STAFF NEWS:

The whole team have been working hard on reviewing and resourcing their curriculum areas.  The system of review does take some time but it is well worth the wait with the changes arise out of the interests and needs of the children and the ideas of the teaching team.  The centre is looking fantastic and in making such informed decisions the children are getting maximum benefit from the changes.   Some of these include:  a brand new storage shed, a playhouse now in a permanent setting, a giant phone, easy access storage for the animals, cars, blocks etc, puzzles and games rotated in the block area, nature table display board, new playhouse/tent to give the children a private space to play in, new sleep music and a soon to be installed sunshade!

Storage solutions once the back room ventilation issue is sorted will allow for safer storage of equipment and resources and rotation to refresh all areas.

Thanks to all those who participated in the Parent Teacher Chat sessions, they were a great chance to discuss the children with Parents/Whanau.  We will be asking for feedback in the end of year survey and look forward to the sessions again in 2012.

TEACHER ONLY DAY – 25^th October 2011 is a planning day – the centre will be closed on this day to allow for team planning to take place.

CENTRE HOURS

8.30 am open  

2.30pm expected parental arrival.

Centre vacated by 2.45 to allow for staff non contact discussion and clean down.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

BECC EMERGENCY CELL NUMBER IS: 027 8123247 

If your child is sick at the centre we will contact you immediately to control/reduce the spread of illness, please make sure your contact details are up to date, if you have changed your place of employment or moved house we need your up to date numbers straight away!!!

CIVIL DEFENCE SUPPLIES – keep bringing in those civil defence emergency supplies!!! Thanks Richard for organizing this job! 

COMMITTEE
We are trialling e-mailing invoices from this month.  Paper copies will still be placed in your child’s pockets.  Any feedback on this would be appreciated.

Thanks to all of you who attended the AGM last month.  We rely on your input greatly being a not for profit centre. If you’d like to know more about joining the fundraising or getting more involved please call Roz on 380 1206 to discuss or see a teacher!

Welcome Sue our new Centre Manager via WCCCA and all the new committee members.  There are lots of interesting and creative fundraising ideas going round at the moment – get ready to get involved!!!

Again thanks to all those outgoing Committee members and all those who volunteered their time over the past year!

BECC Strategic Plan will be released for consultation.  This is something that the whole centre must work together on as a planning tool. Centre Philosophy soon to be reviewed.

Book Mending – Is there anyone who could take some books that need mending from time to time to fix for us???  They do suffer wear and tear from time to time.

THANK YOU

Sophie for organizing the shed to completion.  Thx Jeroen/Anthony/Erik for building the shed and David and John for painting it.   Also thanks to Geordie dulux for supplying the paint from Dulux.  We have certainly been very lucky to have received so much support from Dulux.

STAFF NEWS:

All of the teachers have been busy participating and booking professional development. Stacey gave feedback on the Convention she attended in July in Rotorua.  She also brought back lots of great resources. 

Dalal is replacing Lara while she is on  Parental Leave from August. We wish Lara and Gus all the very best with the new baby!!!  Thanks also to all those who contributed to Lara’s gift!

Parent Whanau meetings were conducted in July – these were very successful, those who requested a meeting really enjoyed it.  Written child summaries were issued to all children attending at the same time.

REMINDER RE: CENTRE HOURS

We are currently having some problem with Parents Whanau vacating the centre at the required time.  Our licensed hours allow for setup in the morning and teacher conference/non contact in the afternoon.  We open at 8.30am (not before even if Teachers are on the floor setting up for the day) and parents are required to be here by 2.30pm to vacate the building by 2.45pm.  Late charges apply as per the policy however we would prefer that it doesn’t get to this!

HEALTH AND SAFETY

BECC EMERGENCY CELL NUMBER IS: 027 8123247 

Measle outbreak notification in pockets now !!!

CIVIL DEFENCE SUPPLIES – it’s that time of year again, we need a volunteer to help organise the replacement of  the emergency food/water and supplies in the bins outside!  Please see Pam if you can help.

COMMITTEE NEWS

The AGM will be held at the centre on the 20^th of September.   One representative from each family is required to attend – time to be confirmed.

BECC is a not for profit centre and we rely on parental input.  If you’d like to know more about joining the committee or getting more involved please call Roz on 380 1206 to discuss or see a teacher!

Sophie has indicated her intention to resign as CHAIRPERSON.  Sophie has filled the role for a year now and supported the team as an active member of the committee.  We have really enjoyed working with Sophie who has also been very active in the past with the building project/grant applications – we would like to find a replacement soon!!!

