September 2014

Educator research projects—making learning visible? WCCC has a strong commitment to ongoing professional development for all educators and staff.

One of the processes we use for improving our practice is through educator research. Educator research

is a cyclical process of observation, reflection, action, reflection, observation, action…

As a team, either the whole Centre team or a room team, we reflect on our current practices and

determine areas we would like to improve. These areas may also be determined through feedback we

have received from families. Teams share their thinking and ideas and record observations and actions

taken in a group reflective journal. We also draw on professional research to support more in depth

exploration of an area of practice.

Each of the WCCC room teams are currently beginning an educator project. We are also involved in a

externally supported project which is focused on strengthening understandings of universal access

preschool. With the change to school entry to one intake at the beginning of the year children will

increasingly access their preschool hours in long day care services. South Australia has a long history of

sessional based preschool which differs to models in other States. Integrated preschool childcare is a

new experience for both families ands services. Change takes time. Our strengthening universal access

project is focused on making preschool learning at WCCC more visible.

The keys to early years learning are wellbeing and involvement. It is not the content of the experience

but the quality, the process not product. Involvement is an easy measure of the power of the learning

environment and is relevant for all children at any age; hands on = brains on. When involvement is high

then we know that deep learning is taking place.

Drop off and pick up times are busy times for everyone but the hours in between are when children

spend most of their time here and when they actively engaged in learning.

With process a key to learning how can we show all the processes of children’s involvement across the

day? How can we make this learning visible to you?

In coming weeks we will share more information with you and seek your feedback and ideas via quick

surveys.

Policy Review 2014 All policies have been reviewed with feedback from families and PAG. There has been some minor

corrections to a few policies and a couple of policies have been modify more extensively. The PAG

policy has been reviewed and updated to reflect current operating procedures. The Healthy Eating and

Physical activity policy has been reviewed to include more detailed information on the fat, sugar and

fibre levels for packaged foods.

Proposal to implement preferred booking patterns: From 2015 WCCC is proposing to have preferred booking patterns. New enrolments and children

reducing or changing days will be required to have consecutive days that fit the following patterns.

Children attending 2 days can attend Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday; children attending

3 days Monday Tuesday and Wednesday or Wednesday Thursday and Friday; children attending 4 days

Monday, Tuesday Thursday and Friday. Families will not be expected to change their current bookings,

however changes to your booking changes that do not reflect the above patterns may not be approved.

These booking patterns contribute to children’s secure relationships with educators and peers as it will

provide greater continuity of groups with more of the same group of children attending on the same

days. This enhances continuity of learning for children. These patterns will also allow us to maximise

enrolments and allow more families to use our service.

PARENT NEWSLETTER

AUCS Board and WCCC PAG Matters 2014 The Adelaide University Childcare Services Inc

(AUCS) Board meets on the last Monday of the

month and will meet next on Monday 29th Septem-

ber. The AUCS Board continues strategic planning

for 2014-16.

The WCCC Parent Advisory Group (PAG) and

Sustainable Futures Committee meets on the third

Monday of the month with our next meetings on

Monday 15th September

Planning for our 20th birthday in 2015 will

continue.

Sunsense policy From 1st September until 30th April all children need to wear hats when playing outside and will have sun block applied 20 minutes before going outdoors. The Centre purchases sun block for sensitive skins from the Cancer Council and it is preferable that children use this at the Centre rather than bring their own. As we may begin the day outside in the spring it helps if parents can apply sunscreen before leaving home. Please check that your child has an appropriate and named sun-safe hat that fits correctly. If you do not want to comply with the Centre’s policy you must provide us with a dated and signed letter clearly stating that you accept all responsibilities for your child not following the sun safe procedures.

Remember daylight saving starts Sunday October 5th

Diary Events: Please put the following dates in your diary:

Family Working Bee in Pilyabilyangga

Saturday September 20th 10am-12.30pm

Parent Evening -Raising Beaut Kids

Wednesday November 5th 7-9pm

End of Year Celebration: Tuesday December

16th

Centre closure 2014: Dates have been

tentatively set for closure at 6pm on Friday

19th December 2014 and reopening at 8 am on

Monday 5th January 2015.

We are hoping this will work for everyone?

Staff Matters: Yvett is on leave until September 26th.

Kaarin will be on leave 26th September until 7th October

and Cathy (admin) will be away 7-10th October.

Lucy Z has decided to change from working fulltime as

an educator to concentrate on her photography business.

We are recruiting for a new educator and Lucy will

continue until this process is complete and then also be

available for casual relief work.

Kaarin, and Marta have been inspired by attending the

Early Childhood Australia Conference in Melbourne from

September 4th –7th.

