Week 10 Term 2

Wow we are now at the end of our Term 2...Where is the year going!! A BIG thank you to all our amazing families who pitched in with the end of term clean up - if you haven't managed to lend a hand yet, the Parent Group would LOVE to see you at Kindy tonight 7pm to continue with the tidy up at getting walls cleared for our big paint job during the term break - thanks! If you are not able to come along tonight, do join in tomorrow during session - lets keep your Kindy looking amazing for your children.

This week we fare welled Sienna Hunter, Devon Thompson, Laura Warren, Rylie Johnstone and Bayden Cooper who all start school at the beginning of Term 3...Happy School Days!!

Celebration of Learning Evening...
A big thank you to all who made it along on Tuesday night for this term's Celebration of Learning. What a wonderful turn out of families, so special to see the children's efforts show cased either through our montage of photos on the Smilebox slide show, Polyfest Art Contributions and other displays around the the Kindy. This term we continued with our dispositional focus, "That's what friends are for" and introduced the motto, "You can't say you can't play". The children are increasingly using this to promote inclusive play and to support positive social interactions - awesome! Our photo montage looked back over the term at some wonderful "friendship virtues" eg, sharing, caring, helping, patience, empathy, sympathy, support, kindness. Another component of our slide show included photos taken by the children. When we think about, "What does a 21st Century Learner look like?" ICT is an integral part of this. This term we introduced a digital camera for the children's use and have witnessed their competencies and creativity evolve over time and with practice. Lots of wonderful snap shots around the Kindy of people, places and things! The Sir Ken Robinson YouTube clip that we watched at the Celebration of Learning Evening left parents with more questions than answers...Perfect. Time to reflect on what we value when we think of the future and about the skills and dispositions our children will need to have in order to navigate their way through this unknown territory! Lots for us all to think about...

Our families watching the Sir Ken Robinson YouTube clip at the Celebration of Learning Evening 

Polyfest

Rachel Reed demonstrating how to make wreaths for the lei with Kate, Ruby, Jodie and Sophie

The children's Polyfest Art contributions gained some wonderful accolades from families at our Celebration of Learning Evening - everyone should be proud of the effort they and their children have put in! If anyone is heading to Invercargill tomorrow we would LOVE to hear from you as there are a number of Art pieces needing transported to Teachers College on Nelson St before 4pm - if you are willing and able to help us this would be much appreciated! Last year the Winton Kindergarten families had some of their Polyfest Art on display at the Art Gallery in the Southland Museum after taking out top placings in their respective sections...Next term there will be an official prize giving evening held in Invercargill...keep an eye out for details next term - such an amazing night for the whole family. Week 4 in Term 3 will be our Polyfest Performance (for the MTW Group) @ the Civic Theatre Invercargill - details to follow next term...We will be on the look out for LOTS of volunteers in the build up, for costume making (have you got any ideas to share??) and for help on the day. Also the Lei is due the first Friday back if you would like to contribute in Week 1, see Sally.

Nature Discovery
Due to lack of parent support our Nurtured by Nature Programme is on hold at this stage. Lots of logistics, time, effort, and money has already been spent on initiating this wonderful programme. However, it's long term success and viability rests on the commitment made by our Kindy families. We look forward in anticipation to starting this later in the term...Do mark on your calendars to watch the Sunday programme on the 28th of July where the Fiordland Kindergarten's Nature Discovery will be showcased - such an inspiration for us as we look at setting the culture for our own Nature Programme.

We hope all our families enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating term break and come back feeling refreshed for yet another actioned packed term of learning and memory making!

The TF Group enjoying an apple at the end of a busy morning today!

Thank you to the Adendorff family for bringing in LOTS of natural resources collected at Ohai for Kindy

Week 9 Term 2

The second last week of the term is over and we look ahead to a busy final week with our Celebration of Learning Evening on Tuesday night. A BIG thank you too all who have RSVP for this.

Polyfest
This week we have been putting our "Home is where the Heart is" self-portraits together, along with families written responses to: "What is special about your child, your family, and the Winton Community?" into book format to accompany our Art Entry. What an amazing effort our families have put in. Thank you to Rachel Reed for creating the birch heart-shaped frame. Sally, Georgia and the Discovery Time children headed down to New World to collect hand prints from the public for "Our Heart of Southland" Art Entry that Sally have been busy promoting within the community - you may have noticed surveys out around local businesses asking for positive comments/values that makes the Winton Community an awesome place for families.  Also our Community Lei is starting to take shape...Rachel Reed and some of the MTW Group begun the first section with the making of small wreaths to entwine around the lei...Watch this space! We will be show casing the children's work on Tuesday night at our Celebration of Learning before these are taken to the College of Education for judging on Friday next week. Winning entries will be put on display at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery - we wait in anticipation!

Earthquake and Fire Drills
This week both the MTW Group and TF Group have had practice Earthquake and Fire Drills. Well done children on getting to our safe place and listening to hear your name being called out!

Albie Reed's self portrait

Sienna Breen's self portrait

Drew Anderson-Kereti's self portrait

We welcome Freddy Reed to our TF Group this week.