Dear Early Childhood Fast-Track Students,

Welcome to the Early Childhood Education Program. You have worked hard to be accepted into the Early Childhood Education Program at Conestoga College and we commend you on your success.

This handbook has been prepared to provide further information about academic standards, guidelines and processes specific to the Early Childhood Program. Reading, understanding and following the information in this handbook is an important first step in your continued success in this program and your chosen profession. The handbook has been compiled with careful consideration for your personal and professional growth during your time at the college. If you do not understand any of the information in this handbook, please ask the faculty, Program Coordinator or Chair for an explanation.

Use the index in this handbook as your guide and the contents as your continuous reference as you proceed through the program. The Early Childhood Education faculty will refer to the handbook often, but the responsibility for knowing the program standards is ultimately yours.

In addition to the ECE Program Handbook, the Conestoga Student Guide outlines important policies and procedures for you to follow. The ECE Program Handbook is a supplement to, but not a replacement for, the Conestoga Student Guide.

We are here to help you have a successful experience. Should you experience difficulty or need assistance in any area of your studies, please come and speak with us, and we will work with you to help you reach your career goal of becoming an early childhood educator.

All the very best to you in your studies. 

Sincerely,

Goranka Vukelich, Executive Dean, School of Community Services
ECE Program Learning Team

Program Description Early Childhood Education - Fast Track

The Early Childhood Education Fast Track program will provide students with the knowledge and skills to work with young children in the area of early learning and care. In this diploma program, graduates of university programs will build on their existing knowledge and experience in order to learn about planning developmentally responsive learning experiences for children from infancy to school age. In addition, students will be provided with information critical to developing relationships and working with parents as partners in the delivery of early learning and care, and their professional role as future early childhood educators.

Program Beliefs

Our Beliefs about Children, their Development and Learning

We believe that:

• Early development sets the foundation for life-long learning, behaviour, and health Children are active participants in the learning process
• Children are competent, curious, and motivated learners
• Children are individuals who begin to make sense of their world from the moment they are born Children develop and learn best in a supportive environment that includes a balance of child-guided and teacher-guided experiences
• Play and creativity are the foundations for a quality program for children Individuality must be respected and accommodated at all times
• All parts of the program, from the moment the children come into the moment until they leave, contribute equally to the curriculum
• The holistic development of individual children and groups of children is respected and accommodated
• The education, learning and care of young children involves a partnership with each child's family within the context of community
• Each child can best be understood within the context of that child's family and community, Children's development of positive self-esteem is fundamental to healthy growth and development, and optimal learning.

Our Beliefs about Those Who Care and Educate Children

We believe those early childhood educators:

• Are thoroughly grounded in child development knowledge and demonstrate strong observational and listening skills
• Respect the Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice described by the College of Early Childhood Educators
• Plan thoughtful and engaging learning experiences for children based on the skills, abilities, and interests demonstrated by the children
• Are capable of working with all children and families
• Establish and maintain collaborative, supportive relationships with children, their families, colleagues, community professionals, and other adults
• Articulate their professional philosophy of education, learning, and care, and demonstrate an awareness of legislative, ethical, and professional expectations
• Reflect upon their practices in order to consider how their actions to support children and families
• Require strong communication (oral and written) skills
• Recognize the need for and seek out ongoing professional development experiences in support of lifelong learning
• Are warm, nurturing, flexible, respectful, and creative in their interactions with children and families
• Promote the development and learning in all aspects of the curriculum
• Have respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion with regard to children, families, and colleagues Promote evidence-based practices and program evaluation

 Our Beliefs Applied to the ECE Program

We believe that Conestoga College's ECE Program incorporates the above philosophy into our preparation program by:

