Welcome to our latest update of information and stories you may be interested in... We are very excited to bring you the first Conference Update in this Kōrero. Please ensure you read the information below and take note of any important dates. We will be providing more conference updates in the coming weeks. Jane. 
Finance Update Term 2 Whānau Contributions Your families may be starting to ask about Term 2 requests for Whānau Contributions. Feel free to let them know that these will be emailed out later this week. Hard copies will also be delivered to kindergartens for distribution through “child pockets” early next week. 2019/20 Kindergarten Budgets Thanks to all those who have completed and submitted your 2019/20 Kindergarten Budgets. Remember these are due tomorrow. Please email them to brendon.fyfe-gits@wmkindergartens.org.nzso your plans for spending are included in next year’s budget. Kindergarten Finance Reports We will be circulating your finance reports for the 10 months to 30 April 2019 in the next few days.
Upcoming Storypark PLD: Using The Planning Function Effectively Please note the following updates to the times and dates for Term 2: - Upper Hutt 16th May 2019 @ the Cossie Club: the new time for this is 3.30 -5.00
- New date and time yet to be confirmed for Wellington East kindergartens.
Welcome Booklet We finally have the welcome booklets back in stock!! If your kindergarten needs welcome booklets please email either Tania or Chanelle and we will arrange to have some sent out. 
Amalgamation With Whanganui Association Just a reminder that the Special General Meeting for Whānau Manaaki will be held on Monday 20 May 2019 at 7.30pm in the WM office. Further information about this meeting can be found on our facebook page. In the meantime if you have any questions please get in touch with Jane at He Whānau Manaaki jane.braun@wmkindergartens.org.nz.
Poster About Values Here’s a poster adapted (with permission) from one displayed at the recent Kilbirnie mosque open day, showing similarities between Islamic and Māori values and concepts. 
Road Safety Week  Sign Language Week  Did your kindergarten do anything for Road Safety and/or Sign Language weeks? If you did we would love to see the photos, feel free to send them through to korero@wmkindergartens.org.nz There is still tomorrow to run some activities!
Kindergarten Support Staff Work has started to look at a pay equity process for kindergarten support staff employed by Kindergarten Associations around the country. Whānau Manaaki’s Karen Skett is representing New Zealand Kindergartens, as one of two employer representatives who are working with the union, NZEI Te Riu Roa. The process comes from the ‘terms of settlement’ of the Kindergarten Support Staff Collective Agreement which was renewed late last year. Union members covered by the agreement will be kept informed of progress by their union. 
Support Staff Day  Next Thursday May 16 is International Support Staff Day and this year the theme is Making a Difference - Whakamana he Rerekētanga. This is a chance to recognise how much support staff do to make a difference for children, families and communities, and show our appreciation for this mahi. NZEI Te Riu Roa is promoting the day, and encouraging people to where black and white to show solidarity and support for support staff to be paid fairly for the work they do. If your kindergarten celebrates support staff day, share your photos on social media with the hashtag #SSMakingADifference as well as sending your photos through to korero@wmkindergartens.org.nz
Small Changes To Improve Lives For Some Benefit-Dependent Families The government has moved to stop punishing children in benefit-dependent families whose mother won’t or can’t name the father of the child. This means those families will receive more money from April next year. Beneficiaries will be able to earn more before their benefit is affected, also from next April. These are two of the 42 recommendations from the Welfare Expert Advisory Group which reported last week. Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens took part in the consultation with the group, and stressed the need for a more family centred approach, focusing on dignity and respect and the needs of families rather than sanctions and cost-cutting. Many of the recommendations are in line with this approach, and the report is called Whakamana Tangata – Restoring dignity to Social Security in New Zealand. The group recommended benefits rise significantly, by between 12 and 47 per cent, but the government says it won’t be implementing this. The group said current benefit levels are inadequate to live on, and do not provide enough support for wellbeing. The group recognised higher benefit payments increase costs to government in the short term, but said reducing poverty lowers costs in the long term. Here’s a link to the full report.
Term Break Property Work Berhampore Kindergarten celebrated something really special. Kaiako and tamariki worked together, and cut through the ribbon opening up our new ramp! As a kindergarten one of the key aspects that underpin their philosophy of teaching and learning is accessibility. The new ramp provides exactly that. A huge thank you to everyone that was involved in making this happen.  
