Welcome to Term Two

Kia Ora Whanau and welcome back to the start of another new term.  Welcome to all our new families and tamariki and farewell to those of you that will be leaving our community of learning and on to their next adventure!  If you haven't had a chance to have a look outside you are going to get a BIG surprise!  Not only was our tired old shed extended and given a makeover and KPH also started work on the fence around the reserve land..it is finished now and our new space is amazing....Wow it is going to be an exciting and busy term and we are looking forward to every minute of it.
Siobhan Soutar.

Precious Rain

Precious Rain

4^th April 2013

Today brought the long awaited and absolutely needed RAIN.  We have had water restrictions for several weeks because our district has been suffering with lower rainfall levels than normal.  In fact we have had official drought conditions.  So today’s steady fall of rain was exciting for a lot of people. 

At kindergarten children have been learning about how precious water is and the many impacts of not having any.  There have been many discussions about water and it uses and at kindergarten we have done our best to conserve water usage by reusing water from our drink cups and hand washing water for the plants, recycling the swimming pool and water trough water for the gardens and grass. We also have not refilled our pool or had any type of water play in the sandpit or water trough since restrictions were put in place.  All these practices have emphasized the consequences of drought conditions and reinforced the water – life cycle and its importance locally, nationally and globally to our being.

Today early in the morning as the rain came down and we were setting up for the day, I placed an ice-cream container under a down pipe that doesn't connect to anywhere and was surprised when in a matter of minutes it was full.  I poured it into the water trough.  As tamariki arrived they saw me and continued to empty the water as it filled.   After morning Kotahitanga and small group time Corbin and Calista were very interested and keen to fill the water trough with the container, at one time we counted 14 litres of water had gone into the trough in less than half an hour.  The children relished in the opportunity to play in the little amount of water we had gathered and I think appreciated it a little more! 

The next exciting opportunity the rain created was the chance to wear and try out the new rain capes that were sponsored by farmlands.   Everybody who wanted to be outside playing had to have a raincoat on.  Some were totally prepared and had brought their own raincoats from home like Joshua and Danika and when I offered one of the new rain capes they both declined saying they had their own!   Everyone else was quick to put them on and test them out in the real rain – we had had a few dry runs!  What a success and we played in the rain most of the morning and kept dry.  Danika and Jaymee were happy to have the capes on and work under the shelter at the carpentry table.  While Lilly and Will got trolleys out and played at the water trough with Corbin who spent a long time enjoying having water to play with.  Joshua went to work hammering the whare in his raincoat and Calista and Will checked that rain capes didn't inhibit stilt walking.

At Anne West kindergarten we have a huge commitment to conservation, sustainability and being environmentally mindful from several cultural perspectives.  Part of our commitment is to teach young children to nurture and value their environment, and to develop this respect and understanding they need to build a relationship with the natural world.  To do this children need to be able to play outside in all weathers which means being out in the rain as well as the sun.  We certainly did this today!  The children today gathered their water for play and looked after this precious resource.

Siobhan Soutar.

Mathmatics

BAKING WITH TE AWHINA

The Pet Shop Trip

On Friday, the tamariki in the Koru group went for a walk into town to visit the pet shop.

We took some extra adults that the tamariki had to look after and hold their hands crossing the road, and make sure they went the right way.

Kase was one of the leaders and he had the map that Te Awhina had printed from the internet.

We went down the road and over the bridge to town.  The pet shop is at the end of town and we soon found it- we could tell it was the pet shop because there was a big dog in the window!

There were some very interesting fish in lots of different tanks of water, some budgies in a cage and some lorikeets.  One of the lorikeets was really friendly and sat on some of the children’s shoulders!!

We chose 2 little goldfish fish to buy for kindergarten and the pet shop lady gave us a water snail for free! 

It was a very pleasant walk back to kindy, and we even got to walk around on the reserve land which is soon going to be part of kindergarten’s land for us to plant and grow things on.

It was a great trip, so thank you Te Awhina for organising it, and to the adults who came too.

Clare, March 2013.

Down to the Serious Business of Learning Through Play

Everybody is so happy to be back and eagerly investigating what has changed and relishing what hasn't like the sandpit, swings and the pool!  We've welcomed  new children and their families and are all getting used to our new surroundings at kindergarten.  Have a look at snapshots of our day!  I've taken lots of photos over these last two weeks to show you what we have been doing in this hot weather... 

NEW RAIN CAPES

At this kindergarten we have a huge commitment to conservation, sustainability and being environmentally mindful from several cultural perspectives.  Part of our commitment is to teach young children to nurture and value their environment, and to develop this respect and understanding they need to build a relationship with the natural world.  To do this children need to be able to play outside in all weathers which means being out in the rain as well as the sun, because as we know “There’s no such thing as bad weather, there’s just bad clothing!” Farmlands has generously sponsored Anne West Kindergarten 10 rain capes for our children to use while they are at playing here at kindergarten. Thank you!     

A Visitor from Farmlands.

On Wednesday we had a special visitor at kindergarten.  We knew he was coming so we were very well prepared, and had made a beautiful thank you poster and a huge chocolate cake!!!  We made these special things because our visitor was Greg from the Farmlands shop in Kaitaia, and he had brought the children a wonderful gift.

Greg had brought 10, brand new, rain capes for the children- 5 red and 5 blue and they are wonderful!  Farmlands gave them to kindergarten so that the children can play outside on rainy days, and if some of the children forget to bring a rain coat, then they can borrow a kindergarten one!

We were so excited to see the new rain capes and the children tried them on and then ran outside to do a rain dance to bring the rain!!

Then we all helped put out the kai for the special surprise morning tea, and after karakia we ate the delicious feast!  Greg was very well looked after and the tamariki were great at making sure he had cake and fresh fruit and other delicious kai.

It was a really great morning and everyone helped to make it a very special event.  Greg really enjoyed his visit and we hope he can come back for a visit another day- maybe when we have the reserve land to play on and he can help us do planting too!!

Thank you Farmlands Kaitaia for our fabulous rain capes.  We do love them and we are very grateful for your kindness and generosity.

Clare, March 2013.

Welcome to our newly renovated Kindergarten

Over the 2012 2013 summer holidays the eagerly awaited renovations happened. 

We now have a brand new office for the teaching team and our administrator Lee, which is very much appreciated.  

There is a new whanau room an area that families can utilise and where teachers can also have lunch. 

A new disabled toilet /adult toilet and wash/change area plus a new resource room...which is currently being fitted with shelving. 

Doors on the children’s toilets have provided extra privacy for them and a washing machine in the new cleaners room is a great addition.  

There is more play space inside with the art sink along the back wall and the remodelled kitchen is more functional for everyone...

The new entrance way with ramp and safety fencing with an enclosed area at the door leads in to new inner doors.  The teachers are liking the new bag area on the deck as we get to greet more parents and have conversations in the morning...especially when teachers are setting up outside it is nice to be able to say "Hi".  

There are a few minor finishing touches to be done but we are getting there.  Next time your in feel free to come and have a look. 


Compiled by Siobhan February 2013 

Kia Ora Koutou 

Welcome to the Anne West Kindergarten blog site. For the past few years we have had this site but it was a closed group for whanau of children who were at Kindergarten.  Our whanau group decided last year to make this site public.  So this is now a public site!! Tell your whanau to have a look...and don't forget to make as many comments as you like, you could show your children and ask them what they want to say too! 

This is another way we can keep in contact with you and another medium for you to see what is happening here, we value your feedback and we look forward to hearing from you on here!