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.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I wanted to share one of my favourite children’s authors with you: Todd Parr reading The Thankful book.  There is so much we can all be thankful for, I am  thankful for my family, good health, and to be able to connect with all of you through zoom and this blog.  What are you thankful for?

Please be reminded that our next zoom story-time will be on October 16th, I  can’t wait to see you!

To watch the read aloud together click here

Here are also some ideas to go on a gratitude scavenger hunt as a family:

1. Find something that makes you happy
2. Find something to give to someone else to make them smile
3. Find one thing that you love to smell
4. Find one thing that you enjoy looking at
5. Find something that’s your favourite colour
6. Find something you are thankful for in nature
7. Find something that you can make a gift for someone

Hi everyone,

I  hope you have been out enjoying the wonderful Fall weather we have been having.  Have any of you had a chance to visit the pumpkin patch?  The Laity Pumpkin patch is a great one- the north side is suited for younger children, for a direct link click here

My daughters and I love to bake pumpkin muffins together too.  Here is a recipe we love and want to share with you.  Do you have any favourite pumpkin recipes?  Send them to me if you do at marianna.cavezza@burnabyschools.ca

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

4eggs

1 (14 oz) canned pumpkin or 1 3/4 cups

1 1/2 cups of oil

11/2 cups of white sugar

3 cups of sifted flour

1tsbsp  cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2tsp cloves

2tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

2 cups light raisins or pumpkin seeds (whatever you like best but this is optional)

Directions: Mix in order.  Use paper baking cups to line pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes.  Makes 30 muffins.

 

 

 

Dear StrongStart families,  for a link to the school twitter page click here and to view the school newsletter for October click here

30 September 2020

Dear StrongStart Families:

I know many of you miss attending StrongStart and connecting with one another and we miss the wonderful community spirit that all of you bring to Stoney Creek Community School.

Currently, we are creatively planning for in person, pre-registered sessions and we will update you when all the safety protocols have been approved and we can move forward. For the most up to date information about this, please check the district website, attached below.  Until then, in order to ensure the health and safety of the children and staff here at the school and our wonderful Stoney Creek community, we ask that you avoid the school grounds, during school hours,  and instead gather at the local parks in the neighbourhood.

Keep well everyone and we look forward to seeing you soon,

https://burnabyschools.ca/strongstart/

Warmly,

Marianna Cavezza                                                                 Wendell Hiltz

Early Learning Facilitator                                                       Principal

 

In honour  of Orange shirt day and the true meaning of Every Child Matters:  with a  spirit of reconciliation and the ongoing support we need from each other  to forge ahead, I would like to share a beautiful book by Monique Gray Smith, published by Orca books.  A virtual hug to all of you!

You can watch it by clicking here

Dear families,

I have attached a letter from Anita below (Early childhood consultant with family services) explaining how she can support at this time.

I have been wondering about how all the transitions to preschool, daycare, and kindergarten are going for all my little friends.  I wanted to share a wonderful book with you that I really love to read at this time of year that helps deal with all these firsts and all the feelings that go along with new beginnings.  Please click  here to hear Chester raccoon tell this story.  This is the story of The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn and published by Child Welfare League of America https://yout.be/gh1hP1NPFUY

Here is also a song to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle you can sing together with your parents on the way to school.

The Kiss goes on

Here’s a special trick I know,

When I’m sad and scared to go.

Take my hand and kiss it here,

The kiss from you I will hold dear.

Down my hand and up my arm,

Into my heart the kiss goes on.

If you and your family have a special ritual you do when you say goodbye and you would like to share it, let me know.  I look forward to hearing from you at marianna.cavezza@burnabyschools.ca

 

 

For anyone looking for other suitable family programs available for children up to 6 years of age that have already started or are ongoing:

Circle time online, Mondays ongoing from 10-11:30am

Mother Goose online, Tuesdays 10-11am Sept 15th- Nov 17th and Thursdays 10-11am Sept 17th -Nov 19th

Small group with safe distancing indoors/outdoors (Learning together through play)

Indoors (masks are mandatory for adults)  Tuesdays 3:30-5:30pm starts Sept 15th Mckercher centre (6140 Mckercher avenue, Burnaby)

In person small group with safe distancing measures Wednesdays 9:30am-11:30am, starts Sept 16th Location is Edmonds Resource Centre (104-7355 Canada Way, Burnaby) Masks are mandatory for adults

• Registration is on a weekly cycle, watch for an updated registration link each week

Outdoors Thursday 1- 2:30pm  starts Sept 17th at Confederation Park

Online for Korean-speaking families Thursdays 12:30- 2pm starts Sept 24th

Outdoors Fridays 1-2:30pm starts Sept 18th Central Park

Healthy families, healthy minds ( Online Wednesdays 10-11:30am starts Sept 16th

Fun creative activities and ideas to build healthy habits for your preschool children.  Some topics will include cooking nutritious meals, reading and bedtime stories, healthy screen-time options and other useful resources.

Baby and Me (second stage) Online Fridays 10am-noon ongoing

A weekly support group for babies aged 6 to 18 months.  Topics include challenges of parenting, infant development, infant health and nutrition.

Creative Play for Families (Online Saturdays 10-11:30am starts Sept 19th)

A weekly session for learning creative arts and crafts using household items.

For any of the above programs visit www.burnabyfamilylife.org to register

 

Information Children (Parenting help when you need it) is available 24hrs at 778-782-3548

Programs offered:

Support group for new parents with babies ages 0-6 months old. Pre-registration is required.  Tuesday Sept 22nd-Oct 27th weekly from 10:30am -12:00

Parenting the middle years

Supportive and educational parenting series for parents with children 6-12 years.  Topics covered include socio-emotional development, temperament, parenting styles,stressors of parenting in a pandemic. Pre-registration required. Tuesday Sept 29- Nov 3rd- weekly from 1-3:00pm.

Circle of Security

Evidence based parenting series based on attachment theory. Online ( in collaboration with Parent Support Services BC) Tuesday Oct 6th to Nov 12th weekly from 10:00am to 11:45am. Pre-registration/questions daniela.alvarado-torres@parentsupportbc.ca or call 669-1616 ext 106

In collaboration with East Side Family Place Friday Oct 23rd-Dec 11th weekly from 1 to 3pm. Pre-registration/ questions Gaye Ferguson @ East side Family Place call (604) 255-9841