Daycare 2014-2015 Annual Report

 Yellowknife Women’s Society Annual Report 2014-­‐‑2015 Daycare
Early Childhood Program
Supporting Healthy Families from Conception through the first six years Quality Programming
for Early Development
The Centre for Northern Families (CNF) Daycare is licensed to serve up to 20 children. Staffing is maintained at a level to provide space for 4 infants aged 12-­‐‑24 months, 16 children aged 25 months to 5 years old. The daycare provides childcare through full and part time registered user-­‐‑pay spaces, user-­‐‑pay drop in space, and free respite spaces. User paid drop in and free respite are provided depending on availability. The program also provides optional childcare during Healthy Baby & Toddler Club cooking circles and guest speaker presentations. All Daycare programming is structured to build developmental assets. Community
Partners
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment The Stanton Territorial Hospital Speech Therapist The NWT Literacy Council The Healing Drum Society The 7th Day Adventist Church The Mental Health Commission of Canada St John’s Ambulance Yellowknife Association for Community Living Physical Health & Well Being Ÿ Language & Cognitive Development Ÿ Communication Skills & General Knowledge Ÿ Social Competence Ÿ Emotional Maturity Yellowknife Women’s Society Annual Report 2014-­‐‑2015 Fiscal Year The feedback we’ve
received:
Over 2014-2015, the Nipissing Developmental Screening Tool & the Early Childhood Development
Index were used to guide monthly program plans. Although each day provided children with
opportunities and challenges to promote all areas of development, monthly themes and weekly
routines would place emphasis on specific areas of development. Each child was screened regularly
to identify individual and group areas of focus. Parents were provided with the assessments along
with descriptions of their child’s growth and learning. Parents were requested to fill out surveys
each quarter. Some comments from the parents were:
“Teachers take time and consider children’s individual needs. Outside daycare activities are
awesome.”
“(The infant teacher) gives (my child) affection and the attention he deserves at his age. His reaction
to the whole daycare is very good.”
“We love CFNF Daycare.”
Playful skill building Monthly themes explored through weekly and daily routines provide children in the daycare with activities designed to provide opportunity for developmental skill building. Kids practicing social skills, cooperation, and developing early literacy and language at morning circle Regular use of the Nipissing Developmental Screen Tool informed teachers of areas where extra emphasis on certain activities would benefit kids. Learning Objectives for our program are developed based on The Early Development Instrument and associated research. 2 Yellowknife Women’s Society Annual Report 2014-­‐‑2015 Fiscal Year Attendance Based Usage
Attendance based usage as calculated for the purposes of reporting to Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) shows actual program usage of children in the day care. The following table is divided into the categories of the reporting template for ECE. The first column of each category is the total number of Spaces provided for the month, the second column is the Number of Operational Days. Month
FT
Preschool
Spaces/
Days
FT Infant
Spaces/
Days
FT
Special
Needs
Spaces/
Days
PT
Preschool
Spaces/
Days
PT Infant
Spaces/
Days
PT
Special
Needs
Spaces/
Days
April 2014
1 2 7 1 4 4 7 1 1 1 6 5 1 0 2 4 1 1 4 1 7 May 2014
6 3 8 2 2 3 9 1 5 2 2 0 5 3 4 6 3 2 3 June 2014
5 2 0 4 3 5 7 1 4 1 1 5 4 3 4 5 0 0 July 2014
6 5 7 0 0 9 9 9 2 2 6 5 4 4 3 4 August
2014
8 4 9 0 0 9 1 3 0 1 5 3 1 1 1 2 1 4 September
2014
1 0 6 8 5 3 0 7 1 3 6 2 0 3 8 6 1 0 1 2 October
2014
9 8 7 6 6 5 7 9 3 1 5 4 1 8 1 5 1 2 November
2014
9 7 3 7 7 3 5 7 5 1 5 5 0 1 3 2 5 2 6 December
2014
1 1 7 6 6 5 4 5 5 5 1 7 3 3 8 1 4 4 1 4 January
2015
9 8 2 5 8 7 6 9 2 2 3 4 4 6 1 7 3 1 3 February
2015
7 5 3 6 8 6 8 1 1 3 2 1 5 9 9 1 3 5 2 5 March
2015
8 1 0 5 3 4 6 7 1 0 4 1 1 2 8 7 1 4 3 1 7 3 Yellowknife Women’s Society Annual Report 2014-­‐‑2015 Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Highlights
Administrative
During the 2014-2015 year, the Centre for Northern Families reviewed job descriptions on file for all Daycare
staff. Job descriptions now include standardized measurable outcomes to ensure that staff understand and adhere
to all applicable CNF policies and GNWT regulations. Job evaluation templates have also been revised to
include performance indicators in order to provide staff with meaningful feedback on their strengths and
weaknesses related to the work they do. As a result of formalizing and standardizing job descriptions,
evaluations and expectations, staff attendance, punctuality, interpersonal working relationships and positive
behaviour modelling has drastically improved.
