Child Care Licensing - North Shore Community Resources Society
Transcription
Child Care Licensing - North Shore Community Resources Society
North Shore Child Care Resource & Referral Program I hope everyone got some time off to enjoy the summer and you are going back rested and refreshed to your work with children and families. The CCRR program has been busy over the summer. We have acquired several new library resources and there has also been some reorganizing of the equipment room to provide a greater variety and more manageable resources. Autumn 2008 The CCRR program, as part of the North Shore Child Care Planning Committee, continues to work on the recommendations from the North Shore Child Care Needs Assessment as well as sit on a number of planning tables on early childhood initiatives for the North Shore. For May is Child Care Month, we concentrated on education. We gave a presentation of the Child Care Needs Assessment to the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and had a great response from the 50 or so small businesses attending. They understood the direct connection between access to child care as part of recruiting and retaining employees. Many of them deal with the issue of child care first hand. We also had the annual proclamation of Child Care Month through North Shore municipalities, hung banners, circulated information and resources and acknowledged our community of care providers at network meetings. Our workshop series on Ethical Practice in Early Childhood Education wrapped up in June. It was very successful and the feedback was very positive. Christine Mann, our Support and Outreach Consultant, took the series and has followed up with some interesting thoughts in this newsletter on ethical practice. We are looking forward to the seventh annual North Shore Early Childhood Conference and are always proud and pleased to be a contributing organization to this dynamic ECE conference in our own community. Tunde has worked hard on a workshop line up for this fall and there will be several options to choose from. With the increased Licensing requirement for professional development hours, Tunde has also put together a resource list of other organizations providing professional development. We provide as much as we can with our funding and staffing, however, Early Childhood Educators may need to research other sources for workshops and professional development. We look forward to continue serving you as you support children and families in our community. June Maynard, Manager, CCRR Program Inserts - NSCCRR Workshop Calendar - NSCCRR 2008 Fee Schedule - “Nobody’s Perfect Parenting” Workshop Flyer - Carseat Flyer - City of North Van Updates - Resource: Where to Take Workshops - Key Elements of School-Age Child Care Flyer Funded by: Province of BC, District of North Vancouver, City of Nor th Vancouver, District of West Vancouver, United Way of the Lower Mainland North Shore Community Resources - Capilano Mall, 201 - 935 Marine Drive, North Vancouver, BC V7P 1S3 website: www.nscr.bc.ca 604-985-7138 Congratulations! Do you have an email address? To keep you informed and upto-date with our program and with current events in child care please let us know your email address. [email protected] or [email protected] North Shore Community Resources and the Nor th Shore Child Care Resource and Referral Program would like to congratulate Elisabeth Mueller, on receiving the Provincial Award of Excellence in Child Care for Family Child Care. Elisabeth is the licensee and operator of Little Raven’s Nest Family Child Care in West Vancouver. We certainly know the dedication and hard work of the many child care providers in our community and I am sure all child care professionals applaud you for this recognition of your important work with children and families. To be nominated by the families you serve and support is the highest form of appreciation and demonstrates the commitment and contribution you have made in the lives of families. Congratulations! ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Water Bottle Alert! Our Staff: Li Boesen, Executive Director June Maynard, Manager, Child Care Resourse Program Fariba Aghdassi, Information & Resource Consultant Tunde Getaneh, Community Access Consultant Christine Mann, Support & Outreach Consultant (Child Care Providers) Maria Morisseau, Municipal Child Care Consultant Virginia Pateman, Information & Resource Consultant (parents & families) Lori Roberts, Community Support Consultant Sara Sutherland, Community Support & Outreach Consultant Catherine Janusz, Kaleen McNamara, Elaine Smith Reception and Administration Sue Irwin, Vancouver Coastal Regional Coordinator, CCRR Programs, is located in our office. Sad but true! Our old CCRR drinking bottles may contain Bisphenol A (BPA) polycarbonate. Due to concerns outlined by Health Canada, North Shore CCRR recommends these bottles NOT be used for drinking. However, there may be other creative uses for these such as: vases, storing art supplies, sand play, water play, etc. If you have one of these bottles, please consider getting another bottle for drinking and using this one for something else. We still have a supply of the old bottles at the office and they are free for the taking for non-drinking uses. Each bottle is affixed with a sticker outlining the warning and suggestions for use. If you are interested, please come by the office or talk to a CCRR staff member. Thank you. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Child Care Subsidy Reminder Just a quick reminder for child care subsidy families and Registered LNR child care providers. If a child care provider becomes registered with the CCRR, the parent should call the child care subsidy line to inform them. They will be asked to fill out a new Child Care Arrangement Form. Likewise, if an LNR child care provider is no longer registered with the CCRR, the parent should call the child care subsidy line and notify them of this change. Child Care Subsidy: #1-888-338-6622 2 WHEELS The WHEELS project brings mobile support to families of young children across the North Shore. Support comes in the form of child care subsidy information, early learning activities, parenting miniworkshops, and health and wellness resources. On many occasions, WHEELS will bring specialists such as dental hygienists, early childhood educators, settlement workers, and nutritionists to a central location in isolated neighbourhoods. Making use of a large, well-equipped and colourful van, WHEELS also visits existing North Shore Drop-in, StrongStart and Parent Child Mother Goose programs, libraries, shopping malls, community centres, resource fairs, parks, housing developments and food banks. The WHEELS coordinator can also arrange “one-time visits” to meet specific needs and interests in a particular neighbourhood. The WHEELS project is funded through Success by 6 and the United Way, and supported by the North Shore Community Resources Society. For more information about programs and schedules, please contact the WHEELS coordinator at 604-985-7138. “After