Oak Park Parents Hand Book

Oak Park Co-operative Children’s Centre Inc.

Parent Manual

CONTENTS

Introduction…………………………………………………………………..2

Integration……………………………………………………………………3

How a Co-operative Works…………………………………………………..3

From the Desk of the Director……………………………………………….4

Prohibited Practices………………………………………………………….5

Oak Park Program Statement………………………………………………..6

Administrative………………………………………………………………10

Board of Directors…………………………………………………………...11

Fines…………………………………………………………………………11

Wait List Policy……………………………………………………………..12

Enrolment and Service Terminations………………………………………..12

Registration/Orientation Procedures…………………………………………12

Parent’s Role………………………………………………………………….13

Criminal Reference Check……………………………………………………14

Vulnerable Sector Checks for other persons at Oak Park…………………….14

Staff…………………………………………………………………………...15

Children’s Transitions from one age group to another………………………..16

Guide to Communication……………………………………………………...17

Hours of Operation…………………………………………………………….17

Late Fees……………………………………………………………………….17

Centre Closings………………………………………………………………...17

Absentee Policy………………………………………………………………...18

Vacation Policy…………………………………………………………………18

Parent Fee Policy………………………………………………………………..18

General Information……………………………………………………………..19

Smoke Free Ontario Act…………………………………………………………20

Rest Time and Sleep Supervision Policy…………………………………………20

Harrassment Policy……………………………………………………………….21

Behavioural Problems…………………………………………………………….22

Volunteers/Students………………………………………………………………22

Snacks & Lunches………………………………………………………………...23

Allergy/Medical Charts……………………………………………………………23

Medical Information……………………………………………………………….23

Illness Policy……………………………………………………………………….23

Field Trips………………………………………………………………………….24

Playground Safety Guidelines……………………………………………………..25

Confidentiality……………………………………………………………………..27

Mailboxes………………………………………………………………………….28

Changes Affecting Children……………………………………………………….28

Parent Issues and Concerns Policy and Procedures………………………………..29

Medications………………………………………………………………………..29

Special Health Conditions…………………………………………………………30

Anaphylactic Policy………………………………………………………………..30

Accidents…………………………………………………………………………..34

Head Lice…………………………………………………………………………..36

Emergencies………………………………………………………………………..36

Emergency Closing…………………………………………………………………37

Fire Drills…………………………………………………………………………...37

Child Abuse……………………………………………………………………..….37

Arrivals and Departures/Release of Children from the Program………………...…37

Events at Oak Park………………………………………………………………….38

Supervision Policy for Volunteers and Students…………………………………...39

Serious Occurrence Posting Requirement………………………………………...... 41

INTRODUCTION

Teachers and Executive members wish to welcome you and your child or children to our centre. We are a parent participating childcare facility in which parents are free to express their ideas and views on their children’s experience. We hope your children will have fun while:

1) meeting new friends

2) learning from friends, teachers and parents

3) feeling at home, away from home.

Oak Park:

Yesterday and Today!

Oak Park Co-operative Children’s Centre Inc., one of the oldest co-operatives in London, began as a Nursery School in 1967. A group of ten mothers, interested in forming a playgroup for their children, organized themselves in St. Adians church on Oxford Street. It then moved to various locations. In September 1990, the parents’ vision of a permanent location became a reality. Oak Park expanded to include a fifty-eight space Child Care Centre .In September of 1992 we celebrated our Silver Anniversary, of 25 years in operation, with the opening of a ten space Toddler Centre, (children 18 months - 21/2 years). A lot of determination and dedication on the part of past and present parents made our beautiful building possible. In 2007 Oak Park celebrated their 40th anniversary.

Our centre is a non-profit charitable organization of children, parents and staff all committed to achieving excellence in child care.

We are a neutral gender, multicultural, integrated centre.

INTEGRATION

Oak Park is an integrated children’s centre involving children with special needs and adult helpers with special needs.

Oak Park has access to a resource teacher through All Kids Belong. We also work with professionals from outside agencies such as Merrymount, Thames Valley Children’s Centre, etc. An integrated program provides an invaluable learning experience for ALL children, parents, staff and volunteers.

HOW A CO-OPERATIVE WORKS

At no other time or place in your child’s life will there be a group with the common denominator of children and parents. This can be exhilarating and supportive. Through the child, the parent reaches a community of other parents and children.

The children’s needs are paramount. Co-operatives provide the time, place, and the people to meet their need for health, safety, love, understanding, relationships, responsibility, cognitive learning and creativity.

For parents, co-operatives provide support and learning. It is a place where parents feel they belong, where they can observe their child, and where they can be both learners and teachers. Here parents are genuinely involved with their child(ren)’s education and indeed their own education.

Teachers are also learning day to day. We are never too old to learn from each other. Teachers share with the parents a goal of providing what is good and healthy for children. Their role of facilitating quality education for children and parents is the dynamic influence that helps them to learn about themselves professionally and individually.

