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TERM 1 NEWSLETTER 2015

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Welcome to all our families for 2015!

I hope your children are settling in well and enjoying the kinder program. We are lucky to have such fantastic educators dedicating their time to our children.

We are looking forward to more improvements in the kinder this year including a new kitchen and finishing touches to the children’s bathroom renovations. We will also be purchasing a new computer for the children with the Education Department I.T. Grant that we won last year.

Thank you to the parents who have volunteered their time to be part of the committee this year. We would love all parents to help with our fundraising events throughout the year, so please volunteer an hour of your time and put your name on our event rosters. I guarantee it’s fun and all profits go towards improving the kinder for our children!

Don’t forget to volunteer for parent help at kinder as well. It’s a great way to spend some fun time with your child, meet their friends and become familiar with the program.

The committee and staff welcome any feedback, questions or assistance from parents, so please do not hesitate to contact us.

Best wishes for a fun year,

Lou Skepper E: highmount.president@gmail.com

WELCOME OUR 2015 COMMITTEE

First Row: Michelle Moore (Fundraising Officer & Newsletter Editor), Nicole Clowes (Vice President & 3yo Representative) & Joanna Koulianos (Secretary) & Jenna Wearne (Website Officer)*. Middle Row: Joanne Desperles (Marketing Officer),

Sonali Abeyatunge (4yo Enrolment Officer), Heidi Panagakos (Fundraising Officer),Lou Skepper

(President), Melissa Kindblad (Assistant Secretary) Back Row: John Gallardo (Treasurer) & Lana Hanley

(Assistant Treasurer). Absent: Mana Goble (3yo Enrolment Officer), Brad Skepper (Maintenance Officer) & Mansi Shah (4yo Representative).

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BIG THANK TO RACHEL COPOLOV FOR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH HIGHMOUNT.

Biggest thank you to one of our staff, Rachel for 20 Years of Service at Highmount. We appreciate all your efforts, dedication and kindness towards our children.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

CHICKEN HATCHING WEEK Start From: Monday 16th March 2015 Our 3 year old group & 4-year-old group will be learning about Chicken Hatching during these 2 weeks and be able to witness little chicks hatching from their eggs. This is an exciting experience for everyone. www.hennypennyhatching.com.au

EASTER EGG HUNT Start from: Monday 23rd March 2015 Our 3 & 4-year-old groups will be hunting for Easter Eggs during the last week of Term 1.

TERM 1 ENDS – FRIDAY 27 MARCH 2015 Term 1 finishes on this date.

TERM 2 START – MONDAY 13 APRIL 2015 Term 2 commences on this date.

ANZAC DAY - FRIDAY 25 APRIL 2015 Anzac Day is a public holiday. Please note the Kinder will be closed on this day.

KINDER PHOTO DAY Dates: Monday 11 May 2015 to Friday 15 May 2015 Get your smiles ready Kinder photo days have been booked for these three days for 3 & 4-year-old groups.

4 YEAR OLD TRAFFIC SCHOOL Date: Tuesday 23 June 2015 Everyone in our 4-year-old group is invited to join us. We will be learning about traffic and road laws.

4 YEAR OLD WIGGLE WORM LADY Date: Tuesday 28th July 2015 Everyone in our 4-year-old group is invited to join us.

4 YEAR OLD FIRE STATION VISIT Date: Friday 14 August 2015 Everyone in our 4-year-old group is invited to come along and join in the fun!

4 YEAR OLD EXCURSION TO MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Date: Thursday 22nd October 2015 We are very excited to watch the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra perform. All 4yo children are welcome to join. Further information will be given closer to the date.

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SIGN-IN/OUT BOOK

It is important that our teachers are able to identify the person picking up your child from Kinder. Please remember to complete the Sign-in/out book properly to include the FULL NAME of the person picking up your child. Here is an example.

CHILD’S NAME TIME SIGN-IN (Signature)

PERSON PICKING UP YOUR CHILD (FULL NAME)

TIME SIGN-OUT (Signature)

TIM JACKSON 8:45 Jane Jackson JANE JACKSON 1145 Jane Jackson

JOY SMITH 8:45 KSmith KELLY SMITH 1145 KSmith

MANDY SO 8:45 Peter So JENNY SO 11:45 Jenny So

A REMINDER TO ALL PARENTS

When your child is being collected by someone other than a parent or a relative, please ensure the staff has adequate warning, such as a note or a phone call to detail who will be collecting your child. Photo identification may be required as well as phone call to the parents to confirm a person collecting your child. This is to ensure the safety of the children whilst in the staff care. Thank you. Also all parents or family members please check your child’s pocket daily for all current news for our preschool.

KINDER DUTY

Don’t forget to put your name down for kinder duty,

laundry and minding the budgie over the weekends.

Every little bit helps!

Just a friendly reminder for parents who are on Kinder

Duty please remember to record your details on the

Highmount Preschool Visitor’s Book provided.

