From the Office

Hello fabulous families,

Welcome to a new year 2018 with us.

AUSTRALIAN FAUNA & FLORA all week beginning January 22 - 25

Week beginning Monday January 22nd - All week let's celebrate Australia's land and animals. Bring in pieces of local native plants or trees to see, smell and paint with, a favourite soft toy of Australian animal or a book about Australia's wide open plains. Be prepared to talk about what you love best about Australia and get ready to show appreciation for the land on which we play, work, and grow together with Aboriginals and Australians.

Parent Involvement

The most exciting news I have for you is the involvement of one of our wonderful parents, Tara, a qualified music therapist who has accepted our invitation to make the specialised music therapy lessons accessible to all Piptree Mt Gravatt East families. These classes will run as a Kindergarten funded program plus additional classes available for all other ages for a weekly/term fee. Tara has provided us with flyers containing much more information for you, so please look for them displayed in every room. This information is worth a read for you all to recognise the benefits of this class. Tara is a very lovely lady who is passionate about music and has the well-developed skills to tap into children's sense of inquiry and expression. Please read below information provided by Tara..

What is Music Therapy (MT)?
The planned and creative use of music to attain
and maintain health and well being. MT differs from
musical entertainment or music education as it focusses
on non-musical outcomes
Incorporates elements of music (such as beat,
rhythm, pitch, etc) and knowledge of neuroscience to enhance/ develop socialisation, cognitive,
language/ communication, self-expression, emotional regulation, and sensory-motor skills
Music can align brain waves, create new neural pathways, help control breathing, cue the brain to
make movement and sound, improve memory, increase/decrease heart rate plus so much more.
Music is innate, appealing and enjoyable which makes it the perfect medium! Singing, live music,
instruments, dancing and play....so much fun can be had while working towards therapeutic,
developmental and educational goals
Who is Tara/ a music therapist?
I am a Registered Music Therapist (RMT) who works in
private practice. Since completing my Masters of Music Therapy in
2010, I have gained vast experience working with babies and children
in settings such as Lady Cilento Children's hospital, Red Hill Special School, AEIOU, Boppin Babies
and Sing and Grow; as well as buillt a steady private practice.
I am a proficient musician who has studied all aspects of applying music as therapy, performance,
history and social theory, psychology, physiology, neuroscience and models of therapeutic intervention.
As an RMT, I am registered with the Australian Music Therapy Association Inc (AMTA Inc) and
am bound by the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics of the AMTA Inc.
I am mum to the beautiful Alice who is graduating from Piptree and transitioning to Prep this year.
My passion has always been supporting and nurturing developmental milestones and having fun!!!!

Music Therapy Programs at Piptree
Sessions are 30-45 mins (based on age/ class group) and will be held every
Friday Morning during school terms. Please pick up an enrolment form (programs are extracurricular,
charged per term in advance).
The programs are inclusive of all abilities, diagnoses, and ages, from newborns to school age
Uses emperical research in music therapy and early childhood education to enhance and support
your child's cognitive, social, physical, emotional and behavioural development
Will be based on Early Intervention, Attachment, Circle of Security, Developmental and
Behavioural Therapy Models.
Creates a space where babies and children get back to basics and nurture face to face
interactions as they connect with each other and sing, dance and move to music, as well as make music
with a range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments.
Be infant/ child-centred and interactive, with sessions reactive to both infant and child needs and
are responsive to their participation on the day
Will include music that is made and played live, not pressing play on a CD player
Will educate and provide teachers and staff with ideas and suggestions on how to carry and
extend on concepts and music outside of session into the classroom throughout the week
Will provide feedback and a summary of the session after each week emailed to parents. Teachers
are also encouraged to take photos and write in the end of day book.

PICK UP YOUR ENROLMENT FORM QUICKLY, THIS IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY!

Staff room changes

Staff changes will be a switch over between Miss Debbie and Miss Rosemary going into Toddler Sprouts leaving the Nursery Pips and, Miss Lorelle and Miss Julie.T going into Nursery Pips leaving the Toddler Sprouts. These two rooms are very familiar with each and have support available for each of them easily.

Miss Bwari has been transitioning to Lead Educator in Blossoms Room over the last couple months in preparation for Miss Nishita's maternity leave. Miss Nishita will move into a programming and lunch float role. Miss Leanne will continue as Co-Lead Educator in Blossoms Room.

That is all the changes for staff and rooms for the early days of this year.

Kindergarten Information Night

On 15th February, 2018 we will be conducting a kindergarten information night to provide an overview of the Kindy program and answer further questions you may have. This is a great night to also connect with other parents and gain an understanding to how your child's learning is observed and then assessments made to prepare them for attending Prep in 2019. If you have any specific questions regarding your child, please feel free to contact Miss Renee and these can be answered for you.

