Jenny's Update

Celebration time, c'mon! For those of us old enough to remember the Kool & The Gang song...

In our busyness each day, we don't often take the time to stop and smile at what we've achieved. Celebrating the small successes frequently gives us the motivation to keep going, working together, and achieving our goals – be they small or lofty!

Here's a few things to celebrate...

Our waitlist across the network is at a high of 1,122 children. That tells us we're doing something right! Of those more than 60 are aged 0-1 year, and more than 300 are 1-2 year-olds! The growth in these age groups is phenomenal, and it tells us that our families know "we're worth the wait". I've even had requests to enrol a baby not yet born! Whether your waitlist is one or one hundred, the message is the same. These wonderful people have joined our whānau, and whānau is everything to us. Nurture those connections from the very start, and those families will stay with us till it's time to go to school, giving back to our kindergarten community.

Let's celebrate those who have gone from virtually no waitlist at times in the past few years to looking really healthy: Bromley, Cotswold Ave, Cromwell, Greymouth, Halswell, Hokitika, Ilam, Karoro, Linwood, Lyttelton, Maniototo, North New Brighton, Nuffield, Parklands, Riccarton, Shirley, Sumner, Terrace, and Wakatipu. Your numbers may not be huge, but I know how hard you've all worked to build those lists – ka pai!

Child Funded Hours are measured each month by how many of the available hours you use in bookings. Every hour means government funding for us – it's so important to keep these booked hours as close to 100% as possible. A shout out here to some of the stars who used more than 95% of their hours in October: Alexandra, Belfast, Bromley, Cashmere, East Rolleston, Edmonds Smith Street, Frankton, Greymouht, Hāwea, Hawthornden, Hokitika, Maniototo (100%), Lyttelton, MacFarlane Park, Mathers Road, Nuffield, Vickery Street, and Wales Street. Tau kē – well done!

Thanks to all of you who continue to forecast, and fill those spaces as soon as they are available. I can see where there is improvement each month, and I know how hard you're working.

Community support comes in a lot of forms, and it's very common for it to appear online these days. Recently, on the St Albans, Edgeware, Mairehau, and Merivale Community Facebook page a parent was asking for feedback on Kidsfirst Rutland Street. Remember, we have no control over these reviews...

Andrea replied that her wee son was at Rutland Street, and it is truly amazing. The teachers are really creative and customise the learning each day for the children's' needs, but include the families, too. She went on to say that along with the play there was heaps of learning. At four, her son has learnt different languages, the solar system, knows every dinosaur, counts to 20, knows all the colours, and is starting to write his name – and she says it's all down to the teachers. Her son has so much fun at kindy, he always chooses it for something to do on his day off! Highly recommend.

That sparked Steven to say he was going to enrol when his son turns two. They have been attending Stay & Play, and enjoy the environment and free play.

Rutland Street team, times have been tough for you and you've been building your rolls back up from almost nothing. You are absolute stars, and your community knows it!

We've had a lot of special kindergarten birthdays lately, and some special parties to celebrate! Kidsfirst Belfast had a party in the park for their 30th, with lots of old and new faces, and the Hoon Hay team celebrated their 50th birthday in style with their community, too. King Street turned 60 this year, Niu is 10 years old, and Templeton is turning 40! We hope you all celebrate your special place each year with your tamariki, whānau, and your communities, too!

Last, but certainly not least... we're celebrating our very own Professional Leader, Mark White, who recently became a Level 2 Operational Inspector of Children's Playgrounds! Thanks, "Sheriff of Safety" Mark, we know you studied hard for this, and your mahi will help us to keep our own tamariki safe – pai mutunga!

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