TREASURER REQUIRED – Mike is resigning  and we will need a new Treasurer.  The role is a reviewing rather than doing role as we already employ an administrator to manage the accounts and prepare reports.  WE NEED A REPLACEMENT ASAP and the job would not take more than 1-2 hours per month.

Karen the centre manager has resigned her position with WCCCA as the Centre Manager. Her final date is set for August 25^th.  We have enjoyed working with Karen she has been a valued member of the team for the last 3 years.  Karen saw us through the building renovations, two centre shifts, centre relicensing and the last ERO inspection and will be sorely missed!

BECC Strategic Plan will be released for parent/committee consultation.  This is something that the whole centre must work together on as a planning tool.

There has been continued interest in Ben 10-fantasy play . . ..   Please see the programming display focusing in on the children’s interest and art work around.

STAFF NEWS:

All of the teachers have been busy participating and booking professional development.  There has been a  lot of work around Transition to School both in a professional development setting as well as meeting with Brooklyn School, liasing with them and sharing information.

Lara will be taking Parental Leave early August.  We will be recruiting a short term reliever to fill Lara’s position in her absence.

The centre will not be closing for a mid term break in July of this year.  Teacher only date (later in the year) to be advised, there will be plenty of notification though.

Parent Whanau discussion sessions were mentioned in the Parent Survey 2010, they have been set for the week of 11 July.  Close off dates for bookings will be 4 July to allow us time to manage the bookings and prepare information.

The children and teachers have really enjoyed the Matariki celebrations.  We have had so many activities and lots of enthusiasm from  the children/whanau  including – help with the Matariki Te Papa trip, a memorable Shared Meal – thanks to all those who turned up and enjoyed an impromptu performance by the children.  Soup day/Celebrating Cultures day/Whacky Weds/Book sharing day/Kite day.  Thank you for getting into it and sharing things from home.  We have all really enjoyed it!

Big thank you to Stacey and Helen who have organized this for everyone.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

BECC EMERGENCY CELL NUMBER IS: 027 8123247 

ARE YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACTS UP TO DATE???

In the interest of maintaining Health and Wellness; if your child is unable to participate across the curriculum both indoors/outdoors as well as water-play and physical activity then they should remain at home otherwise they tend to try to keep up with their friends and in the process can rapidly deteriorate.  We have no facilities to take care of a sick child at the centre.  Emergency contacts and mobile phone contact is essential in this situation.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD WITH PEANUTS OR PEANUT PRODUCTS.   ALSO NO WHOLE EGGS. We have a child who is allergic to both.  Also lunch paper is less of a hazard than gladwrap.

COMMITTEE NEWS

The AGM is set for 20^th September.  Sophie has indicated her intention to resign as Chairperson.  If you have any desire to take on a role such as this, please let us know.

TREASURER REQUIRED – Mike is still fulfilling this role even though his daughter Amy left the centre quite some time ago.  We really need a new Treasurer.  If you can help please contact us.

POTLUCK NIGHT!

When: Thursday 23 June 2011

Where: Brooklyn Early Childhood Centre

Time: 6pm

This is a social event for all families to get together, mingle and celebrate Matariki. All you need to bring is a dish/pot/plate of food to be shared among everyone. You may bring in any form of food, ranging from a main course to desserts…yum!

We look forward to seeing you all!!!

Waiata for Matariki

This is the waiata we have been learning with the children, sung to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Litte Star”

Tirama Matariki

Tirama tirama Matariki

me ana nga tamariki

Tupuanuku, Tupuarangi,

Waiti, Waita,

Waipunarangi,

Matariki

Ko te potiki ko Ururangi.

And a warm Haere Mai and Welcome to Busha and family, Ben and Aren and their whanau

STAFF NEWS:

Congratulations to Lara who graduated this month with a Postgraduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood). Our children enjoyed having Lara and her family call in to spend a little time at the centre on graduation day.

Congratulations also to Helen on reaching full registration status.

Stacey has been at a transition to school evening with Brooklyn School

Helen has posted a new song the children have been learning on the website. Check it out!

HEALTH AND SAFETY

BECC EMERGENCY CELL NUMBER IS: 027 8123247  We do have an analogue phone in the event that phone lines will be operating.

