Dear Families/carers,
We are so excited and happy to see nearly all our children and families back to kindy and we are getting through these challenging times.
We are currently working on Supervision, health and hygiene and sun safety with our team of Educators. We have identified that we would like to make mealtimes more inviting for the children and spontaneous and this will be our upcoming goal along with introducing our new curriculum and planning style. Our Educational leader, Jemma and our Quality compliance manager, Elise are working closely with each of our educators to ensure smooth delivery of our new curriculum and planning style. We look forward to receiving your family input in regards to the changes.
Safety of children and Educators/Teachers
As restrictions continue to be lifted it is very important that we remain focused and attentive to minimise the risk of contamination in our Central Coast community. Thank you for your continued support of safety procedures at Erina kindergarten:
- Keep your children at home if they are unwell and get a COVID-19 test if anyone in your family experiences symptoms
- Install the COVID safe APP to assist with contact tracing in the event of a positive test
- Educators and children temperatures will continue to be taken throughout the day for the time being even though this is not being suggested by the health authorities
- Join teachers/educators in encouraging your children to include regular hand washing in their daily routine and to use the hand sanitiser, disinfectant and paper towels available in all rooms
- Institute an even more rigorous than normal hand washing regime at home
- Don’t congregate on-site at the kindergarten or come in the car park
- Please refrain from entering the individual room yards and wait at the entry gate for Educators to attend
- Educators are continuing to work hard on regular and additional cleaning in line with rigorous infection control guidelines.
- Know that cleaners will be working during in the afternoon to clean heavy use areas including door handles, handrails, keypads, outside tables, outside equipment and bathrooms.
- Educators are observing distancing from other adults in the staffroom and the common offices and from children in the individual rooms at Erina kindergarten
- Please observe social distancing from other adults within the boundary of the kindergarten
Protocols for a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 connected with Erina kindergarten
You will have seen reports of COVID-19 cases in Sydney schools this week, resulting in the closure of those schools for a short period.
I assure you that should there be a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 connected with Erina kindergarten, the kindergarten is well prepared to quickly assess the situation, implement formal response procedures and follow the advice of NSW Health regarding actions that need to be taken.
The following procedures will apply:
- The childcare will move into lockdown mode to restrict educator and children movements
- Parents/Caregivers will be contacted through text message and email to collect their children. The aim under such a circumstance will be to attempt to have as many children and educators offsite as soon as possible within a two hour timeframe
- Children will collect their necessary belongings to take home
- In the event that parents cannot be contacted, no children will be left unsupervised
- NSW Health will attempt to identify any close contacts of a confirmed case
- The childcare will arrange a deep clean of the childcare and take any other advice as directed by NSW Health
- I will communicate with all parents and educators to keep them informed about the situation and next steps
As more constraints are lifted on Monday 1st June enjoy the new liberties and stay safe.
Additional resources:
https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/what-you-can-and-cant-do-under-rules
kind regards,
Veronica Klumper-Peters
Approved Provider, Erina kindy Pty Ltd