FAMILY INVOLVEMENT

CONTACT DETAILS

55A ELECTRA STREET,
BUNDABERG WEST
QUEENSLAND, 4670
PO BOX 642

PHONE: [phone]

E-MAIL: moc.dnopgib|ydnikydnub#moc.dnopgib|ydnikydnub

C&K website
Kindy Page on C&K Website

FAMILIES ARE POWERFUL PARTNERS IN CHILDREN'S LEARNING

WE VALUE YOUR INPUT

Our centre values your involvement throughout the centre program. We have an “open door policy” which means you are welcome to visit and spend time with your child throughout the day, in consultation with the centre staff.
Before your child starts at the centre, you are encouraged to visit and observe the program in operation and to speak with the teaching staff about any queries or concerns you may have. Once your child begins the pre-prep program, please feel free to spend time settling your child in and becoming familiar with the staff and program.
We appreciate any relevant information you can share about your child with the teacher. This enables the staff to understand your child’s and family’s needs better.
When you collect your child please speak with the teacher, or assistant, to gather information about your child’s day.

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WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

A C&K experience provides you with numerous opportunities to be actively involved in your child’s learning.
Getting involved, to whatever extent and in any particular capacity, can be a very rewarding experience. Support and effort from all families is valued and essential in the running of the centre.
You can take an active role in the centre by serving as a member of the Management Committee which is an integral component of the Bundaberg Community Kindergarten. Rosters and social activities (e.g. coffee mornings, scrap booking workshops, Easter & other family picnics) and parent information sessions, provide other opportunities to be involved.
Additional ways to be involved include sharing your skills (cooking, storytelling, music, woodwork, puppet making, art), helping with excursions, participating in parent rosters, fundraising or social functions. Please feel free to offer suggestions or ideas of how you would like to be involved.

Parents Responsibilities

PARENTS RESPONSIBILITIES

It is the parent’s responsibility to:

• notify the director of any change regarding information recorded about a child
• read all information relating to the centre in order to become familiar with policy information
• comply with relevant health and hygiene policies of the centre
• sign all enrolment forms, including the indemnity clause (a condition of enrolment) and return these to the director
• update the director regularly about the immunisation status of their child.

Parent Roster

PARENT ROSTER

A voluntary roster begins in Term 2 and is offered for the remainder of the year. This is a great opportunity to observe your child ‘in action’ and interacting with their new friends. You will also get a chance to share with staff informally and is a special time to experience with your child.

• Parents may wish to share a special skill, play generally, help with a ‘job’ (we have plenty of these) read a story or support activities
• We recommend no more than 1 parent each session
• Volunteer parents on Roster should sign the register out the front, located in separate sign sheet. Please add extra children e.g. baby or toddler also attending, for safety reasons.

Moving Roster & Working Bee

MOVING ROSTER AND WORKING BEE

All parents (except executive management committee members) are asked to participate by mowing/caring for the Kindy grounds once a year.

Rosters are devised and placed in each communication pocket and outlines Workplace Health and safety requirements.

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MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The Bundaberg Community Kindergarten values your involvement and participation. One way you can participate is through the management committee. The Bundaberg Community Kindergarten is a Community owned centre operated by a Parent Committee. It is affiliated with C&K. All profits are put back into the centre.

What is the Management Committee and what is its role in the centre?

The management committee is formed by parents of children currently attending or interested members of the community. There are usually 12-13 positions on the management committee.

The management committee meets and are responsible for:

• general management and financial matter of the centre.
• following the rules of the association/constitution lodged with the Department of Fair Trading.
• ensuring the centre is meeting C&K affiliation standards so the centre continues to receive DECKAS funding.
• the employment of all necessary staff and compliance with the provisions of any awards or other industrial requirements.
• legislative requirements affecting the centre including the Child Care Act (2002), the Child Care Regulations (2003) and other legislation such as Child Protection and Workplace, Health & Safety legislation.
• building and playgrounds.
• promoting the centre within the community.

Elections take place at the annual general meeting (AGM) usually in mid February each year and any decisions made by the management committee are based on a majority vote of the management committee. The executive of the management committee consists of the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. Other positions which involve varying levels of commitment and specific skills also play an important role within the group.

Executive Management

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS (voting rights)

PRESIDENT

• provides leadership to the management committee
• liaises with director
• acts as chairperson at meetings
• delegates responsibilities
• ensures that decisions are made and carried through
• acts as spokesperson to the public
• responsible for collaborative development of Management committee objectives & goals at years commencement
• monitors the committee & centre ‘Code of conduct’
• reads/distributes C&K support information eg. Connect & promotes attendance of C&K Management seminars in March

VICE PRESIDENT / WORK PLACE HEALTH & SAFETY OFFICER

• supports the role of the president and adopts the president’s role in their absence
• accepts the delegation for special projects as required (e.g. maintenance,
marketing and promotion)
• reports to committee quarterly Workplace & health & safety checklist
• keeps committee informed of WPH&S obligations

SECRETARY

The position can be shared by two people or can be one role (e.g. a minutes secretary and a correspondence secretary).

