Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As promised at our last Community Forum on 11 December 2012, this note provides an update on how WSACC is progressing toward our opening for OSHC business on 29 January 2013.
UPDATES
1. Service Approval: We have been hampered a little by the end of year timing however we have submitted our request to DETE this week. We have been running around getting certification, plans and permits sorted and we have been advised the Department will process our request from 9 January 2013.
2. Enrolments: We are expecting to issue enrolment packages between 15 and 19 January 2013 (earlier if possible). Further details will follow early in our coming Weekly Updates.
3. Debtors. Thanks to all those families who have made such great effort to clear their account this week. Our administrative load has been greatly eased by your efforts.
4. Staff Planning and Scheduling. Based upon the expressions of interest you gave us, as well as feedback since our last community forum, we are confident that we will be able to keep most of our wonderful staff. In order to allow our plans to progress, we are asking parents / caregivers to provide an indication of which sessions on which days you anticipate booking your Child(ren) into WSACC.
Like the registration of interest used to build the business case, this is not a commitment, it just enables us to plan the service based upon information that is better than just “guess work”.
We ask that you complete the form at Attachment 1 and email it back to Kathryn at WSACC on wsaccinc@gmail.com.
We know this is a busy time of year for you, but could we please ask you to respond by Monday 24 December 2012.
5. Open Days: We anticipate that we will run open days at our new facility on two days in mid-January. Further details will follow early in our coming Weekly Updates.
6. Orientation Days: As per suggestions at our previous forum, we will run two Orientation days on weekends in mid-January for all children not just preps / new enrolees (being a new facility). Further details will follow early in our coming Weekly Updates.
7. Transport Planning: We are finalising our two options for transport to-and-from Windsor State School. In Attachment 2 to this Weekly Update you will find details of the options, including route maps.
As discussed at the Community Forum, we will have two forms of transport available for parents / caregivers to select from:
• A highly controlled, fully safety assessed, with high staff ratios “walking bus” option to support health and fitness; and
• Fully compliant buses, with high staff ratios to drive Children to and from WSS.
At this stage we have received a huge amount of requests for children to use the “walking bus” option.
We need to go to contract with a bus provider on 18 January 2013 at the latest (once firm enrolments and parent desires are as firm as possible).
In order to allow our negotiations to progress, we are asking parents / caregivers to provide an indication of which form of transport they intend their children to use.
Like the registration of interest used to build the business case, this is not a commitment, it just enables us to plan, negotiate and ready the service based upon information that is better than just “guess work”.
Once we lock in a provider we will be committed for at least 12 months, and we just want to try and get it as right as possible as early as possible.
Accordingly, there is a separate form at Annex A to Attachment 2 (Transport Plan) to this Weekly Update that seeks your advice on what service you are likely to use.
We ask that you complete the form at Annex A to Attachment 2 and email it back to Kathryn at WSACC on wsaccinc@gmail.com.
We know this is a busy time of year for you, but could we please ask you to respond by Monday 24 December 2012.
REQUESTS FOR VOLUNTEERS/ASSISTANCE
As we firm up the works needed to do to our new home we are hoping that some of you may be able to volunteer some time to work with us. We have taken out full volunteer insurance, and will look for parents / caregivers that are able to supervise, do homemaker duties, are qualified tradespeople (particularly electrical, carpentry and plumbing), and / or are happy to provide ‘muscle’.
Further details will follow early in our next Weekly Update, however if you are interested, please email Kathryn at WSACC on wsaccinc@gmail.com with your skills / preferences.
SUMMARY
Despite the time of year, all plans are moving along well and we are on schedule for our 29 January re-launch.
There are a few of things we ask of you in this Update:
1. Provide an indication of which sessions on which days you anticipate booking your Child(ren) into WSACC.
We ask that you complete the form at Attachment 1 and email it back to Kathryn at WSACC on wsaccinc@gmail.com by Monday 24 December 2012;
2. Provide an indication of which form of transport you intend your children to use. We ask that you complete the form at Annex A to Attachment 2 and email it back to Kathryn at WSACC on wsaccinc@gmail.com by Monday 24 December 2012; and
3. If you are interested in volunteering any time to help us set up, please email Kathryn at WSACC on wsaccinc@gmail.com with your skills / preferences.
That’s about all until our next Weekly Update. Thank you so much for your support, and we wish you and your family a joyous and safe Festive Season.
Yours sincerely,
WSACC Team and Parent Management Committee
Attachments:
2 Attachment 1 to Weekly Update Number 1 – Session_Day Intent v1.2 Final
3 Attachment 2 to Weekly Update Number 1 – Transport Plan v1.1 Final
4 Annex A to Attachment 2 Transport Option Intent v0.1 Final