We have spent the week watching the 2011 Polyfest celebrations. Our thoughts are, like last year, we would enter in some Artwork - remembering out of over 500 pieces of Art that were entered last year, our Artwork was accepted into the Museum. No pressure!!! And maybe this year we could also 'Perform' on stage !!! The theme for the Art this year is 'Who am I' and we are planning to put together a (wall hanging), which will include our Centre 'mihi'. We will fill everyone in with more details over the next few weeks. The Art work needs to be entered by Fri 29 June. And we will begin Term 3 by practicing maybe 3 Maori waiata to perform. Polyfest will be held in the Civic on 8,9,10 Aug 2012. We wanted someone who could play the guitar to accompany us ... can anyone help out? And we will also need help with practices & costumes. Let Kylie or Judy know if you can help.
Have a great weekend ... Go the Highlanders, Steel & Sharks & all the Rippa Rugby.

Judy & Kylie

What a great week we've had & a Happy Mothers Day to ALL our Mums ... we hope you get some hugs & treats on Sunday. I've spent the last two days sorting our hours with our Morning families (for our new model) & on Monday I'll also begin to talk to families in our afternoon group. And please DON'T hesitate to share any questions or concerns with us. Teaching appointments close on Monday ... then shortlisting & interviews - so yes it is busy. Also a big thanks to Craig Cubitt for co-ordinating our 'Pallet' fund raiser ... can you contact Craig on 236 7414 or 027 2017305 if you can help with collection. There is a possibility we can make $4000 to put towards our Outdoor Area & resources !!! Have a great weekend everyone ... see you all next week !!!

Judy

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