Cheryl Del Bel

Head of School, Kidz Village International Kindergarten

Industry : Public Service

Cheryl Del Bel measures educational progress at child scale: a little more confidence, a question prompted by newfound curiosity, the willingness to attempt something unfamiliar. After more than 15 years in education, she sees these everyday shifts as some of learning’s most meaningful outcomes.

Her own career has taken her through virtually every level of school life. Del Bel has worked as a teacher’s aide, classroom teacher, head teacher and school leader across Canada and Asia, experience that gives her perspective from both sides of the classroom door. She also holds two Master of Education degrees, alongside postgraduate qualifications in early years education and special educational needs.

Kidz Village International Kindergarten has been central to that journey. Del Bel joined its founding team when the school opened in 2013 and today leads its educational direction as head of school. Despite the senior role, remaining connected to classrooms and the wider school community is an important part of her approach.

At its heart is the principle that children should be recognised as individuals rather than expected to develop to a single template. Educators and families, in turn, form part of the same support system.

For Del Bel, then, education is both highly qualified work and deeply human work. The larger ambitions – confidence, independence and a lasting curiosity about the world – begin with noticing the small moments in which a child starts to flourish.