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Handbook |
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MONTESSORI WORKS Parent Handbook 49 weeks per year Administration can be contacted by email: Net bank details: Westpac BSB 032 078 Acc# 474 341 Welcome to our Centre. We do hope you enjoy your time with us. This booklet outlines issues you will need to be aware of while you are a part of our Centre. It is important that you read over this booklet and ask questions about matters you do not understand. You will find a form at the back of this booklet which you must sign and return to the Centre to indicate that you have read the information in this booklet and your enrolment pack. Our centre has an open door policy. You and your family are welcome to visit the centre at any time. Index of Contents Introduction Dear Parents Aims for Children Philosophy The Program - Development and Education The Daily Routine Services Offered Age Groups Children Those First Weeks What to Bring Birthdays Clothing Belongings Possessions Lockers Guidance and Discipline Rest & Sleep Parents Communication Hours of Operation Notice Boards Enrolments Court Orders Arrival & Departure Parent Involvement Commencement Fees Centre Fees Accounts Late Fees Attendance & Absences Allowable Absences Holidays Waiting List Notice of Withdrawal Health & Safety Medication Asthma Sun Protection Accidents Fire Drills Centre Safety by Parents Staff Staff Qualifications Conclusion Important Contact Numbers for Families Introduction Welcome to Montessori Works. Finding a new childcare centre for your child can be a daunting task. At Montessori Works our aim is to provide a secure and happy environment where children can develop their intellectual, social, emotional, physical, aesthetic skills to become competent and confident individuals. And for you as a parent, feel safe in the knowledge that your child is receiving the best possible care. We believe the best way to work with you and your child is by building a partnership of care. To do this we want you to feel: Welcomed, recognised, acknowledged and respected by all our staff That your child is really known by, and really knows, the people who care for him or You are given lots of information about what is occurring and are asked for your views You are involved in making decisions about your child’s experiences You and your child are received and greeted upon arrival Your child is happy, secure and engaged Your child is not just looked after but really cared for. Our Centre is a privately owned family business. Aims for Children · To make every child feel secure in the early learning environment. · To develop each child’s sense of self. · To allow each individual to develop at their own pace. · To develop children’s independence. HELP ME DO IT MYSELF in the areas of Practical Life, Sensorial exploration, language (writing and reading), mathematics and music with the emphasis being placed on the doing, not the end result. · To help develop children socially and emotionally by making them aware of all the emotions which may be experienced, and teaching them to deal with those emotions in an acceptable way. · To help children develop confidence in their physical abilities by providing activities to encourage both fine and gross motor skills. Philosophy At Montessori Works we believe each child is a unique individual in their own right and that their special abilities, interests and backgrounds are a very important contribution to the community. We will work with families to provide quality care and an educational programme within a warm, secure environment. Within the specially prepared Montessori environment of care we will promote development of fine and gross motor skills, exercise, good nutrition, sleep and rest periods. We will ensure each child feels love, security and a sense of belonging. We will provide cognitive stimulation and education through a variety of experiences, stimulation of the senses and promote the importance of play which Montessori regarded as so important she called this “the work of the child”. At Montessori Works we will endeavour to build upon the child's self image, independence, belief in oneself and confidence for their well-being by fostering in each child a positive approach to themselves, to learning, a sense of responsibility, self-discipline and self-esteem. We will scaffold the development of each child as an individual who can grow his/her separate identity and quality, yet still work and contribute constructively within a large group. Grievances, Complaints and FeedbackIf for any reason you are not happy withthe centre’s service of care or care environmentwe want to know immediately.You can discuss with staff or formally write a letter.When any matter is raised the centre will be followingour Grievance Procedures and Policy.All centre policies are made available to parents.Positive feedback is most welcomed too.Child Care BenefitsA family subsidy (Child Care Benefit) is available from the Family Assistance Office (FAO). The Family Assistance Office will assess parents’ taxable income and a scale will be used to determine the amount of assistance each family will receive. The assistance may be claimed at a reduced Centre fee or at the end of the financial year. Every family regardless of their income is entitled