| Little Rascals Net |
|
PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE ON JANUARY 25, 6:30pm - 8pm Dec 18, 2006
On Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 6:30pm, we will be having our annual Preschool Open House.
The purpose of the Open House is to give registered families and prospective families an
opportunity to have a good look at our facility, our program and meet the Preschool teachers
and Director. Please note, the Preschool Programs for school year 2007/2008 are full with long waitlists.
We will not be accepting registrations for enrollment in the 2007/2008 school year.
The Open House will be at our Stanley facility:
3111 Stanley Avenue
North Van
DAYCARE OPEN HOUSE ON NOVEMBER 22 - 6:30 PM Oct 1, 2006
On Wednesday, November 22, at 6:30pm, we will be having a Daycare Open House. Instead of
individual family tours, we now provide regular Open Houses to give prospective parents the
opportunity to view our facility, meet our caregivers and Directors, and partake in a presentation
and a question and answer session.
Please note:
- the Open House is for parents only.
- this Open House is for parents seeking or registered for Daycare at Little Rascals.
- a Preschool Open House will occur at a later date.
NEW DAYCARE BROCHURE FOR LITTLE RASCALS Sept 23, 2006
It's been a while since we had last updated the Little Rascals brochure/infomation
package - about 10 years! To help propective new families in making their choice for
Childcare, we've redone our Daycare Brochure with more info and an updated appearance.
Though the basic approach at Little Rascals has remained
consistent over the last 10 years, there have been changes too. The new brochure
provides more detail about Little Rascals Daycare, including great new photos,
information about our new facilities, lots more detail about our Special Activities,
and a detailed Quick Reference for all our programs.
To view our new brochure online, just click on the DAYCARE button in the menu. To
download our brochure in PDF format,
just click here.
DAYCARE OPEN HOUSE ON SEPTEMBER 21 - 6:30 PM Sept 8, 2006
On Thursday, September 21, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, we will be having a Daycare Open House.
Due to substantial interest in this Open House we ask the following:
- that only parents come to the Open House.
- that only families registering for Daycare attend. A Preschool Open House will occur at a later date.
- that only families seeking Childcare in 2007 attend.
We apologize if we inconvenience anyone. It is our intent to make sure that all interested parents get a
good opportunity to
tour the facility and ask the Director and caregivers questions. If too many people attend this Open House and
children are present, it may become quite challenging to accomplish this task.
Why are individual tours not available at Little Rascals?
Since the demand for individual tours has grown immensely over the last couple years, we can no
longer give individual or family tours of our facility. In order to ensure that all interested
parents can see our Childcare Centre and meet our Director and caregivers, we have found that
regular Open Houses are the best and fairest solution. All Open Houses and Registration evenings
will be advertised here at our website, many weeks in advance.
CANADIAN CHILDCARE SYSTEM UNDER THREAT OF COLLAPSE June 2, 2006
Note from the author: the following article preview (and future article) is about the Childcare system as a
whole and intended to inform families of the current state of the childcare system and the
problems that are eroding quality of care and about to force childcare fees substantially higher. Little Rascals has
always led by example when it comes to Quality Care and sustainability in the face of challenges brought on
by the endless shift from one political extreme to another, all of which typically conclude in more
troubles and challenges for the Childcare system, for those who use and need it, and for those who work within it.
Little Rascals will continue it's 25 year commitment to parents of providing the best possible Childcare fees while
maintaining the same high standard of care it has always provided.
That means Little Rascals will not replace quality, experienced caregivers with inexperienced cheap caregivers to keep
fees down - something other Childcare operators are seriously considering when the Federal Childcare Grant is ended
by the Harper government on April 1, 2007. Not only is this an issue of integrity for Little Rascals, but it is the
strongest belief of the caregivers and administration that parents do not want the safety and well being of their
children compromised, just to save on their fees.
Preview of upcoming article: Industry insiders are watching the impending collapse of the Childcare system
as we all know it. Most parents have been fooled by the new Federal Conservative program which will pay families
$100 per child per month, ostensibly, to "help" families with childcare costs and give families more "power of
choice" when it comes to their childcare needs. The vast majority of parents believe that their childcare situation
will experience either a net improvement or no change and therefore are not concerned. The only families that will
benefit are families with a stay at home parent (the minority of families). For the rest of us - those with children at
family or group Daycare centres - reality is knocking on the door.
...the recently established standard of "Quality Childcare" will soon become extinct as many panicking
Daycare operators prepare to slash wages, cut staff, cut programming costs, cut equipment costs, and a
variety of other costs. Why would Daycares do this?
..the number and quality of new childcare professionals graduating from Early Childhood
education programs is plummeting... Why aren't young Canadians interested in become Childcare workers
anymore? Many experienced childcare professionals have been leaving the profession with many, many more
to soon follow. Why would these great people who provide the crucial care and early childhood education
for our children abandon us?
...Childcare licensing is making it harder and harder for Daycares to operate, smothering
operators in paperwork and imposing endless new rules and regulations on operators which operators say are
impractical and extreme - further forcing operating costs up. Why is this happening?
...Childcare facility operating costs have been increasing at a rate that is many times higher than
the inflation rate. One only has to look at Childcare fees to see this. Now, as the newly
implemented 5 year $4.8 billion childcare funding is cut by the Federal Conservatives, parent fees
will be driven up into the stratosphere and Childcare standards will revert from "Quality Childcare"
to "Compromised" Childcare. Why is this happening?
...perennially, Canadian politicians have ruthlessly used and abused the Childcare system, commandeering it as a
political tool to impose leader's philosophies on families and to win the parent vote. As the political tides
have come and gone, new governments have made regular opposing changes to the fundamental structure of the
childcare industry - creating new programs or funding structures, only to take them away shortly
afterward. The Daycares and the families that need them have become a political
yo-yo on a string that is about to snap...
New Conservative Program Equals Higher Childcare Fees Feb 22, 2006
As most parents are aware, one of the big promises that the Federal Conservatives made in the
recent election campaign was to cut the newly instated multi-billion dollar Childcare program
(operational funds for Childcare facilities) and replace
it with a new program that would provide every Canadian family with the equivalent of $1200 per
year ($100 per month).
Parents, understandably, are not aware of how the childcare funding programs,
whether Provincial or Federal, affect the quality of the Childcare they receive for their children or
how these funds affect the monthly fees they pay for their Childcare. Parents need to know that these
funds play a significant role by raising the quality of Childcare and by countering upwards pressure
on fees.