• Accommodating individual situations, as appropriate for emerging adult learners
• Encouraging and expecting students to develop behaviours necessary for the workforce and the ECE profession, including: self-reflection, responsibility for self and own actions, honesty and integrity
• Designing courses and experiences to support students in constructing knowledge about early learning and care in meaningful ways,
• Modeling a variety of teaching styles, providing a variety of learning experiences, and by using a variety of evaluation methods
• Modeling communication and problem-solving skills as well as professional behaviours and attitudes required of early childhood educators
• Supporting the integration of theory and practice
• Providing students with opportunities to connect theory and its application in combination with practical experience with young children
• Facilitating students' understanding to enable them to "make sense" of their practical experiences in view of theory
• Engaging students actively in their learning process
• Recognizing and appreciating the different styles and approaches to learning that an emerging adult learner may use/exhibit (multiple intelligences)
• Building on previous successes in order to enhance the confidence of the student as a learner, Supporting students as they develop their professional philosophy of education Mentoring students as they proceed  through their journey of becoming early childhood educators in both the classroom and through their field placement experiences
• Providing students with opportunities to acquire experience with different age groups of children, and become familiar with different philosophies and styles of child care operations
• Providing students with opportunities to connect with a lab school through field and course work
• Offering general knowledge and generic skills, in addition to specific vocational skills Endeavoring to support the ECE field and the local community, believing that learning is life-long and that early childhood educators play a vital role in our society

Our Beliefs about the Lab Schools

The lab schools provide:

• An extension to a quality ECE post-secondary experience for students
• An environment that supports a reflective, intentionally responsive philosophy
• A model of quality, inclusive child care for students in the ECE program and for the local community
• An opportunity for students to observe and/or participate in a child care centre that is based on the philosophy outlined by the ECE program
• An environment where lab school staff, faculty and students work together to implement and evaluate new ideas in the field of ECE

Program Outcomes

Early Childhood Education (Ontario College Diploma)

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Create learning contexts to enable, build and maintain caring, responsive relationships in partnerships with children, families, and communities that value and respect social, cultural, and linguistic diversity including Indigenous people's worldviews and Francophone identity.
2. Co-create, facilitate, and reflect upon inquiry and play-based early years and child care programs and pedagogical approaches to support children's learning, holistic development and well-being following children's capabilities, interests, ideas, and experiences.
3. Co-design and maintain inclusive early learning environments to value and support equitable, accessible and meaningful learning opportunities for all children, their families, and communities in a range of early years and child care settings.
4. Collaborate with children, families, colleagues, agencies, and community partners to create, maintain, evaluate and promote safe and healthy early learning environments to support independence, reasonable risk-taking, and healthy development and well-being.
5. Use observation strategies to identify children's strengths and challenges and to ascertain when children and families might benefit from additional support or community resources.
6. Use professional communication in interactions with children, families, colleagues, employers, the regulatory body, government authorities, and children's service agencies to meet legal and ethical standards of the early years sector.
7. Act in accordance with relevant legislation, regulations, College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, agency policies, and procedures, and principles of evidence-informed practice and reflect upon their impact on one's own role in early years and child care settings.
8. Identify, report and document when a child is in a situation of perceived risk for, or actual neglect or abuse, in accordance with legislation, the College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, policies and procedures.
9. Create and engage in partnerships with families, communities, colleagues, interdisciplinary professionals, authorities, and child service agencies to advocate for quality early years and child care programs and services.
10. Engage in reflective practice and continuous professional learning in accordance with principles of lifelong learning, evidence-informed practices in the early years sector and requirements of the College of Early Childhood Educators.
    

As established by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities Early Childhood Education Program Standards.

In addition all graduates of the Early Childhood Education program must have reliably demonstrated the essential employability skills learning outcomes (communication, numeracy, critical thinking & problem solving, information management, interpersonal and personal) and met the general education requirement by taking three courses designed discretely and separately from the vocational learning outcomes.

Early Childhood Education Fast Track Program Map

1. All courses focus on you demonstrating development towards the program outcomes and capabilities through your program journey.
2. There are themes for your learning that will inform you on the courses you will take to develop program capabilities.
3. Each semester has a theme that creates milestones for your learning within a semester and your journey from one semester to the next semester and ultimately to your readiness to graduate.

