Our Program 

Our Center offers a full day program for children aged 0 months to a child under the age of 13 years, or a child under the age of 14 years who because of a special need requires child care. Our Licence capacity is 60 children all day. 45 Daycare Children and 15 Out of School Care Children. Nutritious snacks and meals with multicultural focuses are provided. We use a child-centered approach, where educators pay close attention and respond to each child’s interests, abilities and learning style. Using a variety of hands-on materials, learning is made fun and functional. It is our goal to create a warm and nurturing environment enriched through a “learning through play” curriculum and which recognizes and promotes the development of each child in accordance with their individual needs. Goals are set for each child in all areas of development. Program planning incorporates a variety of planned and spontaneous activities to enhance each area of development.  Our program also provides an inclusive program where children with and without disabilities participate in the same routines and play experiences. Educators in inclusive programs learn to recognize children as distinct individuals with special strengths and needs. Our program will modify its environment to support children’s success. We will meet all social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional, special needs and holistic goals.

Registration

• There will be a registration fee of $100.00 per family,
• Each new parent is provided with a registration package,
• Parent Handbook, will be reviewed
• and a tour will be given,
• All questions will be answered & any assistance the parent may need is given

Center Hours and Operations:

Our Day Care and Out of School Care is open Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Parents are required to pick up their children by 5:45 p.m. to allow our staff time at the end of the day to clean up the center and prepare for the following day. The center is closed on some statutory holidays and will remain on some statutory holidays. For the statutory holidays that we are open on we will in Lieu of close during the Christmas season. Notices of closures will be provided in the monthly newsletters and will be posted throughout the center prior to the closure dates. Parents will receive notice closure upon registering at the centre.

Preschool / Montessori:

Our preschool/Montessori program, with qualified educators, offers a secure and encouraging environment for children to develop autonomy, focus on respectful relationships and understand social courtesies. We engage children with individual, small group and whole group experiences and structured group sessions for discussion times, music and language. All activities are designed to be flexible and are focused on the learning experience rather than the academic outcome, while literacy and numeracy is introduced naturally through every day experiences. Our 4 – 5-year-old program for those children not attending Kinder is aimed at preparing our young people for school. We focus on helping children understand and deal with their emotions, to be able to initiate friendships and develop self confidence and self-esteem. We know that social and emotional readiness will assist in successful entry to school, allowing them to be effective learners. We will also introduce Montessori Practical life theory:

Montessori – Practical life in Montessori is purposeful activity, develops motor control and coordination, and develops independence, concentration, and a sense of responsibility. The exercises in practical life cover two main areas of development: care of self, and care of the environment.

Full Day Kinder / OOSC:  We offer Summer programs with related program calendars. During the Summer program, a range of field trips and workshops are available based on the weekly theme. We also use the surrounding fields, parks and playgrounds.

Our OOSC and Kinder program are organized into specific play centers (i.e., costumes, housekeeping, blocks, homework, reading area, library, art, music, technology, science center, puzzles, manipulative toys, board games, dramatic play and sports). Large outdoor play areas with parks are also attached to every center. Arts and crafts, science, multiculturalism, active play, group games and outdoor play are all integral main components of our daily programming.   The most successful after school programs leverage schools, families, and communities to ensure the success of children. Strong partnerships are not just a nice feature of an afterschool program, partnerships are becoming a “nonnegotiable element of supporting learning and development across all the contexts in which children learn and grow. After school programs are an extension of the classroom and as such when afterschool programs are aligned with classroom topics, and if families are re-enforcing these topics at home, children’s education will prosper. While after school programs are an extension of the classroom, it’s still important to retain some separation between regular day and afterschool due to possible overload.  Strong partnerships help children learn in every activity, and as children learn the benefits of afterschool programs will be more pronounced.   A high-quality afterschool program is a place where children aren’t only safe, they thrive. We try to provide this environment for them here. Our room is full of activities such as puzzles, games, table toys, floor toys, sensory activities, water play, sand play, dramatic play, science area, home work area, quiet area, arts & craft area, Game Cube, Wi, Free Dance, Karaoke, and much

Nutrition:

