Common Questions from Future Member FamiliesFrequently Asked Questions
Most questions can be answered by reviewing our
Parent Manual 
or browse our FAQ's below. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our
staff at (250) 558-9963.
What to Bring
Children participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities each day, so it is essential that they wear washable, comfortable clothing that is appropriate for the weather. We ask that each child also have:
- a complete change of clothes: shirt, pants, underwear, socks & sweater ( please check for fit periodically!)
- a pair of soft, skid-proof indoor shoes; slip-on or velcro
- on rainy days: rain boots and a rain coat or suit
- in winter: extra mittens, hat at warm outdoor clothes
- in spring & summer: sunscreen & a sun hat, child-safe insect repellent if doctor-recommended
We do have a supply of extra clothing, and ask that if your child wears them home that you please return them as soon as possible to ensure our supply is available when needed. Donations of extra clothing for this purpose are appreciated.
A small blanket and small stuffed animal or other comfort object from home are encouraged for nap time for children in the infant-toddler and preschool programs.
Please make sure that all items your child brings are well marked with their name.
Our programs have a sharing basket, and each family is asked to bring a fruit, vegetable or other healthy snack to be shared with the group each day.
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What Not To Bring
Toys from home are strongly discouraged. They can be lost. broken,misplaced or stolen. Coflicts between the children can arise over shared use, and some toys may not be appropriate for all chlidren in the program or in keeping with the program philospohy. If there is a particular toy or activity that you would like your child to have access to at NOCCS, please speak to the program staff or coordinator. We do encourage one small stuffed animal for nap time comfort. Staff can help you resolve situations where children want to bring toys from home.
If children in your child's program have allergies or sensitivities, you may be asked to avoid sending these foods. We ask that you respect these health concerns.
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Parent Participation
A reasonable minimum amount of Parent Participation is a requirement of membership in NOCCS. We believe
that parental involvement increases the quality of our programs and and is a vital part of our community. The current Participation requirement is 4 hours per year for families with children in care less than twenty hours and 8 hours per year for families with children who attend more. A list of volunteer opportunities, donation items and participation activities is available from program coordinators.
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Centre Calendar
NOCCS is closed from December 24 through January 3. Happy Holidays - see you on January 4!
Closures & Holidays 2012
(coming soon)
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Extra Support Needs
Our programs are fully inclusive of all children. NOCCS staff work in collaboration with all familes to ensure that each child's needs are met. For children and families needing addional or special supports, we will develop an individual plan for the child, and can encompass other professionals or resources with the family's consent.Supported Child Development Consultants, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, psychologists and others can be involved when advantageous.
Individual plans consider and identify each the child's strengths and needs, exceptional health care needs, goals over a given time period, adaptations to the physical environment, staffing supports, and the need for transitions and routines. Plans are reviewed regularly and adjusted as required.
Families seeking assistance from Supported Child Development to participate in NOCCS programs can contact SCD directly at (250) 549-1281 or talk to one of our staff.
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Concerns & Suggestions
If you have any concerns about your child's care, please contact the child's educator or Team Leaderimmediately. If you can not or do not wish to speak to
your child's educators directly, please contact the Program Coordinator. If that is not possible or agreeable, please contact the Executive Director. If resolution has still not been reached, contact the the Board of Directors or Local Licensing Officer as appropriate and required.
For staff contacts, click here. For information regarding the Board of Directors, click here.
Suggestions, ideas and - of course - compliments are always welcomed and can be directed to program Staff, Educators, Administration or Board of Directors.
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Waitlists
Although demand for child care is high, NOCCS offers a variety of flexible child care options
and can expand our programs to meet our community's needs. We encourage you to
contact our program coordinator to explore how NOCCS can meet your family's needs. Of course, the
sooner you contact NOCCS, the more likely we will be to accomodate your requirements. Our initial application form is available here as a PDF.
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Hours of Operation
Child Care Programs operate to meet the needs of our membership, and staff are scheduled to meet the needs of the majority of families in the program. Most programs operate between 7:30am and 5:30pm, Monday through Friday, with part-day and part-week options available in
many programs depending on availability.
Out of respect to the family responsibilities of our staff we ask that scheduled times adhered to and that families keep us informed of changes in drop-off and pick-up times.
If you have not picked up your child by closing time or the time agreed at registration, a senior staff member will call the alternative contacts on your authorized pickup lists. A late pickup fee will be charged. If the alternates are not available and you have not contacted NOCCS within 45 minutes, we are required to notify Emergency Services of the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
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Health, Safety & Security
Our centres have been carefully designed to ensure they are safe, comfortable environments that will accomodate the abilities of all children and staff.
Our goal is to promote good health, safety and nutrition by providing the children with a clean, well-maintained, safe environment and opportunities for learning how to take care of their bodies, developing self-help skills, both rest and exercise, and iIndoor and outdoor activities.
Eating nutritious food is an important part of each child's day. Food provided by the Centres will be selected in accordance with Canada Food Guide requirements. Staff will prepare nutritious snacks, encourage children to eat a variety of foods, be sensitive to individual food preferences, cultural preferences and any restrictions or allergies, provide sufficient time to eat, and will not force a child to eat.
