OSC FAQs

REGISTRATION

How do I register my child/ren for Before & After school program?
You can complete the registration form: 2024/2025 OSC Registration Form. There is a $75 one-time registration fee (per family).

What types of payments are accepted? How are payments made?
Upon registration parents must provide a credit card number or complete a pre-authorized debit form with a void cheque. All payments will be withdrawn on the first of each month.

Can I get a tax receipt for the year?
Yes, Child Care Tax receipts are issued yearly by the end of February. They will be sent via email using the email that is attached to your Trico Membership Account.

Is there subsidy available?
Our program is fully subsidized for child care under the Ministry of Human Services. For more information or to apply for child care subsidy please go to https://www.alberta.ca/child-care-subsidy.aspx. If you have been approved for subsidy inform the Director upon registration.

What is your cancellation policy?
For any changes, cancelations or withdrawals the Trico Centre Out of School Care program requires 30 days written notice on or before the first of the month.

Are PD days included in the monthly fee?
An additional fee of $40.00/child per full PD Day is required for families registered in only one component. For families registered in two components – PD days, Fall Break, Teacher’s Convention, and Spring Break are included within the monthly fees.

Is the program open over Winter Break and Summer Break?
No, the Trico Centre Out of School Care Program is closed over winter and summer break; however, the Trico Centre runs day camps during summer time for families who require care. Information about summer break can be found on our website or you can contact the child/youth/day camp coordinator at programs@tricocentre.ca

How do I register for a PD day/ school breaks/ fieldtrip?
Families will create a Trico account which will be used to register online for PD days and other school breaks. There is always an option of registering at Guest Services.

Can I join the waitlist? How does the waitlist work?
You can email us at outofschoolcare@tricocentre.ca to join the waitlist. Once the registration process for the next school year begins, you will be contacted. When a spot opens up, our waitlist shows us who is the next family to contact. Based on their circumstances the parent/guardian chooses whether they want to fill the vacancy. If they choose to do so, they would register and enter the program and then would be taken off the waitlist. If the family declines the opportunity at that moment, they can decide if they would like to remain on the waitlist or maybe they no longer require childcare so they will be asked whether or not they want to continue to be waitlisted.

Can I speak to someone directly?
Yes, you can always call us at 403.225.5553 or email us at outofschoolcare@tricocentre.ca for any questions, concerns and suggestions.

Can children join mid-year? 
If our program has not reached full capacity, your child(ren) can join mid-year. If the Trico Centre Out of School Care Program cannot accommodate your needs at that time we will put you on the waitlist.

PROGRAM

What are your closure days?
The Trico Centre Out of School Care Program is closed on these occasions: Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Winter Break, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, and Summer Break (July-August).

Do children use Trico Centre facility in its entirety (Ice Arena, Pool, Fitness, Gymnasium)?
Children attending the Trico Centre Out of School Care Program have full use of the recreation centre – skating rink, the pool and the gymnasium. The children attending the Innovators program (grades 5 & 6) also have supervised access to the Fitness Centre.

Hours of care on PD days/School Breaks? 
On Professional Development Days and School Breaks, the Trico Centre Out of School Care program is open 6:45am-6:00pm.

How often do you go on fieldtrips? Does it cost extra?
The Trico Centre Out of School Program supports off-site excursion to facilitate the educational value and community awareness to our students. The Trico Centre OSC Program plans as many off-site excursions as possible throughout the school year. We try our best to minimize the cost of the fieldtrips which would usually mean that the extra cost would be the price of admission/ticket and additional bus fee depending on the number of children registered.

What is your child guidance policy?
The role of the leader is to guide children in developing problem solving skills, positive social skills, and assist with conflict resolution. When utilizing child guidance techniques, the leader will always keep in mind the child’s age, developmental stage and information collected that may pertain to the cause of the behaviour. Our leaders will make use of the following child guidance strategies when working to correct undesirable behaviours:

• REDIRECTION: Leaders will work with the child guide their behaviours toward more positive and appropriate choices.
• LOGICAL AND NATURAL CONSEQUENCES: Natural consequences are those that naturally follow a choice/behaviour where logical consequences are chosen in correspondence with the behaviour. When possible, children are given the ability to choose their own consequences following an inappropriate behaviour or leaders will provide choices for the child to choose from.
• POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT: Leaders will act as a positive role model for the children while also giving children regular and consistent positive feedback for desirable behaviours.
• REGROUPING AND RESTRUCTURING: Leaders will change the constellation of the group when they sense that behaviours are beginning to become unsafe. Leaders will rearrange a situation to allow for behaviours to move into a more positive direction.
• HUMOR: A sense of humor is critical and helps the child to relax and reduces tension in stressful situations. Leaders will utilize humor only when appropriate to help defuse stress or lessen the seriousness of the moment.
• MODELING: Leaders will encourage children to interact positively and respectfully with others through modeling respectful interactions, encouraging positive relationships, developing problem-solving skills and providing leadership opportunities.
• PROVIDING CHOICES: When inappropriate behaviours arise leaders will give child a variety of options to assist them in making more appropriate choices.
• ANTICIPATING: Leaders will make all attempts to be proactive rather than reactive in their behaviour management techniques. Leaders will supervise children and intervene when they see potential problems arising and will set up the environment to help avoid conflict.
• PLANNED IGNORING: Some inappropriate behaviors can be ignored with more attention being placed onto the appropriate/positive behaviors. Leaders will utilize planned ignoring only when it is safe and acceptable to do so.
• REFLECTION: Children and leaders will reflect on the child’s behaviours as well as the consequences following an event. This is done for self-reflective purposes as well as a tool for preventing inappropriate behaviours going forward.

