My Account
Mahurangi Kindergarten was rebranded this month to better reflect its New Zealand identity and highlight its increasing push to educate children about caring for the environment.
Although the Mahurangi Kindergarten name remains, the umbrella organisation it is part of – the Northern Auckland Kindergarten Association – has become Kaitiaki Kindergartens.
Kaitiaki means caretaker or guardian and Mahurangi Kindergarten head teacher Michelle Fogerty says this reflects the school’s emphasis on bringing up children to be guardians of their world.
Mahurangi Kindergarten joined the burgeoning Enviroschools movement last year, which aims to foster a generation of young people who instinctively think and act sustainably.
This means children participate in tending a school garden, feed worms in their worm farm, compost vegetable matter and recycle paper and cardboard.
Activities also include visits to zero waste transfer stations to expand children’s awareness of other forms of recycling and meeting two local pigs who enjoy munching on their food scraps.
Produce from the school garden includes cabbage, kale, beetroot, tomato, onions and silverbeet.
The produce is either cooked and eaten at the kindergarten or stocks a community stall, placed outside, where passers-by can help themselves to fresh veggies.
Meanwhile, children are encouraged to have as little plastic wrapping as possible in their lunch boxes.
Earlier this year, the school received an Enviroschools Bronze award for the progress it is making.
To celebrate coming under the Kaitiaki umbrella, the school is holding a disco on Thursday, July 4, at 5pm, for current and former pupils and their families. Attendees are asked to bring a plate and ethnically diverse dishes are encouraged. Mahurangi Kindergarten is located at 13 Albert Road, Warkworth.
Leaves make a useful addition to the compost bin.
Children enjoy learning about and growing healthy foods.