LET’S KEEP OUR KINDER NUT FREE

We aim to be a nut free kinder. We urge

you to avoid sending nuts and related

products to kinder to assist those children

with allergies.

Thank you!

SCHOOL PARKING

When dropping and picking up your children from 3 or 4 year old preschool, could you please make sure that we do not park over neighbour’s drive ways. If there is no space available out the front of the school grounds, please park your car in the side street and walk down.

During summer can parents please apply or bring sunscreen and hats for your child when they play outside in the beautiful sunshine. Remember to label all of your child’s clothing belongings.

LOST PROPERTY

Please make sure you do check the lost property box before the end of term 1 and collect your child’s belongings. The lost property box is left at the front entrance where you sign in. Remember to label your child’s name on all of their belongings, such as drink bottles, lunch boxes, hats, jackets etc.

PLAYGROUND SAFETY

Parents and children are welcome to socialize and play in the playground before and after Kindergarten session. However please note that Highmount Pre-School, Teachers and Educators accept no responsibility for any incidents that occur outside the formal kinder session times. Parents are solely responsible for their children in the playground before and after kinder session times. We also ask that parents and children do not move any equipment as it could be dangerous. Additionally please leave the playground as you find it. The staff work hard to maintain a tidy safe, clean and pleasant environment for the children.

DROPPING OFF & COLLECTION

Unless other arrangements are made, children should be dropped at the preschool no more than five minutes before the beginning of the session and picked up no later than five minutes after the end of the session. Highmount’s responsibility for a child does not start until the session begins, and it reverts to the parents/guardians as soon as the session ends. At the beginning of sessions, parents/guardians are required to wait with their children on the veranda until the teacher is ready to receive the children. Unless by prior arrangement, children must not enter the preschool building before the start of a session. Late arrivals are an inconvenience to the staff and the other children. Parents/guardians arriving late will be reminded by the Director of the kinder’s drop off/collection policy.

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UPCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENTS We are planning to have the following Fundraising Events for this year.

Term 1:

AUTUMN FEST

Autumn Fest – Mount Waverley North Primary School Saturday 21st March 2015. Please make sure your second hand donation toys are brought to preschool and put in the box at the front entrance, no later than Monday 16 March 2015. Kindly note that the toys can be for any age group. Our preschool will be having a second hand toy stall there. We do require all the families who are able to volunteer and spare 1-2 hours to help our kinder fundraising at the stall.

Term 2: .

Let’s Create a Masterpiece Melamine plate fundraising information packs will be handed out to each child in the 3 & 4 year old on Monday 20 April 2015 to take home to do. What is it? Your creative child will draw a masterpiece on a plate template. Their artwork will be sent away and printed into a melamine plate to use. If

you are interested in purchasing your child’s masterpiece, their artwork needs to be returned with the money no later than Tuesday 12 May 2015.

MASTERS FUNDRAISING BBQ

SATURDAY 7 JUNE 2015 AT BOX HILL MASTERS

Bring all your family and friends along to masters and

come visit our Sausage Sizzle Stall to buy a yummy

sausage and support our preschool. More information will

be sent to parents when it gets closer to the BBQ.

Term 3:

3YO & 4YO TEA TOWELS

Early in term three we will be

handing out information on the

expressions Tea Towels. We

will be doing one tea towel for

both groups, with their hand

prints. They are a unique

keepsake gift. More Information

will be given to parents when it

gets closer.

Term 4:

CHOCOLATE FUNDRAISING

Cadbury Fundraising Boxes will be handed out to all the families of 3 & 4 year old early in Term 4. We will hand out more information to Parents when it gets closer.

BUNNINGS FUNDRAISING BBQ

SATURDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2015 AT NOTTING HILL BUNNINGS

Bring all your family and friends along to Bunnings and

come visit our Sausage Sizzle Stall to buy a yummy

sausage and support our preschool. More information will

be sent to parents when it gets closer to the BBQ.

For further information regarding any of our fundraising activities please contact our Fundraising Officers Michelle Moore or Heidi Panagakos

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3 YEAR OLD REPORT Dear Parents,

Our three year old groups are settling into kinder and mostly enjoying the experience.

Our groups are a diverse mix of children with different skills, languages, experiences away from home and age range.

During this term we are working on supporting the children’s wellbeing. Helping them feel safe, secure and familiar with the kinder environment. Also learning to trust the teacher’s and know that when their parent says good-bye, they will come back!

If your child is still having trouble separating, this is perfectly normal and will resolve after a few weeks. The teachers are on hand to help all parents through this sometimes stressful process.

In the coming weeks the children will be involved in Easter activities. They can decorate egg shapes and make baskets and cards.

We will have an Easter egg hunt in the last week before the end of term. We will be reading realistic books about life cycles and picture books about chickens, eggs and the Easter Bunny.

We are excited to have a chicken hatching program at kinder during this time.

The children have enjoyed these sensory experiences: water play, finger painting and the fine sand tray.

Other popular experiences have been imaginary play scenes.

