The oldest kindergarten in Invercargill is celebrating its 100th birthday this weekend.
Ranui Kindergarten head teacher Carey Corkery said all past, present and future whanau who had been involved with the kindergarten were welcome to come along to the open day on Sunday to celebrate.
Although the party had to be put on hold due to Covid-19, Ms Corkery said now was the perfect time to mark the occasion.
This year kindergartens in the region celebrate 75 years. Reporter Esther Ashby-Coventry spoke to the woman behind the book which celebrates the milestone.
After writing her first book about the history of South Canterbury’s kindergartens, Marie Rapley is itching to write more.
The mother-of-one volunteered for the project after discovering a wealth of historical information in the basement of Hanan Kindergarten where her daughter had previously attended.
The result is Consistency and Change – 75 years of South Canterbury Kindergartens.
Kerikeri Kindergarten is thrilled to have been named a finalist in this year’s New Zealand Biosecurity Awards for an initiative which teaches pupils to become guardians of the forest.
The kindy is among 27 finalists named from a pool of 70 entries for the awards which recognise biosecurity champions making a difference to protect New Zealand’s unique environment from pests and diseases.
Teacher Scott Hunter said the kindy’s Ngahere programme involves taking 10 of the oldest children into the bush on private land outside of Kerikeri for a few hours each week.
Youngsters learn how to trap pests like rats and possums, along with other practical skills such as making huts and cooking on a campfire. They also learn about native flora and fauna and problems like kauri dieback.
People wanting to learn more of the history of kindergartens in South Canterbury now have the opportunity to do so.
The South Canterbury Museum will open a new exhibition on Saturday celebrating the story of South Canterbury Kindergartens, which is marking its 75th anniversary.
The entire history is covered in the exhibition, from small beginnings in a church hall to the present day, where the association runs 12 kindergartens and plays a vital role in the lives of nearly 500 children.
Jill Bond, CEO of New Zealand Kindergartens (NZK) said their members were thrilled with the news the government will restore funding for qualified and registered early childhood teachers to 100%.
The National government reduced the funding to 80 % in 2010 which meant many kindergartens ended up in deficit and had to use financial reserves.
Jill says the funding is so welcome and will give local Associations much needed financial certainty.
Member Associations of New Zealand Kindergartens say they want to support parents returning to work this Thursday with the move to Level 2 and have had time to thoroughly prepare.
“Our teachers over the past couple of weeks have had time to get everything ready on site and have been practicing new hygiene routines. We’ve been extremely careful to wipe down all surfaces and in Level 2 we will be cleaning outside surfaces daily as well.” Said Jill Bond, CEO of New Zealand Kindergartens (NZK).
“One thing that the children will love being able to do is get outside on the play equipment and let off some steam. They have really enjoyed coming back under Level 3 and while we can still provide on-line support for those at home, we want to encourage all children to return to our kindergartens to reunite with their friends and teachers.”
The number of children returning to Oamaru kindergartens in Level 3 is low, but growing every day.
Of the Oamaru Kindergarten Association’s five kindergartens, three reopened last week and about 4% of the 220 children enrolled were attending, general manager Julie Craig said.
Children who had returned were either unable to learn at home or had parents who were essential workers. Their return had been “smooth”, Ms Craig said.
It is great to see our Geraldine staff involved in the Ministry of Education Learning from Home videos.
Teachers at Waimea kindergarten in Nelson had a special surprise for the children returning to kindergarten in Alert Level 3.
They created a magical fairy garden in the front entrance, so it was the first thing that tamariki saw when they arrived.
“We recognise that after five weeks at home, the children might’ve been feeling a little anxious about their return, and we wanted to provide something special to welcome them back,” said Head Teacher Rebekah Senior.
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Throughout New Zealand, small but happy groups of children had a smooth transition back to kindergarten and early childhood centres according to teachers. First day numbers were smaller than anticipated representing around 3 to 4% of whanau; but these figures are expected to grow as the happiness spreads.
New Zealand Kindergartens CEO Jill Bond and Early Childhood Leadership Secretariat and Waikato Kindergarten Association CEO Maree Stewart said that they were delighted to hear how well the first day had gone for children and teachers.
New Zealand Kindergartens (NZK) and Early Childhood Leadership Group (ECL) say they’re working hard to ensure their services throughout the country are prepared for the move to Alert Level 3 level next Tuesday morning.
Their kindergartens, centres and home-based services are preparing to open next Wednesday April 29th.
New Zealand Kindergartens Association (NZK) says Children’s Day is the perfect day to remind the Government of its commitment to the early childhood sector.
NZK Chief Executive Jill Bond says Children’s Day recognises and celebrates children throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. “It is also a day to put the spotlight on why so many of our children continue to live in poverty and do not have the opportunity to realise their potential.
“We know that what happens in early childhood education makes a difference for a lifetime and the system needs to ensure seamless inclusion and transition for all children,” Ms Bond says.
