Mabel's Labels Fundraising

You will never have to look for lost mittens again with these washable labels, they are durable and will stay on the clothing items for a long time. These labels have been tried and tested by Emmanuel Families!

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Place your orders here!

Delicious Fundraising!

The Mint Smoothies have arrived! These amazing artisan chocolates are perfect gifts for the chocolate lovers in your family. Get them soon they are very popular!

These locally crafted treats will be available at the Annual General Meeting on December the 3rd. and in the office while supplies last, for $2 each. Proceeds from the sale will support Emmanuel at Brighton’s Programming.

These locally crafted treats will be available at the Annual General Meeting on December the 3rd. and in the office while supplies last, for $2 each. Proceeds from the sale will support Emmanuel at Brighton’s Programming.

Career Notice: Executive Director, Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre

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Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre has served as a keystone of the Waterloo community for more than 50 years. Our not-for-profit centre provides the highest quality care for over 120 children each and every day. We are proud to be an inclusive, innovative and adaptive centre that exceeds the needs and expectations of our families and community.

Currently, Emmanuel is seeking an experienced and innovative Executive Director (ED) to join our centre.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED will provide strategic oversight and pursue growth in alignment with our community-informed strategic plan. The ED will ensure the ongoing delivery of quality care and centre operations through the empowerment and engagement of our amazing employees and educators.

Success in this role will require expertise across several core competencies: visionary & strategic thinking; leadership; relationship development; finance & fund development; not-for-profit oversight; and human resources. This strategic role is ideally suited for someone passionate about serving as a community leader, pursuing lifelong learning, and growing bright futures.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and encourage you to share this opportunity with your network.

The full job description and details on applying can be found at: emmanuelchildcare.ca/careers/executive-director. Questions related to the position or hiring process can be sent to emmanuelhiring@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Recruitment & Hiring Committee

Forest and Nature School Practitioners November Network Gathering

Please join us on a Walk-and-talk Network Gathering for Forest and Nature School Practitioners at: Huron Natural Area, 801 Trillium Drive, Kitchener N2R 1J9, Tuesday, November 26th at 6:00pm. The Lantern Walk starts at 6:30pm sharp!

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November FNS Network Gathering

At Huron Natural Area

Please bring a mango and nut free snack to share, and your own reusable plate and cutlery.

Dress for the weather we are going on a Lantern Walk!

Please RSVP eva@emmanuelchildcare.ca if you are attending.

Dressing for Cold Weather

Pretty snowflakes are falling, next week we will enjoy some chilly crisp days. The children are greeting each snowflake with excitement. Let’s make sure everyone is comfortable welcoming the white blanket of magic.

“There is no bad weather just inadequate clothing.”- Norvegian Proverb

October 24th is Early Childhood Education Appreciation Day!

Please visit the display at the Atelier Room and leave a note of appreciation for the loving, special, amazing, creative, brilliant Child Care Workers and Early Childhood Educators at Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre.

Take time and say hello to all the wonderful staff at our centre and get to know a staff member you haven’t met yet in order to form new connections in our diverse community.

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October 22nd Forest and Nature School Practitioners' Network Gathering

Please join us Tuesday, October 22nd at 6:00-7:30pm for our monthly F.N.S. Practitioners’ Network.

Please bring a nut and mango free snack to share, a mug, a plate, and utensils.

Weather permitting we will gather around the fire outdoors and venture on a short walk-and-talk flashlight adventure. Please bring a lawn chair and a flashlight.

Please RSVP: eva@emmanuelchildcare.ca

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Call for nominations for the Emmanuel Board of Directors

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Update November 10, 2019: An additional vacancy has become available on the Board. Recruitment for the 2019-20 term will now seek five new members. Approval of Board membership will take place at the Annual General Meeting, happening on December 3rd.

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Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre has been a keystone in the Waterloo community for more than 50 years. Our centre is a family and the history and values that connect us can be seen in every aspect of who we are — from our nurturing care to the strategic governance provided by our Board.

In 2019 Emmanuel will launch an ambitious, new strategic plan that outlines direction and focus for organizational growth in the years ahead. Employee engagement, fund development, program growth, and governance excellence are key priorities

Call for Nominations

Are you passionate about advancing learning through nature and growing bright futures in Waterloo Region? Nominations are now open for the Board of Directors at Emmanuel at Brighton Childcare Centre.

Four positions are available. Community members, parents (past, current, future), and friends of Emmanuel are encouraged to apply.

In alignment with our forthcoming strategic plan, we are seeking the following skills:

  • Passion for forest- and nature-based programming

  • Financial, including fundraising and fund development

  • Strategic relationship development

  • Human Resources

  • Communication

  • Legal

Please complete and submit your application form (PDF or Word) to Rebecca Pope, Chair of the Nominations Committee, by Tuesday November 5th, 2019. More information on the current Board membership can be found at emmanuelchildcare.ca/board.

