Island Bay Kindergarten

A MASSIVE thankyou Drew from Precise tree care for removing this massive stump - clearing and making space for our new fruit trees.

Thank you for supporting us and our community ❤️ aroha mai aroha atu ❤️

Some of our IBK whānau had the privilege of listening to Abigail Boyd speak at Whakamana I te Ao Mokopuna - Progress in Early Childhood Education Summit today.

Such an inspiration and reminder of the power of advocacy - check out her online talk tonight ( see link below)

🚨 Now ONLINE due to severe storms in the Capital 🚨

Don’t miss The Perils of Profit: The pitfalls of ECE as a ‘high return investment’ — a powerful public forum featuring Australian whistleblower and NSW MP Abigail Boyd.
Hear firsthand about the risks uncovered in profit-driven early childhood systems, and what lessons Aotearoa can learn as changes to ECE regulation are debated.

🗓 Today | 5:45–6:45pm
💻 Now online due to severe storms in the Capital
🎟 Free event

Register now, link in the comment section.

It is a rich tradition first started by Teresa's father Luigi Ruocco and carried on by her husband Antonio, before daughter Nina took it up after his death.

ISLAND BAY TOMATO PASSATA 2026

We do not know how they did it, but they survived the storm and just like last year we had a massive harvest of our Isle of Capri AKA Island Bay Tomatoes!

Each year we transform the tomatoes into a passta with tamariki - so everyone can take some home and enjoy the feast together with whānau.

Thanks Nina Cuccurullo for our seedlings this year. Her famiglia history and connection to these tomatoes was celebrated on TVNZ Seven Sharp : LOVE LETTER TO THE ITALIAN TOMATO LINK: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/seven-sharp/clips/a-love-letter-to-the-italian-capri-tomato?fbclid=IwY2xjawQr5o9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFvWGo1cGZSY0VEbVdpdkdyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHu7aF6Wc3Id9zVtRpQS83JnysofuTQ1cok1RbJOcJgvrKb43k8NXJ9ih8c26_aem_zks4Zbr4U9QqLQEIaOL0uQ

Island Bay Little Italy. Garden to Table

As salaam alaykum - Eid Mubarak - Blessed Eid

At IBK we celebrated Eid by making date bliss balls using coconut and pumpkin seeds.

We talked about Eid being a time of manaaki/caring and helping one another. Sharing and being in unity/ Kotahitanga. We were all together and preparing the treats for each other too. The special bags and treats mirror the tradition of giving to others, showing generously (Zakat al-Fitr) and teaching tamariki to make sure everyone is included.

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini — we are stronger together

🍀Dia dhuit - Happy St Patrick’s Day 🍀
Baking Irish Soda bread with Whaea Linda is one way we celebrated together today.

Measuring, counting, reading numbers in the recipe , talking about little and more are just a few ways mathematical concepts and learning are woven into our baking sessions in meaningful ways - resulting in some delicious kai for everyone to share.

“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini — we are stronger together”

WHAKAWHANAUNGATANGA

It was great to welcome Sandra, (New Entrant Teacher) and meet Nick, the new Principal at St Francis de Sales School . We had chance to show them around and for them to meet some of the tamariki who will be joining their kura next term.

We treasure these visits and our relationships between kindergarten and school that support our tamariki transition and strengthening our sense of community.

Thank you St Francis whānau for helping us recreate our korowai - your hands filled up a whole one! As we pin them on reading the names brought back many memories, stories and smiles to our faces. Ngā mihi nui whānau