C&K Palm Beach Community

Kindergarten

FAMILY GUIDE

6 Lind Avenue, Palm Beach,

Qld. 4221

C&K Palm Beach Community Kindergarten is a Branch centre owned and operated by C&K Association, Limited. It has two educational units, offering 88 places for

Kindergarten-aged children.

Phone: 55206669 Email: palmbeach@candk.asn.au

Online: www.candk.asn.au/palmbeach

Welcome

We warmly welcome all of our new children and families to C&K Palm Beach Community

Kindergarten. We look forward to establishing and maintaining a close partnership with you during

the time of your child’s enrolment. We aim for it to be a positive, enriching and really fulfilling

experience for your child, one that will provide lasting memories and hopefully life-long friendships.

The C&K kindergarten/pre-prep program has more than 105 years of successful outcomes for

children and their families. Attending a C&K Kindergarten service provides opportunities for your

child to learn through play, and preparation for their schooling life.

Our Kindergarten had its inaugural year in 2012, established as one of the new “240 Kindergarten

Project” services, funded by the Queensland Government. This project was part of the

Government’s promise to improve access to Kindergarten programs for children in the 3 ½ to 4 ½

year age group. We are situated in the grounds of Palm Beach State School and we have a

valuable connection with the school. We are fortunate to be able to make use of its grounds and

facilities from time to time. We are able to meet the needs of children in our immediate area, as well

as having attracted enrolments from families across a broad geographic area due to the highly

regarded reputation of C&K Kindergartens.

We have a purpose-built building with two ‘Units’ and an outdoor learning environment with a focus

on natural and open-ended play spaces. C&K’s approach to outdoor learning environments reflects

contemporary research which states that natural play spaces improve children’s cognitive

development, reduce stress, foster imagination, creativity, collaboration, language and improves

awareness and reasoning skills. C&K’s approach to design aligns with the national Early Years

Learning Framework which states environments should be open-ended, invite spontaneous

interactions, risk taking, explorations, discovery and develop environmental awareness, and be a

platform for environmental education. The outdoor environment is an integral part of our learning

program. We aim to continue to extend and enrich the outdoor play space through the addition of

further natural elements and features, more shaded areas and resources that give children freedom

to explore, experiment, invent, pretend, create and wonder.

C&K Palm Beach embraces C&K’s nationally acclaimed and highly regarded curriculum entitled

Building waterfalls – a teaching and learning guideline. It is a play-based curriculum where

responsive relationships and collaborative partnerships are the foundation of our program. We

believe that all children have the right to experiences that value and build upon their unique

capabilities. We see children as capable and competent beings who come to us with a diverse array

of past experiences and knowledge and we aim to build on and further enrich their early learning.

We look forward to sharing this learning journey with your child, your family and our community.

Please feel very welcome to talk with us about anything, we will always make time for you.

C&K Palm Beach Community Kindergarten acknowledges and pays

its respects to the traditional custodians of the land on which our service is placed, and our continuing connection to land, sea and

community. We also acknowledge and pay our respects to our Elders - past and present.

This family guide provides specific information relating to C&K Palm Beach Community

Kindergarten. Please keep this family guide and the C&K family handbook as a reference whilst

your child is enrolled with us.

Operational details

Children attend on a 5 day fortnight, beginning the week of 29 January 2013. There are four groups

with a capacity of 22 children per group and two staff members per group.

Units 1A and 2A attend Mondays and Tuesdays and alternate Wednesdays.

Units 1B and 2B attend Thursdays and Fridays and alternate Wednesdays.

Operating hours are: 8.20am to 2.30pm. Strict adherence to the pick-up time is very important.

Your child’s educators will be as follows:-

Unit 1A and Unit 1B-

Director/Teacher: Jen Eaton

Qualifications: M.Ed., B.Ed. (EC), Dip.Teach (EC)

Assistant: Karen Evans

Qualifications: Assoc Diploma of Education (Child Care)

Unit 2A and Unit 2B-

Teacher: Renae Callanan

Qualifications: Bach. Arts (Sociology), Grad Dip in Education (Early

Years)

Assistant: Sarah Giampaolo

Qualifications: Dip. of Children’s Services (ECEC)

Please note:

Our service is open during school term time, and closes during school holidays. Please speak to the

Director for a copy of the kindergarten year calendar. No fees are charged during the school

holidays. Our service is also closed on all public holidays and C&K pupil free days. As per the

enrolment agreement, fees are payable on public holidays and pupil free days.

