Nau mai ki tenei wiki Kōrero. The IT support team and staff here at the association office are doing a fantastic job at collecting in all computers, identifying those that can be fixed, and sending the fixed ones back to their kindergartens. As part of this process, some computers can’t be fixed – mainly because they are too old to be fixed and can’t take the new technology platforms that are required. So if you had computers removed, and then have not had all of them returned to you, it may be because they can’t be returned. We are focussed at this stage on getting all computers that can be fixed back to their kindergartens. Once we have done that, we will be looking to address the issue of those that weren’t returned. I will be attending all Head Teacher meetings over the coming weeks and will update them on where we’re at. At this stage, we ask you to continue to be patient as we work our way through this significant task. xoxo Mandy 
Senior Teacher Update Kia ora koutou katoa, Next Monday and Tuesday, 9 and 10 August, the Senior Teacher team will be participating in a 2-day hui with Claire Wells. During this time we will continue our mahi around what our new senior teacher leadership model will look like. As this work evolves we will continue to update you. If you need to contact your ST on these days please feel free to send a message and they will come back to you ASAP. If the matter is urgent and you cannot get hold of your ST then please ring the office directly. Change of venue for Kapiti relievers meeting Please note that the venue for the Kapiti Coast Reliver Meeting on 1 September 2021 has changed from Ngahina kindergarten to Raumati Beach Kindergarten. We look forward to seeing all our relivers across the regions on that day. GOSH - Accessing Email Option on Ipads We are aware that there is a change in the new GOSH regarding how you access the email option. This option allows you to to email accident/incident reports to families when you are using iPads. Thank you to Andrea Cooke from Cottle for her easy to follow instructions: Once you’re in the Parent Summary (accessed through “My Kindergarten”), there is a column on the far left of the screen, next to the name of the teacher who reported the accident/incident. Once you click in the column, three little dots appear, tap on the dots and options to edit, duplicate or delete appear. Tap and hold on the edit option until a new window opens. Don't just tap on edit as nothing happens. Then this new form allows you to fill in the declaration and email parents which is all on the right side of the form. Any questions, please contact Lorraine.
Welcome Book Recall  There is an error within the ‘Kia ora Welcome, Whanau Manaaki’ square booklet and we are needing to get these couriered back to Head Office ASAP. If you have any of these booklets, please have these with the courier by the end of the day tomorrow, Friday. Some kindergartens may not have these, but please check. Do not share these booklets with families in the meantime.
Please confirm via email to Mollie Coulton that you have these booklets and that you have couriered these back.
Soon To Graduate Teachers Are Encouraged To Apply For Positions Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens is keen to employ new graduates and beginning teachers. Any third-year students (or those doing a one-year course) who are currently working in our kindergartens as kindergarten based students or teacher aides or other support roles are encouraged to apply for positions, even though their course has not finished yet. Any students on practicum who would make good additions to our teaching workforce are also encouraged to apply for jobs. With a teacher shortage across the sector, we are asking teachers to make sure they encourage students to apply for kindergarten jobs. Sometimes, people in the sector say it’s too difficult to obtain a kindergarten position so it is not worth applying. This is definitely not the case! Although kindergartens have generally better pay and conditions than the rest of the sector, we also like to hire new graduates and beginning teachers, to have a balance of experience in our workforce.
Storypark Workshops There are a number of Storypark online workshops coming up throughout the months of August and September that you may want to join. Getting started with Storypark (free - 1 hour) This online workshop is designed for educators new to Storypark. It provides a step-by-step guide to support you in using the main features and tools. Learn how Storypark can help you improve practice, save time and engage families in their children's learning better than ever before. Monday August 9th at 8pm NZ time
or Wednesday September 1st at 8pm NZ time
Optimising Rich Family Engagement (free - 1 hour)
This online workshop is designed for educators who have been using Storypark and are ready to strengthen online family engagement. We will look at why family engagement is important and different ways to measure engagement. Join us in exploring successful strategies and examples of how to increase engagement, collaborate, and work together with family members and educators. Click below to join us on Wednesday August 11th at 8.00pm NZ time
or Wednesday September 8th at 8.00pm NZ time
Getting Started with Planning (free - 45 mins) This online workshop is for those who are new to using the planning feature in Storypark. This introduction will show you how you can add content to a plan from a template, and bring all the relevant pieces together. Click below to reserve your spot for: Thursday August 12th at 7.30pm NZ time.
