Nau mai ki tenei wiki Kōrero. We know that the last few weeks of the year can be a busy time for you all both at work and personally. So, thanks for your continued enthusiasm and dedication and the part you all play in ensuring that the kindergarten experience is relevant and personal for our children and their whānau. Jane. 
Maintenance Flowcharts With the Whanganui Association joining our ranks, we saw this as a perfect opportunity to review our Maintenance Flowcharts. These new forms can be downloaded from GOSH or the WMK website.
Giveaway Day We will be having another Giveaway Day on Saturday 7 December. If you have any household items, furniture, linen, clothing, toys etc that you would like to donate them please drop them to the Association office next week. All items, in good condition, gratefully accepted.
Reliever “StaffSync” Training The reliever training for StaffSync that was to be held in Levin this past week and in Paraparaumu on 11 and 12 December are being postponed to next term. We will let you know the new dates as soon as we can. The training is still happening in Masterton on 2 and 3 December and in Upper Hutt on 16 and 17 December. We need all relievers in the Wairarapa and Upper Hutt area to attend this training so you will know how to use the StaffSync app – this is the system we will be using to coordinate relievers from next year. If you haven’t already RSVPd to attend one of the sessions, please email hannah.toomaga@wmkindergartens.org.nz . The sessions are: (please only RSVP for one session) | Masterton | 250 High Street, Solway Masterton | 2 December | 3.00pm or 5.00pm | | Masterton | 250 High Street, Solway Masterton | 3 December | 3.00pm or 5.00pm | | Upper Hutt | Silverstream Retreat 3 Reynolds Bach Drive Stokes Valley | 16 December | 3.00pm or 5.30pm | | Upper Hutt | Silverstream Retreat 3 Reynolds Bach Drive Stokes Valley | 17 December | 3.00pm or 5.30pm |
We will be rolling out the StaffSync app system to the whole of the region in term 1 so relievers should watch this space for a training session near you! End of Month Infocare Cut-Off A reminder that this week is financial month end and next week we will be working on your kindergarten reports for the month of November. As detailed in the Annual Administration Wall Planner 2019, your Infocare records for November are due to be completed onMonday 2 Decembernext week. This means we would like you to complete the following tasks in Infocare, up to and including Friday 29 November, as appropriate: - Sign in sheets marked in Infocare (actual attendance)
- Fee invoices created and committed
- Staff timetables (“staff hour count”) completed
- Online sign off of your monthly roll return
- Any ratio, attendance or roll issues are communicated to the Association (please call Tania or Cathryn)
Tania or Cathryn will follow up with you next Monday if they have any questions related to your records.
Health And Safety Celebration Last week was the final meeting of the Health & Safety team for the "old" Whanganui Kindergarten Association. Next year, Whanganui H&S will, of course, be part of the wider Whānau Manaaki group, and a representative for Whanganui will be needed. There will be more information on that next year. Thank you all for the work you did and continue to do on Health & Safety in your Kindergartens. 
Levin TONI Graduation We recently welcomed some new TONIs to our Association, this time, and for the very first time, based in Levin. Last week we hosted a graduation evening for our new educators, attended by their extended families and members of the Association, see photo below. We are very excited to extend our Etu Ao Homebased service to the Levin community and to have Caryll Resink on board, who is currently supporting our new educators. 
Teacher Retirements Two long standing kindergarten teachers are retiring this year. 
Janet Delaney is leaving Upper Hutt’s Doris Nicholson Kindergarten after a career that spanned 44 years. Janet trained in the Waikato and worked first in Napier, before a year in Hawaii, and 31 years at Totara Park Kindergarten as Teacher and Head Teacher. She has been at Doris Nicholson for five years. Janet says while many things have changed during her career, children haven’t changed, and it’s the children and families she will miss the most. Janet has a quote on the office wall that says “a teacher affects eternity” which is a reminder that you never know how far your influence may reach. She says teaching has been an exciting career, with so many changes. One of these is the shift from teachers setting out the programme for children to children leading their own play. After retirement Janet will have more time for her 14 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She is going to spend more time on interests such as gardening and geneology, and scrapbooking. She also bakes for several charities and will continue this work. Janet is being farewelled at a shared lunch later this term. 
Urmila Parbhu has been at Miramar Central Kindergarten for around ten years, after a career that has spanned 37 years. Urmila began teaching in Porirua in the 1980s. She started at Tairangi Kindergarten before moving to Moira Gallagher Kindergarten and then to Katoa, where she was Head Teacher. Urmila went on to Paremata, Papararangi, Pikopiko Clyde Quay and Johnsonville Kindergartens, before heading to Berhampore, and then to Miramar Central. She has seen many changes over the years, with the introduction of curriculum Te Whariki in 1996 being one. Urmila has really enjoyed working with children and sharing her passion for gardening at the kindergartens she has worked in. When Kōrero rang to speak to Urmila, she was out watering the garden, having just planted some love-in-the-mist, geranuiums, zinnias and marigolds, so that the children will have some flowers to pick. Urmila says she might have to pop in post-retirement to water the flowers over the term break. Urmila plans to spend time with her huge extended family and will continue her love of gardening in her retirement. Former colleagues are welcome to join Urmila at an afternoon tea on December 18. Please RSVP to miramar@wmkindergartens.org.nz
Debby's Art In Exhibition Debby King, teacher at Maraeroa Kindergarten, has spent the last year at Te Wānanga O Aotearoa , learning the art of making kakahu. An exhibition was held recently at Te Wānanga where Debby's completed items were on display. Below you will see her pake, the red and black kakahu and her maro, the one with different colours. Debby learned how to whatu, how to work with muka to make the pokinikini, and used muka, harakeke and corn husks for her kakahu. She also made a hieke. Debby said it was great to learn from a talented kaiako and with such a great bunch of inspiring people, who all supported each other. Some of the team from the Association Office joined Debby in visiting the exhibition and were very impressed with all the work on display. 
Santa's New Helper The Santa Parade took place in Waiouru on Saturday. All of the kindergarten teachers were actively involved in this parade. Head Teacher of Waiouru Kindergarten, Samantha O'Connor, was the one chosen to ride pride of place on Santa's float. This was a great honour and a job Samantha flourished at - smiling, laughing and sending out Christmas joy and cheer to all the children and families of this lovely community. Well done Sam, you ‘sprinkled’ your Xmas spirit with great glee! 
This Week On Facebook  Plimmerton Kindergarten teachers and children watched their big tree come down today, with a bit of an audience, at the Big Salami. Here is a video of their ātaahua tree and the giant crane for those that missed the action. 
Handy Facebook Pages  Follow your local council for all the latest news and events in your area! 
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