Newsletter - November 2011

Welcome 

Welcome to Thomas Mitchell (sister of Layla and Sophia), Cullum and Conner Reid (brothers of Makenna), Regyn Harrison (sister of Rowan), Eden Brain (sister of Oliver), Felix Sandford (brother to Oscar) and all their parents once again.  A new welcome to Tayla Sheriff and her parents Tracey and Jade, Callum and Krystal Darragh and their Mum Tracy, and Hermione Cook-Kingi and her whanau (Please remember to bring in your immunisation  certificates).

Farewell Oscar Sandford who is home schooling; Lauchlan who is attending Pahoia school; and Nakita, Lona and Campbell who are all attending KatiKati Primary.  We wish them the best for their new learning adventures.  They are all well equipped for their learning life.

Thank you

Miaki for the wonderful Asian cooking class and food that was produced here in our kitchen!!

Thank you everyone for your support with our Marae visit last term.  It was a magical trip.  Our relationship with the Marae and the Kohanga is going to be continuing.

Thank you parents for the support of our Jump-a-thon day.  We raised almost $90.00 for our morning jumping and fun, for the Heart Foundation.

A BIG thank you all for spreading the good word about our wonderful kindergarten.  Our rolls have been very healthy.  If you know of anyone who would like to attend Pukeko kindergarten in the new year, please encourage them to come and find out more about our special place.  We will have 10 spaces available to fill in 2012.

 

A  BIG THANK YOU TO THE WONDERFUL TEACHERS HERE AT KINDY!!  I KNOW AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO HERE AND IN YOUR OWN TIME.......  YOU ALL ARE THE VERY BEST TEACHERS.   I THANK THE LORD THAT HE HAS BLESSED OUR KINDY, BY LEADING YOU HERE!!

 

What's going on at the corner?

 We have noticed a lot of fishing and beach and kite interests spiking up again.  Many kites have already been constructed, while experiences of fishing and beaches have been shared.

Board games are very popular as well.  Snakes and ladders is by far the most popular.  Our mathematical learning is very evident.  Your teachers have been discussing ways in which we can all learn maths and maths concepts easily, while having loads of fun.  Look for your new stories in your profile books!!

Christmas time

Christmas is fast approaching!! We have been talking about the birth of our lord Jesus, and telling stories from the bible, which coincide with Christmas.  It is wonderful to know that our children know God, and it is with blessing that we begin this term with telling stories about Mary and Joseph, the manger, the inn keeper, the wise men, the angels and the shining star, which leads them to the new king.

Christmas concert

Each year we have a concert to celebrate the birth of Christ, and finish up our year.  We have begun to work on the script, and the songs.  We will be practising many songs over and over again.  Be prepared to hear these songs sung constantly at home.

Father Christmas discussions are also taking place.  Along with the  giving of gifts to those less fortunate then ourselves, and how we can help others in our community.

GIFTS FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE

Each year we ask our families to sort through the stacks of toys and books you have and give generously.  We then walk all these gifts to the Katikati Advertiser.  They gift wrap them and they are given to children and families who get to also enjoy the gift of receiving.

Profile books

Thank you all for returning your profile books for up dating new learning.  If you have forgotten to return yours, please try and remember to bring it back for a brief time.

Please add your own stories/photos to the profiles at your leisure.  It is always a thrill for us to see and for your child to show off...

Our precious Fish

We will need someone to look after our fish over the christmas holidays.  Please let Diane Poole know if you would like to be responsible for them.

All instructions, food, bits and bobs comes with the fish, along with a great big fishy kiss.

 Nut/ Nut products and children’s drinks

Please remember that Nuts/Nut products are poisonous to a couple of our children.  We appreciate your ongoing support in keeping all these foods at home.

Nutty foods include:  Nutella, muesli bars with nuts, peanut butter,  pesto etc

Water is the best fluid your child needs throughout their busy day.

PLEASE keep all fruit drinks, ribena, Up and Go and milk drinks for treats at home.

Graduation Day

Graduation Day was a huge success!!!  Some of our graduated students  returned to kindy.  They shared their school experiences and some lovely food. It is always a complete thrill to see our past children still active and excited in their learning.

Administration

If your child is going to be absent from kindy for the day  please ring and let us know as soon as you can.

If you are going to take an extended holiday with your child, can you please let Di in the office know or Gina.

You may from time to time be asked to sign a frequent absent form, as part of Ministry of Education requirement.  Please check that your contact numbers are updated and correct, as many times the teachers have tried to contact families  and some numbers we have are now changed.

As a policy, we do not swap  enrolled days temporarily.

Toys at kindy

Please keep toys from home, at home.  We have lots of activities for children to do and play with here at kindy.  Toys from home ARE exciting BUT they cause stress for the child, other children, teachers and families, especially when they are misplaced.

Arts Festival

We were very proud of our children’s final art work.  Our beautiful butterfly hung with pride at Diggleman Park.  It was wonderful to see it in all it’s glory, and to hear such positive comments from our community.

We visited many of the art on display in town.  Our hand butterflies that were hanging in the little blue house, were beautiful, they adorned the building perfectly.  Our children were thrilled when they saw their names alongside their special butterfly.  We watched an air brush artist while we were there.

