South Bunbury Kindergarten Information Booklet 2018€¦ · South Bunbury Primary School...

1

South Bunbury Primary School Kindergarten Parent Booklet 2018

South Bunbury Kindergarten

Information Booklet

2018

2


Dear Parents/Caregivers, We welcome you and your child to the South Bunbury Primary School Kindergarten for 2018. We hope your child has an enjoyable and rewarding year and trust that you and your child will soon feel at home and enjoy the experience of making new friends. In Kindy, teachers aim to help children learn that school is a safe and fun place to be. Children are provided with a play-based learning program through which they develop their social, emotional, physical and creative skills as well as learn important literacy and numeracy skills. Development of skills is necessary in all of these areas for later learning in school. The Kindy year is also a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet each other and become part of our school community. South Bunbury Primary School Kindergarten has two teachers who share the teaching load. Mrs Tamara Bromley teaches Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and a different teacher teaches Thursday and Friday. Ms Paula Dyson, the Education Assistant, is full time in the room. There will be another full time Education Assistant joining the team in February. Staff members welcome the support and assistance of parents and carers. Parents’ many abilities and talents certainly have a place here, so please feel free to offer these. If they can be incorporated into the program it will make for an even more enriching experience for the children. To assist us in helping your child, it is vitally important that there is easy and free communication between staff and parents. Good communication results in better understanding and less confusion. Therefore;

If you have a question, please do not hesitate to ask; no question is too small.

If you have an idea, or a problem, please share it by talking with one of the staff.

If you have queries about the class, please seek out one of the staff for a quiet chat. Each teacher also has time available to meet with parents for longer interviews if required. Please see the teacher to make a time if you require a longer interview/ discussion about your child. Children develop at different rates. Teachers continually observe your child’s progress and are always happy to share their observations with you. At times, it may be noted that your child is having some difficulties with aspects of their development and/or learning. To ensure that each child is catered for individually in the learning program, according to their needs and development, teachers may feel that referral to other agencies is required for further advice. In these instances, teachers will speak with you as soon as the issue arises. We look forward to working with you and your child and helping your child to develop required skills for school based learning. Kind regards, The Kindergarten Staff of South Bunbury Primary School

3


School contacts: Phone: 9721 3299 Principal: Mr Ian Harvey Deputy Principal: Mrs Jane Leaman Mr Rob Williams Registrar: Samantha Chamberlain Kindergarten Staff: Mrs Tamara Bromley (To be confirmed) Ms Paula Dyson (Education Assistant, to be confirmed) Term dates: Term 1: Wednesday 31 January to Friday 13 April

Term 2: Monday 30 April to Friday 29 June Term 3: Monday 16 July to Friday 21 September Term 4: Monday 8 October to Thursday 13 December Kindy Class Times (as of February 19 2018): NB: Please see the transition timetable for first four weeks of term 1. Yellow Group: Monday: 8.50 am – 3.00 pm (whole day) Wednesday: 8.50 am – 11.30am (half day) Thursday: 8.50 am – 3.00 pm (whole day) Green Group: Tuesday: 8.50 am – 3.00 pm (whole day) Wednesday: 12.20pm – 3.00 pm (half day) Friday: 8.50 am – 3.00 pm (whole day) What your child needs for each session: School bag with spare clothes (named) Water bottle (named) Piece of fruit to share for morning tea Lunch (for whole days only) Library Bag (library day to be confirmed)

4


Before the First Day of Kindy: Please make sure your child has a

Wide brimmed hat,

Easy to open lunchbox and water bottle,

Set of named spare clothes, including underwear, in a plastic bag,

Bag – backpack is great and make sure it’s big enough to hold their lunch box, library bag and spare clothes.

