Volume issue info goes here

Public Holiday Closure

Holiday Care Program

Staff News Chirstmas Carols Concert

Graduation Regis Manor Visits Events Reflection Health & safety

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Habitat Hub for 2015.

The end of the year is upon us! It’s been a fantastic year at Habitat and

we hope that you have enjoyed watching your child learn and grow

as much as we have! With end of year pretty much ‘wrapped up’, we

are making preparations for 2016.

We are set to welcome 87 new children in January. We expect some

busy times ahead! We have made lots of changes to our transition

program and January Care based on 2015 feedback. This is always a

challenging time as we try our best to cater for the needs of families

who are moving off to school as well as those continuing on. We will

continue to ask for feedback and refine the way we manage our

programs.

What a fantastic afternoon the Christmas Carols Concert and

Graduation evening was. We were very proud of the children and

really inspired by the way our community came together to celebrate

this time. Thanks to all of you for coming along and making the

afternoon so special. I’d also like to express my gratitude to our

dedicated staff – without their effort it would not be possible.

Although Habitat Early Learning will remain open throughout the

Christmas period (with the exception of public holidays), we are aware

that many families will be taking a holiday at various stages throughout

December and January. However you are celebrating we hope that it

is relaxing, enjoyable and safe. For those of you who will be taking a

break, we look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year!

We wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Volume 7 Issue 4; December 2015

Louise Johnson Senior Supervisor

CONTACT ME…

If I can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to call me on

38515151 or email me at louise@habitatlearning.com.au to

schedule an appointment.

New Babies Welcome to William,

brother to Harry, son to

Georgina and Michael

(born 16/9/2015)

Community News

Employee of the Month

Do you have some exciting news that you’d like to share with our community? We’d love to hear about births, weddings and any other relevant event! Please send an email, including an image

to louise@habitatlearning.com.au

Congratulations to our Employee of the Month

recipients . . .

September: Mini Nair

October: Molly Weedon

November: Rachel Darcy

Baby William Welcome baby Theodore

brother to Elouise, and son

to Leigh and Dean

Baby Theodore

Staff News

Goodbye & Good Luck . . . At the end of 2015 we say farewell to Miss Jessica Woods. Jess has been the fabulous

teacher of our Python class this year and she has provided the children with a rich,

interest based learning environment. The Python’s have explored Tutankhamen, learned

about far away countries and exploded volcanoes among many other fantastic learning

experiences this year.

Jess commenced as a casual with Habitat back in 2010 before finishing her degree and

moving into an Early Childhood Teacher role last year. Jess is looking forward to teaching

a little closer to home next year and is commended for enduring a significant drive to get

to Habitat each day!

Farewell also to Grace Briggs who will also be taking maternity leave early in January as

she prepares for the birth of her second child. All the best to Grace and her husband Will.

Habitat will be closed on the following Public Holidays: Friday 25 December, Monday 28 December & Friday 1 January

A Message from St. Vincent de Paul

To all the Workers, Parents/Caregivers, Children and anyone else involved with

organising the Christmas hampers,

The St Williams Conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society would like to sincerely thank

you for the hampers that were provided recently. They have been delivered to 4 very

happy and appreciative families in the Keperra area who are struggling with expenses.

The size of the hampers was amazing, and it reflects generosity and a willingness to

help others. It was good that they were numbered, in order to ensure that they went to

the right families.

Regards,

Peter Madden, President.

Digital Literacies @ Habitat . . .

Hamper Appeal

Holiday Program (January Care)

Holiday Fun! Miss Kirby is planning a very exciting Holiday Program for January! The program is available

from 4 January until the start of the school year. Enjoy our redesigned Holiday Program

which includes all meals and enables your child to have fun with familiar friends and teachers.

Our Holiday Program children will enjoy a range of fun-filled holiday activities including:

# Art & Cooking Classes

# Theme Days

# Water Play Days

# Making Movies

# Yoga Sessions

# Science Day

# Disco Day

We have some limited vacancies in our Holiday Program, to enquire please email

sandy@habitatlearning.com.au. The program is available to children commencing school in

2016.

