Welcome to Mindful Moments!

This parent information page has been designed to clarify information about the services offered at Mindful Moments to and answer specific questions parents may have concerning our centre.

As the Owner/Director of Mindful Moments, my role is to ensure that the day-to-day operations of the centre are aligned with child care licensing regulations, public health requirements, fire safety standards and of course, our philosophy. 

I observe an ‘open-door’ policy with all staff and parents and encourage high levels of communication between all stakeholders in our organization.

Our main goal at Mindful Moments is to provide quality care and programs in our clean, uniquely decorated and stimulating learning environments.

We strive to ensure that your stay with us and the memories made will be positive moments that will  remembered for the years to come. 

We cannot wait to share and celebrate your child's continued growth!

Mindful Moments is a play-based, multi-disciplinary program for children ages 19 months to 12 years old. Mindful Moments has been running since September 2013 and we are proud to offer a unique approach to child care and preschool.

Our program is heavily influenced by the Reggio, Montessori and Learning Through Play pedagogies. Our multi-disciplinary approach allows our teachers to tailor every class and activity to the needs, interests and abilities of the children in that particular group. The teachers are also continually developing to ensure that we are offering the most current ideologies and activities available for children. 

Our teachers strive to provide a safe, trusting environment in which children can develop on all levels. Children in our program learn to express themselves verbally and learn about their own limits and boundaries, as well as those of others. The program is designed to provide challenges appropriate for each child, recognizing and respecting their unique and individual needs as well as their own pace of progress. 

The curriculum is based on play. Through play children, develop positive self-esteem, express feelings and ideas, explore, discover, store impressions, classify and organize their world. Play provides a basis for children to learn about collaboration through interactions with the teachers and their peers as well as providing limitless opportunities for “teaching in the moment” – a philosophy that allows teachers to use spontaneous events in the day to highlight or demonstrate educational concepts to an already engaged and interested student. 

In order to provide an environment that supports a child's nervous system and overall growth, our space has been carefully designed to create a warm and natural home like feel. We strive to purchase wood equipment and toys whenever possible and use furniture that is in neutral colours. We do not litter our walls in posters; we mindfully choose art and teaching materials that the children will benefit from. We stay mindful of the environment as well and ensure all materials are displayed in a way that promotes curiosity from the children. 

All of our programs include enrichment experiences such as music, art, dance and field trips.

Learning is Natural

Young children have lively minds from the start. We strive to make the most of this natural quality by enabling them to experience, investigate, care about others, interact, develop and create. We strive to deepen and strengthen children’s natural abilities by providing them with the healthiest environment possible.

We follow FLIGHT - Alberta's Early Learning Curriculum Framework. You can learn more about that HERE.

We believe that all children – regardless of ability – should have the opportunity to learn in an educational environment that meets their unique intellectual, physical, and social needs. Our intention is to provide adult support for a child initiated and developmentally appropriate curriculum in an environment where children are comfortable and thus able to learn through play and the exploration of their environment. The curriculum is not built on children’s interests alone, as educators and parents also have interests worth bringing into the curriculum. The values and concerns of all the adults involved, help the classroom culture evolve. The curriculum is called emergent because it emerges and evolves, moving along new paths as choices and connections are made, and it is always open to new possibilities that were not thought of during the initial planning process.

At Mindful Moments, ideas for curriculum emerge when educators respond to the interests, questions, and concerns generated by a specific group of children within a particular environment. Emergent curriculum describes the kind of curriculum that develops when children are engaged in experiences where they are exploring what is socially relevant, intellectually engaging, and personally meaningful. The basic idea is that organic, whole learning evolves from the interaction of all members of the classroom – both children and adults. In emergent curriculum, both adults and children have initiative and make decisions; this power to impact curriculum decisions and directions means that sometimes curriculum is also negotiated between what interests’ children and what adults know is necessary for children’s education and development.