Any action taken will be within reason according to the circumstances: 

• No child will be threatened or denied basic necessities, nor will physical punishment, verbal degradation, or emotional deprivation be used as a form of discipline.
• The use of physical restraint, confinement, and isolation are strictly prohibited within the program.
• The Trico Centre Out of School Care Program reserves the right to discontinue services to those children who pose an immediate threat to the safety and well-being of themselves or others.
• Whatever the action taken, the child is made aware of the reasoning behind the action or consequence.

Is Middle school (grade 5-6) program different from the Elementary school (grade 1-4) program?
Our Middle school program is called the Innovators Program and it does differ from the Elementary school programming. Due to the nature of the grade 5/6 program and our goal to develop independence, the children in the Innovators program will agree on their own schedule and the routines at the beginning of each year. Our Innovators have their own space that they help design, they have access to recreation facility (including the Fitness Centre-with limited access to equipment) and also have an opportunity to enjoy the privilege of distal supervision with parent consent required. As they are eager to take on new roles and responsibilities, we want to work with them to help them develop and grow their sense of independence, autonomy and effective problem-solving skills.

Does Trico OSC have a Kindi program?
At this time, the Trico Centre Out of School Program is only offering care for those in grades 1-6.

Does Trico OSC offer drop-in care?
At this time the Trico Centre Out of School Program offers monthly child care. We have a one component or two component options for our families which means providing childcare for only AM or PM hours or both before and after school. We are not available for drop-in care.

DAY AT TRICO OSC

What should I pack for my child/ren while in your care?
All children should have a pair of indoor running shoes, their own water bottle as well as a nut-free snack daily. On longer days, such as PD days or early dismissal days, make sure to pack a suitable lunch and additional snacks.

Does Trico OSC provide meals/snacks?
Parents/guardians are responsible for packing all the meals/snacks for their child(ren). Please note that Trico Centre Out of School Care Program is a NUT-FREE program. There are emergency snacks available in case your child has no food left over from school, with allergies and dietary restrictions in mind. When emergency snacks are distributed, we communicate with the families to pack more snacks for the child(ren).

If my child is not attending Trico OSC, do I need to report their absence?
Yes, the best place to report your child(ren)’s absence is leaving a voicemail on our absence line at 403-225-5568 or you can email us at outofschoolcare@tricocentre.ca.

Are children supervised all the time?
Yes. The role of the staff is to ensure that children are being supervised safely and are engaged with your children at all times while they are in the care of the program. Supervision begins as soon as children arrive in our care for the day and ends upon a parent/guardian arriving for pick-up.

What are my responsibilities as a parent? 
As a parent/guardian you are responsible for arrival and departure which means letting staff know when you are picking up/dropping off so staff can sign your child(ren) in & out of program, communicating with the program of any updates regarding your child(ren), reporting absences, providing food, and weather appropriate clothing for your child(ren).

What kind of activities do we engage in with the children?
Our staff is committed to present and engage with children in various activities that are developmentally and age appropriate, and of course, aligned with their current interests. Different multi-purpose rooms are used to deliver variety of science, art and craft activities. We also provide many opportunities for sports activities and games, whether in the gymnasium or outside. Being situated within a recreation centre gives us the added opportunities to offer recreational activities such as swimming and skating.

Do children have access to technology?
Trico Centre Out of School Program is primarily a technology free program with a few exceptions. Occasionally we have a movie day, and we also have a Nintendo Switch in the Innovators room that is used on a very limited basis amongst the program.

Can parents/families visit our spaces?
The Trico Centre Out of School Care Program operates with an open-door policy. Families are permitted, welcomed and encouraged to visit the program during hours of operation to observe their children while in the program and become familiar with the leaders and educators.

Are all staff certified in child care?
The Trico Centre Out of School Care Program follows the staffing requirements that are set out within the Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Regulations. This requires that all staff to be certified as a Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 ECE. In addition, all staff must be current in first aid/CPR as well as have their up-to-date police check with the vulnerable sector check completed. We have a fun and dynamic team of childcare professionals whose primary role within the program is to provide top quality care.

Do children spend time outdoors?
We do our best to spend as much time as we can outside, of course depending on the weather. During the warmer months we sometimes even bring our snack/lunch, activities and crafts outside.