Thornleigh West OOSH

Term 3 Newsletter2015

The New Look OOSH• We were so excited to announce the winner of the logo design competition this term – Congratulations to

Amelia for a great concept! We are so happy with the finished product. We had an award presentation and celebration to award prizes to the 3 finalists and all other children who entered.

This is Amelia’s original design with her beautiful explanation of what the logo means..

Amelia helped by redrawing her original design outline without wording to be scanned in to Photoshop to complete the design. Here is her 2nd

drawing..

Courtney K used Photoshop to use all of Amelia’s drawing, adding colours and aligning the logo and adding our new name.. here is a the final design..

Educators are excited as we changed our uniforms for the

first time ever! Look out for our new Educator shirts at OOSH!

OOSH Fee and Opening Hours increase• OOSH announced fee increase for ASC sessions

• Casual rate for BSC introduced

• OOSH opening until 6.15pm to assist families battling traffic and public transport

• Introduction of $5 search fee for families who fail to notify us of child absence before 3.00pm. This ensures all children are safe and our attention is not taken away from the children attending.

• All changes take effect 5th October 2015

• The service has tried to keep fees down, but due to the increase in staffing costs, insurances, and other rising premiums we have had to increase fees for the first time since 2013

• Thank you to all the families for your support and understanding at this time

Per session costsPrevious

FeesFrom 5th

October

BSC Permanent $13 $13

BSC Casual nil $15

ASC Permanent $18 $21

ASC Casual $19 $23

Search Fee nil$5 /

instance

What are your children watching, and what games are they playing?

Over recent months it has come to our attention that some children are watching shows or movies and playing games which have a rating much beyond the recommended age guidelines.Think about this: would you take your child to an R rated movie at the cinemas? Did you know R rated games are just as bad? Here is some important information..

• Video gaming (playing video games) has become a popular activity for people of all ages. Many children and adolescents spend large amounts of time playing them. Video games have become very sophisticated and realistic. Some games connect to the Internet, which can allow children and adolescents to play online with unknown adults and peers.

• While some games have educational content, many of the most popular games emphasize negative themes and promote: -the killing of people or animals -the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol-criminal behaviour, disrespect for authority and the law -sexual exploitation & violence towards women-foul language, obscenities, and obscene gestures -racial, sexual, and gender stereotypes

• There is growing research on the effects of videogames on children. Some video games may promote learning, problem solving and help with the development of fine motor skills and coordination. However, there are concerns about the effect of violent video games on young people who play videogames excessively. Studies of children exposed to violence have shown that they can become: “immune” or numb to the horror of violence, imitate the violence they see, and show more aggressive behaviour with greater exposure to violence. Some children accept violence as a way to handle problems. Studies have also shown that the more realistic and repeated the exposure to violence, the greater the impact on children. In addition, children with emotional, behavioural and learning problems may be more influenced by violent images.

• Children and adolescents can become overly involved and even obsessed with videogames. Spending large amounts of time playing these games can create problems and lead to: -poor social skills -lower grades and reading less -aggressive thoughts and behaviours -exercising less, and becoming overweight -time away from family time, school-work, and other hobbies

Check ratings and learn

about the content

Select appropriate

games/movies/TV shows by

content and development

level

Play video games with

your children to experience

the game’s content

Setting clear rules about

game/movie/show content

and playing/viewing time

Strongly warning children

about potential dangers of

internet contacts and

relationships while gaming

Remember you are a role

model for your children –

what are you watching and

playing around them?

Talk with other parents about video game,

television, and movie rules

Supervise your children and what they are viewing and playing

Tips for parents:

Science Week17th – 21st August 2015

Science Week was so much fun; the children were so involved in all the experiments and we are all looking forward to Science Day during Vacation Care!

Here are some of the awesome, simple activities the children did.. You may like to try some at home too..

- Making Goop- Dissolving the egg of a shell- Lemon volcanoes- Lava lamps- Exploring static electricity- Chicken sounds from a cup- Rainbow paper- Blowing up balloons with yeast- Colour symphony experiment- Wax paper and marshmallow paintings- Making Slime

Sleep and School-aged Children (5-13 years)Children aged 5 to 13 need 9-11 hours of sleep. At the same time, there is an increasing demand on their time from school (e.g., homework), sports and other extracurricular and social activities. In addition, school-aged children become more interested in TV, computers, the media and Internet as well as caffeine products – all of which can lead to difficulty falling asleep, nightmares and disruptions to their sleep. In particular, watching TV close to bedtime has been associated with bedtime resistance, difficulty falling asleep, anxiety around sleep and sleeping fewer hours. Sleep problems and disorders are prevalent at this age. Poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioural problems, and cognitive problems that impact on their ability to learn in school.

Sleep Tips for School-aged Children

-Teach school-aged children about healthy sleep habits. - Continue to emphasize need for regular and consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine. - Make child's bedroom conducive to sleep – dark, cool and quiet. - Keep TV and computers out of the bedroom. - Avoid caffeine

Sleep ..

Is it affecting your child’s moods, learning, and

wellbeing?

Spring is in the air! We have been doing lots of Spring time craft as well as setting up some new gardens with David. The OOSH children are taking great pride and responsibility for the

community garden!

While we all love Spring – there’s a few things we need to watch out for. Please watch out for

Maggie the swooping magpie between the adventure playground and OOSH building.

Please keep an eye on hay fever and allergies during this season too. Let us know if anything

becomes and issue for your child at OOSH.

Researching swooping MagpiesThe children thought it was hilarious putting on the helmets and searching for the nest!

