Please remember that we need to follow SUN SAFTEY REGUALTIONS and the centres policy with clothing and footwear. Parents are required to dress their child/ren in clothing that minimises the amount of skin exposed to the sun Shirts must have sleeves that completely cover the shoulder and come at least half way down the upper arm and also cover the entire back and midriff area. Pants are to come down to the knees (no “short shorts”) and no Shirts/Dresses. Children who arrive wearing clothing such as singlet tops will be changed or loaned centre clothing that meets our requirements. Shoes must have a non-slip sole; NO THONGS/SLIDES/FLIPFLOPS/GUMBOOTS/UGGBOOTS/SLIPPERS

Entertainment Books Have Arrived!!!

For the families that have ordered or paid for your books they have arrived!

Please let educators know if you wish the buy one they are only $60 each with over $15,000 worth of savings and vouchers.  Some of these include:

• Woolworths and Coles
• Tin Lids and other many other indoor play centres
• McDonalds, Subway, dominos, Eagle boys, Cold Rock
• Taronga Zoo, Reptile Park, Aquarium

Really worth the money! The books pay for themselves and $12 from each book will go towards fundraising for the centre!

Sharing Circle & Weekend Sheet

We have started to do our Sharing Circle sheet this week at Pre-school. The children are really loving this experience and sharing their time with the other children. If you are unsure about families’ involvement in this please see our Educators and we can give you more information.

Easter Raffle

A great big thank you to the families that donated Easter raffle prizes and brought back and sold raffle tickets!!!!!!

We hope to raise some money to buy some more toys and equipment for the children

We also wish you all A Happy and Safe Easter,

The service will be closed Good Friday 6th of April and Easter Monday of April.

Up and coming events

• Henny Penny Hatching 7th -18th May
• JD’s World of Magic Friday 8th June 1pm
• Dental Health week 16th – 20th July
• School Photos 28th & 29th August
• Emergency Services week 3rd- 7th September
• Bob Turner Reptile Show 31st October

Thank you

Anneke, Brett, Cassie, Sheree and Phoebe

As most families know Tamara resigned as Nominated Supervisor of our preschool, Tamara will be missed by all and we wish her all the best for her exciting year to come. We will be joined by Anneke van Lier, Anneke has been working at Arcadia Vale for the past four years and has her Diploma in children’s Services. Anneke is very excited about joining our centre and can’t wait to meet all the families and children.

Weekend Sheet & Show and Tell

As of April we will no longer be doing show and tell, as this has been an upset for the children who may forget to bring their show and tell and the children are starting to get bored with this activity, and it is no longer considered appropriate under EYLF. We have a weekend sheet, this is for families to fill out once a week for their children. The children really love participating in this activity as they get to tell the other children what they do outside of care. This is also educational for the children as it stimulates their memory and encourages them to talk in front of others. Each child will be set a day once a week like show and Tell and the responses from the children will be up on the white board. Please see Anneke if you have any questions or concerns about this.

Swapping Days

There have been many parents asking for swap days over the past few weeks, unfortunately due to too much confusion we will not be doing swap days anymore. In saying this we are more than happy to book children in for extra days as we have spots available or if you wish to change your Childs day on a permanent basis this is ok as long as the spot is available. Please see Anneke or Brett if you wish to change a day permanently as the correct forms will need to filled out and a minimum of two weeks’ notice is required

Harmony Day 

Harmony Day is celebrated around Australia on 21 March each year. It’s a day when all Australians celebrate our cultural diversity. The continuing message for Harmony Day in 2012 is that Everyone Belongs, which means all Australians are a welcome part of our country, regardless of their background. It’s also about community participation, inclusiveness and respect and celebrating the different cultures that make Australia a great place to live. We will celebrate the important role that sport plays in bringing together Australians from all walks of life who share in a common passion of sport. At Rathmines we are going to be celebrating the event all week so all the children can participate. We aim get in contact with some local sporting personalities and teams, to join us each day. If you know of anyone who would be willing to join in our celebrations and visit us at our centre contact Anneke.

Easter Raffle

It’s that time of year again! We will be collecting donations for our Easter Raffle and tickets will be going out to families in the next few weeks and any donations would be appreciated.

