NEWSLETTER

A big thank you to all our families & educators for abiding by our COVID-19 19 safe practices at Erina kindergarten. We continue our efforts to provide all children with quality education during the pandemic and will continue to strive to keep our Erina community safe.

NSW will continue another 4 weeks of restrictions and lockdown for certain LGA. The restrictions are effective as of mid-night 28th July 2021. Please refer to our Erina kindergarten Facebook or Instagram pages for regular updates on restriction changes. Additional financial support and funding is available for individuals and businesses and we encourage families to seek financial support through services Australia.

We ask our families to please stay safe and continue to keep our beautiful Central Coast community safe by abiding by restrictions and Covid safe practices.

We are hoping to finally open our new Bilbies room over the next 4 weeks subject to any further building restrictions. We will be moving some of our gumnut’s children to the new room and we will be basing movements based on the eldest children in the gumnuts room. We will be keeping families whose children are moving with up-to-date information regarding transitions to the new bilbies room.

Thank you for your continued support.

Can you please bring in a copy of your child’s current immunisation record if you haven’t already provided this so we can keep a copy in your child’s file. 

We have Carly from our Kitchen has joined us in Admin she will be working Monday to Friday with Kelly still supporting her. Kelly M will be helping our management team now with compliance and educational leader support with her having more presence on the floor.  Please make sure your contact details and emergency contacts are always up to date this can be done through XPLOR.

Thank you to everyone for supporting Beanies for brain cancer days we participated in last month we raised $140.00 to donate to Mark Hughes foundation. 

Just a reminder breakfast as in toast and cereal finishes at around 8am as the children have morning tea at 930am. They can have a piece of fruit if they arrive and haven’t had breakfast after 8am. 

Our centre operating hours for children and families is 630am to 6pm as our licence does not cater for before or after these times. 

Just to let our families know Miss Maddi will be taking some of her long service leave this month and she will be covered by our existing floating roster educators and  Miss Ash has also come back from maternity leave having her daughter. 

Miss Tash has recently resigned from the Gumnuts room and she will be starting her new job closer to her home on the peninsula. We thank Miss Tash for her dedication to the children and families and making sure everyday we were all smiling. 

We have recently been updating our child protection policy to include the 10 child safe standards. We will be sending out our revised child protection policy so our families are aware of our child safe procedures and policy. If you have any questions please email to info@erinakindergarten .com.au. 

AT ERINA KINDERGARTEN WE IMPLEMENT A CHILD-SAFE PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES:

• we create a culture of safety

• we screen, appoint and train staff & volunteers in child safety practices & procedures

• we ensure there are practices & procedures and a code of practices in place at all times

• we integrate risk management practices

• we regularly review child safety standards and practices

• we ensure there are emergency and reporting protocols in place

ERINA kindergarten is a committed advocate for child protection, safety & wellbeing. The safety of children will always be our priority and all team members are expected to embrace this shared commitment.

Attached is an informative link for our preschool families in regards to Transitioning a child to school I Starting Blocks. 

Please remember to let you child’s educator know what school they will be going to in 2022 so we can prepare the children at kindy and support them with any children that may also be going to the same school. 

We have recently had solar panels installed on our rooves, so we look forward to these being on the grid soon. We are also installing water retention tanks underground on the field to be saving water for our gardens and grass. We are creating a new EK community garden area up the front of our centre where we have been busy planting vegetables and herbs and blueberries out the front, a fenced in area will be constructed where the children and educators will be able to visit during the day to garden, compost and engage in healthy hands on gardening and living experiences.

Child protection a number of our educators have currently completed this in line with our responsible persons in charge 

• Key word signing Miss Rie , Miss Teya

• Miss Mel, Miss Elise & Mr Keenan Child Safe standards  

• Miss Mel Bush Tucker 

• Miss Eva Indoor/outdoor play spaces 

• Koori curriculum webinar- Miss Michelle, Miss Sarah, Miss Teya, Miss Nikita and Miss Tani.   

• Lifeline 13 11 14

• Bravehearts 1800 272 831

• Be You -Mental health.  

Reach an agreement with your children about rules on using the internet at home-including whether you are intending to view their search histories. 

Be aware of what apps children are using to communicate with each other as some may be easier for predators to access. 

How is school connecting with children -how do you know your child is safe? 

Encourage open dialogue about online activity. 

Consider installing software to block access to certain sites.

Where possible don’t allow devices in bedrooms.

Make sure children understand that some sites are not appropriate for them ad they should avoid them.

Ask them how they know a person they’re in contact with or a site they’re visiting is safe

Understand that children may be feeling isolated or worried. Encourage them to engage with family activities or to talk to a professional if they feel they need to.

• Children’s book week dress up in your favourite book character 16th-20th 

• Science week 16th -20th -Incursion for Gumnuts and Preschoolers Happy feet little scientists date TBA due to covid 

• Down on the farm Incursion for Bush babies date TBA due to covid  

If you wish your child not to attend any incursions please email info@erinakindergarten.com.au