Eastmont Newsletter

During the year our Policy/OHS/Grants Officer, Sarah, has been busy applying for different grants. Sarah has been lucky enough to secure a grant from the City of Whitehorse for approx. $1400. This will help us with a few things like updating the security lighting at the kinder, purchasing a new indoor mat and upgrading our play equipment.

When you go to kinder this week, you will notice our new outdoor blinds which were installed last Friday.  We had builders in during the holidays to repair the pergola in preparation for their installation and they look fantastic. We thank the State Government for their generous grant which has enabled us to improve this area so that the children can play in all year round - even when is pouring rain, as it was last Friday when the Possums group got to test them out for the first time!

With the recent bad weather, a gum tree branch fell into kinder. The council inspected the tree and the other trees in the vicinity and sent contractors last week to chop down any overhanging branches into the kinder - down the side and at the front of the kinder. 

Make sure you keep the following dates free this term:

• Saturday 31st August – Father’s Day Morning Tea at the kinder. RSVP by Tuesday 27th August. 
• Sunday 8th September – We will be holding vision portraits on this day. It is always a popular event and a great way to get some lovely photos of your family. More information is under 'Events' on Skoolbag or refer to the flyer that has been placed in the children’s pockets already.
• Thursday 19th September – Helen’s Farewell / Birthday Dinner. More information coming soon. 

- Cassie

There have been lots of different art experiences for the children to choose from including string painting, contact pictures, stamping with different shapes and colourful, swirly glue, salt and food dye pictures. The children have also been enjoying the calming effects of playing with sensory materials including gloop and kinetic sand.

Each week the children complete worksheets to further the development of their fine motor skills. There will be different sheets each week focusing on the development of pencil and scissor skills. We have been doing dot-to-dot pictures this week. Inspired by the blooming of the lovely daffodils, the children have been working on observational drawings of them as well as other flowers and gum leaves from the garden.

We have been singing lots of songs and playing games including Rat-a-tat-tat, A Sailor Went to Sea, Taba Naba and Black Socks. Also at group time the children enjoyed a story titled ‘Tucker Turtle’ who stops and thinks before he acts. This story stimulated conversation about different emotions we may feel, and ways we can positively express and manage emotions. We introduced the ‘solutions necklace’ which depicts a variety of ‘solutions’ to support the children to manage frustration. Some examples of these solutions are taking deep breathes, having a drink of water, and simply taking some time alone to calm down. 

We have a busy couple of weeks ahead with science incursions, to celebrate National Science week, last Thursday and next Wednesday and Little Woodworkers work incursions last Friday and on Monday 19th August.

Hopefully we will see lots of Dads, Grandads and/or Special Friends at the Father’s Day Morning Tea on Saturday 31st August.

Responsible Pet Education will also be visiting kinder on Tuesday 3rd and Friday 6th September to talk to the children about living safely with dogs.

- Sonya 

Our Teddy Bears Picnic days were a lot of fun. We were busy icing teddy bear biscuits, doing bear printing, decorating bear paper shapes, dancing with our soft toy and spending time in our pretend bear cave.

Last week the children enjoyed playing with the corn flour and water slime and especially liked finding the frogs and lizards that were hiding. The scissor-cutting table was popular where the children could practice their cutting skills and cut paper into small pieces. During mat group time we played the rhythm sticks and shaking eggs together with some music.

Some of the activities for this week include handprints using paint on coloured paper, playing in the Eastmont shoe shop, building with the Duplo house and making something special for Father’s day.  Our songs and dances for this week have included Bottom of the Sea, Where is Thumpkin?, Incy Wincy Spider and Ring a Ring a Rosie.

We have started to use place cards at snack time. These cards include the children’s  photo and their name. Before snack time the cards are put around the tables and the children find their card and that is where they sit to have their snack for that day. Each session they are moved so they get to socialise with different children in their group.

Please remember to return the dental consent form before Thursday 22nd August if you would like your child’s teeth to be checked.

- Sue

Director: Sonya Skok - eastmont.kin@kindergarten.vic.gov.au 

President: Cassie - president@eastmont.org.au

Vice President: Melissa - vicepresident@eastmont.org.au

Treasurer:  Kath - treasurer@eastmont.org.au

Secretary: Carole - secreatary@eastmont.org.au

Minutes Secretary: [Vacant] -minutessecretary@eastmont.org.au

Enrolment Officer (3yo): Xiao (Maggie) - enrolment3yo@eastmont.org.au

Enrolment Officer (4yo): Katie - enrolment4yo@eastmont.org.au

Social/Fundraising Coordinator: Megan - fundraising@eastmont.org.au

Grants/Policy/OHS: Sarah - grantspolicyohs@eastmont.org.au

Projects/Maintenance: Jawad - projects@eastmont.org.au

Communications Officer: Bronwyn - communications@eastmont.org.au

Administrative Officer: Lynette Ellis - admin@eastmont.org.au