to this assistance. For further details please speak to our Director or contact FAO on 13 6150. The Centre is opened 49 weeks per year and caters for children 3-6 years. Note: Children need to be toilet trained before commencing our programme. The ProgramAll of the staff at Montessori Works will have had training and experience in areas of long day care and early childhood education/montessori education. Due to our high standard and commitment of our staff, we are able to provide developmental and educational programs for individual children. The staff will develop a daily program, observe the children in their care and plan their programs around the needs and interests of the children. A portfolio for each child, with work samples, photos and observation notes will be kept to be discussed at interviews.
Areas of development include: ð The creative child – Art/craft, music, drama and dance ð The thinking child – All Montessori actvities require problem solving ð The physical child – Brain gym extensions for outdoors. ð The social child – respecting themselves, each other and the environment ð The feeling child – ð The spiritual and moral child – Grace and courtesy activites ð The communicating child – Language rich environment ð Sense of self child “Help me to do it myself” If your teacher feels there is an area of concern, they will inform you and advise where help may be sought, e.g. speech therapist. It is always your decision to follow this up. Staffs are willing to discuss any aspect of development with parents. There are 2 scheduled Parent/Teacher meetings per year. The Daily RoutineWe endeavour to provide a prepared environment at the Centre where the children feel comfortable and secure at all times and our daily routines reflect this. Throughout the day the children will be experiencing a number of different activities which are part of the educational and developmental programs operated by all of our staff. At Montessori Works we will display the daily routine and specific lessons that were given that day as well as group discussion focus and these are available for parents to read on our website. Click on Aims of Activities. In place are both summer and winter routines, which adapt to weather conditions. Services Offered Long Day Care Hours For children from approximately 3 to 6 Special Needs Catered For Parent Education Evenings at least quarterly Mixed Age Group The Prepared Montessori Environment: all children thrive in Children learn from each other and therefore younger look to the older children for guidance. Children Those First Weeks The introduction into long day care can be difficult for children and parents. Children’s welfare and happiness are the priority for staff when welcoming new children to the Centre and when assisting the family to settle into the centre environment. It is recognised that families needs will vary greatly in the orientation process and individual needs will be met as best is possible. The following outlines some helpful hints for parents on settling their child into care:- · Make sure you familiarise your child with the environment and the people in the environment (children and adults) by coming in for scheduled visits before commencing care. · Ease your child into care with short stays to begin with (Orientation visits). · Provide a favourite soft toy, blanket or comforter to support your child when they are separating from you or settling to sleep. This can help your child feel more secure. · Interactions between staff and parents or staff and other children can produce positive role models and be reassuring. This experience can help to establish trust in an unfamiliar setting. · Try to talk at home about child care. Mention the names of the staff and other children. Talk about the things the child will be able to do at child care that are fun and enjoyable. · Talk to the staff about your child, for example, what they like to do; successful ways of settling them to sleep; foods they like and dislike and so on. This helps staff to get to know your child. · When leaving your child it is best to make sure you say goodbye and then leave. Hesitating and not going after you have said your goodbyes, if a child is upset, only confuses them. Reassure your child that everything is alright and you will return later, this can help them to settle. · It sometimes helps to establish a routine when leaving. For example, giving your child a cuddle and giving them to a staff member. · At first some children protest strongly while others may take a day or two to realise that you are leaving them and begin to protest after several days. Children soon learn that you do return and in the mean time they are well cared for. What to Bring 3-6 years · A change of clothing that is weather appropriate (younger children- especially those new to being toilet trained- mayneed extra changes) · A hat – a full brimmed wide hat · A security item for rest time. · Sheet Sets witin a draw string bag Birthdays www.montessoriworks.com.au see Picture Gallery /Birthday celebration/ceremony Your child’s birthday is a special event in his/her life. To celebrate your child’s birthday, you are welcome to bring individual cup cakes (due to food allergies). Please check with your child’s teacher prior to birthday, in case of other children having special dietary