Educators plan based on the different interests and abilities of the children in the classroom and use these cues as the starting point for curriculum planning. Often, ideas emerge through conversations and open-ended questions. Children’s questions are what stimulate and give direction to the curriculum. There are no preplanned workbooks or planning binders for our curriculum; it emerges from the children and educators working together, with the adults actively listening to the children’s ideas and then acting on them. This approach also allows the educators to change and modify the curriculum easily in response to things that happen in the course of the day. An unexpected question can lead to an interesting discussion or an opportunity to have a parent or guest expert share a special skill with the children. Our child-centred approach allows the educators to look carefully at children and create a flexible program that meets their needs in a very holistic way. 

Our daily routines offer a variety of choices for the children. Children are not forced to do any activities, but are encouraged to try various experiences throughout the day. Our program values the arts and outdoor play so we are offering art, music, movement and outdoor experiences often. There is so much research that points to how valuable these are for brain development. 

Our teachers provide a fun mix of activities that focus on the core development areas and these activities are planned based on the interests and questions posed by the children, as well as ideas the educators think they will enjoy. We also welcome ideas from parents/caregivers that they feel their child may enjoy.

We use play based, emergent curriculum and Montessori inspired activities as the basis of all of our work. You won't find any worksheets here! 

Throughout our days the children are exposed to experiences in math, science, literacy, fine/gross motor development, practical life, engineering, social studies, sensory play and the arts. 

The toddler, preschool and Kindergarten groups have a monthly dance teacher.

All classes enjoy occasional field trips and special guests.

Be warned - your child may not want to come home!

Everything children do is logical to them. By understanding child development and discovery, teachers are able to assist children to communicate their feelings and needs in a cooperative way. By assessing behaviour and determining the root of it, teachers can discover the child’s reasoning and then respond appropriately. All child guidance will be reasonable and geared toward each circumstance.  The teachers use the following skills to guide the children: 

Encouragement 

Children are encouraged in their activities through honest appreciation of them. Positive statements by teachers set a comfortable tone in the classroom. Children learn cooperation rather than obedience and this requires negotiating and respecting the rights of others. 

Negotiation 

The teachers model ways for children to talk through conflicts and find reasonable solutions. Children are encouraged to state their needs and feelings and to make “I” statements. For example, “I want a turn”, rather than “He won’t share”. 

Responsibility 

Children are responsible for themselves and their actions. They are taught to care for themselves, each other, the teachers, and the objects in the room. Natural consequences are used as a means of highlighting this expectation. 

Communicating 

Teachers assist children who are arguing to verbalize their difficulties appropriately. They help to define the problem and may suggest alternatives. When a resolution is reached, the Teachers monitor from a distance, acknowledging and encouraging positive results. 

Anticipation and Redirection 

Teachers work to anticipate problems and redirect children with potential conflicts to other activities. For long-term results, teachers give the children the support they need to learn to communicate boundaries and needs effectively. 

The teachers may encourage the child to take a break where the child can choose a quiet activity (i.e. puzzle, drawing, play dough, looking at a book) until they are ready to join group play. The child determines when he/she is ready to re-join the group.

The following types of discipline are not used within our program:

1. Physical punishment
2. Verbal or physical degradation
3. Emotional deprivation
4. Denying or threatening to deny a basic necessity 
5. Physical restraint, confinement or isolation

We also never employ the use of "time out" as this is not an effective tool to teach behaviour expectations or modifications to children. 

Aside from verbal discussions with families, we use an app called SeeSaw as well.

We use this app as a means for families to make contact with us. We can send photos/videos of your child through this app and also can text you as well. This is a great place for you to let us know your child will be absent or when someone different is picking up your child. Any questions can be asked here also. There will be a seperate chat for the teachers and Vanessa. Any absenses, different parties picking up or questions about your child's day can be sent to the teachers directly. 

You will use the SeeSaw Family app and can access SeeSaw via a website while at work as well.

Families are the child's first teacher, and thus, it is a strong value of ours to involve families in our program in various ways throughout the year. 

COVID has made this a little more challenging as of late, but we have been finding creative solutions to this when we can. 

