Lilli Pilli Kindy Parent Handbook

Quick Reference

Centre Contact Details

Address: 5 Regatta Ave, Lilli Pilli Mail: 5 Regatta Ave, Lilli Pilli NSW 2229 Tel: 02 9524 2027 Email: [email protected]

Hours

7:30am – 5:30pm Mon – Fri excluding public holidays and between Christmas & New Year

What to Bring

Children should be dressed in clothing that allows for easy movement, is suitable for the season and practical for fun and sometimes messy experiences. Children also will be given a red sun smart hat which is to be worn at Kindy.

Sickness

Lilli Pilli Staff are experienced early childhood carers that will discuss with parents any changes in behaviour or eating and toileting habits that may be a sign of illness. Children that are contagious or unable to cope with the daily routine of the Centre due to illness should remain at home and parents should call the Centre to advise illness.

Emergencies

The Centre has in place a well-rehearsed evacuation procedure and is practiced on a regular basis. If parents are present at the Centre during such an occasion, they are asked to follow the directions of the staff.

Administration of medication

With the exception of parent approved Panadol for a high temperature, staff at Lilli Pilli Kindy will not administer medication (including over the counter medication) without a doctor’s prescription.

Birthday Celebrations

We welcome your child to celebrate his/her birthday at the Kindy. We encourage you to bring along a party food of your choice to celebrate we just ask no nuts.

Payment of Fees

Fees will be deducted weekly on a Monday from your nominated Bank account

Additional days

If you require an additional ad-hoc day we will do our best to accommodate you but please check in advance, as this is not always possible.

Change of days

We will happily cater to your changing needs where possible,

Dear Parents, Welcome to Lilli Pilli Kindy! We hope that you and your Child/ren will enjoy their time spent at the kindy. The kindy offers a high standard of care and education; we aim to provide a happy, caring, and supportive Early Childhood environment for children and parents. We consider ourselves as a second home for your children. Open communication is viewed as the basis for developing positive relationships between children, parents, and staff. You and your child/children are important to us, so please feel free to speak to a staff member or myself if you have concerns or queries – no matter how big or small they seem. We sincerely hope that you and your child/children will enjoy and benefit from your time at Lilli Pilli Kindy.

Yours truly,

Melinda Challenor

The foundation of Lilli Pilli kindergarten is our philosophy. As educators we believe that. BELONGING ‘Knowing where and with whom you belong is integral to human existence. Children belong first to a family, a cultural group, a neighbourhood, and a wider community. Belonging acknowledges children’s independence with others and the basis of relationships in defining identities. In early childhood, and throughout life, relationships are crucial to a sense of belonging. Belonging is central to being and becoming in that it shapes who children are and who they can become. (Early Years Learning Framework, EYLF, 2009) Our home away from home is enriched with stories, poems, music, games, dancing and arts and crafts. Children need to feel secure; this is established through close relationships and a consistent environment. The professional contribution of each educator should be valued and supported. Creative input into the Centre’s environment promotes a unique and inviting atmosphere. Open, honest, and positive communication promotes a harmonious environment, which builds active partnerships between children, parents and staff. Inviting and encouraging community participation into our Kindy helps educate the children about the wider community and the world around us that we live in. BEING ‘Childhood is the time to be, to seek and make meaning of the world. Being recognises the significance of the here and now in children’s lives. It is about the present and them knowing themselves, building and maintaining relationships with others, engaging with life’s joys and complexities, and meeting challenges in everyday life. The early childhood years are not solely preparation for the future but also about the present.’ (EYLF, 2009) A glimpse into a Childs world through their eyes is a privilege. An awareness and appreciation of the special vulnerability of children is essential. Each individual has the right for their world to be perceived with sensitivity and acceptance. How environment is inclusive and sensitive to each child’s needs. Pleasure, humour, affection, sadness and anger have a right to be expressed. Children have relaxation time in their daily routine to allow their minds and bodies to rest, relax and recharge. BECOMING ‘Children’s identities, knowledge, understandings, capacities, skills and relationships change during childhood. They are shaped by many different events and circumstances. Becoming reflects this process of rapid and significant change that occurs in the early childhood years has young children learn and grow. It emphasises learning to participate fully and actively in society.’ (EYLF, 2009) Consistent opportunities for learning through purposeful play fosters self-esteem, imagination, curiosity, experimentation and learning. All children progress at their own pace; they should be treated equally and respected with regard to their background, personality and development level. Children should have endless opportunities to express themselves verbally, nonverbally and creatively and have some control and input into the direction of their learning. Children having a sense of agency and ownership of their learning

Aims of Lilli Pilli Kindy The broad aim of our centre is to provide high quality care and education. We strive to create and maintain a nurturing, secure, stimulating and home like environment for children. A place where they feel loved and respected and can reach their full potential. In relation to CHILDREN, we aim to: •

Provide a program that is child cantered, focusing on children’s needs, strengths and interests and involving them in the programming process. It will be developmentally appropriate and stimulate all areas of their development, i.e. emotional, social, language, physical and cognitive.

