Avon Co-operative Nursery School

Welcome to Avon Co-Operative Nursery School

Avon Co-op is a place where we expect to see children playing busily, safely, and happily. Through play, children develop motor
skills, knowledge, and patterns of social behaviour that align with their individual stage of development. Each child is unique and
that uniqueness is cherished.
At Avon Co-op, we strive to create an environment where children play safely and happily. Every child is unique, and we believe
those differences should be welcomed, respected, and celebrated.

Mission Statement
Supporting families and their children as they learn through play; fostering each child’s individual social, emotional, and cognitive
development as they learn to live in the world around them.

Program Statement and Implementation

At Avon Co-operative Nursery School, we follow How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years (2014) to
remain consistent with the Ministry’s policy statement on programming and pedagogy. This framework reflects the view that
children are competent, capable, curious, and rich in potential.
Our Program Statement is a dynamic document, reviewed and revised annually to reflect our current programming goals. As our
highly qualified educators continue to grow professionally, our program continues to evolve and improve. Each year, we strive to
create a positive and inclusive learning environment that supports the development of all children, including those with
individualized plans and diverse needs.

The Four Foundations of Learning
Belonging
Every child has a sense of belonging when they are connected to others and contribute to their world.
Well-Being
Every child is developing a sense of self, health, and overall well-being.
Engagement
Every child is an active and engaged learner who explores the world with body, mind, and senses.
Expression
Every child is a capable communicator who expresses themselves in many ways.
At Avon Co-op, our program is designed to reflect and support these foundations.

Our Goals and Approaches

Goal #1: Developing a Strong Sense of Belonging
We strive to foster a strong sense of belonging among children, families, and educators.
This goal encompasses: CCEYA Section 46(3)(b) Support positive and responsive interactions among the children, including
children with an individual support plan, parents, child care providers and staf ; (g) incorporate indoor and outdoor play, as
well as active play, rest, and quiet time into the day, and give consideration to the individual needs of the children receiving child
care; and (i) involve local community partners and allow those partners to support the children, their families, and staf .
How We Achieve This:
● Creating a warm, welcoming learning environment where children feel they are included, loved and remembered for their
individuality.
● Supporting positive, open and responsive interactions among children, families, and educators.
● Encouraging self-directed play and peer engagement.
● Offering both indoor and outdoor experiences, including active, quiet, co-operative and parallel play.
● Partnering with community organizations and welcoming community programming (e.g., dance, public library, first
responder visits).
● Organizing field trips to local farms and conservation education facilities.
● Observing and documenting children’s growing confidence and sense of self.

Through careful observation and documentation by our educators, families can see their child’s growth throughout the school year.

Goal #2: Developing a Strong Sense of Well-Being
We promote the health, safety, nutrition, and well-being of every child while supporting continuous professional learning for our
educators.
This goal encompasses: Section CCEYA 46(3) (a) promote the health, safety, nutrition, and well-being of the children and (j)
support staf … or others who interact with the children at a child care centre… in relation to continuous professional learning.
How We Achieve This:
● Teaching healthy habits such as handwashing and nutrition during daily routines.
● Providing well-balanced snacks that follow Canada’s Food Guide.
● Encouraging self-directed learning through free-choice play.
● Supporting self-regulation through structured and unstructured activities. Educators assist children to acknowledge, label
and focus on social emotions which helps support self-regulation.

● Providing access to a Resource Consultant (through the City of Stratford) to support inclusive programming.
● Encouraging educators to participate in ongoing professional development to support the College of Early Childhood
Educators’ Continuous Professional Learning mandate.

Children develop well-being when they feel secure, valued, and cared for and when they build strong, trusting relationships.

Goal #3: Fostering Engagement and Relationship Building
We encourage active engagement and strong relationships among children, families, and educators.
This goal encompasses: CCEYA Section 46(3) (d) foster the children’s exploration, play and inquiry; (e) provide child-initiated
and adult-supported experiences; (f) plan for and create positive learning environments and experiences in which each child’s
learning and development will be supported; and (k) document and review the impact of the strategies set out in clauses (a) – (j).
How We Achieve This:
● Providing open-ended, child-directed experiences and provocations.
● Supporting children’s exploration, play, and inquiry.
● Documenting learning and sharing it with families through displays, emails, and documentation books.
● Sharing informative articles and resources with families.
● Maintaining an open-door policy where families are welcome to observe and participate.

When families are actively engaged, the home-school relationship strengthens which benefits every child.

Goal #4: Encouraging Meaningful Communication and Expression
We support effective communication between children, families, and educators.
This goal encompasses: CCEYA Section 46(3) (c) encourage the children to interact and communicate in a positive way and
support their ability to self-regulate; and (h) foster the engagement of and ongoing communication with parents about the
program and their children.
How We Achieve This:
● Daily communication at arrival and dismissal.
● Modelling positive communication and problem-solving skills.
● Supporting children’s ability to express themselves confidently. Not all children use words to express themselves. We
support the use of gestures and visual aids to assist in communication.
● Sharing learning updates via documentation, emails, whiteboard, and social media.
● Encouraging ongoing family engagement and dialogue.

Strong communication builds trust, comfort, and confidence for everyone involved.

Our Core Values
At Avon Co-op, we believe:
● Children are important.
● Children thrive in a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment.
● Self-worth, confidence, and communication skills grow through meaningful play.
● All individuals, including those with varying abilities and those within the 2SLGBTQ+ community, deserve to feel welcomed,
valued, and supported.

We are committed to building a diverse and multicultural learning environment. Through ongoing professional development and thoughtfully selected classroom resources, we aim to reflect a wide range of cultures, identities, and perspectives.
We welcome questions from children and families and are committed to seeking fact-based answers through research and
community involvement.