In a major civil defence emergency/earthquake  we have an emergency plan in place where we take cover until the shaking ceases.  We then check for injuries/hazards and take a roll call.  Teachers  are obligated to remain on site for 48 hours until children are collected or processed through the civil defence centre which is Brooklyn School.  You need to have a family plan and keep your contact details up to date – we will not release your child unless the contact is on the list.  This is our legal obligation.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD WITH PEANUTS OR PEANUT PRODUCTS.   ALSO NO WHOLE EGGS. We have a child who is allergic.

Our Health and Wellness Policy states that in the event of a vomiting/diarrhoea virus your child may not attend until 48 hours after they are symptom free.  In an environment such as this these kinds of viruses can be hard to contain.  Frequent handwashing and washing surfaces with Janola can help prevent the spread to other children and teachers/teachers’ family members. 

CHILDRENS’ INTERESTS…

this month have been in fantasy play . . . featuring Ben 10, art and creative works.   

Please see the wall displaying these works of art!

JOINING IN PLAY

Snatching and conflict over toys are very common amongst young children who are beginning to learn how to play with others. We often find encouraging them to say “I’d like a turn when you’ve finished”/”You can have a turn when I finish” helps reassure both the child who wants the toy and the one still playing with it. As they grow a bit older, we sometimes see children disrupting play due to wanting to join in but not knowing how. A useful approach here is to say something like “That looks like fun, maybe I can help.” Asking directly “Can I play?” doesn’t always work as the answer might be “NO!”Watching for a while and commenting on what is happening can help a child join in gradually – “That’s a big tower. I can bring over some more blocks and help make it bigger…”

COMMITTEE NEWS

Big thank you to all the parents who turned up to move the playhouse down to the children’s playground.  Thanks to Louise who initiated our participation in the competition and to Ashley’s folks who went along to the Easter egg hunt at Bunnings on the night!!!

Thanks to Sam and Mark who came in over the weekend and waterblasted the back yard – it looks great.

Thank you also to Erik and Zuleika who came in and put the shelf up in the office for us.

Have a nice long weekend!!!  Safe travels.

And a warm Haere Mai and Welcome to Koen and his family joining us this month!

STAFF NEWS:

ANIMALS

We recently enjoyed a lovely visit from the SPCA, who came on a day that best suited them. We were thrilled at how gentle and attentive our tamariki were! Thank you to Stacey who organized that. Thanks also to Lara, who organized our worm farm. We’re all learning what foods they like to eat and separating those out from our meal-time scraps. We’re checking out possibilities for introducing some other small pets into the centre…

“HAPPY” PICTURES FOR JAPAN

We have drawn pictures to send to Japan to brighten up the lives of young people who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Jo wrote letters to go along with the drawings the children made. Thank you Beth who posted them.

NEW RESOURCES

We are enjoying the new water trough, bought with the proceeds of the movie fundraiser. Water play inside is very popular and can be very soothing – if rather wet. Do keep those bags stocked with spare clothes!

Children and teachers alike have been enjoying some new music CDs and books. “The Pirate Song” has been particularly popular – if you’d like to have the words, check out the resources section on our website – www.brooklynecc.org.nz If you’ve lost your copy of our Healthy Food guide, you’ll also find that on the website.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

*ARE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS UP TO DATE???

This is the most useful thing you can do to help us with our Civil Defence measures. We have forms for household emergency plans by the sign in book – feel free to take one for your home.

UPON ARRIVAL AT THE END OF THE DAY, PLEASE COLLECT YOUR CHILD’S BELONGINGS, SIGN OUT -THEN COLLECT THEM FROM THE MAT AREA. The teacher at the door is there to insure that no children leave the premises unaccompanied and must remain at the door as per recent changes to the supervision policy.

“ROUGH” PLAY

“Help, my gentle baby’s turning into a thug!!!” If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. Just as toileting and table manners take time to learn, so do social skills. As children start getting more and more interested in each other, they have to learn how to become a friend. At the same time, they’re growing confident in the use of their bodies, asserting their independence, and learning to communicate. A lot going on, huh? This is the stage where we often see pushing, snatching and hitting. It’s very rarely malicious, but it can be alarming– especially if you first notice it when your child first starts at a new centre. If you’re worried, do talk to one of the teachers. We can share the strategies we use here at BECC.

IMPORTANT  REMINDERS

Remember you are welcome to read the policy folder any time you like (it must remain on site though)

Please collect any plates or bowls that you may have left here at recent gatherings – we have a few things left behind.