School is Cool” Fair for School-aged kids, parents and families: Capilano Mall Saturday, September 20, 2008 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm A great opportunity to find about out-of-school time activities and opportunities from the people who provide them on the North Shore! Out-of-School Care Recreation Sports Theatre, Music, Art Technology Lots of fun things to try, to watch and to see Middle Childhood Matters is a United Way of the Lower Mainland project that supports the health and wellness of children 6-12 years old, particularly in their out-of-school time. 3 Child Care Resource Program Library News We have been very busy adding new resources to our CCRR library and our equipment lending library. We have many new activity boxes for loan and have increased our lending time to 4 weeks. If you have a young science fan our new science boxes are sure to be a hit! We have added a Magnet Box, a Measuring Box, a Water Box, and an Earth Box. The Earth box is a great addition to any discussion about the environment and so is our newly improved Reduce, Reuse, Recycle box which now comes with a Garbage Works version of the ever popular My Little Sand Box Play Set. Looking to borrow something smaller than an activity box? We now have individual items for loan such as the skipping rope bag which comes with Anna Banana Jump Rope Rhymes and 4 skipping ropes. We also have a puzzle rack with individual puzzles for loan. Come and check out our new selection of board books. Great for the little ones in your care! Some of our new titles are… Farm Peekaboo! I Love My Mommy. Global Babies. Peek-a-Baby. Boom Boom Beep Beep Roar! Peek-a-Who? Yum-yum Baby! Our library has also added a copy of the beloved Raffi CD “Baby Beluga” complete with a board book version of the song. Well timed with the birth of our very own baby beluga at the Vancouver Aquarium! Looking for ways to make story time more exciting? Struggling to find the time to make new felt stories? We can help! We have a great collection of felt stories and have been busy this summer adding new ones such as… It Looked Like Spilt Milk Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Stone Soup The Very Hungry Caterpillar Music and Movement is also a great addition to any circle time. Your children will love moving and grooving to the catchy tunes on the new Bare Naked Ladies children’s CD “Snacktime”, which comes complete with an illustrated book of the lyrics. With more and more immunizations available for children today many of us have questions. Does my child need all these shots? Are vaccines safe? Do they really work? Are there side effects? Find the answers in our library’s latest edition of Ronald Gold’s book “Your Child’s Best Shot”. 4 Do you provide or receive early intervention services? If so, the newly expanded and revised edition of “The Early Intervention Dictionary” is an excellent resource. This book is a valuable resource for families, caregivers and professional’s who interact with young children with special needs. Over the past few months our staff has been busy providing Leap workshops in the community to promote literacy, physical activity, and healthy eating in children. If you have taken the Leap training and were interested in bringing some of the activities into your home or child care facility we have resources to support this. Some of the LEAP Resources include: HOP: Healthy Opportunities for Preschoolers. MOVE: Move with me from birth to three. LEAP, HOP, and MOVE…an activity box based on the LEAP principles. …and many of the children’s books recommended by LEAP BC such as Wheels on the Bus, Puddles, Giraffes Can’t Dance, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and so much more. Get moving and come on in to our office today!!! Useful Websites: www.trustparenting.com Trust Parenting is a new resource for parents that connects parents with professional, inspirational speakers on parent education. The website provides information on what to expect before it happens and gives you the tools to stay connected to your kids. www.circleofinclusion.org The Circle of Inclusion web site is for early childhood service providers and families of young children. This web site offers demonstrations of, and information about, the effective practices of inclusive educational programs for children birth though age eight. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Child Care Licensing The Community Care Facilities Licensing (CCFL) Team welcomes Cindy Devlin, Licensing Officer (LO), back from maternity leave. We are thrilled to have her return with the added bonus of retaining Dawn Patterson, LO as they will be job sharing; each working half time. Lori Klepatchuk-Wu is still off enjoying her time with her baby boy and many of you have had the pleasure of meeting Therese Joseph while she covers Lori’s position. Current Licensing Staff Contact Information Glenda Burrows, Senior Child Care Licensing Officer 604-983-6803 e-mail: [email protected] Shelley Esau, Child Care Licensing Officer 604-983-6713 e-mail: [email protected] Sabrina Sheppard, Secretary 604-983-6787 e-mail [email protected] Therese Joseph, Child Care Licensing Officer 604-983-6796 e-mail: [email protected] Christine Broatch, Child Care Licensing Officer 604-904-6467 e-mail: [email protected] Dawn Patterson, Child Care Licensing Officer 604-983-6795 e-mail: [email protected] Cindy Devlin, Child Care Licensing Officer 604-983-6795 e-mail: [email protected] Kitty Roberts, Child Care Licensing Officer 604-904-6249 e-mail: [email protected] 5 Message from the CCFL Team The CCFL Team would like to take this opportunity to thank our Licensees and Child Care Staff for their patience and dedication in working through the changes evoked by the new Child Care Licensing Regulation brought into Legislation November 2007. We recognize that the work involved in meeting new requirements can be daunting and we appreciate your efforts and welcome your questions in order to assist you in this continuing time of adjustment. We do keep track of frequently asked questions and as a result are addressing some aspects of the Child Care Licensing Regulation: Assistant Status Certificate Required As per the Child Care Licensing Regulation (2007), Section 27, the Director of the ECE Registry has the legislative authority to issue an Early Childhood Educator Assistant Certificate to individuals who meet the following requirements: • • • • has submitted an application, available on the website has completed one of the following courses from an ECE Registry approved training institution: Child Growth and Development or Health Safety and Nutrition or Child Guidance demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Director that the applicant is of good character, has the personality, ability and temperament to work with children and has the necessary training and experience and demonstrates the skills necessary to be an early childhood educator assistant To apply for the Assistant Certificate, applicants complete an application form and submit it along