Supporting the transition of a new Centre Manager

Dear families,

I have worked very very hard for the last two years, many hours before and after work and on weekends because that is my work ethic that I cannot deny. During this time, I have continued to purchase resources for children that again one day I would get to use in a teaching capacity. I miss the experience of wonder for myself in a class of children, therefore I have decided to resign as a Centre Manager and return to teaching. Managing a Centre has very different responsibilities that I also enjoy immensely. Working with families and doing my best to assist in your transition to work or join the Centre from another. I recognise families are needing to quickly build trusting relationships with strangers, I hope this has been my speciality. I trust the Piptree educators that I have introduced to you and feel confident I have imparted on them all the kindness and support a Centre Manager can give. KAL management and Piptree ownership are now in search of a new Centre Manager for you. Until a new Centre Manager is found Miss Renee will be the responsible person in charge and on duty and Miss Julie will be responsible person early shift and assisting you with your accounts and enrolments. My last official day will be Friday 26th January which is a public holiday, so I hope I get the chance to say my farewells before we break for the Australia Day long weekend.

Warmest regards to you all,

Melisa

Welcome to our first month with the pips!

Firstly, we would like to send a big warm welcome to our new friends to the group! Hope you are ready for some fun and excitement with us!

Over the last couple of weeks Miss Julie and I have transitioned into the room smoothly. The children have shown a lot of interests in using their physical abilities through climbing, crawling and balancing while exploring the room. To extend children's interests, we provided a learning experience placing large foam shapes on the mat for children to explore and have added sensory items around the mats to extend children's sensory skills.

Over the next few weeks we will continue our physical activities attending to fine and gross motor skills providing children with the foundations for their growing independence and satisfactions in being able to do things themselves.

Just a reminder to please name your child's belongings including food that need to go into the fridge, bedsheets, bottles and containers to prevent them from going missing.

Please remember to collect some Australian flora or fauna to show and share week beginning January 22.

Until next time Miss Lorelle and Miss Julie.

"Bonjour"…Hello from the Toddler 'Sprouts' room.

Welcome to what is going to be a year full of fun, learning and interacting with both peers and educators.

Miss Rosemary (Ro Ro) and myself Miss Debbie (Deb Deb) would like to say a big 'Hello' and 'Thankyou' to all our wonderful families for making us feel so welcome already as we emerge ourselves excitedly on our new journey into the Toddler Sprouts room. We are looking forward to getting to know both yourself and your child individually, and endeavour to make our time in the Sprouts room a happy, safe and inviting place to visit.

We would to say a big 'Hello' and 'Welcome' to our new friend 'AYLA' who recently  joined our "Sprouts' room.                We have all been busy engaging in group play, using our social skills as we get to know each other. 


  For the month of February, we will be continuing to concentrate on getting to know each other, so please keep an eye out in your child's wall pocket for an 'All About Me' sheet'. Please fill this out a.s.a.p. and return it to the 'Sprouts' room via our rooms 'Mailbox'. Also we would love for you to participate in helping us to grow our room's Family Tree by providing 1 average size 'Family Photo'.

Please remember to make sure you send your child to Piptree with a named hat for outside sunny play, and also a spare set of clothes for water play as the children have been showing a lot of interest in watering the plants and using Math as they measure and pour with a variety of different sized cups and containers.We will be extending this activity as we venture into the sand pit, taking the water with us. 

Please remember to collect some Australian flora or fauna to show and share week beginning January 22.

See you next time…

From, The Toddler Sprouts

Hello families and Happy New Year! We are back with our first Newsletter for 2018. Miss Shahnaz, Miss Raisa and I will continue doing our best, looking after all of your little ones. This would not be possible without the support of our parents last year and we are looking forward to that support again during 2018.

Transition: Our children are growing up!!! We have some children from Buds room moving to Blossoms room. It is an exciting time for them and they will enjoy moving to the bigger room!

We would also like to welcome all the new families who have started with us at Buds and Sprouts children who have transitioned up into our room.

Our programs are based on maximizing the children's interests. We encourage families to participate in our program by providing staff with information which we can incorporate into our programs. Please feel free to discuss verbally or leave us a note – also please fill in and return -weekend stories and my interests sheet.

In the next few weeks, we will also be celebrating Australia Day, the Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day through a variety of multicultural activities such as: reading stories, various craft experiences, cooking and tasting different foods.