Regis Manor Visits

During 2015 we commenced a partnership with Regis Manor for the

mutual benefit that presents when young children interact with the

elderly.

Within our contemporary society aging is too often viewed as a long and unpleasant illness

instead of a natural part of life. Assisting a feeling of purpose and belonging is treasured and

life-affirming. Children’s attitudes towards the elderly are formed early in life (Kocarnick & Ponzetti,

1986) and the importance of fostering positive attitudes towards ageing is well documented.

Within a safe and monitored environment, the benefits – for both children and the elderly – in

fostering intergenerational contact are numerous. Apart from the intrinsic reward and beauty

that emerges from ‘being’ part of a fulfilling relationship, some of the other benefits include:

Providing an opportunity for both to learn new skills

Giving the child and the older adult a sense of purpose – elderly people often feel needed

and useful and are often more focused and happy when around young children

Helping to alleviate fears children may have of the elderly

Help children to understand aging

Invigorating and energising older adults

Helping reduce the likelihood of depression in the elderly

Reducing the isolation of older adults

Enabling young children who do not have grandparents available to them experience the

richness of intergenerational relationships

Enabling an opportunity for sharing family and historical stories

We look forward to continuing this partnership into 2016 and well beyond.

Habitat Events - Christmas Carols Festival

Habitat Events - Graduation

Events 2015

Reflection on 2015 with Kirby Thompson What an amazing array of events we have enjoyed in 2015 at Habitat Early Learning! This

year we focused on building a sense of Community not only within Habitat but also within

the wider community. A strong sense of community not only enhances ‘belonging’ but

promotes the health, wellbeing, and learning of all children. When we actively engage

within the community we are able foster partnerships among schools, family, community

groups, and individuals for the benefit of children. We are reminded that ‘it takes a village

to raise a child’.

Our main events for the year, included the introduction of our team Fun Run events, Easter

performances, Sporting Chance, the beginning of our Bridging Generation

Program, Book Week, NAIDOC Week, projects with the Endeavour Foundation, many

educational incursions and our Christmas Festival and Graduation.

Our events program for 2016 will include all of our favourite events with the introduction of

some new exciting experiences! Look out for the program in the new year.

Thank you to the Parent Advisory Group (PAG) who contributed their expertise and time

during 2015, especially Leigh Phillips, Renee O’Halloran and Meg Andrews.

There were so many wonderful moments throughout the year, but my personal highlight

was the beginning of our Bridging Generations Program. What a wonderful experience for

all involved.

If you have any ideas or suggestions please feel free to contact me

kirby@habitatlearning.co.au.

x

Festive Fun

Christmas is a great time for baking & craft with young children Here are a few ideas to get you started if you are looking for something fun to do over

the festive season.

Community Support - the Williams Family

In December 2014 at a visit to the pediatrician for their eldest son Oscar, aged 6, the

William’s family first heard the words, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Some two months

later, their younger son, Hugo who was then aged two, started his journey of diagnosis.

After a year of bloodwork, physical tests, genetics, biopsy, multiple of specialists, 2

neurologists, and 3 changed diagnoses of Limb Girdle, Becker and Duchenne, the

William’s boys are living with a diagnosis of a unique mutation (exon 75) within a rare

incurable disease.

Their goal is to give sons Oscar and Hugo back power & control by raising awareness and

finding a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Please follow their story by clicking

here

Starting with our Charity Christmas Card (issued this month) Habitat will dedicate all

fundraising activity for 2016 to Muscular Dystrophy Queensland http://mdqld.org.au/

Habitat’s Diverse Community

Habitat’s Diverse Community Map

Creating an understanding that all families have different beliefs, cultures and backgrounds is

an important component of developing cultural competence. We aim to teach our children

to treat each other with respect and dignity, regardless of where we come from.

Ask at main reception for a “Country of Origin” tag to add your family's name to the map.