• prepares a written agenda for meetings in consultation with the president
• records and distributes meeting minutes
• records all incoming correspondence in a register
• presents actual correspondence to the meeting and responds to correspondence as agreed by the management committee
• maintains official files
• completes all forms for regulatory bodies e/g Office of early childhood, Office of fair trading & some C&K information

TREASURER

May be a shared role

• has had experience managing financial accounts
• is responsible for maintaining the accounts of the centre including banking, term deposits, fees,wages, budget etc..
• ensures that all accounts are paid
• liases with staff re. employment/wages & organises payment processes e.g for permanent, casual, support & relief staff
• ensures staff wages are kept up to date with any changes & consults with support services e.g. C&K management advisory service, QIE Super Fund & Aust.Taxation Office
• responsible for presenting monthly bills for payment and financial summaries at each monthly meeting
• completes paperwork such as quarterly BAS and DEKAS forms
• together with the committee, develops the budget for the following year

Non-Executive Management

NON-EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS (none voting rights)

• form part of the management committee and have input into the management of the centre by attending meetings regularly
• will be involved in the social and maintenance activities
• may be part of any necessary sub committee

FEES TREASURER

• responsible for accounting for all income related to fees in conjunction with the treasurer & reports to management committee each month
• communicates with families the fee/late paying fee process & co-ordinates with the president if any action to be taken with late payments
• helps define the budget for fees for following year

MAINTENANCE COORDINATOR

Can be shared role. No real “handyman” skills required

• is responsible for coordination of the maintenance roster
• liaises with the director on maintenance tasks required
• should report to the committee regularly

SOCIAL CONVENOR / PURCHASING OFFICER

• prepares an annual program of social activities – organising and delegating duties for these functions
• assists staff in the purchasing of goods needed for functions or other activities of the centre through petty cash system

MARKETING / PROMOTIONS OFFICER

• needs to be accessible to the media/community
• works with the director, under C&K guidelines, and C&K communications
• coordinator to promote the centre

NEWSLETTER CONVENOR

• responsible for designing a monthly newsletter which outlines main items discussed at committee management meetings, maintaining Kindy website. This informs the parent body of the decisions made by the management committee
• attends meetings regularly

CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER

• assists committee/staff maintain Blue /suitability card register
• becomes familiar with C&K Policies such as Reporting of Harm, Behaviour Guidance & other legislative requirements & informs committee of relevant information
• may co-ordinate centre based activities for ‘Child protection week’/promote centre within community

BOOK CLUB CONVENOR

• responsible for preparing book club information every month
• consults with Treasurer to ensure Book club accounts are paid
• liases with staff in the purchasing/ordering of new books for the centre
• may wish to promote specific books, prepare displays & advocate literacy within the centre

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Volunteers

From time to time, community volunteers, such as the ‘Life be in it’ organisation, are accepted to assist at the Kindergarten. Volunteers work under the guidance of qualified staff.

Student Placements And Work Experience

The Bundaberg Community Kindergarten recognises the importance of contributing to the ongoing training and development of high quality children’s services staff by accepting student placements in our centre. Students are supervised by centre staff, the director and by their placement coordinator.

Students (as well as volunteers and other centre visitors) are constantly supervised during their visit to the centre and are not permitted to be alone with children at any time. Acceptance of students is always dependent upon the present needs of the children.
Work experience and other students

The Bundaberg Community Kindergarten supports the inclusion of work experience school students in the educational program. This can be arranged upon request from a school liaison officer and in consultation with the director.

Blue Suitability cards

The Child Care Act 2002 includes a requirement for all staff and volunteers working with children to hold a current suitability/blue card. The blue card is issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian to an individual after a criminal history check is conducted and the staff member, having no criminal record, is therefore deemed to be suitable for working with children.

Blue cards must be current at all times and are renewable every two years.

First Aid

The Bundaberg Community Kindergarten believes that all staff must be skilled in first aid to ensure the children are provided with a safe environment in which to play.

Although the Child Care Regulations 2003 do not require all staff to hold a senior first aid and resuscitation certificate, all of Bundaberg Community Kindergarten permanent contact staff members are required by C&K to hold current senior first aid and resuscitation certificates. All staff that have a senior first aid certificate are required to renew their CPR every 12 months and their first aid every three years.