 
Raumati South Kindergarten had their deck space repainted with a non-slip paint and had a kitchen upgrade, the extra bench and cupboard space is a bonus!  
Waikanae Kindergarten had their bathroom area renovated. 
This Week On Facebook  At Fanau Pasifika they have lotu. As part of this lotu they sing songs and most days do their sasa. Sarah is fantastic at remembering the actions and words, and shows great leadership skills as her friends follow her. Fanau Pasifika embraces culture. At Miramar North Kindergarten the tamariki and kaiako thoroughly enjoyed a visit from the Pasifika Group from Scots College Wellington! After a lovely song the Scots' boys taught the tamariki, kaiako and parents the beginning of a sasa dance. This session ended with another song from the older boys, to which our tamariki resonded with 'Te Aroha'. The tamariki also really enjoyed showing the guests around the kindergarten! Thank you to the group for taking the time to visit, and for sharing their passion and culture. 
Handy Facebook Pages  NZ Sign Language Week – page to follow on Facebook As the national service provider for Deaf people in New Zealand we create opportunities that inspire Deaf people to attain their aspirations. We provide service coordination, employment support, information and advice to the Deaf community and run customised New Zealand Sign Language and Deaf Awareness courses for the corporate sector. Our mission is Access, Awareness and Advancement to strengthen the rights of Deaf people. 
Appointments Congratulations to the following on their recent appointments: | Holly Roberts | .75 Teacher | Kahurangi | | Diana Entwistle | Teacher | Taitoko | | Cinnamon Tararo | Relieving Head Teacher to May 2020 | Ascot Park | | Stacey Hilder | Relieving Senior Head Teacher to July 2019 | Silverstream | | Kate de Lima | Relieving Teacher | Silverstream | | Justine Carthew | Relieving Head Teacher | York Street |
For Sale Plimmerton Kindergarten have the following items for sale, they must be picked up from the kindergarten: Trolley $80 Corner table $80 Cupboard with 4 shelves $40  
 
He Whānau Manaaki O Tararua Staff Conference 2019 Update 1 We are excited to welcome you to the first Conference update! There will be further news, information and guidance each week in the Kōrero, so you may want to print this off each week so you have a record of it for the whole team. We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s annual Staff Conference on the 8th and 9th of July. The theme of this year’s two day Staff Conference is – Mana Atua. Venue: The two day He Whānau Manaaki Conference will be held at Te Papa in Wellington. Non-Teaching Staff The Staff Conference begins at 8.30am for non-teaching staff on Monday morning 8th July. A Conference Keynote speaker and a variety of workshops will take place for Homebased TONI Educators, Community Navigators, Transport Teams, Teacher Aides and Administrators. All non-teaching staff are warmly invited to attend and then to stay on for the whole staff meeting in the afternoon. If you live north of Waikanae or in the Wairarapa, you will also be able to access hotel accommodation on the Sunday night – see below for further details. Whole Staff Meeting The compulsory Whole Staff Meeting will be held on Monday, 8th July starting at 12.45pm at Te Papa in Wellington. All teachers, kindergarten based students and office staff are required to attend and all other staff strongly encouraged to attend. We are very excited to announce that the Key Note speaker this year is Gilbert Enoka who has, for the past 16 years, been the Mental Skills Coach for the All Blacks and will be sharing his own personal story as well as the transferrable strategies he uses in his work. Teachers Conference The Teachers Conference will take place on Tuesday, 9th July at Te Papa in Wellington, beginning with a prompt start of 8.00am. More details regarding content will be available in future editions of the Kōrero. Conference Registration Registration for workshops will open early in June through HR.Net, confirmation of dates for registration will be given in future Kōrero editions. Please note that each staff member must enrol into HR.NET themselves using their personal login details. Accommodation Non teaching staff who are attending the Conference on Monday 8th July and live in Waikanae or further north, or in the Wairarapa are able to stay at a hotel in central Wellington on Sunday 7th July. This will be arranged and paid for by the Association. Also staff who are attending the Conference on Tues 9th July and live in Waikanae or further north, or in the Wairarapa are able to stay at a hotel in central Wellington on Monday 8th July. This will be arranged and paid for by the Association. For accommodation requests please e-mail Lorraine Coulston at lorraine.coulston@wmkindergartens.org.nzbefore Monday 3rd June 2019.
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