They were so amazed that they could go online with Tim and log the magpie’s location on a magpie alert website and everyone could now see its swooping location.

This learning story and others are available in the parent sign in/out area for families to view at any time.

We love parent feedback too!

Celebrating Bastille Day..

Monday 13th July 2015

Leo Bonne French Mime incursion

Hilariously entertaining!

Re-enrolment and transition into 2016We will be notifying parents shortly via email to let you know when it’s time to come and see us in the OOSH office. You will be handed your letter of offer and given a couple of documents to read and sign.

- If you have a new child starting in Kindy you will need to fill out the new 2016 enrolment forms. We will be holding an orientation night in January – date TBA- If you filled out enrolment forms for 2015, you’ll be happy to know this year you wont

need to fill out a complete set of forms again. - You will be asked to read and sign new agreement pages, and sign printed contact lists

from our system to confirm contacts are the same for 2016- We will also let you know if there are any other documents, action plans, or medications

that you need to provide OOSH before 2016. - All paperwork to sign off must remain at OOSH, so when it is time ensure you allow a

couple of extra minutes when dropping off or picking up to check over and sign documents.

- Please be aware all enrolments commence from Thursday 28th January, day one of Term 1 2016. If your child wont be here, please let us know so they can be marked as absent. There is an exception to new Kindy children who start school later. Information regarding start dates for Kindy children will be communicated to those families shortly.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

July Vacation Care – Nature Day Learning how to make Tee-Pees and working together!

Nature Day

7.7.15

Our first ever OOSH fire pit!!

This was such an exciting experience and very different to anything else we have done before. The children discussed fire safety and were able to take part in ensuring the area was safe, lighting the fire, cooking damper on the fire, and putting the fire out safely.

This is definitely something we would love to do again!

Campfire Interest continued..

‘Children transfer and adopt what they have learnt from one context to

another’

Quality Area 4.3

‘My Time Our Place’ Learning Framework for school-age children.

This learning story and others are available in the parent sign in/out area for families to view at any time.

We love parent feedback too!

Dancing & Drumming Genies

Excursion of the year!!

Maintenance:

David and the children have been focusing on maintaining the garden by turning the compost everyday, and watering all our plants.

Garden Growth:

We grew the highest sunflower we have been able to in this garden! It was taller than Georgie! The children were monitoring its growth with David for some time.

Construction:

The children have been so involved and willing to help extend the garden area. They have helped cut and lay sleepers to create some low garden beds for extra plants and herbs.

Garden development crew:

After the sleepers were cut and laid, the OOSH children were eager to start shovelling and moving soil into the new garden beds. Once they had spread it all out, they hosed it down and began planting some new plants…

Corn SunflowersSage RosemaryBasil Chives

Tarragon Capsicum

Planting into the new garden beds:

Now the beds were set up, the children were excited to get planting. The planted a variety of seeds in the larger beds, and replanted some of the TWPS green thumb committee’s herbs into the smaller bed. We now have the following growing:

Learning Story:

Picking, washing and trying RadishAfter Connor noticed how big they were growing, he helped pick them out of the ground, and the children were able to taste test the raddishes. Some children loved it and others hated it - regardless it was a great learning experience!

This learning story and others are available in the parent sign in/out area for families to view at any time.

We love parent feedback too!

Organised Sport Term 3

A massive success!!

Boot Camp

Netball

Relay Games

DanceclasswithNicola &Alex

OzTag

The OOSH Educators have spent lots of time this Term putting together ‘All about me’ folders for each of our roll call groups. Each child has a section in the folder with their ‘All about me’ sheet, and a page with jottings which the Educators have been writing as they learn about each child, their learning, interests, character, disposition, and experiences. Some of the children have enjoyed reading theirs, and you're welcome to read them too! Folders are arranged in alphabetical order by first name to help you find your child’s easily.

Have you had a look at your child’s scrapbook yet? Most children have one and love being able to keep at OOSH. They are full of their drawings and stories from the year. They are available in the colourful boxes for you to view at any time.

Please feel free to have a rest on the OOSH couch and have a look at your child’s folder and scrapbook at any time!

Did you know..? As part of the ‘Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations’ we are required to document

and evaluate children’s wellbeing, development and learning within the educational program.

AND

As part of the ‘National Quality Standard’, documentation about each child’s program and progress must be available to parents, each child’s learning and development is assessed as part of ongoing cycle of

planning, documentation and Evaluation, and critical reflection on children’s learning and development, both as individuals and in groups, is regularly used to implement the program.

It’s all about our OOSH children..

How we implement this at OOSH:

- All about us folders - Room displays - Learning Stories- Daybooks (photo’s & daybook slips) - OOSH Curriculum - Scrapbooks

2015 / 2016 Dates to rememberOctober – December

Monday 5th October: Public Holiday ClosureTuesday 6th October: Enrolment offers and

documents available at OOSH – Please see Jena or Odette

Monday 16th November: Dec Staff development day enrolments begin

Monday 30th Nov: Jan VAC enrolments begin Friday 4th Dec: Staff development day forms dueWednesday 16th December: VAC enrolments due

January Vacation care: Thursday 7th – Monday 25th January 2016

Tuesday 26th January: Public Holiday Closure

Wednesday 27th Jan: Staff development day

OOSH CLOSURE: Thursday 24th December 2015 –

Wednesday 6th January 2016

December Staff development / VAC

operating dates:

Thursday 17th DecemberFriday 18th December

Monday 21st DecemberTuesday 22nd December

Wednesday 23rd December

2016 BSC & ASCThursday 28th January: School Begins

Normal Before & After school care commences