CREATIVE CORNER NEWSLETTER
4 February 2022

TENA RA KOUTOU (GREETINGS TO YOU)

WELCOME BACK
Welcome back to the 2022 preschool year!
We hope everyone has had a wonderful summer break with lots of rest and time with family and friends.
The weather certainly played its part and we were able to enjoy sunshine.
It’s great to see all our tamariki back at the Centre, relaxed and ready for the year ahead.
Our aim, as always, is to provide the very best for your child within a caring learning environment where everyone is happy, safe and secure.
Also, thank you for your support and patience with the new system we have operating, in this COVID ruled environment, with drop off and pick up of your child/children. We appreciate this.

WELCOME – NAU MAI
Welcome to Faye Smith, Finn Pearson and Ned Darling who join the Kākā room.

WELCOME – NAU MAI
Welcome to Erica Hamilton, our new teacher in the Pukeko room. Please make yourself known to Erica when you’re next in the Centre. More info on Erica in our next issue.

FAREWELL – KA KITE
We farewelled Mia Pateman, Hunter McAuley, Jack Rosanowski and Foxton McKenzie-Gill from the Pukeko room in January. Happy school days Mia, Jack and Foxton!

FAREWELL AIMEE O’ROURKE
We recently farewelled Aimee, our Pukeko room teacher who has a new position at the Ministry of Education – Learning Support. We hope to see Aimee in her new role from time to time at Creative Corner. We will miss her smiley face but wish her all the best in her new venture.

THREE WEEK ABSENCE RULE
A reminder regarding the three-week absence rule (this is on all non-attendance forms which you fill out during the year). This applies as follows:

The Ministry of Education funding rules are as follows:
• If your child is absent from the Centre for more than 21 calendar days, the Centre does not receive funding for your child after the 21 days, and therefore will charge full fees, until your child returns.
• If your child is absent on their last booked day before we close at Xmas, the 21 calendar days starts from this absence. If your child is here on their last booked day, then the 21 calendar days begin from when the centre reopens in January.
After 21 days absent you are required to pay full fees to retain your child’s place.

KĀKĀ ROOM NEWS
Welcome back whanau
It has been a delight seeing all your faces back in the Kaka room after the summer break.
I thank you for being patient with us as we are working through the Red framework. The tamariki have all been so resilient and have managed this change with ease. Please don’t forget to name all your belongings for us, as at times packing bags can be tough without names. We currently have a big crew who are well into their transition to the Pukeko room who are loving the bigger challenges and older tamariki to learn from. Katy 

PUKEKO ROOM NEWS
Kia Ora Whanau
This week the children have enjoyed engaging in a range of experiences relating to Waitangi Day. Sophie has entertained them using puppets and picture books to help tamāriki develop a deeper understanding of how the Treaty of Waitangi came about and why it is significant to all New Zealanders. Many have learnt how to create their own Koru patterns using clay, and/or designed their own tā moko (Māori face markings/tatoos) on paper. (These can be viewed in the main hallway).

Alongside this there has been an ongoing interest in exploring the garden for bugs and insects, digging and dusting in the sand for treasure, as well as learning how to use pulleys and leavers to lift, pull and carry such items as buckets, trucks and milk containers. These expereinces have created opportunities for problem solving, sharing one anothers thoughts and ideas, testing out theories as well as reflective thinking. Kerry