Wow, wow, WOW! We've had so much media coverage over becoming a finalist in The Prime Minister's Education Excellent Awards, it's all feeling a little surreal! On Tuesday the Taiao Tuhura Group welcomed; Reporter Laura (Clare's Buddy) from the Southland Express/ODT and Reporter Ben from Advocate South along with Judy! A fitting way to farewell Co-Leader Rhydel. Clare and Rosa shared the Taki Waka Legend with Ben, and the group continued to refine their weaving skills with Mary, Gillian's Mum, and Zoey, Zain's Mum at the Dragon's Nest- oh and did we mention we found a gigantic Dragon's Egg too! All in a day's adventure at Ivy Russell Reserve for our Kaitiaki/Stewards!
Check out our latest news articles: Southland Express Otago Daily Times Advocate South
Brightening up the night sky
The Winton Kindy Parent Group facilitated 'lantern workshops' with nga tamariki, creating colourful eco lanterns. Brightening up the night sky during our Matariki Family Night - along with our beautiful fairy lights in our silver birch trees...mesmerizing!
Matariki Family Night
A massive shout to our Kindy Parent Group for organising a spectacular Family Night, celebrating Matariki & our achievement of being placed a finalist for The Prime Minster's Education Excellence Awards. In the spirit of Matariki, our tummies were filled with warm soup & celebratory cake, prepared by our Parent Group. We acknowledge Matariki as a special time of coming together with family & friends, reflecting our a journey thus far as a kindy community and looking to the future with high aspirations for our tamariki. From next Tuesday be sure to be on the look out for the Matariki 9 star cluster, click here for more info.
It starts with a seed - We've gifted kowhai seeds to you - the gift that gives - back to the land, to grow tall & strong with plentiful flowers & gift sweet nectar to our iconic Tui birds.
Matariki harakeke/flax weaving created an atmosphere of joy & connection between tamariki, whanau, kaiako and our harvested harakeke. As whanau learnt weaving techniques, they passed these skills onto the next whanau - ma mua ka kite a muri, ma muri ka ora a mua - those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead.
We love that this time allowed our whanau to connect with new families and reminisce on their own harakeke weaving experiences (many from when they were at high school!) Your ahora & mahi will contribute to our Polyfest Art Entry this year, thank you! We will continue on our harakeke weaving journey, creating a symbol of our kindy community as kaitiaki and the connection between, each other, the land & our community.
Moving forward, with the guidance of our Kaiako, we are drawn to creating harakeke kites. Kite making has been a beautiful symbol of the Matariki stars, after ready The Seven Kites of Matariki and continues to be ongoing interest explored in our weaving endeavors. As we explore tikanga surrounding harakeke, we have become familiar it's nature. We know to wash our hands before and after weaving, how resourceful harakeke is - kites, whariki - woven mat, stars, roses, kete, and more! We've discovered fresh harvested harakeke is easier to bend & weave, and over time is becomes stiff & more changeling to weave.
Kapahaka Roopu
We value our kapaphaka practices as our special daily ritual. We've noticed nga tamariki are becoming more familiar with our chosen waiata, and now singing with SO much pride (sometimes even shouting with pride!!)
The Limehills School - Student Volunteer Arm have accepted our invitation to join us onstage for our kapahaka Polyfest performance - on the big stage! The SVA group have taken the guiding role of 'tuakana teina' to help empower nga tamariki throughout our practices & role modeling sign language.
Baby Chick's first flight!!??
On Friday we couldn't believe our eyes - there was NO baby chick on the big screen!! "Where had s/he gone? Where would s/he fly to? And how does s/he know how to fly!?" After rewinding the video footage, we discovered...baby chick had not 'flown to Africa for a holiday' as Hunter Roskam & Olivia suggested. But, merely waddled underneath the view of the camera!!
We wish Judy a safe & happy holiday. You'll see her back next Term! Elle and Rachel Evens will be relieving for Judy.
Have a warm & happy weekend everyone,
The Teaching Team
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