with an official copy of their transcript that indicates the completion of one of the three required courses from an approved training institution. Applicants should be advised that training that is deemed equivalent to these courses may be considered for an Assistant Certificate. Assistant Certificates are valid for 5 years and are printed on cream stock with a brown border and a red seal. Renewal requirements for an Assistant Certificate are: • • • The Renewal Application form A transcript (can be a photocopy) proving completion of an additional ECE course from an approved training institution Completion of 400 hours of work in the field of earlychildhood education Assistant Certificates started being issued in January 2008. In the coming months, all assistants currently on file with the ECE Registry will be contacted to apply for their certificate which will replace the Assistant letter. As assistants will now have a certificate they are also able to be investigated with regard to issues of practice. If you have any further questions regarding the Assistant Certificate, please feel welcome to contact the ECE Registry for more information at: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> or 1-888-338-6622. 6 Clarification on the Qualifications for Responsible Adult Under Section 29 of the Child Care Licensing Regulation, The qualifications for Responsible Adult are now as follows: To qualify for employment in a community care facility as a responsible adult, a person must; a) be 19 years of age b) be able to provide care and mature guidance to children, c) have completed a course, or a combination of courses, of a t least 20 hours duration in child development, guidance, health and safety, or nutrition, and d) have relevant work experience. This new requirement for increased training requirements affects Family Child Care Providers and Responsible Adults working in Group Child Care (School-Age) and Occasional Care. Licensees must ensure that all existing employees acting as Responsible Adults meet the new requirement, as well as new employees hired as Responsible Adults. Documentation of courses completed must be kept in employee files and be available to the licensing officer at their next visit. If you’re not sure whether or not courses taken by employees meet this requirement, please contact your Licensing Officer. First Aid Certification Section 23 of the Child Care Licensing Requirements states that: A licensee must ensure that children have at all times immediate access to an employee who: (a) holds a valid first aid and CPR certificate, provided on completion of a course that meets the requirements of Schedule C, (b) is knowledgeable respecting each child’s medical condition, if any, and (c) is capable of effectively communicating with emergency personnel. Under the new Legislation, specific approved first aid courses are no longer identified, however, Under Schedule E, a detailed list of the specific areas of content that the courses must cover is available. Refer to your Child Care Licensing Regulation to review. In addition to ensuring that the course deals with all required skill development, Legislation does state that an employee must hold a valid first aid and CPR certificate from a course that meets the following requirements: (a) the course must offer at least 8 hours of instruction; (b) the instructor of the course must be certified, by the agency that is issuing the first aid certificate, to provide instruction in first aid; (c) the certification agency in paragraph (b) must be the Canadian Ski Patrol, the Lifesaving Society, the Canadian Red Cross, the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation or St. John Ambulance of Canada; (d) the first aid certificate (i) is issued only after the employee has successfully completed an examination that includes demonstration and evaluation of the skills relevant to the components described in section 2 of this Schedule, (ii) is signed by the instructor, (iii) expires no more than 3 years from the date of issue, and (iv) is not renewable unless the holder, before the expiry date, participates in at least 8 hours of further instruction followed by an examination that includes demonstration and evaluation of the skills relevant to the components described in section 2. 7 Policy & Procedures and Records Checklist While it is good practice to have a comprehensive policy and procedure manual and maintain complete records, the Child Care Licensing Regulation requires that the following be maintained: New Resources Available through Your Licensing Officer • Sneezes and Diseases – Policy & Procedures ü Emergency Training and Equipment ü Fire Drill System ü Emergency Plan ü Safe Release of Children ü Food and Drink to be given to Children ü Care and Supervision ü Behavioural Guidelines Records ü Employee Records – reminder that Criminal Record Checks must be renewed every five years now ü Log of Minor Incidents ü Children’s Records ü Care Plans More detailed information regarding the specific requirements and corresponding Regulation is available by request from your Licensing Officer. health information and fact sheets for providers in child care settings – Revised Spring 2008 • Emergency Policy and Procedure Plan – Guidelines for Development • Nutrition Policy and Procedure Plan – Guidelines for Development Once again, thank you for your patience and continued commitment to the provision of child care on the North Shore and please feel free to contact your Licensing Officer at their direct line or general line: 604-983-6700 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Gastroenteritis (“Stomach Flu”) Outbreaks in Childcare Facilities Twenty-five outbreaks of gastroenteritis (i.e. two or more episodes of vomiting and/or diarrhea) in childcare facilities on the North Shore have been reported to Licensing over the last year. The majority of outbreaks have been either confirmed or suspected to be attributed to the norovirus or Norwalk-like virus, a type of virus that causes gastroenteritis or ‘stomach flu’. Norovirus infections are characterized by an upset stomach, vomiting and/or diarrhea, with/ without fever and chills within 12 hrs to 48 hrs of exposure and usually lasts for one to three days. Norovirus is found in the vomit and stool (diarrhea) of people who are infected. We spread it when we don’t wash our hands well enough after using the toilet or cleaning up after someone has been sick.. Also, the virus can spread in the air in droplets that are too small to see. This happens with vomiting and diarrhea or even with cleaning up afterwards. The droplets can land on our noses and mouths and infect us, making us sick. The droplets can also land on toys countertops, sink taps and other common contact surfaces where the viruses on them can live for a long time. The virus can then spread by getting on our hands and then to our mouths or into things like food, water or ice. This explains why so many people get sick in a child care facility so quickly. If you suspect a gastroenteritis outbreak in your facility (i.e. 2 or more children in a particular group with symptoms of unexplained vomiting or diarrhea), please call Sam Sew, Public Health Inspector (PHI) at 604-983-6802 or your Licensing Officer immediately. PHI will review illness information and discuss required infection control measures to prevent further spread of illness to the children, staff and families. 