Program files for the Daycare have also been reviewed to ensure that all staff and child files are complete, upto-date, and meet organizational and regulatory requirements.
Facilities & Maintenance
During the month of September, the Daycare walls and ceilings were repaired and repainted. The
atmosphere is fresh and calming, especially for children who are easily over-stimulated by their
surrounding environments.
During the month of October, the Yellowknife Housing Authority provided a contractor to build a
railing around the concrete landing to the children’s playground. The landing had previously
presented a falling hazard to the children and staff.
Through extensive rearranging of equipment and furniture, the toddlers and infants now have their
very own rooms in which they can learn and play at levels appropriate to their development. The
preschoolers also have their own space in which they can do activities that are safer for older
children. The preschoolers’ designated space was created through the purchase of five wardrobes
that serve as room dividers.
Excitingly, during the month of February, the Centre got to enjoy a surplus of funds due to the hard
work of the Chief Executive Officer. The Daycare ordered furniture and much needed items to
reduce the noise level in the Daycare in order to reduce stress levels and add a calming atmosphere.
The most thrilling news was the year-end funding provided by ECE for a new playground for the
Centre! During the Centre’s existence at our location on 50 Ave, we have never had an industrialtype of playground. Also, we are being provided with funding for chain link fence slats for added
privacy and improving the overall appearance of the Centre’s playground.
4 Yellowknife Women’s Society Annual Report 2014-­‐‑2015 Fiscal Year Programming
CNF Daycare Curriculum continues to build on the developmental assets of the children it serves while also
recently integrating adapted learning objectives based on the newly released GNWT Junior Kindergarten.
Programming was also fine-tuned in order to expand and enhance local indigenous cultural learning
opportunities. The Daycare now has monthly cultural plans with a high concentration in June.
The CNF Daycare went on a lot of exciting field trips over the year including:
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Yellowknife Fire Hall,
Prince of Whales Heritage Centre,
Northern Frontier Visitor’s Centre,
Yellowknife Public Library,
Field House,
Fred Henne Beach,
Gary’s Barber Shop,
Yellowknife Co-op,
Snow Castle,
Beck’s Kennels
Various Schools & Community Playgrounds
The children were also exposed to Aboriginal programming by making dry meat and bannock as well as
watching caribou being butchered. We also had a guest come and show the children how to play some
traditional Dene games during our gym day at the 7th Day Adventist Church. Beck’s Kennel’s generously
donated dogsled rides to the children of the day care in February.
The children respectfully participated in activities with guest speakers from Adam Dental Clinic, the
Yellowknife RCMP Detachment, Lona Sorenson taught gardening.
In August, we celebrated the preschool children’s success in Daycare and their movements to kindergarten. We
had a small graduation ceremony for the children; they were very proud!
5 Yellowknife Women’s Society Annual Report 2014-­‐‑2015 Fiscal Year 2013-­‐‑2014 Lowlights Administrative
Staff turnover has continued to be an issue in the Daycare. However, the Daycare supervisors feel that a good
team is being established as new employees with ECE certifications or approved equivalencies are being hired
and retained.
Facilities & Maintenance
The Daycare continues to have difficulties with plumbing issues in the children’s washroom. The
capabilities of an old system combined with new technologies in taps and faucets are proving to be
incompatible. However, without sensors to regulate water flow, traditional taps will not help
children to avoid too cold or too hot water, either of which can damage skin. A single tap would
also present the problem of children running the water for too long, which would in turn increase
the water bill for the Centre.
A new water and pipe system needs to be in place in order for the new taps with sensors to work
properly.
Programming
Despite advertising, good word-of-mouth, new programming, and a wide variety of activities based on the
Early Development Instrument, the Daycare has not reached full enrolment.
We found that one problem, which arose in June 2014, was that the Yellowknife Health and Social Services
Authority had removed several children from our care and placed them within another Child Care Centre. A
meeting was held with YHSSA, the Daycare Coordinator, and the Chief Executive Office of the Centre for
Northern Families, and it was explained to the Centre that our location within the shelter and potential access of
parents to apprehended children is an issue for them, in addition to a perceived reluctance to report child abuse
issues. The Daycare staff; however, is well aware of their duty to report and signs to watch out for. It would be
beneficial to the growth of the Daycare and Family Programming to secure a separate building.
Another reason for the decline in enrolment was that several children moved on to kindergarten. The other
reason was that several children had been moved to Junior Kindergarten or Headstart programs. Although the
Daycare Coordinator had procured the Junior Kindergarten Curriculum to implement it within the Daycare, this
seemed to have little to no impact on enrolment.
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