• Design, implement and evaluate inclusive and play-based early learning curriculum,
• Establish and maintain inclusive environments that support diverse, equitable, and accessible developmental and learning opportunities for all children and their families,
• Select and use a variety of screening tools, observation, and documentation strategies to review, support and promote children's learning across the continuum of early childhood development,
• Establish and maintain responsive relationships with individual children, groups of children, and families,
• Assess, develop and maintain safe, healthy, and quality environments which meet the requirements of current legislation, agency policies and evidence-informed practices
• Prepare and use professional written, verbal, nonverbal, and electronic communications,
• Identify, select and apply relevant legislation, regulations, standards of practice guidelines,
• Apply a developing philosophy of early learning,
• Advocate for quality early learning,
  
• Collaborate with members of the early learning team,
• Engage in reflective practice.
  

​​​Communication and Contact Information

Faculty Commitment to Success

The Early Childhood Education & Fast Track Program faculty members are here to support you in acquiring an excellent education, a broad skill-set, and the confidence to move out into the workforce upon completion of the program. Ultimately, your success in this program rests on you; however, your faculty are committed to doing their best in supporting you throughout your studies.

Faculty

Field Placement Officers

Lab Schools & Special Programs​

Administration

Faculty Availability

Students and Faculty are not to meet at a time when their timetable indicates that they should be in class or at placement.  It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of their schedule and not to request or schedule meetings with Faculty or instructors or field associates or counselors during scheduled class or placement times.

Contacting Program Staff

When contacting program staff outside of class time it is advisable to use email. Your message should include the following information:

• first and last name
  

• student number
  

• course and level
  

• student number
  

• brief description of the reason for contact

• telephone number where you can be reached

Student Email

All students are supplied with a college e-mail address. Please use this method when communicating with college faculty and staff ONLY as non-college e-mail addresses (e.g. hotmail) are problematic. Students are expected to check their college e-mail regularly as most official communication will be via this method.

The College of Early Childhood Educators

Your Early Childhood Education Diploma from Conestoga College is the educational requirement necessary for entry into the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE) in Ontario. Like nurses, physicians, teachers, dieticians, pharmacists, psychologists, and other professionals, early childhood educators are regulated by a self-regulatory college. Regulation of early childhood educators protects the public and ensures that early childhood education services will be performed safely and competently by qualified professionals.

Once you graduate, you must apply for membership in the College and be registered if you wish to use the title of "Early Childhood Educator" (ECE) or "Registered Early Childhood Educator" (RECE) or if you wish to engage in the practice of early childhood education or hold yourself out as able to do so.

For more information about the College of Early Childhood Educators, or to download an application, please visit their website.

Program Standards for Professional Practice

The Early Childhood Education Program provides both academic study and practical training to prepare students for careers in working with children and families. Throughout the program, students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and to apply themselves to academic achievement. Professionals function in an independent and interdependent environment.  The fundamental responsibility of a student is to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to be a competent early childhood educator upon graduation.

As students preparing to become professionals, it is imperative that behaviours and attitudes reflect standards that are endorsed by Conestoga College and your chosen profession. As a Conestoga College Early Childhood Education student, there are three areas of conduct you are expected to follow; Academic Conduct, Professional Conduct, and Social/Behavioural Conduct.

As a student of Conestoga College you are a member of the College community and as such you have received a Conestoga Student Guide that includes Student Rights and Student Responsibilities. It is essential that you review this section and familiarize yourself with these responsibilities. It is expected that your conduct as a student will be reflective of the responsibilities listed. If you have any questions regarding any of them, please contact your Program Coordinator.

As an Early Childhood Education student you are preparing yourself to enter a profession that has a professional design ation (College of Early Childhood Educators) with a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice and that guides behaviours for all professionals within this field. It is the expectation of all students, faculty, and administration of Conestoga College that we, as practitioners, will incorporate and function within the guidelines of these professional standards of ethical practice.

