Thursday 3rd November 2022
Dear Parents,
We are faced with an unprecedented cost of living crisis, with rising costs everywhere, and this is why it is so painful for us to write to you on this matter, as we understand it affects everyone.
We also find ourselves in a global staffing crisis, and this is affecting Rainbow too. In our whole 10 year history, we have never found it so difficult to recruit and retain staff for the gan. Especially staff who are prepared or willing to work on a full time basis. Other gans across the sector are facing similar situations and their salaries are now rising faster than ours. Having undertaken a comprehensive review, we have reached the decision that we need to increase all staff salaries, including starting salaries by 1000 ILS per month from their current levels to continue attracting new staff, and most importantly retaining our current staff.
We are also faced with regulatory changes which means that all gan staff are now required to undertake a significant amount of additional training, usually out-of-work hours. Course fees, and staff overtime costs for attending training are another new and significant cost that must be met. In addition to this we are also facing rent increases from January.
Sadly, this means that we must pass on a proportion of these costs to the fees so that our income correlates to our expenditure. Therefore, at this time we will need to increase the nursery fees by 250 ILS per month on our base fees.
We understand that by increasing fees at this time, some families may also choose to leave the gan, in search of more affordable options. We completely understand this; and where this happens, we are unlikely to bring in new children from the waiting lists so that our overall numbers in the gan reduce to reflect our current abilities to staff the provision.
We also appreciate that we have recently announced an increased fee for Friday club, in a bid to reduce participants, and cover the overtime costs of staffing working up to 48 hours a week to staff Fridays, and a further fee increase at this time will be most unwelcome, and for this we are sorry.
The current situation is unsustainable and in the context of the global staffing crisis we have to take action. So, by raising the fees, we will directly fund higher salaries, and possibly reduce numbers of children attending the gan, which will reduce the number of staff required at the gan.
Our staff salaries will increase from December 1st, and our fee increase will will take effect from 1st January 2023.
To facilitate this change, we request that all families provide 8 additional cheques for 250 ILS per month, per child or 475 for families with siblings. Cheques should be dated for the 1st of each month, from January through to August. Payable to Rainbow Nursery Ltd. Please place the cheques in an envelope, clearly labeled with your child’s name, and leave them with the staff member on door duty in the morning, who will pass them on to Kathleen. The deadline for us to receive the new cheques is Thursday 24th November.
If you wish to withdraw from the gan at the end of this year, before the fee increase takes effect on 1st January, please send us your written notice to info@rainbow-nursery.info. If you wish to reduce your attendance pattern for example by reducing late sessions or Fridays from your package; please contact the office, and we will waive the administration fee for making these changes at this time.
We apologise for this change and appreciate that this is not fabulous news, but with rising cost of living, regulatory changes, and the need to raise staff salaries, we are left with no choice but to take this step. We ask for your support and understanding at this time.
Kind regards,
Rainbow Nursery