Share The Warmth!

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Clean out your closet!

We are collecting warm winter items for Share The Warmth.

Drop off stations are located at the Treetop Room entrance and by the office.

Outdoor Play Canada

An Historic Moment for Our Communities!

September 28th 2019

Outdoor Play Canad Launched its Research Website in Ottawa at the Breath of Fresh Air Outdoor Play Summit

“Outdoor Play Canada is a network of advocates, practitioners, researchers and organizations working together to promote, protect, and preserve access to play in nature and the outdoors for all people living in Canada. Outdoor Play Canada provides leadership to galvanize the outdoor play movement across Canada to promote the health and wellness of Canadians and the environments in which we live.”

We are particularly excited about the “Risk-Benefit Assessment for Outdoor Play: A Canadian Toolkit” a resource developed by researchers, teachers, educators, and forest school practitioners across Canada. Please explore the unity of science and art in this beautiful and ground breaking document!

Outdoor Play Canada

Fee Impact: Discontinuation of Region of Waterloo's Fee Reduction Pilot

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In August 2019, Emmanuel at Brighton was notified by the Region of Waterloo that Regional Council had approved the recommendation to discontinue the Fee Reduction Pilot. You can find the recommendation in report CSD-CHS-19-06 online. Additional details on the discontinuation of the Pilot have been provided in a letter to parents from Children’s Services, Region of Waterloo.

The Fee Reduction Pilot helps to reduce fees for infants ($10/day), toddlers ($3/day) and preschoolers ($2/day) with funding from the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada. The Pilot will continue to run until December 31, 2019, after which actual fees for January-August, 2020 will increase as detailed on our Program Fees page and below:

Age/Room Full-time Monthly Fees
 Part-time Daily Fees
With Fee Reduction Funding
(Sept–Dec 2019)		 Without Fee Reduction Funding
(Jan–Aug 2020)		 With Fee Reduction Funding
(Sept–Dec 2019)		 Without Fee Reduction Funding
(Jan–Aug 2020)
Toddler (18mths-2.6yrs)
Sprouts and Seedlings		 $1177.65 $1243 $64.35 $67.35
Preschool (2.6-4 yrs)
Tree Tops, Birch and Maple		 $1024 $1068 $56.10 $58.10
Kindergarten (4-5 yrs)
Forest School Program
Maygwayyawk		 $1110* $1110 $62.90* $62.90

*The kindergarten, Forest School Program, does not qualify for the Fee Reduction Pilot program.

We recognize that fee increases are impactful for many families. The Region does provide help to pay for licensed child care through a subsidy program. To learn more about the Region’s program, check the online calculator to see if you qualify or call 519-575-4400.

Emmanuel at Brighton Interim Leadership Plan Update

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We would like to share the update that, as part of the Emmanuel at Brighton interim leadership plan, Kelly Birch-Baker, Director of Operations, has graciously agreed to cover portions of the Executive Director (ED) role on a temporary basis while formal recruitment for the new ED is completed. Kelly has been with Emmanuel 35 years and holds a deep understanding of the Centre’s core values. She will apply her years of expertise to ensure quality of care and business continuity, while supporting employees throughout the transition period.

Kelly’s expanded role will focus on leadership, board relations, policy management, human resource management, partnerships, funding and finance, administration, program management, operations, and compliance with relevant legislative requirements. Kelly will remain reachable at emmchild@emmanuelchildcare.ca or through the office line: 519-886-3610. Please note that correspondence to director@emmanuelchildcare.ca will only be periodically monitored.

As a next step in the leadership transition, a recruitment committee is now being formed with representation from the Board of Directors (including current parents) and Emmanuel employees. This committee will work to articulate the strategic competencies and skills required for the ED role and propose a hiring process for Board approval. The committee will seek a candidate that can fulfill continued delivery of quality care, rooted in Emmanuel’s values, while also supporting innovative growth in alignment with the strategic plan. Applications from within Emmanuel as well as outside the Centre will be welcome. It is a priority for the Board that the hiring process is both fair and transparent. To this end, full details will be shared with all employees once finalized.

In closing, we want to extend our thanks to Kelly for her continued leadership and to all of the employees for their ongoing dedication. Your questions, comments and concerns on the transition process continue to be welcome to chair@emmanuelchildcare.ca.

Sincerely,
Eve Nadler, Chair, on behalf of the Board of Directors, Emmanuel at Brighton

Notice of Leadership Transition at Emmanuel at Brighton

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On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Emmanuel at Brighton announces the departure of Bonnie Zehr as Executive Director of Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre, effective July 18th, 2019. 

Throughout her years of service, Bonnie has given her whole heart to the children and families of Emmanuel. The organization has seen many successes during her tenure, including the creation of new classrooms, the expansion of outdoor and forest programming, and continued stability through an ever-changing legislative landscape.

