LESSARD DAYCARE AND AFTERSCHOOL CARE

SEPTEMBER 2018 – NOVEMBER 2018

Website : www.lessarddaycare.com

Quarterly Newsletter

Lessard daycare and afterschool care would like to welcome all new families and continuing/ returning families.

We proudly express our whole hearted gratitude to all our precious families and most valuable staff for the successful, engaging and amusable completion of SUMMER PROGRAM 2018. At the centre we enjoyed a very busy, fun & delightful summer with lots of enthusiastic fieldtrips and amiable indoor activities. We could attend almost all the scheduled field trips and we appreciate the group effort of both the staff and the families to make the summer program a grand success. The children were able to visit many amazing places in and around the city also they had lots of exiting activities like Gift shop , Zumba day etc. inside their room. Anyway , everyone enjoyed this busy summer and we know it is the right time to express our sincere gratitude to the parents who were able to volunteer on the field trips. SPECIAL THANKS TO AYLA, MOM OF TUGRA & AYBEKE, WHO VOLUNTEERED ALL THE FIEDTRIPS OF TODDLER ROOM & KINDER ROOM AND WERE READY TO HELP ALL THE KIDS DURING FIELDTRIPS . It is always awesome to share a part of your time with them.

Also, thanks to all our parents to your support and commitment throughout the summer by ensuring your child was on time for the fieldtrips and coming prepared with necessary items. YOU ALL WERE WONDERFUL IN HELPING US ENSURE THE CHILDREN ENJOYED THEIR SUMMER IMMENSELY.

TODLER ROOM

For the past few months, Toddler Room was occupied and engaged with profusion of activities that enhance their learning and experience. The activities involved  “Indoor Teddy Bear Picnic”, “Music Instrument Day” , “ Prince and Princess Day”, “Wearing Cowboy Costume”, “Playing Hoola Hoops”, “Hawaiian Day ”, “Crazy Hair Day”, “Mud Painting”, “Blowing Bubbles”, “Painting Rocks”, “Nail & Tattoo”, “Face Painting”, and “Movie and PJ Day” with potato chips . Father’s Day Celebration became special through “Pancakes Breakfast” and crafts, which were made by the children for their fathers.

To enjoy summer more, we went to Callingwood Spray Park, enjoyed different activities like” Water Play” with portable swimming pool, loved the “Ice cream sundae, made our own popsicles for “Popsicles Day”, and brought fruits for “Smoothie Day”.

Field Trips made summer activities more fun where we had “Bus Ride”, watched “Sea Lion Show @ WEM”, played indoor playground at “Hide & Seek”, “Tree House”, and “Magic Space”.

We want to thank you for your never-ending support of our program. We welcome our new Toddler staff- Roda. If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with the room staff. We are always happy to assist you.

Thank you and enjoy the cold mornings,

Devine and Roda

PRESCHOOL ROOM

Our summer has been a very busy and enjoyable one filled with many exciting field trips and activities that kept us engaged the whole time. For June we enjoyed several ETS bus rides to the West Edmonton Mall, the University Station and other places of interest, sightseeing and education at times we turned our classroom into a Bakers Shop where we baked pizza, yummy muffins and cookies other times it was like moms kitchen making delicious fresh fruit smoothie and pink lemonade. We also spent time at the Lois Hole Public Library developing our love for books, listening to interesting stories being read to us and refining our language and literacy skills. We spent quality time at Centennial School Playground and the famous Centennial Field developing our gross motor skills and enjoying the outdoors.  The highlight of June was our Father’s Day Celebration with a delicious Pancake breakfast and a “ Dad you are so special “ gift.

July and August came along and found us just as busy with lots of educational field trips and activities that really enjoyed our senses and developed our minds. Our field trips took us to Hide and Seek, an indoor children playground, magic space, tree House, Sea Lion Show, Callingwood Spray Park, The fire Station and Farmers Market just to mention a few. We also baked and cooked, Swim, slip and slide, enjoy outdoor picnic lunches, face painting, crazy hair day, Zumba Dancing, Yoga and so much more. Over al we had a very busy and enjoyable summer by which lots of learning growth and developmental milestones were realized.  Without you we couldn’t do it. So we thank you so much for your patience, kind cooperation and invaluable support to our program. As September comes along some of our Preschoolers will graduate to the kindergarten Program. We will miss them dearly and we wish them the very best in their new experience. We’ve had a great Summer and we hope you did too. We look forward to enrolling new preschoolers and enjoy our working experience with you. Please enjoy the rest of your summer. 

KINDER ROOM

Summer is the most beautiful season of all the four seasons that we have here. It is the time where most people go vacation, enjoyment and relaxation, enjoying the heat of the sun, going for camping, road trips, fishing etc. People are spending most of their time outside where kids are also having fun playing games and go for swimming.

June is the month of the end of school days of the children and the beginning of summer, and all of them were so extremely excited to be on vacation, we mostly went to the different parks nearby like Centennial Park and Our Lady of Prairies Park, where the children can freely play better and express their feelings in mingling with the children of other centres.

In July, the children had lots of fun in their field trips: We visited the Aviation Museum, experienced buying products from the Farmer’s Market, went to watch Edmonton Street Performers and also the Edmonton Carnival at Dr Wilbert McIntyre Park. We went also to the different Spray Parks such as Redwillow Spray Park in St. Albert, St Martha’s Spray Park. And the most exciting trip of the kinders was in Fort Edmonton Park , which they tried to live the life of people in Canada before ,like how do they squeeze lemon to make a lemonade and the kinders even tasted the lemonade & chocolate they made. We also did some crazy hair day and tattoo day at the centre which children liked it so much.

