2014 PARENT INFORMATION HANDBOOK

Sorrento Pre-School 20 Darling Road, Sorrento t: 5984 1048 e: [email protected] 1

Welcome to Sorrento Pre-school An early childhood program aims to develop a partnership between the pre-school and home environment to nurture each child as they grow and learn. Our program offers age appropriate developmental activities presented in a caring, warming environment. It is designed to recognize each child’s individuality, needs, abilities and interests in a setting where parents are both opening welcome and needed. The children are offered educational experiences, play and physical activities in a safe, nurturing, specially designed environment, which facilitates learning. The program is interesting and challenging, providing opportunities for positive and successful experiences to develop selfconfidence, positive self-image and independence. Collaboration with families – including exchanging information about the child’s experiences, interests, relationships, disposition and learning with the family; involving families in the process of documenting children’s learning journeys; and talking with families about their values and expectations for their child – is a fundamental part of our curriculum. Your child is working towards developing: Social Skills  Sharing  Making friendships  Learning respect for others  Working cooperatively Language Skills  Learning to communicate  Listening to others  Sharing Ideas  Using words Physical Skills  Movement  Dance  Games  Motor Skills Self Awareness  Positive self-esteem  Confidence  Independence  Concentration  Trust Concepts  Building concepts to lay the foundations for future learning  Social, math’s and science 2

Please feel free to read the notice board in the foyer to see what we are learning week by week. If you have any questions about the pre-school, please do not hesitate to ask the teachers or assistants. If you have any matters to discuss regarding the curriculum or your child’s progress and development, please speak directly with the teachers. Yours sincerely THE SORRENTO PRE-SCHOOL COMMITTEE

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PRE-SCHOOL STAFF 4 Year Old Program Teachers: Bev Trevorrow, Nicki Caddy & Catherine Corboy Assistants: Samantha Trist, Alison Phillips, Liz Moorhouse, Jane Frankland & Suzanne Carney 3 Year Old Program Teachers: Bev Trevorrow & Nicki Caddy Assistants: Samantha Trist & Suzanne Carney SESSION TIMES 4 Year Old Program 2014 BLUE WOMBATS

RED KANGAROOS

GREEN POSSUMS

Bev Trevorrow

Nicki Caddy

Catherine Corboy

Monday

12:30pm - 4:00pm (3.5hrs)

Tuesday

8:30am - 3:15pm (6.75hrs)

Monday

8:30am - 1:15pm (4.75hrs)

Thursday

Wednesday

9:00am - 3:15pm (6.25hrs)

Wednesday

Thursday

9:00am - 2:15pm (5.25hrs)

Thursday

12:30pm - 4:00pm (3.5hrs)

8:30am - 3:15pm (6.75hrs) 8:30am - 12:00pm (3.5hrs)

Friday

8:30am - 1:15pm (4.75hrs)

3 Year Old Program 2014 YELLOW KOALAS

PURPLE PLATYPUSES

Bev Trevorrow

Nicki Caddy

Tuesday

9:15am - 2:15pm (5.0hrs)

Friday

9:15am - 2:15pm (5.0hrs)

TIMETABLE 2014 ROOM 1 2

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Green Possums 8:30 – 3:15

Red Kangaroos 8:30 – 3:15

Red Kangaroos 8:30 – 1:15

Blue Wombats 12:30 – 4:00

Yellow Koalas 9:15 – 2:15

Blue Wombats 9:00 – 3:15

THURSDAY

Green Possums 8:30 – 12:00 Red Kangaroos 12:30 – 4:00 Blue Wombats 9:00 – 2:15

FRIDAY

Green Possums 8:30 – 1:15 Purple Platypuses 9:15 – 2:15

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TERM DATES 2014 Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4

28th January - 4th April 22nd April - 27th June 14th July - 19th September 6th October - 19th December

Please note:  Tuesday, 28th January 2014 – student free day - all Teachers & Assistants return to strategise and set-up  Information sessions are held Tuesday, 28th January 2014 to Thursday, 30th January 2014 (refer to next section) ORIENTATION SESSION DATE & TIMES Saturday, 7th December 2013 Green Possums Blue Wombats Yellow Koalas Purple Platypuses Red Kangaroos

