November 12, 2021

2021 Term 4 Wk 5-6 - Summer & Recycling Weeks

November 12, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

📰 WHAT’S THE NEWS…? 📰

The lovely Avani is now a fully-fledged member of our team, already up to speed and going really well. We’re also trialling more new staff in the coming weeks. So, the team is growing: good news for those of you who’ve been unable to book in the last couple of weeks - waiting lists should soon be a thing of the past!

We’re still impressed at how well the kids have adjusted to being back at school & Hive. We create lots of opportunities for discussion about emotions and how everyone feels about being back here and seeing their friends. Really, they’re just loving hanging out with one another and doing loads of cool activities… Speaking of which, think: electronic circuits, painted clay bowls, mosaic art, hama beads, gymnastics, dodgeball, handball, soccer, basketball, skipping ropes, races, magnets, chatterboxes, lego, fabric necklaces, animals, stained glass poppies, recycled art, marble runs…

🏖️ HOLIDAY PROGRAM 🏖️

HP bookings will open in Week 8. Remember this is an 11 week term, last day of term being Thu 16 Dec. We’ll run HP from Fri 17 - Wed 22 Dec, then we’re closed until Mon 10 Jan.

🗓️ YOU MUST RE-ENROL FOR 2022!! 🗓️

* * REMEMBER, you must re-enrol every year * * and the sooner you do, the better! Please complete and submit your 2022 enrolment ASAP, taking care to double check all parent & child information is current & complete, replace any out of date medical plans and request your preferred bookings.

Places are allocated afresh each year, according to the regulated priority guidelines and in line with date of enrolment approval.

🐝’s of the WEEK…

SAM (KT) has been so fantastically helpful since coming back to school. He sees what needs doing and just gets on with it - so many Hive staff have commented. Well done Sam!!

Another Kindy star, BILLY was an awesome friend this week. When another child was sad one afternoon, Billy pulled him into the group and made sure he felt welcomed. Nice one Billy!

✅ IMPORTANT : bookings and absences ✅

PLEASE remember to let us know if you’re going to miss a session, and avoid that $15 penalty fee!

If the absence is due to a Covid isolation order, let us know as we can process diffferently, receiving support from the government, with no charge to you.

October 29, 2021

2021 Term 4 Wk 3-4 - Fantasy & Halloween

October 29, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

👋 WELCOME BACK ! ! 👋

It’s been so good to welcome the kids back to school and Hive - we’re stoked to see them. A huge thank you to parents for staying across our comms, supporting us by marking AWAY through lockdown and now reactivating your bookings. We’ve had very few ‘missing’ kids in the afternoon which means you guys are all doing the right thing with your bookings and we’re very grateful!

Right at the end of lockdown, we learned that some of our casual staff were unable to return to the team. We’re busy recruiting - WELCOME AVANI - and will continue to grow the team when we find the right people. In the meantime, we’ve had to reduce the number of spots available so please plan ahead, and don’t keep hold of bookings you don’t need.

The kids have been veeeery happy to be back, which makes us smile. They’ve been super busy. Think: dodgeball & lava lamps; playgrounds & balloons; soccer & rock painting; Pokemon & parties; magnets & menu-writing; beyblades & marble runs; Just Dance & hama beads… Never a dull moment, that’s for sure…

2022 ENROLMENTS ARE NOW OPEN

Please complete and submit yours as soon as possible, taking care to double check all parent & child information is current & complete, replace any out of date medical plans and request your preferred bookings.

Places are allocated afresh each year, according to the regulated priority guidelines and in line with date of enrolment approval.

HIVE’S 🐝 OF THE WEEK is…

JACK in YK, for being so super helpful in the mornings, making sure we have icepacks ready to go outside and play each day.

Good on you Jack, for such beautifully helpful BEEhaviour!

✋ IMPORTANT : no parents on site ✋

Parents are not allowed on school grounds for the time being, so all drop-offs and pick-ups will happen at the Warners Avenue gate. Handover of children must always be between parents & Hive staff. Failure to hand over safely incurs a $15 penalty fee. Please help us to keep the kids secure, thank you.

For more detailed morning and afternoon process, please see email sent on Sat 16 Oct.

🙏 Shout out to… 🙏

Our lovely friends at Koh, who continue to supply us with their wonderful cleaning products. Kind to the environment, safe for children, gentle on allergies - it’s a perfect solution for us as an OSHC centre and means you can know that our enhanced
Covid safe cleaning plan is also safe for the kids. Thank you Koh!

