ECMS June 2021 No images? Click here ECMS EngageFamily / Carer Newsletter June 2021 Update Can you believe we're almost half way through the year already? Time flies when you're having fun, and there's certainly been plenty of fun to be had around our services. We hope you enjoy our monthly catch-up. Stay safe. The Team at ECMS What You Need To Know About 3-Year-Old Kindergarten As you may be aware, the Victorian Government is investing almost $5 billion over 10 years to introduce a funded 3-year-old kindergarten program. The final part of the staggered rollout takes place next year, with 5 hours of a funded 3-year-old kindergarten program becoming available across metropolitan Melbourne and other regional areas. To be eligible, a child must be 3 years old by 30 April in the year they'll start kindergarten. Enrolment processes do vary and it may entail a central enrolment with your local council. We suggest you enquire with the service you're interested in first. Please note that the current ECMS Enrolment Policy and ECMS Orientation Policy are in the process of being updated and available to parents as soon as possible. Winter, Brrring It On! Have you ever heard the common Finnish saying that translates to something like "There is no such thing as bad weather; just the wrong clothes?" With the onset of cooler weather, there is a temptation to restrict children to indoor play and only allow play outdoors when it is warm and sunny. This thinking is often fueled by the myth that children are more susceptible to colds and illness when playing outdoors if it is wet or cold. From our previous article for Nature Week, Early Childhood Australia's blog 'The Spoke' unpacks some of these myths and benefits of outdoor play in winter here. Every day can deliver exciting outdoor play experiences, and the seasonal change in weather shouldn’t create a distinct indoor or outdoor period. Getting outside with young children during winter does require more effort due to the extra layers and weather challenges. However, taking some extra time to dress children in warm and protective clothing will ensure they enjoy their time outside and still gain the many physical, cognitive, social, and emotional benefits of outdoor play. In this video, Early childhood expert Anne Stonehouse tells us why wet weather play is important, enjoyable, and safe for children ECMS: Wet Weather Play. Child Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility We all have a role to play in keeping children safe within our early childhood services. Four key actions we can work on together to ensure children’s safety include:
We thank you for your support in helping to keep children safe. Jack Bee Nimble, Jack Bee Quick When 4-year-old Macleod Preschool teacher Cathy Christelow was stung by a bee in the sandpit recently she was lucky to have young Jack by her side to help her through a painful experience. "Jack swung into action immediately and followed me inside as I headed to the sink to put my hand under cold water," recounted Cathy. "He offered his hand and told me to squeeze it, which I did. He said no, squeeze harder, and then you won’t feel the sting. You’ll be alright.'" Jack then proved a capable first responder, helping Cathy to remove the stinger without further discomfort. A couple of hours later, when it was time to go home, the young boy was still concerned for his teacher and explained, "Cathy, here's what you need to remember. You need to have a little cry, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going!" "I thought this was an amazing illustration of how young children are highly capable, able to share their knowledge and show empathy and kindness - not to mention they can be so very insightful and calm in a crisis!" reflected Cathy. Forget Me Not! Reminders this month:
Child's Play: Around The Services Cancellation Of A Kindergarten Program Or Session As you may have seen in the media, the early childhood sector is feeling the impact of a nationwide workforce shortage. Occasionally ECMS has cancelled a session this past term where relief teachers or co-educators could not be secured. We are aware that this may continue into the future as workforce shortages continue. ECMS will only cancel a session under the following circumstances:
We are working proactively to address this issue, holding bulk recruitment drives for our Casual Relief Pool and working closely with our recruitment agency on operational modelling to ensure the supply of suitably qualified staff. We understand that you may receive short notice of session cancellation at times; however, to the best of our ability, families will be notified promptly. ECMS Conference: Services Closed Please note our annual staff conference will take place on Wednesday 1 September. All ECMS kindergarten and early care programs will be closed on this day. |