You can help your child’s first days at Kindy to go smoothly by using the weeks beforehand to provide your child with some practice time for:

Going to the toilet by themselves, including washing hands after using the toilet,

Trying out their water bottle to make sure they can use it,

Opening and closing their lunch box and bag by themselves,

Putting their shoes on and off by themselves and storing socks with the shoes,

Eating their lunch by themselves (maybe try out a few different “school” lunches) Also, please put their name on everything that comes to Kindy (including spare clothes!). On the First Day of Kindy: Please make sure your child has a good night’s sleep before the day. On the day, plan to leave the house with plenty of time to arrive without rushing. Arrive just a few minutes early (5 minutes at the most 8:45am or 12:15pm) as waiting for too long can lead to impatience, and sometimes anxiety.

Help your child to find their hook for their bag, located under the verandah on the wall.

Help your child place their water bottle on the table under the hooks near the gate.

Help your child place their piece of fruit into the bowl located on the table near the door.

When the door opens, let your child come in before you. Encourage your child to stop to greet the teacher but don’t worry if they don’t say hello.

Help your child to find their name tag and name ‘star’. Please put on their name tag.

A staff member will help your child to see where to put their name ‘star’.

Please then feel free to stay for a while and do a table top activity, puzzle or read a book.

Please make sure that staff take a photo of you and your child on this special day.

Please leave your current telephone contact with one of the staff. When you are ready to leave, please tell your child and one of the staff. If your child seems uncertain about you leaving or starts to become upset, please let a staff member know and they will be able to assist you and your child with this time. Please make sure you return on time as children can easily get worried. This can be an emotional time for parents. If you know you will shed a tear (or two), then plan to say goodbye, kiss and cuddle and redirect your child’s attention to the fun they are having. Maintain your smile and happy stance while you are in Kindy. When children see tears, they think something is wrong and panic – then you will find it even more difficult to get them unattached from your leg!

5


Handy Hints Experience has shown that the following will further aid the development of your child: 1. At the end of the day, ask your child what they did that was fun rather than “Have you

been good?” If they don’t feel inclined to tell you all about their activities, don’t feel hurt or assume they have wasted their time. They may tell you later or some children prefer to keep some of their experiences to themselves; it is one expression of their individuality. Also at this age the child has a very short memory and may have honestly forgotten what they have done during the day. They may be tired and just not feel like talking. Some children are yet to organise their thoughts to recount a day. Your gentle coaching can help.

2. Please don’t expect a painting or an end product every day. Most of the activities will

not produce anything concrete. Its value will lie in the development of language, physical and social skills, or perhaps problem solving or memory training. Some of their work is kept for their portfolio which will come home at the end of Term 2 and then at the end of the year.

3. When work does come home, make a huge deal about their EFFORTS, even if the

final product is less than a masterpiece. Ask them about what they did, what it is and display it somewhere special.

4. Please expect them to get dirty and in a mess. Kindy children can get paint on their

shirt, sand in their shoes, grass in their hair and more! It is part and parcel of exploratory learning.

5. Always display a positive attitude towards your child going to Kindy. Young children are

very good at picking up and reflecting the emotions of people important to them. If they sense that you are unsure about the situation then your child will, more often than not, feel the same way too. If your child expresses some distress about coming to Kindy at any time during the year, please talk with one of the Kindy staff.

6. Always say “Goodbye” to your child. Build your child’s trust in you and your actions. Be

clear about what is happening… say things like “It’s your special time to play with other children/toys…. I (or Grandma, aunty, uncle etc) will be back to get you at 3 o’clock.”

7. If your child becomes upset at leaving you, in most cases the best thing

to do is to let the teacher know that you are leaving, then give your child a kiss and hug, say ‘goodbye’ and go. If your child is still distressed after time in our care, you will be contacted by phone.

8. Please return on time. If you know you are going to be late by even five

minutes, please take a moment to call us so we can tell your child. 9. Please keep all emergency contacts updated with Kindy staff throughout the year. This

includes telephone contacts for daycare or family carers who may be collecting your child for you. If you change jobs, please make sure the Kindy staff have your new contacts as soon as you know.

