Questions about the change.

We're excited about the upcoming change to our childcare program. But with change comes questions. 
Yes, we're moving to a new location. Yes, we're increasing numbers. Yes, we're hiring staff members. 

What's important to note despite the changes: -Programming will not change. This is something that I am passionate about and extremely committed to. Our weekly themes will continue but in our daycare we will be able to differentiate our plan based on the three different rooms. For example: All three rooms may be studying bears. All three rooms may have teddy bear picnics, read various books about bears, talk about bears, etc. What is different is the baby room may work on simple animal identification while using the book "Brown Bear Brown Bear", the toddler room may be learning about characteristics of bears and the preschool room may be recreating their own bear habitats. The three rooms allow us to continue with our programming but better meet the needs of the children in each room. Yes, all three rooms will still have circle. 

-Staff must have similar childcare values and beliefs. We believe in creating a loving environment. We believe that all children are capable and we are committed to hiring only the best. Remember we have a vested interest; our children are in the program and we are HANDS ON in the rooms every day. We need to jive with our co-workers. '

-We're committed to serving healthy, whole foods for lunch and snacks. Unfortunately we had to drop our breakfast program as we're unable to maintain staff to student ratios if one staff member is running back and forth to the kitchen to prepare food. It also means that our staff members are tied up with serving breakfast which does not allow them to greet the children at the door. Instead: parents are welcome to supply a simple breakfast such as cereal which will be served in the room and we will up our morning snack (eggs, pancakes, yogurt and granola, etc). 

-Our days are going to continue to be structured much like they already are. Every room will participate in arts/crafts, sensory bins, dramatic play stations, structured circle and small group times as well as a variety of other activities. Staff interaction will remain high. We are committed to creating an elite, child-centered program.

-We will still be there... Every day (or very close to every day). This is our career, this is our dream, this is our passion. To have things run like we want Kaitlyn and I will remain very hands on. We love our current day home kids and we want to continue those relationships and bonds. We will be there to help them form new bonds with the other caregivers while maintaining our current relationships. 

-You will still find out about your child's day. We are joining a new reporting program called Brightwheel. Parents will receive pictures and information about their child throughout the day through the app. Don't worry, the pictures and information will be loaded through each classrooms tablet, not through personal phones. We are going to start using Brightwheel in a few weeks so that we can become familiar with the program prior to opening the daycare.

-Much of our play environment will look the same. We are moving to a more Montessori based program and we are looking forward to the new learning opportunities it will provide us with. We have already switched out some of our current plastic toys with wooden ones and we will continue to do so.

-Major field trips will be on hold until we get some more vans. We are car seat crazy around here and could not imagine renting buses to take the kids on field trips without properly installed car seats. We will still take trips to local parks and we will be bringing field trips to us for the time being. We have begun planning a yoga program with Lahari Yoga studio (one building over from us) and can't wait to hear their program plan!

Big change but good change is on the horizon.

Talk soon, 
Alicia 

The Journey of our Daycare

534 days. That's how many days it took from our first site tour of a potential daycare space to turning the key for one last pre-renovation look at OUR space. It's still hard to believe that it's ours. 

We're the Bishops. myself and my sister currently run a dayhome in Starling, Edmonton. We've had a dream of running a daycare and finally that dream is about to come true. But, we don't want to just run a daycare, we want to help raise kids, be a part of families and make a difference in little people's lives. Interested in our adventure? Read on.

About us: 
Alicia - I'm an Elementary School teacher, or at least I was. My last day in the classroom was the day my son was born. I taught grades one through three in the Tevie Miller Program at the School for the Deaf. It was an amazing but demanding job. Now I spend my days, teaching tiny tots, creating dramatic play station and kissing skinned knees. It's pretty amazing and I am beyond fortunate that this is my career. 

Randall - Randall works as a Project Manager at a local web firm Yellow Pencil. He's a funny, happy go lucky, golf loving guy. The kids adore when he is around the day home - he's like the shiny new toy and can captivate them for hours on end. 

William - William is a creative, entertaining and loud three and a half year old (He's three and a part if you ask him). He is magically drawn towards all things dirty and can spend hours creating amazing works of art.

Rosalie - "Posie" is our spunky, semi-easy going toddler. She's into everything her brother is into and "Although she be but little, she is fierce".

Kaitlyn - Kaitlyn got sucked into the day home life just before Rosalie was born and we won't let her out. Just kidding, she loves the kids and they adore her! Kaitlyn spent countless hours volunteering in my classroom and the day home prior to making a career change and joining the Tot Spot Academy team full time. She's an essential part of our team and we couldn't imagine having anyone else go on this adventure with us.

Our new Venture: 
In August the day home as we know it will change. We're moving over into a larger facility and making a 2000 square foot space on Mckenney Ave in St. Albert Tot Spots new home. Tonight we walked through the space, the existing walls were all still in place but the floor was covered in tape laying out where our new walls will go.  It's going to be lots.of.work. Thankfully we've hired an amazing contracting team and we're confident that things will progress smoothly on their end.

As I stood in the space I felt a mixture of emotions but ultimately this is going to be a good change. Day home hours are long. 7:15 - 5:15 five days a week. There's usually a 45 minute (ish) break in there during which time we sweep the floor, empty and reload the dishwasher and cut up snack for the afternoon. With the help of an amazing staff, we hope to gain a few daylight hours (and a bit of my sanity) back.

But we're going to miss our cozy, designed for the day home play room and the laughter that fills our house each day. The hardest part of this journey wasn't the defeat we felt with every offer that didn't pan out, it was telling our current day home families that we're moving. We received mixed reactions... surprise, excitement, nervousness. All to be expected. When you run a day home or daycare like ours you're not just looking after kids. You're filling their days with smiles, laughter, hugs, kisses, stories, games and tickles. You are helping to raise them, you're important to them and you love them. Of course, we want nothing more than for them to stay with us, take a leap of faith, make the change, but ultimately we want them to choose what is best for their families. 

So now, we spend our evenings doing all the regular operations, cleaning, emails and paperwork to keep our current day home running as is, while we try to squeeze in time for licencing work, approving designs, handbooks, staff books, interviews and planning for our new Daycare. Its busy but it's our dream and we're going to make a premier, child-centered daycare. 

Now, on to this weeks program plan.

Alicia