The Centres will provide mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks each day, provide bottled water, provide space for each child's lunch, occasionally provide hot lunch for an extra fee.
Families provide nutritious lunches such as small portions of fruit yogurt, sandwich and biscuits
and a water bottle with child's name in permanent ink; a piece of fruit or vegetable for the sharing basket daily.
Please do not include candy, chocolate, chips, pop or other unhealthy or unsafe foods in
your child's lunch & refrain from sending juice; inform staff of any food restrictions, allergies or
other changes to their child's food intake.
Allergies: Our centres are allergy-aware facilities. We will work with families to minimize risk of exposure to allergenic foods or materials, but in a public facility we cannot guarantee that your child will not be exposed. We will post a list of children's allergies in each program. If children have a life-threatening allergy, we will post an allergy alert form with that child's picture and information about dangerous foods and treatment. It is the parent's responsibility to ensure that an Epipen or Anikit is left at the facility and that it is replaced when expired.
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Why Choose NOCCS - More Than
Daycare
Our
mission is to enrich children's lives by engaging passionate professional educators to provide nurturing childcare, leading edge learning opportunities, and supports for families while
we work in partnership with the needs of our community.
The high quality programs we offer and the highly qualified, professional
staff we employ make NOCCS the premier early learning centre in the North
Okanagan. We work with families, employers, non-profit and community
groups and government agencies to meet the child care needs of the North
Okanagan while providing children with enriching early learning
opportunities.
In addition to the high quality of care and early learning programs we provide, as detailed on our
Programs page, NOCCS endeavours to provide a community for the member parents and families of our society. This includes information, newsletters, a lending library of books and magazines, workshops and parent meetings. Child care eveings are offered monthly as
well as sepcial events throughout the year. Our knowledgeable staff can help with many of your questions and concerns and can help direct you to other resources in the community.
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What is NOCCS
The North Okanagan Child Care & Montessori Preschool Society is a
not-for-profit & registered charity providing high quality child care &
early learning programs to over 200 families in the North Okanagan. Please see our
About Us page for a detailed description and history of
the North Okanagan Child Care & Montessori Preschool Society.
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Getting Involved
There are many ways to be involved with NOCCS. Whether you are a member
family looking for ways to complete your participation hours, a community
member looking for a way to give back or a local business looking to support
a deserving organization, our non-profit society welcomes your
contributions. Contact us
with your ideas or suggestions.
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Board of Directors
Started by a parent group in 1994, NOCCS remains a parent-governed
not-for-profit society. Our volunteer Board of Directors, made up of parents
and community members, can be contacted by email or via our mailbox in the
NOCCS office.
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How To Support
NOCCS
Please see our
Friends page for ways to support &
sponsor NOCCS operations, programs & families.
The high quality programs we offer and the highly qualified, professional staff we employ make NOCCS the premier early learning centre in the North Okanagan. We work with families, employers, non-profit and community groups and government agencies to meet the child care needs of the North Okanagan while providing children with enriching early learning opportunities.
In addition to the high quality of care and early learning programs we provide, as detailed on our
Programs page, NOCCS endeavours to provide a community for the member parents and families of our society. This includes information, newsletters, a lending library of books and magazines, workshops and parent meetings. Child care eveings are offered monthly as
well as sepcial events throughout the year. Our knowledgeable staff can help with many of your questions and concerns and can help direct you to other resources in the community.
>>Back to Top
What is NOCCS
The North Okanagan Child Care & Montessori Preschool Society is a
not-for-profit & registered charity providing high quality child care &
early learning programs to over 200 families in the North Okanagan. Please see our
About Us page for a detailed description and history of
the North Okanagan Child Care & Montessori Preschool Society.
>>Back to Top
Getting Involved
There are many ways to be involved with NOCCS. Whether you are a member
family looking for ways to complete your participation hours, a community
member looking for a way to give back or a local business looking to support
a deserving organization, our non-profit society welcomes your
contributions. Contact us
with your ideas or suggestions.
>>Back to Top
Board of Directors
Started by a parent group in 1994, NOCCS remains a parent-governed
not-for-profit society. Our volunteer Board of Directors, made up of parents
and community members, can be contacted by email or via our mailbox in the
NOCCS office.
>>Back to Top
How To Support
NOCCS
Please see our
Friends page for ways to support &
sponsor NOCCS operations, programs & families.
The North Okanagan Child Care & Montessori Preschool Society is a not-for-profit & registered charity providing high quality child care & early learning programs to over 200 families in the North Okanagan. Please see our About Us page for a detailed description and history of the North Okanagan Child Care & Montessori Preschool Society.
Getting Involved
There are many ways to be involved with NOCCS. Whether you are a member
family looking for ways to complete your participation hours, a community
member looking for a way to give back or a local business looking to support
a deserving organization, our non-profit society welcomes your
contributions. Contact us
with your ideas or suggestions.
>>Back to Top
Board of Directors
Started by a parent group in 1994, NOCCS remains a parent-governed
not-for-profit society. Our volunteer Board of Directors, made up of parents
and community members, can be contacted by email or via our mailbox in the
NOCCS office.
>>Back to Top
How To Support
NOCCS
Please see our
Friends page for ways to support &
sponsor NOCCS operations, programs & families.