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Respect children’s individuality- culture, learning style, gender and level of development.

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Develop their healthy self-esteem and feel this is vital to a child’s development and provides a good foundation on which they can grow, learn and succeed. In relation to FAMILIES, we aim to:

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Acknowledge each family’s culture and beliefs and respect their views and parenting styles.

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Get to know parents and families on a personal level, to recognize them as a valuable resource and encourage their input and participation into our program.

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Foster positive relationships between parents and staff, where there is open communication and a sense of community. Parents should feel welcome and share in decision making. In relation to STAFF we aim to:

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Work together as a team of professionals in a supportive environment.

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Respect the knowledge, training and experience of each staff member and have opportunities to develop personally and professionally.

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Value the role staff play in providing high quality care and appreciate the qualities and skills they bring to the centre. In relation to the COMMUNITY we aim to:

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Provide a service that is representative of its needs.

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Co-operate with agencies and professionals and access available resources for the benefit of children, staff and families.

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Nurture our environment through recycling, reusing, compost, water saving etc.

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Promote the importance of the early childhood profession through community involvement and education.

Goals For Children The following are long-term goals for children to work towards; they extend over all developmental areas, i.e., physical, emotional, cognitive, and social and language. • • • • • • • • • • •

For children to form their own strong sense of identity as well as become a member of the group. For children to explore their interests, developing a positive self-esteem, self-concept and self-confidence. For children to develop friendships with their peers and to enjoy solitary, associative and co-operative play and to contribute to the program of the kindy. For children to be independent thinkers and confident and involved learners; demonstrating independence, responsibility and decision making skills. For children to develop pro-social skills; sharing, turn taking, conflict resolution, acceptance, tolerance and empathy. For children to participate / co-operate in and enjoy group situations and play and to communicate verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes. For children to develop persistence along with concentration and attending skills. For children to develop an understanding of concepts; numbers, letters, shapes, colours, sounds, size and transfer this knowledge and learning from one concept to another. For children to experience and progress with pre-writing and pre-reading skills at their own pace. For children to develop self-help skills relating to hygiene, personal belongings, and food choices and everyday routine experiences at kindy. For children to explore all areas of the program to ensure a well-rounded and healthy development.

Parking at Lilli Pilli Kindy When parking at kindy, please observe all road rules and directions on the driveway. And drive your vehicle all the way to the front of the driveway, as to make space for other vehicle’s If you wish to say and chat to staff, please park in the space provided at front of the kindy or park on the street directly out the front of the kindy. Please do not park on neighbour’s driveways or nature strips. Don’t leave children in the car unattended Also use pedestrian safety when departing or entering the vehicle and always hold your children’s hand, when walking to kindy also be aware of the cars entering and leaving the kindy driveway.

The Program Research and experience have confirmed that the first five years in a child’s life are the most informative. Experiences during this period have a great effect on the child’s future development. There are 3 caregiving groups at Lilli Pilli Kindy Ladybugs 2–3-year-olds Butterflies 3–4-year-olds Frogs 4–5-year-olds We also provide a school readiness program Creating a stimulating play environment that offers a wide range of available experiences and supportive guidance are vital elements in the education and development of young children. At Lilli Pilli Kindy each child is viewed as an individual. Staff respects individual differences, interests, and needs. Children are encouraged to explore experience, participate, and develop at their own pace. Our Educator’s deliver the Lilli Pilli Kindy program in accordance with the Early Years Learning Framework Educators will observe your child’s learning using a observation cycle. Educators will do this by listening, watching, and talking to your child Lilli Pilli kindy uses Kinderloop, to communicate all our programs and documenting all children’s development, and daily reflection of your child’s day this is shared with the families via Kinderloop We also have Growfit fitness class which is once a week for the frogs it is held across the road at Lilli Pilli Oval https://growfit.com.au All the children will participate in Jam and Jive a music program once a week https://www.facebook.com/jamnjivejuniors/

Policies and Procedures Lilli Pilli Kindy policies are in the parent library in the foyer of the kindy They are broken down into 7 folders which reflects the 7 Quality areas in relation to NQF National Quality Standard

