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EduKids Queen
Dear Parents/Whānau
August 2016
Centre News
Pukeko Room News
Kia ora to all our whānau!
Kia ora Whānau,
We hope that everyone has been staying
healthy and safe during this
contaminated water outbreak. At
EduKids Queen, as a precaution we are
boiling all water and also have bottled
water available and have been asserting
good hand washing practices with the
children.
A big welcome to our new friends Sehaj, Mia, Vilva and Beckett and their whānau.
We are excited that you have become apart of our EduKids whānau and look
forward to building a strong relationship with you.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - RA WHĀNAU KIA KOE

Cade Miller - 4

Kensi Whitehead - 4

Chance Gray - 4

Eden Campbell - 3

Ranveer Singh - 4

Ethan Oliver - 3

Wyatt Templeton - 5

Ezra Eden - 1
IMPORTANT DATES

26th August—Daffodil Day

4th September - Father’s Day

10th-18th September Conservation Week

16th September—Loud Shirt Day
WELCOME TO OUR NEW WHĀNAU

MJ Altez-Ross

Maria Oliver

Sehaj Grewal

Vilva Jeganatha

Beckett Scott
We have noticed that the tamariki in our Pukeko room have had a strong interest in
active movement. Nga Kaiako (our teachers) have responded to the children’s
interests by planning, preparing and setting up activities such as obstacle courses
outside to encourage gross motor development. We have also set up balloons
hanging from the tree branch to support fine motor development. Balance
activities were also incorporated as well as throwing and kicking the balls. This
variety of activities, supports and extends children’s thinking, learning and
development and promotes the children’s physical development and wellbeing.
We encourage our parents to check in to Storypark often to see all the fun things
your children learn while they are here with us at EduKids Queen. We would love
for you to share photos/videos from home and comment on the stories.
It is with a heavy heart that we farewell Iaesha who will be leaving us on the 26th
of August as she would like to take some time being a stay at home Mummy. We
wish you all the best and know that you will pop in to visit!
BestStart for happy, confident learners
Karen’s (Centre cook) Column
Canteen cottage pie (10 serves)
Ingredients

400g lean beef or chicken mince

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

4T tomato paste

420g baked beans

1/2C water

2C frozen mixed vegetables

1kg potatoes, peeled and diced

1/3C low fat milk

2T parsley, chopped
 80g tasty cheese, grated
Method
1. Brown the mince in a hot frying pan
in batches. Set aside
2. Add a little oil to frying pan, gently
cook onion until soft but not brown
3. Increase heat and add mince back
to pan
4. Add baked beans, tomato paste and
water
5. Stir in frozen vegetables
6. Heat gently until vegetables have
thawed
7. Remove from heat and set aside
8. Cook potatoes in boiling water until
tender
9. Drain well
10. Mash potato with milk, parsley and
half the cheese
11. Spoon mince mix into individual pie
tins
12. Top with mashed potato
13. Sprinkle with remaining cheese
Bake at 190°C for 20-25 minutes or
until hot through and golden brown
BestStart for happy, confident learners
Kiwi Room News
August started out with a bang as we welcomed our new Head teacher Dale
to the Kiwi room. We are so excited and can not wait to get to know you
more. We also want to welcome MJ and whānau to the Kiwi room and we
look forward to getting to know you and being a part of your learning journey.
We have also had to farewell some of our very special Kiwi kids - Benji ,
Austin, Leilani, Mia and Tennesse, we will miss you all so very much and wish
you well at your new centres. We celebrated Indiana and Charlie ‘s last day as
they moved on to the next step of their learning journey at school. You will all
be missed but we hope you come and visit soon.
We have been very busy in the Kiwi room this month as we continue with our
class interest in sensory play, construction and creative thinking. The tamariki
have been exploring and engaging in many activities based around the current
interest. We have had water play out when we could catch the sunshine and
this catered for a lot of our younger members of the Kiwi room and ran
alongside our interest in sensory play.
We have been noticing that the children’s interests have
been changing a bit over the last few weeks due to the
interest in the Olympics. Many of our tamariki have been
sharing with us how they are watching the Olympics at
home with their whanau, this supports creating a
connection between home and centre. Liz did a fantastic
job running our own mini Olympics here in the Kiwi room
which was a hit with the tamariki. They did running races,
shot put to name a few and medals were given out and
records taken. So with this interest occurring we are
noticing that physical play will be the next interest in the Kiwi room.
On Friday the 26th of August we will be celebrating “Yellow Day” which is to
fundraise for Daffodil day. We are asking if the tamariki could dress in
something yellow and bring a gold coin donation.
Another exciting month ahead and lots more to look forward to.
Tash, Dale, Matt, Mia and Liz