The Big Show!

THE BIG SHOW!
A.K.A. The Daily Outline for Program Coordinators

Program Coordinators are in charge of leading the programs transitions and flow. This means that it is up to the Program Coordinator to call ALL transitions, direct staff and keep track of ratios and numbers or designate someone to be responsible.

• The Active Play Coordinators are the Actors– their activities and supervision make the show happen and come to life or provide the TOPP KIDS EXPERIENCE. If one isn’t doing what they are supposed to, the show won’t go as planned and others will be left picking up the pieces and slack.
• The Room Leads are the Stagehands- they lend support to the Active Play Coordinators and ensure all systems (Timesavr, Dropbox, etc.), files and routines are taken care of.
• The Program Coordinator is the Producer- guiding the show, delegating tasks, and paying attention to details as well as the “big picture” while maintaining relationships and profitability.
• The children– the audience
• The parents & community– they are the funders, the sponsors and the supporters.- they want results!

Without the leadership of the Program Coordinator, the show begins to fall apart because there is no one single direction. No one else will be able to see the “big picture” as a Program Coordinator would using an eagle eye view.

The BIG SHOW is a tool that is used by the Program Coordinators to ensure TOPP KIDS is running a well organized, quality program for staff, children, families, and community where everyone knows the expectations of their role. Think of the Program Coordinator as the Producer of the BIG SHOW guiding the performance, delegating tasks, coaching, and mentoring the team throughout the production.

HOW? The Program Coordinator will welcome staff, parents, and kiddos, know their needs, and foster positive relationships with all TOPP KIDS family members and community. They will guide everyone through the shift by leading the Daily Flow routine, leading pre and post shift meetings, calling transitions, completing roll calls, communicating the number of children in care, directing team members, monitoring the atmosphere and environment and will ensure all policies and procedures are followed etc. The Program Coordinator is responsible for seeing the big picture and addressing anything needed throughout each shift to provide the best production TOPP KIDS EXPERIENCE for all to enjoy!

Think of the Room Leads as the stagehands in the BIG SHOW. They SUPPORT both the Program Coordinator producer and the Active Play Coordinators actors and are there to assist in any way needed to ensure an excellent TOPP KIDS performance shift for children and families. HOW? The Room Leads stagehands attend to many of the administration tasks and support the Program Coordinator in the execution of excellent shifts. Like a stagehand in a Broadway production, they are a support for the props and backdrops needed for the production. They will monitor that your activities are prepared and implemented and can support you in many ways example: running to get extra materials needed from storage room, assist with establishing an environment that is conducive for kiddos to participate, take pictures of your activities with program phone for printing on your scheduled Weekly Reflective Planning hour and act as support if needed in activities and provide general supervision etc.

Think of the Active Play Coordinators as the actors in the BIG SHOW. At TOPP KIDS we have several actors in the production. Each actor in the production is assigned a portfolio and each portfolio has guidelines, and responsibilities to implement an excellent experience for the children at TOPP KIDS. All Active Play Coordinators actors are expected to plan and implement age appropriate, interesting, innovative, and fun skill building experiences. All of the TOPP KIDS portfolios have a scheduled time each week to complete portfolio audits and cleaning as well as a scheduled time for Weekly Reflective Practice. Below are the scheduled days and times for each portfolios audit and cleaning.

The Arts and Expression portfolio is scheduled to complete their audit and cleaning from 5-6pm on Tuesdays.

The STREAM portfolio is scheduled to complete their audit and cleaning from 5-6pm on Wednesdays.

The Physical Literacy portfolio is scheduled to complete their audit and cleaning from 5-6 on Thursdays.

Every portfolio is assigned areas or centers they are responsible for overseeing the cleanliness, stocking, and organization of items DAILY. When completing cleaning on the assigned audit and cleaning day each center assigned should have shelves and top of furniture wiped down, bins organized with like items and remove any hazards/broken materials. The 3-step cleaning process for items/toys needs to be completed on a rotating basis to ensure that all items/toys in all centers are done by end of each month/every month. Each portfolio audit has a section to note items that need to be fixed, restocked, or replaced. These notes are added to the month end package by Program Coordinator so they can be addressed. Listed below are the centers assigned to each portfolio. Arts and Expression is responsible for Art center, Imagination center, and Drama center.

Physical Literacy is responsible for Action center, Games center, Construction center and Sports equipment.

S.T.R.E.A.M. is responsible for S.T.R.E.A.M. lab, storage room and Literacy center.

Take pride in the centers assigned to your portfolio!!

Now that we understand we have scheduled times for audits and cleaning and understand the expectations for each we will now learn the same for the scheduled Reflective Practice planning time. Listed below are the weekly scheduled Reflective Planning time for each portfolio.

Arts and Expression is scheduled for Wednesdays 5-6pm.

Physical Literacy is scheduled for Mondays 5-6pm.

S.T.R.E.A.M. is scheduled for Tuesdays 5-6pm.

During Reflective Practice planning time each portfolio is responsible to ensure all planning sheets are fully completed for the previous week. This includes printing and adding pictures (evidence) to each of your planning sheets, resources used for the ideas and record who suggested activity if applicable. Example: child suggestion, observed children’s interest in this activity or utilized the mandatory theme (focus) directed by TOPP KIDS. This weekly planning time is also used to complete the TOPP KIDS Weekly Reflective Practice sheet.

There are many questions available to support your completion of the Weekly Reflective Practice sheet found on Drop Box and in your portfolios. There are many benefits to reflective practice including:

There are rules, mandatory training, resources for ideas and information available in each portfolio. It is every TOPP KIDS team members responsibility to read, utilize and become familiar with what is expected as a portfolio holder at TOPP KIDS Out of School Clubs/ Foundation.