Monday, September 21, 2009

Fall Updates

I've just returned from the Learning Centre where I listened to three children snoring in unison...which was not music to the one child who remained awake on his mat. Oh, the Fall and stuffy noses! Just a quick update below, please see each item and send me an email if you have any questions:

  1. Sara will be posting her monthly themes, including various activities the children will be taking part in, on the bulletin board as you enter the LC. Please check it out, and see the effort that goes behind the scenes in our early childhood outdoor learning process.
  2. Beginning later this week, we have two volunteers who will be assisting the Forest Preschooler's in making a scarecrow family for the garden. If anyone has any scarecrow outfits they would like to donate, [shirts, hats, jeans, accessories] please do bring them in. We will display our scarecrows by the LC for the month of Sept, as the children work on them, and then will place the scarecrows in the garden for October.
  3. Starting on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd we will have a Katimavik volunteer joining us every week to assist in our Tuesday programming day. We'd like to welcome Valerie to our preschool, and look forward to seeing her wonderful contributions to our program!
  4. As the weather is getting colder, and we're going through a transition in seasons, please pack warm clothes for your children for the colder days [ie. fall jacket, warmer socks, hat and even light mitts on some days].
  5. Given the recent media attention given to H1N1 these days, I thought it would be beneficial to review our sickness policy with families. Please check out: http://www.carpridgelearningcentre.ca/pdf/Parent%20Handbook.pdf on page 15. It states:


"Parents will be required to pick their children up from preschool or keep them home under the following conditions:
1) Temperature over 101 degrees F or 38.3 degrees C
2) Vomiting
3) Diarrhoea (3 watery, profuse stools)
In the case of communicable diseases such as measles, chicken pox, mumps, flu, strep throat, viral pneumonia, head lice, et cetera. The child in ill‐health may not return to the preschool without permission from their health care provider (i.e. Naturopath,
doctor, nurse, etc). Please Note: Any outbreak of communicable
disease will be communicated to parents in writing."

In addition to this statement above, we request that children do not return to the preschool until they are asymptomatic for 24 hours without the use of tylenol/tempra.

Thanks for your assistance in the areas above. Cheers, Marlene

Resources for interested parents

Here's a great list of resources on early childhood education and sustainability for any parents interested in learning more about the benefits of nature-based education, or on the theoretical underpinnings of 'early childhood education for sustainable development.' Enjoy!

http://www.connotea.org/user/Sustainability