These have included farms animals, teddy bears at the beach and multicultural dolls to celebrate Chinese New Year.

These scenes enable the children to play a role and develop their language skills. It also allows time to play alone during a session.

Every session we are working on:

Listening and following instructions

Conflict resolution

Independence with self help routines

Participating in a range of activities

Making friends

Having fun

Thanks to all the parents for helping during the session and washing. It is really appreciated by the staff.

Thanks also to Cathy and Jenny for their hard work this term.

All the best for a happy Easter and holiday break.

Please feel free to come and see me if you would like to discuss your child or the program.

Thank-you,

Fiona, Cathy & Jenny

TIC TOC Tic Toc Tic Toc The clock says Tic Toc The clock says Tic Toc It’s time to say hello Hello ________ (childs name) It’s time to say hello (We go round the circle and say our name)

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OUR THREE YEAR OLD CHILDREN.

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4 YEAR OLD REPORT

Dear Parents, 29h January, 2015 Hi! We hope you have all had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday. We would also like to welcome all our new families to Highmount Kindergarten. We are looking forward to a great year and we have lots of interesting and fun things planned. Our roster for this term is already up and you can fill in the dates you would like to help us at the kinder (you can put your name down twice a term for duty). The budgie and laundry can be taken on your last day for the week e.g., if your last day for the week is a Thursday, you take the laundry or budgie for the weekend on this day. The weekly program will be displayed in a Visual Diary and is placed next to the sign in book. Each week children’s developmental needs will be assessed and individual and small group plans will be implemented. We also take photos regularly and these are displayed in the daily diary. At our kinder, parent participation is also encouraged so if you have any hidden talents, please let us know. It could be something as simple as baking cookies or planting seedlings with the children. The first term will of course be a settling in time, whereby children will learn the new kinder routine and learn to adjust to the longer hours. This term we will start with discussions about our holidays, the Beach, sea creatures and the activities we have been involved with in summer. If your children have any stories or pictures about their holidays etc. they are welcome to share them with us at kinder. You can email your shared stories to us and we can print them at kinder.

As we have a new puppet theatre in our home corner, and the children have been putting on their own puppet shows, we have invited Dove puppets to perform at our kinder, on the 5th of March. If your child does not attend kinder on Thursday, they can attend the puppet show from 10.30 a.m. till 11.15 a.m., parents of these children are also asked to stay at the kinder for the show, for regulation purposes. Prior to the puppet show the children will be encouraged to make their own puppets and put on their own little puppet shows. The puppet shows performed by the children encourage them to take turns, co-operate with one another and

use their language skills. This term we will also be hatching chickens, the incubation kit will be delivered to the kinder on Monday 16th March and we have the kit for 2 weeks. During this time we have discussions about the life cycles of a variety of animals, which animals are born alive and which animals hatch from eggs. They also learn about .caring for animals and how to be gentle and caring when handling them. Please let us know if you would like a chicken as we are allowed to keep them once they have hatched. We wish to welcome back Sue McIntyre to our Kinder, she is volunteering at our preschool every Wednesday afternoon with the four year old group. The children really adore her. Please don’t forget to pack a hat every day for your child, as we are a sun smart kinder. Please try and label your child’s clothing, snack box etc. as we tend to get left with a lot of lost property every year. So, we look forward to a fun filled and exciting first term. Best Wishes Rachel

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LOCAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

KIDS ZONE Featuring Ashton Circus

Kids of all ages are invited to come on a colorful journey through the magical world of pure circus!

Check out the website for details and event timetable

http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/whatson/festivals/moombafestival/2014/pages/kidszone.aspx

Box Hill Minature Steam Railway Public Running Day ADDRESS:

Elgar Park, Corner Belmore Rd and Elgar Rd, Box Hill DATE: SUNDAY 15 MARCH 2015 TIME: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm COST: $3.00 per ride Please ensure proper footwear is worn for safety reasons http://www.bhmsrs.org.au/

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Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt and Family Picnic at Werribee Park

Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal

Good Friday, 3rd April at Werribee Park

Cadbury continues to share the joy of Easter with Victorian

families with the annual Easter Egg hunt, the largest Easter egg

hunt in Australia, which raises much-needed funds for The Royal

Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal.

The event is a highlight on the Easter calendar bringing joy to

many Victorians and this year is set to once again provide a

magical day out for families and friends, with new acts, rides, an opportunity to create handmade

Easter gifts in the arts and craft tent and much more for the whole family to enjoy.

Full of family fun, children aged 3 to 12 years can take part in one of several Easter egg hunts

running throughout the day. Not only is it a great day out, all proceeds from the event are donated

to the Good Friday Appeal which benefits children and families at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/cadbury-easter-egg-hunt#.VNayAnC4bDc

LOCAL BUSINESS

If you wish to advertise your Local Business in our next Preschool Newsletter, please contact Michelle Moore the Newsletter Editor at mjoymoore@hotmail.com.

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KIDS CORNER

Please colour in the Easter bunny.