Most parents will likely perceive that they are benefiting from the new $1200 childcare per year bonus.
What parents need to be aware of is that the termination of the recently implemented Childcare program will
substantially reduce the income of each Childcare facility that provides care for children age 6 and below.
Childcare operators are faced with a simple yet objectionable choice. Cut staff wages and reduce the budget
for the programs thus substantially lowering the quality of the programs and losing quality caregivers to other
industries... or raise fees to compensate for the sudden loss of funds.
Operators of quality Childcare facilities and programs will not compromise their programs and the level of
care and safety for their children. If the proposed termination of the Liberal instated Federal Childcare Funding
program goes ahead, and the Provincial governments aren't able to fill in the difference, Childcare operators will
be forced to make substantial fee increases.
The touted rationale by the Conservatives for the proposed $1200 childcare bonus was that it would give parents
more power of choice over their childcare needs. In our opinion, and that of the majority of Childcare professionals,
is that this makes no sense at all. Most working parent families in urban areas (i.e., the majority of parents) know that their
choice of Childcare is limited by availability. In most urban areas, there is a shortage of available Childcare,
especially quality, reputable Childcare. Choice is primarily limited by 2 things: a) "Location" - the facilities that are
in a reasonable distance of home, school and sometimes parent's place of employment and b) "Openings" - the facilities
that have openings in the required programs for their child's age. An additional $100 per month for a family will
have absolutely no bearing on "choice". Furthermore, the concept that a parent might choose to stay home to care
for their child based on a $1200 per year bonus is preposterous. Perhaps for $1200 per month but not $1200 per year!
So again, some politicians have used Childcare as a pawn in their game of political chess - and again, at
the expense of the parents and children of our Country. What would seem like progress for families, in the form of
a reduction in Childcare costs, may end up being the reverse. Childcare operators will struggle to maintain parent's
expectation of quality care while having to lower wages and take away equipment, toys and supplies from the children
in their programs, ultimately resorting to implementing substantial fee increases.
There is hope that this scenario can be somewhat or completely prevented. The federal funds, which are distributed
by the provinces, are in place until April 1, 2007, after which the funding is slated to end. So, there is time.
Canada is a democracy. Armed with
information and truth, the citizens of our country, including concerned parents, can take their grievances directly to
their representative, their Minister of Parliament, who can take these concerns to Ottawa and voice them in the House
of Parliament. Democracy can and often does work this way. In this case, there is substantial concern by parents and
those working in the Childcare industry to prevent the Federal conservatives from recklessly taking apart a well
thought-out and effective Childcare program. The Conservative party is a minority government and is subject to the majority
of people in Canada (2 thirds of the population) who are not represented by a Conservative Member of Parliament.
The operators of Little Rascals, along with the operators of many Childcare centres on the North Shore, will be
expressing our concerns to the local Minister of Parliament, the Honourable Don Bell. Ultimately though, it is the parent's
voices that are the fuel which will motivate our MP's to take action. If you are concerned about paying higher fees,
then we suggest that you call Don Bell's office today - he is an established supporter of parents and Childcare:
Phone: 604-775-6333
Fax: 604-775-6332
Email: belld1@parl.gc.ca
Change In Political Tide May Force Childcare Fees Way Up January 17, 2006
Though we try and avoid politics as much as we can, Little Rascals and the rest of the
childcare industry are strongly affected by the regular changes in political tide. From the
NDP to the Provincial Liberals to the Federal Liberals, and now it looks like the Federal Conservatives.
As the politicians jockey for your vote, they dangle
many carrots that, ostensibly, will save you money and make life better for all of us. Little Rascals
does not take a position in
the overal political spectrum. We don't openly support any specific political party. We support
childcare and an environment that engenders quality childcare for all. After careful consideration and
consultaion with other operators in the childcare industry, we feel compelled to point out that in
this Federal election, the Conservative party has misled parents into thinking that their overall childcare costs
will be lowered. Specifically, the Conservatives have promised parents $1200 per year for childcare.
Hard to say no to that kind of money! Vote Conservative... right??? It's what you haven't been told that
you need to consider - your net childcare costs may actually go up - way up.
The reality of this promised windfall is that it was either not well
thought out by the Conservatives or it is a gimmick to get your vote. Talking in terms
of reality - the Liberals spent a lot of time and money studying the issue of childcare funding. Minister
Ken Dryden visited hundreds of childcare operators from coast to coast. The resultant childcare
funding program was not a result of political whim or election strategy - it was well thought out and
has now been completely established across the nation in various formats from province to province.
The Conservative party has decided, for one reason or another,
that the 1+ year old childcare funding program should be eliminated and parents will receive $1200 per year
instead. The massive restructuring of childcare
funding by taking away the established funding programs from the childcare operators will likely result in massive
fee increases for all childcare programs across British Columbia. The apparent $100 per month windfall
will not only be immediately
negated by price increases of $100 or more for a typical fulltime daycare program, parents
may actually find themselves in a net loss position after the changes have been established.
Families with two or more children in childcare may find themselves out by an extra $200-$300 per month.
One thing that the Liberals definitely got right, in collaboration with the Provincial governments,
was their childcare funding program. It is working well. Childcare operators have upgraded their operations
with wage increases and overall improvements of their facilities and programs. But these changes are
irrevocable. Operators will not cut wages, lay off caregivers and substantially reduce program quality
to adjust to the proposed massive cut in funds. The only option left to childcare operators is to
substantially increase fees. Though
Little Rascals will not raise fees as high as $800 per month for age 3-5 daycare, there are
many operators who believe they will have to.
When considering your vote this weekend, consider which party and which candidate is the proven advocate of childcare
and keeping your childcare costs down. Don Bell has been a very strong supporter of childcare and parents
in North Vancouver over the years both as Mayor and as our federal representative. When it comes to the Conservatives -
it appears to be all smoke and mirrors as far as their childcare promises go.
Preschool Open House and Registration Night - Tuesday, January 17 at 6:30pm January 4, 2006
It time for our annual Preschool Open House and Registration Night . On January 17, all
families interested in Little Rascals Preschool for thier child(ren) for 2006 or beyond
are welcome to join us at our Stanley Avenue facility (3111 Stanley Avenue behind the
Delbrook Recreation Centre).