October 28, 2021

2021 Term 4 Wk 1-2 - Environment, Sculptures & Art

October 28, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

🔔 Term 4 is here! 🔔

…and with it the staged return to school, starting 18th October. We’re anticipating that many children will need extra support and here’s what we’re doing to be ready:

opportunity for the kids to identify and share how they’re feeling at the start of the afternoon, in a safe space, using visual cards. It’ll help us identify who needs a little TLC that day
plenty of opportunities and areas for quiet time and restful play and chilling
the program will always include one dedicated calming activity
the 4pm meeting will start with a breathing exercise for all children
a focus on slow release energy foods to help kids feel good through to the end of the day
where possible, we’ll roster additional staff for the first few weeks to offer extra support
all kids will be reminded of the rules, of how to be together and of what friends should expect from one another

✋ IMPORTANT : no parents on site ✋

For more detailed morning and afternoon process, please see email sent Sat 16 Oct.

🛑 No more gap fee waiver 🛑

From 25th October, there is no more gap fee waiver:

all absences against permanent bookings will be charged
non-notified absences also incur a $15 penalty fee
casual bookings can be cancelled any time before the start of the session, without charge
deadline for online changes (cancel casual or mark permanent spot AWAY) is 12pm the day prior. After that, email us or call 0450 896 686

🙏 Shout out to… 🙏

Our new friends at Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club. Club president Brent was in the vicinity of our evacuation assembly point on the night of the fire back in June, and his committee have since voted to offer us use of their premises for future emergency evacuations. This is great news if it’s dark, or wet or we need to move out of sight of the school. Beautiful show of community support - thank you Brent and Bondi SBLSC

September 30, 2021

Spring 2021 - Holiday Program

September 30, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

✅ Please mark ‘AWAY’ for Term 4, until end of lockdown ✅

Another reminder to please log on and mark your bookings AWAY for Term 4 as per our email of Thu 30/09.

The current return to school dates are 18th & 25th Oct, and 1st Nov. We do hope you’ll be back to using Hive once the kids are back at school but until then, please mark sessions AWAY. Thanks for your support.

Holiday Program

Lockdown and restrictions meant a much smaller Holiday Program, but we still created lots of fun.

Check out the pics below…

Having fun in the new play spaces around the back playground!

Hive Olympics Day!
…the kids designed their own team bandanas and created team chants!

Just craftin, drawin’, magnetisin’ and role playin’…

Around the World Day - Argentinian Raspberry Bomb Boxes!

Fun with chalk…

Spa Day - making our own bath bombs!

Around the World Day - Canada, Mexico, Australia

September 15, 2021

2021 Term 3 Wk 9-10 - 👋 End of Term! 👋

September 15, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

Roll on Term 4!

We farewell yet another unusual term (!), and look ahead now to Term 4 - we’re SO excited for the children’s return to school in weeks 4-6, and can’t wait to see them all and have some fun!

We have a whole heap of role play furniture that most of the little kids haven’t seen yet, and tons of new craft and sport equipment that didn’t get used before our relocation to Bellevue Hill - so there’s loads to look forward to and we’re ready set to give all you parents a well-earned break, when the time comes next term.

Our wider team is on standby (everyone will be fully vaccinated by then) and we do hope that you’ll all be back in force. We’ll definitely be ready to rock!

✅ Please mark ‘AWAY’ until return to school ✅

Now that we have clear dates for the staggered return to school, we’re issuing another request for parents to please mark Hive sessions ‘AWAY’ until you know your children will return to Hive. School return dates are:

YK & Y1: from 25 October
Y2 & Y6: from 1 November
Y3, 4, 5: from 8 November

…so please log on and mark AWAY until those dates. Thank you.

🏖️ Holiday Program - mini version 🏖️

A reduced Holiday Program has been targeted to those families who’ve been attending school and/or Hive this term during lockdown and really need our support during the next fortnight. Places are extremely limited due to reduced team size and the various restrictions and public health orders still in place. If you’re unable to care for your children at home during HP, please email us to enquire about availability.

For children aged 8-12, our lovely friends at WAYS are also offering a Holiday Program. You can enrol and book here: just click the APPLY button at the top of the page. You can also see their program at the bottom of this newsletter…

September 03, 2021

2021 Term 3 Wk 7-8 - 📚 Book Week & Recyclables Week ♻️

September 03, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

What’s the news?