9:00am – 10:00am 10:30am – 11:30noon 12:00pm – 1:00pm 1:30pm – 2:30pm 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Three year old parents will be able to select the time of their Information session at the Orientation Day. INFORMATION SESSION DATES AND TIMES Green Possums Tuesday, 28th January 2014 (Night session – no children) 7:00pm – 8:30pm Red Kangaroos Wednesday, 29th January 2014 (Night session – no children) 7:00pm – 8:30pm Blue Wombats Thursday, 30th January 2014 (Night session – no children) 7:00pm – 8:30pm Yellow Koalas Thursday, 30th January 2014 (Day sessions – children welcome) 9:00am – 10:00am 10:30am – 11:30am Purple Platypuses Thursday, 30th January 2014 (Day sessions – children welcome) 12:30pm – 1:30pm 2:00pm – 3:00pm 5

WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR INFORMATION SESSION Parents will need to bring the following to the information sessions held prior to the first week of Term 1: 1. Immunization Record (A copy of Maternal Child Health Book) 2. Three Emergency phone numbers and addresses (eg. neighbours, relatives that live close by or friends) 3. The name and number of your child’s doctor 4. Ambulance membership number 5. Medicare number 6. Current action plan if child is Anaphylaxis or Asthmatic (forms available at Orientation) THE FIRST WEEK OF KINDER The hours the children attend during the first week of kinder are reduced to help settle the children and introduce them at a gradual pace. The first session is also split into smaller groups for a less overwhelming experience. WEEK 1

31st

Friday, January (split groups) Monday, 3rd February (split groups) Tuesday, 4th February (split groups) Wednesday, 5th February Thursday, 6th February Friday, 7th February

WEEK 2

4 Year Olds 3 Year Olds

ROOM 1

Green Possums Green Possums Green Possums Green Possums Red Kangaroos Red Kangaroos Red Kangaroos Green Possums Red Kangaroos Green Possums

8:30 – 10:30 11:00 – 1:00 8:30 – 10:30 11:00 – 1:00 8:30 – 10:30 11:00 – 1:00 8:30 – 10:30 8:30 – 10:30 12:30 – 2:30 8:30 – 1:15

ROOM 2

Purple Platypuses Purple Platypuses Blue Wombats Blue Wombats Yellow Koalas Yellow Koalas Blue Wombats Blue Wombats

9:15 – 11:15 11:45 – 1:45 12:30 – 2:00 2:30 – 4:00 9:15 – 11:15 11:45 – 1:45 9:00 – 11:00 9:00 – 11:00

Purple Platypuses 9:15 – 2:15

Full time sessions commence for the 4 year old program Friday, 7th February 2013 Full time sessions commence for the 3 year old program Friday, 7th February 2013

SETTLING INTO KINDER The three and four year old programs accommodate children who are experiencing their first time away from home, as well as those already familiar with Sorrento Pre-school through the three-year-old program or visits with older siblings. As such, the orientation and information sessions are designed to introduce the children to kinder at a gradual pace, without the sometimes daunting appearance of a room full of excited children and parents. This allows the children to receive more individual attention from staff when they need it most and it enables staff to get to know each child better. 6

The major aim within the first few weeks is to provide the children with a warm, secure and supportive environment outside the home. Children will gradually be introduced to new equipment, experiences, routines and friends. Children react to kindergarten in different ways. It is natural for your child to feel uneasy about Mum or Dad leaving and about being in such a large group of children. Parents are welcome to stay with their child if necessary. The teaching staff will assist you and will recommend that you stay longer if it will benefit your child. When it is time to say goodbye, please do so promptly, telling your child that you will be back to collect them soon. Never slip away without saying goodbye. If children are still unsettled and uneasy with the kinder atmosphere after the orientation period, it may be necessary to continue the gradual settling-in process on an individual basis. Plan your morning so that you do not have to rush to pre-school. Take a minute to speak to your teacher when you arrive and have a look at what your child and their friends have been making. Pass onto the teacher anything of importance to the child that has happened since the previous session. ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE Please escort your child inside the building on your arrival at pre-school to be greeted by the teacher, as we do not allow the children to go out the door by themselves. It is essential that you come right inside the building when collecting children. A sign-in book will be placed at the entrance before each session. This book has areas for you to sign your name when you deliver and pick up your child, and the time you did this. The book must be signed before and after each session. Please do not sign your child out while you are waiting for your child to leave. Only do so after your child is in your care. Only persons authorized by parents/guardians are able to collect your child. If the adult who usually delivers or picks up your child is not doing so on any occasion, then this must be noted in writing and signed by the child’s parent. In an emergency only, a change of pick-up arrangements may be made by telephoning the centre. We must be notified as to who you authorise to collect your child.

