Our Staff

The centre is licensed and registered by the B.C. Government through the Minister of Health under the in Community Care Facilities Licensing Act. Educators and assistants will be E.C.E qualified or be enrolled in the E.C.E program. They will also have CPR and a Criminal check.

Centre Information

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE

The Centre opens at 7:00 am and closes at 6:00 pm.
All children must be brought directly in the classroom and picked-up in the classroom. They must also be signed in and out on the list placed on the bulletin board.
The closing time is 06:00 pm sharp. An overtime charge will be made to those parents picking-up their children after this time. The rate of the surcharge is:
$10.00 for the first 15 minutes after 06:00 pm and $1.00 for each additional minute.
Should you be unable to be at the centre at closing time, you must make arrangements to have your child picked-up by someone else. Note: However, only those people whom you have listed on the registration form will be permitted to leave with your child. We must be notified of any changes from this or he/she will remain at the school. (This is a very important safety measure).
Any adult sent by parents to pick-up their child, must show his/her identification if he/she is not known by the staff. The child will not be otherwise released to anyone.

SCHOOL FEES

Group Care (30 months to school age):

Note: Government subsidies are available to parents. Parents need to contact the Ministry directly for eligibility. Ask the centre for a form if you need one. The centre may accommodate ‘Special Needs’ with the help of support Child Care B.C.       

PAYMENTS

Payment is to be made by post dated cheques, each to be dated the first of each month and given at time of registration. If paying by cash, payments must be made on the first of each month. If parents have to be reminded after the first week, they will be charged a $20.00 late fee per week for each week the fee is late. There will also be a $25.00 for NSF Checks and no check will be accepted for that month. If payment is not up to date after one month, no care will be provided for the child until the payment is up to date. It is also required that 1/2 month fee be paid in advance at time of registration as a deposit.
If you wish to withdraw your child from the Centre, it is requested that you give at least one month notice in order for the space to be re-filled. In this case, all the remaining cheques will be returned, including the ½ month deposit. If the one-month notice is not given, you will be liable for the month.
Note that the monthly fee is to be paid in full even if a child misses school for vacation, sickness or for any other reason not due to the centre. This is to ensure that he/she keeps his/her space in the centre, which would otherwise be allocated to another child.

SNACKS & LUNCHES

The centre will provide healthy snacks on both morning and afternoon for group day care. However, the children will bring their own lunches.

FIELD TRIPS & EXCURSIONS

A consent form must be filled and signed if your child
is to participate in any particular field trip.

MEDICAL

The centre must be notified in writing as to any medical concern and what the centre staff need to do in each specific case: seizure, allergies, anaphylaxis, epi-pen, etc.

MEDICATION

We may administer a temporary medication provided it is in its original container, clearly marked with dosages information and a medication request has been completed. As much as possible,
parents are encouraged to administer the medication at home. If medication must be administered by staff, at least two staff will be present when administering.

DISCIPLINE & GUIDANCE

In our centre, we follow the ‘Community Care Facility Act of Child Care for British Columbia’. The following is taken from page 15 of the Community Care Facility Act and is upheld by our staff.

DISCIPLINE

The licensee shall ensure that no child enrolled in a facility is, while under the care of supervision of the licensee,

• 1. -Subjected to showing, hitting, shaking, spanking or any other form of corporal punishment.

• 2. –Subjected to harsh, belittling or degrading treatment, whether verbal, emotional or physical, that would humiliate the child or undermine the child’s self respect.

• 3. –As a form of punishment, confined, physically restrained or kept, without adult supervision, apart from other children and

• 4. – as a form of punishment, deprived of meals, snacks, rest or necessary use of a toilet.

GUIDANCE STRATEGIES: PREVENTION

*1) Establish Clear, Consistent and Simple Limits.

*2) Offer Straightforward Explanations for limits.

*3) State Limits in a Positive Way Rather than in a Negative Way.

*4) Focus on the Behaviour Rather than on the Child.

*5) State what is Expected, Rather than Pose Questions.

*6) Allow Time for Children to Respond to Expectations.

*7) Reinforce Appropriate Behavior with Both Words and Gestures.

*9) Ignore minor incidents. (Adults, who work with children, need to develop tolerance to certain amount of noise, clutter and attention-seeking behaviour. As long as children activities are not
infringing on the rights of others, it is often best to ‘take a breath’, rather than to speak).