This is an excellent opportunity for you and you spouse to see our outstanding facility, learn
all about our Preschool programs and to meet the Directors and Teachers. It is also a perfect
opportunity for your preschooler to explore the Preschool classroom and meet the teachers.
This evening will also be for registration. Keep in mind that Little Rascals programs are very
popular and get booked far in advance. For September 2006 the 3 year old program still has openings
but this may be the last opportunity to secure a spot for your child. The 4 year old program is
already full but with a short waitlist. It's very important to make your decision soon and to
submit your registration form and deposit (first month's fee - refundable until April 1). We are
already receiving registration for 2007 and 2008 - don't lose out by waiting too long!
See you on the 17th !!
Transportation Policy During Snowy or Icy Weather December 4, 2005
Winter arrived earlier than expected this year as we all saw last week. At sea level traces of snow and ice were on
the roads while significant accumulations of snow and persisitent icy, slippery conditions occured at higher levels
for most of the week. A number of parents have expressed concerns regarding the safety of transporting children to
and from school when these conditions occur.
It is Little Rascals' long standing policy not to drive children to school if there is a safety
issue relating to slippery conditions resulting from ice or snow accumulation. During such periods the conditions are
regularly assessed by Little Rascals staff and management. If there is any indication that there are challenges to
directional control or braking is impaired by existing conditions or if there are indications that other motor vehicles
cannot drive safely on the roads between Little Rascals and the schools in question, then transportation by Little
Rascals shuttle bus for each affected route will be cancelled until conditions return to safe and acceptable.
We at Little Rascals monitor the weather forecast, plan ahead for these possibilities and implement alternate
and safe means of transporting children to their schools. Primarily this means walking the children part way or all
of the way to school. Walking all the way from LRD to school only applies to Braemar and Larson as they are 6 and 4
blocks away, respectively. For Carisbrooke we look at transporting along main roads, if cleared and safe, to a point
about 2 to 3 blocks from the school and then walk the children the rest of the way. For Montroyal, a school that we started
servicing only this year, we are finding that, due to it's high elevation, the roads tend to be significantly more
snow or ice covered. This provides the biggest challenge for us. Walking all the way, due to distance, is impossible.
Driving and walking, as we learned last week, is a challenge. During any icy or snow conditions, children attending
Montroyal, are least likely to be transported to school.
Though most parents are grateful for our safety concerns regarding their children, there have been a number of parents
who have enthusiatically complained to staff and management when their
children remained at the Daycare and missed school on some days. The state of the weather is beyond our control. It is
unfair to complain, pressure and burden Sigrid and staff over something they have no control over - the weather. It happens!
When it comes to safety issues, specifically this issue, Little Rascals absolutely will not compromise at all. Period.
The staff of Little Rascals will not embark from the Daycare in one of our shuttle vans with children aboard if there
are any questions about safety. Period. Parents who disagree (a small minority) with this policy will have to consider
other options. Please do not burden Sigrid, Sandy and staff with any more grievances on this issue. If there are any
parents who still must file a grievance on this issue, please do so by email to me, Mark Lightfoot.
Last week on 2 occasions Mark and Sigrid did witness Daycare vans from two other
Daycares skidding, fishtailing and in one case, sliding down a hill at an angle with brakes locked. I'm sure there is no
parent that would have knowingly allowed their children in those vehicles. Rest assured that you will not see that happen
while your child is enrolled at Little Rascals Daycare. --- Mark Lightfoot (Owner/General Manager)
DPQC Annual General Meeting - Election Results, President's Address December 1, 2005
The Delbrook Partnership For Quality Childcare Association held the Annual General meeting last Tuesday night. The
election of the new Directors was held with the following results:
Katherine Spencer - President
Lisa Barker - Vice-President
Adelle Rennie - Secretary-Treasurer
Collen Smith - Director
Karen McCredie - Director
The continuing President, Katherine Spencer, read an address for attending members. For members absent from the meeting
the address is posted at the DPQC facility or can be downloaded
by clicking here. The next meeting of the Board of Directors is anticipated in January.
NOTICE: DPQC Annual General Meeting scheduled for November 29th November 13, 2005
The Delbrook Partnership For Quality Childcare Association will be holding it's A.G.M. at the Delbrook
facility (3111 Stanley Avenue) on Tuesday, November 29th at 5:00 PM sharp. Of highest importance at this
meeting will be the election of new Directors and Officers for the next 12 months for the Society. Remember,
the DPQC plays an essential role in ensuring that families using the DPQC facility for childcare continue
to receive quality care. Members of the DPQC (families who have children receiving childcare at the DPQC
facility by Little Rascals) should ensure that they either attend the meeting or if unable to attend,
ensure that you vote by proxy ballot. To read the official notice of A.G.M.,
please click here. To download a copy of the DPQC
Proxy Ballot, please click here.
BCTF Strike Ends October 24, 2005
The strike by BC's teachers has come to an end. All Before and After School programs will resume their
regular pre-strike schedules. Little Rascals is glad to have been able to accommodate all of our families
during the last 2 weeks. Sigrid thanks all parents for their patience and their adherence to the modified
daycare schedule during the strike. Best of luck to the BCTF and the Provicial Government in their future
negotiations.
Teacher's Strike Continues - Update October 12, 2005
The illegal strike by BC's teachers continues with schools continuing to be closed as of Thursday
October 13. The BCTF continues to be adamant so it's anybody's guess as to when the current walk-out will end.
To keep appraised of the most current information we recommend regularly checking the
CKNW BC Schools Strike page at least once a day. We will
also post notices here and at our facilities if there is any news about schools opening. The current
Rotating Schedule for School-Aged Kids at Little Rascals will remain in effect until the schools
are re-opened.
BCTF Teachers Strike - New Rotating Schedule For Little Rascals School Aged Children Oct 6, 2005
The BCTF has provided notification that all public school teachers will be on strike as of
Friday, October 7. The duration of this strike is unknown. While the teachers will likely be
ordered back on the job by early next week, the teachers have indicated that they are not planning
to return to work until they reach some form of agreement with the Ministry of Education in regards to
their contract.
This places parents and childcare providers in a challenging position with some
childcare facilities not able to provide care for school aged kids during the day.
After careful analysis, Little Rascals has come up with a solution that incorporates a rotating
schedule that will allow all of our school-aged children to attend the daycare during the day, on most days.