or Wednesday September 15th 8.00pm NZ time
Getting the most out of Storypark (free 1 hour) This online workshop is for those who've mastered the basics of Storypark (covered in 'Getting Started with Storypark'). If you've been actively using Storypark and want to learn more about the advanced features and possibilities then this is for you. Wednesday August 18th at 8.00pm NZ time
or Monday September 13th 8.00pm NZ time
Getting the most out of Planning (free - 45 mins) This online workshop supports the next steps in your planning journey. It is designed for those who have been using planning and want to explore more possibilities. We will share how to create a customised template for you or your service, and how to edit existing templates. We will also provide examples of plans 'in action' giving you ideas of the many ways they can be used. Wednesday August 25th 7.30pm NZ time
or Thursday 23rd September 7.30pm NZ time
Introduction to the IOS Educators app (free - 45 mins) Come and join us for an introductory tour of the new improved Storypark educators app for IOS. We will show you where to find the things you need and what you can do in this app - including the NEWchild mode feature. Please note this is only for users of the IOS Educators App - ie, iPhone, iPad and iPods users Monday August 30th 8pm NZ time
or Wednesday 29th September 8pm NZ time
You will receive comprehensive notes and a recording of the workshops, and if you attend for the whole session you will also receive an attendance certificate. If you would like to find out more about how the online workshops run click below:
To find out more about our online presenters click here.
Matariki Wins Award Matariki Kindergarten has won an award for its architect, Grant Rayner of Rayner design. The new Matariki building in Trentham was opened last year with a special ceremony. The kindergarten was highly commended in the commercial/industrial category. Judges describe it as a successful and clever design which met the brief to be simple, safe, warm, light, and durable. The new building replaced an old converted house. Matariki Kindergarten takes children from birth to age five and is open for nine hours a day for 48 weeks of the year. 
Te Maeva Nui NZ - Cook Island Cultural Comptetition E ririnui to te tangata pakari, e te tangata kite, e aere ia tōna māro’iro’i i te ma’ata Wisdom brings strength, and knowledge gives power (Papa T. Tairea). Georgina Joseph, John Wikitoa, Lana Nootai, Ina Ropu-Tengaru, Nga Ropu, Tutai Nootai (TONI) and Texas Nootai (support staff) along with a team of 105 members entered and represented Oire Poneke (Wellington region) at the recent Te Maeva Nui NZ which is a Cook Islands cultural competition featuring the best of the best in Aotearoa. It is the first time that our region had been represented. The competition grading is similar to academics of A B C D etc, for each of the 5 categories. Oire Poneke showed the world that our Cook Islands culture is very much alive and thriving in our region by clean sweeping all 5 categories with an A grade giving us the highest points out of all 9 teams. This Saturday 7 August, 5pm at Te Akapuanga Hall in Cannons Creek, Oire Poneke will be showcasing their performance bracket. The concert is free of charge and open to all. Come along and watch the A Grade team of Te Maeva Nui NZ 2021.  
Food Deliveries Whānau Manaaki helps families in many ways, and one of our community navigators, Hanaa Sadoun, regularly distributes food to families that she works with around Wellington. Hanaa is based at Newtown Kindergarten and works mainly with the Newtown, Berhampore, Wellington South and Strathmore Park kindergartens. Hanaa collects food items every Saturday from St Peter's Church Hall in Willis Street for families in need. This initiative is run by the Sikh community to support all and any people in need throughout the city. 
Dawn Raids Apology Whānau Manaaki’s Caroline Mareko was among hundreds of Pacific Community Leaders who packed into the Auckland town hall last weekend to witness the apology for the dawn raids of the 1970s. She described it as very emotional time of memories, stories shared and of reconciliation. The ceremony included the ifoga custom, where a person asks for forgiveness on behalf of their family, extended family or village. Auckland Community Leader Apulu Recce Autagavaia explains the significance: “Ifo means to bow down or lower oneself. Ifoga is when an offender covers themselves with a Sāmoan fine mat as an atonement for their or their kin’s wrongdoing. The covering occurs in front of the house of the victim. It is then up to the victim and their family or village whether to accept the ifoga. This can take some time, to allow the offender to pause and think about their actions while in the darkness, as well as time for the victim and their family to consider the future impacts of their decision, whether to accept or not. This is a public gesture before the entire village as witnesses. In Sāmoan culture we talk about the “va” which roughly translates to relationships. When there’s an offence committed, that is called “soli le va” or trampling on the relationship. The ifoga is attempting to “teu le va” or mend the relationship. “ Apulu says Jacinda Ardern’s participation in this ceremony is unheard of by a world leader, and he says her compassion and humility were beautiful to watch. “Acts of cruelty have a generational impact, but also, in Sāmoan culture, it’s never too late to “teu le va”. To nurture the relationship in future, the government announced funding for scholarships and leadership assistance for Pacific nations and communities. Here’s a link to a full report by Apulu, whose mother has been involved in some of Whānau Manaaki’s work of helping New Zealand Born Samoans re connect with their Samoan culture, language and identity through the Aganu’u programme. 
Jacinda Adern with the Ie Tōga, part of the ifoga process, the Samoan tradition of asking for forgiveness. Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images.
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