Up and coming events

Harmony Week 19^th – 23^rd March

Speech Assessment with Chit-a-chat Friday 30^th March

Henny Penny Hatching 7^th -18^th May

JD’s World of Magic Friday 8^th June 1pm

Dental Health week 16^th – 20^th July

School Photos 28^th & 29^th August

Emergency Services week 3^rd- 7^th September

Bob Turner Reptile Show 31^st October

Thank you Anneke, Brett, Cassie, Sheree and Phoebe

We thought we would try and new fundraiser this year. We will be holding a photography fundraiser on Saturday 17^th March. For $20 you will receive a 10” x 13” FRAMED photo in either colour or black and white along with a key ring. This is a great fundraiser as 100% of funds collected will go straight back into our centre. You will find further information in your child’s locker. Please return your vouchers along with the $20 before Friday 24^th February as we need a minimum of 25 families to ahead with this fundraiser.

Facebook Fan Page

Rathmines Preschool now has a Facebook fan page. Already this has been a big hit. If you have a Facebook account, type in “Rathmines Preschool” into the search bar and “like” our page. This is just another way for us to keep you updated with important information and upcoming events. PLEASE NOTE: no photos of the children will be uploaded onto this page.

Preschool Operating Hours 

Our operating hours are from 8am till 5pm. We are licensed only for these hours and it is illegal for us to have children in our care before or after these times. Educators arrive early to ensure the environment is set up and safe ready for the children to arrive. If you arrive before 8.00am your child/ren must stay in your immediate care as educators are not responsible for the supervision of your child before or after these times.  

Bunnings BBQ

On Sunday 19^th February we will be holding a Bunnings BBQ at Bunnings Glendale. This is a great way to continue to raise funds to go towards new resources and also a great opportunity to spread the word about our fantastic centre. It would be great to see some familiar faces so come along and support our centre and enjoy a sausage sandwich.

Monthly Policy Review

This month we will be reviewing our Infectious Diseases/Exclusion and Hygiene and Infection Control policies. You will find a copy of the policies on the notice board in the Kookaburra room. Please take the time to read the policy and pass on your feed back to Tamara. Copies of policies are also available upon request at any time.

Some Exciting News

Tamara and her husband Aaron are VERY excited to announce that they are expecting their first baby in August this year!! Tamara will be continuing to work four days per week up until her due date. Cassie is working very hard and doing her best to finish her Diploma in Children’s Services so she can take Tamara’s position when she leaves for maternity leave. Phoebe will also be completing her traineeship and will step up as a qualified child care worker. This should mean that there will not be many changes to staff around this time.

Children’s Arrival Times

Educators have been noticing that some children are arriving very late to preschool in the mornings. It is encouraged that the children arrive at preschool no later than 9:30am this ensures that they get to engage in the morning’s activities, school readiness program and group times. It is also easier to separate the children from their parents if there is activities set up for them to engage in. If you are running late, which we understand can happen, please call educators and notify them of what time you will be arriving. If the child is not at preschool by 10:00am the educators will assume they are not going to be attending and this means your spot can be taken by another child wanting an extra day. PLEASE NOTE: a failure to notify staff of absence fee of $5 will be charged to your account if you do not call by 9:30am.

Educators Days Off

As you are aware Tamara works four days per week and usually has Thursdays off. This year Tamara and Sheree have swapped shifts and Tamara will now be having every Wednesday off, starting Wednesday 15^th February. You will start to see more of Cassie and Sheree when our enrolments begin to increase.

February Birthdays

We would like to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our all friends who are celebrating their birthday in February

                                                 Grace

Thank you Tamara, Brett, Cassie, Sheree and Phoebe

Welcome Back

Well two weeks have gone by and we are ready to take on 2012. Welcome back to all our families, we are looking forward to hearing about your holiday adventures. We would also like to say a big welcome to all of our new families. We look forward to working with you and getting to know your children. Please feel free to approach Tamara at any time if you have any questions regarding routines, staffing etc.

Preschool Fees in 2012

As you will be aware fees have now gone up from $54 per day to $56 per day. With the new regulations now in place we were required to raise fees to cover additional qualified staffing arrangements. Please see Tamara or Brett if you have any concerns or further questions.

Changing days and Additional days

If you need to swap days please see Tamara ASAP a form will need to be filled out and it is the parent’s responsibility to ask for this form. To swap days, 2 weeks notice is not required but permission will only be granted if the day you are seeking is available. Please see Tamara if you require addition days.