But please note:
Due to the short notice, Little Rascals will not be able to provide any school-aged care on Friday October 7 between
9:00 AM amd 12 PM.
Starting on Tuesday October 11, while schools remain closed, the
new rotating schedule will apply to all Little Rascals
school aged children. This solution is the best solution possible that allows us to operate within our legal
licensed capacity while allowing as much relief as possible for our families during this challenging period. To cover
staffing and operational costs, a fee of $10 per child per day of attendence will be levied - the same amount that
is levied on school non-instructional days (professional days).
Click here to view and print the new Little Rascals rotating schedule for school aged kids..
We ask that all parents respect that the strike action by the BCTF has nothing to do with our daycare or any other
childcare operation. As demonstrated above, we are doing our best to find a solution that allows us to remain within
childcare licensing requirements while providing the best possible solution for the majority of our children
and families. Sigrid and the staff have taken a lot of heat from a number of parents because of the strike -
something that is beyond our control. We ask that comments and concerns regarding the school strike be directed to
the BC Teachers Federation and the Provincial Government. Thank-you.
Three Fall Preschool Openings Immediately Available June 17, 2005
3 Positions have just come available. As of time of posting, there are 2 spaces available
in our Age 3 Preschool Program, and 1 space available in our Age 4 Preschool Program -
both starting Septeember 2005. These spots will be taken quickly so call right away if
you want either of them for your child. Tel. 604-987-3168
Click here to read the detailed REGISTRATION POLICY.
LRD Looking For 2 More Caregivers To Join The Team June 16, 2005
Little Rascals will have two positions available for qualified Early Childhood
Educators starting September 1. This includes a Full-time position in the 3-5
Daycare group as an assistant supervisor and a Part-time position in the
KinderCare group (afternoons). Learn more about employment qualifications
and how to apply for these positions on our EMPLOYMENT PAGE.
NEW REGISTRATION POLICY April 1, 2005
Due to substantial increases in new enrollment requests and growing waitlists for all of
our programs, a new registration policy is now in effect at Little Rascals Daycare and Preschool.
In brief, before a child will be considered as registered and/or placed on a waitlist a properly
completed registration form and deposit (refundable) must be received at our Stanley Avenue facilty.
We will also no longer be providing individual/family tours of our facility or be providing extensive information
by telephone if the desired program has a long waitlist. We apologize for having to implement this
stricter policy but we are so swamped with inquiries that if we do not implement this policy then time
will be taken away from the currently enrolled children and the quality of our programs will become compromised.
Click here to read the detailed REGISTRATION POLICY.
MONTROYAL AND CARISBROOKE SCHOOLS ADDED TO LITTLE RASCALS BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL SERVICE AREA January 31, 2005
Little Rascals is now providing the families of Carisbrooke and Montroyal Elementary Schools with the same
outstanding Before and After Schools services that families from Larson and Braemar schools have been enjoying for
the last 2 decades. Our program starts at 7:30 AM and ends at 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday, including on School Professional
Days. Children are transported
to school from the Daycare in the morning and picked up at dismissal and returned to Little Rascals until parent pick-up.
Kindegarten children are enrolled in the KinderCare program and will be dropped off and picked up at the appropriate
time at school. For more details call Sigrid or Andrea at the Daycare (604-987-3168).
NEW LRD FACILITY WINS AWARD!!! April 8, 2004
We are very proud and excited to announce that the Modular Building Institute,
a North America wide organization, has chosen our new facility
as the "Best In Class - Permanent Educational Facility (Under 5000 sq. ft.)" constructed in 2003.
Consideration was given to Architectural Excellence, Technical Innovation,
Cost Effectiveness/Energy Efficiency, Calendar Days to Complete (90 days). The Award
was presented to BRITCO Structures, the General Contractor for the facility. You can read
about the details of the Award HERE
NEW LITTLE RASCALS HOME TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER July 20, 2003
In only 42 days a long and challenging saga will finally come to an end.
No more uncertainty. It's time to put the focus back on what we love and
do best - provide our families with the best in quality childcare. The
parent association from Little Rascals, the Delbrook Partnership for
Quality Childcare, will complete construction of the long-anticipated
new childcare facility and Little Rascals will move in. The new address
for the facility is 3111 Stanley Avenue, North Vancouver, V7N 4N6. This
is on the east side of the Delbrook Recreation Centre property.
The new building is a modern, efficient design covering 4500 square feet
of floor space over 2 levels with 4 large childcare rooms. Little
Rascals will continue to provide the same programs (Preschool 3 & 4,
Daycare (age 3-5) and Before and After School (age 5-10) programs. The
new facility will allow Little Rascals to provide care for an additional
20 school aged children compared to previously. The new facility follows
the healthy environment philosophy through the extensive use of natural
lighting, large dynamic rooms, and state-of-the-art air filtration and
air conditioning. The facility is also wired for modern technology and
future technologies. Little Rascals was the first local operator to
effectively integrate computers into the preschool/daycare learning
experience nearly 10 years ago. Little Rascals will continue the
tradition with newer technology, safe internet, and updated curricula.
Computers and networking will also aid staff (caregivers and management)
in their duties further increasing quality. The children will have
on-site access to 2 playgrounds, one quite large and very well equipped.
Background:
The last 5 years have been a battle to keep Little Rascals alive. The
150 children at Little Rascals were slated to become a necessary
casualty of Canadian cultural progress. The constitution of our nation
was interpreted by the courts as saying that French language rights in
our province deem the needs of non-Francophone children as secondary and
they shall be sacrificed as required. When North Star School, the home
of Little Rascals, was transferred to the Francophone Education
Authority (FEA), after no public/community consultation in 1997, the FEA
initiated a plan by which all current (at the time) non-Francophone
programs would be removed from the property and eventually the current
school would be demolished and replaced by a much larger modern facility
for up to 450 students (K-12). The FEA are quite optimistic that the
current population of approx 100 students will eventually expand to fill
the school and thus they were not interested in accommodating Little
Rascals in the largely vacant school in the mean time. Little Rascals
had been fighting it's own eviction from the property for nearly 3 years
when an arsonist struck in June 2003, twelve weeks before the planned
completion of the new childcare facility. (Read details of fire below).