8 Emergency Preparedness for Childcare Facilities Workshop Food Safety for Childcare Facilities Workshop Do you and your staff know…. • what to expect during any disaster? • how to respond before, during and after an earthquake? • how to identify and reduce hazards inside your facility? • when and when NOT to evacuate? • emergency supplies you need including food and water? Do you know?…. • the do’s and don’ts of handling, storing and preparing food for the children and your family? North Shore Emergency Management Office (NSEMO) has developed a workshop to assist child care facilities in their planning and preparations for an emergency or disaster. • how to prevent food poisoning as a foodhandler and avoid it as a consumer? There is currently no charge for the workshop and each participant gets a gas shut off wrench and valuable emergency planning resources, absolutely free!!! Dates: October 14, 2008 at NSEMO 6:30 - 8:30 pm November 24, 2008 at NSEMO 6:30 - 8:30 pm NSEMO: 147 East 14th Street, (2nd floor), North Vancouver Pre-registration is required. Please call 604-983-7440 to register. Please register promptly as seating is limited! ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Fall 2008 Workshops on Food FLAIR Food F.L.A.I.R. is a new resource beautifully designed by Legacies 2010 to help both family and center-based care providers incorporate fun food activities into your program. Workshops will cover: Overview of Canada’s Food Guide, labelling, fun food-related activities and games. Monday November 3, 2008; Wednesday November 12, 2008; Wednesday December 3, 2008 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the Community Room, #203, Capilano Mall Register at least one week in advance by calling Dawn Lavender at 604-904-6279 Facilitated by Margaret Broughton, Community Nutritionist A free copy of Food Flair will be provided. Food and Nutrition Resource Boxes Check out the Nutrition Resource Boxes! These boxes are full of fun games, props and books to help you with your food theme activities and circle time. You can borrow them for FREE if you are a subscriber with the North Shore CCRR. The boxes are titled Kids in the Kitchen, Let’s Eat, and Food and Nutrition. The food models of Mexican and Asian foods are especially popular. 9 Next Food Safety Workshop: Thursday, October 23, 2008 6:30 - 9:00 pm Daycare Room, North Shore Neighbourhood House 225 East 2nd Street, North Vancouver Fee: $10.00 Cheque payable to “Vancouver Coastal Health”. All participants MUST PREREGISTER at least a week in advance of the workshop by calling Sam Sew, Public Health Inspector at 604-983-6802 Please be advised that seating is limited and that workshops may be cancelled due to insufficient attendance. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ NEW Parent Education Display Enhance a parent information session with this display that will surprise parents about the nutritional value of common snack foods. The display can be booked by contacting Dawn Lavender, Vancouver Coastal Health at 604-904-6279. CCRR Workshop Schedule & Professional Development All workshops will take place in the Community Room at Capilano Mall, #203 - 935 Marine Drive, North Vancouver. Please register by calling Tunde Getaneh at 604-982-3324. Please advise us if you have registered for a workshop and cannot attend. See our new “No Show” Workshop Fee policy on page 11. Creating Safe Spaces Presenter: Maria Ressel, Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre Date & Time: October 16, 2008 6:30 – 8:30 pm This workshop will introduce participants to the “Safe Spaces” concept. Supportive Strategies for Guiding Children’s Behaviour Presenter: Gyda Chud, Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre Date & Time: November 6, 2008 6:30 – 8:30 pm Join us to review, refresh and renew positive approaches for guiding behaviour and promoting pro-social skills with young children. This dimension of early childhood is ever challenging, yet remains a key factor in providing quality programs as we interact with children and their families. Wonderful World of Boys Presenter: Christine Broatch, Vancouver Coastal Health Date & Time: November 20, 2008 6:00 – 9:15 pm Have you ever wondered: How and why boys act the way that they do?? How and why they are different than the girls we care for in child care programs? How to develop a program that will encourage and engage boys? Come and join us for a fun, interactive workshop that will look at biological, emotional and physical differences in boys. HOP (Healthy Opportunities For Preschoolers) Fre e This is a 3 hour certificate workshop for anyone working with preschool aged children. This workshop is an initiative through LEAP BC which is part of 2010 Legacies Now. Come to this active and energetic morning ready to HOP and LEAP! (Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes.) All participants will receive a resource manual which is clearly illustrated. It includes approx 60 fun, safe activities that encourage both reading and physical activity, as well as lots of poems, rhymes and links to books. Presenters: Christine Mann and Tunde Getaneh Date & Time: Saturday December 6, 2008 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Register: Please call Christine or Tunde at 604-985-7138 ! TE O N CCRR program presents workshops based on client requests and identified need. We cannot guarantee that our workshops will meet the requirements of the ECE Registry. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure they have sufficient and acceptable professional development hours for ECE renewal. Emergency Child Care First Aid & CPR - Safe and Sound First Aid Dates & Times: Saturdays, September 13, October 4, November 1, December 13 (9:00 am – 5:00 pm) Is it time to take or renew your First Aid certificate? Complete this Red Cross First Aid Certificate in one day. NOTE: Registration and payment for all First Aid courses hosted by NSCCRR is now handled directly through Safe and Sound First Aid. (www.firstaid.citysoup.ca). (For registrants without home internet access, phone 604-945-7277 and Safe and Sound staff will be happy to take your registration info by telephone.) A manual & certificate will be issued. Cost: $85.00 + GST. 10 Other Professional Development Opportunities Good Beginnings: An Introductory Family Child Care Course We are pleased to offer the Family Child Care Course in room 203 at Capilano Mall. It will take place on six Saturdays from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm (September 20, 27, October 18, 25, November 22, 29) and one Saturday from 10am - noon (November 8th) for a Licensing Orientation. This 36 hours certificate course is recognized by Community Care Facilities