Some of the events we normal have during a typical school year include (but are not limited to):

• Lantern Walk
• Christmas Concert
• Family Fun Day
• Year End Celebrations (for preschool classes)

We also involve families in less formal opportunies as they arise. Some examples of this have been:

• Career Day
• Sharing Talents
• Joining Field Trips
• Donating Items
• Sharing Family Photos
• Reading Stories 
• Sharing Experiences via SeeSaw (our app)

We are always looking for new ways to have our families join us, and are open to any new ideas you may have as well!

When field trips have been planned, all parents will receive a consent form outlining all pertinent details of the trip including the method of transportation and location of the trip.

The school age and Pre-Kinder/Kindergarten rooms go on 1-2 trips per week during the summer months. 

The other programs typically have 4-5 trips or guests between September - June each year.

A consent form must be signed by a parent before each field trip. 

Parent volunteers are also welcome to join us on our trips.

Some things to be aware of, if volunteering:

Usually bringing siblings is okay (unless otherwise noted)

Volunteers may not be alone with children at any time

Teaching staff will carry with them at all times a portable record of each child's emergency contact information.

The children often go on community walks. Field trip forms are not required for this as permission for walks is part of the parent contract. 

In addition to our many full time educators, Mindful Moments also has two on site owner/director's as well as a team lead in every classroom. We also have several part time educators who help support the rooms when our full time educators have days off or fall ill. They also help us to provide our team with time off the floor to reflect on new ideas for the rooms, participate in professional development and to write learning stories.

Mindful Moments prides itself in carefully choosing educators that are welcoming, warm, caring and qualified to meet the needs of all the children and families in our care. All of our educators have an Early Childhood Education designation. All of our staff are required to have a valid standard first aid certificate, infant/child CPR, and a clear criminal record check. First aid and criminal record checks are redone every three years by all team members.

We are proud to say we typically have very low teacher turn over. We provide an envionrment that is supportive and fun and provide our team with a great benefits package and above avergage wages for our industry. We value our relationships with our team and work hard to show them they are valued.

Teachers are provided with professional development opportunities regularly both at work and on their own time and are encouraged to try new things. They are also given a lot of autonomy over their classrooms.

We cross train our team in areas that interest them and have many of our teachers helping in areas such as bookkeeping and admin support.

To learn more about our incredible team, click here. 

Our program follows the ratio guidelines set forwarth by the Alberta Government which are as follows:

Toddler/Jr.PreK**

Ratio is 1:6 (1:8 if majority are 3 years old)

Class size of 20 in the large room and 10 in the smaller room (the kids use both rooms during the day during different parts of the day)

Full Day PreK**

Ratio is 1:8 (1:10 if majority are over 4)

This room is open concept and is close to 1500 square feet in size, so we have a class size of 44, but we generally have about 35 children or so in attendance each day. The class is split into two different groups that use different parts of our centre at staggered times, so only half of the class is together at a time throughout most of the day. This routine has worked well for us over the years.

Half Day PreK

Ratio is 1:8 (1:10 if majority are over 4)

Class size of up to 24 students per class.

Pre-Kinder/Kindergarten (we have two different classes)

Ratio is 1:10 or 1:15 (depending on how many children are in Kindergarten vs PreK)

Class sizes are up to 30 children but it often sits a bit below that.

School Age (Grade 1 - 6)

Ratio is 1:15

Class size is up to 30 children but it often sits a bit below that.

**Our younger classrooms have additonal staffing to help support busier transition periods and offer lunch breaks. More often than not, we have a higher teacher to child ratio in these rooms, allowing for more individualized attention for the children. 

For outdoor play, we have lots of options in our community. Outside of our outdoor classroom, bike pad and green space, we also have access to many local greenspaces and playgrounds.

Please ensure your child is dressed for the weather each day and has a sweater in case it cools down. If it is going to rain, send rubber boots and splash pants as we may still go out.  

Please do not send your child in flip flops. We generally also discourage sandals unless they cover the toes and provide good support for running, sports and community walks. 

