#327

REGIONAL NEWS

For a roundup of what has been happening across our regions click below.

Our latest news:

Please note there is no Regional News this week.

Nau mai ki te pānui tênei ko te Kōrero.

What a week it’s been, with some big ups and down in our Spring weather and some big news from the Government. 

I hope that if you’ve been on a break, it’s been just what you’ve needed, or if you’ve been working, that it hasn’t been too hectic.  We’re certainly looking to a busy term ahead and hopefully increasingly warm weather. 

Kia hora te marino,

Kia whakapapa pounamu te moana,

Kia tere te Kārohirohi i mua i tōu huarahi.

May the calm be widespread,

May the ocean glisten as greenstone,

May the shimmer of light ever dance across your pathway.

             Karen

Covid 19 - Vaccination Update

The Government’s announcement earlier this week, that vaccination against COVID-19 will be mandatory for staff working in schools and early learning services from January 2022, is certainly significant and we know that you, like us, will have been bombarded with information (some accurate, some not) over the last few days.  While many of you will welcome this news, we know it will also have resulted in a lot of questions, and there will be even more questions as we move through this.

As we said in our message to you on Monday evening, this is a complex issue and right now we are gathering all the advice and information we can.  Once we have worked through the details, we will have comprehensive, detailed information for you early next week. This will include what we need you to do and what we will do over the next few months.  We will also answer the key questions we know you will have.

Until then, we continue to ask that you keep doing the great work that you have been doing, and to encourage those around you to get vaccinated as soon as possible.  You will find details of this weekend's Super Saturday - Vaccination Events below.

The Ministry of Education is also hosting webinars with Dr Michelle Dickinson (Nanogirl Labs).  Dr Dickinson explains the science behind the virus and the vaccine in simple, understandable terms and also answers some questions.  There are opportunities tonight and on Friday 15 so click here for details.                                          

Senior Teacher Update

Senior Teachers will be involved in a full day hui on Wednesday 20 October, to continue their kōrero around Ways of Working as a Senior Teacher Team. Senior Teachers will be able to check messages at times throughout the day if you need to make contact.  For anything needing urgent or needing an immediate response please ring WMK office and they will be able to contact a Senior Teacher.

MOE funded PLD opportunity - working with the draft practice and progress tools.   

The supported trial of Kōwhiti Whakapae is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Kōwhiti Whakapae: Practice and progress tools to support competent and confident kaiako and mokopuna, within a programme of professional learning and development.

The draft Kōwhiti Whakapae: Practice and progress tools support social and emotional learning within the framework of Te Whāriki: He whāriki matauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa.

The tools are designed to help kaiako:

• reflect on and strengthen their own practice
• understand children’s progress over time and their possible next steps.

The draft tools were developed by the Ministry of Education and a group of experts and sector representatives.

The supported trial is for all kaiako interested in taking part in a research project that will impact on their own practice and enhance early learning for tamariki.

In the supported trial, you will:

• engage in professional learning to understand the draft practice and progress tools and how to use them
• trial the tools in your services with your tamariki
• participate in an evaluation of the trial, where you will critically engage in research about your use of the tools in your service.

The supported trial runs from November 2021 to May 2022.

To participate, services must have two kaiako register for the supported trial.

The supported trial is open to a maximum of 120 early learning services:

• 40 services in an online programme
• 80 services in the face to face programme – available in Northland, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

This will be a great opportunity to engage with trialling these tools and the Senior Teacher team see it as critical for some Whānau Manaaki kindergartens to be involved in this mahi.  If you are interested please complete the expression of interest here by Monday 18 October and let your Senior Teacher know.

If you want to find out more information about this study you can click here.

IT Support

If you are requiring any IT support please send an email through to support@gocloud.systems  detailing the problems you are having.  Your query will be logged and you will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your query.   This way we can get to your query as soon as we can, and we can also keep track of queries raised to help determine future requirements. 

Reliever Network Meetings

On Wednesday 27 October there are a number of Reliever Network meetings being held across the region.  These are really important meetings for our relieving teachers and we would encourage you all to attend.  You can check out the venues and times through the PLD banner below.

Please email Karen Craig to enrol into one of these meetings.

Niuean Language Week - Sunday 17 to Saturday 23 October  

This year’s theme for Faahi Tapu he Vagahau Niue – Niue Language Week is Kia Tupuolaola e Moui he Tagata Niue which means May the Tagata Niue thrive.

Kia tupuolaola e moui he Tagata Niue, reminds us of the importance of our Pacific languages and cultures and how they contribute to spiritual, emotional, physical and social wellness for prosperity and wealth in the home, community and nation.

This year’s theme reflects the overarching 2021 Pacific Language Week theme of Wellbeing, by linking the importance of language to overall wellbeing.

Due to COVID-19 Alert Levels across Aotearoa Faahi Tapu he Vagahau Niue – Niue Language Week will be celebrated online. 

Celebrate and connect online by visiting the official NZ Niue Language Week Facebook page!

Official online opening ceremony

The official online opening ceremony for Niue Language Week will be livestreamed on NZ Niue Language Week Facebook page at 5pm on Sunday 17 October.