Another busy month at the centre is August, it’s unending exploration and fun each day for the children, they have Biking Day, Water Fight Day just in front of the centre , where you can see the freedom and happiness in the faces of each children enjoying what they were doing. They had so much fun at Jackie Parker Spray Park, regardless  of the heat of the sun which is the most hottest day of summer. They also enjoyed making their smoothies and subway sandwiches at the centre.

And summer is almost done, and children are excited and getting ready again for Back to School by September and for sure they will be missing the fun and hoping again to have more fun to explore next summer and Good Luck to all kinders for the opening of classes.

Sincerely;

Roda

OSC ROOMS

Summer went fast and school is about to begin but before our OSC children go back to school let us hear some of their comments about our Summer field trips. One girl said “Fred Broadstock trip was amazing because she got to dive and swim a lot. Another one said “she enjoyed Teen Titans the movie coz she got to eat popcorn and treats. A boy  commented “the Fringe trip was fun coz he got free ice cream while  other one said “it was festive ,  happy and she liked the tricks. Another girl said “she liked the trip to Aviation Museum because she got to go inside the planes and played scavenger hunt and most of all learned a lot about old planes. Another comment “ that Callingwood Spray park was fun and cool.  These were just some of the things they loved about our Summer activities. One of the greatest things our OSC came up with is doing a Gift Shop Fundraising Activity wherein they were able to  have the opportunity to share their old toys and stuff they’ve out grown .They got the chance to get involved with calculating numbers by being cashiers and by keeping track of the monies. It was a great chance for them to improve their Math skills. We are proud to say that we are able to raise $140  in which $70 went to Stollery Hospital Charity and the other half went to the group. We are very proud of our OSC children to be able to successfully execute this activity and we are grateful to all the parents for their unending support. As of our opinion what made this Summer even more fun is having our OSC children  a great group to be with , they have been wonderful listeners , great helpers and awesome team members throughout the Summer.

As we already mentioned in the last newsletter, there is no changes in the childcare fees in all the rooms.

What’s Up For The Coming Months

Parents Meet and Greet Tea Party will be on Thursday, September 13, from 3:30pm – 5:30pm  - meet your child’s teacher and walk through your child’s classroom.

Meet and Greet your room teachers… Throughout September the room teachers will make themselves available to introduce themselves , speak with parents about the program, about your child’s day, our ongoing planning for the children and provide a tour in your child’s room. Throughout the year we make it a priority to share information with our parents by speaking directly, on the white boards in each room and our monthly calendars .

If you have any questions, or require additional information, Shanty, Asha & Sherine will be available at the centre for the convenience of our families.

Please see your child’s room calendar for any up-coming special events.

STAFF NAMES BY ROOM

Toddler Room          - Roda & Devine

Preschool Room      - Eunice , Janice S & Janice W.

Kinder Room            - Raquel

Afterschool care      - Janice B & Hazel

Junior Leader           - Sherine

PARENT INFORMATION

In each of our daycare rooms we will be focusing our program on strengthening our bond with the children and the families. We will do this by actively taking the time to understand each child in our care by observing, interacting, listening, note taking and reflecting on what we observe and learn. We will explore our community through fieldtrips and walkabouts in the neighborhoods. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen family relations and connect the children with many different experiences through the diversity of the people and places around them. Also providing a safe and happy place for the children to grow and develop at their on unique pace.

DEVELOPMENTAL CHECKLIST[Daycare rooms only]

It has been a regular procedure of the centre to provide the children with a developmental checklist. With this checklist we are able to share information with families about their child’s abilities and growth over the year. We will be doing our first one in December and the second in June. Once the staff have compiled the information, they will provide the families with a copy and will be available to discuss your child’s progress. Towards the end of June the daycare rooms shall provide the parents with a child’s portfolio that is filled with the information compiled throughout the year.

PARENT HANDBOOK – CENTRE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Please review the newest edition of the “parent handbook” dated September 2018. If you require a copy electronically, please request one at the office or go to www.lessarddaycare.com

FOR KINDER AND OSC PARENTS

Ø All the children who will be transported by daycare van – parent must read and sign  the Transportation agreement which will be provided by the centre.

Ø If your child requires transportation by the daycare van, ensure your child is at the centre by 8:00am on school days as per the transportation policy.

Ø If your child will not be attending the centre on any particular day, please contact the centre to provide us with the information, otherwise if the driver of the daycare van is not aware that your child doesn’t require pick up it creates many issues for our transportation schedule. This will be subject to the “no call’ charge as per the transportation policy.

Ø OSC popcorn and movie days – Every second early dismissal Thursday.

LESSARD DAYCARE AND AFTERSCHOOL CARE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT WOULD LIKE TO SINCERELY THANK ALL OUR FAMILIES FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT…. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO EXTENDING OUR QUALITY CARE TO THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF THE CENTRE.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT PARENTS ARE THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER OF THEIR CHILD AN IT IS OUR FIRST CONCERN TO ENSURE WE SUPPORT THE FAMILY…. PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, SPEAK WITH YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER OR THE MANAGEMENT AT ANYTIME.

HAVE A WONDERFUL FALL… NEXT QUARTERLY NEWS….