500 signatures reached
To: CEO Calmar Ulberg and Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association Board of Management
Save Our Kindys – Keep The Kindergarten Experience Alive!
Stop the operational changes to Mason Avenue Kindergarten, Nina Busing Kindergarten and Papakura West Kindergarten by keeping the current hours of 8:30am – 2:30pm and not operating during school holidays.
Why is this important?
This petition is to demonstrate that the operational changes to be made to Mason Avenue Kindergarten, Nina Busing Kindergarten and Papakura West Kindergarten are not supported by families and the community.
The Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association (CMKA) have been rolling out operational changes to all the kindergartens, which has resulted in the loss of the traditional kindy model. If this is not stopped, the last three kindergartens yet to change will be open from 8am – 3:30pm/5pm and will operate throughout the school holidays.
Key points:
• The quality of teaching and learning will be negatively affected by these operational changes.
• Introducing multiple sessions and flexible drop off and pick up times will change the structure and create an unsettling environment for children.
• Parents send their children to kindergarten to receive high quality early childhood education under a play based model that reflects the school day.
• Longer hours for children - we believe the six hour session time of 8:30am – 2:30pm is long enough for 3-5 year olds. Current research supports this.
• The kindergarten will be required to fill the spots for the extra hours so that funding is maximised.
• Children need the holidays to rest and recharge, as do the teachers.
• Kindergartens have long attracted high quality teachers and risk losing their staff due to unfavourable working conditions.
• The choice parents have in regards to early childhood education is removed. A traditional kindergarten is different from a privatised daycare model. There are numerous other childcare centres in Franklin that have longer opening hours and availability during term breaks.
• There will no longer be term breaks and fee paying families must continue to pay, regardless of whether their child attends or not.
We strongly believe these changes are not in the best interests of our children and community. We propose that the CMKA responds to the community and Mason Avenue Kindergarten, Nina Busing Kindergarten and Papakura West Kindergarten continue to operate as a traditional kindergarten by keeping the current hours of 8:30am – 2:30pm and not operating during term breaks.
These three centres are considered highly functioning kindergartens with large waitlists, active parent communities and strong fundraising capabilities - why fix something that isn’t broken?
We will deliver the petition directly to CMKA CEO Calmar Ulberg and The Board of Management.
The Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association (CMKA) have been rolling out operational changes to all the kindergartens, which has resulted in the loss of the traditional kindy model. If this is not stopped, the last three kindergartens yet to change will be open from 8am – 3:30pm/5pm and will operate throughout the school holidays.
Key points:
• The quality of teaching and learning will be negatively affected by these operational changes.
• Introducing multiple sessions and flexible drop off and pick up times will change the structure and create an unsettling environment for children.
• Parents send their children to kindergarten to receive high quality early childhood education under a play based model that reflects the school day.
• Longer hours for children - we believe the six hour session time of 8:30am – 2:30pm is long enough for 3-5 year olds. Current research supports this.
• The kindergarten will be required to fill the spots for the extra hours so that funding is maximised.
• Children need the holidays to rest and recharge, as do the teachers.
• Kindergartens have long attracted high quality teachers and risk losing their staff due to unfavourable working conditions.
• The choice parents have in regards to early childhood education is removed. A traditional kindergarten is different from a privatised daycare model. There are numerous other childcare centres in Franklin that have longer opening hours and availability during term breaks.
• There will no longer be term breaks and fee paying families must continue to pay, regardless of whether their child attends or not.
We strongly believe these changes are not in the best interests of our children and community. We propose that the CMKA responds to the community and Mason Avenue Kindergarten, Nina Busing Kindergarten and Papakura West Kindergarten continue to operate as a traditional kindergarten by keeping the current hours of 8:30am – 2:30pm and not operating during term breaks.
These three centres are considered highly functioning kindergartens with large waitlists, active parent communities and strong fundraising capabilities - why fix something that isn’t broken?
We will deliver the petition directly to CMKA CEO Calmar Ulberg and The Board of Management.