Front of Office

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2021!

Welcome to all our new and returning families.  I am delighted that we continue to grow our wonderful community.  Term one has been all about settling back in.  Allowing each child to transition into their new class and bond with peers and teachers.  We have been blown away with how well your children orientated and settled into their new classrooms.  A huge thanks to our team of professionals for being so welcoming and supportive to all our children.  Transitions can be very stressful on families, as we all know change is hard.  But we try to ensure we work with each individual child and allow their transition to be an overall positive experience. If they need extra time, then we allow for this.

• Our River Classroom has seen new babies start with us.  I have enjoyed watching the bonds between our team and the children. I have also really loved watching the growth of family connections.
• Our Sun Classroom has seen a facelift, with a new look and a new team.  They have been working incredibly hard on sustainability and ensuring that each child has a sense of belonging.
• Our Forest Classroom have put some exciting changes in place with their room environment changed up, and an introduction of a new welcome to country, which focuses on words and actions.  Group times are working well, with children really engaged and loving their focus songs.
• Our Funded Kindergarten program has a busy scheduled planned for 2021.  The group have already participated in their first excursion, visiting Healesville Sanctuary. They have established great routines, and the team of teachers have worked hard at building relationships.

We were delighted to receive our signage for The Kinder Tick last week.  The Kinder Tick helps Victorian families find a Funded Kindergarten Program for their children. When you see the Kinder Tick, you can be confident that:

* The program will be led by a qualified teacher

* Children will benefit from play-based learning

* The Kindergarten Program is funded and approved by the Victorian Government

* The program complies with government guidelines and the National Quality Framework.

Research shows that play-based learning is the best way to help young children learn, develop well, and prepare them to transition with confidence to Primary School.  We are incredibly lucky we our Head of Kindergarten Caila overseeing our program.  We have received positive feedback year after year, advising how children who have attended our funded program, have had more of a head start than children from other services and sessional programs.  On May 18th, we will be hosting an expression of interest evening for 3- and 4-year-old Kindergarten 2022.  Early years 3 and 4 curriculum is something as a mother and a Director I am so passionate about.  I cannot wait to share this evening with you all alongside our Head of Kindergarten Caila Hunt.

We are finally commencing our family events again.  We had hoped that as we did not get to have our annual Christmas party in the park last year, we could have this event in March. Then lockdown 4.0 struck.  We were unsure if we were facing another year like 2020, so we decided to hold off on planning events.  You all would have received our invite yesterday to our annual Mothers and Special Persons morning tea which is being held on 7th May 2021. This is for all families (even if your child does not attend on Fridays).  We are excited to be welcoming you all back into our classrooms again for social and special occasions.  These types of celebrations allow opportunities for our wonderful community to come together and build meaningful connections. It supports our Early Learning Curriculum, which stems from the three main pillars of the Early Years Learning Framework –Belonging, Being and Becoming.  Please ensure you RSVP by Friday 23rd April.

We have embraced our new monthly Country of focus.  January saw us focus on all things Australian, before moving onto China in February then to Ireland for March.  On the 1st of April, the train then stopped at Greece.  We have loved all the experiences, both through classroom and kitchen. 

We are moving into a cooler and wetter climate.  We are asking that you ensure warm jackets, gloves, hats, and gumboots are provided.  Please if you would like to, purchase a pair of gumboots that can stay at the centre. Playing outside in autumn, winter, and early spring, each present their own unique opportunities for exploration and learning. Therefore, outdoor play will always be embraced at Haven, it is crucial for children’s ongoing development. 

Finally, I would like to thank each family for your ongoing support and referrals. We certainly appreciate all your kind words you share within our community.

Best Wishes

Claire Doyle