In addition to all Student Responsibilities found in the Conestoga Student Guide, ECE students have the following obligations:

Aspire to abide by the College of Early Childhood Educators, Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice;

• complete the learning objectives, tests, assignments and all other forms of student work, with honesty and professional integrity,
• attend class, and field placement as scheduled,
• actively engage in classroom learning processes,
• demonstrate ethical and professional behaviour while attending class, and field placement,
• protect the integrity of the Program and the college,
• maintain the confidentiality of all classroom and field placement experiences, including use of any form of social media, and seek clarification from faculty/administration when unsure of any of these standards.
  

​Guidelines for Use of ECE Building and Classrooms

• When you are in the ECE building, please remember that you are also sharing space with children and families. This space is also the children's learning environment and it is essential that we all work together to make them feel valued, respected, and safe. When using the ECE space (for example to enter the bathrooms) wear your OneCard to assure families and childcare staff that you are a student. As an emerging early childhood professional, when you are in this space, please consider the following:
• Be mindful of your language, both choice of words and tone.
• Be considerate when walking through the halls and make every effort to minimize noise. This is especially important during rest time.
• Unless you are directed by faculty or staff, do not enter any of the children's classrooms. Unless you are directed by faculty or staff, do not enter the kitchen area.
• Do not "hang out" in the children's playground area or the parking lot.
  
• When you see children in the hallway, be friendly, but please do not engage or distract children from their activities.
• Refrain from talking about the children in a voyeuristic kind of way i.e., "Oh aren't they cute?"
• Do not bring any peanut products into the building as this is a PEANUT-SAFE facility.

Guidelines for Student Use of ECE Classroom

• Students must enter and exit classroom through ECE Classroom entrance. No food or drink is to be in the lab area of the room.
• The materials from the lab must remain in the room.
• Students may be in the room only when an ECE faculty is present in the room, or when authorization has been given.
• Students are expected to show respect for the environment and equipment. The lab is intended for educational, not recreational, use.
• The room is to be left clean after each class (i.e. glue sticks must be washed and put away, the sink must be cleaned, tables must be washed, etc.).
• Permission must be given by faculty to utilize any of the materials or equipment. Be respectful of children, families and staff who are in the building.

Lockdown Procedure for ECE Building

• A lockdown may only be authorized by the Incident Manager (Director of Safety and Security), their designate (Security, Safety and Parking Manager), Emergency Services or by Campus Security.
• In the event that any of the Lockdown situations are communicated over the Public Address System, Hold and Secure, Shelter in Place or Violent Threat (Lockdown) all occupants of the ECE building will immediately:
• Go to the nearest room or office. Close the door and lock if possible.
• Only barricade the door with tables and chairs in a Violent Threat Lockdown situation.
• Close the blinds if the threat is outside the building but keep the blinds open if the threat is within the building.
• Turn off lights and, if possible, cover the door windows and side panels. Silence communications devices (cell phones).
• Stay out of sight and keep quiet, as if no one is in the room. DO NOT answer the door.
  
• Listen for announcements from via the Public Address system.
  

Use of Time between Classes

Students are encouraged to use breaks between classes for personal needs (food, washroom, phone calls, emails etc.) but also for group work, studying, connecting with faculty, Field Placement Associates, etc.

Test and Evaluation Procedures

Importance of Test and Presentation Dates

Test and assignment dates are scheduled at the beginning of each semester. Unplanned extenuating circumstances involving the college, the program, or the faculty may require changes to the course schedule.  If this occurs, students will be notified.

Students are required to write all tests during the scheduled in-class test times. Students who make personal commitments that conflict with meeting test and assignment deadlines do so at their own risk. There will be no special arrangements made for students with personal conflicts (e.g. work, family commitments or vacation plans). Students who wish to reschedule a test or presentation because of a religious holiday are required to discuss the situation with faculty at the beginning of the semester.

Academic accommodations are provided to students with documentation through the Accessibility Services Office.