Evaluation Forms

It would be greatly appreciated if you could please take the time to fill out the Portfolio Evaluation From that was placed in each of the children’s portfolios last year. This assists us with our planning and programming. Your feedback is important to us and helps to ensure we are meeting your needs and expectations.

Monthly Policy Review

This month we will be reviewing our Ethical Conduct and Fees Policies. You will find a copy of the policies on the notice board in the Kookaburra room. Please take the time to read the policy and pass on your feed back to Tamara. Copies of policies are also available upon request at any time.

Staffing

We are very excited to say that all the educators will be returning to their usual rosters this year. You may find that only two educators will be working for the first couple of weeks. This is because our numbers are still quite low but we are expecting to get a lot of new enrolments when school returns.

Educational Leader

We are now required to have an “Educational Leader” at our service. The Education and Care Services National Regulations defines an Educational Leader as “a suitably qualified and experienced educator, co-ordinator or other individual as educational leader at the service to lead the development and implementation of educational programs in the service.” Tamara is our Educational Leader and it is her responsibility to oversee the programs and guide the staff in a positive way.

Nominated and Certified Supervisors

You may have noticed the new posters around the service which talk about “Educational Leader” and “Nominated supervisors” etc. The new Education and Care Services National Regulations now requires us to have more qualified staff on the premises on a daily basis. Tamara has gone from the Authorised Supervisor to the Nominated Supervisor, this means that she is responsible for the centre at all times. The new term Certified Supervisors is for educators who have been working in the industry for more than three years OR have a Diploma in Children’s Services. If at any time Tamara (Nominated Supervisor) is not at the centre the Certified Supervisor MUST be here and will take the running of the centre for the day. Our certified supervisors are Sheree and Brett. Cassie is also working towards this qualification and is hoping to finish her Diploma by July this year.

Contact details

Many of our families are not aware that the centre has a mobile phone which Tamara (0401383974) keeps on her at all times. You can call this number at any time. Please feel free to take a business card from the Kookaburra room to ensure you have all of our contact details. You can also “like” us on Facebook and stay up to date with any upcoming events, news etc. Please note: NO pictures of the children will be put on this page.

January Birthdays

We would like to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our all friends who are celebrating their birthday in January

                              Oscar

             Thankyou

Tamara, Brett, Cassie, Sheree and Phoebe

End of Year Concert  

This year the end of year concert and graduation ceremony will be on Saturday 17th December and Wangi Workers Club starting at 4pm and finishing approximately 6pm. Drinks will be available from the bar but PLEASE NOTE: Adults are NOT to take alcohol into the auditorium as this is a children’s concert and the club will not allow it. The staff will be staying after the concert for dinner and all families are more than welcome to join us. It is important to ensure that you are at the club by 4pm as the concert will start at 4:15pm.

Christmas Raffle

Staff have begun placing raffle tickets in the children’s lockers and tickets will also be available for sale on the night. Tickets are on sale for $1.00 each or 3 for $2.00. If we call out someone’s name and they are not at the concert the ticket will be redrawn. The raffle will be drawn after the concert and before the graduation ceremony.

It’s Party Time    

The last week of the year is “Party week” Staff will provide the children with lunch every day in the last week and we will also celebrate the end of the year with some party food. Lunch will be hot dogs and the children will have the choice of adding cheese and sauce. Please see staff if you do not wish for your child to participate in these celebrations. Parents are still to supply morning tea for their child/ren.

Monthly Policy Review

This month we will be reviewing our Food Safety and Hygiene and Children with Additional Needs Policies. You will find a copy of these policies on the notice board in the Kookaburra room. Please take the time to read the policies and pass on your feed back to Tamara. Copies of policies are also available upon request at any time.

2012 Enrolments

We are still waiting on some families to return their 2012 enrolment request forms. Please hand these back to staff as soon as possible to ensure you get the desired days for your child/ren in 2012.

It’s Time to Say Goodbye

It’s that time of year where the staff make sure we are stocked up on the tissues. We would like to take this opportunity to say a HUGE THANKYOU to all of our wonderful families for a great year. We would also like to wish our friends, who are leaving for big school, all the best. We are sure you will have a great time, make new friends and continue to build on your knowledge. It has been a pleasure working with you all and we hope you can come back and visit in 2012.

Fees

Parents are to ensure their fees are paid in full by the end of this year. If your account is in credit Brett will refund this along with your security bond via cheque and you should receive this early in 2012.