The last 2 and a half years have been about one thing - building a new
home. A suitable facility could not be found to accommodate all the
children of Little Rascals. In our area, the demand for childcare is
continually increasing while appropriate spaces for group care is
steadily decreasing due largely in part to redevelopment of sites
traditionally used for childcare, such as the North Star School / Ecole
Andre Piolat facility. But the last 2 and a half years weren't about the
relatively easy task of building the new facility, they have been about
the "process" of getting to where we could start construction. A process
that was fraught with politics, bureaucracy, lawyers, funding
challenges, delays, and the cost increases due to all of the above.
In the end, the consistent support of key people and key groups are what got
us finally to the construction phase which, ironically, is the simplest
and quickest part of the project. The parents and staff of Little
Rascals stood firmly and patiently behind Little Rascals - the thousands
of letters, phone calls and faxes to government representatives brought
the issue of relocating the daycare to the top of many desks and to
public attention (thanks to Global TV, The North Shore Outlook and N.S.
News). Former MLA Jermy Dalton created province wide publicity about the plight of the
families by bringing the issue to the floor of the BC Legislature. The North Vancouver District
Mayor and Council remained 100% behind the project. North Van. District
Community planning staff were very supportive of the project. VanCity remained
true to it's commitment to provide financing. The BC Government provided
the promised capital grant for the parents as part of the Province's
commitment to provide capital funds to create new childcare spaces
(cheers to Childcare BC and the BC Liberals!). And of course, the
operators of Little Rascals refused to give up (much to the annoyance of
some!). Without any one of these critical supporting elements of this
partnership, the new facility would not be built.
Now that the trials and tribulations are behind us, we all look forward
to a new era for Little Rascals and another 20 years of providing
quality care and early childhood education for all the Little Rascals of
the community.
New Childcare Facility Opens September 2003
Click on image for larger picture.
ARSONIST ATTACKS LITTLE RASCALS FACILITY June 12, 2003
The unthinkable has happened.
On Wednesday, June 11, at approx 4:00 AM, an individual or individuals threw
gasoline on the back of our childcare facility at 380 West Kings Road and set it afire. Through an incredible
piece of good fortune, fire trucks from the North Vancouver Fire Department coincidentily drove by the daycare
approximately 5 minutes after the fire was set. The firemen stopped and immediately doused the flames. Due to
the good fortune of the NVFD being there at the right instance, the building was saved... but the daycare and
preschool could not operate due to smoke damage, no electricity, and minor damage to the structure of the building.
The 15 employees of Little Rascals were quick to respond, starting to arrive at the site as early as 4:15 AM using
cellular phones to communicate. By 7 AM, most families had been informed of the fire. Suddenly, 120 families found
themselves without the crucial childcare services they'd always relied upon. The facility was closed indefinitely.
Management quickly began the daunting task of trying to find alternate facilities for the children. The District of
North Vancouver Community Planning staff was asked for help as was Childcare Licensing, School District
#44, the North Vancouver Rec Commission, and local churches. The Insurance company for Little Rascals was on site in a
matter of hours helping plan for the recovery of equipment and toys, as well as helping with the
overall contingency planning. Management is hoping to have some of the families relocated to
temporary locations as early as next week.
The response has been slow and unclear from the Landlord - the Francophone Education Authority - with no direction or
discipherable intent. No concern has be expressed about the welfare of the children or families by the FEA.
Though Little Rascals could theoretically be back in the facility in short order, we are concerned that our landlord
will not want to bare the cost of the insurance deductible to have the physical damage repaired (estimated at $10,000).
Due to the tenancy dispute between Little Rascals and the FEA, the importance of finding altanate locations for our
families immediately, and the short period of time until the new childcare facility is built (Sept 1) it seems
like fate has prematurely evicted Little Rascals from it's current home.
Who did this and why?! What possible rationale could someone have for torching a Daycare? How can someone justify such
an act against young children and their families? The arson investigators at the North Vancouver Fire Department
don't know who. Do you? If you can provide any information that could help solve this crime,
you can help by calling Crime Stoppers at 604-669-8477. Calls are anonymous.
FRANCOPHONE EDUCATION AUTHORITY DEMANDS LITTLE RASCALS LEAVE PREMISES BY JUNE 30. June 10, 2003
Little Rascals has just received a letter from our Landlord, the
Francophone Education Authority of BC, demanding that LRD vacate the premises
by June 30 - only 20 days from now. The FEA cites the need to commence construction
of their new school on July 2nd as the reason - this construction includes the
renovation of the Annex building in which Little Rascals now temporarily resides and expected to
remain until September 1.
View letter from FEA received June 9.
LRD was under the assumption that a staggered 2-stage approach to construction would occur. The main school
building first this summer, then the renovations to the annex when LRD moves to the new facility September 1.
The FEA, perhaps unintentianally, has led us and the District of North Vancouver to believe that LRD would
continue to be accomodated in the Annex building on the Ecole Andre Piolat property.
Numerous discussions to this effect were had between LRD and the FEA project managers.
It is also LRD's understanding that discussions recently occured between the FEA and the District of
North Vancouver indicating that the FEA we're incorporating a strategy into their construction schedule
that involved accomodating LRD.
Little Rascals has informed the parent association (Delbrook Partnership
for Quality Childcare Association - DPQC) and both parties are currently
preparing a response to the FEA. A review of the agreement between the FEA will also be taken.
The first consideration is of the notice period required to a tenant. LRD believes that the minimum required
notice period on a month to month tenancy agreement would put the date of August 1 as the earliest date that
LRD could be evicted by.
Also under review by LRD is the tenancy agreement signed a year ago by the FEA. It is the understanding of LRD
that the FEA agreed to accomodate LRD until the new Daycare facility was completed.
View the FEA Agreement
LRD continues to emphasize the imortance of preventing a disruption to childcare services for the 148 children
that attend Little Rascals and their families. The FEA's new school project is significantly impacting the community
by either closing down important community services or forcing them to relocate. The new childcare facility, slated
to open beside Delbrook Recreation Centre in September, is the only alternative for the majority of the families
of Little Rascals. Considering the impact the FEA is having on the community, the families at LRD feel that it is
encumbent upon the FEA to prevent a childcare crisis by allowing the LRD to remain on site until the new facility is complete.
