Nau mai ki tenei wiki Kōrero. It has been a busy Term 1 for all with meetings, new IT systems and continuing with what you do day to day, teaching and nurturing our tamariki. This continues over the term break with lots of PLD on offer. Check out the PLD calendar as there are still some spaces available on some of the courses. To those of you are heading into the term break, and those who are in centres that remain open, have a great couple of weeks. Nahau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora ai te manuhiri With your basket of knowledge and my basket of knowledge the people will prosper. Jane 
End of Month Infocare Cut-Off With tomorrow being the end of term for many kindergartens we require you all to have your Infocare records for the end of the week completed by close of play tomorrow. This means we would like you to complete the following tasks in Infocare up to and including Friday 16 April, as appropriate: - Sign in sheets marked in Infocare (actual attendance)
- Fee invoices (for the week ending 16 April) created and committed
- Staff timetables (“staff hour count”) for the week ending 16 April are completed
- Online sign off of your monthly roll return
- Any ratio, attendance or roll issues are communicated to the Porirua Association Office (please call Tania on 04 232 3069 or 0800 546 337)
Please let Tania know if you do not think you will be able to complete this on time. This does not apply to Full Year and Full Day kindergartens whose deadline for April Infocare completion is Friday 30 April.
Kindergarten Budgets for 2021/22 Tomorrow we will circulate your 2021/22 budget templates and instructions and are requesting that you work on these over the coming weeks. Your kindergarten budget for the year to 30 June 2022 will be due at the Association by Friday 14 May 2021.
Grants We are having a reshuffle of responsibilities in the Finance Team at the Porirua Association Office. Mollie Coulton will be responsible for supporting kindergartens with Grant applications from next week, so please get in touch with her if you require any help or guidance in this area.
He Pātaka Reo - Te Reo Māori Online PLD If you have enrolled into this course and received your Tūhonohono confirmation you should have also received an email from the course provider explaining how to access the online learning. If you have difficulties accessing this course feel free to get in touch with Justine Jones at Te Rito Maioha directly by email or by phone 0800 322 384.
Tūhonohono It is great to see many of you using Tūhonohono to check your personal details, check the FAQs, ask questions through Create a Case and to book your PLD. As with any new system there can be a few teething issues and it can also take time to get used to something new. We thank you for your patience. We certainly hope that you are finding Tūhonohono easy to use. For those yet to log in please do so and check it out for yourselves. Here is the link to log in. Here are a few reminders and hints about using Tūhonohono: - check out the video and User Guide prior to accessing Tūhonohono for the first time. You will find these resources in the Teachers' Toolbox in Storypark.
- you do not need to enter a user name or password to log in, just click on the Log In With Whānau Manaaki Details tab and you will be taken direct to your home page. You can access Tūhonohono using the link above or using the logo in the apps in Office 365.
- please check out the FAQs to help with any questions you may have. If you cannot find the answer please get in touch by Creating a Case. We will endeavour to get a response to you within 5 working days.
- all PLD is booked through Tūhonohono. You will receive a confirmation of any PLD booked and you will also receive reminders of upcoming PLD prior to the PLD date. You will also see any PLD booked on your dashboard.
Ngā Taura Here Some of Whānau Manaaki’s Ngā Taura Here group meeting in Porirua last night. This group is supporting Whānau Manaaki to become a more Treaty-based organisation. Anyone who identifies as Māori is welcome to join the group. It’s not just for teachers, but for all staff at Whānau Manaaki. Just email Tania Braybrook at the Whānau Manaaki Office if you are interested. People throughout our region are welcome and can join meetings by video link if necessary. 
Invitation See below, we would love you to join us! 
Australian Holidays – Travellers Beware! Whānau Manaaki staff who decide to holiday in Australia need to be aware of the risks of travel disruption if they travel. The two-way travel bubble with Australia opens during our term break, from Sunday night, but there is a danger if there is an outbreak in either country that the situation could change while people are in Australia, or in the air. People who find they need to isolate or quarantine will need to plan to take unpaid leave in most cases. Those coming back to kindergarten after time in Australia do not need to take any additional precautions, unless the advice from the government changes. Travel to Australia is considered low risk, which is why the trans-Tasman flights are opening without quarantine arrangements. People should check the situation with individual states, depending on where they plan to travel, as each state makes its own rules about travel and restrictions.
Science In The Early Years A new report on science in the early years by the Education Review Office suggests that early learning centres could do more to improve science education. The study looked at more than 147 early learning centres including 47 kindergartens. Its recommendations include having a science leader in each centre, having intentional science teaching and learning, and placing science activities in context and giving children the language to describe what is happening with science. While ‘science is everywhere’, the reports says it is important that kaiako take a deliberate scientific lens to learning opportunities. This supports children to develop the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and working theories that are a foundation for science learning. Kaiako in early childhood need to talk about science experiences through play. Using scientific terminology can help children share their thinking and explore ideas and support them to know they are involved in science. Te Whāriki is a bicultural curriculum, and science needs to include Māori values and practices such as kaitiakitanga in the natural world. Here’s a link to the full report.
Board News - Martin Robinson When Martin first looked at standing for Whānau Manaaki’s board, he thought he would be getting involved in fundraising in his local kindergarten. Instead, he found he was governing a multi-million dollar early childhood operation with now more than 100 kindergartens and other services. He remains closely connected to his children’s kindergarten, Adventure, in Whitby, where his daughter Penny, now at school, was enrolled, and where is son William, now three, is an established member of the kindergarten community. For Martin, who has always volunteered in the community, it’s been a learning curve to find out about the whole basis of early childhood education. “It’s so rewarding, that you can have a such a big impact on the community and the future.” Martin says the experience has changed his view on many things, including the way early childhood education is organised, with so much involvement from the private sector, which has a different ethos. Martin says being on the board gives him a greater appreciation of the community he lives in, and it has also related well to his current MBA study. His background is in property and facilities, so learning about education and about the community sector has been positive. The board works well, with a diversity of views around the table, and although everyone doesn’t always agree, they do listen and are prepared to change their opinion. Martin is proud of how Whānau Manaaki responded to the Covid 19 pandemic. Staff around the region were involved in delivering support to families, because of their knowledge and relationships. This enabled us to target the help where it was needed. “It was so good to be able to do it.” 
Martin with his whānau. Previous Kōrero Editions 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.
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