Welcome to the wonderful Harty Street Kindergarten community

TERM 1 NEWS:

Important Notices

Parents’ Club

Positive Parenting Program

Handwriting Skills for

Children

Imagining and Creating

Community Notices

WELCOME TO HARTY STREET

The Harty Street Management Committee is made up of volunteers responsible for the operation of the incorporated association C&K. The 2016 Management Committee will continue to implement the pillars of the strategic plan which was introduced by the former committee such as; the learning environment, quality staff, asset security and stability, excellent governance and effective partnerships and collaboration. This framework guides committee activities to ensure the success of Harty Street in 2016 and into the future. The future of the Harty Street is dependent upon full enrolments every year, and 2016 sees the introduction of a 4-extended day program, with apparent success in its early stages. This new model is intended to keep us competitive and as a viable alternative to long daycare kindergarten programs.

The new model also offers some exciting options such as utilising the the kindergarten on our vacant Wednesdays, an idea that we will be seeking your educated feedback on shortly. 2016 has also seen us pleased to welcome Suzy Hartley to her first full year as Director of the kindergarten. Suzy is always willingly available to guide and advise the committees, and provide continuity not only from the start of the week to end, but from one year to the next. Suzy is an absolute asset to the kindergarten, her experience and commitment to the establishment is apparent, as is her dedication as an Educator to our children. On behalf of the Management Committee and staff we welcome you to Harty Street. I am sure there will be many special memories and friendships that develop throughout the year and as our children commence their education journey. Megan Cook, President

On behalf of all staff we would like to warmly welcome all our 2016 families to Harty Street. We hope you and your children have enjoyed the first term so far and we look forward to working with you all for the remainder of the year. We would like to especially thank the parents who have taken on positions on both the Management and Parents’ Club committees to ensure the successful running of our beautiful kindergarten.

Early childhood education is a very special time in a child’s life and we are privileged to be a part of their journey and we hope your child’s experience at Harty Street will be a rich and rewarding one. By developing and extending your child’s social skills, physical skills, intellectual skills and emotional skills, our program helps your child prepare for not only their prep year at school but cultivates a life-long love of learning.

Staff List 2016

Mrs Caroline Taylor is Harty Street’s Administrative Assistant and works Mondays and Fridays. She is your first point of contact for all queries regarding fees and enrolments.

Unit 1 (Thursday, Friday) •  Mrs Sara Keneally •  Mrs Patrida Blake

Unit 2 (Monday, Tuesday) •  Mrs Suzy Hartley •  Mrs Belinda Davis

Unit 2 (alt Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) •  Mrs Hayley Neal •  Mrs Karen Austin

Unit 1 (Monday, Tuesday, alt Wednesday) •  Mrs Megan Hannan •  Mrs Liz Colston

HELLO FROM OUR DIRECTOR

NEW SANDPIT

Harty Street is well recognised in the local community as a warm and friendly kindergarten not only for the children but for the families as well, so we encourage you to participate in the social events organised by our Parents” Club – it’s a great way to meet new families.

Suzy Hartley, Director

2016 is off to a running start, the committee \

2016 is off to a running start, the committee dedicated many hours over the Christmas break to the completion of the new sandpit including the removal of the old sandpit, addition of a larger shade area and dozens of new plants as well as turf. This signifies the completion of the first stage of the masterplan, paving the way for planning and commencement of stage two this year. A not-for-profit community organisation, Harty Street relies not only on the helping hands of parents and friends, but also upon the securing of grants for large projects and upgrades. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the 2015 committee we had sufficient funding to complete the sandpit, and it is the aim of the 2016 committee to leave the 2017 committee equally positioned to take the masterplan into the future.

Vaccination updates It is a C&K requirement that Harty Street Kindergarten ensures all children’s immunisation records are current and that we maintain acceptable documentary evidence. You will also need to provide an updated official record to Harty Street when your child has received their four-year-old immunisations. Acceptable documentary evidence is either an official record issued by the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) or a letter from a recognised immunisation provider. A copy of a child's Red Book (or other state-based Personal Health Record) is no longer recognised as an official record. Parents / guardians can obtain an immunisation history statement from ACIR for their child, free of charge, at any time, through Medicare Online Services, through the Medicare Express App, available for download from Google Play and iTunes stores. Or by the following options: Emailing: acir@medicareaustralia.gov.au and supply the child‘s ful name, date of birth and Medicare number. Telephone: ACIR on: 1800 653 809 In person at a local Medicare Service Centre. If you have not provided the correct documentation would you please do so immediately. If you are unsure what form of evidence you have provided please contact your child’s teacher. Medical Conditions If your chid has or is diagnosed with a medical condition you must notify the kindergarten at the time of enrolment, or if already enrolled you must notify the kindergarten as soon as possible after diagnosis. You must provide the kindergarten with a current medical management plan which has been authorised (signed and dated) by the child’s doctor or specialist. A child with diagnosed medical condition cannot commence enrolment until a medical management plan has been provided The medical management plan must provide the following information:

IMPORTANT NOTICES •  The child’s name •  Name of medical practitioner •  Name and description of medical condition /

illness •  Symptoms and signs of the medical condition /

illness •  First aid and / or emergency treatment

/Medication name, frequency, dosage, method and possible side effects

Throughout enrolment ensure child’s contact information; including emergency contact details remain current and continue to update any changes to the medical management plan, and all changes must be dated an authorised (signed) by the child’s doctor or specialist. Allergies and food intolerance Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction. This allergic reaction can produce such severe swelling of the air passages that suffocation may occur within minutes. Anaphylaxis is a critical medical emergency requiring immediate injections of the hormone epinephrine’ (EpiPen) adrenalin, which opens the airways and blood vessels.

