Newsletter
…..and a Happy new year to all of you. May this year be kind to you all and be one to remember for all the best of reasons.
New Staff
We are delighted to welcome some new staff to our growing team.
Jennifer Kernot
A huge welcome to Jennifer who has joined us this year. Jennifer is working in our Preschool room as Room Leader. She has just completed her Foundation degree in Early Years (equiv level 5). Over the last six years or so she has worked as a Deputy manager for three years and more recently worked as an assistant manager at Asquith in Tonbridge.
Stephanie Allen
We welcome Stephanie also to our Pre-school room. Stephanie has already made a great start with us and the children have grown attached already. Stephanie will be working towards her Level 3 later this year.
We also have a new chef, Chris, who started in December and is already part of the team. Chris is continuing with our healthy way of eating here at Monkey Puzzle, and in fact will be reviewing our menus in the very near future, so do look out for the next set of gastronomic delights!
Congratulations to Andrea Bryant (toddler room staff)
She is now the proud mother of a beautiful baby girl, Nancy. We wish her well with the joys (and sleepless nights) of motherhood.
New Toddler room door
We are very excited to announce another arrival – the new door in the Toddler room! For those of you that haven’t seen it yet, it is another entrance into the Toddler room from the main play area. This will enable drop off and pick up to be more fluid for Toddlers providing parents and carers more opportunity to view the Toddler room and all the lovely displays that are created and thus far don’t very often get seen! There are many benefits to the new door such as allowing Toddlers to have ‘free flow’ into the garden during the day, and also easing the transition from the baby unit to the Toddler room.
A new Door entry system specifically for the toddler room will also be installed for use by Parents allowing secure access.
This work is part of the on-going assessments and improvements to how the nursery operates on a day-by-day basis. We are confident this new entrance will make the drop off and collection of children easier (and calmer!?!), allowing for better communication and interaction between Parent/Carer and Monkey Puzzle staff…..and make getting outside for some fresh air during the day a whole lot quicker!
More News
With the appointments of Jennifer and Stephanie in the Pre-school room it has enabled Debbie to spend some further quality time with Pre-school and Toddler children in smaller groups and on an individual basis. This time will be spent developing individual children in all areas of the EYFS and any additional educational needs children may require.
We are delighted that Monkey Puzzle, Cranbrook has recently, again been awarded the highest score for Food Hygiene, Level 5, by the Environmental Agency. This sits nicely with our Healthy Eating award gained during 2011.
Baby Unit
Over the Christmas period we have spruced up the baby unit, given it a lick of paint and moved the furniture around to increase the size of the Teenie room to accommodate the growing number of babies of teenie age. We have also created a lovely cosy area that is being used for stories, singing and quiet time with cuddles. This area is of course for the babies and teenies to use, and so far the children (and staff) are very pleased with the changes. Any feedback from parents is as always more than welcome.
Photographer – Capture Ltd
Many of you took advantage of the lovely photographs Sarah took of your children towards the end of last year – many of which we are sure made gorgeous presents for Grandparents.
As a result of the high number of Photos purchased, Monkey Puzzle has been given £120 towards new resources for the Nursery.
Vicky would like to offer you all the opportunity to suggest how and where you would like the money spent. Please let any member of staff know your thoughts and ideas and we will update you in the next Newsletter.
Resources
I know that you all have information slips sent home on the current topics within the nursery and the requests for any relevant resources that you may have. However, we are always after new resources, such as paper, spare wrapping paper, quality street sweet wrappings, material remnants, cushions no longer required, the list is endless as are the uses. Consider us as your recyclable friends (but no real rubbish please!).
Diary Dates
Next parents evening will be in May, date yet to be confirmed.
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday is being joined with Whitsun Bank Holiday and so the nursery will be closed on the 4th & 5th June 2012.
We are also closed for the Easter bank holidays Friday 6th and 9th of April.
Reminder
Please could we remind you that Fees are payable on or before the 1st of the month (i.e. February fees are due on the 1st February). This includes cheques, cash and childcare vouchers. Extra sessions booked should be paid for in advance or on the day.
Please note our website will be updated with nursery information during any bad weather spells we may experience this year!
www.monkeypuzzledaynurseries.com/cranbrook.
Denise, Vicky and Graham