Turtle delivers quake safe message
June 2011

Children across New Zealand are tucking up like sleeping turtles following the release of new earthquake safety DVD Turtle Safe.

Created by The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management in partnership with the Auckland City Council, the DVD employs music, rhyme and a friendly dog named Stan to teach children how to keep themselves safe.

Awapuni Kindergarten was the first in the Manawatu to receive the short musical film, which has since been distributed to more than 6,000 kindergartens, early childcare centres and playgroups nationwide.

In the DVD, Stan teaches children an easy-to-learn song while a turtle shows off the earthquake safety moves.

"If the earth begins to shake, what do we do for safety's sake? Get under the table and hold on tight, and everything will be all right... Crouch on the ground and cover your head, just like a turtle tucked up in bed."

Awapuni Kindergarten Head Teacher Kim Holland said children had been taught to "stop, drop and cover your mop" before, but the Christchurch earthquake emphasised the need to practise drills more often.

"Anything that helps children learn what to do in an earthquake is great", she said.

"We will have to learn the song and get the children to practise it, but it's very catchy and they seem to enjoy being turtles already."

Civil Defence Minister John Carter said it's important children learn what to do at an early age.

"I encourage teachers and caregivers to watch the DVD and hold practice drills with the children in their care so they are familiar with what they should do when an earthquake occurs", he said.

"I also encourage talking to children about earthquakes which helps reduce fear and anxiety, and provides opportunities for children to ask questions and express their feelings by talking or drawing."

The DVD will also be available online at www.getthru.govt.nz

Awapuni Kindergarten is one of 25 Ruahine Kindergartens located throughout the Manawatu, Rangitikei, Pahiatua and Foxton.

General Manager Louise Bartholomew said the DVD provides a good starting point for kindergartens to work on earthquake drills.

The Association will be looking closely at its own emergency procedures over the Term 2 break and is grateful to Canterbury and Westland Kindergartens for sharing lessons learnt from the Canterbury quake.

Above: Children at Awapuni Kindergarten practise earthquake safety. 

New hours from Term 2
March 2011

Awapuni Kindergarten hours are changing from Term 2, 2011. 

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday sessions will run from 8.30am to 2.30pm with 10 children going home at 12.30pm.

Wednesday and Friday sessions will run from 8.30am to 12.45pm. 

A playgroup will also be held Wednesday mornings from 10.30am till 11.30am. All are welcome to attend this playgroup, but children must enrol on the Awapuni Kindergarten waiting list. 

Teachers hope the changes better suit the Awapuni Kindergarten learning community and look forward to seeing all new and returning children in Term 2. 

Singing in solidarity
March 2011

Differences were set aside this week as around 45 children from Awapuni Kindergarten, Te Kohanga Reo O Te Reo O Awapuni and Awapuni Primary School banded together to sing in support of Canterbury.

Children, parents and teachers walked down to the College Street Shopping Centre on Tuesday March 8 where they stopped and sang waiata for an hour, raising a total of $124 for quake victims.

Kim Holland, head teacher at Awapuni Kindergarten, said the idea stemmed from discussion with children about the impact of the earthquake and what they could do to help.

She called teachers at Te Kohanga Reo O Te Reo O Awapuni who suggested singing waiata and the ball was set in motion.

Ms Holland described the community support as "just amazing".

"We thought it went well when we were walking back to kindergarten, but we didn't realise at that stage just how much money we'd raised in an hour ", she said.

In an uncanny coincidence, earthquake survivor Joan Shearer was also at the College Street Shops on Tuesday and heard the group sing.

Ms Shearer was in a retirement village in Christchurch when the quake struck, before being brought up to Palmerston North by her daughter to get away from the aftershocks.

She told children of her experience, saying she had pictures in her mind of the shaking and things falling to the ground, and thanked them for giving her some happier memories.

She also thanked the group for helping the people of Christchurch saying, "any help is really appreciated".

In addition to the money raised, Awapuni Kindergarten children have been writing letters and drawing pictures to send down to kindergartens in Christchurch.

Other kindergartens within the Ruahine Kindergartens Association have also been building coin trails and holding raffles to raise funds. 

Ms Holland said although the kindergarten, kohanga and school hadn't collaborated in the past, they are now considering what else they might do together.

Above: Awapuni Kindergarten children line up to walk down to the College Street Shops. 

Above: Christchurch quake survivor Joan Shearer (left) now has happier memories thanks to the sweet songs of Awapuni Kindergarten, Te Kohanga Reo O Te Reo O Awapuni and Awapuni Primary School. 

Santa Claus comes to town
December 2010

Santa received an enthusiastic welcome at Awapuni Kindergarten on December 8 as he stopped by with gifts for all the girls and boys. 

After performing three action songs, complete with Christmas props, the children waited patiently for the big guy to arrive. 

And arrive he did, shaking each child's hand before handing out books as presents and posing for photos. 

Head Teacher, Kim Holland, said Santa decided on books as they reinforce the kindergarten's belief in the importance of literacy. 

Above: Children at Awapuni Kindergarten welcome Santa Claus to their centre

An Abundance of Apples
May 2010

It's an apple a day for children at Awapuni Kindergarten after harvesting their crop as participants in Massey University's Rent-a-Tree programme.

Teachers Kim McCarthy and Chris Hudson travelled to the Massey orchard on a Thursday afternoon to ward off hungry birds and begin harvesting their healthy apple crop. Three parents, two children and a teenage daughter joined teachers on Saturday 24 April to help pick the rest.

The Rent-a-Tree scheme has been operating for nine years and, although fruit numbers vary between seasons, yields are typically upwards of 50kgs. Awapuni are now selling apples to families for $1.00 per bag of approximately 25 apples to raise funds for a developing ICT area and help cover the cost of the tree.

Throughout the process children have been learning about healthy eating as well as where food comes from. There are plans to use the apples for baking and children are currently enjoying the apples are part of their morning tea.

Above: Picking apples at the Massey Orchards