12 January 2015 Newsletter 1/15 Welcome back to all our children and parents. This newsletter contains LOADS of INFORMATION, please read carefully! New arrivals: Welcome to all the new children and parents who joined us! It is quite normal for you to be concerned and scared! Your little ones will most properly be clingy in the next couple of days. Parents, please keep them in the routine by bringing them to school every day and please do not stay too long in the mornings. This will help to settle them as soon as possible. You are welcome to phone us during the day to enquire about their wellbeing. We have lots of new children and we want to welcome you all to our school. May your stay in Kidz Inc. be extremely enjoyable! We welcome the following children: Baby room : Calinda Botha, Naomi Mwelwa, Kayla Palmers, Pieter Kalis, Shane Thomas Monkey Class: Scarlett Garbers, Raely Nadar, Chidiuto Ugwu, Mason Gatter, Sarvesh Padayachi, Kian Naidoo Bear Class : Gabriella Govender, Yenziwe Masangane, Azania Mosimanyane, Bunhle Teffo, Boithato Chirwa Duck Class : Theresa Ahlers, Palesa Lyones, Martin Wanenge Fish Class : Karabo Meso, Damika Naidoo, Tasmay Naidoo, Nicole Ngwenya, Jerisha Padayachi, Matlotlo Sibiya, Jessica Wheeler, Rylan Botha, Jonathan Girgis, Daniel van der Merwe Lion Class : Makayla Govender, Mbali Nsereko, Osiame Peele, Kim Takaendeso, TJ Lyones, Jaiden Makhene, Awande Nyathikazi Birthdays: Congratulations to all the children and parents who had their birthdays over the festive season! We hope you all had a wonderful, special day. The following staff and children celebrate their birthdays in January. Congratulations! January : 2: Zidane Ally 5: Francinah (cook), Damon Pienaar, Jack Lyall, Christopher Williams 7: Teacher Natasha, Lenah (Fish Class Assistant) 10: Tyler Hambridge 12: Teacher Charmaine, Katelynn Fruin, Palesa Lyones, Jerisha Padayachi 17: Lyneigh Prigge, Jonathan Girgis 20: Jessica Oosthuizen 25: Araniya Gokul 28: Bunhle Teffo May your day be filled with lots of joy and surprises! Party guidelines will be handed out to you prior to your child’s birthday. Please take the opportunity to discuss any uncertainties with myself or your child’s class teacher. (Should you like to order party packs for your little one’s birthday, please speak to Natasha (Duck Class) Please remember to donate a story book to our school library on your birthday. From the office: Staff lay out for 2015 as follows: Principal : Tanya Bothma Baby room : Babra Mncube, Fridah Masemola, Maria Pade, Francina Teffo and Anna Mokoena (currently helping out in the Bear class) Monkey Class : Charmaine van der Westhuizen, Dineo Mosia, Sandy Alexander Bear Class : Elsabe Oosthuizen, Lucy Sibanda Duck Class : Natasha Klopper, Lizzy Jele Fish Class : Clair Eatwell, Lenah Mfulwane Lion Class / Grade R : Henriette Langeveld, Rebone Matlaila Kitchen : Francinah Koloago General : Idah Maphala I am on duty in the baby room in the mornings from 06h30 to 07h30. During the course of the day I am in the office. Most days I leave at 16h15 to collect my own children from their school. Please feel free to then phone me on my cell phone (083 302 4209) should you need to get hold of me. Congratulations to Babra Mncube, our baby room principal who was awarded “Kidz Inc. Employee of the year 2014”. We are very proud of you, Babra! School hours: To all our early bird parents : Please note that the school opens at 06h30 and the gates will only be unlocked at this time. The teacher on early morning duty arrives at 06h20 and needs a few minutes to prepare for your arrival. Half day enrolments are friendly reminded that half day ends at 14h00. Should you arrive later than the set time, you will be invoiced for aftercare. Cost is R50 per hour or part of. Our school closes at 17h30 sharp and we request that you make sure that you arrive on time. We still allow for pick up between 17h30 and 17h45. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE LATER THAN THIS TIME. Late arrival penalties (R50 for every 15 minutes) are payable from 17h45 onwards should you arrive late. Extra mural lessons: Please note the dates and times for demo lessons this week. Enrolment forms will be placed in the postbags. Enrolling in extra murals is not compulsory and I suggest that you do not enroll in more than 2 activities. Grade R children are all automatically enrolled with Stimuzone computers as this is part of the Grade R curriculum. All completed forms must be returned to school, I will hand it over to the extra mural contractors. Payments are made to the extra mural activity directly. Please note that all children have to re-enroll in the activities even if you have taken part in the past. Swimming lessons are offered twice weekly although not on our premises. The children