Read on for program specific details:

Half Day PreK: Half day kids start their classes outside after they get used to their classroom (weather permitting). Please meet us at the outdoor classroom that is located behind the building (with the exception of your first day). You can access the back by following the sidewalk that runs between the two buildings in our parking lot.

We will send a note if we are not going outside that day – however it may not be till closer to the class start time as our teachers are not on shift until then. If you are unsure – please just prepare to be outdoors. We can always undress and put things away easily enough if we are not. 

In the warmer months, please apply sunscreen to your child prior to coming if needed, and have them wearing a hat as well.

Full Day PreK: Full day kids will go outside twice per day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon (weather permitting). 

In the summer months, please ensure your child has a hat and water bottle at all times. Please also apply sunscreen prior to joining us in the morning to help us save on rubber gloves and get the kids out quicker!

Kinders: Kindergarten children will go out twice per day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon (weather permitting). 

In the summer months, please ensure your child has a hat and water bottle at all times. Please also apply sunscreen prior to joining us in the morning to help us save on rubber gloves and get the kids out quicker!

School Age (Grade 1 - 6): This age group enjoys play outdoors in the afternoons sporadically as it aligns with their activities as they are with us for such a short time before coming home after school and they need to eat snacks and such first. More outside time is provided on PD days and over school breaks. 

In the summer months, please ensure your child has a hat and water bottle at all times. Please also apply sunscreen prior to joining us in the morning to help us save on rubber gloves and get the kids out quicker!

We use two different classrooms for children who are three years old, and where they are placed depends on if we have space in one or the other as well as if they are potty trained and developmentally ready for the older room. Both rooms offer activities that are geared toward their current age and developmental stages.

If a child starts in our Jr. PreK room, sometime between age 3 and 4, when space allows, they will move into our other preschool room for older children. This is most often in September each year, but may occur mid year if a child leaves the other room and your child is showing signs of being ready to move to the next room. 

First Day

Adjusting to the new environment, people and routines usually take time, patience and a great deal of understanding. Therefore, it is important to gradually ease your child into this new situation so that they will develop a sense of security and confidence.

The following hints will help your child gain trust in the centre:

1) Talk about child care with your child at home. Good topics for discussion include: new friends they will meet; new activities they will do. You can also show them photos of our space from our website (on the class pages).

2) On the first day, spend a few moments with your child to ease them into the room.

3) Never "sneak off" without saying good-bye to your child(ren). Remain calm and positive; reassure him/her that you will be back.

4) After you have said good-bye, please follow through with this. Many children have been upset by too many good-byes in one day. Crying and anger are usually short- lived. Generally, a few minutes later, your child will be playing happily with the other children.

5) If you are feeling unsure as to how long your child remains upset after you leave, we encourage you to touch base with the teachers via the SeeSaw account we set up for you. The Director is also available to relay any messages or help answer questions. Everyone at the centre is here to help your child, and we believe that parents are never bothersome by contacting us during the day to check in.

We cannot have families stay at length with their children in the class until COVID begins to lessen, but we do welcome parents into the room for a few minutes during their first drop off. They need to stay distanced from other children however and wear a mask.

Toddler/Jr.Prek Transition to Jr/Senior PreK Room:

As children get older, it may be time to make the “transition” to the next (older) age group when 

space is available. The main transition periods are July and September each year as this is when most children leave the program or move up to a new room. We do however move children from the toddler/jr.prek room up to the jr/senior prek room when space permits throughout the year as well.

We strive to offer visits to the older room for those moving up from the toddler/jr.prek room. Educators always try to get to know a child who will be moving into their group before the move occurs. 

We also strive to have the educators visit the child who is moving up in their current classroom to learn about the child from those already caring for them. 

The goal is to make the change for each child and family as smooth and easy as possible.

Families with 3 year olds in the Toddler/Jr.PreK Room:

1) Fees will be reduced when your child turns 3 and is potty trained.

2) The child’s current educators will provide age appropriate and challenging activities for your child up to the time they move to the older classroom. Many of the children in the class will be 3 as well, so they will still be with children in their age group, and will also get to move with them all into the new room.

