We're ready for open day...

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Welcome to the Wilderness...

 Over the term break, our outside area became a hive of activity as Arne Cleland and his team of landscapers from Pukerau nursery came and worked on transforming our outside area into a new 'Wilderness Area'.
I'm sure you will all agree when I say it looks absolutely AMAZING!!  Now we have the pleasure of watching the children engage in their new environment.  Climbing Eucalyptus logs, exploring the new 'tree hut' under the fort, telling stories in the 'story hut' and cooking sausages in the new make shift fire pit have all become common place with the children when exploring outdoors.
As a teaching team we have also been able to reflect on the resources provided for children outside...
We have noticed that we don't have to provide extra materials to engage children, they are now able to use their imagination to create their own play.  A fantastic indicator of the unhurried child...something that is valued within our environment.

We must acknowledge all the fantastic parents who took the time to make our wilderness area a reality.  Big thanks to Shari Whyte who took on the role of co-ordinator who spent many hours sourcing diggers, trucks, trees, poplar poles, top soil and the list goes on.  To the group of parents who went bush one Sunday morning and collected all the poplar poles for our fantastic rejuvenated fort.  To Bronwyn Dudin who managed to source the large climbing tree in the sandpit and Simon Light who used a tractor, some pellets and who knows what else to manoeuvre the log into place.  To Steve Claney for installing the new cargo net onto the side of the fort and Brenda Stirling who organised the disposal of all that concrete.  Also thanks to everyone else who helped in some way.  Your support is greatly appreciated and to see the looks on the children's faces as the explore their new environment is well....Priceless!!!

If you haven't had a chance to check out the new areas yet...please do so!!

End of Term festivities...

Well the end of term is now very much upon us and we plan to end the term with lots of fun!!

Easter craft is on the agenda and thanks to all the wonderful families who bought along egg cartons we can now create our very own Easter Bunnies out of those that have been donated...
Morning children will head out to Oreti to pick Strawberries at the Sollers Hope Strawberry farm on Thursday (weather permitting) and the Afternoon troops will have an Easter Extravaganza on Wednesday (be prepared for a wacky day and a hunt of some kind...)

Feel free to come along within the week and help out with Easter crafts, the children always love having different faces in the Kindergarten, and they are so welcoming with visitors!

Remember the end of the term is Thursday 5th April and we will be back on deck on April 23rd.

Thanks to all those who bought along a gold coin to contribute to the Red Puppy Appeal today...we raised a total of $56 - we will leave the donation box on the kitchen bench for another couple of days if anyone would also like to donate. It was great for the children to be able to get up close and personal with Selby the Guide Dog today and her owner Kirsten. The children showed fabulous understanding, respect and empathy to both Kirsten and Selby while they were visiting!! Yep, the children @ Winton Kindy are AMAZING!!

See you all next week for the last week of term!!

Kylie & Judy

Just a reminder ... Reorganisation Meeting Tue 27 Mar 7pm

A BIG tks to everyone for all the work in sourcing all our natural resources for our Wilderness Area ... I popped into Grasmere Kindy earlier on in the term & took some pics of their 'Water Play Area'. Looks FANTASTIC!!! The barrels have brass plugs & plumbing (which are hidden) for emptying. We have purchased two barrels already .... this could sit so nicely alongside our Wilderness Area landscaping, soooo maybe this could be our own Project to work on. I'm presently getting it priced.

And just a REMINDER to come along on Tue night. It will be an opportunity for us to discuss the changes ... which are NOT in concrete yet. This reorganisation will enable us to employ 1 or 2 more teachers to change our ratios from 2 teachers to 30 children to, 1 teacher for 10 children. Ratios are for us a 'QUALITY' indicator & we are very very excited about the opportunity to lower our ratios. It will also be an opportunity to meet Lynley Henderson our General Manager of 'Kindergartens South' who will Chair the meeting. Lynley will outline how this reorganisaiton may work & answer any questions ... so come along. There also will be a questionaire for everyone to complete on the night.

Incredible Journey of Monarch Butterflies - Mariposas Monarcas

Getting up close & personal with our Monarch Butterflies

Check out the video below and watch how the afternoon children met the butterflies for the very first time. Such a special moment as they begin to learn how to care for our new friends, how to hold them, and the importance of not touching their wings otherwise it rubs off the butterflies amazing 'magic dust'.

Keep checking the butterflies each day...and be sure to watch your feet when you arrive, you never know where the butterflies may end up!!

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Look what we got to see today!! Wow....

Well after years of rearing eggs, to caterpillars, to butterflies we finally got to see a butterfly emerge from it's chrysalis!! And for those of you who were lucky enough to drop your children off right as it was happening, count yourself lucky too...as we found out it happens very very quickly!!

Check out the video and watch as it happens, very very cool!! And what an amazing learning experience for the children. I'm sure there will be lots more butterflies at Kindergarten on Monday as many of the Chrysalis' have changed colour...be sure to check them out when you arrive on Monday,

Kylie & Judy