Licensing. Cost: $ 290.00 (including all course materials) For more information and to register please contact Christine Mann by phone: 604-985-7138 or email: [email protected] ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Key Elements of School Age Child Care 30 Hours Introductory and Refresher Course for those working with school aged children. This course will meet the new Child Care Licensing requirements for the staff category of Responsible Adult. Cost: $210.00 Presenters: Erin Scheepers, Christine Hibbert, Christine Mann Dates: Tuesdays 6 – 9 pm September 30, October 7, 14, 21, 28, November 4, 18, 25. Plus 3 hours of centre observation and a 3 hour take home exam. Register: Please call Christine Mann at 604-985-7138 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ “No Show” Workshop Fee We have a great demand for attendance at our CCRR workshops. With the recent Licensing requirements for professional development, this demand has increased. Each workshop has a participant limit that either the room can comfortably hold or that has been determined by the presenter. We usually have a wait list for workshops. Though we require pre-registration for workshops, unfortunately, we are experiencing a number of “no shows” at each workshop. This is unfair to those on a waitlist. This has been in increasing issue over the past year that we feel we need to address. After consulting with a number of other CCRR programs, we have decided to implement a “No Show” fee and attendance policy. There will be a $5.00 fee for anyone who registered for a workshop but did not show. This fee must be paid prior to attending another workshop. If someone is registered for a workshop but unable to attend, they can send a replacement. Notification of this change must be made in advance to revise the registration. If someone is not able to attend, they can avoid the fee by notifying the CCRR by 4:30 pm on the Tuesday preceding the Thursday workshop. CCRR staff will then have time to contact people, in order, on the waitlist. If a person on the waitlist takes the vacated spot and doesn’t show, the same “No Show” fee applies. We will add this information to our website in the Workshop section and in our workshop registration. We will give this a process a trial period and hope it solves the problem. We have kept the fee to a modest $5.00 so that it will act as a reminder and not a barrier to future attendance. We don’t want to restrict access to workshops but rather encourage consideration for everyone in the demand for professional development. 11 Other Professional Development Opportunities Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre 2772 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V5M 1Y8 Tel: 604.709.5661 Fax: 604.709.5662 Toll free 1.877-262.0022 www.wstcoast.org Training to be a Responsible Adult in Child Care Setting NEW 20 hour course this fall: Are you looking for a course to meet the new training requirement for Responsible Adults in child care settings? 7 sessions on Thursday evenings, 6:45 – 9:15 pm October 25 – November 27 Course Fee: $160 This course will cover: 1. Child development from birth to 12 years of age 2. Child guidance 3. Health and safety 4. Nutrition 5. Basic programming Call 604-709-5661 to reserve your seat at the information session on Thursday September 25 (7:00 – 8:00 pm). ESL for Family Child Care Providers • Are you a Family Child Care provider? • Did you take your family child care training in a language other than English? • Do you want to speak better English? • Do you want to feel more confident running your family child care business? Vancouver CCCRR is offering a NEW course to help family child care providers improve their English vocabulary, grammar and speaking skills. 8 weeks - Tuesdays and Thursday evenings, 7 – 9 pm October 14 – December 4 Course Fee: $150 Staff Training Are you looking for high quality training for your staff team? Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre can help. Westcoast provides an excellent 2 hour professional development experience and participant handouts and certificates of completion. Longer sessions negotiable. Topics: Supporting Children’s Positive Behaviour, Festivals of Light, Inclusion – What does it mean?, Developmentally Appropriate Guidance for Infants & Toddlers, Working Through Tough and Tender Issues with Families, Beyond Collage, YOU Are IT! The Most Important Factor in High Quality Programs For Young Children, The How’s & Why’s of Hiring and Supervision, Supporting Literacy for Preschool aged Children, This Has To Stop! Do you have a different topic in mind? Tell us what you need. Fees: $30 per participant ($300 minimum) plus instructor mileage at 45 cents/km You arrange the training space, take registrations, provide refreshments if needed, offer logistical support to the instructor and pay the invoice from Westcoast. To request a workshop call Nora at 604-709-5661 Ext 245 12 Western Canada Family Child Care Association of BC (WCFCCA) is a professional organization of Family Child Care Providers. They promote, support and advocate for quality, inclusive care. WCFCCA is hosting a Provincial Family Child Care Conference “Hand In Hand” in Richmond, BC October 3 – 5, 2008 Please check their website for details: www.wcfcca.ca New CCRR Subscription Category for Group Child Care We would like to introduce an Enhanced Workshop category of CCRR Subscription for group child care. This will simplify fee collection for our program and provide a great benefit for group child care providers whose staff members regularly take advantage of our workshops. Currently, our group child care rate is $50.00 per year per location (if a group child care has multiple sites, it is $50.00 per site). Each $50.00 subscription allows 3 people from that location or site to attend each CCRR workshop provided during the facility’s subscription year. There is a $10.00 charge for each additional person from that site to attend a workshop. We know that several group child care facilities have a number of programs at a single location or site with a number of staff members. For an additional $25.00 ($75.00 per year per location or site), the new Enhanced Workshop category, allows an unlimited number of staff members from that site (multi-programs) to attend workshops. This means if only 3 additional staff from one site, over the 3 currently allowed with the current $50.00 fee, attend one workshop (3 x $10.00 = $30.00), they will have paid out more than paying an extra $25.00 per year for an unlimited number of staff from that site to attend as many workshops as they wish during the subscription year. This is a very good deal and simplifies our money collection for individuals attending workshops. This enhanced category only applies to workshop attendance. Each site will continue to receive one CCRR newsletter and have one contact person for library and equipment loan. We always get great attendance at our CCRR workshops. With the new Licensing regulations for professional development, the demand for workshops is increasing. We will provide as many workshops and training opportunities as our funding and staffing will allow and we are always looking for opportunities to collaborate with other agencies in the community for this. The new Enhanced Workshop category for group child care will begin in September 2008. If your centre is interested in this new category and recently renewed your subscription, please call Fariba Aghdassi at 604-982-3314 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Please take advantage of this new opportunity and we look forward to seeing you at the workshops! ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Is Your Group Centre Losing Out on Workshop Attendance? We have several group child care facilities that access our services with an Individual Subscription (one person only). An Individual Subscription costs $20.00 per year and allows that individual to attend as many workshops in their subscription year as they wish. However, any other staff member from that centre, if they are not also an individual subscriber, pays a $20.00 non-subscriber drop-in rate to attend each workshop. Advertisement Centres that have more than one or two staff may be losing out on workshop attendance or paying a $20.00 per workshop drop-in rate for additional staff members. It would be much more cost effective to subscribe with the group rate of $50.00 annually. This allows 3 staff from each location to attend as many workshops as they wish during the subscription year. You do the math – a Group Subscription makes sense for economical professional development for your staff. 13 Family Child Care Networking We are coming back into the Community Room for these meetings. This fall I have lined-up a great variety of guest speakers: Licensing (clarification on current licensing regulations), District of North Vancouver (Bylaw Regulations and Accessible Child Care), Tunde (Subsidy) and Virginia (Parent Referrals) Our Network Meeting dates are: Monday September 15th, 2008 – 7 pm Monday October 20th, 2008 – 7 pm Monday November 17th, 2008 – 7 pm In December we will have a Christmas Celebration. The day and time are still to be determined. Welcome to our Newest Family Child Care Providers ! ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ LNR Family Child Care (LNR) Mother Goose for Child Care Providers! Always Be Caring – Lori Barnes We are happy to announce that we are able to continue to provide the community with this fun morning activity in North Vancouver and West Vancouver. Come and bring all the children of your care and enjoy an hour of song, dance, rhymes and finger plays and a great snack time for socializing. No registration is necessary, just show up! If you have any questions call Christine at 604-985-7138 North Vancouver: Friday mornings 9:45 to 10:45 am St John the Evangelist Anglican Church 220 West 8th Street (Chesterfield and 13th Street) Kare Bear – Karine Buffat Amir’s – Batool Parvian Apple – Rozita Massihzadeh Jasmine – Marjaneh Mirkamali Day & Night – Lynne Figgess Westview – Tahmineh Rassolzadeh-Mehrabani Licensed Family Child Care (LFCC) Amy’s – Amy Seymonds West Vancouver: Day of the week TBA 9:15 to 10:15 am Westcot Elementary School 760 Westcot Road Monica’s Place – Monica Senn ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Elsa’s LFCC is NOW Elsa’s InHome Multi-age Care - Elsa Carter Circle of Care is a fun drop-in program for children and their care providers to meet and play once a week. Whether you are a nanny, family child care provider, grandparent, aunt or uncle, this is a wonderful setting for you and the children to network, play and socialize. We start with free play including an art activity, and end with a circle time that includes songs, rhymes and a story. Nena’s LFCC is NOW Nena’s In-Home Multi-age Care – Nena Viskovic Come join our growing group Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 am, in the Family Resource Room at John Braithwaite Community Center @ 145 West 1st Street in North Vancouver. Circle of Care is CLOSED on Tuesdays after a Monday holiday. For more information please call Tunde Getaneh at 604-982-3324 14 Changes Changes to Criminal Records Checks Changes were made to the Criminal Records Review Act at the beginning of this year.The major change is that all criminal record check authorizations are now to be provided every five (5) years. In simple terms this means you will have to redo your criminal record check every 5 years, even if you are still with the same employer or running your own (family) child care. For Family Child Care providers, this is also true for all others living in the home who are 12 years of age or older.These criminal record checks are to be performed by the Criminal Records Review Branch in Victoria and NOT at your local RCMP station. The record search has now expanded to 62 offences (compared to the previous 56) and now also includes offences outside Canada. Please keep in mind, that if child care providers and administrators do not comply, Licensing and the CCRR registry have to respond. A child care provider must not work with children unless the criminal record check authorization is current. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ My Thoughts on the Code of Ethics Looking at the Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Practitioners (published and distributed by the Early Childhood Educators of BC) the question arises, whether my understanding and interpretation of these statements is the same as everyone else’s. Or is it not? During the Ethical Journey workshop series it was clear, that nobody really reads the same statement the same way and that we all have our own interpretation of words, according to our own values (things we hold to be important) and beliefs (things we hold to be true). As you may already know: our own values and beliefs come from our past… our culture, our upbringing, our education, our experiences. As no other person ever has had the same past and set of circumstances in their lives, we all have our own interpretation of the Code of Ethics. Also how well do we know this Code of Ethics? Oh yes, I remember them from College, but then at that time, did I have the experience to actually understand each statement? And, now many years later, how has my experience changed my understanding? I like to share these thoughts with you and invite you to revisit the Code of Ethics. In a team meeting, discuss how you are already applying each statement. Review what makes it difficult or easy and why. Notice whether you encounter conflicts with your own personal values or whether it is really easy to apply. Try to identify why. Hopefully you can make time to reflect on your center’s philosophy, the Code of Ethics and your professionalism on a regular basis. West Vancouver Family Place Adventure Playground Building, Ambleside Park, 604-925-7141 “the cabin in the woods” West Van Family Place offers a drop-in program for children ages 0 - 5 with a parent or caregiver. Open Monday to Friday, 9-12 and also from 1-3 on Tuesday starting September 8, 2008. We invite you