Meruka Child Care Cooperative

Meruka Child Care Cooperative

Meruka Child Care Cooperative

Committee of Management

Committee Meeting Minutes

Meeting held: Tuesday 21st July 2015, 7:30pm at Meruka CCC

Attendance – Kylie Hammon, Sarah Muir, Jo Stevens, Rebecca Brown, Paige Macdonald, Jess O’Brien, Jane Fraser, Terri Psiakis, Deb Rewell, April Anderson, Julie Morrison, Christie McVeigh, Peta-Lynne Potts, Narelle Hill, Victoria Metherall.

Apologies – Lynda Muscat, Rachel Castricum, Lorraine Plail

Minutes of Previous Meeting: Accepted Jane Fraser; 2nd Rebecca Brown

Assignment Log

  1. Marketing of Meruka

Actions Arising

  1. Council truck has come to collect recycling waste, can come once a fortnight. In the last two weeks a parent has complained to Council about feeling intimidated by recycling truck coming up drive when they were coming down – this problem would be solved if Council addressed low-lying branches issue. Kylie to follow up with Council regarding trimming low-lying branches and also broken bin lids.

Correspondence

In:

  • 16.6.2015 – Letter from Laura Stevens, United Voice Victoria, regarding finalisation of negotiations for the Professional Childcare Standard Multiple Enterprise Agreement 2015 and request for Meruka to sign on.
  • 17.6.2015 – Letter from Ausnet Services regarding Meruka’s eligibility for $125 one-off rebate for electricity (actioned 19.6.2015)
  • 17.6.2015 – Letter from Matthew Lundgren, Director, Early Learning Participation, Department of Education & Training, regarding the Kindergarten Guide 2015.
  • 13.7.2015 – Letter from the Mojo on Main team regarding transfer of $260 profit to Meruka after the fundraising night.

Out:

  • 7.7.2015 – Professional Childcare Standard 2015 Workplace Agreement completed by Mel Tait and Kylie Hammon and submitted (as employer declaration).

Reports:

Finance: Written report prepared by L. Plail. Report can be distributed upon request.

The following was discussed:

  • All good.

Co-ordinator: Written report prepared by K. Hammon. Report can be distributed upon request.

The following was discussed:

  • 93 families using centre, one has left due to change of circumstances.
  • Rooms are full.
  • Lots of kids away with general coughs and colds, bit of hand, foot and mouth in Babies room and Kinder room.
  • Di and Svitlana about to go on annual leave.
  • Sherie’s position being advertised internally and externally – may take some time to fill.
  • Katerina (workplace psychologist) came to Meruka for another two-hour session which was excellent, she will return again later in the year.
  • After discussion with staff regarding the scheduling of two Personal Development days, staff have conveyed their feeling that a day at the start of the year and then later in the year would be more beneficial than two days at the start of the year even though the latter option would be more convenient for parents. Considering scheduling the second day on the Friday before the Queen’s birthday holidays.
  • Meruka will close on 23rd December 2015 and re-open 14th of January 2016.

Maintenance & Safety: Verbal report by R. Brown

The following was discussed:

  • General maintenance completed at Working Bee but also cleaned out the worm farm.
  • Thank you to all families in attendance.
  • Metal-headed rake seems to have gone missing.

Staff Rep: Verbal report by C. McVeigh

The following was discussed:

  • Nothing to report.

Staff Liaison: Verbal report by R. Castricum

The following was discussed:

  • Christie and Caz have worked on clearing out Multipurpose room and it looks fantastic.

Parent Liaison: Verbal report by A. Anderson

The following was discussed:

  • Feedback regarding spelling errors in child observations – does this look unprofessional? Discussion regarding using spellcheck on computer-written observations and room leaders sensitively keeping an eye on hand-written observations. Can be considered as an aspect of personal development.
  • Issue has arisen with moving children from one room to the next room based on age, will be resolved by Mel Tait.

Fundraising: Verbal report by P. Macdonald & J. Morrison

The following was discussed:

  • Bunnings BBQ was a huge success. Great response to the roster. Made about $1300. Also sold some chocolates at the BBQ.
  • Gave feedback to Bunnings about cost of supplying BBQ materials (eg. bread and sausages) has risen but cost of selling has remained the same – profits are dropping every time we do a BBQ.
  • Earn and Learn stickers have started.
  • Entertainment books still for sale.
  • Pie drive to be scheduled for Father’s Day.
  • Bags to be scheduled around October.

General Business:

  1. Bush Babies – information session will be held for Babies room families, Babies in the Bush handbook also available to explain benefits of the program and Meruka’s policies as they relate to the program. Memo to be sent to Babies room families with relevant information and when all information has been distributed permission slips will also be distributed.
  2. Re-enrolment – Re-enrolment policy to be amended in order to stipulate more clearly that there is no guarantee of re-enrolment to any family using the service, ie. On re-enrolment day it is “first-in, best-dressed” for every family using the service. Re-enrolment date and time scheduled for Saturday, 12th September 2015 at 10am.
  3. Policy review submissions – all policies must be sent to Lynda before 18th August. Major policy amendments must be brought to the August RGM.

Meeting closed – 10.03pm

Next Meeting: Regular General Meeting, Tuesday 18th August 2015, 7:30pm at Meruka CCC

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