Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016 Newsletter
OSHC news
Welcome tour OSHC newsletter. We will be submitting a newsletter each month!
This term can seem like a long one due to winter. Fortunately spring is just around the corner and
we are preparing by planting our donated seedlings for an OSHC veggie garden.
A huge thank you to all the families for the support over the past 5 months as I transition into the
coordinators role at HEPS OSHC. The beginning of the year has meant many changes! Thank you to
all the families who have donated soft furnishings, seeds, soil, recycled materials and resources (to
name a few) to the service to allow it to grow into the home like environment it is starting to shape
into.
A HUGE Shout out to the families, children and staff (Ange, Harry and Matt) who assisted in the
finishing off of the painting and Leigh for installing a new white board. We would not have been able
to achieve what we have from the volunteers of Kirrawee Bunnings and the fantastic carpet job
done by Engadine carpet store!
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Our Staff
Reagan - Assistant
Sheridan - Supervisor
Liam – Supervisor
Katelyn – Assistant.
Ashley - Coordinator
Staff Profile of the month: Ashley
Ashley is the Nominated Supervisor, Educational Leader and on the floor
coordinator of the
service. Ashley commenced at the service February this year. Ashley has the required Apply First
Aid, Food handling, Anaphylaxis & Asthma Management Training, Working with Children Check
& Child Protection Training along with extensive certificates in the Early Childhood Sector from
her 10 years in industry. Ashley has worked predominantly in long day care in an ongoing
leadership position and in inclusion/ special needs support with ongoing interest in advocating
for children with additional needs to feel safe, secure and supported within the community &
for children and adults to be accepting of these differences. Ashley also posseses 4 years’
experience working at Yarrawarrah PS OSHC, in which she assisted with the running of an
exceeding rated service. Ashley has worked for several services who have fallen under Exceeding
rating, and would like to get HEPS OSHC to the same level of excellence. Ashley had recently
studied her Bachleor of ED and would like to return to Uni in the not to distant future to extend
her skills in the field.
A bit about Ashley:
‘’I was very excited to be given the opportunity to work at Heathcote East in a role that I have
aspired to for many years. My aim is to create a reputation for excellence.
I love visiting garage sales and op shops for wonderful treasures I can use in teaching and play
with your children. I love to encourage a love for all things natural with the children and they
continue to amaze me with the way they create with the most simple of resources.
I am very passionate about Heathcote East OSHC and the early childhood industry, spending a
lot of time developing and maintaining the centre’s aesthetic environment and continually
finding ways to improve and extend the program and service we provide to the community.’’
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
OSHC Reminders:
Committee Meeting – New members needed for 2017!
The next committee meeting is to be held on - TBA
OSHC Evacuation
Procedures:
We conduct Fire & Lockdown drills
every 3 months
To make all children aware of
evacuation procedures.
Everyone is encouraged to attend. We hope to see as many
parents as possible. Please email Ashley for Expressions of
interest
The procedure is as follows:
Assessment and Rating visit
Fire Evacuation: 3 loud whistles
Lockdown: 1 long continuous whistle
We recently submitted our Quality Improvement Plan for the
National Quality Framework. As we are an Approved Provider
of child care. We will be having a site visit between 1st and the
30th September by ACECQA (Australian Children Education &
Care Quality Authority) to assess our practices.
ACECQA are responsible for the guiding of the National Quality
Framework at the National Level. This process aims to ensure
all services are meeting satisfactory standards of care. We will
be assessed according to the National Quality Standards,
consisting of 7 quality areas.
The children did extremely well
practicing this, this term and even
made a ‘’stop, drop and roll’’ sign (By
Anthony, Alex and Lindsay)
This is just to make you aware of the
procedure so that you too can
reinforce procedure
With your children.
Construction craft
The children have been enjoying Construction Craft. If you
could donate any recyclable materials that are plastic or
cardboard (e.g. – boxes, milk bottles, egg cartons) it will help
with our sustainable practices. Reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Spring cleaning
Spring is nearly here. If anyone is doing a spring clean we
always welcome donations of toys, books and dress ups
Veggie Garden
Thank you to the families who have already donated money, seedlings and resources for our veggie
garden – Keep them coming!
Immunisation Records:
If you have not done so already, please contact Ashley and get your immunisation records to her
ASAP.
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Vacation Care
Vacation Care program for September 2016 is out and has been emailed to families. To make a
booking and secure a place please email Ashley at [email protected] or give us a call on
95209066
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Community Events
Did You Know?
Heathcote East OSHC has a reusable
corner?
Colour dash – Nov 5th
Police and firie (OSHC parents) Visit at OSHC – 29th
August
Fire Brigade Visit – TBA
Karate Teacher Visit – TBA
Upcoming occurrences:
1st – 7th September– National Asthma Week
2nd September – Indigenous Literacy Day / Footy Colours
Day
3rd September – National Flag Day
“Your Trash is Our Treasure”.
We feel it’s important to
Encourage kids to reduce their
Impact on the environment &
One way we can do this is by
Looking at what some might
Call trash or rubbish.
We want to encourage kids to
Look at boxes, packaging &
Other items & think “could this
Be used for something else?”
If you have any items at home
That are safe from sharp edges
Etc. please encourage the kids
To bring it into OSHC & place
It in our recycle corner.
Many of these items are used
For crafts & little treasures the
OSHC Kids create.
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
What’s New at OSHC?
At the beginning of each year, HEPS OSHC likes to get to know each child at the service. All children
are encouraged to write about themselves, including their likes and dislikes.
These ‘About You’ sheets help us to learn about the different needs and wants of the children at the
service. This helps the educators to develop our program to suit the needs and wants of each child
attending. We currently have sent home an ‘’about me’’ book to get to know your
children in detail and allowing them to be proud of who they are by discussing their
entry at afternoon tea as a ‘’show and tell piece’’ we have also
created a game for educators to get to know the children –
especially vacation care children!
Several new family input items have been employed at the
service. We have a ‘’conversation starter’’ at the sign in and out
that allows you to write down recent events or interests your
children may be interested in to support meaningful
conversations between educators and children. Our Strength
tree is still growing (no pun intended) if you have not done so
already, please grab a leaf and write down what you like from
OSHC. This allows us to continuously develop a philosophy of
service based on the needs of our families.
We will also be starting a term project. Currently we are working
on ways to imbed sustainability practices into the service, beginning with the
planting of our seeds at OSHC. If you have ideas or ways you can can contribute
to this project please let us know.
Curriculum Planning
Our educators evaluate the children in each morning and afternoon session daily. This evaluation,
(Located on our floor book) contributes towards our curriculum planning. Our weekly schedule is
located at the sign in/out table. If you have any suggestions as to the activities or programs we could
run please let the educators know.
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Community Advertisements
If you would like your company advertised here please let Ashley know.
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
https://www.facebook.com/groups/247343242059144/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012377946809&fref=
ts
Feedback, Suggestions and Ideas:
Families and children are encouraged to give feedback and suggestions on a week to week basis. You
can do so through our menu suggestion sheet, on our centre floor book, or by talking to your
educators or flick us a quick email / Facebook comment!
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Highlights of this
term:
Creating ourselves for our
‘’friendship wall’’
Making an exploding volcano!
Decorating jeans for ‘’jeans for jeans
day’’
Taco Tuesday! And eating afternoon
tea outdoors!
Creating recycled artworks!
Pokémon cards and Pokémon GO!
Making Olympic masks
Participating in OSHC Olympics
Cooking and experiments!
Box and recycled constructions
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Heathcote East OSHC – August 2016
Interest of the month (Or perhaps year!)
Handball!!