3) Your child’s independence and responsibilities will also be increased to continue to provide them with age appropriate challenges. 

Buds Room (Half Day Preschool)

Come through the main double doors of the building facing the street and head downstairs. Go to the end of the hall to the double glass doors. 

Please note that we drop off outside at our play area after the children get acclimated to our space.

Seedlings Room

To find this room, you will come through the main double doors of the building facing the street. Follow the hallway to the right and you will see our door on the right (double glass door with some coat hooks on the wall inside). Proceed inside this area and then through the door on your left once inside the vestibule area.

Stepping Stones Room

Enter through the furtherest right door that faces Brentwood Blvd. It is a single door with a small vestibule. The children are sometimes outside at the end of the day so if you do not see them in the room, head to our playground. To get there, you will use the stairs between the two professional buildings (to the left of the main entrance to our building). 

Mistik Room

Enter through the double doors of the building facing the street. Go down the stairs and proceed to about halfway down the hall.  It is the first door on your right as you proceed down the hall. 

Little Sprouts Room

Enter through the double doors of the building facing the street. Go down the stairs and proceed to about halfway down the hall. You will then see a door on your left with some decals on it and our name. At the end of the day, weather permitting, they may be outside in our play area behind the building. To get there, you will use the stairs between the two professional buildings (to the left of the main entrance to our building). 

Blossom Room (grades 1 - 6)

Enter through the double doors of the building facing the street. Go down the stairs and proceed to about halfway down the hall.  It is the first door on your right as you proceed down the hall. 

1. Non marking, indoor footwear (stays here please). 

2. Full change of clothes in case of accident, wet outdoor play or spill (in ziploc bag with your child's name). Some rooms will keep the clothes in one spot all together and some may keep them in your child's cubby. 

3. Water bottle (with your child's name written clearly) - please take home often to wash.

4. Food 

- Half day children need to pack a snack

- Full day preschool and school age programs provide AM and PM snacks, children need to bring their own lunches

All food must be nut free (no nutella, honey nut cherrios, granola with nuts, etc).

Please pack an ice pack if you need to keep your child's food cool. We do not have a fridge available for lunches.

5. Outdoor clothing 

- hat and rain gear when needed in summer

- snow pants, scarf, touque, boots, mittens, etc during the winter

6. Blanket (if your child is in a full day program and naps)

7. Diapers/pull ups (if your child attends the younger side of the full day program). Children in all other programs must be potty trained.

If your child is coming all day: Please pack extra mittens in the winter as they often get very wet and are not fun to use if we go out for another play time later that day.

PLEASE LABEL IT ALL

Parents/caregivers are required to keep their child home or pick them up immediately if they are displaying ANY of the following:

1. fever (38 degrees or higher)
2. diarrhea/vomiting 
3. undiagnosed rash/skin condition
4. pink eye
5. communicable disease (hand foot mouth, etc)
6. persistent pain (undiagnosed)
7. head lice (staff must be notified of any case of head lice and it must be treated and resolved before returning)

When it comes to colds - it is case by case. If your child is lethargic, has a persistent runny nose and serious cough - they need to stay home. A bit of sniffles is normal this time of year - but if they are clearly unwell, they need to be home until they begin to feel better.

When it comes to fevers - children may not return until it has been 24 hours past the symptom(s) ending (as per Alberta Health policies). For example, if a child is sent home with a fever at 2pm and it breaks later at 10pm, they cannot return the next day as it has not been 24 hours since the fever broke. 

When it comes to vomiting and diarrhea - children may not return until it has been 48 hours past the symptom(s) ending (as per Alberta Health policies).   

Pink eye requires 24 hours of eye medication before returning. Communicable disease will have varied times depending on the diagnosis and we will discuss with families on a case by case basis.

Allergy symptoms do not require exclusion from class unless the child is lethargic and unable to participate in class activities. A doctor's note will be requested to be kept on file if your child has allergy conditions. We will get to know your child's baseline condition and will ask you to pick up if it changes to what we feel are illness symptoms.