*10) Encourage Children to Use Teachers as a Resource

*11) Scan. (When caregivers observe children in their activities, they are in better position to
anticipate potential difficulties and to prevent problems. Circulating often enables the adult to
gain total awareness of what is happening and to foresee troubles).

GUIDANCE STRATEGIES: INTERVENTION

*1) Gain Child’s Attention in a Respectful Way.

*2) Use Proximity and Touch.

*3) Remind.

*4) Acknowledge Feelings before Setting Limits (i.e. “It is hard to wait for your turn, but the rule is that we line up for the slide”).

*5) Teachers Model Problem-Solving Skills. (The intent of modeling a problem solving approach is to provide resources for overcoming obstacles to success. Whether the problem relates to working with materials or interacting with others, following the steps of problem solving helps children learn the process involved. As children become more familiar and experienced with this process, they can be encouraged to generate suggestions or alternatives of their own).

*6) Offer Appropriate Choices.

*7) Use Natural and Logical Consequences.

*8) Redirect.

*9) Limit the Use of Equipment. (I.e. “the climbing frame is ‘off limits’ now because the climber is broken” -------or------- the climbers are not listening to the safety rules).

*10) Time away. (Persistent refusal to abide by the rules of safety for self, others and the environment may, on occasion, require that the child be removed from general activity.In using this strategy, the attitude of the caregiver must ensure a positive learning experience. To ensure that ‘time away’ results in a positive experience, the following ‘rules of thumb’ are important:
a) Prior to any use of ‘time away’, explain what it means and what it involves.
b) Remove the child from that activity area and direct him/her to a different one.
c) Make use of an egg timer or minute clock to assist the child in viewing the concrete passing of time. Alternately, allow the child to determine when he or she is ready to return to the previous activity.
d) Plan for no more than one minute of ‘time out’ per year age of the child. In a Three Bears Children Centre setting, this time should never exceed five minutes.
e) Refrain from discussing, nagging, arguing or moralizing.
f) When ‘time out’ is finished, positively reinforce the first appropriate or acceptable behaviour of the child.

REPORTING OF SUSPECTED 'CHILD ABUSE'

The law requires the school to report suspected or disclosed Child Abuse. Failure to do so may result in prosecution under the ‘Family and Child Services Act’. The reporting procedures are designed to protect the child.

1) Impaired Parent or Guardian
If a Parent or guardian shows up at the school to pick-up his/her child and is in an apparent impaired state , mostly if he/she is driving, the school is not allowed to release the child.
In this case, the Authorities (Police) will be called.

2) Parent or guardian late for child pick-up.
When a parent or guardian is late to pick up his/her child, the staff will try to contact them or the ‘emergency contact’ which was entered in the application form. If all fails, and the parent or guardian have not contacted the school within an hour, the staff will call the ‘Ministry of Children and Families Emergency Services’ who will then come and take the child into care until the parent/guardian can be located. Please note:
THE STAFF IS NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE THE CHILD HOME WITH THEM!!

HEALTH

A copy of your child’s immunization record is required upon registration or you must sign up that you do not immunize your children. Your child must be fully toilet trained prior to starting school or wearing ‘pull-ups’ if in training. Also, for the benefit and health of the rest of the children, your child should not be brought to school for the following reasons:
1) Fever (including the day after the fever subsides), fresh colds, watery eyes, runny nose and discomfort.
2) Gastro-intestinal upsets (diarrhea, vomiting etc).
3) A child with known or suspected communicable diseases.
4) Unexplained pain
5) Difficulty in breathing, wheezing.
6) Sore throat or trouble in swallowing.
7) Infected skin or eyes.
8) Undiagnosed rashes.
9) Headache and stiff neck.
10) Severe itching of either body or scalp (scabies, lice’s).

Ill children are unhappy at the school, therefore, the speediest and best medicine for them when they are sick, is plenty of rest and quiet. If your child becomes ill at the centre, parents or guardians will be contacted and, if not reached, the child will be put to rest comfortably until dismissal. If it becomes an emergency, an ambulance will be called and the child taken to the nearest hospital.
Note: The public health department requires notification of any contagious illness so that preventive measures can be taken for the rest of the children.

