A 40-year-old Oakleigh South man will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this week, charged with the theft of more than $200,000 from a Monash kindergarten.
Police allege that between January and August this year the man, who is a member of the kindergarten's parent committee, stole $200,879 from the kindergarten's accounts.
The money is believed to be the proceeds of several years of fund-raising by kindergarten parents, and state education department grants.
Detective Senior Constable Matt De Boer, of the Monash crime investigation unit, said the man has been bailed and was due to face a filing hearing tomorrow.
The kindergarten is run by Early Childhood Management Services, a not-for-profit organisation.
Chief executive Bernie Nott said the organisation wanted to reassure parents that the kindergarten would continue to offer its services.
"There's no problem with our continuing operation of the kindergarten at all," Mr Nott said.
"It's unfortunate that this event has occurred and we'll let the process follow through the courts as it will."
Mr Nott said the alleged theft would not impact the day-to-day running of the kindergarten.
"Parents can be confident that the kinder will continue to operate."
According to its most recent annual report, ECMS runs 47 kindergartens and nine daycare centres across Melbourne.
Almost 4750 families use ECMS early childhood services and about 3000 children are enrolled in the kindergarten program.
Term fees are $265 for three year olds and $455 for four year olds.
Mr Nott declined to comment on whether kindergarten staff had noticed anything out of order.
"We've got a really dedicated team of staff at the kindergarten who are in no way implicated in this investigation.
"They're certainly concerned about it but they're working really hard to continue to provide the great service they do."