Test Procedures

Academic Standing and Promotion

The Conestoga Student Guide is your first source for information concerning academic regulations, policies and procedures. The Conestoga Student Guide is available on the college website and by visiting the "Student Guide" tab in your Student Portal.

In addition to the Academic Regulations found in the Conestoga Student Guide, the following apply to the Early Childhood Education Program:

Achievement

• Students must attain a minimum "C" or 60% passing grade in all ECE courses.
• General Education courses are under the Academic Support Division. Consult with that division for its grading system.

​Work Integrated Learning/Field Placement Experiences

Field placement experiences provide the opportunity to demonstrate and enhance your learning in the practice environment.  These experiences have been organized by your Program in partnership with the organization where you have been placed.

The following procedures have been developed to make it easier to identify and address any concerns or issues regarding your safety or the safety and care of clients that may come up during the placement in a way that supports both a solid learning experience and a constructive partnership with the placement site.

Pre-WIL Health Requirements

Mandatory work-integrated learning (WIL) health and safety requirements must be completed by students prior to student WIL experiences. Successful WIL completion is required for students to progress to program completion.  To qualify for WIL experiences, students must present the following at the start of the program in accordance with pre-admission information provided by the College:       

• A complete immunization record including MMR and Tdap.  Covid-19 immunizations are highly recommended as this may be a requirement of your WIL site. Seasonal flu vaccination is recommended during flu season (October – March).
• TB Testing: Evidence of current 1-step completed within one year of program start date.
• Standard First Aid and CPR – Level C
• A Police Check including Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS).  Police Checks must be clear of any unpardoned criminal offences. An unclear criminal record may result in the inability to participate in WIL experiences which will jeopardize progress in the program. Acceptance for WIL is at the discretion of the agency; some agencies may request students to provide a VSS completed within six months of WIL start date and thus an additional VSS may be required Students with criminal records are advised to meet with the program chair for academic counselling to determine program suitability. ​
  

Field Placement Policies

In the Early Childhood Education Program we believe that learning is based on an intricate balance of theory and practice. The field placement experiences provide learning opportunities that can be expanded and clarified with the theoretical knowledge gleaned from classes. Therefore, we recommend that, whenever possible, students enroll in a field placement course in conjunction with their other classes. It is considered in the students' best interest that there is no separation of theory and practice.

Field Placement courses are designed to be taken sequentially:

• It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with all aspects of the field placement process, including course outlines, field placement class schedule, policies, field placement requirements, and particularly the evaluation package Students may not begin placement until they have completed all their pre-placement requirements including OHS 1320 Safety and the Workplace and have submitted all documents to Conestoga College's WIL Document Services Department (Placement Services).
• Students surpassing the due date set by WIL Document Services Department (Placement Services) may not be able to begin placement for the semester.
• Only the placements scheduled in a given semester are offered. Please be mindful of this if you choose not to complete the required placement in the semester you are enrolled in.
  
• In the event there is a perceived conflict of interest (relative e.g. child in attendance at the placement site, or friend/family directly supervising), the placement should be discussed with the Field Placement Officer in advance of starting.
  

• Students are expected to work their full shifts as assigned by their Cooperating Educator. The placement attendance log is to be completed daily.  Length of shifts and start and end times can vary from placement to placement. It is expected that students are available to start as early as 6:45 a.m. or to end as late as  6:15 p.m. The maximum length of a placement day is 8 hours, breaks and lunch included. 
• Absences from placement must be reported to the placement site and the Field Placement Associate prior to the scheduled start time. Phoning Childcare centres is typically the preferred method to indicate an absence from placement. In theFull Day Kindergarden (FDK) environment, the typical preferred method is to email your Cooperating Educator. It is the responsibility of the student to confirm the preferred method of contact with the Cooperating Educator.