requirements. Clothing Parents are advised to send their children to the Centre in comfortable, inexpensive clothing. The children need to be able to move around during their work/play period and should be unimpaired by clothing. While paints, etc will come out in the wash, accidents do happen so it is best to send the children along in their “less than good clothes”. The Centre will only have a limited supply of spare clothing. Please supply at least one change of clothing and underclothing in case of accidents, for 3-5 year olds. Please mark your child’s clothing and replace name tags if they fade in the wash. Ensure clothing is weather appropriate. Because our environment’s focus is to “help me to do it myself” this needs to be followed through into putting on and taking off shoes and socks. Please do not give your children shoes/clothes that they can not manage by themselves. Clothing safety Please do not dress your child in clothing with cords e.g. shorts, hats etc. As these have the potential to become caught on equipment and may cause serious harm to your child. Belongings Please ensure all belongings are clearly labelled such as hats, clothes etc. Lost property will be displayed for parent collection in your child’s room. Parent co-operation in labelling assists the Centre in keeping your child’s belongings together. The Centre discourages toys from home and we will not hold any responsibility for any personal belongings. Please be reassured security items are acceptable and nature items to be placed in the nature tray. Possessions A soft toy or security item are acceptable for rest time. It is appreciated if personal possessions are not brought to the Centre e.g. toys etc. Any possessions brought must come entirely at the parent’s own risk with regards to breakage or loss. Allocated Bag space for Each child is allocated a space. Please place bags etc in your child’s space. If your child attends less then five days per week, they will share their space with another child. Guidance and Discipline Staff follow a Behaviour Guidance Management Policy which extends across the whole Centre giving consistency of expectation. This policy allows children to develop self-discipline, a respect for others and for property and respect for self. The policy aims are:- · To give all children the opportunity to expand their experiences of life in a productive, safe environment that allows individuals the right to safety, tolerance, self-expression, cultural identity, dignity and the worth of the individual, and honesty in dealing with peers and caregivers. · To be taught to respect the rights and needs of others by foreseeing the outcome of their behaviour and the consequences of their behaviour. · To encourage the individual social development of each child. If you require further information on this policy please ask staff and refer to policy book located on the sign in table Rest and Sleep Rest time routine varies according to individual needs. We aim to make rest time a relaxed, pleasant time. We provide matresses for children. Your child may wish to bring a security item, pillow or blanket to have at rest time. Please feel free to discuss your child’s rest needs with staff. Note: all items brought in for sleeptime must fit in your draw string bag. Parents We believe the best way to work with you and your child is by building a partnership of care. To do this we want you to feel: You are given lots of information about what is happening and you are asked for your views What is the best way to communicate with you? Everybody has a different communication style and time for communication. We understand that mornings and afternoons can be a little rushed, and not the best time to discuss your child. We have many types of communication we use for families in the centre just like you. Confidentially and Discretion Information received through written and spoken communication with families will be treated with discretion At any time if you require a private discussion with our staff, please inform us. This can happen face to face or by phone. How do you like to be communicated with? ð Newsletter ð Phone calls to your work ð Emails ð Letters ð Face to face Ways we will be communicating the events of the centre by: ð Face to face verbal interactions at arrival and departure times. ð Regular newsletters which will be sent home via the children’s individual pockets once a month. ð A message book on the sign in table, where brief notes can be left between staff and parents. ð A notice board where various messages and notices are displayed advertising current issues and up coming events. ð Regular parent meetings are held where parents can raise any issues or topics they feel relevant and contribute to decision making. ð A fees/communication box is located in the centre. Parents are able to leave more detailed written messages, for the purpose of expressing concerns, positive or evaluative input that they feel they need to let staff know about in our suggestion box. These can be anonymous if so desired. ð Occasionally staff will ask parents to complete short surveys in order to maintain up to date record and seek parent feedback on various topics. ð Each family will be allocated and individual pockets in which newsletters, accounts and other written communication will be placed. It is the