Christmas break

We can hardly believe that 2011 is almost over, what a great year!! This year the centre will be open right up to Friday 23rd December. The centre will be closed for two weeks and reopening for the New Year on Monday 9th January 2012. No fees will be charged during closing periods.

Staffing for 2011

We are very happy to say that all of the staff will be returning in 2012. Tamara, Cassie, Sheree and Phoebe will all be returning in their normal positions and shifts and we are all looking forward to what 2012 has to bring.

December Birthdays

We would like to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our all friends who are celebrating their birthday in December

       Hayden      Charlotte

      Brodie. L   Arlia

Thank you

Tamara, Brett, Cassie, Sheree, and Phoebe

End of Year Concert  

This year the end of year concert and graduation ceremony will be on Saturday 17th December and Wangi Workers Club starting at 4pm and finishing approximately 6pm. Drinks will be available from the bar but PLEASE NOTE: Adults are NOT to take alcohol into the auditorium as this is a children’s concert and the club will not allow it. The staff will be staying after the concert for dinner and all families are more than welcome to join us. It is important to ensure that you are at the club by 4pm as the concert will start at 4:15pm.

Christmas Raffle

We are now collecting donations for our Christmas raffle which will be drawn at the end of year concert. Tickets will be available for sale on the night. Donations can include; food, toys, Christmas decorations etc. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Tickets will be on sale for $1.00 each or 3 for $2.00 on the night.

Summer Routine    

We are loving this beautiful weather. Please remember to apply sunscreen to your child/ren before arriving in the morning. Please keep in mind that although it is getting hotter our clothing policy states that children are unable to wear singlets or shirts with capped sleeves, no thongs, no dresses or skirts. Please also ensure your child/ren has an adequate amount of spare clothes in their bags.

Monthly Policy Review

This month we will be reviewing our Water Safety Policy and Rest, Relaxation Time and Safe Sleep Policies. You will find a copy of these policies on the notice board in the Kookaburra room. Please take the time to read the policies and pass on your feed back to Tamara. Copies of policies are also available upon request at any time.

2012 Enrolments

We are now taking enrolments for 2012. Please find attached a 2012 enrolment request form and return them to staff when you have completed them. Please remember that even if your child is going to primary school in 2012 they are able to return in January for a few weeks before school returns.

Children’s Toileting  

It is important to ensure your child/ren is wearing suitable clothing throughout the day in regards to toileting. Pants with belts, tight pull strings, or that are too small are not suitable for toileting as this can get in the way of the children going to the toilet and cause them to have an accident.

Upcoming Events  

The Picture Product order forms have been sent and we are expecting them back before Christmas. We can’t wait to see all of our friend’s final products. This will make a great Christmas present.

Christmas Break

We can hardly believe that 2011 is almost over, what a great year!! This year the centre will be open right up to Friday 23rd December. The centre will be closed for two weeks and reopening for the New Year on Monday 9th January 2012. No fees will be charged during closing periods.

Current Vacancies    

At the moment we currently have vacancies on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. If you are wishing to pick up any extra days before your child goes to school or to get prepared for Christmas please see staff ASAP as the spots fill up quick.

November Birthdays

We would like to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our all friends who are celebrating their birthday in November

       Sarii        

Thank you Tamara, Brett, Cassie, Sheree, and Phoebe

New Daily Program

Due to the new National Quality Framework (NQF) that is being introduced to all centres in January 2012, we have had to make major changes to our program to ensure we are meeting these standards. The staff have been working very hard to come up with new programming styles and we are very confident that the new program will be a huge success. Tamara will be placing a copy of what the new program and reflections sheets will look like up on the wall in the Kookaburra room for parents to view and get familiar with before we implement it. We have decided to implement this program starting Monday 31^st October so the staff are able to familiarise themselves with the new program and ensure we know how to manage this by January 2012. If you have any feedback in regards to these changes please pass them onto staff.  

Centre Contact Information

Many people may not be aware that the centre has a mobile phone number. This mobile is kept at the centre and you can call this number from your mobile instead of calling the main phone line. The mobile number is: 0401383974.

Summer Routine

We are loving this beautiful weather. We will be starting our summer routine from Monday 3^rd October. The children will be outside in the morning from 8am – 10:30am and MUST have sunscreen on before arrival. Staff will reapply sunscreen before going back outside in the afternoon.

