DRUMLANE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP CHILDCARE
Milltown, Co. Cavan
Ph: 049 9529072 (m) 0870945490
Email: tirnabpaisti@eircom.net
13th March 2012
To Parents & Guardians
Staff Updates
We are pleased to inform you that Linda Arneill has been appointed Acting Manager to cover periods of absence by myself e.g. annual leave. Again, we would like to congratulate Linda & give her our best wishes.
We would like to welcome, Mrs Helen Freehill to the Facility. Helen will be covering Andrea Victory who will commence maternity leave later this month. We send our best wishes to Helen and Andrea in their new ‘ventures’.
Questionnaire
A big thank you to all who took the time to complete the recent questionnaire. The results were reassuring to us and the Childcare Committee that parents are happy with the Facility. Below is a brief outline of the results:
• Preschool Uniform:
Yes: 49% No: 35% Not Applicable: 16%
• Earlier Opening Hours:
Yes: 23% No: 71% Not Applicable: 6%
• A morning drop to Milltown National School:
Yes: 26% No: 42% Not Applicable: 16%
Not at Present, but possibly later: 16%
• Satisfied with the meals / food? :
Yes: 78% No: 3% Not Applicable: 19%
We are committed to providing a healthy eating programme for children and have taken some of the comments parents made in relation to our meals. We will be introducing a greater variety of breakfast foods, so as well as the usual cereals for the very young, there will be a variety of fruits / crackers / toast / for the Playschool and Preschool rooms.
In relation to the Afterschool children, if you have any special concerns or dietary requirements for your child, please have a word with me.
We are investigating the costs of a Preschool top with the ‘Tir na bPaisti’ logo as well as looking into the feasibility of earlier opening hours and providing a school drop off to Milltown NS in the morning.
Attendance
Whilst we will always try to accommodate parents who request their children attend on additional times to their designated days, it is not always possible. Owing to Preschool Regulations as well as Health & Safety, we need to know in advance if you require extra sessions, in order to have the correct child / staff levels. Please feel free to speak to me or a staff member of the room with details of extra sessions are required, at least one day in advance and we will let you know if this is possible.
We would ask parents to notify us (telephone or text) as soon as possible if their child/ren are unable to attend the Facility. In accordance with our Fees Policy, fees are still payable if children don’t attend their arranged days(s) / sessions.
Afterschool
Whenever possible, please advise us the day before Afterschool is required. This helps us plan for sufficient staff levels and hot meals. It is also important to notify us as early as possible if your child is not attending Afterschool on their designated days as staff need to know in advance who they are to collect from school.
Other Issues
We also would like to draw your attention to a few issues which have recently arisen.
Cars
For Health & Safety reasons, we would request parents not to leave their car engines running whilst they are dropping / collecting their children into the Facility.
Picking up times
Just a gentle reminder that the morning half day runs from 8.30am to 1.30pm and we would appreciate it if children could be picked up at this time.
Fees Policy
We would also like to take this opportunity to remind parents that, fees are still payable if children don’t attend their arranged days(s) / sessions. You are not charged for Public holidays or the weeks we are closed at Easter and Christmas
Upcoming Holidays & Closure
1. St Patrick’s Day Public Holiday: We will be closed on Monday, 19th March 2012
2. Easter Holidays: Our last working day before closing for the Easter break is Thursday, 5th April.
We will be closed from & incl. Friday 6th April 2012 and reopening on Monday, 16th April 2012.
As always, we would encourage parents to keep us informed of any issues they may have or suggestions on how to improve things! Please feel free to discuss these with me or leave any comments in the parental ‘comments box’ in the Hall. All information will be treated sensitively and with strictest confidence.
Thank you & regards
________________
Rosaleen Morgan
Manager
Drumlane Childcare Facility
cc Childcare Committee
European Union
Structural Funds
Funded by the Irish Government
Under the National Development Plan 2007 -2013
