A Note from Sherryll

It was great to see everybody at the Staff Meeting, and once again, to have so many decades represented at the Long Service Awards – all the way to 50 years!

We shared the first step of our new Uara framework and the ideas that sit within it at the meeting. The initial comments I heard were very positive, but we do want to make sure that at every step along the way, these ideas resonate deeply – they have to be useful across the organisation, and all of our activities. You'll find a link to a very short survey and details about the values here – please be sure to share your thoughts.

With our 111th AGM fast approaching – and what a marvellous achievement that is – we have distributed voting papers for the election of Board Members for the 2023/2024 year. We have a strong field of candidates with six nominees for four vacant positions. Voting closes at 4:00pm on Friday 19 May 2023 – don’t miss this opportunity for your kindergarten to have a say as to who will be on the Kidsfirst Board.

At the AGM we reflect on the year that has been and also celebrate some of the ways kindergarten – and Kidsfirst – are special. This will be the last year that we'll be recognising our star teams under the "At Our Heart" values set before moving to the Uara framework next year. The Professional Leaders have been working hard on identifying those who exemplify our values – make sure you’re there to find out who the winners are.

This year, we will again acknowledge the wider contributions made through our Community Champions awards. These strong connections, which have been the hallmark of kindergarten for more than a century, are precious, and it’s so important we keep them alive.

Stay warm, and I look forward to seeing you on the evening of the 24th of May. Please do make certain that there is representation from kindergarten kaiako and whānau.

Ngā mihi nui,

Sherryll

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