CENTRE POLICY ON HEAD-LICE

If a child contracts head lice, he/she must stay away from the centre for 48 hours minimum and receive treatment to eliminate the problem. He/she must be lice’s free when he/she returns to the centre. If the child returns to the centre with lice, he/she will be sent home immediately and will not be allowed to the centre unless the parent/guardian provides a signed note from the child’s doctor or health department that the child is free of lice. This is to ensure that no one in the centre, be it a child or a teacher, is exposed to contract the head lice problem.

EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

Experts say that we can expect a major earthquake in British Columbia. We do not know when this will happen. It could be in the very near future, but it could also be in 200 years. In conjunction with the health department, our centre is going to take the steps necessary to be prepared. No one knows where anyone will be at that specific time, so being prepared, can make all the difference.

The centre will be doing earthquake drills.

• The staff at the centre will be responsible for the group of children in their care at the time. They will stay with them until everyone is accounted for and up to 72 hours if necessary.

• We will stay in our facility unless it would be necessary to move to a safer location. Then we will be going to Cameron Centre where we will remain with the children..

• For each child attending the centre, parents are required to gather a “comfort pack” for his/her own child/children. Items should be small enough to fit into a large ‘freezer Ziploc’ bag (12 inch x 12 inch). The bag should contain the following items:
  * A comforting letter from the parent to the child.
  * One I.D. picture of the child as well as one I.D. picture of the parents and one of parents together with the child and siblings in the picture. These I.D. could be extremely important in the case where the child’s parents cannot be located for a certain amount of time.
  * A phone number for any ‘out of province or even out of country’ contact. The phone lines are usually more available out of province or out of country than they are in town.
  * A bottle of water and non perishable snacks must also be provided. Note that all of the above items need to be in place by the child’s first day.

We hope that we never have to need any of this. However, being prepared could make an enormous difference for the comfort and safety of all the children. Parents can also get information on the ‘Web” at www.prep.bc about being prepared for yourself and your family at home, at work or in your car while traveling.

TRAFFIC AND PARKING!!!

The Church has come after us with complaints that our parents are not following the safety rules for driving in and out of the facility: not parking in the proper spaces, driving around the wrong way, driving too fast etc.. The church also advices us that parents should not leave their car parked at the school and leave to go shopping. The church is going to get your car towed away if left in the parking lot while you go to the mall or if it is not parked properly. Please, we need your cooperation on this matter to ensure the safety of everyone, mostly our children. Please remember, the child who is put in danger may be YOUR OWN.

When bringing your child to school, please park in the parking spaces across from the Three Bears Children Centre entrance and at the back of the church. Please, do not park in the ‘Reserved 24 hours’ stall at any time. This slot is strictly reserved for the church use only. Also, park only on spaces reserved for visitors. Do not park anywhere else and do not park in front of the church or on the driveway. This would block the lane and it is strictly forbidden by the Fire Marshall. It can be very dangerous for the children when incoming vehicles are hidden by improperly parked ones. Please, do not make “U” turns in the parking spaces in front of the Three Bears Children Centre. ‘U’ turns are not permitted. The cars must follow the “ONE WAY” signs and go around the back and exit from the north side of the church. PLEASE, follow these rules to make it safe for everyone, especially for the children. Thank you.

CLOTHING

Please dress your child in comfortable play clothes. It is important that he/she feels free to engage in messy activities without being concerned about his/her clothing. Also, when the weather permits, the children will be playing outdoors. So, please, dress your child according to weather conditions. If your child wears boots, please send along a pair of slippers or shoes to wear indoors. Please leave a change of clothing in the school for your child in case of accidental wetting or water play. The bag with the clothes in it should have the child’s name on it.
For the group care nap time, each child should have a bottom sheet to cover the mat (a crib sheet works well), a blanket and any special item the child may use. All items should be labelled and included in a bag, also labelled with the child’s name. Parents should, periodically, take the sheet and blanket home for washing.
Also, parents are advised to label any container the child brings to school to ensure it is returned to them for re-use. It could, otherwise, be lost if not identifiable.

BULLETIN BOARD

The parents’ bulletin board is an informative place. Please check periodically for information on coming events or news. Parents are welcome to use the board to share news.

BIRTHDAYS

Please notify the staff if you wish to bring a cake or sweets for your child’s birthday for all to share.

ART WORK

Occasionally your child’s artwork will remain at the school for display purposes and for a short time only (usually one or two weeks).

Designed by Emily de Boer. E-mail webmaster