The Board thanks Bonnie for her contributions in her many years as an educator and in her central role as Executive Director since 2006, and wishes her well in her next endeavours. 

In the coming months, we will work to realize the first steps of an ambitious new strategic plan that outlines direction and focus for organizational growth in the years ahead. We are hopeful and excited for the next chapter of Emmanuel at Brighton as we continue to support our children, families, and community. 

Acknowledging that changes such as these present both challenge and opportunity, over the next few weeks we will initiate the search process to hire a new Executive Director for Emmanuel at Brighton. During this transition period, our priority is to continue to deliver the highest quality of childcare with support from interim leadership and Emmanuel’s dedicated employees.

Sincerely, 

Eve Nadler, Chair, on behalf of the Board of Directors, Emmanuel at Brighton

Fees for September 2019

Emmanuel at Brighton, as all child care centres in the province, faces change on a continual basis. Preparing and finalizing the budget for this upcoming year has proven to be more challenging than usual due to funding uncertainties. While we have received some direction, uncertainty remains in the continuation of funding we receive from the province through the Region of Waterloo.

For the past few months, the Board of Directors at Emmanuel has given much thought and consideration to the fee structure for the upcoming term. Our goal is always to see the fees be held constant or, when necessary, increased as minimally as possible. After a thorough review of our costs and expenses, and comparing our current fees to other centres in the region, the Board of Directors has approved a 3.75% fee increases for the upcoming year.

Separately, as part of the Region of Waterloo’s Fee Reduction Pilot, fees are currently reduced for infants ($10/day), toddlers ($3/day) and preschoolers ($2/day). The Pilot is funded by the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada. The Pilot is being evaluated and is scheduled to run until December 31, 2019. The Kindergarten -- Forest School Program -- does not qualify for this funding.

Fees for September 2019 – August 2020 are to be as follows:

With the Fee Reduction Funding

Age/Room Full-time Monthly Fees
3.75% increase		 Part-time Daily Fees
3.75% increase
Toddler (18mths-2.6yrs)
Sprouts and Seedlings		 $1177.65 $64.35
Preschool (2.6-4 yrs)
Tree Tops, Birch and Maple		 $1024 $56.10
Kindergarten (4-5 yrs)
Forest School Program
Maygwayyawk Room*		 $1110 $62.90

Without Fee Reduction

Age/Room Full-time Monthly Fees
3.75% increase		 Part-time Daily Fees
3.75% increase
Toddler (18mths-2.6yrs)
Sprouts and Seedlings		 $1243 $67.35
Preschool (2.6-4 yrs)
Tree Tops, Birch and Maple		 $1068 $58.10
Kindergarten (4-5 yrs)
Forest School Program
Maygwayyawk Room*		 $1110 $62.90

*The kindergarten, Forest School Program does not qualify for the Fee Reduction program. The listed fees do include trips to the forest and other off-site activities.

Part-time Rates: Part-time families will pay the daily rates and are not charged for Statutory Holidays or Easter Monday. Child absences due to illness or vacation as well as centre closures due to emergency or inclement weather are billed at the daily rate.

Everyone within Emmanuel at Brighton strives to provides a program that exceeds ministry requirements and that meets the needs of every child in our care.

The Board of Directors reserves the right to make changes to these fees at their discretion. Notice of 45 days will be given informing parents of any changes.

As you may be aware, the Board of Directors and employees have been working to develop a strategic plan for Emmanuel at Brighton. Opportunities for input have been happening throughout June and July at the Centre. There will be further opportunities the week of July 15-19 and August 5-16. The Board hopes to communicate the finalized strategic plan in fall 2019.

Fee Information Upate

  • Applicable fee increase effective September 2019 unfortunately will not be posted on June 1st.

  • We are hopeful to have more funding and financial information from the Provincial Government and, in turn, from The Region of Waterloo in June; at which time we can finalize our budget and advise you of any applicable fee increases for the upcoming year.

  • The Board of Directors fully appreciates that as parents and as families it is ideal to have this information available as soon as possible and please know that we are striving to do just that.

Step into the World of Forest and Nature School! June 8th. 2019

STEP INTO THE WORLD OF FOREST AND NATURE SCHOOL!

We are inviting educators, teachers, and parents to explore Indigenous Learning and hands-on Forest and Nature School projects in intentional outdoor settings.

Step into Forest and Nature School
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Step into The World of Forest and Nature School!

Saturday, June 8th. 2019 at Emmanuel at Brighton Forest School

Cost: $40 per participant

Registration forms are available on our website (below), spaces are limited

Keynote speakers and discussion facilitators:

Northern Cree Community Leader and Author

Clarence Cachagee

and

Kelly Birch-Baker Level III FNS Practitioner

EVENT REGISTRATION FROM