Quality Area 1 Educational program and practice Quality Area 2 Children health and safety Quality area 3 Physical environment Quality area 4 Staffing arrangements Quality area 5 Relationships with children Quality area 6 Collaborative partnerships with families and communities Quality area 7 Governance and leadership We encourage all families to be aware of Lilli Pilli Kindy’s policies and procedures

About Lilli Pilli Kindy Lilli Pilli Kindy operates from 7:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, 49 weeks of the year. We cater for 32 children aged from 2-5 years. Lilli Pilli Kindy is a privately owned centre, which was established in 2000. We are Approved under The National Quality Framework (NQF) The Kindy opens at 7.15am for staff to set up and parents can leave children from 7:30am. The Kindy closes at 5:30pm. If children are left after this time, a late fee of $5.00 per minute will need to be paid.

Staff at Lilli Pilli Kindy Melinda Challenor - Associate Diploma Full time Teresa Lisi-Krauter- Diploma of Child Studies Monday -Thursday Bianca Cattali - Certificate 111 Fulltime Chantelle Pusell - Certificate 111 Fulltime Katelyn Coulton - Diploma of Child Studies Monday and Tuesday Rachel Allchin - Early Childhood Teacher Wednesday Thursday and Friday Lauryn Kennedy – Assistant Full time Tarwinder Gambhir – Casual Diploma Trained Monday-Friday Fiona Christer-Brooks Cook Fulltime

Payment Structure The fees at Lilli Pilli Kindy are $130.00 per day. To maintain a high quality of care and education, fees are payable on everyday your child is enrolled at the Kindy, regardless of holidays or sick days. No fees are payable on public holidays or when we are closed during the (3) weeks over the Christmas /New Year holidays. Fees are deducted weekly on a Monday from your nominated bank account Bank account details are: BSB: 062-136 Account: 1018 8775

Meals We are a Munch and Move kindy, this is a NSW Government program, which promotes healthy eating and physical activity habits. The centre provides all meals, More information about the program will be displayed on our Kitchen news notice board and delivered to you via Kinderloop. If your child has a special diet or has food allergies or cultural beliefs, please let staff know and we will accommodate your child’s needs We are a nut free Kindy.

Birthdays and other Celebrations When it is your child’s birthday, it is a very important day in their lives. We encourage you to bring along cup cakes or something to celebrate the day. We just remind you that we are a nut free Kindy, and we find that individual cup cakes are easier for hygiene reasons when blowing out candles. Children will have their photo taken and be presented with a birthday certificate. We acknowledge and respect all celebrations relevant to Your families, culture, and beliefs. We welcome parents/ Guardians to inform our staff of any special celebrations You would like us to incorporate into our program.

Excursions and Visitors During the year a variety of incursions and shows are arranged for the children. We also may take the children on excursions to places of interests for example Symbio Zoo or Bunning’s Warehouse Permission notes will be posted to families to let you know all the details of the visit. Usually, a small fee will be associated to help with running cost. We also have weekly Jam and Jive music class for the children at kindy Weekly Grow fit fitness class for the children at no extra cost to families

Sun Protection We promote a ‘slip, slop, slap’ policy at the Centre. Please apply sunscreen to your child, at drop off at the Centre. We re-apply SPF 30+ sunscreen as necessary throughout the day. Please notify our staff on enrolment of any allergies to sunscreen. Whilst playing outside children will wear their Kindy broad brimmed hat, which Kindy provides

Parent’s responsibilities in summary •

Please ring the doorbell on arrival and we will let you into the kindy Sign in and out for the day. Via the ipad in the foyer or scanning the barcode with your phone This is important in case there is an emergency; we need to know who is at the Kindy.

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Children will not be allowed to leave the Kindy with any other person except those on the enrolment form, unless prior arrangements have been made.

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Parents are required to accompany their child into the Kindy. Please let staff know you have arrived and when you leave the Kindy in the afternoon.

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Notify the Kindy promptly of changes in circumstances such as address, parent and emergency telephone numbers.

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All articles of clothing, shoes and bags brought to the Kindy must be named. If your child is toilet training, please remember to send along extra clothing even including shoes and socks

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Ensure staffs are aware of any habits or dietary requirements your child has.

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Please dress your child in suitable play clothes. Children, who are afraid of spoiling good clothes or being in trouble for getting dirty, do not benefit from a large part of the early childhood learning environment.

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Shoes – please ensure children are not wearing any type of thong or slip-on shoe. A suitable sneaker or sandals are recommended for the child’s busy day at the Kindy.