-Family Tree

As part of EYLF, children experience BELONGING – is to know where and whom you belong - family, a cultural group, a neighbourhood and the wider community. To gain a feeling of BELONGING in Buds room at the start of this year, we've worked together as educators and family to build relationships where children feel safe, secure and supported. We will start to build our family tree in the room. Could you please provide a family photo. We would like to ensure that all children feel a sense of belonging to our classroom through the addition of their family photo to our tree. Thanks .

Please remember to collect some Australian flora or fauna to show and share week beginning January 22.

NEWS FROM THE BLOSSOM ROOM

Firstly, let me welcome our lovely blossoms and extend seasons greetings to the families and parents.I send you all sincere best wishes for the new year and look forward to work with you to make 2018 a happy, fun and very successful year.

One change I have planned to introduce this year is to focus on, and encourage, more self reliance, independence and initiative for the children.This is a time in their lives when they welcome learning opportunities and strive to master new skills, so I will encourage them.They have been very enthusiastic to wash their dishes in the new sink and then put them away.There is also a new collage table where they will choose their theme and materials for art projects and develop their creativity.

Another idea I am introducing is to provide a home environment in the blossom room.I want the children to feel they are at home with brothers, sisters and friends, being part of a family, learning to get along with each other and supporting each other as they learn new skills together.Activities will be chosen to promote co-operation and develop their social skills as well as their literacy and numeracy.As the year progresses, I hope to see real friendships and respect for each other developing between the children.

I would appreciate any inputs from the parents about what you would like your children to be doing and learning this year.I really want to do the best that I can for your child and I hope you will take me into your confidence and work with me. Of course that works both ways and I will be very happy to work with you for the benefit of your child.I really do hope that we can make 2018 an excellent year full of learning, happiness and fun. Keep smiling

Please remember to collect some Australian flora or fauna to show and share week beginning January 22.

Miss Bari

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

Welcome to the Poppies room. We have a terrific year of fun learning and play to look forward to. I would like to introduce myself. My name is Miss Renee and have been teaching the Kindy Program for six years, as well as having previous experience in the primary school sector.Miss Belinda and Miss Julie are the other educators in the room, who have extensive experience of working with children. We work collaboratively towards creating interesting and educational experiences to develop your child's love of learning in their lives

Welcome

We would like to welcome Tristan to the Poppies room. Tristan is new to the Poppies room and to the Centre. Please make him feel welcome if you see a new boy in the room. We are excited to be involved in your learning journey with us. Please let us know what your interests and ideas are and these can be involved in our room planning.

Children's Portfolios

During 2018 we have chosen to use Portfolio books. These will be used to collate observations, checklists and other documentation to show your child's development and learning through the year.To save you time and the convenience of resourcing the scrapbook, we have sourced these and will have a supply at the centre. This has been a change from previous years and ask for a $1 donation towards the costs of the portfolio books. Please see Miss Renee or Miss Mel if you have any queries about this.

Once we have the portfolio books available, we would like to invite you to make this personal for your child. The portfolio books can be decorated by both you and your child. This develops a sense of belonging and your child will feel they have an ownership of their own book. The portfolio books will be kept in filing boxes and you are invited to look at your own child's portfolio. We encourage you to also to take these home during the year to add other 'Special Moments' in your child's life from the year.

Children's Belongings

When coming into the Poppies room we ask that your child has the following items:

  • ØBag to place their belongings
  • ØA drink bottle
  • ØTheir lunch
  • ØA hat to also cover the back of their necks.
  • ØSunscreen if your child is requiring their own. We do provide centre sunscreen if you are happy for your child to use this.
  • ØChanges of clothes appropriate to the season weather.
  • ØTheir sheet set in their own bag, as these are then placed in the sheet baskets and kept their until the end of the week, or when your child finishes for the week.

We ask that these items are labelled clearly with your child's name to assist us and your child to keep their belongings together.

Calendar

Parent Information Night:

On 15th February, 2018 we will be conducting a parent information night to provide an overview of the Kindy program and answer further questions you may have. This is a great night to also connect with other parents and gain an understanding to how your child's learning is observed and then assessments made to prepare them for attending Prep in 2019. If you have any specific questions regarding your child, please feel free to contact Miss Renee and these can be answered for you.

Parent Teacher Interviews:

During the weeks of the 19th February to 2nd March, 2018, you will be provided with the opportunity to have a 15 minute interview with Miss Renee to discuss and share your child's strengths and weaknesses. We then collaboratively plan and set goals for your child. There will be a number of times to book in to meet with Miss Renee, please see the me or the centre manager to ensure that we can book in a time for you.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to working with you to ensure that continued connection of learning your child can receive between home and the being in the Poppies room.

Please remember to collect some Australian flora or fauna to show and share week beginning January 22.

Cheers,

Miss Renee, Miss Belinda and Miss Julie