The program Director and or designate have the right to exclude the child from the program if they feel that their current condition is still a potential health risk to the other participants. A doctor’s note may be required if there are disagreements between the parent and caregiver. 

If a staff member notices your child has fallen ill while attending classes, a call will first be made to the parent contact(s). If we are unsuccessful the emergency contacts will be called. 

Any family found to be abusing this policy will be subject to immediate termination (giving children Tylenol prior to attending to mask fevers, etc). 

We were advised that personal items from home are not permitted at the centre. Aside from their clothing, nap time blankets (if napping), snack, shoes and water bottle - nothing else should be brought into the centre. 

If a younger child requires a comfort item, we will accomodate this.

The children will  be reminded to wash regularly, and every time before/after eating, after toileting, after coming inside, and after touching body parts that may transmit germs.

Please ensure you sunscreen your child prior to attending each day (when the UV rays are 3 or higher). We will re-apply in the afternoon if your child attends a full day program (starting in May each year). 

There will be a $5 charge for sunscreen each year (unless you need to bring you own). To see what we use, click HERE.

Please bring a hat for your child over the summer months. 

Please ensure your child has a water bottle each day and it goes home to be washed daily. Ensure it is labeled so we can prevent lost bottles.

Links for sunscreen forms:

School Age (including Kinders)

Full Day Preschool (including toddlers)

From time to time Mindful Moments may use fundraisers to generate income for new supplies and equipment. We use Scholastic Book Orders as an ongoing fundraiser and may offer others from time to time throughout the year.

All fundraisers are optional for parents to join.

Our program closes at 5:30pm. 

For general tardiness, the fees will be:

$10.00 for the first 5 mins, or any part thereof

$2.00 per minute thereafter

There are of course exceptions to the rule in emergency and storm situations the odd time, but this will be the general rule of thumb when these cases do not apply.

Please contact us for current tuition information.

Monthly fees are withdrawn on the last business day of the month prior to your program (Aug 31 for Sept for example). 

NSF Cheques

A $25.00 administration fee will be charged for all cheques returned NSF. 

Admission will be granted on the basis of availability. Families who wish to enroll a sibling of another child already attending will take priority for new openings. 

Parents/Guardians will be notified by e-mail or text message when space becomes available.  

You can add your child HERE.

Every child is different and so our program may not be the best fit for every child. If we feel that our program is not the best fit for your child, we will communicate this to you. Some situations that may lead to this decision:

A child attempts to run away from the teachers repeatedly (down hallways, while outdoors, while on field trips, etc)

Regular aggression toward other children, teachers or the environment (hitting/punching, biting, breaking things on purpose, etc)

Severe separation anxiety that does not seem to be improving after attending regularly for several weeks (that continues through large portions of the day)

Frequent bathroom accidents in a program that requires them to be potty trained

Behaviours that require one to one attention from the teacher on a full-time basis where an aide cannot be supplied to support the child

Sometimes families approach our program to register their child with extra support needs. 

We are committed to providing all of our families with the best possible environment at all times. To this end, if we feel we can successfully support the child within the scope of our program and the current classroom situation, the child will be welcomed into our school. 

If we feel we do not have the staffing in place to provide proper support, we will be honest with you.

If you wish to withdrawal your child(ren) from Mindful Moments we require 30 days written notice from the first of the month. 

Failure to provide such notice will result in the fees for the month still being due.

Faiure to pay the fees will result in your account being forwarded to our collections agency.

Our centre is open Monday - Friday from 7:00am - 5:30pm. 

We are closed for all stat holidays, including Easter Monday, Heritage Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

We are also closed for the Christmas Break, which is the same period as Elk Island Public Schools. You can view their school calendars online if you do a web search, but these days are also posted on our calendar which is found HERE. 

A few other details to note are listed below:

All Programs: All classrooms will close 1-2 days per year for our team to do professional devleopment together. Parents will be given at least 30 days notice but it is usually much more. 