We celebrated BOOK WEEK by making story tiles, creating our own books and bookmarks and - of course - doing lots of reading and enjoying all the great books in our Hive library.

We got busy finding out how much ‘rubbish’ we can actually reuse and recycle, with cardboard constructions, DIY lip balm, french knitting and making our own didgeridoos!

We also enjoyed lots of outdoor time - skipping, handball and hula hoops as well as perfecting our skills on the basketball court… 🏀

🏖️ Holiday Program 🏖️

A much reduced Holiday Program has been targeted to those families who’ve been attending school and/or Hive this term during lockdown and really need our support during that fortnight. Places are extremely limited due to reduced team size and the various restrictions and public health orders still in place. If you’re unable to care for your children at home during HP, please email us to enquire about availability.

📝 * NEW * Policy Review 🧐

We’ve added a new feature on our homepage linking to the Hive policy currently under review, including a short summary of any updates, and a space at the bottom to submit your feedback. The best policy review process includes all stakeholders - and that includes YOU, our Hive families. Please take a couple of minutes to review and feedback.
🙏 Thank you 🙏

✅ Please mark ‘AWAY’ until end of lockdown ✅

Another reminder to mark your bookings AWAY through to the end of lockdown. The absences won’t be counted by Centrelink, and there’s no charge to you but we’ll still get the CCS payments as a form of support from the government. Thank you all for helping us out with this.

💞 Look after yourselves 💞

More than two months into lockdown now, and it can become easy to forget about exercise. The Heart Foundation has some great tips for staying active during lockdown - maybe some of them would work for you…

Edie, preparing for her return to the hive! 😂

Euge and Rufina, showing us how chilling is done… 😎

Syd and Zango, sending smiles your way! 😊

August 19, 2021

2021 Term 3 Wk 5-6 - we’ve got this!

August 19, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

What’s the news?

Not so much news this fortnight; the Hive has been closed whilst the team were in isolation. We’ve been staying in touch, checking in with one another and making sure that everyone smiles at least once a day! We’ve all returned three negative tests and will be back in action from Monday.

A big thank you to Andrew and to Debbie B for taking care of the 🐟 🐡 🐠 for us! 🙏

In the background, we’ve used our time to work on our Quality Improvement Plan and various internal processes; also to prepare for a larger policy review drive - which we’ll share with you soon, and ask for your input.

✅ Please mark ‘AWAY’ until end of lockdown ✅

📚 Home grown fabulousness! 🏆

To celebrate Book Week (22-27 August) award-winning children’s author (and Hive mum!) Victoria, is holding a special story time session, where she’ll share her latest books with you .

Tune in at 11am next Thursday to hear Victoria read The Bark Book and The Lion Who Came to Stay. To join in, sign up right here!

Her new book Ribbit, Rabbit, Robot is also on this year’s shortlist. We have fingers crossed for you Victoria. And thanks once again for donating your wonderful books to our Hive library!!

🤔 Your suggestions… 🤔

Don’t forget - we’d love to hear what you think about The Hive.
What could we stop doing, start doing or do more of? Please take a minute to have your say…

💞 Look after each other 💞

We hope that you’re all doing OK at home, particularly those who’ve been isolating. Try and make time to be gentle with yourselves through lockdown 🙂

…and maple says: if all else fails, just lick your own nose! 👌

Euge and Rufina show us how chilling is done… 😎 — Euge and Rufina, showing us how chilling is done… 😎

G’day from Ellie, on a chilly morning… ❄️

August 05, 2021

2021 Term 3 Wk 3-4 - National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day

August 05, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

What’s the news?

During lockdown, we’re running a reduced activity program which is updated weekly on our website. Thanks Eugenia, for keeping it fun and interesting, even with such a limited audience.

We love getting outdoors on these beautiful sunny days - and the colourful handball courts have become a favourite spot for all sorts of things: yoga, drawing and of course… handball!

Here are a couple more links for some activity and experiment inspo…! This week, why not try Science Fun or National Geographic

🤔 Your suggestions… 🤔

Whilst most of our families are away from The Hive, it might be a good chance to think about how we can do better. What could we change, start doing or do more of? We would love to hear from you, so please take a minute to fill in the form and have your say!

✅ Please mark AWAY until 27th August ✅

A reminder to mark your bookings AWAY through to 27th August, in line with the current lockdown end date. No charge to you, but we’ll still get the CCS payments as a form of support from the government. Thank you all for helping us out with this.