There are children in our centre who have severe allergies to NUTS and exposure to even tiny amounts could be potentially serious and life-threatening. We can all play a role in preventing such a dangerous and frightening situation from occurring by minimising the risk of exposure to allergens.

Please ensure that you:

•  DO NOT send items containing nuts e.g. peanut butter, Nutella, crushed/whole nuts.

•  check the list of ingredients on items you send to the centre (for example some muesli bars contain nut pieces).

•  teach your child/children to understand this very serious situation and offer support to these children.

Any function at or associated with the kindergarten should be in-line with this food policy and be nut-free. Please understand how important your assistance is and how this issue impacts the lives of these children and their families. For the same reasons, we ask that confectionary is not distributed to the children, particularly on special occasions such as Easter and Christmas.

Sunsafe policy Please ensure your child is dressed in sunsafe clothes and has a wide-brimmed hat. Sunscreen should be applied every morning by the parents. If you prefer not to use the sunscreen provided please notify your teacher and supply your own preferred sunscreen. Playground The playground is not to be accessed at pick-up time by kindergarten children or siblings. We thank you for your understanding.

Prams access to lower playground Parents with prams can access the lower playground via the driveway and pathway alongside the building. Follow along the marked yellow line on the driveway and enter the gate at the lower corner of the playground.

Driveway Parking in the driveway is not permitted . Please be considerate of our neighbours and do not block their driveways. Harty Street can also be accessed down the laneway from Geera Street. We thank you for your understanding.

IMPORTANT NOTICES continued

Welcome to the new 2016 Parents Club The Parents Club hosted its first event for the year with the Welcome Morning Tea on Wednesday 17th February at Harty Street Kindergarten. A lovely morning tea was held and it was a perfect opportunity for some of the new families to get to know each other better.

The 2016 Parents’ Club is made up of a volunteer committee Bianca McFarlane (mum to William EOW), Marnie Dalrymple, Chloe Robbins and Luisa Snell. We all work together, with the help of other volunteering parents to put together events for yourselves and your children.

At many of these events we have raffles, auctions and other fundraising activities. We will be looking for volunteers to assist in our fundraising. Many hands make light work. But how is the money raised used?

All of the fundraising activities are focussed on putting money back into the kindergarten with contribution to and end of year gift and much needed teaching resources.

So the more funds we can raise the better for Harty Street! This alone is a great reason to come along to the Parents’ Club events. It is also a great way to meet other parents in your class – many who will become life long friends!

Bianca McFarlane, Parents Club’ President

PARENTS’ CLUB

LET’S PARTY– HARTY STREET! DON’T MISS OUR ANNUAL PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT – SATURDAY 16TH APRIL FROM 7.30PM (VENUE TBA) AND OUR MOTHERS’ DAY FUNCTION - SATURDAY 7TH MAY FROM 3.30PM (FLUTE, COORPAROO)

The Positive Parenting Program (Triple P). The seminars will run from 6.00pm to 7.30pm in each case, with a 15 minute question session starting at 5.45pm.

Families can register online via the links below – should you wish to attend more than one seminar, you will need to register separately for each one. Signing up will also allow you to be eligible to receive resources on the night. Registration can only be completed online by yourself, Harty Street cannot register on your behalf.

23rd March: Raising Confident and Competent Children http://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/qld-uken/get-help/find-a-triple-p-session/3243/)

27th April: Raising Resilient Children http://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/qld-uken/get-help/find-a-triple-p-session/3244/)

Please also note that these seminars are not exclusively for Harty St parents and that there are only 50 places available for each seminar, and that there will not be provision for child care on the evening, so please organise alternate care for your child/ren.

Tea and coffee will be provided. Should you have any queries regarding these information sessions, please go to: www.triplep-parenting.net.au or email our Director, Suzy Hartley at: shartley@hartyst.org.au

POSITIVE PARENTING PROGRAM

HANDWRITING SKILLS FOR CHILDREN Handwriting is an important part of literacy and an essential skill for life. You can help your child develop handwriting skills from early childhood, so that they are ready to learn formal handwriting at school. Why handwriting is important Even though many children and adults use computers and tablets at home, school and work, handwriting is still an essential life skill. For example, children who can write smoothly and clearly are better able to use writing to record their thoughts and ideas. When handwriting is automatic, their ideas can flow. Children also need to write to do homework, tests and assignments. We also need handwriting skills to do many tasks later in life such as writing birthday cards, filling in forms and signing important documents. How children learn handwriting Handwriting is a complex skill. To learn handwriting children need to combine fine motor skills, language, memory and concentration. They need to practice and follow instructions.

