20th December 2013
To all Grace Kindergarten parents and whanau,
Thank you for a great year. As we come to the end of the year it is good to stop and celebrate some of the blessing Grace Kindergarten has had.
New Play Equipment
As you will know, we have been fundraising for new play equipment for a while now. We have recently purchased a new set of Treadsafe equipment.
We have bought quite a bit of equipment to allow different options to be set up and to give us a good base for our future enhanced play area. Thank you to everyone involved in these fundraising efforts!
ICT Survey
Thank you to all those who responded to the ICT survey. There was an excellent response rate. Your responses and comments will be used over the next few months as we develop an ICT policy. Our aim is to find an approach where technology can be used to support and enhance development opportunities for our children. We intend to circulate this policy to all parents when it is developed for your feedback.
If you have resources you think would be useful for the Board to consider in the area of technology, please let one of the board members know.
Changes on the Board
Carleen Woolley has been part of the Board for the last 2 years. Her daughters Janelle and Larissa have now headed off to school. Carleen will finish at the end of this year. Carleen has been heavily involved in the recent play equipment purchase and has had responsibility for the Health and Safety around the kindergarten. The Board would like to thank Carleen for her important contribution.
Next Year
Next year looks to be a very exciting year. In August it will be Grace Kindergarten’s 20th anniversary. We intend to celebrate this fantastic milestone.
It also looks likely that Onslow Community Church will begin its building project. We anticipate no need for any closures of the kindergarten during the construction period. The project is currently scheduled to begin in January with the demolition of the two flats at 2 Ngatoto St. Safety fencing will be in place and will temporarily reduce the playground area. This will be in place before Grace starts on the 27th January to ensure the safety of the children. The entranceway to Grace will move permanently to the main church doors. We would like to assure you that the health and safety of children and families at Grace will remain paramount during the construction period.
During January we will send an email with an update regarding changes. Can you ensure your email address held by Grace Kindergarten is current and please watch the website towards the end of January.
While we anticipate some minor disruption during the first two terms of next year, we are looking forward to the new facilities that this building work will provide. These include additional space in the kindergarten, a new 50m2 outside play area, enhanced outside spaces and better storage.
If you would like any more information on the building project, please feel free to talk to one of the Board members.
Applications for Places
We encourage you to spread the word about Grace to your friends and family. We have recently printed an information card. If you know families who might be interested in their children coming to Grace, please give them one of these cards. If you would like a small supply of these cards to place somewhere, please ask one of the teachers.
A Special Thanks
The Board would like to thank all our Grace Kindergarten parents. We appreciate your efforts through the year in parent help, the various events and the support and encouragement you give our teaching team.
We would also like to thank our dedicated teaching team and staff who have worked so diligently this year. This year has seen some significant work in areas such as the curriculum and in the behind the scenes management of the kindergarten. This work is laying the foundation for Grace to successfully serve children and families for another 20 years.
God bless you
The Grace Kindergarten Board of Management
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matt 1:21