Centre philosophy

Our centre philosophy has been developed by staff of this Kindergarten. It will be reviewed annually

and we invite families to comment on and contribute to its development. Our philosophy reflects the

C&K mission statement ‘Where Children Come First.’ Please see over for a copy of this statement.

C&K Palm Beach Community Kindergarten

Philosophy Statement

As early childhood educators, our approach to working with children, families, staff and communities is driven by a desire to create a warm, welcoming, inclusive environment where there is a strong sense of belonging. We therefore place great importance on building relationships that are caring, open, collaborative, respectful and supportive.

At the heart of our teaching philosophy is a commitment to understanding and connecting with children as individuals, and as loved members of a family, and using this knowledge to provide an enriching, meaningful and engaging program. We will value the uniqueness and individuality of each child and family.

We aim to create a nurturing and inspiring learning environment where children thrive and where their ideas, interests and questions are explored, valued and responded to. We want children to feel empowered to experiment, explore, hypothesise, take risks, create, imagine and wonder. Our learning community will provide an environment rich in experiences where nature and natural beauty are respected and admired.

We are passionate about the importance and power of play. We see children as inquisitive, active learners and we understand play is the ideal vehicle for fostering an inquiry approach to learning. As educators, we will provide children with ample time, space and quality resources to support and enhance their learning.

We want children to feel a sense of ownership where their ‘voice’, their culture, their identity and their experiences are represented and reflected in the Kindergarten. We will offer children new learning experiences and develop new skills whilst enabling them to make choices, to develop their independence and to feel a sense of achievement.

Children’s diverse ways of expressing themselves, their ideas and theories about their world will be celebrated. We will document this and share it with families in meaningful ways.

Our approach to teaching sees the child’s family as an integral part of a quality early childhood program. We welcome and encourage families to be actively involved in our community by offering ideas and sharing information about their skills and experiences.

As a teaching team, we will make an ongoing commitment to reflective practice and strive to achieve improvement in our practices through reflection, evaluation and collaboration with all members of our ‘learning community’.

Our community will share with parents the vital role of caring for and educating their children with a partnership built on trust, mutual respect, shared goals for their child, and open and honest communication. We want children to see themselves as capable and competent, and able to embrace the challenges, and the joy, of life and learning.

We warmly welcome families into the C&K Palm Beach Community Kindergarten and we look forward to a rewarding and enriching experience with you and your child.

National Quality Framework (NQF)

C&K Kindergartens are licensed by the Office of Early Childhood Education and Care

(OECEC). From 1 January 2012 all services were licensed under the Education and Care

Services National Law Act 2011 and abide by the Education and Care Services National

Regulations 2012. Our centre complies with all current legislation and regulations. The

relevant documents are available at the service should you wish to view them.

For further information, you can contact the OECEC South East regional office on:

55624877.

In January 2012, the Government introduced a National Quality Framework for early

childhood services for children from birth to 5 years of age. With this came the new

National Quality Standards (NQS) by which services are assessed.

These standards focus on 7 quality areas:

Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice

Quality Area 2: Children’s 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: Leadership and Service Management

Throughout 2012, C&K Palm Beach Community Kindergarten underwent a self-assessment

process, which involved developing a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). This involved

identifying goals for our service and our teaching practices, and developing and

implementing strategies to achieve these goals. We were then assessed by an OECEC

Assessment Officer in September to determine our rating, according to the national

standards.

We are very pleased to have received a rating of “Exceeding National Quality

Standards”.

We will continue to reflect on, review and further develop our teaching practices and

program over the coming months and years.

We welcome and encourage family input and feedback at any stage regarding any aspects

of our service.

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES:

Parking

Please take note of the following points:

Please drive and park with caution in the carpark as there will be many children around.