Monthly Policy Review

This month we will be reviewing our Anti Bias, Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Practices, Death of a child and Dental Health Policies. You will find a copy of these policies on the notice board in the Kookaburra room. Please take the time to read the policies and pass on your feed back to Tamara. Copies of policies are also available upon request at any time.

Children Absent

As you may know our current vacancies are very limited and we have a lot of parents you are looking for extra days through the week. If your child/ren are going to be absent or arriving late youMUST CALL STAFF before 9:30am. We are unable to book other children in until we are notified that someone will be absent. If you know that you are going away on holidays please notify staff and we will make a note of this.

Current Vacancies  

At the moment we have spots available on Monday and Friday with one vacancy available on Tuesday. These positions fill up fast so if you are hoping to pick up extra days before the end of the year we would suggest you do this ASAP.

End of Year Concert

WOW we are getting ready for the end of year graduation and Christmas concert already, where has the year gone? This year we have booked the auditorium at Wangi Workers Club for Saturday 17^th December starting at 4pm. The concert will go for approximately two hours. We decided to go with a new venue as we believe it will be more comfortable as it is air conditioned. Unfortunately unlike last year we will not be having a picnic although staff will be sticking around to have dinner and it would be great if families would join us. More information to come closer to the date. 

Upcoming Events

Bob Turner the Reptile Man - Bob Turner has been booked and he will be visiting our service on Tuesday 18^th October at 1:30 pm. If your child does not normally attend on this day you are more than welcome to pop in to see the show.

Podiatry Assessment

 General practitioners, paediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons, paediatric physiotherapists and clinic sisters, along with parents and carers refer children to Podiatry practices for many reasons. These may include foot and leg abnormalities, inherited conditions, poor walking positions, late walking or growing pains.

It’s essential that we assess children as early as possible, it is never too early! It important to understand that not all conditions will be outgrown as the child gets older. We are lucky enough that a member of Newcastle Podiatry team will be visiting Arcadia Vale Early Education and Care centre free of charge to assess your child if you wish on Friday 4^th November. NOTE: A parent/guardian must attend the assessment with the child. The assessment will take approximately 15 minutes. A permission form will be placed in your child’s locker in the upcoming weeks. 

October Birthdays

We would like to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our all friends who are celebrating their birthday in October               

       Jarrod    Aniqa            

         Lejla     Jacob S

        Brodie P    Darcy

   Thank you

Tamara, Brett, Cassie, Sheree, and Phoebe

September 2011 Newsletter

Preschool Fees  

Thank you to all the families who have been consistently paying their fees. It is important to ensure that you are ALWAYS up to date with your fees. If you choose to pay your fees fortnightly or monthly you will need to ensure that you pay your fees in advance. Please see Tamara or Brett if you have any questions in regards to fees.

Dental Health Week

Dental health week will be from Monday 12th – Friday 16th September. During this week the children will engage in a wide range of experiences based around dental health. Julie from Pacific Smiles will be visiting our centre on Tuesday 13th September to talk to the children about how to keep their teeth clean and healthy. She will also be bringing along some props for the children to explore.

Summer Routine    

YAY spring is finally here. Now that the weather is starting to heat back up again please ensure your child has sunscreen on in the morning before coming to preschool. Staff will reapply sunscreen in the afternoon before going back outside. It is also very important that all children have a sun smart hat. If you do not have a hat you can purchase one for $10.00 from staff. Our summer routine will start again in October and the children will play outside in the morning from 8am – 10:30am.

Monthly Policy Review

This month we will be reviewing our Arrival and Departure of Children, Immunisation and Excursion Policies. You will find a copy of these policies on the notice board in the Kookaburra room. Please take the time to read the policies and pass on your feed back to Tamara. Copies of policies are also available upon request at any time.

NCAC Spot Check

On Tuesday 30th August A validator from the National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) conducted a spot check at our service. NCAC validators conduct these spot checks on centres at random and without warning. The validator was at our service from 1:30 – 4:20pm and observed the staffs interactions with children, hygiene practices, policies and procedures and OH&S. The validator was very happy with our centre and wrote us a very positive report which all the staff are very proud of. Please find attached a copy of the report and see staff if you have any further questions.

Children’s Immunisations   

It is very important that we have an up to date copy of the children’s immunisation records. Please bring in updated immunisation records for the staff to copy and keep with your child/ren’s records. There is a ‘Schedule for Immunisation’ sheet on the information wall in the Kookaburra room if you unsure of what vaccinations your child needs to have or should have had by now. Please note if your child is not up to date with their Immunisations Centrelink will cancel your CCB and full fees will be charged.