MUNICIPAL COUNTER PETITION DELAYS CONSTRUCTION UNTIL JUNE April 7, 2003
The long anticipated construction of the new 4500 sq ft childcare
facility by the Delbrook Partnership for Quality Childcare Association
(DPQC) beside the Delbrook Recreation Centre will be further delayed by
the District of North Vancouver to allow for a Counter-Petition to be
held regarding leasing the land for the proposed facility.
The new facility, to be owned and managed by the DPQC and where Little Rascals will move it's 130
families to, was originally planned to open by Christmas 2002.
Prolonged legal negotiations with the District of North Vancouver and
the other parties involved, as well as the recent decision by the D.N.V.
to have a Counter-Petition, are jeopardizing Little Rascals ability to
ensure continued care for it's children until the new facility opens.
Little Rascals' current landlord, Francophone School District 93 (Francophone Education
Authority) started redeveloping the property where Little Rascals currently resides as part of it's plan
to build a new school facility. Demolition of the main school building was completed in February
with Little Rascals now holed up in the adjacent Annex building.
School District 93 was hoping that the
new DPQC facility would have been completed by January 2003 so as not to delay
or complicate their own demolition and construction schedule. Little
Rascals is operating on borrowed time, thanks to the patience and graciousness of
School District 93. But how long will this be extended?
As the children and families continue to wait and worry about their
future, the District Council today approved the 30 day
Counter-Petition process. The public will be given an opportunity to, in effect,
vote against the proposed lease to the DPQC. If 5% or more of the
eloctorate oppose the lease through the Counter-Petition, then the
Council will not grant the lease and the new facility will not be
constructed. Though there is little opposition anticipated against this crucial project,
the DNV's legal department, in light of recent challenges to previous DNV leases, recommended
that the Council do the Counter-Petition to ensure that there would be no legal challenges against the lease in
the future.
In the mean time, while the children and families wait for all the
bureaucracy and legalities to conclude, there is no other location for
Little Rascals' large operation to move. If the Francophone School
District insists on Little Rascals vacating the Annex building before
the completion of the planned faclity, Little Rascals would be forced to
close, stranding 130-150 children, ages 2 to 11. Due to the already
existing shortage of childcare spaces in the District and in North
Vancouver, it is estimated that only about 25% of these children would
find a new childcare facility within a reasonable distance from home or
school. Almost all of the school-aged children would be faced with a permanent
loss of childcare services since school aged (Before and After School) care is in
the greatest shortage with waitlists for school aged care being common
at most group childcare facilities.
The next important date that everyone awaits is May 16. The Counter-Petition will close and
a final tally will be known. Assuming that the results are positive, then everyone must wait until June 2
for the Council to review the results and vote on the approval of the lease to the DPQC.
It's been 2 and a half years since the DPQC project commenced. Over 400 children, parents, childcare
workers and dependents wait with fingers crossed in the hope that the shovels can finally break ground in June.
To read more about the plight of the children and families at Little Rascals
read this recent article on page 3 of the North Shore Outlook.
DOWNLOADS SECTION BACK ONLINE Nov 19, 2002
The website is now moved to a new webhost (StormWeb.ca) and there is now 200Mb to store the children's
software in the downloads section. As of yesterday all children's software in the Little Rascals downloads
section can again be downloaded. Next on the list is to update the links section.
CYa! Mark.
NEW LIFE FOR LITTLERASCALS.CA Nov 13, 2002
The Little Rascals website was first put online about 6 years ago. As time went by, I found myself
becoming VERY busy with business and life and general. The Little Rascals website has been neglected by
me because of this and because there wasn't very many visitors to the website. Recently I started
receiving lots of email from visitors to the website.
After a little research, I was very surprised to find that starting in August, visits to this website skyrocketed
from 250 a month to 75,000+ a month! It looks like this is mainly because the website has been given a high
placement at the MSN search engines. Well, now that so many people are coming to littlerascals.ca , I
think it's time to fix up the website and make sure everything is working properly. Over the next few weeks,
I will do this as well as start adding new things for young children and parents. If you have suggestions,
encouragement or just want to say Hi, send me a message at hello@littlerascals.ca.
In the mean time, please bookmark (add it to your favourites list) this
website and come back regulrly to check out the changes... CYa! Mark.
Additional Preschool Enrollment Now Available Sept 7, 2002
To accomodate more children, we have opened a 3/4 Preschool program. If you are still looking for Preschool for the
2002/2003 school year let us know right away. Telephone: 604-987-3168. Email: preschool@littlerascals.ca
New Facility Update Sept 7, 2002
In July, the North Vancouver District Council approved the Delbrook Partnership for
Quality Childcare Association (DPQC), comprised of the parents attending
Little Rascals Daycare and Preschool, a 20 year lease at the Delbrook Receration Facility.
This news was well recieved by all of the partners in the project. In August the building
permit application was submitted to the District and we anticipate recieving the building
permit within a month. The progess of the project has been moving
forward but there are a number of issues still to be finalized. For this
reason, the opening of the new facility will be a few months later than
anticipated. If you have questions regarding the project you can contact the Project Manager,
Mark Lightfoot, by telephone at 1-604-740-9951, or by email at project@littlerascals.ca .
Parents to Build New Childcare Facility May 20, 2002
The parents of Little Rascals Daycare have formed a new association called the Delbrook Partnership for Quality
Childcare (DPQC). The DPQC will now build and own the new childcare facility that Little Rascals was to have built.
The new facility will be located next to the Delbrook Recreation Centre in North Vancouver and is expected to
open as soon as October 2002. The new facility will provide childcare for all of the families
currently attending Little Rascals' location on West Kings and to the community at large. The current Little Rascals location (Ecole Andre Piolat)
is slated for demolition later this year. Little Rascals, including all 14 staff will move to the new building
and continue to provide the same great programs that are currently provided at West Kings. For more information
about the new facility, call Mark at 1-604-740-9951.
CLASS OF 2001 UNDERWAY - Sept 6, 2000
This week marks the beginning of the new Preschool year and school year. Lots of new faces and lots of
classroom changes for our new and returning children. This week is also by far the busiest week for Little Rascals
staff too. A lot of planning and work has gone into making sure that all the new changes occur as smooth as can be.