6


Absences / Illnesses Kindy is an important year for your child. It is not compulsory, however, we are required to keep a record of your child’s attendance at Kindy. In case of absences from the program, please notify Kindy staff of intended duration and the reason for the absences as soon as possible. This includes family vacations. A healthy child is more likely to learn than one who is unwell or feeling tired. Please keep Kindy staff informed of any changes in your child’s health from having had a restless night to major changes such as onset of ear infection, asthma and the like. Staff members are unable to administer medications without parental written consent and a medical plan. This includes antibiotics, Panadol etc. Please keep in mind that a child who needs even Panadol may need to be kept at home for the day rather than be at school! If your child needs regular medications, such as asthma medication, please see Kindy staff who will assist you in ensuring the relevant documentation is completed. Sleep and food are important contributors to being healthy. Please try to make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before “Kindy day” and eats a reasonable breakfast before attending. Coughs, colds and stomach wogs tend to go in cycles and it is best that children with these be kept at home to reduce the chances of other children contracting them. We realise that children often want to come in spite of these, but please, for the sake of all children and staff, keep them at home. There are certain notifiable diseases and conditions :- Measles Mumps Chicken Pox Head Lice Rubella Scabies Conjunctivitis Whooping Cough If your child contracts any of the above, please notify the school immediately. A period of exclusion from school is necessary for all of the above conditions. Overleaf, you will find further information.

7


INFECTIOUS DISEASES EXCLUSION TABLE

General Sickness

If your child is generally unwell (cold symptoms, fever, nausea) it is usually best to keep him/her home until the symptoms subside. This also helps to avoid the spread of any infection. Your child can return to school when symptoms have subsided.

Chicken Pox

Infectious from 5 days before the spots appear to 6 days after the last crop of blisters. Exclude from school until all sores have crusted.

Cold Sores Young children unable to comply with good oral hygiene practices should be excluded if lesions are uncovered and weeping.

Conjunctivitis

Exclude from school – highly contagious. Child can return to school when discharge has stopped.

Diarrhoea Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased for 24 hours.

German Measles (Rubella)

Exclude from school for at least 5 days after the onset of the rash, until fully recovered.

Head Lice (Pediculosis) Exclude until 24 hours after treatment has commenced.

Hepatitis A Re admit on medical certificate of recovery.

Measles

Child is infectious 5 days before the rash appears to 5 days after the rash develops. Child may be readmitted with a medical certificate of recovery or at least 7 days after the appearance of the rash.

Mumps Re admit on medical certificate of recovery.

Ringworm Exclude until 24 hours after treatment has commenced.

Scabies Exclude until 24 hours after treatment has commenced.

School Sores

Exclude until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment has commenced. Lesions on exposed skin must be covered with a waterproof dressing.

Streptococcal Exclude until 24 hours after treatment has commenced.

Whooping Cough

Exclude until 5 days after starting antibiotic treatment or for 21 days from the onset of the illness.

8


Arrivals/Departures Children must be brought to and collected from the door of the Kindergarten by an adult. To avoid unnecessary stress for your child it is important that parents are punctual at arrival and departure times. If you are going to be late at the end of the day, please contact the Kindy so we can let your child know. No child will be released to anyone but the custodial parent or the authorised person. Please make sure you have named the person(s) who are authorised to collect your child on the enrolment form. If there is a change, please inform us as to who will collect your child.You will be asked to write your child’s name in a folder by the door so that the person collecting your child can ‘sign them out’. Please ensure we have that person’s telephone number, including daycare services. Please contact the Kindy if there are any changes to the arrangement during the day. Birthdays These are very special days in the children’s lives and we like to encourage the children to share in these. Your child may bring a cake (or party cakes, chocolate crackles, fairy bread, honey crackles) to share with the other children. The easiest way to celebrate is to bring cup cakes. Big cakes can be extremely difficult to cut into small pieces. Please let the teacher know if you are bringing a cake to allow for planning particularly for children with food allergies eg nut, gluten. Canteen Kindy children will be able to order from the canteen one day a week in term 2. Further information will be available closer to this time. Change of Address Please notify the school office and classroom teachers of any changes of address, doctor, telephone numbers etc, so that our information can be kept up to date. This information is essential in the event of an emergency. Clothing Many Kindy children wear the South Bunbury Primary School uniform. There is an order form included in this package. Uniforms can be ordered through the uniform shop located in the old building. Opening times will be available early in the year. All students wear a broad brimmed hatat all times for outdoor play. This is left at the centre for the year. School hats are recommended. Sunscreen will be available for all students, but please put sunscreen on your child before they come to school. Please send your child in shoes/sneakers that are easy to remove and put back on. Velcro fasteners are easiest for little hands. Children are allowed to remove their footwear for outside play. In winter, children may be required to remove their shoes and put them on again following an activity. This will ensure that children's feet do not remain damp for the rest of the day. Please label all clothing with your child's name.

