Ectarc

In the new year this page will be closing and the new ECTARC page will combine our ECTARC early childhood education and care services and the registered training organisation, so our followers can be informed of all the activities that take place in our organisation in one spot. Please visit https://www.facebook.com/ectarceducationandcare and like / follow our new page!

ECTARC celebrated the commitment and dedication of some of our long-standing team members at the AGM meeting on Monday evening. Cindy Duggan, Kelly Hobbs Middleton and Tamara Gardner all achieved 20 years of service with ECTARC and received flowers and a small gift.

10 Years of Service were celebrated for
Jessica Sims – ECTARC Keiraview
Melissa Miller – ECTARC Clipper Rd
Kim Barnett – ECTARC Alunga
Rhiannon Irwin - ECTARC Sanctuary Point
Jodie Rusten – ECTARC Training

15 Year of Service were celebrated for
Amanda Mayberry – ECTARC Training
Emma Barrow – ECTARC Short St
Jenna Young – ECTARC Wallaroo
Leanna Arthur Worsop – ECTARC Smith St
Marta Golebiewski – ECTARC Short St

ECTARC is home to an exceptional team and serves as a fantastic workplace, a fact underscored by the extensive years of dedicated service demonstrated by its members. Thank you to everyone for your ongoing commitment and passion to enrich the lives of children, students and families.

To view the annual report please visit https://ectarc.com.au/company/governance/

Come and join the ECTARC Team!
To find out more and see our current vacancies please visit:
https://ectarc.com.au/employment/

Reimagine 2023 Conference: Retool - Replenish - Reconnect
Day 1 complete. An informative day to inspire thinking and rethinking about our relationships with families and programs to ensure every child thrives and is supported to reach their potential.

ECTARC Keiraview Education and Care Service celebrated the festival of Diwali at our service last Monday. It is recognised as the most important festival of the year in India — and for Hindu’s in particular all around the world. Over five days, people take part in festive gatherings, fireworks displays, feasts and prayer. Diwali is derived from the word “Deepavali,” which means “a row of lights.” Celebrants light rows of traditional clay oil lamps outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. 🪔🎨
Our UOW student Leonie incorporated the celebration of Diwali into our program following on the interests of the children and recognising our cultural diversity and inclusivity. Leonie collaborated with educators and families to plan the day filled with painting, dancing and stories about colour and lights. This was a beautiful celebration that echoed last years celebration of Holi at the service.

ECTARC Alunga Education and Care Service Christmas Shoe Box Project
There was a great response to the Christmas project, which involved families filling up a shoe box with toys, stationary, clothing and fun items suitable for children. These boxes are then shipped to over 100 underprivileged countries around the world, where living conditions are hard and poverty prevails.
For Manori, who is from Sri Lanka-a third world country, this project is very close to her heart. From Manori - On my regular travels around Sri Lanka, I see the poverty and hunger in rural areas. I see the need for a project such as this , to give those children a sense of hope, excitement and tremendous joy that a simple box of goodies can bring, amongst their daily battle to survive.
Since the project began, Educators have been discussing the importance of compassion, empathy, helping those in need and most of all, we have been raising awareness of poverty around the world, to the preschoolers at Alunga. The have spoken about how the children receiving the shoe boxes have never ever received a gift in their life and how delighted they would be and how they would treasure these boxes.
Parents have commented on how involved their children were, by selecting the gifts and packing them in boxes & drawing pictures to enclose in the boxes.
Educators regularly discuss the importance of gratitude too, and during morning circle time, the preschoolers are asked what they are thankful for. Whilst the children often say they are grateful for various toys, Educators have opened up their minds to be thankful for simple things we take for granted- such as a house to live in, a hot shower & food on the table & clean water to drink.
This shoe box project has certainly helped teach the children about global poverty and how we could all do our bit to help spread joy and kindness to those less fortunate.
ECTARC Alunga has handed over 40 beautifully packed shoe boxes to the Illawarra coordinator Lyn Brown, who was delighted with the response and thanked the ECTARC Alunga community for their generosity. The boxes are headed to Fiji, Philippines, Namibia and Ukraine, among other countries.
Thank you to the ECTARC Alunga community 👏🌈🧡