Encourage young children to hold your hand whilst in the carpark to avoid any risks.

If you are likely to linger a little while in the mornings or you have arranged to stay for the day,

please use Lind Avenue for parking.

Please take care at all times, we want everyone to stay safe

What to bring

Each child needs to bring with them a bag (backpack) containing:

spare clothing – please write names clearly on all items

hat with a wide brim

a cot sheet if your child is likely to have a sleep here (this is optional)

nutritional food for the day. This will include a lunchbox and drink bottle with water only. For

morning tea, please provide a piece of fresh fruit each day. We will cut this up and children will

share the selection of fruit. As part of our approach to healthy eating and sustainable practices,

we promote and encourage the use of “nude food” or ’litter-less’ lunches (see below). By this we

mean no, or very limited, use of packaging. Therefore, a lunchbox with sections can keep foods

separate, fresh and easy to manage (and waste-free). (Further information and suggestions for

healthy eating options will be provided in newsletters and handouts).

A fridge is available in the kitchen for each group of children. Please place your child’s clearly

labelled lunchbox in the fridge upon arrival.

Please note, children are not permitted in the kitchen for safety reasons.

Please notify staff if your child has any food allergies. This year we have several children

enrolled who have severe food allergies and are at risk of anaphylaxis. Please see staff for details

of this and information regarding food restrictions and care procedures.

Clothing

Please provide spare sets of clothes for your child in their bag. Depending on the weather, It can be

useful to include a t-shirt and shorts in case it gets hotter and/or a jacket in case it gets cooler

through the day.

A broad-brimmed hat is essential. The children are not permitted to wear peaked caps. This is part

of the C&K Sun Safe Policy.

The children will be involved in numerous activities, some of which may be ‘messy’, e.g. clay,

painting, water play, digging patch, gluing and cooking. It is best to send them in clothes that aren’t

too ‘precious’.

Shoes can include runners, canvas ‘slip-ons’, thongs, sandals or crocs. Please label these as it is

very difficult to figure out 22 pairs of shoes if we don’t know who they belong to (and sometimes

children aren’t sure of their own shoes).

The C&K t-shirts and hats are optional. Please see Louise in the office on Wednesdays if you would

like to order these.

Rest time

This is a period of the day to allow children to recoup their energies. It is a relatively ‘quiet time’, with

soothing music to listen to, books to look at and relaxing experiences to be involved in. Children do

not have to sleep at this time but they are encouraged to relax for a short while and unwind. A bed

will be available for those children who choose to lie on or sleep on one. Please provide a sheet if

you think your child will want to, or need to, have a sleep.

Later in the afternoon, a range of play experiences and resources will be available for the children to

engage with. We will also plan group experiences, e.g. singing and dancing and circle games.

Weather permitting, we may also spend part of the afternoon outdoors.

Birthdays

We love to celebrate birthdays as they are such special milestones, so please feel welcome to

provide a (small) birthday cake or cupcakes on your child’s special day. An alternative option in

warmer weather is to bring along a pack of icy pole sticks.

It will be fine to provide cakes with egg in them as we will ensure that the children with egg allergies

will have an alternate ‘treat’ food on these occasions. Alternatively, I do have a recipe for cupcakes

without egg so please ask Jen for this.

Other cultural celebrations and experiences

If your family celebrates other cultural events, please let us know so we can share this information

with children and families and broaden our knowledge and experiences of the world. We are always

keen to provide enjoyable, interesting and varied cooking (and eating) experiences with the

children. If you would like to arrange to do some cooking with the children, just let us know and we

will arrange a day (and the necessary ingredients) for this.

Arrival and departures

On arrival to the Kindergarten we ask you to:

Sign your child in on the sign in / out sheet in the foyer. This is a strict requirement under the

Education and Care Services National Law and needs to be done every day. We use the

attendance roll for fire drills and evacuations and we rely on parents to be vigilant with this task.

Wash your child’s hands at the sink in the children’s bathroom, on arrival.

Put bags in the lockers provided.

Place piece of fruit on platter in the kitchen and lunch box and drink bottle in the fridge.

