OSC FAQs

REGISTRATION

How do I register my child/ren for Before & After school program?
There is a $150 one-time registration fee (per child).

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 All payments will be withdrawn on the first of each month.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 childcare under the Ministry of Human Services. For more information or to apply for childcare 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 summertime 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?
Yes—if space is available! Children are welcome to join the Trico Centre Out of School Care Program mid-year, provided we have not reached full capacity.

If the program is full at the time of your inquiry, we’ll be happy to place your child(ren) on our waitlist and contact you as soon as a spot becomes available.

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 get to use the full Trico Centre facility, like the ice arena, pool, fitness centre, and gymnasium?
Absolutely! Children enrolled in the Trico Centre Out of School Care Program enjoy full access to our recreation facility, including the skating rink, pool, and gymnasium as part of their daily and weekly activities.

For those in our Innovators Program (Grades 5 & 6), the experience expands even further—with supervised access to the Fitness Centre and select equipment, helping them build confidence, strength, and healthy habits in a safe and supported environment.

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. No care provided during the winter break.

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.

Is the Middle School (Grade 5–6) program different from the Elementary (Grade 1–4) program?
Yes—and it’s designed that way on purpose! Our Middle School group, known as the Innovators Program, offers a unique experience tailored to older kids who are ready for a little more freedom, challenge, and responsibility.

As part of this exciting program, Innovators help create their own routines and schedules at the beginning of the year, giving them a real sense of ownership and independence. They enjoy their very own space—customized with their ideas and input—and get access to recreation amenities, including the Fitness Centre (with limited equipment use and staff guidance).

One of the coolest perks? With parent permission, Innovators may take part in distal supervision, giving them a taste of independence in a safe and structured way. Whether it’s trying out new leadership roles, problem-solving as a team, or exploring their creativity, the Innovators Program is all about helping kids grow into confident, capable young leaders.

What is your Child Guidance Policy?
At Trico Centre, we believe in guiding children with patience, empathy, and respect. Our approach focuses on helping children learn positive social skills, build self-awareness, develop problem-solving abilities, and navigate conflict in healthy and constructive ways.

Our leaders understand that each child is unique, and we take into account their age, developmental stage, and any relevant background information when addressing challenging behaviours. Rather than discipline, our focus is on support and redirection—helping children make better choices in a safe and nurturing environment.

We use a variety of gentle, consistent child guidance strategies, including:

• Redirection: Gently guiding children toward more positive and appropriate choices when challenges arise.

• Logical & Natural Consequences: Helping children understand the impact of their actions through consequences that are directly related to their choices. Wherever possible, children are included in choosing or understanding these outcomes.

• Positive Reinforcement: Celebrating and encouraging positive behaviours with consistent praise, encouragement, and role modeling.

• Regrouping & Restructuring: Adjusting group dynamics or activities when needed to maintain a positive, inclusive, and safe environment.

• Humour: Used thoughtfully and appropriately, humour can ease tension and help children feel more at ease in challenging situations.

• Modeling: Leaders model respectful, kind, and cooperative behaviour to inspire and guide children toward similar interactions with peers.

• Providing Choices: Offering children options helps them feel empowered and more in control of their actions, promoting better decision-making.

• Anticipating: Leaders work proactively to prevent conflict by setting up the environment for success and addressing potential issues before they escalate.

• Planned Ignoring: In certain situations, minor behaviours may be intentionally overlooked in favour of reinforcing positive behaviours, provided it is safe and appropriate to do so.

• Reflection: When challenges arise, leaders support children in reflecting on their actions and discussing how they might respond differently in the future.

Our goal is to create a caring, respectful atmosphere where every child feels valued, understood, and supported as they learn and grow.

Does Trico OSC have a Kindergarten program?
Trico Centre Out of School Program is licensed for children in grades 1-6.

Does Trico OSC offer drop-in care?
At this time the Trico Centre Out of School Program offers monthly childcare. 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. Our program does not provide Drop-in care.

DAY AT TRICO OSC

What should my child bring for a fun and successful day in your care?
To help your child have the best experience possible, please be sure to send them with a few daily essentials. A comfortable pair of indoor running shoes will keep them ready for action, and a refillable water bottle helps them stay hydrated throughout their busy day. We ask that all snacks be nut-free to ensure a safe environment for everyone.

On longer days—such as PD days or early dismissals—please pack a nutritious lunch along with a few extra snacks to keep those growing bodies fueled and happy.

We also do our best to spend as much time outside as possible, regardless of the season—fresh air and outdoor play are a big part of our day! Please make sure your child comes dressed for the weather, with appropriate outdoor gear such as a jacket, boots, hat, gloves, or sunhat, depending on the season. Being well-prepared for the outdoors ensures your child can fully participate, stay comfortable, and enjoy every part of their day—rain, snow, or shine!

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, absolutely! It is very important that you report your child’s absence anytime they will not be attending the Trico Out of School Care program.

Due to the large number of schools and children we serve, unreported absences can cause significant delays during our sign-in process and impact the flow of the entire program. When a child is unexpectedly missing, our staff must immediately pause to confirm their whereabouts, which can create concern and hold up transitions for other students.

To help us keep all children safe and our day running smoothly, please report absences by calling our absence line at 403-225-5568 and leaving a voicemail, or by emailing us at outofschoolcare@tricocentre.ca as early as possible.

Your cooperation ensures we can give every child the attention and care they deserve—thank you!

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 kinds of activities do we engage in with the children?
Our dedicated staff are actively involved in creating meaningful experiences for the children, offering a wide range of developmentally appropriate and age-specific activities that reflect their interests and curiosities. We make use of various multi-purpose rooms to explore hands-on science experiments, creative arts and crafts, and imaginative play. Children also enjoy plenty of opportunities for physical activity through sports and group games, whether in the gymnasium or outdoors. As part of a vibrant recreation centre, we’re able to enhance our program with exciting amenities like swimming, skating, and other recreational experiences that keep children engaged, active, and having fun.

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 childcare?
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?
At Trico Centre, we recognize the importance of fresh air and outdoor play in a child’s day. Whenever weather permits, we make it a priority to spend as much time as possible outside, giving children the chance to explore, move, and connect with nature. Our outdoor time is more than just play—it’s an opportunity for physical activity, social interaction, and creative exploration in the open air. During the warmer months, we often extend our programming outdoors, bringing snacks, lunches, crafts, and group activities outside to make the most of the sunshine. Whether it’s a nature walk, a game of soccer, or a quiet moment under a tree with a craft, outdoor time is an integral and joyful part of our daily routine.