All programs close at 2pm four times per year as well, to give our team the time they need to make classroom changes and have staff meetings.

School Age (Grade 1 - 6): Please note that we only follow the public school system calendar so any PD days on other calendars that don't align with this cannot be accomodated. There are only usually 1 or 2 days per year where this comes up.

Smoking is not permitted on program premises or near the entrances of the building. 

No staff member, volunteer or other person shall smoke where childcare is being provided.

All programs (except half day) serve AM and PM snacks. All children that come for a full day bring their own lunches. 

We strive to promote healthy living throughout our program, so we ask that parents aim to follow the Canada Food Guide when sending snacks for their children. 

We ask that sugary food be avoided and saved for at home. Choose healthy options such as crackers and cheese or fruits and vegetables. 

We are a NUT FREE program. Please ensure all of your child’s snacks are nut free. You may need to read the labels to ensure this as some say, “may have come in contact with nuts”. If using WOW butter, please ensure the teachers are made aware via SeeSaw or a note in your child's lunch as it looks just like peanut butter.

Please refrain from sending the following items: 

Juice boxes (overflow when they squeeze them)

Yogurt tubes (spray everywhere)

Fruit cups (they spill everywhere)

Babybel cheese (unless unwrapped as the wax gets stuck in our floor) 

Uncut grapes (choking hazard)

Half Day PreK: Snack time will be mid-way through the child’s program. Children choose when they want to eat during a certain duration of the class. They have a staggered eating process and do not all eat at once. 

As there are many children with allergies, as well as health restrictions around food being brought in, we ask that parents not bring in food for children’s birthdays.  Parents are welcome to bring non food loot bags if they wish.

Each room celebrates birthdays in their own ways, typically with at least a birthday song.

The school promotes self-directed toileting skills and recommends parents work with their child to help them communicate these needs to the teachers. Teachers are there to support children with their toileting process and give reminders throughout the day. 

Yes, we can help students wipe when needed.

All children attending our programs (with the exception of the toddler/jr.prek room, need to be potty trained prior to starting)

Please send your child in clothes you are not worried about becoming stained. We do a LOT of messy play!

Please do not wear outdoor footwear in any of our classroom spaces, in any season. We encourage parents to take off their shoes at the beginning of the hallway to avoid soaking the hall and making it difficult for children to change their shoes as their socks will get wet. 

Please refrain from parking in any handicap stalls and find a proper spot to park when dropping off.

Here is the process, should your child have any type of medication:

Written consent of the child’s parent with details as to when, how much, the name of the medication and how many days

Medication must be in the name of the individual receiving it 

Medication must be delivered in its original labelled container 

How is the medication to be stored i.e. fridge or counter

Medication must have clear written instructions as to when and how the medication is to administered, as well as the specific dosage 

A log will be kept by the teachers to indicate the medication was administered which will include the name of the medication, date, time and amount administered as well as the initials of the person who administered the medication. 

All emergency medication (epi-pens, inhalers, etc) will be kept unlocked but out of reach of children. 

Teachers will complete an incident report as needed when a child is injured or exhibits concerning behaviour (hurts another child, runs away, etc). You will be asked to read and sign this electronic report. It will be sent to you via SeeSaw for signature.

Parents will be notified immediately when a child is hurt to the point that we feel you should know sooner than later. 

You will always be notified of any injury to the head right away.

We do not typically fill out incident reports for minor incidents. 

Medical Emergencies

If your child becomes ill or is injured while at school, the teachers will quickly assess the situation to determine what action/attention is required and then will act accordingly. 

First Aid Situations 

In an instance where a child is not seriously injured and First Aid is sufficient, all teachers are First Aid Certified and will provide such treatment as is necessary. They will comfort and reassure your child while acknowledging their feelings as well as recognizing the needs and concerns of the rest of the class. An incident report is completed for the family and supervisor to sign, and the family is notified right away of the incident via SeeSaw.  

Medical Attention Required 

A teacher will remain with the child while another teacher attempts to contact first the family and then the emergency contacts provided. If nobody can be reached, the teachers will proceed as though it were an emergency situation. (See next). 