Please make sure you relay any relevant information about your child to the team and to

write in the communication book provided if you’re not able to speak with them directly. This

book is kept on top of the children’s lockers in each room.

Apply sunscreen prior to arrival at the service and record this application on the sunscreen

application register. This is located in your child’s room.

o If you are unable to apply sunscreen prior to arrival please do so as soon as you arrive

and sign the register

o The educators will re-apply sunscreen as required throughout the day.

o Please consult with the director if you have a conscientious objection to the application of

sunscreen

When necessary complete a medication form, putting the medication in the fridge ensuring

that it is clearly labelled with the Doctor’s name, your child’s name and the instructions for use.

Please use the containers in the fridge door to place the medication in.

Your child’s educators must be informed promptly about medication.

For departure from the Kindergarten we ask you to:

Please arrive to collect your child by the closing time (promptly 2.30pm) to enable educators to

complete preparation and organisation for the following day and administration duties. A late fee

will be charged if you arrive after this time. Late fees are charged at $20.00 for the first 10

minutes or any part thereof and then $1.50 for every minute after this.

Sign the sign in/out book in the foyer

Check your individual ‘information pocket’ for your own child in the foyer. This is where we

will place important notes for you, invoices, receipts, newsletters and invitations

Please take time to look at the program notes and photographic documentation in the

foyer (on the wall outside the room) for the day or week. Feel free to make any

comments/provide feedback

Please ensure your child washes their hands before leaving the Kindy to minimise the risk of

spread of disease.

Collect your child’s bag and belongings.

Talk with educators about your child’s day

If you would like to arrange a time to have an extended chat about anything, then don’t hesitate

to let us know. We will organise this for a mutually convenient time, either in person or by phone.

Hints for settling your child in.....

All children, just like all adults, are individuals and will have their own ways of dealing with new situations. Kindy in the beginning is very exciting, but it can also be scary for some children. They may be thinking:

o What will happen? o What will people be like? - staff and other children o Will I find a friend?

Some children may have fears that they find difficult to express: o Going to the toilet o When will mum or dad come back?

As a parent you may be excited but have some concerns too:

o What is expected of me? o Will my child manage / be happy / make friends / eat their lunch? o How will staff treat my child?

Expect your child to be tired after Kindy, so if possible:

o Be on time at pick-up time o Have a snack ready for the trip home as they won’t have eaten since around 12.30pm o If necessary, try to limit their activity in the afternoons so they have time to wind down

A few general tips:

1. Reassure your child that you will always return to Kindy at the end of the Kindy day. If

someone else is responsible for taking your child home on any given day, let your child, and

the staff, know this.

2. Parents may choose to stay for the first 5-10 minutes as children settle in. You may like to let

your child know you will stay and do 2 puzzles with them, or you may choose to read a book

and watch them do a drawing and then you will need to go. It may be helpful to give them a

5 minute ‘warning’ when it is getting close to you needing to leave, and then a 2 minute

‘warning’. Be consistent in following through on this ‘arrangement’.

3. If you anticipate an emotional separation, please let a staff member know you are about to

leave and we will help you with the separation (which may mean tears, but that’s ok)

4. As hard as it may be to see your child upset, never sneak out on your child. Always say a

brief goodbye, even if that means your child might cry for a little while. This reassures your

child to trust your actions.

5. If you have left and your child was upset, please feel welcome to call us after about half an

hour to check on how they have settled down and we let you know.

6. Greet your child with a big kiss and hug. Acknowledge something positive about your child

finishing the Kindy day.

7. At times children have a delayed reaction to separation. At first they seem unaffected by the

separation. Then, after some time at Kindy, they might begin to cry. This is normal behaviour

and can be dealt with in the same manner as your initial separation.

We will do everything we can to help settle your child in, to assist them with separation and help

them to develop their friendships with their new play partners. This will take longer for some than

others. We will provide lots of cuddles and comfort whenever it is needed, and even when it isn’t !

Parent/teacher communication

A warm, trusting, respectful and open partnership with families and is one of our key goals. We want

you to feel very welcome in the Kindergarten and we hope that you will come to see and know that

we have the best interests of your child uppermost in our mind, our hearts and our actions.