COMMITTEE NEWS

Big thank you to David, an ex parent of BECC, who returned to the centre to carry out a little bit of maintenance work with Marc – they installed shelving, fixed locks and door handles. Marc also came back another weekend to re-work the shelves in the office to accommodate our new printer/copier. We really appreciate your time. We’d also like to thank Shane for sourcing the artificial grass for us – it’s great!

Reminder – If you wish to give notice to terminate your place at BECC, ONE MONTH’S NOTICE is required. 

Haere Mai and welcome to Eric, Charlie, Ayja, Max and Theo that have joined us this term!!

STAFF NEWS:

Nau Mai, Haere Mai, welcome Lara who started with us this year.  Lara is embarking on her teacher registration. Congratulations Stacey on reaching full registration status.

PHOTO FUNDRAISER

http://www.catherinecattanach.com

Thanks to all those that supported this fundraiser.  We are currently seeking out the best equipment for the outdoor area.

We have just received our brand new water trough from the movie night fundraising money!  So thanks for your support on that!!

PARENT SURVEY

Survey results are currently being collated and will be discussed at subsequent meetings.

IMPORTANT  REMINDER

You are required to sunblock your child in the morning and send them with a named sunhat every day.

Remember you are welcome to read the policy folder any time you like (it must remain on site though)

Please collect any plates or bowls that you may have left here at recent gatherings – we have a few things left behind.

COMMITTEE NEWS

Big thank you to the BNZ team who came to BECC last Weds they worked very hard all day  and spent the day cleaning up the back yard as well as putting a second coat of paint on the fence.  We will be sending a letter of thanks!!!

All parents are welcome at committee meetings.  A list of meeting dates is posted on the wall. 

Regrettably due to key changes to the Ministry of Education funding of centres, BECC now receives  significantly reduced funding and we have had no alternative but to raise fees from April 1.  You would have received notification of this as per the letter in your pockets. 

Reminder – If you wish to give notice to terminate your place at BECC ONE MONTH’S NOTICE is required. 

HEALTH AND SAFETY

*Please sign your child in at the beginning of each session.  At least 4 or 5 children per day are not signed in!

*Healthy lunches are a focus this month, your children need enough food to eat from the lunchbox twice.  Remember – peanuts and peanut products are banned from the centre.

*A check has been carried out on the Civil Defence Emergency Supplies at the centre.   

*Emergency contact details –  if your details have changed at all please inform a Teacher.  The current list of people authorized to collect your child is at the roll book, please check they are current.

UPON ARRIVAL AT THE END OF THE DAY, PLEASE COLLECT YOUR CHILD’S BELONGINGS, SIGN OUT THEN COLLECT THEM FROM THE MAT AREA. The teacher at the door is there to insure that no children leave the premises unaccompanied and must remain at the door as per recent changes to the supervision policy.

Tena Koutou,Hallo,Namaste,Ni Hao,Talofa and Hello to all

HAERE RA, FAREWELL

Best wishes to the following children and their whanau who are leaving us at the end of this year: Millie, Milla, Theo, Mikaela, Ashton and Dominic. who are moving on to new towns, new centres or school. Thank you all for your many contributions to BECC in your time here.

STAFF NEWS:

We are very pleased to welcome Lara to the teaching team. Lara is a newly qualified early childhood teacher. She will be a familiar face to many as she is a parent at Brooklyn School. Lara has been able to do a few days relieving for us, filling in for Lauren, and so many of the children have met her already.

Nau Mai, Haere Mai, welcome Lara!

KA KITE, LAUREN.

Lauren’s last day was Tuesday 14 December. She finished with us a little before the end of term as her name had come up on the waiting list for minor surgery. Thank You to the parents who brought in baking on the day. Your thoughtfulness was much appreciated and helped make Lauren’s “Happy Last Day” very special.

Thank you also to everyone for your generous donations towards Lauren’s farewell gifts – flowers, a beautiful pounamu pendant and a wee purse to remind her of BECC’s children’s love of dressing up and the strange places we find shoes and clothes at the end of the day!

 MESSAGE FROM LAUREN:
“Thank you to all of the parents for working together to make this place wonderful. It has been amazing working with your children and yourselves! And a huge thank you to the beautiful staff who have made it a joy to come to work. Oh and most of all you kids from BECC. xxoo Lauren”

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY DATES:

We close today, Tuesday 21 December.

We will be re-opening Thursday 27 January 2011.