Teachers must be responsive to children’s and parent’s needs. At the same time, parents must be responsive to the professional and personal requirements of the teacher. Collectively and cooperatively, they must respond to the needs of the children first. The main responsibility of parents is to attend two general meetings a year that are held in the evening. We always need and welcome volunteers to help us out with family BBQs etc.

In a co-operative, teaching and learning happen all the time, and in any place. All experiences have a potential for learning. It is a unique educational situation.

FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR

Oak Park welcomes all families to our Centre.

The staff and I realize you are entrusting us to care for those you love and care for most in the world, your CHILDREN. We take this responsibility willingly and very seriously.

The uniqueness of being involved with a parent co-operative is that all Oak Park staff and parents have an opportunity to, give to, and share in the growth, and nurturing of all children, while in care at Oak Park.

To maintain quality care and a smooth running centre, both parents and staff make a commitment to work together. Staff is bound by the Oak Park Employee Manual and the Child Care Early Years Act (Ministry of Education guidelines). This Parent Manual will provide you with information regarding parent responsibilities towards the co-operative, and our responsibilities toward your child and you.

PROHIBITED PRACTICES

The requirements for policies and procedures with respect to prohibited practices are found in the Child Care and Early Years Act.

Prohibited practices are listed below:

1. Corporal punishment of the child;
2. Physical restraint of the child, such as confining the child to a high chair, car seat, stroller or other device for the purposes of discipline or in lieu of supervision, unless the physical restraint is for the purpose of preventing a child from hurting himself, herself or someone else, and is used only as a last resort and only until the risk of injury is no longer imminent;
3. Locking the exits of the child care centre or home child care premises for the purpose of confining the chid, or confining the child in an area or room without adult supervision, unless such confinement occurs during an emergency and is required as part of the licensee’s emergency management policies and procedures;
4. Use of harsh or degrading measures or threats or use of derogatory language directed at or used in the presence of a child that would humiliate, shame or frighten the child or undermine his or her self-respect, dignity or self-worth;
5. Depriving the child of basic needs including food, drink, shelter, sleep, toilet use, clothing or bedding; or
6. Inflicting any bodily harm on children including making children eat or drink against their will

The Director of Oak Park or her designate will do monthly observations in each room and record any instance of prohibited practices that are observed during this observation. These observations will be recorded in the Program Observation Book.

All staff, students, and volunteers are required to read and sign off on the Prohibited Practices Policy. All students and volunteers are supervised at all times by Oak Park Staff. If the Director or any staff member witnesses another staff member, student, or volunteer engage in any prohibited practice they will immediately bring it to the attention of the Director or the next Designated Authority. The incident will be recorded in the Program Observation Book.

Any staff member, student, or volunteer who has engaged in any of the above prohibited practices will be asked to leave Oak Park permanently. The Ministry of Education will be informed of any instance of prohibited practice. The academic institution will be informed in the case of a student who engages in a prohibited practice. The College of Early Childhood Educators will be informed of any instance of Prohibited Practice involving a RECE. If there is any corporal punishment involved the Police will also be called.

OAK PARK PROGRAM STATEMENT

Oak Park has a Program Statement that is consistent with the Ministry of Education’s policy statement on programming and pedagogy. Oak Park will continue to review and revise our Program Statement annually by utilizing the resources that are supplied by the Ministry. In particular the Director will continue to review and reflect on approaches that will be implemented in the program to encourage the children to interact and communicate in a positive way and to support their ability to self-regulate. The Director will date and sign off on her review and revision of the Program Statement.

Oak Park views children as being competent, capable, curious and rich in potential.

Our Program Statement has specific goals and approaches used in our program in order to reach these goals.

Goal #1Oak Park promotes the health, safety, nutrition and well-being of the children.

Approach Oak Park cultivates authentic, caring relationships and connections to create a sense of belonging among and between children, adults, and the world around them. We are attuned to each child’s physical and emotional state and respond in a warm and sensitive manner. We connect with each child and recognize his or her uniqueness. Oak Park nurtures children’s healthy development and support their growing sense of self. Oak Park provides opportunities to practice self-help and self-care skills, and provides a safe and stimulating outdoor environment for active play that supports and challenges children’s abilities for a minimum of two hours a day. In the case of poor weather we provide 2 hours of active play indoors. Oak Park provides opportunities for the children to connect to nature. We provide optimal nutrition for children that includes family and cultural preferences. We create a positive eating environment and follow children’s cues of hunger and fullness.

Goal #2Oak Park supports positive and responsive interactions among the children, parents, child care providers and staff

ApproachOak Park maintains strong, respectful and reciprocal relationships with children and with families, including them in discussions and taking time to make daily connections with them in person or by other means such as notes, communications books or bulletin boards. We ensure the children’s interactions with their peers are positive and responsive by role modeling and aiding when necessary. We engage in authentic, reciprocal communication with children where children participate as both initiators and equal partners. We help children to listen to others and to express themselves to others. Language and literacy-related activities and materials are included in all daily routines. Oak Park supports relationships between children as they initiate, respond, collaborate, celebrate and demonstrate care of others. All interactions at Oak Park whether between staff, between children and staff, between staff and parents and between children are positive and responsive.

