October 2011 Newsletter
Country Kids
Early Learning Stanthorpe
Newsletter October 2011
A warm welcome is extended to our new children:
· Kye, Xavier & Tyler in Nursery
· Kandice in Toddlers
· Carter & Lean in Senior Kindy
· Ethan in Pre-School
We also welcome new staff members:
Bonnie Leighton and Tiffany Willoughby, who at the moment are both in our Nursery. Welcome to you both!
Congratulations
A warm congratulations to Jessica & Sunny’s family on the birth of Lily.
Also to Sarah, Ross and Martha, a big boy named Archie Charles, 9 pd 7 oz.
And to Rebecca, Peter & Josie, a gorgeous little girl named Taya.
Also, congratulation to Katie from our Platypus Pre-School Room, who has recently become engaged! We wish her and her fiance, Michael, all the best for their future together!
IMPORTANT DATE CLAIMERS FOR NOVEMBER
Friday 25th November will be our Kindergarten Graduation Evening & BBQ. This event is for the Platypus Pre-School Room children and their families. We hope by having this event in the evening, all parents will be able to attend.
3rd November – Class Group Photos.
(Individual photos will be done at various times during the week, on whichever day your child attends the Centre).
BATHROOM/TOILETING AREAS IN ROOMS
Parents, we feel that it’s not appropriate for parents to walk into or through the bathroom/toilet area in the children’s rooms. Could we please ask that all parents and caregivers use room doors only to get outside, not go through the bathrooms. If your child is in the bathroom when you come to pick up, staff will bring your child outside.
We feel that this is a personal safety/privacy issue for the children who may be using the toilets during this time, or having a nappy change.
If you have any concerns or suggestions about this, please talk with us. Your thoughts are important to us.
IMPORTANT SAFETY REMINDER
Parents, could we please ask that you take care to ALWAYS CLOSE THE DOORS TO THE ROOMS after you, even if you can’t see any children in the room. This is so important for the safety and security of your children.
Also, at drop off and pick up time, it is imperative that you let a staff member know that your child has arrived, and also when you take your child home. Please understand how important this is.
CHILDREN’S PERSONAL SAFETY PROGRAM
We are shortly going to begin a program whereby we will be reading a book to the children titled “Everyone has a Bottom”. This book has been recommended to us as a useful tool to help small children understand what personal safety means, and about their safety of their private parts. We will also be talking a little bit to the children about what areas of their bodies are able to be touched by others, and what areas are not. This program will be for the Pre-School, Senior Kindy and Junior Kindy rooms only. We are also going to have a parent information night about personal safety for children - we’ll let you know as soon as we have a set date and time for this. In the meantime, if you have any concerns or queries about this program, please come and see Katrina, Brian or Mel about this. We are more than happy to discuss anything with you.
CAR PARK REMINDER
Parents, please remember that we are not permitted to make a right turn out of our driveway into Davadi Street. Thank you for your co-operation.
PARENT VISIT …..
Thank you so much to Darius & Katie-Lee’s Dad, Paul, for coming in and spending the morning with the children. Paul showed the children how to plant a sunflower seed, and helped them plant their own. We appreciate your time Paul! Thank you so much!
Thanks also goes to Joe’s Mum, Lynelle, for donating some toys & books for the children to use.
TOY CATALOGUES
Toys orders have now closed, and will be sent off this week….we’ll let you know when the toys arrive back!
OCTOBER EVENTS
4th October - we are expecting a visit from Cleo the Clown, who apparently is hilarious and very popular with children! If you do not normally attend on this day, you are still very welcome to come in just for the show, provided you supervise your own children. Thank You!
Wednesday 5th October - Grandparents Day. If you do have grandparents who live close by, we’d love to see them! They can spend some time with their grandchild, help with some activities, meet friends, and maybe they would even like to read the children a book, or some might even like to have a sing-a-long? (If your child does not normally attend on a Wednesday, but you’d like to come, please feel very welcome, but we do have to ask that you supervise your own child/ren at all times. Many thanks for your co-operation & understanding.
10.00am to 11.15am. Morning tea provided.
(Please remember that grandparents and other family members are always welcome and encouraged to come into our Centre and visit your child any time!)
24th – 28th American Week. Dress up Day on Thursday 27th, for those who wish to dress up in Halloween Theme. 
28th October. Day for Daniel. Please wear something red to show your support for the Morcombe family.
Also, thank you to everyone who made the effort to dress up for Pirate Day – it was a fantastic fun filled day!
Whew, that’s a busy month!
CHILD CARE REBATE
WOULD YOU LIKE LOWER CHILDCARE FEES?
Remember that you can now elect to have your childcare rebate that you receive from Centrelink paid directly to us. What this means for you is that your gap fees will be considerably lower. You should have received information from Centrelink about this, if not please contact them to arrange this.
DONATIONS PLEASE???
Would anyone have any big logs, big granite rocks, or river pebbles that would be able to donate to us? We are going to be setting up a natural garden area for the children soon, and any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, any old wheelbarrows, or pots & pans, soup ladels, plastic funnels etc.
From the office: We received a direct deposit in May which had no name attached to it. Is this yours? Please let us know.
NEWS FROM THE ROOMS:
Nursery We’ve been reading lots of books in the Nursery, which the children seem to be very interested in, also having lots of textured play. Tori has been enjoying her ‘tummy time’, and as a result, has now learnt to roll over ! Some of us have started to feed ourselves!
Toddlers Our Toddlers have been working hard on beginning to recognize colours, We’ve been learning to say our manners at the table. In the toileting area, some of us are showing our independence by pulling up our own pants. Also lots of arts and crafts and painting. Oh, and also our new playground has been keeping us very busy.
Junior Kindy We’re enjoying singing our Rainbow Song of late. We’re also continuing to learn to say ‘please’, and ‘thank you’ after receiving our meals. Also continuing on learning colours through play, craft, books and song.
Senior Kindy We’re still investigating spring, with talk about insects and what role they play. Also interesting discussions are taking place about plants and how they grow, rainbows, the sun and the weather.
Pre-School Miss Melinda has been on holidays for the past two weeks, taking a well deserved break. Miss Nadia has been taking Melinda’s place. We thank Ellen’s grandmother, Grace, for coming in to show the children how to make genuine Italian pasta. Thank you so much for your time Grace!
Policies to be reviewed this month include:
· Administering First Aid
· Anti Bias
· Asthma
· Medication
· Nappy Change
· Natural Disaster
· Snake
· Staff Sickness
· Computer & Computer Procedure
Any parent input/suggestions into the review of our policies would be welcome, and greatly appreciated. Policies are displayed on the notice board in the hallway.
Immunisations
If your child has had an immunisation lately, could you please give a copy of this immunization to us, as we need to ensure that all immunisations are up to date. Thank you for your co-operation.
Thank you once again for giving us the privilege of caring and educating your beautiful children.
From Mel, Brian & the team at Country Kids