Children’s Lockers

Please ensure your child puts their bag in the correct locker. PLEASE NOTE: The children’s locker is the one UNDER their name tag. There have been a few occasions where staff have put children in someone else’s clothes due to the bags being in the incorrect lockers.

Upcoming Events  

Bob Turner the Reptile Man – Bob Turner has been booked and he will be visiting our service on Tuesday 18th October at 1:30 pm. If your child does not normally attend on this day you are more than welcome to pop in to see the show.
Magic Show – On Tuesday 13th September the amazing Joel Howlett will be visiting our centre and putting on a magic show for the children. This is a free event and if your child/ren does not normally attend on this day you are more than welcome to call in to see the show.

Preschool Photos

We had lots of happy, smiling faces for this years preschool photos. Luke from Penguin Photography will be sending Tamara a draft of all the children’s photos for her to go through and ensure there are no spelling mistakes. Once Tamara has emailed back with the all clear Luke will get the photos back to us ASAP. Parents should have the photos back in the next few weeks.

September Birthdays

We would like to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our all friends who are celebrating their birthday in September

       Jack    Abby N

     Riley     Ned

       Sienna    Jayden

      Malcom

Thank you Tamara, Brett, Sheree, Cassie, Andrea and Phoebe

Parent’s pockets

As you are aware, the weekly statements will now be distributed via emails. Tamara will be removing the parents pockets as they are no longer needed and any information that would normally go in these pockets e.g. Monthly newsletters, will be placed in your child’s locker for you to collect. This space will now be used as an information wall.

Updating your information

It is very important to ensure you update your information with us when ever your details may change. If we do not receive your new details we are unable to contact you in emergency situations. If at anytime we need to evacuate the centre we take with us an emergency contact list we need these details to be up to date at all times to ensure the safety of your child/ren.

Staffing

We would like to take this opportunity to say a HUGE congratulations to Cassie for completing her Certificate 111 in Children’s Services. Cassie is now trained and will continue on to work as a Child Care Worker on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. We would also like to welcome Phoebe Hannon to our team. Phoebe is our new trainee and will be working Monday – Friday.

Monthly Policy Review

This month we will be reviewing our Medication and Complaints Policies. You will find a copy of these policies on the notice board in the Kookaburra room. Please take the time to read the policy and pass on your feed back to Tamara. Copies of policies are also available upon request at any time.

Toy Catalogues

The toy catalogues are now being placed in each child’s locker. If you wish to purchase anything from these catalogues please return the order form back to staff by Friday 26^th August.

Picture Products

The picture produce order forms have now been sent and we are hoping to receive the paper for your child’s drawing in a couple of weeks. This year we will be sending the papers home with the families for the children to complete their drawings at home. Once the drawings are completed please hand them back to staff and we will send them back all together.

Upcoming events

Bob Turner the reptile man – Bob Turner has been booked and he will be visiting our service on Tuesday 18^th October. We understand that this is still a few months away but we are sure the time will go fast.

Preschool photos - This year the Preschool photos will be taken on Tuesday 30^th and Wednesday 31^st August. Order forms are now being placed in your child’s locker. Please return these forms by Friday 26^th August.

Magic Show – On Tuesday 13^th September the amazing Joel Howlett will be visiting our centre and putting on a magic show for the children. This is a free event and if your child/ren does not normally attend on this day you are more than welcome to call in to see the show.

School readiness information night

Thank you to everyone who attended our school readiness information night. The feedback has been very positive and parents found this information night to be very informative and has made it easier for parents to make the decision whether or not to send their child to school in 2012. Tamara has taken minutes and will be handing them out to parents as soon as possible. Until then, please feel free to approach staff at any time if you have any concerns or questions about your children and going to school.

Information Night: Podiatry and Physical Development

On the 7^th September Adam Glascock from Newcastle Family Sports and Podiatry will be a guest speaker at our information night. This information night will be held at Arcadia Vale Care and Early Education Centre at ???? Below is a brief description of what will be discussed:

Children’s growing legs and feet go through a number of changes in their early years. Understanding and ensuring that this is occurring at the right time and in the correct manner is vitally important to appropriate growth and function. Like our children’s teeth, their legs, hips, knees and feet need to be checked and monitored to ensure this is occurring. In toed or out toed gait, excessively flat feet, toe walking, poor hip and core control (balance and stability) and pain associated with these and other problems can be diagnosed and treated with the long term outcomes much better when early diagnosis is made. Experience is vitally important when dealing with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of childhood biomechanics. At Newcastle Family & Sports Podiatry there has been a long history with Allan Boys & Adam Glascock of assessing children to ensure appropriate growth and good outcomes. It is important to understand what should be occurring with the child’s foot and lower limb at various ages.