Everyone at Little Rascals, staff, parents and children are all very excited. So many new faces, so many new
experiences. We are all looking forward to this, our 20th year in Daycare, and 8th in Preschool, as being the best
year yet. A special welcome to all who get around to visiting out website! Have a look around! Try out our
educational activity called ALPHABET NET in the ACTIVITIES section with your preschooler. Next you can
visit some of the many pre-selected websites for preschoolers, just by going to our LINKS section. We also have
lots of free educational software for you to download for children ages 2 - 6 in our SOFTWARE section. Try it
out! You can also submit your child's art which we will display in our ART GALLERY. There's lot's of fun and
educational things for you and your child on the internet and you can always use the Little Rascals website as your
starting point to explore. Enjoy!!! Please e-mail us to let us know you visited the Little Rascals website. ... Mark
Lease Update - July 1, 2000
June was initially a trying month for the families and staff of Little Rascals Daycare and Preschool.
As our families are aware, the Francophone Education Authority (FEA) tried to back out of their agreement to
renew our lease at the West Kings Centre. This was a surprise and a shock to everyone. It was wonderful to see
the quick and united response of our families to protest this turn of events. The offices of the FEA were
inundated with concerned and angry phone calls immediately. Hundreds of calls and faxes were also sent to numerous
other agencies and offices including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Children and Families, North Shore
Health, the Premier's office, local MLA's and MP's and the local press. The press was soon involved and the FEA was
informed that a story was to be published in both the North Shore News and The Vancouver Sun. For our part, legal
action was initiated. The amazing and immediate response of everyone involved clearly took the FEA by surprise. Within
2 days of informing our families of this situation, the FEA changed their minds and presented, in person,
to our Director Sigrid Lightfoot, a new lease. The parents of Little Rascals should be very proud! Not only has your right
to attend the daycare/preschool of your choice been retained and a stable childcare situation maintained for your children but
a message has been clearly sent to the FEA and our government that the families of Little Rascals are relevant and cannot
be deleted from the equation just because it is convenient for administrators, board members and bureaucrats to do so. Sigrid,
myself and the staff thank you all for your quick and overwhelming response! We will continue to honour your support of Little
Rascals Daycare and Preschool by maintaining the best possible service for you and your families. Enjoy your summer! --- Mark.
WEBSITE UPDATE - May 25, 2000
Regular visitors will have noticed that there has not been any updates for a while. I apologize for that.
Unfortunately, I do not have the spare time right now to add new things to our site and this will likely
stay this way till summer is over. However, we do have a large list of great kids links that should always keep you busy.
When things aren't so busy for me I would like to add more content to our site and improve the overall function
and appearance. Till then.... Mark
LRD Lease Renewed at West Kings - May 20, 2000
Little Rascals has been working with the new owners of our building (the Francophone Education Authority) to
renew our lease. This has finally been accomplished though at this time the terms are not all settled. The details
and future arrangements will be provided to all our families as they are settled. It is the intention and privilege
of Little Rascals to continue to provide quality daycare and preschool services to the families of North Vancouver
for decades to come. --- Mark
UPDATE - Mar 20, 2000
1. The missing sound files in ALPHABET NET have been replaced. If anyone has other problems with ALPHABET NET
please let me know at
.
2. Thanks to Tasha and Natasha from Little Rascals for their recordings for the letters O and U
and their special sound effects for UFO!!! Parents can submit recordings of their children saying the names of
any of the animals, objects or letters in ALPHABET NET and I'll happily use them to replace the recordings of
my own voice. Please make recordings in WAV format, preferably in 8 bit MONO to minimize size.
3. The downloads section has turned out to be more popular than I expected. For this reason I'll probably
make a much larger selection of software available as time permits. I've got lot's of educational software
on my hard drive to test. I'll get to it and make it available ASAP. Keep checking in. ---Mark
LINKS SECTION UPDATED - Feb 28, 2000
New links have been added and old ones updated in our Links Section. Check it out! ---Mark
EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS - Feb 25, 2000
I've just opened the new
DOWNLOAD Area . Here you will be able to freely download a variety of educational software designed for
preschoolers. There are 11 programs to start with and I'm hoping to make 40 to 50 available over the next month.
---Mark
LRP WEBSITE GOING SOUTH - Feb 7, 2000
To save costs and due to nominal interest, I've decided to close our locally (Vancouver) based website that
is for Little Rascals clientele only. We will keep our U.S. based website running as it is getting quite busy and all webhost
costs are paid for by advertisers. The new site is virtually identical to the private one. Little Rascals clients can now
reach our website by clicking on this address.
www.crosswinds.net/~littlerascals . Please update your bookmarks or favourites. --- Mark
IMPORTANT NOTICE - Feb 4, 2000
If you have been reaching Little Rascals using
matrix.crosswinds.net/~littlerascals/
please note that you must use the standard form of our web address
www.crosswinds.net/~littlerascals/
from now on. Within a week or so, the first address will stop functioning.
Please update your bookmarks or favourites. Thanks. ---Mark
LITTLE RASCALS PARENTS,YOUR OPINIONS PLEASE!
- Jan 31, 2000
The Little Rascals site was re-introduced to the parents & children of Little Rascals Preschool & Daycare about 2 months ago.
Since then I've been tracking the amount of visits that occur to our site and how much each section of the site is used.
On average, there is one visitor per day to the private site (for Little Rascals clientele only), and is usually the
same few people re-visiting. The links section is the most accessed section of the site. Alphabet Net, our on-line
Preschool activity has only been played 2 times since December 1, but has been checked out many times. In all honesty,
I'd hoped that the site would be used more, and especially Alphabet Net. Since September 1, 1999, I've only received
comments from 2 people to whom I'm very grateful. Without any feedback I'm in the dark as to why our site isn't being
utilized that much by Little Rascals parents. Just click on the comments button on the left and let us know what you
think of the site. What you would like added? Does everything display properly? Have you tried Alphabet Net with your
child? Does he/she like it? Is it too slow or too boring? How do you find the links? Are they useful to you and your
child? Or are you just too busy to go online with your child? Please take 2 minutes and let us know so that we can make
things better. Thanks! ---Mark
LINKS SECTION UPDATED - Jan 26, 2000
I've added some new links for you to visit and I've refreshed the existing links at the
LITTLE RASCALS LINKS page. Try them and let me know what you think. If you've got any other favourite kids or parenting
links, please let me know and I'll add them to our list. ---Mark
WELCOME CANADIAN KIDS! - Jan 20, 2000
Welcome to our new friends linking in from the Canadian Kids Homepage!