• All time missed from field placement is required to be made up. A full day absence is to be made up as a full day. A half-day absence is to be made up as a half-day. Students incurring 2 or more absences (full or partial days) will be required to meet with their Field Placement Associate or Introduction to Practice faculty. Students may be required to submit documentation acceptable to the program, for each day absent.
• Students may not complete make-up days or any other regularly scheduled days of placement when the student has other scheduled classes. In the event this occurs, the day of placement completed will not count. The student would then be required to still make-up the original day of placement that was missed.  Make-up days are to be completed on days allotted to placement on a student’s timetable, unless given permission by their Field Placement Associate to attend on an alternate day. Refer to the document on eConestoga titled, Make-up Days for further information.
• Absences incurred due to exceptional circumstances (i.e. admittance to hospital, injury, death of a family member) must be reported to the Field Placement Associate. In turn, the Field Placement Associate will contact a Field Placement Officer to review the situation and create a plan for placement completion that may involve waiving up to 2 days of placement if a student’s placement is progressing well. Students may be required to provide documentation verifying the absence(s). Decisions on waiving days will be made after the mid-term evaluation has been received.
  
• A field placement course is to be completed in full within the given semester. Be mindful that incurring absences could put course completion in jeopardy, resulting in needing to withdraw from the placement course with or without penalty.
• Absenteeism from placement due to personal conflicts (e.g. work, family commitments, or vacations plans) may result in having to withdraw from the placement course as per the Attendance and Student success section of the ECE program handbook. 
  

• Students may be required to conduct observations and/or gather information at their field placement sites. Confidentiality must be respected. Students are asked to communicate with their Cooperating Educator and the agency supervisor well in advance of observation.
  

• In placement 3 or 4, students may request that their placement be carried out in one of our atypical settings. Students must follow the required process for applying for an atypical placement. Details pertaining to this process are covered in the field placement seminar class and can be located on eConestoga.
  

• Scheduling of Mid-term and Final Interview meetings must occur outside of other scheduled classes.  Students may not skip classes to attend a meeting with the Field Placement Associate. 
• Submission of the field placement documents/evaluations are due according to assigned due dates set for Mid-term and Final. The Field Placement Associate will determine the location for submission. If students do not negotiate an extension, they risk having late marks deducted from the final grade according to program policies. 
  
• In accordance with the "Submitting Assignments" information in the ECE Program Handbook, no field placement documents will be accepted after the last day of the semester unless the student has made prior arrangements with their Field Placement Associate. Failure to meet all placement requirements including completing and submitting all required documents may result in having to repeat the field placement course.
  

• If a placement site ends a student's placement during the semester, the Field Placement Officer will review the events leading to the discontinuation of placement.  A consultation with a Program Coordinator will occur.  The student will be required to meet with the Field Placement Officer, Coordinator, and/or Chair.  Based on the evidence gathered the outcome may result in a withdrawal from the course, a fail for the course, or a possible relocation to a new placement site.  The time of the semester in which the placement was discontinued, and the factors involving the discontinuation will be contributing factors in determining the next steps.  

• Students who have not completed all required hours or children's learning and development experience requirements by the end of the semester might be eligible for an Incomplete. This would be negotiated with their Field Placement Associate in consultation with both, the Field Placement Officer and the Program Coordinator as well as the placement site before the end of the semester. If the Incomplete is approved the student may be granted an extension to return to the placement and complete the outstanding items. Specifics about the terms of the incomplete will be outlined and communicated in writing.
  

• Students who complete all required hours and children's learning and development experiences by the end of the semester but do not successfully pass the field placement course may be eligible for a supplemental opportunity. If the student's mark is between 50 and 59 they may be an eligible candidate for a supplemental. The student will follow the supplemental process described in the ECE Program Handbook.
  

Safety in the Workplace Course (OHS1320)

All students who participate in unpaid work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences during the course of their program will be required to successfully complete the mandatory Safety in the Workplace course prior to going out on WIL.  The course will provide students with an introduction to workplace hazards and general safety awareness. Students will receive a Record of Completion to provide evidence of this training to WIL experience sites and will consent to their workplace insurance coverage.

WSIB

Prior to your first WIL experience, you must electronically sign a Declaration of Understanding of WSIB Coverage related to Unpaid Clinical placements indicating you understand that WSIB coverage will be provided through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) while you are on training WIL experiences. This Declaration will be placed in your student file. 

