Quarterly Newsletter m: 0400 928 454

Term 1, 2017

Welcome back to all children from previous years, and welcome to any new children who recently commenced After School Care and/or Vaction Care.

We will start off with some housekeeping and general information....

Absence due to illnessPlease note that credit for absence due to illness is only available on presentation of a medical certificate.

General absencePlease remember to inform us when your child will not be attending After School Care. This ensures that staff at the program are not spending unnecessary time phoning parents/guardians/schools to ensure your child is safe, and to confirm they are not attending ASC on that particular day. We can be informed of absences by text or voice message to the OSHC mobile (see top of page).

Vacation Care bookingsVacation Care bookings are available during the last 2 weeks of each school term. Prior to this, the Vacation Care brochure is delivered to each school to be taken home for parents. Please note, spaces are not guaranteed for late bookings.

Cancellation of Vacation Care bookingsIn the event of cancellation of Vacation Care, credit for cancelled days is only available if the positions/s can be filled from the waiting list. This applies for a period of 2 weeks from the cancellation date.

About your accountAfter School Care families will receive monthly accounts at the beginning of each month based on their current booking (eg. Jimmy will be attending Mondays every week during February). Accounts are payable by the date specified at the end of each month.

Casual After School Care is invoiced for the previous month’s attendance and is payable within 14 days of the invoice date.

Important Upcoming DatesMonday 13th March - Labour Day public holiday (no After School Care today)

Monday 20th March - April Vacation Care bookings commence

Friday 31st March- Final day of term 1 & last day of Vacation Care bookings

Monday 3rd April - April Vactaion Care commences

Thursday 13th April - Last day of April Vacation Care

Friday 14th April - Good Friday (no Vacation Care today)

Monday 17th April - Easter Monday (no After School Care today)

Tuesday 18th April - School term 2 and After School Care commence

Tuesday 25th April - Anzac Day Public Holiday (no After School Care today)

Thursday 4th May - May race day (no After School Care today)

Vacation Care fees are calculated based on the number of booked days, plus any excursion fees, with Child Care Benefit and Rebate status taken into account. These fees require up front payment prior to Vacation Care commencing. Our fee estimates on booking/payment for Vacation Care are based on current information provided. The final fee can vary if circcumstances change.

Any account enquiries can be directed to our OSHC Admin Officer, Helen via email address: hsmith@warr-nambool.vic.gov.au

Please ensure your child has a broad rimmed hat and drink bottle with them at After School Care & Vacation Care.

Quarterly Newsletter m: 0400 928 454

Did you know...

Labour Day is an Australian public holiday originally called Eight Hours Day. It celebrates the achievements of organised labour on behalf of the worker to bring about the 8-hour day in the late 1850’s.Previously, workers were required to work long hours each week….10 to 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. While a change was made to the hours worked each day, the 5 day work week we enjoy today took almost a century longer to be adopted finally in 1948.

Interesting Fact

The largest chocolate Easter egg ever made was created in Tosca, Italy in 2011.It weighed a whopping 7,200 kg, had a circumference of 19.6 m and a height of 10.39 m.

Quarterly Newsletter m: 0400 928 454

Otway Fly

Angry birds day

Explore Port Fairy 5 days of Christmas

Build a City

Egyptian Day

Hogwarts

Summer Vacation Care Program

Quarterly Newsletter m: 0400 928 454

RETHINKING “STRANGER DANGER”

“Stranger danger.” It’s short. It’s simple. It even rhymes! But is it really the most effective abduction prevention lesson for our children?

Children do not understand the concept of a stranger. Many believe that strangers are mean, ugly people — so the nice man asking for help to find his lost puppy? Not a stranger.

Children also learn that some strangers – like store clerks, police officers, or parents with children – are helpful. It may be hard for them to understand the difference between strangers who could hurt them and strangers who may help them.

Most importantly, “stranger danger” ignores the fact that most children are abducted by someone they know.

Avoiding strangers will not help if the abductor is a family member, neighbor, or family acquaintance.

When you talk to your children about abduction prevention, don’t focus on warning them about certain types of people. Instead, teach them to identify and respond to threatening situations

A NEW MESSAGE

Say goodbye to “stranger danger.”

Try using the following language when talking to your child about abduction prevention:

• Don’t say: Never talk to strangers.• Say: You should not approach just anyone. If you need help, look for a uniformed police officer, a store clerk with a nametag, or a parent with children.

• Don’t say: Stay away from people you don’t know.• Say: It’s important for you to get my permission before going anywhere with anyone.

• Don’t say: You can tell someone is bad just by looking at them.• Say: Pay attention to what people do. Tell me right away if anyone asks you to keep a secret, makes you feel uncomfortable, or tries to get you to go with them.

In addition to these conversations, use role-playing scenarios to help your children practice their abduction prevention skills. The more children practice, the better prepared they will be to respond to an emergency.