to join us to play, make new friends, try new activities, and access information about parenting. Experienced, capable staff will make you feel right at home as soon as you arrive at Family Place. Your children will be delighted with the interesting activities and warm environment. Meeting the needs of parents, grandparents, caregivers and young children. Christine Mann Drop-in Fee $3 15 ACTIVITIES With September comes fall and a change of season. With the change of season comes a change of activities. This time I am sharing circle time ideas I found on a web page and indoor activities, which you might want to try. I also included ideas how to make bird feeder activities interesting for different age groups. I am always interested to hear of your success stories and activities which receive a great response with the children. Please email me your stories, songs, finger plays or activities and we can share them in the next newsletter. [email protected] A LITTLE MATH, A SONG AND MOVEMENT: I did this with my three and four year olds last year and they loved it. We use mats for rest time. I had them line their mats up in a row very close to each other and lay on them. (Make sure there is room at the end.) We then sang “10 in the bed”. As we sang, “roll over, roll over” they - you guessed it - all rolled over and I then took away the first mat. I had more than 10 children so we actually sang “15 in the bed”. Whatever the number, it worked fine. At first some had trouble just rolling onto one mat, but they quickly got the idea. Have fun!! We did. CIRCLE TIME SONG CUBE: Create a large cube by sliding two square boxes together. Food club double cereal boxes work well. Cover the cube with contact paper. On a piece of paper that fits on one side of the cube write the name of a song or finger play. Add a picture so the kids will recognize the song. Do this for all six sides of the cube. At circle time I have the kids toss the cube and whatever song it lands on is the one we sing. I change the songs each month to correspond with our theme. The kids love this and they learn the songs quite well by the end of the month. For every mood and every situation we ever encounter there is a piece of music that fits how we are feeling. To emphasize this and build on creativity I often have my students listen to a piece of music and as they are listening draw what they feel. Sometimes it is just lines that rise and fall with the pattern of the music. Other times a specific vision or theme. With very young children I have them tell me a story about the music. At circle time every morning, during CALENDAR TIME, these are songs may be sung with the children in order to introduce them to the concept of days and to further enhance their knowledge of numbers. With younger children (2-4), it goes: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday too. (Holding up the number of fingers you name), continue: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven days, Each day’s different and every day is new. For older children (4-6), in the ABCs song tune, sing: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Seven days are in a week, Twenty four hours in a day, Now, I know my days and week, Next time, I will learn some more. Further activity: you may ask a child to sing the day song and stop on the day you are presently on. This helps associate the song to real days and they can always refer to the song to know which day they are on e.g. Yesterday was Monday, today is ______ tomorrow will be ______ child may quickly refer to song to know what today is and what tomorrow will be. 16 FEEDING OUR WINTER FRIENDS Every day the world of nature changes around you and the children in your care. Have you noticed nature when you are outside on a walk? Riding a bicycle? Riding in a car? How many trees can you identify? How many birds and other animals do you know? What is the weather like? How do we feed our winter friends? For all the food and comfort we’ve provided to the birds and other creatures, it’s clear that we are the ones who reap the greater benefit from the arrangement. For the price of a few sacks of seed, shared table scraps, and the small effort put into these simple craft projects—we gain daily admission to an outdoor spectacle, complete with aerial acrobatics, comic relief, and an original score that only nature could provide. Below are a few ideas to turn your backyard or nearby park into a fun nature spectator sport. A SPECIAL TREE FOR CREATURES WE LOVE (Baby and Toddler) This project turns your old holiday tree or a small outdoor shrub into a gift for birds and other small creatures. Set up your tree where babies and toddlers can observe it from a window. Young children will enjoy watching the animals feed daily. To keep it standing upright, use a tree stand or make one by nailing the wooden boards in an X to the bottom of the tree, hammering through the wood and into the trunk. Dress up your “tree feeder” with either of the following edible ornaments below or others you design: Cheerio Chains—Wrap tape on one end of a long length of yarn. Tie a knot with a Cheerio on it at the other end. Demonstrate how to string the chain by sliding a Cheerio (or any “O” shaped cereal) over the tape (needle) and dropping it to the bottom. Invite your children to help you until the entire chain is strung. Drape these chains around the tree. Orange Slice Ornaments—Poke a hole with a plastic straw at the top of each orange slice. Thread with raffia or ribbon and tie each slice to a branch. SIMPLE GIFTS YOU CAN GIVE (Preschool +) Learn which birds and small creatures are likely to be visitors to feeders during the winter months. Invite the children in your care to make simple edibles and discuss what you can do to make the outdoor creatures comfortable. First take your children on a walk and let them collect items that a bird might use to make a nest, such as twigs, leaves, grass, cotton, and pieces of string. After the walk, let them fold down the sides of a brown bag to make it lower. Place the objects inside and place the bag outside for birds and other small animals to visit and obtain cozy materials for nest building. Next, help feed our outdoor creatures with fun edibles you make together. Take stale bread and have your children cut shapes with cookie cutters. Invite them to spread peanut butter on the bread with a plastic knife and then sprinkle on birdseed. Poke a hole at the top with a plastic straw. Thread with raffia or yarn. Together decorate the outdoor bushes and low trees branches with these “yummy” decorations. 17 Sign Up! A Communication Tool for Administrators of Child Care Programs It was suggested that we create an internet forum so that child care administrators could chat, post information etc. Here are the details: To create a FREE account the link is https://www.google.com/groups/ signin?cd=CA&hl=en&ssip=g3&_done=http%3A%2F%2Fgroups.google.ca%2Fgroup%2FCCAdministrators%2Ftopics%3Fhl%3Den. Once you have created an account you can post a comment, question, etc. The link is: http://groups.google.ca/group/CC-Administrators You are welcome to view the postings at anytime whether you’ve created an account or not. Committees, Committees and more Committees Staff at the CCRR sit on a number of committees. As the Municipal Child Care Consultant I take part/speak on behalf of Child Care at a number of tables. Below I am providing a brief description of them (some are self-explanatory). 