PHOTO FUNDRAISER

Catherine Cattanach delivered the photos to the centre last week, along with a cheque for $127.00. This will be used for waterplay equipment. We are grateful to Catherine who initiated this fundraiser, and made it so easy for us. http://www.catherinecattanach.com

PARENT SURVEY

Thank you to those who took part in the parent survey. This is closed now. The results will be collated and made available early next year.

IMPORTANT  REMINDER

ENROLMENTS -   Remember if your circumstances change over the Christmas holidays and you do not require your child/children to be enrolled at BECC in the new year YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO GIVE NOTICE AND PAY FOR THE FOUR WEEKS AS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.  We do understand that circumstances change unexpectedly. However, the centre’s budget requires us to be fully booked from the start of the year, and it does take time to contact new families and have new enrolments confirmed.

COMMITTEE NEWS

Merry Christmas from us all on the Management Committee. Look forward to moving ahead in 2011.

THANK YOU

to Santa who did such a great job at our Christmas party J

FINALLY, It’s been a very busy year for BECC, with the renovations and relocations making huge demands on parents, teachers and children alike. We’d like to say a big THANK YOU to all parents who contributed in so many different ways over the year. Everyone’s ready for a break and so we wish you all happy and safe holidays. When you return, we’d love to have stories and photos from your holidays to put in the children’s’ profiles books, and treasures that you come across in your travels for our science/nature table.                   

Mere Kirihimete!

IMPORTANT DATES:

The last day of term will be at the usual time on

 21^st of December 2010.  We will be re-opening Thursday 27^th of January 2011.

CHRISTMAS PARTY DATE: 

17 December 12.00 to 2.45pm.

This date was organized around the advertised primary school term dates  in October (which have since changed) as well as the availability of the Magician.   We will not close at 12.30 due to funding.  Unfortunately due to space restrictions we need to restrict attendance to enrolled children and baby siblings only.  Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause but some changes were unforeseen.

THANKS to those who participated in the working bee last Saturday – Angelique, Shirley, Bronwyn, Murray, Luke and Marc for the putting shelves into the back room area.  Thanks also to Gayle and Murray who supervised outside in the painting, waterblasting and weeding.  Thanks Sean, Kate, Jeremy, Dean and Michelle, Sophie, John, Erik, Simon, Gilli, Alicia, Tania, Geordie, Beth and Sylvia and to Clare/Cherie for providing the morning tea.  And also thanks to Lauren who co-ordinated the whole thing from the teaching team end and also turned up on the day.  The back yard looks amazing!!!

Many thanks to Geordie Tsourgas who organized the donation/delivery of 20 Litres of paint as well as two corrugated rollers and trays for the working bee on Saturday which you can see on the fence outside.  Dulux has a community sponsorship program supporting community based enterprises within that scheme.  Thanks Dulux !!!

PHOTO FUNDRAISER!!!!

On November 15th and 16th at 9.30am ex-BECC parent Catherine Cattanachtook portraits of the children at special reduced rates for childcare clients as a fundraiser – Catherine will donate 10 percent of your order total back to the centre. Last year we raised over $200 towards cultural resources.  These photographs are beautiful and at a fraction of a cost of studio shots.  Funds to be used for water play eqpt this year. http://www.catherinecattanach.com

ALL ORDERS/CHEQUES FOR PHOTO’S NEED TO BE IN TO THE CENTRE BY MONDAY DEC 6^TH.  ONLINE PAYMENTS NEED TO BE MADE BEFORE THIS DATE.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

REMEMBER IF YOUR CHILD HAS HAD A VOMIT OR DIAORHEA BUG THEY MUST BE KEPT AT HOME UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER THE LAST LOT OF VOMIT ETC

Please remember as part of our healthy food policy we have a ban on peanuts and peanut butter products in the centre! 

If your contact details change it is imperative that you inform us as soon as possible so that we can amend our records. 
Jarvis Lowndes have reassigned the work to be carried out on the circuit board to a date that is yet to be confirmed so until that time washing will have to be sent home!

From this term all children will need to be sun  blocked at home and  bring a named sunhat.  We will reapply sun block after lunch.  Sunshade grant in process which means there will be limited shade in the backyard – please make sure you send your child with a hat no matter what the weather looks like!

URGENT REMINDER . . . .

ENROLMENTS -   Remember if your circumstances change over the Christmas holidays and you do not require your child/children to be enrolled at BECC in the new year YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO GIVE NOTICE AND PAY FOR THE FOUR WEEKS AS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.