parent’s responsibility to read these notices and ensure they are aware of current issues and events in the centre. ð Policies will be regularly reviewed in a variety of ways (sign in area, newsletters and via pockets to enable parent comment in centre practices Communication and Staff What can you expect from staff? Staff will make efforts to communicate effectively with families. ð Staff will inform families promptly and sensitively of any out of the ordinary incidents affecting their child ð Staff will share with children’s families some of the specific interactions they had with the children during the day ð Information on children’s eating and sleeping patterns at the centre will provided to families through a note in lunchbox and through the centre sign in sheet. ð When families and staff make joint decision that affect children’s progress, interest and experience, a record will be recorded in the appropriate form. Please feel free at any time in person, by phone or email to discuss your child’s progress, relationship, interest and experiences. Hours of Operation Centre opens Monday to Friday, 49 weeks per year. Enrolments Under Family Assistance Office guidelines in respect to Child Care Benefit there are guidelines to Priority of Access to Care, which are: 1. Workforce participation or training. 2. Children with disabilities 3. Children at risk 4. Parents at home An enrolment fee of $300 per child is to be paid before your child commences at the Centre, this is refundable when your child ceases care or used to pay outstanding fees. Court Orders Parents must notify the Centre if there are any Court Orders affecting residency of their children and a copy is required for the Centre. Without a Court Order we cannot stop a parent collecting your child. Arrival and Departure For safety and security reasons ALL children must be signed in on arrival, and signed out on departure. The times must be noted. No child will be allowed to leave our Centre with a person who is not stated on the enrolment form, unless prior arrangements are made with Director. Signatures and times are important; if no signatures or times are entered it may be deducted from your tax return at the end of the financial year, at full fees. Parent Involvement This is vital to ensure maintenance of a quality service. Your contribution of ideas, experiences and skills are welcomed and greatly valued. You may be able to share your skills and experiences in Music, Craft, Cooking, Expertise in a language other than English and Storytelling etc, to enhance your child’s program at the Centre. Please complete your availability or what you can offer the Centre on the enrolment form. Parents are welcome to visit or call the Centre at any time. If you have any talents or hobbies, we welcome and encourage to please share them with the children. We also offer Parent Education evenings to help with understanding how we practise our If you have any concerns, please see your child’s teacher or the Director. We have a grievance policy and procedure if you would like to formally raise any concerns Commencement Fees · $300 as a bond – One off payment per child. This is refundable at cancellation of care with 6 weeks notice before September 1 after wich you will be required to pay to the end of our centre year. · Refunds can take up to eight weeks, due to ensuring your Child Care Benefit is finalised with the Centre, all refunds are paid by cheque. (Please note these payments will not show up as a credit on your account, as they are held in the bond section of your child’s Centre file. At cancellation bonds will be transferred to your child’s account). Centre Fees · approximately $72.00 per day part time attendance It is Centre’s policy that all accounts are to be at a nil balance each week. Accounts On your first week at our Centre you will be required to have already paid your bond and to keep your weekly fees up to date or in advance. Please put your payments in an envelope with your child's name and the dates you are paying for. If this is cash please give to a staff person for immediate receipt. If your payment is by cheque please place in mailbox provided. We provide monthly invoices to help keep you up to date as well as providing receipts after each payment. Any change of financial income will alter your fee structure, please advise our Centre and FAO (13 6150) if this occurs. Payments can be made via cash, cheque, direct deposit, or over the phone 93493766 by credit cards: eftpos only at Maroubra Beach Late Fees If your child is collected from the Centre after closing time, you will be charged a late fee which is $15.00 first 10 minutes or part of and $1.50 per minute there after . This will be added onto your account. Attendance and Absence Once a child is enrolled at the Centre, payment of fees must be continued during the child’s absence for illness, public holidays and 3 staff in service days, holidays, etc. When a child is absent for any reason we must be notified. The Centre is open for forty nine weeks per year; the only period during which we are closed is Public Holidays, 3 Staff Inservices and three weeks at Christmas. Dates will be advised. Allowable Absences Are a part of Child Care Benefit, each child in care is entitled to 42 days absences: sick, holidays etc per financial year. Once the 42 days have