😃 Today is Early Childhood Directors Day !!! 😃
The team at ECTARC Clipper Road Education and Care Service have celebrated their Director Chantell today by expressing appreciation through gifts and beautiful native flowers.
“Chantell is the most supportive and easy going Director! We appreciate everything you do for your team, the children and our families !!
So Thankyou !”
Congratulations Chantell 🥳

CHILDREN’S WEEK
The Children’s Week National Theme for 2023 is based on UNCRC Article 31: Children have the right to relax, play and to join in a wide range of leisure activities.
To highlight this theme children and educators from ECTARC Short Street went on an excursion to the fields at Ziem’s Park to relax and play a wide range of games and activities.
Their morning was full of munch and move! This saw them enjoying soccer, cricket, football, parachute play and an all-in game of tug of war.
Through these games and sports the children developed skills in kicking, striking, throwing and developing arm strength which will support fine motor and later writing skills. As well as co-operation, turn taking and following rules.
After a busy morning the children relaxed back at the service and enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch of chip sandwiches. They were all so hungry and tired, enjoying this time to refuel and rest their bodies which is vital for growth and development.

CHILDREN’S WEEK
Celebrating Children’s Week at ECTARC Wallaroo Education and Care Service with a visit from Dragon Training Reptile Experience.
Following on from their strong interest in lizards who regularly visit the service for scraps after lunch, the children requested this experience so they could get up close with a variety of reptiles.
🐸🦎🐊
The children were very excited and couldn't wait to hold and touch each reptile especially Dundee the crocodile. The preschool children asked many questions to find out information about each reptile including what they eat and their names. 🐍

CHILDREN’S WEEK
Children’s week at ECTARC Jerry Bailey. In the weeks leading up to Children’s Week educators asked the children what they wanted to do to celebrate the event. Together they discussed their favourite things to play while at preschool, one was “Playing soccer with my mates”. ⚽️
Several children who share the same interest had the opportunity to work together as a team to achieve a common goal. Friendships were further developed as children learn to get along with one another by passing the ball to each other, organising their teams and each other into various positions. Soccer has been a huge interest at the service which the educators will continue to foster over the remainder of the year.

CHILDREN’S WEEK
Celebrating Children’s week at ECTARC Keiraview was a wonderful chance to provide time and space to just ‘be’. This year's theme considers that children have the right to relax, play, and engage in leisure activities. It was a perfect opportunity to fire up the BBQ, pitch some tents, pop the camping chairs and toast some marshmallows over a crackling fire pit.
The smell of sausages filled the air as the children spent the day relaxing in cozy tents, eating alfresco in our garden, splashing about with water play and listening to classic BBQ tunes. Topping off the day to light up the fire pit and toast some gooey marshmallows was a real highlight! We sang songs around the fire, everyone in a relaxed and happy mood!
Why is being out in the great outdoors beneficial for young children? Exploring the wonders of nature in outdoor environments allows children to freely express themselves, be curious and helps regulate their bodies. It can become a safe space for children to feel comfortable, secure and provide fresh air and natural sunlight, supporting children’s mental wellness and wellbeing. This experience gave the children opportunities to connect to Country on a deeper level as they sat and made their Acknowledgment to Country and yarned together about the world around them.

CHILDREN’S WEEK
Bike Day at ECTARC Clipper Road Education and Care Service.
The children were so so excited!!! They were capable and confident as they raced around the car park.
This was an opportunity to talk about safety. The children were asked what they should we put on our heads? “A helmet” Said Levi.
The water station provided an opportunity for refreshment, and yogurt and fruit to enjoy and support regulation once the experience was finished. 🚲🥳