 Our photo that someone took of our fish was also displayed amongst the photo art gallery.  Such pride and confidence we have in your children’s ability.  AND it was just as good as the other photo art.  It was unfortunate that GINA deleted the photo, as we were unable to transfer the shot to better paper.  SORRY GUYS!

ART FESTIVAL UPDATE

We won !, We won!, We won!!!!!  We came first in the children’s section of the competition  AND we got highly recommended in the recycling, adults section AND we got merit for our wee butterfly hands that adorned the little blue house. We are going to be in the Advertiser!!

Jump-a-thon

One the last day of term, we jumped and jumped.  We had a high jump, long jump, skipping ropes, leap off the big box jump, trampoline jumps and jumping for bubbles.  Our children who attended on this day raised almost $90.00.  This was a huge effort, and so much fun!!!.  We ate healthy food, parents encouraged their children to try out some of the more challenging exercises and much  fun and laughter was heard.

Lexham Park

Our visit this term to Lexham park is on the Wednesday 23 November.  We will be leaving here at approx. 9.15am.  Please join us on this walk.  It will be our last one for this year.  Visiting Lexham Park residents has been a part of our culture since we first opened the doors to kindy.  It is wonderful to see our children interact with the residents, it is a heart warming experience.  SO... If you want a warm fuzzy fix, come along.

School Visits

This term Diane has the pleasure of school visits.  Gary will be assisting Diane and the children with their transition to school.  School visits will be every second Friday.  School visits are for children who know they will be attending KatiKati primary.  It becomes very confusing to attend school visits at a school that you will not be attending.

Mat time

Parents..... Please be quiet when it is mat time.... There are areas outside for you to catch up with other parents.  Hot drinks are available in the kitchen if you want to stay for a real chin wag.

If you know you will be arriving during mat time to take your children, could you please inform the teacher first thing in the morning and we will try to position them at the back of the mat, so it is less distracting for the other children and the teacher.   It is always wonderful when parents join us for mat time. BUT  talking to each other or your own child loudly on the mat  interrupts the flow and respect of the mat.  Please try to be respectful during our mat times.

We have purchased 2 new cameras to replace 2 of our older well loved and used ones. We all get so much use and pleasure out of them.

Health page

Sun smart

Please bring your child’s sun hat to kindy (wide brimmed/bucket hats have the best protection).

Sun block your children before you arrive at kindy and we will sun block again straight after lunch.  Our sun block is available for you to use at any time.  It is usually kept on the bench by the fish tank.

Spare clothing

It is only the start of our warm season and already we have run out of spare clothing.  If you have some of kindy’s clothes or clothes that you don’t need any more we would appreciate them.  Please remember to put at least two sets of clothes in your child’s bag with a plastic bag for the wet ones. 

Conjunctivitis

Last term we had several cases of conjunctivitis.  Please remember to keep your child at home for at least 3 days, or until  the eye stops excreting.  If you are unsure of your child’s condition a doctor will confirm for you.

Coughing and running noses

We have many children with what appears to be pollen noses and coughing.  Please help your children with these ailments by giving them a child’s anti histamine (available at any pharmacy or health shop).  They are being bothered daily with having to stop constantly to blow their nose.  We adults know how annoying it is to suffer constant dribbly nostrils!!.  Please do something to help your child cope with theirs.

Medicines

If your child needs antibiotics or other medication during the day, while they are here at kindy, please see your teachers and we can administer this to them at the required time.  You sign the medication register, with instructions and we will do the rest  (please remember to take it home at the end of the day).

All medication MUST be prescribed to the child who is taking it at the time.

Pamol, or fever/pain killer is the only medication we do not administer.

 

 Give us a Clue:

The Clue Box is something we introduced in the later part of last year. The    children enjoy sharing their special item. They find something from their home environment and think of  3 Clues to describe it.  They get great delight out of reading out the clues and seeing if their peers can guess what they have put in the box. This game is a great connection between home and their kindergarten environment in conjunction with great opportunities to test out their cognitive skills.

Christmas Float Parade

We will be entering into the Katikati Christmas Float Parade again this year.  The theme this year is “A GIFT”.  We have had a few team discussions and have thought about what we would create.  HOWEVER, we would like some families to be involved in the process!!!! 

We have a truck and trailer.......... We need some hay if some one can spare it, some help on the day and help to design some costumes for our children.

The parade is at 3pm, on the 10th December. We will need the children at 2pm, AND we need volunteers to meet at kindy at 11am to help put the float together!!

We completed our Fire Evacuation Drill on Tuesday 8th November and will practice an Earthquake Drill on Friday 18 November. The children are getting very good at these.

 

  Pukeko Corner term dates for 2011

 

   CELEBRATIONS

Happy Birthday

Bradley Scott 4 years old

Addison Roger 4 years old

Eden Brain 3 years old

James Farrell 4 years old

Congratulations

Tayla has a baby brother.

 

If your child or a member of your family is celebrating something special, please let Gina or Dianne Ward know and we can put it here!!