a holistic development of the child. Directors and assistants must be proud of the role they play in children’s lives and also have the confidence that they are the best.
Teaching Assistant
Magdalene de Villiers
In 2020 she started at the Lynedoch Community School as a Teaching Assistant. She is now responsible for the 9-12 year old children at Lynedoch Community School. She is very passionate in what she does and always strives to do everything to the best of her ability. Previously Magdalene worked for SPARK school from 2017- 2019 as a Supervisor taking care of children, ensuring that they were safe and happy.
Every day she is granted is a learning experience for her to gain more knowledge about what she is passionate about. Working with children provides her with an opportunity to improve herself on a daily basis. She loves reading and doing nature walks within the Lynedoch Community. For Magdalene being in an environment that provides access to all of the tools and inspiration, brings pure joy to her heart and soul.
Admin Assistant
Gretchen Matthys
Gretchen Matthys graduated from the Lynedoch Youth Programme in 2012. She came back to the SI in 2020 as an intern, when she worked at the Lynedoch Community School as a cleaner. She showed great potential, and soon she was appointed as the administration assistant at the Lynedoch Community School.
Trained Adult 6 - 9 Environment
Atiyyah Cariem
Creative Arts Assistant and Movement Coach
Shannon Daniels
Shannon Daniels, a Youth Programme graduate, started as an intern at the SI in May 2020. He works at the Lynedoch Community School, and is a very valuable asset to the organisation and has gained a great amount of experience. He has learned that he has a connection with the children and also what significant role the SI plays in the lives of the children and youth from this community. “My time at the SI has helped me to become more ambitious and I identified a lot of opportunities. I also developed a big love working with children.”
Teaching Assistant
Janine Rozaan Jaftha
Janine is an Assistant Teacher in the 6 – 9 environment. She is overjoyed to be part of such an amazing school, the Lynedoch Community School, as well as working alongside a passionate team.
She believes every child is unique and deserves a caring, inspiring and engaging atmosphere in which to grow emotionally, intellectually and socially. As an Assistant Teacher she helps students meet their fullest potential in these areas by providing a safe, risk-taking and collaborative environment. She wants students to develop positive character and leadership traits which are essential in becoming a productive citizen. She looks forward to giving back to the community that she is also a product of.
Janine is gentle, passionate, intuitive, caring and an introvert. Her hobbies include singing, playing guitar, drawing and walks on the beach.
TRAINED ADULT 9 - 12 ENVIRONMENT
Yvette Ras
Yvette is currently the guide in the 9 – 12 class at the Lynedoch Community School. She is a qualified teacher specialising in languages with a heart for inclusive education. During her time as student and class assistant, she was continuously trained in inclusive education in a mainstream classroom. She has been teaching for 12 years and has worked with learners from various backgrounds ranging from Grade R to matric. Before joining LCS she was part of a Skills school for seven years. Her passion lies in guiding, teaching, and helping learners discover the world around them while giving them the tools and opportunities to reach their true potential. She also has experience in working with learners with various learning obstacles who struggle to fit into a mainstream school environment and who has lost their sense of self and who they are.
CREATIVE ARTS FACILITATOR
Caro Theron
With a love for all things creative and as a strong advocate for creative expression, Caro studied Fashion Design and Photography. She went on to teach English in China as a Kindergarten English Homeroom Teacher to experience a different culture, but ultimately decided that South Africa is her home. This led her to the Sustainability Institute in 2023, where she facilitates weekly classes for the children and youth programmes.