KIDSFIRST HOME
|
 |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens At Our Heart Awards recognise the kindergartens, early learning centres and individuals who epitomise our core values...
|
OUR TOP STORIES
| Congratulations to Kidsfirst Lincoln, the Engaged Award winner, recognised in the 2016 At Our Heart Awards, presented at the AGM in May.
Our values are very important to us as an association and we're so proud to be able to celebrate them in this way.
The value of Engaged is all about connecting with people, places, opportunities, ideas and our heritage. Our communities are so important to us. We're where local kids come to play, learn and have fun - and we're right there, in the neighbourhood, just down the road or around the corner. That's one of the things that makes Kidsfirst so special.
We cannot think of a more deserving recipient of the Engaged award 2016, than Kidsfirst Lincoln. The teaching team headline a huge number of community events and are always looking out for new opportunities to help out in the community, the environment, with other kindergartens in the Kidsfirst network, biculturally and through professional development. Their abiding enthusiasm and involvement is really quite outstanding.
Education Services Manager, Gae Thawley recounted some of the ways Kidsfirst Lincoln has engaged with their wider community this year, “Engagement is a way of being for the teachers at Kidsfirst Lincoln Kindergarten on every level. Teachers contribute to local community newsletters, participate in community events, and host visitors. They take a leadership role in the Learning Community Cluster, supporting others to understand Te Whāriki – the ECE Curriculum.”
The teachers thoughtfully explore manaakitanga (caring and respect for others). Reaching out to Kidsfirst Bromley, the visit by the teachers and children brought fun and laughter to their hoa (friends). In another gesture of kindness, the children baked up a storm for the people of the Trees for Canterbury trust who had faced losses in a recent burglary. Helping out where they can is the way to go at Kidsfirst Lincoln.
And the kaitiakitanga (guardianship and conservation) that Kidsfirst Lincoln shows to the community has not gone unnoticed. They won the Supreme Award at the Lincoln Responsible Business Awards and received a Diamond Rating Certificate from the Enviroschools Foundation, a new category created especially for their high standard of sustainability. The awards recognised their upcycling, tree-planting, and cleaning and maintenance of the Mahoe Reserve and Liffey River.
Although we celebrate these values each year with awards and certificates, we know that people see the behaviours and commitment associated with our values every day, in so many different ways in our wonderful kindergartens. So congratulations and keep doing what you're doing so well.
|
