JOIN OUR ZOOM MEETING

https://zoom.us/j/92367089781?pwd=R3JwMXgxQXNIbDFUeUNsQi9oMXZ6UT09

The agenda is available at this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/44aw1kkf9k5jyda/2020%20Agenda%20-%20AGM%20November%202020.pdf?dl=0

The minutes are available at this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3kfci7e9fq0cbtu/2019%20Minutes%20-%20AGM%20Sept%202019.pdf?dl=0

The financial statements are available at this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3xncl7m9kalgyd1/Financial%20Statements%20-%2031%20MAR%2020%20-%20signed.pdf?dl=0

Families, educators & community members are welcome to join!

Cook’s AGM is being held on Thursday, November 12 at 7pm

Register to Join our Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92367089781?pwd=R3JwMXgxQXNIbDFUeUNsQi9oMXZ6UT09

Families, educators & community members are welcome to join!

• 2020 AGM Agenda
• 2019 AGM Minutes
• Audited Financial Statements for year ending March 31, 2020

The Ministry of Health has provided a new tool to support decision making about whether a child should attend child care (or school).  The link to the document is below for your information.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/57bhyh9kxil4cqa/Screening%20Children%20v1.0%202020-10-01%20FINAL%20EN%20AODA%20-%2001%20Oct%202020.pdf?dl=0

Please keep it as a reference because this is what Cook’s will be using to screen and monitor children’s symptoms.

New Covid-19 Screening Tool Highlights

Does your child have any of the following new or worsening symptoms? Symptoms should not be chronic or related to other known causes or conditions.

1. If you answer “YES” to any of the symptoms below:

• Your child should stay home to isolate immediately.
• Contact your child’s health care provider for further advice or assessment, including if your child needs a COVID-19 test or other treatment.

• Fever and/or chills  (temperature of 37.8°C/100.0°F or greater)
• Cough (more than usual if chronic cough) including croup (barking cough, making a whistling noise when breathing).  Not related to other known causes or conditions (e.g., asthma, reactive airway).
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea, out of breath, unable to breathe deeply, wheeze, that is worse than usual if chronically short of breath).  Not related to other known causes or conditions (e.g., asthma).
• Decrease or loss of smell or taste (new olfactory or taste disorder).  Not related to other known causes or conditions (e.g., nasal polyps, allergies, neurological disorders).

2a. If you answer “YES” to only one of the symptoms below:

• Your child should stay home for 24 hours from when the symptom started.
• If the symptom is improving, your child may return to school/child care when they feel well enough to do so. A negative COVID-19 test is not required to return.
• If the symptom persists or worsens, contact your child’s health care provider for further advice or assessment, including if your child needs a COVID-19 test or other treatment.

— OR —

2b. If you answer “YES” to two or more of the symptoms below:

• Your child should stay home to isolate immediately.
• Contact your child’s health care provider for further advice or assessment, including if your child needs a COVID-19 test or other treatment.

• Sore throat (painful swallowing or difficulty swallowing).  Not related to other known causes or conditions (e.g., post nasal drip, gastroesophageal reflux).
• Stuffy nose and/or runny nose (nasal congestion and/or rhinorrhea).  Not related to other known causes or conditions (e.g., seasonal allergies, returning inside from the cold, chronic sinusitis unchanged from baseline, reactive airways)
• Headache that is new and persistent, unusual, unexplained, or long-lasting. Not related to other known causes or conditions (e.g., tension-type headaches, chronic migraines).
• Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.  Not related to other known causes or conditions (e.g. transient vomiting due to anxiety in children, chronic vestibular dysfunction, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, side effect of medication).
• Fatigue, lethargy, muscle aches or malaise (general feeling of being unwell, lack of energy, extreme tiredness, poor feeding in infants) that is unusual or unexplained.  Not related to other known causes or conditions (e.g., depression, insomnia, thyroid dysfunction, anemia).

Thanks for your support and understanding while all of us respond to new directions and information.  We appreciate it!

Effective Immediately

When someone in the home has Covid-19 symptoms, all household members are to self-monitor for 14 days.

Household members can continue to go to work, school, and child care as long as they have not developed Covid-19 symptoms themselves and the ill person in the home has not been diagnosed with Covid-19.

Prior to September 30, 2020, siblings of a child with Covid-19 symptoms were not permitted to attend our child care programs.

The list of Covid-19 symptoms remains unchanged at this time.  Any new information from the Ministries of Education and Health will be shared right away.

September 25 News Topics

1. Covid-19 Symptoms
2. After School Program Update
3. Snippets from the Educators
4. Orange Shirt Day
5. Reminder:  Cook’s is Nominated for “Best Daycare / Child Care” & Your Vote Counts!

Covid-19 Symptoms

Complying with the very strict health regulations regarding Covid-19 symptoms is challenging for you and us and we truly appreciate the incredible support from families.  Child care programs in Northumberland are eagerly awaiting clarification from the Ministries of Health and Education regarding the current list of symptoms – there may be changes coming.  Consistent direction to the programs is being obtained from the HKPR District Health Unit regarding exclusion from care and next steps to return. As you know, at this time, we are required to exclude a child showing even one of the Covid-19 symptoms.  We understand this requirement can place strain on you and your family; unfortunately, we have no option.  We will always choose to comply to regulations to help safeguard the children and educators.

Centre After School Program Update

The Cook’s board of directors has voted unanimously to not re-open the centre after school program on October 5.  We have entered the second wave of Covid-19 and the number of cases has increased across the province; therefore, it is necessary for Cook’s to take more time to monitor the changing situation.  Cook’s continues to be committed to move forward with caution. We want to assure you that the health, safety and wellbeing of children, families, staff, and home providers is an ongoing priority for us.  The board will re-evaluate the re-opening of the centre after school program on October 26.  New information will be shared at the earliest convenience.

Snippets from the Educators

The educators are interested in occasionally emailing snapshots of your child in action to you to help you see what sparks their interest while in our care.  There will not be a set schedule when the special moments will be shared – it will be a nice, random surprise for you.  If you are not interested in receiving these emails, just let us know.  Please do not email the educators because they will not have the ability to respond.  For safety reasons, their attention must be directed to the children when in program.  If you wish to email questions or comments, you may direct them through the office email addresses or call us at 905-372-2143.

Victoria Park Child Care Centre vic.park@cooksdaycare.ca

Cook’s Home Child Care Agency cooks.home@cooksdaycare.ca

Orange Shirt Day

On September 30 communities come together in a spirit of reconciliation and hope because every child matters.

Reminder:  Cook’s is Nominated for “Best Daycare / Child Care” & Your Vote Counts!

Cook’s is nominated for the Northumberland News Reader’s Choice Award for Best Daycare / Child Care.

Please take a moment to follow this link to vote for your program!

https://www.northumberlandnews.com/readerschoice-northumberland/categories/professional-services/subcategories/daycare-child-care

Receiving this award would be a nice way to recognize our 35 years providing early learning and child care programs for Northumberland County!  Voting closes on September 27.  Please spread the word!