accumulated, full fees will be charged for any absent days. Absences with support of a medical certificate will not count towards allowable absences. Please note all absences are still payable to Montessori Works. Waiting List When our rooms have full enrolment, children’s names will be put onto a waiting list. Once a position is vacant, parents are then contacted about placement. When parents wish to change days to other days, this can be effective immediately provided the group enrolment is not full. If it is full the child’s name will be placed on a waiting list. Once a position is available, days will then be adjusted. Our waiting list does give priority to working parents as per Priority of Access Guidelines. There is a $40 waiting list fee per child. (non refundable) Notice of Withdrawal or Reducing days. It is our policy that parents must give six weeks written (42 days) notice before they withdraw from Montessori Works. If notice is not given, 6 weeks of fees will be added onto your account, monies will be retrieved from bond fees paid in advance at enrolment and an invoice sent on to you. At the time of cancellation, up to an eight week period may elapse before families receive any bonds owed to them. The Centre will ensure families accounts are reconciled with the Family Assistance Office prior to refunds being forwarded. Refunds are forwarded via cheques. Annual Family Levy $110 is required annually due end March each year. This is used for incursions and special presents throughout the year. Health & Safety The Centre provides a healthy and safe environment for children, staff and families to grow and develop in – as such the Centre has a health and safety and hygiene policy regarding illnesses and medications. Children with contagious illnesses are required to be kept at home and a doctor’s certificate must be presented to show that the infection cannot be passed when the child returns to the Centre. Violence of any form is not tolerated in our environment and staff may have to phone a parent to talk about strategies that may need to be followed up at home. We have a 10 week settling in period where we observe if your child is really ready for being the independent worker required in this environment. Food Allergies We are an allergy aware centre. Please inform the Centre Director if your child has any allergy. Illness NO CHILD will be admitted with obvious signs of any highly contagious infection or illness. Our policy states the incubation period, symptoms and exclusion periods of such diseases. Children who are not immunised will be required to be exempt from the Centre. Medication Staff will be able to administer only medication prescribed by a doctor to children who are recovering from illness. A medication form must be completed and signed by parents before any medication will be given. All prescription medication must be prescribed for your child and not another family member- unless stated otherwise by a doctor’s certificate. Medication must be in date and in it’s original packaging. The medication must be handed to a staff member to store in a locked container in fridge. Please DO NOT leave medication in your child’s bag. The staff member who gives medication requires a medication form to be completed by the parent, e.g. tablets, mixture, creams. Any child who has commenced an anti biotic must not attend the Centre for 24 hours from commencement. Asthma The Centre aims to provide a safe environment for children who have asthma. It is Centre policy that an “Asthma Record Plan” be completed by parents/guardians in consultation with the family doctor. It is also a requirement that the record plan be reviewed by your family doctor annually or as circumstances change. This must be completed and returned before enrolment commences. These will be available at the time of enrolment. Sun Protection Our Centre’s policy is “no hat, no play”. This policy will be enforced. Parents are asked to provide a wide brim hat to wear during outside activities. These must be named. The most suitable hat is one, which shades the ears and neck, as research is showing a high incidence of skin cancer on people’s ears. Accidents In case of an accident or illness occurring at the Centre, the Director will contact parents if deemed necessary. As a matter of extreme importance parents must ensure that the Centre has up to date emergency contact numbers. An incident report will be filled out, outlining the accident and signed by the staff who observed and administered first aid, as well as any witnesses. The Director’s and parent’s signature will also be required. Emergency Drills Throughout the year the Centre will hold emergency drills which occur at any given time throughout the day. These are carried out in a well-organised and orderly manner. Also staff will be trained in using the fire extinguishers that are in the Centre. A emergency escape plan will be in every room. Using the Centre Safely Never leave children unattended in cars while collecting children from the centre. Cars parks are dangerous places for children, always hold children’s hands when arriving and leaving the centre Never leave a door or gate open Never leave your children unattended in a room Children are not permitted into the kitchen and laundry areas OHS Feedback We welcome all feedback regarding the safety of our centre. If you see something that concerns you regarding safe work practises, the safety of building and equipment or general OHS, please contact the director immediately. Staff Suitable qualified staff are employed in all age groups and the child staff ratios are adhered to according to Licensing requirements. All staff will have their Senior First Aid Certificates, working with children checks completed and attend monthly staff meetings. Our staff are regularly involved and encouraged to attend further development and training. (3 Inservices per year) We aim for our Centre to be unique in that all our staff will have had training and experience in the Montessori education. For further details on the qualifications of the staff, please see our Director.
