BestStart Waihi East

Together, we learn about protecting our whenua through kaitiakitanga to ensure our environment is healthy and thriving.

As educators we provide opportunities for tamariki to build strong relationships with our community, each other and Papatuanuku. Tamariki are valued as confident, competent learners, and encouraged to contribute their knowledge and what they bring with them, in a space that is safe and affirming their sense of belonging. We engage with our wider community by sharing our garden produce in our community stall, which Kaiako and tamariki grow. This vision underpins the way we teach, learn and our relationships, and partnerships.

We are a small rural centre that is on the border of Hauraki, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. Our community has a rich history in gold and silver mining and our town is known as the town with a "Heart of Gold". We are lucky enough to have families from many different professions so we are able to utilise their expertise.

We have amazing relationships with our whānau, community, tamariki and our environment. We attend community events with groups of children. We engage with our rural whānau to gain and share knowledge of how to support our environment in a way that focuses on sustainability, kaitiakitanga, and improving our way of life.