Nau mai ki te pānui tênei ko te Kōrero. Ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou! The sun is shining in Porirua – hopefully it is shining wherever you are too. This edition of Kōrero is a celebration – a celebration of new life and a celebration of lovely things that people have done to make life good during this amazing time. It’s an opportunity to share good stuff, because so much good stuff is around us. Ka mau te wehi koutou: you’re all awesome! Enjoy Xoxo Mandy 
Teachers And Other Kindergarten Staff Get Vaccination Priority If you are having trouble getting an early vaccination booking, you can ring the Covid vaccine healthline, 0800 28 29 26, and explain that you are an essential education worker. You will be given the opportunity of an earlier appointment. The team are taking calls from 8.00am to 8.00pm seven days a week.
Improved Quality For Early Childhood Services The government is proposing to change regulations to mandate 80 per cent qualified teachers in all teacher-led early childhood services, up from the current 50 per cent. This is great news for our sector, as it will lead to improved quality for children and families. Obviously it doesn’t affect us directly as our services are 100 per cent qualified, but for some services this will be a big change. There is consultation on the proposed change, which we will support.
Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori  Maori language week has been celebrated in Aotearoa New Zealand since 1975. This year we celebrate the week from 13 to 17 September. You can find resources here. Lou has again signed Whānau Manaaki up to take part in Te wā tuku reo (te reo moment). This happens on 14 September at 12 noon. You can upload your moment on the WM moment page here. You can also view more information about the Maori Language Moment here. It would be awesome to see all WM moments in one place.
Long Serving Senior Teacher To Retire Paula Hunt is retiring from Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens after being involved in the kindergarten movement for more than 40 years. Paula has been part of the senior teaching team for 16 years, but she began her paid employment as a cleaner, while a parent at Discovery Kindergarten. Paula trained as a primary teacher before having children, and this led to short and long term relieving work at Discovery, Paremata, Maraeroa, Moira Gallagher, Katoa and Tairangi Kindergartens, before she became a Head Teacher at both Katoa and Sunshine Kindergartens. There have been many changes during her career, including the introduction of Te Whāriki, which was accompanied by a huge change in thinking about the value of early childhood education. She was very involved in the union fight for pay parity, which was finally won in 2002 after a long campaign. The pay increases (of 60 per cent over four years) represented a shift in the way early childhood teachers were valued in society. Moving away from sessional services and from separate groups of younger and older children on different days was also significant, with many teachers and parents doubtful about the change at first. Paula has also seen massive changes in the role of women, with more working full time and more options for early childhood education. Paula plans to do a bit of relieving as well as gardening and spending time with her three grandchildren, who have all relocated back to Wellington. Paula says it’s been a great career, that’s never been dull, and Whānau Manaaki has been a wonderful employer. She will miss the people. “I’ve loved the people I’ve worked with - I’d like to thank people for the friendship and fun I’ve had over the years.” A function to celebrate Paula’s retirement will be organised at a later date. 
You Are Amazing! A snippet of the fantastic mahi during the rāhui!! 
Smiley Faces Greeting At Newtown Here at Newtown Kindergarten during level 3, we have been greeting the parents and children at the entrance each day with a different smiley face on our masks - keeping it cheerful for our tamariki 🙂 
Congratulations! There have been so many happy times for our people during the rāhui. Lots of precious wee bubbas being born. Congratulations to you all, so special and exciting! Nau mai ki te ao ngā pepī iti! | Amber Burke (Administrator at Seatoun), her partner Luke and her Noona Tara Jones (HT Seatoun) are so excited to welcome their gorgeous baby girl to their whānau. Te Ahumairangi Rose Nannette Burke (Ahu) was born on 9 August and weighed 7lb 1oz. |
| Sophie Tierney, Teacher at Paremata Creche, and her whanau welcomed their baby girl Lucy Anne Tierney. Lucy was born on 14 August and weighed 8lb 1oz. |
| Carley Billing, Teacher at Matairangi, recently welcomed her little girl, Chloe Harper to her whanau. Chloe was born on 31 July and weighed 6lb 7oz. |
| Dean Ward, Property Team, welcomed his new moko on 29 August. His name is Mac Adam and is the son of Dean's daughter. |
Appointments and Resignations Congratulations to the following on their recent appointment: Sarah Collins | .8 Teacher | Adventure | Megan Smith | Teacher | Arohanui | Melanie Edwards | Teacher | Arohanui | Derek Lealiifano | Teacher | Ascot Park | Jingjing Li | .8 Teacher | Brian Webb | Selena Davies | Teacher | Harriette Vine | Meena Rawat | .5 Teacher | Heretaunga | Rhodene Nuku | .5 Teacher | Island Bay | Cim Gatherer | Teacher | Manaia | Gemma Connell | .7 Teacher | Masterton West | Sheena Given | Head Teacher | Masterton West | Patricia Sunnex | .8 Teacher | Ngahina | Tracey Lambert | Head Teacher | Pukerua Bay | Melissa Bradley | Teacher | Taihape | Linda Wilton | .65 Teacher | Taihape | Mechelle Kaa | .5 Teacher | Totara Puku | Joel Ginter | .5 Teacher | Tui Park | Angela Fieldes | Teacher | Wellington South | Gaga Leota | Administrator | Lyall Bay | Malinda Shepherd-Harris | Administrator | Ngahina | Adele Davidson-Corrin | Administrator | Matariki | Anna Barker | HR Advisor | Head Office | Amy Weightman | Chief Operating Officer | Head Office | Nora Robertson | Reception/Payroll Officer | Head Office | Stacey McDonald | HR Officer | Head Office |
We wish all the best to the following who have resigned: | Sadie Gale | .85 | Putiki | Paula McLean | .8 Teacher | Adventure | Gemma Crowe | Teacher | Arohanui | Jo Avaki | Teacher | Arohanui | Hannah Dewe | .4 Teacher | Gonville | Ceri Fursdon | .8 Teacher | Heretaunga | Simone Baker | .7 Teacher | Manaia | Janine Middleton | Head Teacher | Masterton West | Kema Perez | Teacher | Nuanua | Janelle Dreaver | .5 Teacher | Pikopiko | Jan Ritchie | Head Teacher | Sunshine | Tania Walsh | Teacher | Tawa Central | Tiffany Wagstaff | Teacher | Totara Puku | Larissa Black | .5 Teacher | Tui Park | Rachel Graves | Teacher | Wellington South |
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.
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. | 
