Our Lady of Good Counsel Preschool is open throughout the school year. We are open Monday through Friday, except for Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day, Thanksgiving and Remembrance Day. We are also closed during Christmas Vacation and Spring Break; you will be notified of the exact dates in our newsletter.

Please bring your child into the preschool by 8:45 am. If you arrive early, please stay until one of the preschool teachers is there to receive your child. The morning program finishes at 11:15 am. Please pick up your child promptly at dismissal time. If an emergency makes this impossible, please notify the school of your expected arrival time.

You must sign your child in and out each day. Only those listed as an authorized pick up person on your registration form will be allowed to take your child out of the centre. Please notify us in advance if an alternate person will be picking up your child.

If your child will be absent due to illness, vacation or family issues please notify the staff of the dates the child is expected to be absent from the preschool.

On days when there is a snow fall expected, please contact the centre before proceeding to the preschool.

At Our Lady of Good Counsel Preschool, we are committed to providing children with a balance of love and guidance, encouraging each child to participate at their optimal level. We celebrate and respect each child as a unique gift from God.

We provide an environment that promotes positive life skills, including manners, self-control, cooperation, compromise and appropriate expression of feelings. We have rules to ensure the safety of the individual child, others and the environment.

We incorporate a number of guidance techniques including:

• Gentle reminders with explanations of appropriate behaviours
• Teacher proximity
• Positive observation/reinforcement
• Reminder of the rules and explanation of appropriate behavior
• Second reminder, with an explanation that if this behavior continues, the child will need to do something else
• Ask the child to find something else to do
• If a child's behavior is in any way aggressive and/or dangerous, a teacher immediately guides that child to a safer environment. For example, toy grabbing would follow all of these steps, but pushing at the top of the slide would immediately result in the final step.

It is understood that teachers and parents maintain open communication regarding guidance and discipline. Do not hesitate to ask for clarification.

Guidance Policy

The guidance policy at Our Lady of Good Counsel Child Care states that no child while in our care shall be:

• Subjected to shoving, hitting, shaking or any other form of corporal punishment.
• Subjected to harsh, belittling or degrading treatment, whether verbal, emotional or physical, that would humiliate the child or undermine the child's self respect.
• Confined, physically restrained or kept without adult supervision apart from other children.
• Deprived of meals, snacks, rest or use of the toilet as a form of punishment.

3 - 5 Year Olds program our approach is:

• Meeting the child on their own level, we encourage the expression of feelings and using words to problem solve. We address the behavior and help to provide an alternative method for the children to express themselves.
• We use logical consequences and choices as a means of guidance.
• We use redirection to another area or activity.
• We may use "time out" as a form of Stop, Calm & Try Again.
• A preventive approach is strongly in place. A child may be tired, hungry, sad or simply in need of a hug.

Please Note: Some of the children in our Centre may have a guidance policy set up specifically for them by parents, staff and Supported Child Care together. These policies are kept on file. If you have any concerns or questions, please see a Supervisor in that program.

Everyday the children will be provided a snack. We teach nutrition, hence we provide nutrious snacks, e.g. fruit, vegetables, cheese and crackers, muffins, yogurt and a drink.

Each child's birthday is a special event. Celebration of birthdays will be allowed during preschool hours. We are happy to have a birthday celebration at snack time - please remember to send enough treats for everyone. Please notify us in advance if you plan on sending a birthday cake.

Parents are reminded that candies, gum and the like are choking hazards and should not be sent to the centre.

Children are not permitted to bring personal toys to the centre as it is equipped with many toys for all the children. There may be occasions when items are required from home, but you will be notified in advance.

We send home a newsletter/monthly calendar once a month to outline up-coming events and to update parents on what has been happening at the centre. Please read it carefully so that you are aware of any events or changes at the centre.

Your child should be brought to the centre in clothes suitable for play. We are a hands-on preschool and children must feel free to get involved in activities without worrying about getting dirty. Rubber soled shoes must be worn at all times. Your child should be prepared for outdoor play everyday. In the winter months children should have a warm jacket, mitts and hat if appropriate and in the summer children need to wear sunscreen and a sun hat.

At Our Lady of Good Counsel we do our best to encourage excellent health and safety for all the children in our care. A clean, well-maintained and safe environment balanced with healthy snacks and exercise will help to keep our children well. The preschool is in compliance with the legal requirements for the protection and health of children in-group settings. The staff receives pre-employment physical examinations, tuberculosis test and evaluation of any infection. Hiring practices include the careful checking of personal references and criminal records checks through the Attorney General for all potential new employees. It will be our responsibility to check the outside playground for any dangerous materials before taking the children outside to play. Washing hands after washroom use and before meals helps to maintain health for everyone.

In the event of a serious accident or sudden illness, the staff will call an ambulance (911), where the parent or guardian cannot be immediately reached. Efforts will be made to contact the parent or guardian as soon as possible. Be sure to provide accurate up to date information on your registration form including an emergency contact person you are reasonably sure will be home.

The Centre will record all information concerning serious injury or illness on the appropriate forms. It will be placed in the child's folder and parents will be provided with a copy. If required, the incident or the communicable disease will be reported to the Licensing Authority within 24 hours. In addition, our centre will post a letter on the entrance door to inform the other parents.

If your child is not well enough to participate in the Centre's activities, he/she is not well enough ti attend. Please DO NOT bring your child to the centre if they exhibit any of the following symptoms : Chills, coughing, infected runny nose, sore throat, earache, headache, stomach ache, nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes or sores, eye infections, fever or communicable diseases. If your child contracts an infectious disease it must be reported to the Manager of the Centre.

If your child becomes ill or unduly upset while at our program, we will telephone you or the emergency contact person so that you can take your child home. The staff will make the decision to call you based on the best interest of both your child and the health of the other children at the centre.

Our Lady of Good Counsel Staff will administer prescription and non-presecription drugs to children in accordance with Licensing Regulations.

Parents/Guardians will need to complete an authorization form to allow our staff to administer both prescription and non-prescription medication.

Medication must be in the original pharmaceutical container, clearly labeled with the child's name, name of the drug, dosage required, time, instructions for storage and administration of the drug.

Children depend on others for their safety and well-being and have a right to be protected from abuse and neglect.

We are required by Licensing Regulations to report any and all suspected or disclosed abuse. We are not permitted to contact parents unless specifically directed by the Ministery for Children and Families or the police.

It is our duty to maintain the health and safety of each child in our care.

• No child shall be released to anybody other than those listed on the authorized pick up list, which the parents provided upon registration unless the parents have informed us otherwise.
• If someone other than those authorized arrives to pick up children, contact the parent to obtain approval otherwise do not release the child. Obtain picture ID (Photocopy ID) if approval is granted.
• If a person arrives to pick up a child and appears incapable of providing safe care, recommend an alternative person be called to pick up the child. This may include calling a taxi.
• If the parent or alternate refuses to have someone else pick up the child and your assessment is that the child is at risk inform the parent/alternate that you will call the police if they chose to leave with the child. You are required to report this to the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the police. A Serious Incident Report must be filed with Licensing. (See above Child Abuse reporting policy).
• If a parent or alternate fail to pick up a child at closing, and after trying to contact them or the emergency contact you fail to get a response after 1/2 hour you must contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development for instruction.
• If a parent arrives late ensure that they sign a late pick up form and record the incident in the day book.

We reserve the right to dismiss your child from the centre due to any of the following:

• Late payment of fees.
• Non-compliance with the Our Lady of Good Counsel policies and procedures.
• Failure to work with the staff to meet the needs of one's child.
• Inappropriate placement of child.

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