General News

Halloween 2018

Halloween celebrations at Erina kindergarten again on the 31st Oct, this year we will be making some scarecrows so please donate some cloths or hats for decoration if you can spare!

From 23rd July – We are excited to advise we will be offering our 3-5 year olds a new added program known as Early Start which will involve added teachings including music, languages & multi-sports.

The new Early Start Programs will be on top of our existing comprehensive program and will aim to enhance the great work already being done by our educators at Erina kindergarten and to support our 3-5 year olds to achieve the five learning outcomes:

• Children have a strong sense of identity
• Children are connected with and contribute to their world
• Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
• Children are confident and involved learners
• Children are effective communicators.

Our team and early start providers will use a play-based approach which aligns with the principles and practices outlined in the framework. In particular:

Principles
• Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships
• Partnerships with families
• High expectations and equity
• Respect for diversity
• Ongoing learning and reflective practice

Practices
• Holistic approaches
• Responsiveness to children
• Learning through play
• Intentional teaching
• Learning environments
• Continuity of learning and transitions

Early Start Programs are committed to goal 2 of the Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for Young Australians which is that all young Australians become:
• Successful learners
• Confident and creative individuals
• Active and informed citizens.

Information Webcast – New Child Care Package

From 2 July 2018, there will be a new Child Care Subsidy that will replace the current Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate.

It’s essential that you complete an online assessment to receive the new payment.

The Department of Education and Training is hosting three family information webcasts to help you understand what you need to do to transition to the Child Care Subsidy.

You will be able to ask questions through the live chat functionality.

The sessions will be held at the following times:

Thursday 19 April 2018 – 7.00pm – 8.30pm AEST
Thursday 3 May 2018 – 2.30pm – 4.00pm AEST
Tuesday 15 May 2018 – 8.00pm – 9.30pm AEST

Please click here to REGISTER YOUR INTEREST if you would like to participate.

Further information on the New Child Care Package is available at www.education.gov.au/childcare.

Playground Improvements

2018 has begun with a blast…Erina kindergarten refurbishments have commenced! New sails have been ordered for the snuggle pot planned to be installed in the next 3 weeks! Also, we have commenced painting of the entire premises starting with the snuggle pots rooms to give the rooms & exteriors a fresh new look. The new colours are looking fabulous and fresh!! We are also replacing all the current flooring across all rooms and hope this to occur in the next 2-3 months. In addition to this, we have been shopping for new furniture as we will also be replacing all furniture across all rooms in the next couple of months. We have chosen natural solid timber finishes to enhance a relaxed look and feel for maximum enjoyment of the children in our care.

Also some exciting news for our external playground areas we will be updating all external areas to ensure a more natural, imaginative & interactive play experience complete with interactive musical instruments, teepees, vegetable gardens, interactive water features, sandpits and mud kitchens and much more! We will also be looking at introducing some more barnyard fun as a major feature of the centre e.g. chickens, guinea pigs. We already have a very special & spoilt rabbit in our preschool area which is adored by both staff and pre-schoolers alike! Children are encouraged to participate with the animals & be involved in their care – developing a sense of responsibility and cooperation. As Erina kindergarten is the largest kindergarten on land in NSW we want to enhance the use our outdoor areas so to ensure all the children in our care are encouraged to be active and healthy!

We look forward to bringing you more updates as they become available.

Kind regards,

Veronica Klumper-Peters

Gumnuts Summer Harvest

As part of our regular program, Erina Kindergarten has established a number of new interactive gardens and outdoor activities. Part of this is our new vegetable garden designed to teach our children where food comes from and assist in letting our children make healthy choices building a stronger, healthier future for everyone.

Playgroup Photos

On the 12th day before Christmas my true love gave to thee, this cutie pie from Erina Kindy ❤️