It is your responsibility to ensure that the Declaration of Understanding for WSIB Coverage has been electronically signed, in the Safety in the Workplace Course - OHS1320, and visible on your H.S. Trax home page to be eligible to attend your WIL experience.

Concerns regarding Student Safety or the Safety and Care/Service for Clients

A. Communication of General Concerns Regarding Your Safety or the Safety and Care/Service for Clients

1. Students will be provided with an Orientation to their WIL site on the first day of their WIL placement. The Orientation may include details of the WIL site's policies and procedures related to communication about the safety of the work environment and/or the safety and care of patients/residents/clients.
2. If a student has any concerns about the safety of the work environment and/or the safe/appropriate care/service for clients:

• The student must immediately report these concerns to the College individual associated with the WIL placement (Clinical Instructor, Faculty responsible for your WIL placement, WIL placement Supervisor).
• The Clinical Instructor/Responsible Faculty/WIL Placement Supervisor will discuss this concern with Site Management.
• For concerns of a serious nature (e.g. concerns impacting a total student group; a serious care/service situation), the Clinical Instructor/Responsible Faculty/WIL Placement Supervisor will discuss the situation with the Program Coordinator and, potentially, the Chair. The Coordinator or Chair will immediately contact WIL site management to determine next steps.

Should facility policies require that WIL students report safety or care/service concerns immediately to WIL site management, the student should report to the Clinical Instructor/Responsible Faculty/WIL Placement Officer immediately afterward.

B. Reporting of Incidents of Student Injury during a WIL Experience

1. Should students experience personal injury of any kind, this must be reported immediately to the WIL Placement Employer and Clinical Instructor/Responsible Faculty/WIL Placement Supervisor. The WIL Placement Employer will provide first-aid that may be necessary, including arranging for transportation to emergency medical services if required. The Clinical Instructor/Responsible Faculty/WIL Placement Supervisor will notify the Program Coordinator and Chair and complete an Unpaid Work/Education Placement-Accident Report (UWEP-04) and will send this to the College's Occupational Health & Safety Office. Where necessary, the Occupational Health & Safety Office will complete a WSIB 7 form, a Letter of Authorization to Represent Placement Employer and a Work/Education Placement Agreement Form.

C. Reporting of Student Involvement

In Situations of Possible Injury to Clients during a WIL Experience or Student Damage to Facility Property

1. Should students be involved in care/service situations where there the care/service results in a potential concern/injury to patients/residents/clients of the WIL placement site, this concern must be immediately reported to the WIL Site in order that care can be given. This situation must also be reported immediately to the Clinical Instructor/Responsible Faculty/WIL Placement Supervisor. The faculty member will discuss this immediately with the WIL placement site and ensure that an incident report is completed. The faculty member must also inform the Program Coordinator and the Department Chair for a discussion of program expectations and implications. It is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that all documentation is obtained regarding the incident and to inform College officials accordingly.
2. Should students be involved in situations where there is alleged damage to resources/physical property at the WIL site, this concern must be reported immediately to the WIL Site and to the Clinical Instructor/Responsible Faculty/WIL Placement Officer. The faculty member will inform the Program Coordinator and Department Chair for a discussion of program expectations and implications. It is the responsibility of the Clinical Instructor/Responsible Faculty/WIL Placement Officer to complete an incident report with the Chair accountable to ensure all documentation is obtained and to inform College officials accordingly.
   

Awards Available for Early Childhood Education 2022-2023

Conestoga has more than 400 awards, bursaries, scholarships and academic grants available to Conestoga students. These funds are made available to our students through the partnerships we have established with local business and industry leaders. To be considered for an award, complete the General Application available through your Student Portal. Notifications and instructions to complete the application are sent to all full-time students' email accounts in the fall semester (Deadline: First Friday in October) and winter semester (Deadline: First Friday in February). Visit the Student Financial Services on Conestoga's website.

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