Parakai Kindergarten

Welcome to Parakai Kindergarten

Tena Koutou, Haere Mai

Parakai Kindergarten opened in 1995 and is located next to the Parakai Primary School in Fordyce Road. The kindergarten serves a large area including Parakai, South Head, Helensville, Woodhill, Waitoki and Kaukapakapa.

This beautiful, spacious kindergarten provides the perfect environment for our tamariki to learn through the magical art of play. Nurtured by our talented team of teachers who make sure that our most precious little citizens, have a special place to spend their days in the heart of their community.

About Us

Our curriculum is strongly influenced by Te Whariki. Integrated within this is an emphasis on bicultural practices that upholds the partnership of Te Tiriti ō Waitangi. We believe Te Ao Maori is a vital part of our daily practice and allows children to appreciate te reo Maori as a living and relevant language.

We view whakawhanaungatanga (relationships) as the foundation of our kindergarten. We provide a welcoming and inclusive environment where whānau are recognised as the primary caregivers and their needs, values and beliefs upheld. Manaakitanga (hospitality) comes hand in hand with our relationships, showing aroha/love and compassion towards whānau and visitors.

“He aroha whakatō, he aroha ka puta mai”

“If kindness is sown, then kindness is what you shall receive”

We believe in creating a sustainable environment with an emphasis on manaaki whenua, caring for our land. This is reflected in our recycling, worm farm and pig food composting systems, growing and harvesting our own kai/food from our vegetable gardens and fruit trees and our up-cycling endeavours. Our wonderful and spacious natural environment includes a mud pit, gardens, trees and a water tank that collects our rain water. We are also part of Enviroschools, which provides ongoing learning to maintain and grow as a sustainable kindergarten. We promote kaitiakitanga amongst our tamariki which involves respecting and protecting our natural environment. These mindful practices will play a part of lifelong habits for our tamariki.

“Toitū te whenua, whatungarongaro he tangata”

“The land remains when people have disappeared”

Our Purpose

To provide effective early childhood education services to ensure every child leaves kindergarten with the foundations of personal development and a love of life and learning

Your Child, Your Place

At our centres your child will learn:

• How to relate to other children and their teachers
• How to take responsibility, develop independence and self-confidence
• How to share and explore their understanding of people, places and things
• How to express ideas and acknowledge feelings
• Negotiating, turn taking, cooperation and conflict resolution
• Respect for other cultures, languages and traditions
• How to better interact with family and the wider community
• Hauora (the four dimensions of health), physical, mental, social and spiritual health
• Sustainability and the natural environment

Our History

Kaitiaki Kindergartens were originally known as the East Coast Bays Free Kindergarten Association. Torbay was the association’s first kindergarten which opened in 1954 and it is still a very active kindergarten to this day. As we grew we became known as the Northern Auckland Free Kindergarten Association. Today, we go by the name of ‘Kaitiaki Kindergartens’. Kaitiaki means, “a guardian or trustee, typically of an environmental area or resource.” This change reflects our responsibility to each and every child, community member and kindergarten in the Kaitiaki wider family.

We’re about:

• children, families and whanau
• quality early childhood education
• a qualified and registered workforce
• community
• not-for-profit
• home grown
• kiwi owned

Kindergarten is a partnership between:

Teachers

Qualified, registered teachers provide and deliver educational programmes under the guidance and support of the Professional Practice Leaders.

Our communities

Support teachers and the Association to help raise funds to ensure it has the resources required by the teachers and staff and to build community relationships.

Board of management

Elected by the community by members (parents/whanau) to govern the Association. The board sets policies and the strategic direction of the Association and appoints the General Manager to manage the Association on their behalf.