Month: October 2020

Burnaby StrongStart Centres are looking forward to welcoming you back in person as early as October 26, 2020. Although we have been engaging with many families via emails, phone calls, Blogs, and Zoom it will be wonderful to see you face to face.

Burnaby StrongStart Centres will offer a blended model that will include 3 days a week of in-person programming at StrongStart centres, 1 day a week of outdoor exploration at local parks or on school grounds, and 1 day a week of virtual outreach to stay connected to families who aren’t quite ready to visit us in person. Schedules will vary at StrongStart locations and not all centres will be open for in-person programming.

In-person visits will be limited to four families per day (1 parent/guardian per 3 children maximum) in order to maintain safe physical distancing. Outdoor explorations will be limited to ten families per day (1 parent/guardian per 3 children maximum) to maintain safe physical distancing. All in-person programs will run from 9:30am to 11:00am to accommodate cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

There is no drop-in StrongStart. All families (new and returning) must register online for the 2020-21 year. The total number of registered families will determine the number of times per month families can attend an in-person StrongStart program. Burnaby StrongStart programs are available to Burnaby residents only. Families can attend at one location only.

Registration for StrongStart is now open!

How do I register?

• All new and returning families must register online for the 2020-2021 year.
• Please register for the StrongStart Centre closest to you home.
• Click this link https://registration.sd41.bc.ca/Forms/strongstartregistration, fill out the registration form and submit.
• Once your registration form is processed, a StrongStart Educator will contact you to schedule your visits (all visits need to be scheduled this year). Please allow time for your registration to be processed.

What do I do when I arrive at the school?

• Please arrive on time.
• There will be clear StrongStart signage at the school when you arrive. Follow the signage to the designated outdoor entrance and wait on one of the markers for the StrongStart Educator to welcome you (please do not enter the school building on your own).
• A Daily Health Check will be done by the educator before you come in to the school or classroom.
• You and your child(ren) will be required to sanitize your hands prior to entering the school or StrongStart classroom.
• All adults are required to wear a mask.
• The StrongStart Educator will sign you in once you arrive.

What will StrongStart look like?

• In each in-person classroom session there will be a maximum of four families (1 parent/guardian per 3 children maximum).
• In each outdoor session there will be a maximum of ten families (1 parent/guardian per 3 children maximum).
• We cannot accommodate childcare providers at this time.
• All adults must physically distance from each other and children not their own.
• Children will be encouraged to minimize physical contact with each other, unless part of the same family unit.
• It is not necessary to attempt to eliminate close contact between children, recognizing the importance of children’s emotional, physical, and developmental needs.
• Activities that encourage individual play and more space between children, staff, and parents will be organized.
• StrongStart classrooms will have equipment and materials set up for you and your child(ren) to explore together.
• Songs, stories, music, and movement will be organized to support physical distancing between adults.
• Access to washroom facilities is limited but not prohibited. Please use your home facilities before coming to the StrongStart centre.
• There will be no scheduled library or gym time.
• Individually packaged snacks will be distributed at the end of each centre visit.

What about illness?

• Children, adults, and staff should stay at home when they are sick and monitor symptoms for 24 hours or when new symptoms of illness develop, such as:

– Fever
– Chills
– Cough
– Difficulty breathing (in small children this can look like breathing fast or working hard to breathe)
– Loss of sense of smell or taste
– Nausea or vomiting
– Diarrhea

• If symptoms include fever or difficulty breathing or if symptoms last for more than 24 hours or get worse, seek a health assessment by calling 8-1-1 or a primary care provider and follow their advice.
• Children or adults who become sick while in the StrongStart setting will be asked go home as soon as possible.
• Children and staff should:

– Cough or sneeze into their elbow sleeve or a tissue.
– Throw away used tissues and immediately perform hand hygiene (“cover your coughs”).
– Not touch their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands (“hands below your shoulders”).

• Access the StrongStart Program Daily Health Check here

StrongStart BC Programs follow the Public Health Guidance for Child Care Settings During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Access the information at http://www.bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/COVID_public_guidance/Guidance_Child_Care.pdf

StrongStart Locations will open as early as October 26, 2020.

StrongStart In-Person Classroom and Outdoor Exploration Session locations:

• Cascade Heights Elementary
• Edmonds Community School
• Forest Grove Elementary
• Lochdale Community School
• Maywood Community School
• Stoney Creek Community School
• Twelfth Avenue Elementary

StrongStart Outdoor Exploration Session locations:

• Chaffey-Burke Elementary
• Kitchener Elementary
• Morley Elementary
• Second Street Community School
• Stride Avenue Community School

Please register for the StrongStart Centre closest to your home. Families who register for locations that do not have in-person classroom sessions will be accommodated at another centre. All StrongStart Educators will continue virtual outreach to families.

Hands washing is very important nowadays.  However, washing hands is more than putting hands under the running water for 20 seconds and sing happy birthday twice.   It is important to wash the palm, back of hand, between fingers, fingernails and also the wrist.

So let’s learn this new hand washing song:

Please click on the Handwashing song video to sing along.     

Here is the lyric for the handwashing song.

Palm and back, palm and back,

in between, in between

Wash under the fingernails,  also wash the wrist

Now you’re squeaky clean, now you’re squeaky clean

To ensure washing for minimum of 20 seconds, sing the handwashing song twice.

Please remember to always wash your hands. Stay healthy!

Do you have excess wrapping papers, calendars, magazines, photographs, fabrics or yarns around your house?  Add in some glue, scissors, paper, along with some creativity and imagination, it can become a great art activity: Collage Activity.

Collage is art made by gluing different materials such as leaves, wrapping paper or photographs to a flat surface.   It is a great activity to do using materials found at home, and suitable for children of all ages.   Keep in mind safety and choking hazards for young children, and to supervise children when using these materials.s.  

Start by gathering materials suitable for collage and encourage children to use their creativity and see what they can create with all the wonderful materials.  Collect materials of different textures, colours, and pattern, and invite children to use these materials for art expression.  Follow your child’s lead and give them  time to explore, sort and gather the materials and work on their collage.

Take time to sit and create the collage along side with your child.  Talk about what your child is doing, ask open questions, and encourage your child to appreciate the beautiful collage materials available.  Focus on the process of art expression and allow them to naturally create their art.  There is no need to create something specific and they may or may not glue down the materials.  It can simply be exploration and experimentation with abstract designs and sorting of materials.

When it comes to collage, the possibilities are endless.  So let’s start collecting and have some fun with collage !