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If you regularly share the delivering and picking up of children with a neighbour or family friend, you can register their signature and personal details with the kinder. In the event that you are unavoidably late for pick-up, please be sure to phone the pre-school to inform staff of your expected arrival time. A late fee is payable for pick-up more than 10 minutes after the session end time. Should a child remain at the pre-school for some time after a session, emergency contacts will be called. For your child’s safety the pre-school is kept locked during sessions. Parents, visitors or late-comers will need to use the doorbell to attract staff’s attention. Our front gate is a ‘child-proof gate’ and is there for your child’s safety and protection. Please do not allow your child to climb onto or open the gate. WHAT TO BRING     

A named kinder bag A complete set of spare, labeled clothes A hat and sunscreen – Terms 1 & 4 Rainy weather gear and jacket when appropriate A nutritious lunch, morning/afternoon tea snack & water bottle – please label

- Children attending sessions starting at 12:30pm need to eat lunch before the session & bring an afternoon snack. - Children attending long sessions will need to bring lunch & a snack WHAT TO WEAR Although we do our best to protect children’s clothing by providing smocks for messy activities, it is best if children wear clothes that can be easily washed. Children should wear:  Clothes they can manage themselves, e.g. trousers that can be pulled down easily (no belts, braces or bodysuits)  Sensible, strong shoes for climbing. No thongs!  Warm jacket and hat for cold days – we have an undercover area for outdoor play in all weather  Shirts that provide sun protection – no spaghetti straps  Please label all clothing (especially jackets, jumpers and hats)  A sunhat and SPF 30+ sunscreen (applied prior to kinder) on warm days

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SUNSMART & WINTER WARMTH We are a Sunsmart pre-school, which means we are committed to encouraging Sunsmart awareness and behaviors. Children must wear a hat with substantial cover for the head and neck when playing outdoors from September to April. As an easy reminder of these dates we follow the motto “when the leaves fall in May, put your hat away” yet a warm beanie and jacket are needed for the colder months as the children continue to play outdoors to enjoy the fresh air. The pre-school sells logo hats and t-shirts which are available for you to purchase. BIRTHDAYS We love to celebrate birthdays at kinder. If you would like to bring special food to share, easy-to-serve items (such as small cakes or fairy bread) are preferred. For the safety of children with allergies, please ensure that all birthday food is nut-free. If your child has specific dietary requirements please provide an appropriate alternative to your kinder teacher. LIBRARY We have an extensive library so that the children may borrow books for their families to enjoy. This will start in second term. Please note that books will not be loaned unless they can be taken home in a library bag to protect the books and only when the previous week’s book has been returned. Library bags are available for purchase through the pre-school for $10 each. SPECIAL EVENTS Throughout the year special events are organized as part of the program, some of which include entertainers, dance groups and musicians. Parental participation is often helpful during these times. Depending on the activity, normal session times may be altered. FUNDRAISING/DONATIONS You will be asked to participate in some special events and activities held throughout the year to help raise funds (and make new friends!). This money is used to purchase equipment and make improvements to the pre-school. If you have any suggestions for fundraising activities please feel free to approach a member of the committee with your idea or place a notice in the fundraising box in the foyer.

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SPECIAL INTERESTS To help the children enjoy a wide range of experiences, any special interests, occupations or hobbies that you and your family may have will be a welcome inclusion into the program. This could include anything from painting, gardening, cooking to visits/talks from the police force, ambulance, a marine biologist or parks ranger to name a few. NEWSLETTER A monthly pre-school newsletter is distributed via email to all families. We ask that you provide an email address for this purpose at your information session. Hard copies are available for those who do not wish to receive the newsletter electronically, and will be handed out at the end of sessions. Please be sure to read it carefully, as it is full of important information such as news, messages from the teachers, policy updates, and dates of upcoming events. General notices are placed on the notice boards and next to the sign-in desk just inside the foyer. Program information is placed on the notice boards above the bag area. Please check these boards regularly to keep up to date on pre-school news and the current program. Permission forms, fees invoices and other notices are placed in your child’s locker, which should be cleared after each session. DUTY ROSTER Parents and grandparents are encouraged to participate in the daily educational program, whether helping out with activities or sharing a special interest or skill. So come on duty and join the fun at kinder! A list of ways you can help us on duty is located on a white board in the wet area. Duty rosters are located next to the sign-in book. We encourage families to sign up for two sessions per term – please feel free to put your name down. If you are unable to do duty on the day you have specified, please attempt to swap with another parent. Otherwise let the pre-school staff know as soon as possible. A phone list of parents in your group will be provided early in Term 1 to make swapping easier.