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We request you don’t send toys with your child as this only creates problems. Each child has a show and tell day, and, on this day, they are encouraged to bring something along

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Any donations of craft materials or other appropriate items: e.g., dress up clothes/paper, will be greatly appreciated.

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During the year, your support may be required to help with fundraising activities.

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We are very passionate about Sustainability at Lilli Pilli Kindy please become familiar with our recycling centre and kindy and utilise our programs

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Parent Involvement Lilli Pilli Kindy has an open-door policy. We welcome you to the Centre throughout the day to share in the experiences your child is participating in. Parents are a very important part of the Kindy and your interest in the Kindy’s program is appreciated and encouraged. Located in the foyer is a Parent Participation Calendar which we encourage mum’s, dad’s, grandparents, aunts, uncles & friends to share your time or talents with us. Write your name and what you will be doing on the calendar – the examples are endless: talk about your job, bath a baby, read a book, sing?

Settling into the Kindy You are encouraged to stay for an extended time during the initial settling in period of your child. Shorted days are recommended for the child’s first few days to help them with the transition into their new surroundings. Your child may have times of anxiety in the early stages of attendance at the Kindy, which is natural. Sometimes it may be wise to leave your child and return early to spend time with them. You need to be patient with your child, as some children settle sooner than others. Ensure that you say goodbye you your child and reassure them you will be back. Parents are encouraged to call the Kindy at any time and speak to staff that will let you know how your child is going. When your child starts Kindy, he/she will be introduced to the appropriate staff member and shown their locker, the toilet area, the rooms, and outside areas. They will be reassured and guided through the routines and activities of the day.

Communication Throughout the year we hold functions at the Kindy and your attendance at these functions will enable you to get to know other parents and staff. In the foyer we have an information area set up, this includes all information required by Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) There are opportunities for your input to help support and be part of the journey and ensure we are providing a high-quality service for all who attend. There are 7 Quality Standards which we at Lilli Pilli Kindy that we follow https://www.startingblocks.gov.au check out this website for further information Books maybe borrowed; please let staff know if you are borrowing any books. children all have a pocket located in the foyer. These information pockets are where notes or any other information will be placed. Please remember to check them regularly and you may also use them to communicate with other families. Children all have craft folders located in the foyer which is full of their craft for you to take home and admire. Children put a lot of effort into these creations, and it is very satisfying to them to receive positive feedback to encourage their, creativity, self-confidence, and self-expression. The weekly program is located on the wall just inside the playroom, everyone is encouraged to read and comment or add any ideas to our day-to-day program. We ask and observes the children’s play and listen to their ideas and set goals for the children’s individual learning and all this is incorporated to our programs

Children’s Health Please do not bring your child to the Centre if he/she has any contagious diseases, consistently high temperatures, diarrhoea, excessive discharge from eyes/ears/nose, productive cough (bringing up mucus), throat infections, chicken pox, vomiting, conjunctivitis, head lice or rashes you cannot identify as this will stop any spread to other children and staff. If your child’s temperature goes above 38C you will be contacted and will need to come and collect your child and not return for 24 hours.

Hygiene Our centre follows strict hygiene, health, and safety procedures. Staff model and promote correct hand washing procedures during the day. We encourage parents to be good role models too! Dental hygiene is also interwoven into our daily program through songs, discussions, and stories.

Immunisation We are required to keep up to date immunisation records of each child enrolled at the Centre. Please provide a photocopy of your child’s immunisation record each time it is updated. In the case of an outbreak of an infectious disease (such as whooping cough or measles), parents of non-immunised children will be asked to keep their children at home.

Medication If a doctor has prescribed your child medication, our staff will be able to administer the appropriate dose as set out on the label. We will require you to provide a letter, outlining the correct dosage and ensuring the medication is stored safely. Otherwise, we cannot administer medication

Accident Policy Our indoor and outdoor environments have been custom designed for your child’s safety. If however, they receive any injury we have first aid trained staff that will immediately attend to your child. In the unlikely event of an ambulance being necessary a staff member will always accompany your child, and you will be contacted immediately. You will be informed of any injury via phone call and be sent an incident /accident form via Kinderloop

Emergency Procedures Our Centre has an ‘Emergency Evacuation Procedure’ that is prominently displayed throughout the Lilli Pilli kindy. Evacuation drills are carried out every 3 months at Lilli Pilli Kindy The children are involved in these practice drills

In Conclusion We always aim to provide the highest standard of care and education for your child. We look forward to contributing to this important period of their lives and working in collaboration with you. We welcome you to your Lilli Pilli kindy! Family Kind regards Melinda Challenor and my dedicated team of Educators