New Babes Congratulations to

Natalie, Warren and Mitchell (R3) on the birth of Indi 1/7/14

to Jessica, Matthew and Audrey (R3) on the birth of Edward 8/8/14

and to Natasha, Dylan and Alistair (R3)

on the birth of Dominic 20/8/14

Audit and Budget Our 2013-14 audit has been completed by Neale Almeida, Auditor. Expenditure in 2013-14 was

consistent with other years with a slight decrease in expenditure ratios for salaries and a slight

increase for other operating expenses. Our expenditure ratios were:

82.6%: staff salaries

14%: food, utilities, cleaning, consumables, equipment and maintenance, etc

2.6%: retained as operating surplus.

In this financial year WCCC making an operational surplus of $31000.

We are hoping to be able to extend our outdoor environment into the triangle of land on Waite an

Paratoo Roads at the entry to the Centre. This would require landscaping and fencing and achieving a

small operating surplus will support us to achieve this goal.

New Recycling program WCCC will be recycling old toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and more.

Please look for the recycle bin which Room 3 children are currently

decorating.

This program is registered through TerraCycle® to help provide a second

life for toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, toothpaste caps, floss containers,

and their outer packaging materials.

TerraCycle upcycles and recycles traditionally non-recycable waste

(including chip bags, tooth brushes, cigarette waste and many more) into a

large variety of consumer products. These products keep waste out of our

landfills and contribute to a cleaner world

You can learn more at: http://www.terracycle.com.au/

Working bee in Pilyabilyangga

Please remember our family working bee

Saturday September 20th 10am -12.30pm

WCCC Green Page

Wiser consumption Can we consume in a way that preserves peace, joy and wellbeing in ourselves, our family, society and

the Earth?

Wiser consumption means consuming with mindfulness, looking more deeply about what we

consume. Sometimes we try to cover up loneliness, anxiety or other problems by losing ourselves in

consumption. We rush through life often eating on the run and too busy to really think about the food we

are eating. We think that money and having more will bring us happiness when true happiness comes

from within.

Try some shopping meditation

It is possible to go shopping and not buy anything. Go to the shops, look at all the special and sales but

don’t buy. Think about how the items were made, where they came from, who made them?

Was the worker paid a fair price? Was the method of farming sustainable?

You can participate in creating a better world future- together everyone achieves more!

http://www.worldwildlife.org/videos/change-the-way-you-think-about-your-morning-latte

Ethical consumerism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAG-t-kXcqE

The story of solutions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpkRvc-sOKk

Big ideas that changed the worldhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ29DQvopZo

Guide to ethical clothing purchases http://www.ethical.org.au/get-involved/resources/clothing-choices/

Spring is coming During July work was completed to rejuvenate our 5 raised garden beds.

The bed near Room 3 has been remodelled to a wicking bed to prevent intrusion from the bottle

brush which was taking all the goodness.

Our other planting beds in the west and south of Pilyabilyangga

have been fertilised with worm castings and had drip irrigation

installed all ready for spring planting.

We have also have a worm farm, built from an old bath tub

which will continue to provide castings and worm juice for our

vegies once planted. Our Room 3 garden gurus will begin plant-

ing in September and soon be supplementing the kitchen with

freshly picked herbs and vegetables.

Pilyabilyangga is a Kaurna name meaning ‘The butterfly

place’ and the name of our native garden and

outdoor classroom. With some beautiful spring

weather all rooms have been enjoying some

time in Pilyabilyangga.

There is ongoing concern about children’s

increasing disconnection to the natural world

and growing research that demonstrates the

value of being in nature to children’s and

adult’s health and wellbeing. Being in nature

engages the five senses and when all children's

senses are activated neural pathways grow.

Pilyabilyangga

Project Wild Thing! On Wednesday September 3rd I had the privilege of

attending a workshop organised by Play and Leisure

Australia with key note speaker David Bond, UK film

maker and self appointed marketer of nature.

David’s film Project Wild Thing is being shown around

the world and David has gathered a wealth of data on

the negative impact to the current generation of the

overuse of digital technology and the reduction in time

spent in the natural world. The film can be downloaded

from the website at a small cost. David is hoping to

establish a global network of organisations and

families to promote children's’ right to nature.

Visit http://projectwildthing.com/

As well as attending the workshop I was asked to give

a presentation about nature play at WCCC.

In response to this presentation entitled ‘Sticks Stones

and Caterpillars in Pilyabilyangga’

David Bond wrote: “I salute the wonderful work you are doing at Waite Campus! You are a beacon of best practise and inspiration for all of us who care about reconnecting children with the natural world. You guys are worthy members of the WILD NETWORK! “

The maintenance of Pilyabilyangga as a

beautiful nature space for children is in the hands

of families, educators and children….

Please come to our September working

bee on Saturday 20th 10 am—12.30 pm

and you can enjoy some time in nature while

weeding and mulching . The deck and bridge also

need a new coat.