Our centre provides an AM snack, Mid-day snack and a PM snack to its registered children. We DO NOT provide lunches. Parents will be required to provide their own lunches for their children. All food provided to children is as per Canada Food Guide requirements & Alberta Nutrition Guidelines. Our snack menu is posted in each room, as well as the kitchen, and at the front entrance where parents are able to view them daily on the parent board. Our menu is rotated on a four-week basis. It is reviewed and changed seasonally. Parents are provided a copy of the menu upon request. Snacks will incorporate at least 2 food groups per day. Staff will ensure that children are fed at appropriate times and that sufficient quantities are provided to each child, according to their needs. AM snack is provided between 630am to 900am. Mid day snack is served between 1000am to 1030am depending on the room. PM snack is provided between 230pm and 430pm depending on the room. Infants ages 0m – 12m parents are responsible for providing formula and or blended food. Infants 12 months and older, children will be fed according to parents’ instruction. If your child has food allergies or restrictions, you will be asked to provide your child with sufficient snacks for the day to be served to them at the centre. If you will be providing snacks, please ensure that the food you provide meets the Canada Food Guide requirements & Alberta Nutrition Guidelines. We ask that you do not send your child soda or candy from home. Meal time is considered a social activity. Children are to be seated and calm during meals and snacks. All snack dishes are returned to the kitchen after use and are washed and sanitized as per AHS standards. All dishes are allowed to air dry before they are stored or reused. Children are encouraged to participate in mealtimes which foster social development and proper eating habits. Educators allow the children to be independent and make their own choices about what they would like to eat, although they are supported and encouraged to try new things. Our centre does serve halal, and vegetarian snacks. We will do our best to support all dietary restrictions. Please ask us if you have any specific need.

Child Guidance Policy:

The Child Guidance Policy applies to the Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten and Out of School Care age groups. Our Centre strives to provide a safe environment in which children are expected to be respectful to themselves, others and to property, whether belonging to them or others. Politeness, cooperation and responsibility all follow from our primary rule of   Respectfulness. Appropriate behavior management is used to guide, protect and enhance self-esteem. Both preventative and intervention strategies are used to encourage positive behavior. Preventative methods begin with role modeling by the staff. When a child’s caregivers are polite and considerate to others, they set the tone for everyone at the center. Each child’s individual needs, development level, family and cultural experiences are taken into account when determining and encouraging age-appropriate behavior. Distracting children, offering them choices and keeping them engaged in developmentally appropriate activities, and effective transitions from activity-to-activity help to prevent difficult behavior in children. Consistency is key when explaining consequences of behavior and setting limits.

Staff Qualification and Development Policy:

Working with children on a daily basis requires specialized knowledge and skills to ensure daily programming and interactions are positive and challenging. All staff members at our facility hold   Early Childhood Development certificates and have been certified by the Government of Alberta. All staff members must provide the center with original and recent policy security clearances prior to start work at our center. It is also a policy at our center that all staff working with children must have first aid certificates. First Aid workshops will be periodically held to ensure our staff keep their first aid certificates valid. We believe that our experienced and knowledgeable staff will create an exciting and safe learning environment for your child. Staff certifications and first aid certificates can be found on the Staff Board in the entrance of the center. To assist our staff in their continued education, staff will be provided with an opportunity to upgrade and use professional development funding provided by the Government of Alberta. The staff at our center will also periodically attend workshops (either on site here or conjunction with another child care center) to continually upgrade their skill set. Information regarding these workshops is posted in the staff room.

Assistant Director:

The Assistant Director will take on the role of Director when the Executive Director is unavailable.  

Qualifications of the Executive Director and or Assistant Director:

The minimum requirement for the Executive Director and or Assistant Director is that s/he must have completed a training program in early childhood education or equivalent. A minimum of 3-5 years of experience working with children and families required. Administrative and Supervisory experience is also necessary. A current First Aid Certificate, course in infant CPR is also required and Criminal Record Check including Vulnerable Sector Search.   

Cook:

The permanent, part-time cook is responsible for providing nutritionally appropriate meals and snacks for children aged 0 months to 14 years. Other responsibilities include menu planning, purchasing, food preparation and service. The cook must have at minimum her food safe handling course certificate, Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Search.