Important Contacts and Information for Families The centre provides families with current information on child and family resources and services accessible in the local community Our centre has a parent library with resources you may find helpful. · Department of Community Services http://www.community.nsw.gov.au · National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) Level 3, 418A SURRY HILLS 2010 Phone: 1300 136 554 · Family Assistance Office Phone: 13 6150 · Australian Childhood Immunisation Register Phone: 1800 653 809 Local Contacts 02 9386 5281 Speech Therapist 02 9328 7344 Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children Melinda Lloyd 02 9872 0826 Learning Difficulties/Special needs Lucette Boyd 02 9553 4971 Ambulance 000 Hospital 02 9382-1111 Fire Station ( 02 9398 7510 7th Heaven Wholefoods 02 9326 5006 PRIMARY SCHOOL BONDI NSW 2026 HIGH SCHOOL Sutherland Informative Websites For Parents Raising Children Network The Australian parenting website: comprehensive, practical, expert child health and parenting information and activities covering children aged 0-8 years. Better Health Channel - quality consumer health information quality-assured, regularly reviewed, health and wellbeing information and services. This site is sponsored by the State Government of Victoria Family Skills, Interests and Talents We welcome all family members to our centre and we encourage when possible for families to be involved in your child’s program. There are many ways for your family to be involved. We understand that our busy lives can’t always afford the time, however any contribution no matter how big or small is much appreciated. Here are just a few ideas. Your Occupation Your child loves you and when they get to childcare all they talk about is you. You are the most important person in their world. We welcome all parents to the centre to talk about their occupation or hobby. Everything parents do interest children and these talks are the best educational resources you can provide for the centre. After occupational discussions we use it in our programming and the ideas explored from parent talks can last for weeks. Your Home Culture Your home culture is most welcomed in our centre, we would greatly appreciate if you were able to share with our centre aspects of your culture and family life. This would assist us to enrich the lives of all our families and children. Children love to be read to. If you or your parents have the time please contact staff to organise a day for reading. Useful Junk – We are always on the lookout for recyclable items for the rooms. Empty food containers, ribbons, wrapping paper, towel tubes (not toilet or egg or milk re-hygiene and allergy) paper or anything interesting form your work is much appreciated. MEET and GREET EVENT – There is no better way to meet new friends. We will be having an informal dinner night at the centre after close time for you to meet the other families. The older children in the centre really enjoy preparing the event. Family Photos – Our aim is to create a warm, friendly and homely environment. One way we like to achieve this is by having family photos displayed. Please bring in a copy of your family for us to display in the room. Concerts and Special Events Our centre organises special events throughout the year. Keep an eye out as your child is sure to be a star! For example Trivia Evenings, Children’s Disco, Movie Afternoon, Mothers Day Morning Tea, Grandparents Morning Tea, Open House mornings during Education week. Suggestions If you have any other suggestion or idea on how we best can work together in the centre and together with your child’s program please let us know. Remember When your family becomes involved with the centre, no matter how small or big your involvement your child will be be experiencing the connection between home and our centre. Please read this handbook carefully so you fully understand the commitment that you are undertaking and your responsibilities to the Centre. When you have done so please sign and return this page to the Director. Thank you. IN CONCLUSION: Communication Please indicate the best way to communicate with you: ð Newsletter ð Phone calls to your work ð Emails ð Letters ð Face to face Please Remember We encourage family participation and involvement in the centre. This allows you to see first hand what we do, your child sees that there is a connection between home and the centre. We welcome your feedback and view “Feedback As A Gift” THANKYOU ONCE AGAIN!
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