To this end, we aim to develop a ‘culture’ and an environment where parents and family members

can speak openly and honestly with us. If you have questions, concerns, feedback or things to

‘celebrate’ with us, don’t hold back!

Having shared goals and a mutual understanding of the unique strengths, needs, interests and likes

and dislikes of your child will aid us in building a positive partnership and a wonderful Kindergarten

experience for your child.

Please keep us informed if there are significant family events going on if you feel they may impact

on your child’s emotions, relationships and/or behaviour. This may include: moving house, illnesses

and fatigue, impending visits to the dentist, etc. On the positive side, we also love to hear about

your family holidays, weekend outings, funny family events, or visiting relatives. We will encourage

the children to share these important experiences with the class through group discussions, where

appropriate. Feel free to send photos along from home too. These things help us to make valuable

connections between home and Kindy.

We will share information with families about the daily and weekly program and events in a number

of ways, including but not limited to:

o Wall displays of children’s projects and ongoing investigations

o Program notes and reflections (by staff & children) displayed in the foyer and/or in the room

o Photographic documentation on the wall displays, in project books, and program notes

o Planning pages/web plans

o Individual portfolios

o Newsletters

Family visits to Kindy

Parents or grandparents or other interested family members are warmly invited to organise to spend

a day or just a couple of hours with us if they have time. You may like to arrange with the staff for

you to be involved in a particular experience, e.g. cooking, gardening, sewing, woodwork, an art

experience, or some ball games, or you may prefer to keep it more open-ended and simply enjoy

observing and participating in your child’s day.

Children are usually really excited to have a parent stay and play. So that you are able to give them

your time and attention, it is preferable if younger siblings can be cared for by others during these

visits. If this is not possible, we understand, and we simply ask that you take full responsibility for

their supervision and care whilst they are here.

We usually wait until Term 2 before commencing family visits so that we can use Term 1 to settle in

each child. We will have a yearly calendar/roster available for this soon.

The Parent Advisory Group (PAG)

Please see page 27 of the C&K Family Handbook for information on participating and contributing to

the PAG. In brief, the primary role of the PAG is to assist C&K and Kindergarten staff in developing

and maintaining the Kindergarten to the highest possible standard. In addition, it involves

developing parental and community interest in the Kindergarten through fundraising, social events

and functions. We would warmly welcome any volunteers to join the PAG. More information will be

shared in the weeks to come. Please see PAG manual in the foyer.

Our emphasis on sustainability and recycling

We are very fortunate to have a building built with sustainable practices in mind, including large

capacity rainwater tanks, solar power and well ventilated rooms. We aim to incorporate sustainable

practices whenever possible and to help children to understand the importance of this way of living.

We therefore encourage families to recycle materials from home and to give us ‘first right of refusal’.

For example if you are about to toss out an item that you think we could use/play with, then please

let us know and bring it along, eg. an old typewriter, a collection of shoes (not high heels), an old

table (that with a cloth over it could look perfectly reasonable) etc. We will of course welcome

donations of resources such as empty food containers (cardboard or plastic), smallish sized glass

jars (washed please), paper, wrapping paper, magazines, plastic bottle tops, clothes for dress up,

shell collections, seedpods, feathers, ribbon, wool, fabric etc.

Important points of contact

Service approval number QPA- 22987

Director Jen Eaton

Email palmbeach@candk.asn.au

Centre contact details

Address 6 Lind Avenue, Palm Beach

Phone 55206669

Email As above

Fax TBA

C&K Branch Operations

Consultant (Management) Helen Angel

Email h.angel@candk.asn.au

Phone 0429348554

C&K Early Childhood Adviser

(Curriculum) Tracey Reeves

Email t.reeves@candk.asn.au

Phone 0407147663

C&K central office

C&K Toll free

1800 177 092 or

(07) 3552 5333

C&K web address www.candk.asn.au

Finally, welcome to our C&K community! We look forward to getting to know you and your

family and to share this special year with your child.

If you have any feedback for us please email: parentfeedback@candk.asn.au