💞 Look after each other 💞

These are trying times and it’s important to look after our own mental health and that of our children, especially as many of the usual social connections just aren’t available during lockdown. The Raising Children website give good tips on nurturing the mental health of younger school-age and pre-teen children (as well as loads of other great info).

Some tips to support your children during COVID-19 outbreak:

• Dedicate some time to have a conversation about it all, to ask them gently what they already know and understand, so that you can get a sense of what they have been exposed to, answer any questions and correct any misunderstandings

• Listen, and validate your child’s feelings. Anxiety is real for many people right now, but with understanding and reassurance from you, any anxiety will lessen

• Suggest they have regular contact via Zoom/Skype/phone with the people they’re missing, such as grandparents, school friends etc

• Remind them there are things they can do that are in their control to help keep them safe, eg: hand washing and physical distancing. Remind them that by staying at home you are keeping yourselves safe as well as others

• Use this opportunity to focus on kindness; share with your children some of the ways that you can together look out for vulnerable family members, neighbours and friends

• Look out for the ‘helpers’: show your children some examples of those in the community who are stepping up and helping others when they need it most

• Let your children know that you are their safe space, they can approach you any time with any questions, and that you will always answer them as honestly as you can.

• An app or mindfulness practice at night can help children who are feeling anxious. Or try this Pokemon cosmic yoga experience!

• Check in with yourself often: the way that you are carrying your own anxiety and worries about the pandemic can be felt by your children too. Look after each other.

Our spidery new friend! She was lovely and cosy inside, but we gently suggested she might prefer to be outside…

July 25, 2021

2021 Term 3 Wk 1-2 - home sweet home

July 25, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

We’re so happy to be back home at BBPS
💛🖤💛 and in our wonderful Hive room 💛🖤💛
(even if we are missing almost all the lovely kids…!)

Thank you everyone…

…for supporting school & the Hive by following the Public Health Orders and keeping children at home where possible.

For when it’s not possible, we’re open every morning and afternoon, caring for a very small crew, running a simplified program, and still having loads of fun! The kids are loving our new role play tool bench, supermarket and cafe resources! The decreased attendance also means we’ve tipped the balance of focus towards the administrative and behind-the-scenes aspects of our work; we’re all still keeping very busy!

Are all your bookings in place?

If you had Term 2 bookings which you cancelled because of Covid, please consider reinstating them and marking them ‘absent’ during lockdown (currently until 30th July). This will help us receive funding from the government, and will cost you nothing; there is no charge to parents for notified absences during lockdown. If you’re not sure what to do, drop us an email and we’ll help you out.

💞 Look after each other 💞

We hope all our families are doing OK through lockdown, and that you’re all looking after yourselves and one another. We’re all trying to get outdoors at least once a day, but it can still be a challenge to fill the hours at home with the kids. Below are a couple of links that might help you out…

This mega-list of (mostly) screen-free activities, was compiled by a Sydney mum and has already gone viral…

And if your (maybe slightly older) kids enjoy more of a science/engineering challenge, try this collection of experiments, many of which use things you’ll already have at home…

July 10, 2021

2021 July HP, now back to BONDI ! !

July 10, 2021/ Jara Poslusny

Holiday Program and Bellevue Hill - it’s a wrap…

Our stay at Bellevue Hill is now over, and two weeks of Holiday Program are done and dusted - despite Covid restrictions and a mini shutdown. The team stayed on their toes the whole time, making up new activities and fun games for all the children, despite limited space/resources and the ban on incursions & excursions.

We enjoyed colouring in, magnatiles, craft projects, hair wraps, puppet making / puppet shows, group gymnastics, lots of skipping, LOADS of handball, playing cards, lego plus our very own talent show - and that’s only some of what we got up to…!

Thanks to all our HP families for understanding the challenges, offering continuing support, and adhering to the Covid restrictions as they evolve.

TERM 3 - back in BONDI, Tue 13th July

* * WE’RE CLOSED ON MONDAY 12th JULY * *

We’re back in our wonderful Hive room at BBPS for Term 3 - we’ve missed it!!
We’re offering care to the children of essential workers only - keep kids home if you can
We will remove all charges for notified absences in T3 W1
Parents are not allowed into school, we’ll collect/deliver children to you at the gate - more detail to follow once we understand the situation onsite
You cannot drop children at the gate in the morning - you must wait for an Educator to collect
Any child with symptoms must be kept at home, and get tested if required - use this symptom checker tool