1. WECAN is our North Shore’s Early Childhood Planning Table. There are approximately 50 people who sit at that table, all of which work with families and their children 0-6 years of age. Anyone with an interest in this area is welcome to attend. Two subcommittees of WECAN that I participate in are the ECE-Kindergarten Teacher Connections and the Aboriginal Engagement Committee. 2. North Shore Child Care Planning Committee. Its mission is to provide a structure that promotes collaborative planning for child care issues on the North Shore. Membership is made up of child care providers, Social Planners from the three municipalities, school district representatives, Child Care Licensing, Capilano University ECE, Supported Child Development, and MCFD. 3. Early Learning Foundations (ELF) Advisory (School District #44). The Advisory group makes recommendations regarding ELF programs to the School District Superintendent. 4. Capilano University (formerly Capilano College) ECE Advisory. 5. North Shore Early Childhood Conference Planning Committee. 6. Lower Capilano Partnership Committee. 7. West Vancouver Child Care Working Group. Set up to provide child care recommendations to council. If you would like more information about any of these committees please email me: [email protected]. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Mark your calendars! ADMINISTRATOR’S MEETINGS bringing together administrators from group child care programs across the North Shore to network and share information. Presenters focusing on specific topics are occasionally invited. Cofacilitated by Maria Morisseau, North Shore Child Care Resource Program and Shelley Esau, CCFL, Vancouver Coastal Health, North Shore. Please contact Maria at 604985-7138 local 122 or by email [email protected] for further details. Dates: October 15, 2008, February 18, 2009, May 20, 2009. 11:45 am – 1:00 pm Room 203, Capilano Mall 18 School Readiness Emotional development – a strong sense of trust, security, confidence and self-esteem – is the foundation for learning and growing. Social competence – making friends, sharing, turn taking, cooperation – is identified in all research as a critical factor for school success. Language development – vocabulary building, rhyming, oral communication, listening – is identified in all research as a prerequisite for academic success. “Readiness” involves 3 key factors: 1) The task at hand makes sense to the child What Children Need to Learn Before Kindergarten 2) The task builds on prior accomplishments and learning flow 3) The child demonstrates a real and visible interest in the task and in the next steps Readiness goes hand-in-hand with developmentally appropriate practice Remember: It takes 180 hours to teach a 4 year old to tell time It takes 1 hour and 10 minutes to teach a 6 year old to tell time It takes 10 minutes to teach a 7 year old to tell time “There is absolutely no evidence that formal instruction at an early age has any lasting academic advantage”. C. Eberts Pushing and pressuring a child is only counterproductive to successful learning. Young children learn best through play because it is meaningful, engaging, interactive, interesting, and enjoyable. Play based curriculum provides endless literacy and numeracy opportunities on an hourly and daily basis. Let us learn to “count the ways” at this time when play is under siege. Reprinted with permission from the author, Gyda Chud. 19 To play and imagine. To pay attention to others. To imitate others, verbally and physically. To understand and use language. To make friends. To initiate and make choices. To function independently and ask for help. Information provided by Sunny Hill Health Centre, Vancouver Volunteering Child Care Referrals The mandate of the Child Care Resource and Referral program is to promote programs that enhance the quality of life for children and their families. CCRR offers many helpful services to residents of the North Shore ranging from finding child care providers to subsidy application help to housing a resource library. There are many reasons to get involved or encourage someone you know to get involved with the Child Care Resource and Referral program. A variety of volunteer positions are available within the network for anyone who is interested. CCRR is open to anyone wanting to learn more about children and child care which makes it a great place for students wanting to get into the field of childcare to get involved and get some practical experience. In addition, the contacts made can be used to help with assignments and questions. It is a way to get a foot in the door and learn more about what is involved in this exciting and ever changing career path. Volunteering in general is fulfilling but the one thing that makes working with children so special is that you are helping to make a difference in their lives by helping bring awareness of their needs. Even if it means not working directly with them, you are helping by making people who are in close contact with them more aware. A lot of older adults, once retired, are looking to help out and volunteering with a child care service is one way to keep in it and stay up-to-date while working around one’s own schedule. A benefit of volunteering is a way to give back to the community while helping to create a more positive and nurturing neighbourhood. Furthermore, the networks created are great for sharing information with other people in hopes of helping them. These are all wonderful reasons to get involved with the CCRR program at North Shore Community Resources. Of course, let’s not forget the most important motive to get involved: volunteering is a fulfilling way to have some fun. So, if you are interested in volunteering or know someone who is, call to find out what is available and get involved today! From March 1 – July 31 of this year, child care spaces were requested for 471 children. Of those 471, 39% of the requests came from families in the District of North Vancouver, 36% from the City of North Vancouver, 7% from West Vancouver, and 18% from families living outside of the North Shore. Over the five month period noted above, families were provided with a total of 21,451 facility names located in 62 different neighbourhoods. To help us serve you better... Please call if there are any changes to your program (if you have a vacancy, changed your days, hours, or type of care). We will then make the changes to our database. CCRR Extended Hours: We continue to have extended hours Thursday evenings until 8 pm . We will also be open on the LAST Saturday of each month: (10 am to 1:30 pm) October 25 November 29 Closed: September 27 (NSECE Conf.) Saturday December 27th. 20