9


Complaints / Concerns We hope that parents will feel free to express their concerns, with full confidentiality, to the teaching staff or to the school Principal. In this way, potential conflict relating to any occurrences can be resolved quickly. Food/ Drink South Bunbury Primary School is a NUT AWARE school. Please do not include products containing peanuts in your child’s lunch including, peanut butter and Nutella. Please advise the teacher if your child has any food allergies or food intolerances as cooking is included in the learning program. At Kindy, children need water only in drink bottles, please no cordial, juice or soft drink. Morning tea is shared. Children bring a piece of fruit/ vegetable that will be cut up for sharing and they sit in small groups around the ‘share’ plate. However, at lunchtime, children eat their own lunch from their lunch box. At this time, the children will be required to eat their sandwich or main item first. Any extra food may be eaten after this. We ask for a nutritious lunch that includes some protein, such as egg or ham, for energy. Treats such as roll ups, chocolate bars and lollies remain home treats. Please be mindful of hot weather when choosing sandwich fillings. We suggest a cooler bag with a frozen bottle or ice pack to keep your child’s lunch cool and fresh. Please ensure that your child is able to open any food packaging by themselves. Practise this skill over the Christmas school holidays. Please be mindful of any items that require utensils and ensure you pack these eg spoon for yoghurt. Important Information Throughout the year various changes may occur in your child’s life. Some changes have dramatic effects on children’s behaviour at school. Please keep the Kindy staff informed of any changes in your child’s life (new baby, family illness, moving house, parent separation, death of a friend or family pet, poor sleep the night before etc). Newsletter Newsletters are produced fortnightly. The newsletters are uploaded onto the website and school app. They are also emailed. Please make sure the school has your current email address. The Newsletter contains important information regarding school activities and at times, parent action may be required. Please check to see that you receive the newsletter every 2nd Thursday. If you don't have internet access please let the office know that you require a paper copy. Paper copies are only printed to those families who register this request at the Office. Paint Stains Soak in cold water overnight. Scrub with soap, wash. Do not use hot water.

10


Parent help We welcome parent help with cutting fruit, washing towels etc. A roster will be placed on the noticeboard each term for parents to select a day. We also welcome parents during the day to assist with activities or even to read a book to a group of children. Once the children are settled, Kindy staff will provide parents with a general timetable for the centre. Please keep in contact with Kindy staff if you are able to offer assistance so we can plan a set activity. However, feel free to ‘drop in’ on us and offer your assistance on days when you find you have some free time available. Recyclable Material “One person's junk is another's treasure” and we in early childhood treasure all sorts of “clean junk”. Listed below is some of our favourite “junk”:- Cards Coloured Paper Card Computer Paper Cardboard Rolls Bottle Tops Boxes (Small & Large) Lace, buttons, beads Egg cartons Any other clean, useable items. We sometimes need special items for specific activities and requests for these will be posted on the notice board. We cannot use dirty food containers, toilet roll tubes, cigarette packages etc. School Bag A child sized backpack is an appropriate school bag. The bag needs to be big enough to hold large pieces of work but not so big as to be cumbersome when your child walks with it on. Bags should be clearly named on the inside. Kindy is about developing independence in managing their belongings. Please help your child to practise opening and closing their bag over the holidays. Spare Clothes Please make sure your child has a spare set of clothes in a plastic bag throughout the Kindy year. This plastic bag is kept in their schoolbag just in case an accident or spills occur. Please include in the plastic bag: underwear, socks, shorts/skirt/pants and a top. These clothes do not need to be the school uniform. Please make sure each individual item is clearly named including the plastic bag. If your child has had to change clothes during the day, Kindy staff will endeavour to let you know when your child is collected. However, the end of the day can become busy and staff may forget. So, check your child’s bag each day for soiled clothes.