Learning to write happens gradually. It starts with scribbling and drawing then moves on to forming letters and words. You can encourage your child to develop an interest in handwriting by encouraging her to draw, scribble and write. This prepares young children for the formal handwriting they’ll learn at school.

Left-handed writing in children Most children choose to write and draw with their right hands. But some children choose their left hands. This is OK. If your child chooses his left hand to write with, there’s no need to make him swap hands. Children who write with their left hands might find it hard to see their writing because their left hands cover their writing as it moves across the page. By tilting your child’s page so that the left-hand corner is highest, you can help her more easily see what she’s writing or drawing.

Preschoolers: getting started with handwriting Children usually start to draw horizontal, vertical and circular lines in the preschool years. Your preschooler might even be putting these lines and shapes together to draw people and objects. She might also be starting to form letters. Lots of opportunities to draw will help your child keep developing the skills he needs for handwriting. To find out how you can help your child develop handwriting skills click on the link below to this Raising Children Network website: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/handwriting.html

IMAGINING AND CREATING Pre-schoolers have very vivid imaginations. Their world is full of magic, witches and superheroes. Stories and cartoons can seem very real to them. Here are some play ideas and creative activities to nurture your preschooler’s imagination. What to expect with your preschooler’s imagination. Your preschooler will probably: •  Enjoy a rich fantasy life from two years •  Show sympathy for others and begin to share at

four years •  Enjoy dramatic play with puppets and dress-ups •  Enjoy boisterous play, particularly around 3-4

years •  Tell you elaborate stories about things that never

happened or have an imaginary friend (this is common and does not indicate your child has a problem)

•  Start to grow out of the fear of monsters, the dark and dogs as birthday number six approaches

•  Be able to copy and describe the art of famous artists if exposed to it, at 5-6 years

•  Be able to do structured dances once she has learned them

•  Make music part of other activities – for example, singing and drawing at the same time, or making up songs

•  Create artwork that is increasingly realistic from four years

•  Use art to reflect feelings from four years •  Begin to understand that art can tell a story from

five years.

Preschoolers love the process of creating. Your child will probably be very keen on any chance to draw, paint, paste, sing or dance. It doesn’t matter that three-year-olds aren’t likely to have the coordination or hand control to manage much more than a scribble or splashes of paint on butchers paper. Click on the link below to the Raising Children Network website for play ideas and how you can support and encourage imaginative and creative play for your child: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/preschooler_imagination_creative_play_activities.html/context/238

Support Harty Street Kindergarten when you do your grocery shop IGA Marketplace Greenslopes has recently added Harty Street Community Kindergarten as a beneficiary on their myIGA Card Program. Pick up a myIGA Card next time you are in the store and when you register it on line, tick us as your community group you wish to support and for your points to accrue to. Then, every time you shop in the store and use your card, not only do you receive great discounts, you are also helping to raise funds for us. It's as easy as that! Get behind this great program and we can all benefit. Existing card members can also change their selected community group to now support the kindergarten should they wish to.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

In 2015, nearly 400 Queensland children wound up in hospital from swallowing button batteries – almost double the number from the year before. Button batteries, found in everyday products and some toys, can cause severe injuries to children if swallowed. The Queensland Government is urging everyone to help raise awareness to the dangers of button batteries. These holidays, make sure these batteries don’t end up in children’s hands. For more information, visit: http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/tag/batterycontrolled

Harty Street Kindergarten is very pleased to be part of the Loreto College, Enrichment Program. The program involves regular visits from Loreto students who spend valuable time playing with the children. Activities range from board games, reading, outdoor play and it is usually the same group of students each time. This is a wonderful program and is of great benefit to the children.

‘Like’ us on Facebook, find us at www.facebook.com/hartystkindy or click on the icon above!

Loreto College, Enrichment Program

Stay tuned….Bunnings Cannon Hill have pledged to support Harty Street’s garden renovation in 2016.

MEET THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TEAM

Position Name Contact President Megan Cook president@hartyst.org.au

Vice-President Christy Miller vicepresident@hartyst.org.au

Secretary Angela Olsen secretary@hartyst.org.au

Treasurer Melissa Conley treasurer@hartyst.org.au

Capital Works & Building Maintenance Officer

Buddhi Wahalathantri maintenance@hartyst.org.au

HR & Staff Liaison Officer Kylie Squire humanresources@hartyst.org.au

Communications & Marketing Officer

Deanne Hansell marketingcomms@hartyst.org.au

Grants & Fundraising Officers Amisha Mehta grants@hartyst.org.au

Working Bee Coordinator Buddhi Wahalathantri

maintenance@hartyst.org.au

OH&S Officer Matthew Hockaday safety@hartyst.org.au

General Committee Members Jennifer Sexton

committeemember@hartyst.org.au