Parent Library

Featured Titles

Siblings Without Rivalry

Authors Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish turned their minds

to the battle of the siblings. Parents themselves, they were

determined to figure out how to help their children get

along. The result was Siblings Without Rivalry. This wise,

ground breaking book gives parents the practical tools

they need to cope with conflict, encourage cooperation,

reduce competition, and make it possible for children to

experience the joys of their special relationship. With humor

and understanding—much gained from raising their own

children—Faber and Mazlish explain how and when to

intervene in fights, provide suggestions on how to help

children channel their hostility into creative outlets, and

demonstrate how to treat children unequally and still be

fair.

Did you know that you can borrow from our great selection of Parenting

books through the Parent Portal?

The 5 Love Languages of Children

Discover how to speak your child’s love language and make

them feel loved in a way "they" understand. Dr. Gary

Chapman and Dr. Ross Campbell help you: Discover your child

s love language, understand the link between successful

learning and the love languages, see how the love languages

can help you discipline more effectively, and build a

foundation of unconditional love for your child. Find dozens of

tips for practical ways to speak your child’s love language.

Discover your child's primary language, then speak it, and you

will be on your way to a stronger relationship and seeing your

child flourish.

Health & Safety

Brush those Babies

The information below is from ECA’s Every Child

magazine article ‘Brush those babies! – Baby and

infant oral health’. Babies are born without teeth,

and the primary teeth that come through (also

known as baby or milk teeth) usually fall out by 11 to

12 years of age.

Some believe that baby teeth are disposable, and

only adult teeth require care. However, primary teeth allow children to chew and speak properly,

and the molars orthodontically maintain space for

the developing adult teeth. Like permanent teeth,

primary teeth are susceptible to dental caries

(decay) and, if left unattended, can cause pain

and abscesses.

Daily care is needed so that children don’t develop

dental caries, resulting in the need for restorations (fillings) or early extraction. It’s not just brushing that

is required: bottles, dummies and diet all play an

important role in how healthy a toddler’s teeth are.

Tips for Mums and Dads:

Oral hygiene: Tooth brushing and flossing on

a daily basis is important in helping dislodge food and reduce bacteria plaque levels.

Diet: be aware of components of diet that

affect dental health, such as the

cariogenicity (that is, the potential to cause

decay and caries) of certain foods and

beverages, the effect of frequent

consumption of these substances, and how

diet affects the demineralisation and remineralisation of tooth enamel.

Delay of colonisation: Avoiding saliva-sharing

behaviours (such as sharing spoons with

babies) can help prevent early colonisation

of MS in infants.

Safety over Christmas

Immunisation

Did you know that from 2016 children

who are not immunised may be ineligible

to receive Government benefits? To find

out how to immunise your child or the

current vaccine schedule, please read

this brochure

Prize Pack 1 – Alice Greenwood

Prize Pack 2 – Charlotte Lamont Prize Pack 3 – Grant Johnson Prize Pack 4 – Kathryn O’Connell

Christmas Lights and Decorations

* Check your Christmas lights for frayed wires, faulty sockets and loose connections. If you have

excess cable/wire make sure that it is fastened down with tape.

* Turn all your Christmas lights off when you go to bed, leave your club or go out for long periods,

as leaving the lights can cause a fire.

* Avoid glass baubles as they break easily.

* Avoid having small decorations where young children can reach them, as they can be a

choking hazard.

* If you are having candles lit at home make sure they are out of children's reach, and in non-

flammable containers and that in won't fall over. Keep your candles away from your Christmas

tree and decorations and always remember to blow them out once you are finished with them.

Toy Safety at Christmas

* Buy toys from a recognised retail outlet wherever possible

* Make sure the toy you have purchased is suitable for the age of the child receiving. Be extra

careful with toys for children under the age of three.

* Check the toys for loose, small, sharp and jagged parts that may harm a child.

* Make sure you follow instructions for building toys and check the box or instructions for warnings

that identify any hazards.

* Avoid toys and Christmas items (like battery candles) that use button batteries.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 28

Public Holiday

29 30 31 1

New Year’s Day Public Holiday

2 3

4

2016 Enrolment Schedules start

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11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 AUSTRALIA DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY

27 Term 1 Commences

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Coming Events

January 2016