Photocopier from Ellis Lawyers..

Wow that is huge! What a monster, I didnt expect it to look like that! Those are some of the sentiments of the photocopier that was generously donated by Ellis Lawyers. In speaking with Phillipa who kindly recommended our centre, we are proud recipients of a Fuji Xerox colour printer - yes top of the range. On behalf of our staff and children of Le Malelega a le To'elau ECE we are very honoured and humbled to receive the photocopier. Lets hope we know how to use it :)

Naming of Reserve...

Prior to the new Auckland City Council coming into power, we were very proud to be part of the renaming of the Lost City Reserve to Radonich Park. The park was named after a park ranger that served Manukau City Council for over 20 years - Richard Radonich. It was interesting to hear the history of this modest man and the parks that he designed and developed over the years. It was more humbling to meet the man and his family in person (which our children from Puna Ole Atamai ordained them with lei's) who served with passion in creating public spaces that catered to New Zealand's love for the outdoors. The story by his daughter summed up the legacy this man has left for our community. She reflected about her Dad and in summary she said she would often go out on the truck with Dad, to help him clean up and look after the parks...my Dad was a hardworking man and he loved what he did. As new custodians of the park, our role is to ensure that the legacy of Richard Radonich and his family continues as we uphold the mantle of keeping our park clean for our future generations to enjoy.

Building Complete

On Thursday 14th October 2010, we met with Signature Homes for the official handover of keys to our new building. The handover had been delayed for about 6 weeks due to the unusual downpour of rain which held the progress of landscaping, ready lawn and other minor things. However at 3pm, Dale Co-Director of Signature Homes presented Chairperson Tauiliili and visionary Tofilau Malelega with the keys. This is the first time they were able to view the centre since the initial blessing of the land. In humbled silence he and Malelega walked through the building - eyes of wonder and awe on their faces. The response of unspoken words and tears of happiness - touching, seeing, smelling the tangible result of 4 years of planning and praying. Viia le Atua! Malo Saili!

So what are Autex Boards?

Basically Autex Boards used in our centre are display boards for children's artworks, notices etc and interestingly serves as an acoustic covering. "Autex’s top-quality decorative and acoustic wallcovering fabrics are made from non-woven, highly durable 100% polyester. Resistant to moisture, staining and UV fade, they’re easy to clean and will maintain their performance and good looks for many years." Autex Industries Ltd

Outdoors is vital for young children's development

In my last year of my studies I undertook a small research that discussed the relevance of how outdoor spaces foster young children's creativity. A key learning for me was research undertaken by my former lecturer Cheryl Greenfield - a keen outdoor environmentalist. She suggests "New Zealand children want to play outside...outdoor settings that awakens their sense of beauty, complexity, dynamics of the natural world; honour children's curiosity and motivated to explore and problem solve" (Greenfield, 2007). She further suggests an optimal outdoor setting requires the vital stimulus in order for physical active play in children. This promotes children's learning along with adults that value and appreciate the holistic development of children. Adults who are committed to provide opportunities need to be educated and skilled in outdoor settings that ensure their experiences are rich and meaningful. In line with this thinking, our goal is to provide rich outdoor experiences for children. Hence we are fortunate to have the help of our very good friend Sue Heathwaite - keen educator, herb gardener, bird whisperer at heart! Her wisdom will add value for our childen to have meaningful experiences. Therefore this outdoor space is a work in progress...watch this space.

High Five for Clean Hands

The slogan for the Hgh Five hand washing and drying procedures courtesy of Ministry of Health Department. The toilets have half doors which are lockable for some privacy. And wash basins that are easy access to the child's height. The new taps are push down which automatically switches off after use. These facilities help promote children's self-help and self-care skills for toileting. The centre also has a separate disabled toilet and shower :)

Purpose of fencing...

It was a pleasure to see the fencing go up on Friday. Fencing provides protection and a sense of safety for the staff, children and families that will utilise the facility. However I wanted to understand "what is the purpose of fencing?" Is it to provide a sense of security or does it send another message? So I was surprised to find the following note from www.consumerbuild.org.nz that states:
"The Fencing Act 1978 was enacted to clearly set out the rights and responsibilities relating to fences between neighbouring properties. This is an area that can cause huge friction between neighbours and may spoil your enjoyment of your new house."

Reading more into the act, gave me a huge shift in my original thought that fencing is not just about providing security. However its more about the relationships we establish between our neighbours and the responsiblities we have to ensure that we communicate with our neighbours. This ensures a harmonious relationship exists for everyone's enjoyment. This is a wow moment for me because in the future we will soon have neighbours that were excited about! And to think that our fencing provides a way for us to communicate! Fencing believe it or not is Communication which is linked to Te Whaariki! Communication is another key factor to building strong communities! As it says fencing can also cause friction - it can spoil your enjoyment! So what does it mean for us - communication is vital - giving and receiving feedback is important to establishing good relationships!

P is for sand pool...

Our sand pool is looking really good - i can just see the kids now jumping in clothes and all - who needs a sandpit? However posts are in for the shade sails to go up and waiting on the water to drain/evaporate so the sandpit can be completed. The ground is also being levelled for the matting to go in before gym goes up. We are almost to completion stage, couple more weeks to go before handover. Exciting times ahead!

The road to Le Malelega a le To'elau ECE...

Out at the site yesterday with my gumboots thinking I was going to play stuck in the mud but the road was layed before me in concrete. Yes concrete is exciting ;) Especially when theres a long path to walk along to get to the centre. Concrete finally layed and waiting on the trucks to come and level the rest of the ground. So we believe in you Papatuanuku to show us favour - bring out the Sun!