For those who have not visited the Canadian Kids Homepage, you'll find a big set of categorized links for kids of all ages including
a list for PRESCHOOLERS. Check it out! ---Mark
UPDATE - Jan 3, 2000
Happy New Year everyone!!! I've recently noticed that some of the LRD pages display differently with MS Explorer than
with Netscape, which is what I always use. I've fixed the biggest glitches. Some of the graphics do not fit the way I
expected on the pages and there are some differences in the colours. I will work on this some more when I get a chance.
---Mark
NEW KIDS GALLERY - Dec 18, 1999
The Little Rascals Gallery is now open! See art from our preschool and 3-5's room. The amount of art
on display will grow continuously as I receive more from Julie, Bernadette, Patti and Sara. If you have
some art from your child that you'd like on display, please forward it to me at LRD or you can
e-mail it to me at
. ---Mark
SECOND LITTLE RASCALS WEBSITE - Dec 16, 1999
Little Rascals Net now has a second location that is open to the general public (planet wide!). Little Rascals
clientelle and Lower Mainland residents should continue to access LR Net from the same address as before,
which is a private unpublished address. The new location is for the general public and contains additional
advertising which is regulated by the U.S. web host and not Little Rascals. This second address is
http://www.crosswinds.net/~rascals and can be used as a back-up site
if our main site isn't functioning.---Mark
DETAILS OF COMPUTER DONATION - Dec 9, 1999
Today we received 4 Pentium computer systems from Fluor Daniel Inc. which is a large
international company with offices located in downtown Vancouver. The 2 people who made this possible at
Fluor Daniel are Irvin Kutney (engineer)
and Rob Melnyk (systems analyst). Irvin's daughter Chandler attended both the Preschool and Daycare until recently
graduating to Kindergarten. Irvin approached us over a year ago about pursuing the possibility of a donation.
It's taken a while to come to fruition but it was well worth the wait. A big THANK YOU from everyone at
Little Rascals to Irvin, Rob, and Fluor Daniel. Now the process of preparing the
systems begins. Each system will require hardware upgrading, the installation of our software, as well as a good cleaning.
Two of the 3 systems currently operating will be retired due to obsolescence. If all the donated equipment functions properly
we should have a system in each class, in the computer lab, and in the office for administration by early 2000.---Mark
LRD RECEIVES ANOTHER COMPUTER DONATION - Dec 1, 1999
More good news for the kids! Though the details aren't ironed out quite yet, I have received confirmation
today that we will receive some more computers as a donation from a local corporation. I will update this
information when the final details are confirmed. The configuration and condition of the computers as well as the
equipment they come with will dictate how long it will take before they are in our classrooms. I think it's
safe to say January. ---Mark
LRD RECEIVES COMPUTER DONATION - Nov 1, 1999
Good news! Scott and Sharon Warner from Prudential Sussex Realty have donated a Pentium 75 to LRD
as they are upgrading to a newer system. With funds from October's fundraising campaign we will add a monitor and the
required peripherals and software to give us a complete system which will be added to the KINDERCARE
room. Thanks Scott and Sharon! We are hoping to combine the remaining funds with another donation
to add 2 or more computers to our programs. ---Mark
Oct 31, 1999
More changes and updates have been completed. A new articled has been added about
children and internet safety called A MATTER of EXTREMES
(click on the title). This is an important subject for you as a parent so please read it.
Alphabet Net, our own online preschool activity is done, except for the letter Y. I just don't
have any pictures (clipart) of things that start with Y. When I do, I'll add them.
I've started work on a new activity which I'll probably call TRON. Children will identify
shapes or animals depending on which theme is picked. This activity is a lot easier to put
together than ALPHABET NET and I should have a rough version online within a few weeks.
---Mark
Oct 4, 1999
This week, the preschool's computer learning program starts, which the children
are very excited about. Our web site has had some minor visual changes and has been
streamlined a little so it loads to your screen quicker. The links section has
been updated and expanded. There are some great link sites to visit like
Berit's Best for Kids
. If you find any good sites, please let me know so I can add them to our list. ---- Mark
Sept 29, 1999
Our site has been dormant for the last year due to lack of response and
lack of time on my part. The fall of 1999 will bring changes and updates
to our site. I plan on completing the remaining letters in Alphabet Net
as well as starting a new activity. I haven't decided if I'm going to base
it on math, animals, or critical thinking/memory skills. I'd also like to start
posting the newsletters for each Daycare and Preschool room too. I will also try
to add a lot more links for parents and children. Stay tuned!! ---- Mark
April 15, 1999
TEDDY BEAR DAYCARE ASSUMES BROOKSBANK OPERATION
Little Rascals has sold it's Brooksbank (LRD#2) daycare facility to Teddy Bear
Daycare. A seamless transition of ownership has occurred and parents can
expect to see no changes in staffing. LRD#2 provides care for up to 12 toddlers
(18 months to 3 years) and 23 preschoolers (age 3-5). ---- Mark
Jan 1, 1999
LITTLE RASCALS OPENS NEW LOCATION
Little Rascals Daycare and Preschool is now operating a second preschool.
Our new location is at Delbrook Plaza at the back of the complex. For now
we will operate a scaled down 3 & 4 preschool class in the morning. Starting
Sept 1999 the location will have seperate 3 and 4 programs as well as an
out of school program. Julie Foster will supervise all programs at the new
location. ---- Mark
Oct 1, 1998
ALPHABET NET is our first online activity I've created and is found in
"KID's PLACE". Please try this activity out with your child and let me
know how it worked. Did the pictures and sounds load fast enough? Was the
activity presented in such a way that your child could intuitively figure
out what to do? Did your child enjoy the activity or did he/she lose
interest?
Our main challenge with ALPHABET NET was to keep the graphics and sounds
simple enough so that they would load quickly to your screen and not
cause delays that would result in children losing interest in the activity.
I've attempted to do this without the use of plug-ins or scripts. This
should eliminate compatibility problems and inconveniences for all. ----Mark
Sept 1, 1998
LITTLE RASCALS NET NOW ONLINE
Our site is officially online now though there is still much to do. The
primary purpose of our site is to provide interactive educational activities
for young children ages 2 - 5. Also provided is a list of web sites
with online activities for young children and parents. Unfortunately,
there is a shortage of good interactive sites for preschoolers out there.
The ones selected are the better ones I've found to date. If you
know of any good sites, please let me know. ---- Mark
