Information for parents

Settling children at kindergarten may take time. Here are some ideas, to make, the process easier:

spend time at the kindergarten with your child, slowly exploring the environment
join in the activities with your child or children
talk to the other children, ask them their names and encourage your child to introduce him or herself
as your child gains confidence, slowly move away, to allow your childs curiosity and independence to grow
encourage your child or children, to ask for help from the teachers, make sure they know their names
the first week or two, ask teachers, for the appropriate time, to leave
let your child know when you are about to leave, and tell them when you will be back for example, at tidy up time
gradually minimize, the time, you leave your child alone
when you leave, stay to your plan, explain simply where you are going, and when, you will be back
ask for support from a teacher if you need to leave

Working together with teachers and parents, will enhance independence, until your child, is settled at kindergarten, alone.

We will contact you to return, if necessary. Feel free to ring us, if you wish to know how your child is settling.

Ways to become a parent helper:

attend excursions
help at tidy up time
put toys away
sweep the floor
wash dishes
put paint equipment away
take home the washing
bring resources for collage
mend equipment
join the kindergarten committee
participate in social events

Fund-raising

Your support is mostly, appreciated. Fund-raising assists with expenses, to run our kindergarten.

Food and Drink at Kindergarten

Each child needs to bring their own lunch box, with enough food for morning tea and lunch. We encourage children, to eat one or two, items of food for morning tea, and save the rest for lunch.

Fruit and sandwiches, are recommended as part of the lunch box, for a day of learning.

Some ideas for the lunch box:

sandwiches
fruit
biscuits
yoghurts
carrot sticks
cheese
water is freely available throughout the session

Clothing

Some ideas for dressing your child:

please dress your child for play
clothes that are easy to wash, as kindergarten activities are messy
have a spare set of clothing in their bag

When you arrive

Please sign the sign in book:

encourage your child to find their name on the name board
check your childs pocket for messages
encourage your child to place their bag and tag on a locker
feel free to stay and play with your child
encourage your child to reply to the greeting from the teachers

When you collect your children

Please wait quietly, for your child while mat time is finished:

wait for your child to be sent off the mat
you are welcome to sit with your child and encourage them to participate in the mat time activity
please refrain from allowing younger siblings to join in the mat time as it can be very distracting for the other children
if you are picking up your child early please let a teacher know

Attending Kindergarten

Motivate your child or children by attending kindergarten regularly, building friendships, with other children and the teachers, will develop a sense of belonging.

To avoid any problems with Government funding, attendance everyday is expected.

Please inform us of any absences, that occur on a regular basis and if your child or children are sick.

Signing in and out

To confirm your child or childrens attendance, the Ministry of Education requires, you to sign your child, in and out each day.

We appreciate your co-operation with this matter. Government funding, relies on your signature.

If there are, any changes to the usual person authorized to collect your child, please record this on the sign-in sheet, and advise the teachers.

If you are in the kindergarten for more than thirty minutes please sign our visitors book.

Family Payments and WINZ subsidies

All Early Childhood Education services, will be eligible to free Early Childhood Education (ECE) from 1 July 2007.

Each child, three and four years of age, will receive, free Early Childhood Education (ECE) six hours per day, twenty hours per week.

You need to sign the Attestation Form, for free Early Childhood Education (ECE).

A fee of seventy five cents, per hour will be added to your invoice, if your child or children, exceeds twenty hours per week, for Early Childhood Education.

If your child or children exceeds, twenty hours per week, you may be eligible, for Child Care Subsidy. Contact Work and Income (WINZ) 0800 774004 to apply for Child Care Subsidy.

Children receiving Free Early Childhood Education (ECE) will be funded, based on their attendance not based on child places.

When you enrol your child or children, you will be asked to sign a Fees Policy, to view a copy of our Fees Policy, feel free to ask a teacher.

Fees will be:

invoiced to you, by the Association Office
on reminders and statements if unpaid
preferably paid via automatic payments and Internet Banking

We have a variety of ways to communicate with you:

childrens pockets, each child, has a named pocket for the delivery of newsletters, notices and other information
we use a whiteboard outside the kindergarten to keep you informed of events at the kindergarten
copies of our policies, procedures and other important documentation are kept
programming planning is displayed on the current interest board

Accessibility

Using the site without a mouse

This website can be used without a mouse.

To use these shortcut keys hold down the ALT key (PC) or CONTROL key (Apple Macintosh) and then one of the numbers in the table below.

In some browsers you may have to press enter to confirm your choice. In the Opera 7 browser press Shift-Esc, release those keys, and then press your chosen access key.

1	- Home
2	- Contact Us
3	- Our Staff
4	- Our History
5	- Information for Parents
6	- Our Policies

Use of text on this site

All navigation elements and graphics have text alternatives on this website.

Those with visual impairments, can change the size of the text on your screen.

Internet Explorer	Select the 'View' or Page on your browser toolbar click 'Text Size', and then your chosen size OR if you have a mouse simply hold down CTRL and roll the mouse wheel to alter the text size.
Netscape 6 and Mozilla	Hold down CTRL and press + or - to alter the text size.
Netscape 4	Hold down CTRL and press [ or ] to alter the text size.
Netscape 3	Hold down CTRL and press [ or ] to alter the text size. Select 'Options', then 'General Preferences', then 'Fonts', and then 'Choose Font...' to choose a text size.