As in the first aid situation, the teacher will comfort and reassure your child while acknowledging their feelings as well as recognizing the needs and concerns of the rest of the class. An incident report is competed and signed by the supervisor and parent.  

Emergency Medical Situation 

A teacher will remain with the child while another teacher calls 911 for an ambulance and attempts to contact first the family and then the emergency contacts provided. The Director will also be called to provide assistance. When the ambulance arrives, we will do our best to supply a teacher or administrator to accompany the child to the hospital, to provide comfort and reassurance to them. We will bring or send along your child’s medical information as provided by you in your registration package along with your medical consent forms.

We will continue to attempt to contact the family of the injured child if they have not yet been contracted. We will work with the children in the program to discuss and debrief the event as necessary. Depending on the nature of the emergency, the class may be cancelled with all parents being contacted to pick up their children. 

Understanding Biting Behavior

We understand that biting is a common behavior among toddlers and young children. While it can be distressing for parents, it's essential to recognize that biting is often a normal phase of development.

Our Commitment to Safety

We are dedicated to maintaining a safe and nurturing environment for all children in our care. Our Biting Policy is designed to address and manage biting incidents effectively while prioritizing the well-being of every child.

Preventing and Managing Biting

We encourage open and honest communication between parents and our staff. If your child has bitten another child or has been bitten, you will be promptly informed. We will also provide details about the incident, including what led up to it and the actions taken. Parent feedback is encouraged. We want to collaborate with parents to develop strategies to address biting behavior. Your insights about your child's behaviour at home can be particularly helpful.

We employ positive reinforcement techniques to encourage appropriate behaviour and discourage biting. Children are praised for non-aggressive behaviour .We also work with children to teach them alternative ways to express their needs and emotions. This includes teaching them words to use when they are frustrated or upset.

When Your Child is Bitten

If your child is bitten, we understand your concern. We will inform you promptly, provide any necessary first aid, and document the incident. Please be aware that we maintain strict confidentiality regarding any biting incidents involving your child. Our primary goal is to address the behaviour, not to stigmatize or blame any child.

If Your Child is Biting

If your child is the one doing the biting and it becomes a persistent issue where the safety of others is affected and our attempts to support are unsuccessful the child may be removed from the program.

All classrooms at Mindful Moments practice monthlly fire drills. Our fire drill procedure is posted at all exits. 

In case of a real fire or other emergency, children will be evacuated to:

7-11

52 Brentwood Blvd

Sherwood Park, Alberta

780-467-2055

Program Closures

In the event of extreme weather, power outages, or utility outages, we allow the staff to use their discretion to close the program. In such an event the staff will ensure all families have received notice of such closure either via direct telephone conversation or in person. The teaching staff will wait at the school to ensure all children have been picked up. In such circumstances we will not be providing make up days.

If parents live separately, Mindful Moments expects that the information provided by the enrolling parent is accurate. If there is a court order regarding child custody, the teachers will verify and file the statement and, by law, must comply. If no court order or custody agreement is filed with the teachers, staff cannot deny access to the non-enrolling parent. Legally restrained parents are treated the same as unauthorized persons.

If custody has not been legally determined and conflict between family members is evident, the school may require that a signed agreement be provided confirming the details concerning authorization for pick up and access to the child’s information. This agreement may be a requirement for conditional enrolment in the program, with conditions that state that breach of the agreement may result in withdrawal of the student. 

The Child, Family and Youth Enhancement Act states that all children in the Province of Alberta are entitled to be protected from abuse, neglect and harm or threat of harm.  The Act also states that any person who had reason to believe that a child needs protection must promptly report the matter to the appropriate Ministry. We adhere to this law. 

All rooms have a lost and found area. If you are missing anything, please let us know. 

Labeling your child's belongings will help ensure your items find their way home. 

We use an app called SeeSaw to send families photos and messages during their time with us.

Please download SeeSaw Family in preperation for this. 

Once things are ready, we will send you a link to get you connected to SeeSaw.