Goal #3Oak Park encourages the children to interact and communicate in a positive way and supports their ability to self-regulate

ApproachOak Park encourages the children to have interactions with each other and the staff that are positive. . We help children communicate by helping them to listen to and express themselves to one another. We encourage conversation among children and act as a coach to help the child find the right words and approach.

The ability to self-regulate is very important to a child’s development. Self-regulation is about how a child is able to deal effectively with stressors and then recover. Oak Park supports self-regulation by providing environments that reduce stressors while recognizing and supporting children’s efforts and increasing ability to self-regulate. We also support children’s developing ability to self-regulate by being responsive and attuned to children’s individual cues, arousal states, and responses to different stressors. Finally we help children to learn strategies for becoming or staying calm and focused by enabling them to recognize and modulate their emotional states and impulse and become more aware of the effect of their action on others.

Goal #4Oak Park fosters the children’s exploration, play and inquiry

ApproachOak Park creates environments both indoor and outdoor that spark curiosity, invite investigation, and provide challenges for the children to extend their learning. We provide interesting objects and open-ended materials for the children to explore with their senses, manipulate and investigate. Play materials are available and accessible throughout the day and allow children to make choices, encourage exploration, play and inquiry and support their learning and development. We ensure that the environment and experiences we provide promote play and inquiry that help children discover and develop anawareness and understanding of concepts, including literacy and numeracy. Educators participate with children as a co-investigator, co-learner, and co-planner . Finally we document children’s thinking, learning and competence and make it visible to children, families, and others by posting it on walls, and in binders.

Goal # 5Oak Park provides child-initiated and adult-supported experiences

ApproachOak Park values children’s ideas and contributions to our program. We are attuned to what children know, what they wonder about and their understanding of the world around them. We follow the children’s lead in play by closely observing , engaging and listening to them to determine where their interests lie. When an area of interest is found we support this interest by questioning, exploring, and learning about the interest together as partners in learning. We support the children’s interests and expand on their play and learn together with them to construct knowledge.

Goal # 6Oak Park plans for and creates positive learning environments and experiences in which each child’s learning and development will be supported

ApproachOak Park uses the environment as another educator by providing an environment that engages children in active, creative and meaningful exploration, play, and inquiry. We provide environments that are full of interesting, open-ended materials that can be used in many ways thus inviting investigation and complex play. We connect with families and communities in order to reflect environments and experiences that are relevant to the children’s lives. We explore the environment together with the children and support all children in their development and learning by interacting with them in the environment.

Goal # 7Oak Park incorporates indoor and outdoor play, as well as active play, rest and quiet time, into the day, and gives consideration to the individual needs of the children

ApproachChildren at Oak Park have a very balanced day. Oak Park takes the individual needs of the children into account and therefore provides a lot of choice throughout the day. Children engage in outdoor play for a minimum of 1 hour in the morning and a minimum of another hour in the afternoon. Play outdoors is primarily compromised by active play; however there is also a possibility for less active play in the sandbox and exploring nature. Inside time also has a mixture of active play and quiet play. The children are free to choose what area of the room they would like to play in as all areas are open to them. After lunch each child is given a maximum of two hours to sleep, rest or engage in quiet activities based on the needs of each child.

Goal # 8Oak Park fosters the engagement of and ongoing communication with parents about the program and their children

ApproachParents are experts on their children and bring diverse social, cultural, and linguistic perspectives. We form partnerships with parents as each family has unique knowledge, experiences, and strengths. Oak Park values parents and maintains ongoing communication with them about both the program and their children. Staff has the opportunity to speak to parents at both drop off and pick up times each day. All educators use a communication book daily as a way of sharing information with parents and receiving information from them. Any parent who would like to meet with a staff member regarding their child is welcome to arrange a meeting. We post documentation of children’s learning on walls and in binders for the parents to look at. Staff posts monthly calendars on Oak Park’s website for parents to view. Oak Park has two General Meetings a year where parents meet the Parent Board of Directors and are free to contribute ideas, and chat with the staff. In addition to these two Meetings all parents attend an annual Holiday Social in December and a BBQ in the spring or fall. Staff welcomes parents to participate in our program by sharing a part of their culture or life with us. Parents have brought in a family pet for a short visit or spoken about their jobs, or shared a traditional dance with the children.

Goal # 9 Oak Park involves local community partners and allows those partners to support the children, their families and staff

ApproachOak Park has a relationship with various community partners such as the London Middlesex Health Unit, Thames Valley Children’s Centre, Tyke Talk, and All Kids Belong which is operated out of Merrymount . These agencies support staff, children and families at Oak Park when needed. A representative from All Kids Belong is always available to come and support staff when they need suggestions, resources, professional development and information. All Kids Belong also supports children and their families by meeting with them to discuss issues and helping them to access resources and completing assessments.