Official online closing ceremony
The official online closing ceremony for Niue Language Week will be livestreamed on NZ Niue Language Week Facebook page at 5pm on Saturday 23 October.

You can find more information and resources here. 

Lost And Found

Bellevue have a Macpac jacket that has been left at their kindergarten and they are thinking it might belong to a reliever or another teacher who was visiting their team.  It is black and size XL.  If you think it might belong to you please contact the team. 

Super Saturday - Vaccination Events     

There is a major push to get as many people as possible in Aotearoa New Zealand vaccinated this Saturday 16 October with the announcement of Super Saturday by the Prime Minister last week. 

Super Saturday will see a number of vaccine-related events across the country, and even a nationwide "Vaxathon" to be broadcast on Three from midday on Saturday.

The event is also being used as a method to encourage those who have already had their first dose to bring their second dose forward, to ensure quicker immunity.

There are many events happening across our region to encourage people to get vaccinated.  So Saturday is a great time to head down to any one of these events and get yourself, your whānau and friends vaccinated.  Check out these events below.

Porirua

Saturday 16 October - Super Saturday

Maraeroa Marae - health clinic

9am-2pm
216 Warspite Ave
Free coffees

Ora Toa vaccination centre

8.30am-4pm
4 Lydney Place North, Porirua
Food trucks and spot prizes

Accessibility: wheelchair access; more time, space or assistance; accessible parking; Easy Read information; communication and sensory resources.

Whanganui DHB

Whanganui

• Aramoho Health Centre, 144 Somme Parade. 10am-12pm (booking required)

• Te Rito Vaccination Centre, 62 Victoria Ave, 9am-7pm

• Central City Pharmacy, 121 Victoria Ave, 9am-4.30pm (booking required)

• Cook Islands Community Hall, 71 Puriri St, 10am-4.30pm

• Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Atihaunui-A-Paparangi, 25 Te Anaua St, Pūtiki. 9am-1pm

Bulls

• Te Matapihi, 4 Criterion St, 9.30am-3.30pm

Marton

• Stewart Street Surgery, 26 Stewart St, 9.30am-2pm (booking required)

Raetihi

• The Centre, 14-16 Seddon St, 10am-4pm

Taihape

• Taihape Rural Health Centre, 3 Hospital Rd, 8.45am-4.30pm

Wairarapa DHB

Upper Hutt

Heretaunga Christian Centre

10am-5pm
51 Lane St, Wallaceville, Upper Hutt
Spot prizes, sausage sizzle, music

Accessibility: Wheelchair access; more time, space or assistance; accessible parking; accessible toilet; Easy Read information; communication and sensory resources; NZSL interpreting available on request.

Whirinaki Whare Taonga VaccinationCentre

10am-8pm
836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt. Access via Brown St entrance
$2 coffees and free family passes to the Aquatic Centre

Wellington City

Johnsonville Shopping Centre Vaccination Centre

9am-4pm
Johnsonville Shopping Centre

Accessibility: wheelchair access; more time, space or assistance; mall parking; Easy Read information; communication and sensory resources.

Capital Gateway Covid-19 Vaccination Centre

9am-4.30pm
Capital Gateway, Level 1, 20 Gateway Lane, Wellington

Accessibility: wheelchair access; more time, space or assistance; mall parking; Easy Read information; communication and sensory resources.

Karori Mall Vaccination Hub

9am-6pm
236 Karori Rd, Karori
Giveaways, 4 draws of $200 Countdown voucher

Accessibility: wheelchair access; more time, space or assistance; mall parking; Easy Read information; communication and sensory resources.

Drive-through Vaccination - Sky Stadium

9am-4pm
Waterloo Quay

Accessibility: drive-through access – mobility vans welcome; more time, space or assistance; accessible port-a-loo; Easy Read information; communication and sensory resources; Kaiāwhina Disability on site.

Kapiti

Kapiti Community Vaccination Event

9am-4pm
45b Te Roto Drive, Paraparaumu
Mr Whippy, foodtrucks, DJ

Lower Hutt

Lower Hutt Community Vaccination Centre

9.30am-4.30pm
281 High Street, Lower Hutt
Spin the wheel to win prizes

Accessibility: Wheelchair access; more time, space or assistance; accessible toilet; Easy Read information; communication and sensory resources; NZSL interpreting available on request.

Delta Buster - Community Vaccination Bus

10am-3pm
Common Union, 310 Waiwhetu Rd, Farefield, Lower Hutt
Hot drinks and soup.

CoCo Community Pop-up

10am-3pm
11 Hillary Court, Naenae
Giveaways including grocery vouchers and the chance to win an iPhone.

You can also do walk-ins at any one of the centres here.  You do not need an appointment to get vaccinated.

If you are wanting to access previous editions of the Kōrero you can find them at 

www.wmkindergartens.org.nz/archive

or you can click here.

It is a good idea to save this link as an icon on your desktop.

Thank you for taking the time to read Kōrero. 

Don't forget to check out some of the stories listed down the side menu. Just click between the stories of use the Kōrero bar to come back to this page.