August Birthdays

We would like to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our all friends who are celebrating their birthday in August

Jada

Hayley Max E

Thankyou Tamara, Brett, Sheree, Cassie, Andrea and Phoebe

School Readiness/Information Night

Rathmines Preschool and Arcadia Vale Care and Early Education Centre are holding a School readiness night on Wednesday 20^th July for all families. The information night will be held here at Rathmines Preschool and will start at 6:30 pm. Cathie Ruecroft from Rathmines Public School will be our quest speaker. Cathie will discuss the skills needed to start school, as well as give an overview of the new Best Start assessment that all children undertake when they begin kindergarten. Please find attached a RSVP form and return it by Friday 15^th July.

Emergency Services Week   

Week beginning Monday 4^th July is Emergency Services week. During this week the children will engage in a variety of experiences and learn about the emergency services. On Wednesday 6^th July we will be getting a visit from Wangi fire brigade at 11:30am. The children will get a chance to ask questions and look inside a real fire truck. Parents are more than welcome to bring their children along if they do not normally attend on this day. Friday 8^th July we will be getting a visit from the SES where the children will learn what to do in an emergency.

Staffing    

We would like to say thank you to all of our amazing families for their patience and understanding with the staffing changes. Due to new regulations we have had to have a look at our staff and considered putting on another Diploma staff member to cover for Tamara when she is away and will eventually take over the running of the service if Tamara goes on leave. Deborah was employed to take on this role but unfortunately she was not the right person for this position. Sheree was then asked to return until we can find a suitable diploma trained staff member. Sheree will be here until the end of the year to ensure consistency whilst we evaluate our staffing. Cassie is almost finished her traineeship and she will take on the role as a Child Care Worker working approximately 3-4 days per week. We have employed a new casual worker, Andrea Salmon will be working on a casual basis and holds a Diploma in Children’s Services.

Monthly Policy Review

This month we will be reviewing our Safety Check and Building Maintenance Policy. You will find a copy of the policy on the notice board in the Kookaburra room. Please take the time to read the policy and pass on your feed back to Tamara. Copies of policies are also available upon request at any time.

CONTINUED OVERLEAF

Upcoming events

Dental Health week – We are currently in contact with Julie from pacific smiles to come in and talk to the children about dental health. Further details still to come.

Bob Turner the reptile man – Bob Turner has been booked and he will be visiting our service on Tuesday 18^th October. We understand that this is still a few months away but we are sure the time will go fast.

Show and Tell

Every child has been allocated one day per week to bring something special from home and show to their peers during show and tell time. It is very important that the children’s names are placed on these items as we have been having some problems with children claiming other children’s show and tell as their own and this is causing distress to the children who it really belongs to. Please remember that weapons of any sort are not appropriate for show and tell time.

Lost Property

Please ensure you check the last property basket on a regular basis as it has been very full lately with children’s toys, clothing etc. Any items that are not claimed at the end of the month will be donated to charity.

Parent involvement in our program and routine 

We would like to say a huge Thank you to Carlie Weedon and Margaret Smith for spending some time in our centre and reading stories to the children. Parent involvement is very important to us and is also a major part of the new Early Years Learning Framework. The children really enjoyed listening to the stories and this has sparked a big interest with the children asking “can my Mum or Dad read stories too?” We would like to extend on this and it would be great to see more families getting involved in our service. Tamara has placed a calendar on the front whiteboard outside, if you can spare 30 minutes and come and conduct a group time and share stories, pictures etc with the children it would be greatly appreciated. Our language group time is from 2:30pm – 3:00pm every afternoon. If you would like to get involved please write your name down on the desired date. We would like to take photos and turn it into a book for the children to look at and talk about when their parents came to preschool.

July Birthdays

We would like to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our all friends who are celebrating their birthday in July

                Eva     Koby

                 James     Sophie.W    Madeline

              Thankyou Tamara, Brett, Sheree, Nicole and Cassie