11


Toileting Summer is a great opportunity to encourage your child to become independent in toileting. At the beginning of the Kindy year, please let staff know as soon as possible if your child is not fully toilet trained, wearing ‘pull ups’ and/or not independent and needs reminding. We are aware that, at Kindy age, many children will have toileting ‘accidents’. However, we have limited change facilities in our centre. If your child wets while at Kindy, we will supervise your child in changing and putting their wet clothes into a plastic bag. We will inform you at the end of the day of what has occurred. However, as the end of day can be busy, always check your child’s bag for wet clothes. If your child soils, we will supervise your child in changing their clothes, if this is possible, and encourage them to clean themselves as much as they can, putting the soiled clothes into a plastic bag. However, due to our limited change facilities, we are unable to ensure your child is fully clean. So, in the interests of your child’s hygiene, in the case of soiling we will also contact you so that you can come, check your child and, if necessary, take them home so that they can be cleaned fully. If you decide to take them home, you may return your child to school for the remainder of the day once cleaned. To assist us, please ensure that you keep updated contact details with us at all times, especially if you go on holidays without your child. Also, please ensure your child has spare clothes, including underwear and/or ‘pull ups’, in their bags at all times. We apologise for any inconvenience this procedure may cause, understanding that many of you have work commitments. However, such procedures will allow us to focus on the learning program that we are providing for your child. Water bottles The consumption of water throughout the day is encouraged. Each child needs to have their own water bottle, clearly named. Webpage South Bunbury Primary School has a website that can be found at http://www.southbunburyps.wa.edu.au/. From this website, parents are able to download a free app that will then provide easy access to notifications from the school, including dates for planned events, school newsletters and so on. Parents will also be able to use this app to notify us about absences. Please take a moment to browse through the webpage and consider downloading the app.

http://www.southbunburyps.wa.edu.au/

12


Early in the year there will be a parent meeting to refresh these ideas and further explain our teaching practices and how you can help. We will let you know of the date as soon as it is arranged. We look forward to working with you during the year to provide an interesting and happy environment for your child to learn and grow in. Thank you again for your support and we look forward to providing the best education for your child.

A Child’s Thoughts on Starting Kindergarten Please plan the beginning of the day so I don’t have to be rushed there, or I get confused or worried. I like it when you come inside and look with me at all the interesting things I can do. Please say goodbye to me when you leave, or I will be afraid that you may leave me for good. When you leave me, tell me when you will be back, and try hard to be on time or I will worry. Sometimes I spend a lot of time making something and I am proud of it. Please praise my efforts and show you value it too. This can help me feel happy and successful and ready to tackle more difficult things. I like you to visit and help when I am at Kindy. When you help, I will feel proud and say to my friends, “That’s my Mummy” or “That’s my Daddy”. Please send me to Kindy in clothes that I am comfortable in and that are easily washed, so that I can play in them without fussing about getting dirty. At the end of each day, I like it when you show me that you are really pleased to see me and are ready to look when I have something to show you!

South Bunbury Kindergarten Information Booklet 2018€¦ · South Bunbury Primary School...

Documents

Transcript of South Bunbury Kindergarten Information Booklet 2018€¦ · South Bunbury Primary School...