are transported to the pool in Robin Hills. Swimming forms can be obtained from the office. Demo lesson times and weekly lesson times for 2015 will be as follows: Stimuzone Computers : Monday at 11h00 for the Fishes and Lions Experi buddies (Science lessons) : Tuesday at 10h30 for the Ducks, Fishes and Lions Swimming lessons : Tuesdays and Fridays from 08h00 Playball : Wednesday at 09h00 for Monkeys, Bears, Ducks, Fishes and Lions Music Box : Thursday at 08h30 for the Monkeys, Bears, Ducks, Fishes and Lions Soccer Starz : Thursday at 11h00 for the Ducks, Fishes and Lions Rugga kids : Friday at 11h00 for the Ducks, Fishes and Lions Parent’s evenings: We will be hosting parents evenings next week. Kindly attend as this is the only meeting for the year. You are welcome to bring your children along, we will be supervising them. Tuesday, 20 January : Monkey class 17h30 (Teacher Charmaine) Bear Class 18h30 (Teacher Elsabe) Wednesday 21 January : Duck class 17h30 (Teacher Natasha) Fish class 18h30 (Teacher Clair) Thursday 22 January : Lion Class 18h00 (Teacher Hendriette) Fundraiser: Next week Friday (23 January) will be our first fundraiser for the year. As our theme for the week is “I am important” we would like all children to come to school on Friday dressed as a character which starts with the first letter of their names. (For e.g. Clair = C = Christmas father). “Entry fee” : R5.00 Security: The safety and security of our children is as much your responsibility as it is ours. Please do not leave the gates open! Our access gates should lock automatically – if this is not the case PLEASE bring it to our attention. Please do not wait for other “parents” in the parking lot to give them access through the gates. They may not be parents! If they are, they will have the access codes. Access codes will be changed from time to time. Please do not allow your children to put in the codes. Class T shirts and Floppy Hats: Each child has received his/her shirt and hat. (Unfortunately, this does not include the Baby room.) Cost for these is R50.00 and will be invoiced on your next account. Hats stay at school. Shirts must be worn on Mondays and Fridays. Should you wish to order extra, cost is R50 per shirt. Tuck Shop: We have a small tuck shop on Friday afternoons for the older children (Duck, Fish and Lion Classes). They may bring money along to buy from the tuck shop on Fridays only. Please make sure that monies are handed over to the staff for safe keeping. This tuck shop is not compulsory and you do not need to send money every week. Year program: Our year program is included in this newsletter. Keep it on hand as many activities take place each month. Please diarize public holidays and school holidays when Kidz Inc. will be closed. Although all dates have been set, it may happen that we need to change dates. You will be advised of any changes as soon as possible. More detailed info will be given in newsletters on the different activities. Snacks : A SMALL SNACK IS SUFFICIENT! Only sandwiches, fruit and yoghurt are allowed. Please do not send sweets, biscuits, tinkies, chips etc. No cool drink or juice, please!!!! We will provide. Babies only need a yoghurt per day. All other snacks will be provided by the school. Please refrain from sending your child with sandwiches, biscuits, dry cereal and such when dropping them off at school! I do understand that most of you spend long periods in the car due to the traffic, but please leave uneaten food behind. We follow a strict rule of sitting down while eating (choking hazard) and this is not possible in the mornings when the staff is busy receiving children and helping parents. Newsletters : All relevant newsletters, invoices, brochures and invitations will be placed in your little “postbag” outside the front door/ outside door of Monkey class for the Monkeys and babies. Please check yours on a regular basis! There are postbags for siblings – please check if you have more than one child attending Kidz Inc. Kindly refrain from placing pamphlets etc. in the bags. Should you wish to distribute info to other parents, this should be done via the office. Girls clothing and hair: All girls MUST wear their long hair tied into ponies. We would also like to request that the girls preferably wear shorts and NOT dresses or skirts. Should they wear a dress or skirt, please put shorts on underneath. Medicine: No vitamins will be given at school. Only prescribed medicine will be given and only if it is written in the medicine file. Please do not leave ANY medication in your child’s bag. Signing in and out: Kindly remember to sign in and out every day! Please address any queries, concerns or problems with me. We are here to care and prepare your child/baby for the big world out there. Regards, Tanya