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COMMITTEE Each year parents volunteer for the Committee of Management and carry out a range of tasks, including administration, publicity, fundraising, maintenance and organising social events. Without this contribution from parents, there would be no pre-school. Parents are encouraged to join the committee or to volunteer for specific projects during the year. General meetings are held once a month and are open to all parents, not just those on the committee. The annual general meeting is held in November. POLICIES & PROCEDURES The pre-school has a number of written policy documents and copies of these are kept in a folder in the foyer of the pre-school for you to read. If you have any questions regarding the pre-school’s policies please ask a member of the committee or the teachers and we will be happy to help. INSURANCE The children are covered by Public Liability only. Accident insurance is taken out by the parents if desired, in the same way as for school children. A Volunteer Workers Personal Accident Policy covers volunteer parents for accidental injury whilst on duty. ATTENDANCE It is important for your child to attend regularly to get the maximum benefit from the pre-school program. If your child is absent for more than one session, please notify your teacher. For the children’s safety, the front door is locked soon after the session start time. Please arrive punctually, as late arrivals disrupt the session and cause embarrassment to your child. INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PORTFOLIOS (4 Year Old program only) Our teachers prepare a portfolio throughout the year for each child to keep. Samples of your child’s writing and drawing, photographs of your child engaged in experiences and interactions and paintings will be organised into this portfolio.

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CHILDREN’S WORK Children’s drawings, paintings etc. are placed in their individual lockers for collection at the end of each session. At the start of the year, please remind or assist your children to clear these. Towards the end of the year the children will be taking responsibility for this job themselves. At pre-school children are at the stage of “experimentation”, and often their artwork will have little or no meaning for them. When discussing your child’s work with your child please ask them to “Tell me about your (painting)” rather than ask the specific question “What is it?” Sometimes it really is a picture of nothing at all, however the emphasis should be on the process of creating rather than the finished product. Children do a lot of “work” at pre-school that cannot be taken home – e.g. puzzles, blocks, and clay. The skills involved in these activities are very important for the children to master, and pressure should not be placed on the children to produce work to bring home. INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS The pre-school aims to identify and support children with additional needs, whether physical, emotional, intellectual, psychological or social. All children are assured of inclusion into the pre-school program and where necessary the program is modified. Opportunity is provided for collaboration between the family, staff, specialist agencies and professionals to assist with inclusion and planning to meet the individual needs of children. Respect, acceptance and understanding of all children and families is encouraged and promoted in the pre-school community. Children are encouraged to discuss, acknowledge, and explore the similarities and differences between themselves and others and to respect the differing needs and abilities of others.

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HEALTH & SAFETY ILLNESS & ACCIDENT All children who are unwell should be kept at home, as they could be in the incubation stage of an infectious disease. The following symptoms would require a child to be kept home from the pre-school:      

Gastro attack Green runny nose Sticky eyes (conjunctivitis) Fever (even a slightly elevated temperature) Persistent cough during the night (even if it seems to be gone in the morning!) Head lice

Any contact with infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, chicken pox, whooping cough etc. must be reported to the pre-school staff as soon as possible, as the Department of Human Services has rules relating to such infectious diseases. The number of days your child must be excluded from Kindergarten is as follows:      

Gastro Chicken pox German measles (rubella) Ringworm Mumps Head lice

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48 hours after last attack 7 days 10 days not excluded if covered and treated 14 days May attend after treatment

If a child should fall ill at the pre-school, every effort will be made to make the child comfortable. The child will remain under close observation at all times. All observations and necessary actions will be recorded on an individual record page to be included in the illness section of the Medication, Illness and Accident register kept in the staff office. Parents/ guardians will be notified immediately and must sign their acknowledgement in the register. Similarly, all accidents incurred during pre-school hours are noted in the register. Parents are informed and must also sign off their acknowledgement. In the event of a serious illness/accident, an ambulance/doctor will be called and parents/emergency contacts will be notified immediately.

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MEDICATION Any medication to be given to a child must be clearly labeled with the child’s name, dosage and when to be administered. Medicine must be given to staff or placed in the designated area in the kitchen and staff informed. Under no circumstances should medication be left in your child’s bag. If your child is at risk of asthma or anaphylaxis, you must supply appropriate medication (e.g. reliever and spacer, EpiPen) to be kept permanently at the pre-school. If you require staff to administer medication to your child during a session, your written permission is required on an individual page of the Medication section of the Medication, Illness and Accident register. In this book, you must write:  your child’s name  the permission to administer the medication  the name of the medication  the time and date the medication was last administered  the time and date or the circumstances under which the medication should next be administered  acknowledgement of the dosage that was administered during the session ALLERGIES The pre-school believes that the safety and wellbeing of children at risk of anaphylaxis (a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction) is a whole-ofcommunity responsibility. Up to five percent of children are at risk from anaphylaxis. The most common causes are eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g. cashews, almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans), sesame seeds, fish, crustaceans, cow milk, soy, bee or other insect stings, and some medications. It is important to understand that even trace amounts of food can cause a life-threatening reaction. Some extremely sensitive individuals can react even to the smell of an allergen. Parents/guardians of a child at risk of anaphylaxis must inform the preschool and follow the procedures set out in the pre-school’s Anaphylaxis Policy, including providing the pre-school with an up-to-date allergy action plan and EpiPen medication. It is not possible to achieve a completely allergen-free environment in any service that is open to the general community. Instead, the pre-school has adopted a range of procedures to reduce the risk of a child having an anaphylactic reaction, including strategies to minimize the presence of the allergens at the pre-school. 14

All staff, parents and volunteers at the pre-school are expected to comply with these procedures:  No nuts or nut products (e.g. peanut butter) should be brought to kinder under any circumstances  Many prepared products, such as biscuits, cookies, crackers and muesli bars, may potentially contain allergens such as nuts, eggs and sesame seeds. Even trace amounts can be dangerous. Please do not send these items in your child’s snack  Lunch boxes and drink bottles should be clearly labeled with each child’s name  There should be no sharing or trading of food, food utensils and containers  Children must sit down to eat  Tables will be wiped down after eating  All adults and children will wash their hands before and after eating  The use of empty food boxes/containers for craft activities may be restricted depending on the allergies of children at pre-school  When food is brought from home for sharing (for example, birthday cake), all parents/guardians may be asked not to send food containing specific allergens  Parents/guardians of at-risk children may provide the pre-school with a labeled “treat box” of safe food that can be given as an alternative when other children have birthday cake etc. There are many snack foods which are safe to bring to kindergarten. The “Nutrition” section below contains some suggestions. ASTHMA Parents must provide teachers with a detailed asthma management plan for any child who suffers from asthma. Staff are trained to administer reliever medication (e.g. Ventolin or Asmol). You will need to provide your child’s medication (including a labeled spacer and mask, if required) to be kept permanently in the dedicated medicine area in the kitchen. NUTRITION It is important that we promote healthy eating habits at pre-school. We have a snack time as a physical break from inside activity; it provides social interaction and reinforces positive table manners. Your child’s snack should be nutritious, filling and quick to eat. Below is a menu list to choose from. We ask that you send items along from this list. Please place the food into a named lunch box which is easy for your child to open. Items should have as little packaging as possible so that children can manage food by themselves. Where appropriate please peel and cut all fruit and supply a spoon for yoghurt. The pre-school supports the ‘Nude Food’ campaign where we encourage families to pack lunch & 15

snacks that are a healthy, nutritious and environmentally friendly meal by filling lunchboxes with fresh food and eliminating all unnecessary wrapping to reduce waste. We do not allow lollies, packet type chips, chocolate, popcorn, high sugar foods, fizzy drinks or “junk food” Suggestions:  Sandwich/savoury rolls  Fruit-peeled and cut  Dried fruit - sultanas, apricots, apple  Fruit cup or tub  Fruit bar or sticks (not roll ups)  Vegetables - celery, carrot sticks, capsicum  Muesli bars (not chocolate)  Dry biscuits, rice crackers, biscuits and dip (not nutella), pretzels  Yoghurt  Cheese and cheese sticks  Home-made healthy muffins or slices HYGIENE The pre-school encourages children to develop autonomy with regards to personal hygiene, under staff guidance. The pre-school ensures that:  Appropriate hand washing is modeled, i.e. wetting of hands, using soap, washing hands, and drying with hand dryer  Hand washing is done after toileting, before eating, after messy play, and after handling animals  Appropriate social hygiene in relation to sneezing and coughing is modeled, i.e. covering of nose and mouth, use of disposable tissues  Each child has their own drink bottle at snack time  The kitchen area is kept clean  Tables are washed before and after food is served  Cleaners are employed to clean the bathrooms, floors etc. SAFETY Please help us to keep the children safe:  Close the front door if entering or leaving  Ensure that the front gate is closed upon entering or leaving and that only the children in your care leave the pre-school with you  Always accompany your child in the car park area  Do not let your child run around near the car park or main road. Before/after the kinder session, they are your responsibility  Health Commission regulations require no smoking in the Kindergarten  Please ensure that your child has a hat on sunny days, and apply sunscreen before kinder 16