He taonga te mokopuna, kia whāngaia, kia tipu, kia rea.

A child is a treasure, to be nurtured, to grow, to flourish.

The elements that make up our philosophy:

Pikorua — represents the eternal bond between people and cultures. It is a powerful symbol of loyalty, friendship and love, signifying the strength and beauty of enduring friendships. It is also a representation of the enduring and infinite connection with others that we are form over our

The pikorua placed at the centre of this image is also symbolic of our tamaiti. The three twists represent their ways of being, their ways of doing and ways of knowing. Placed to be connected to the aroha and standing strong like the way the harakeke grows and central to the reason our kindergarten exists. We are all surrounded by the past, present and future and acknowledge the value and all the mana, aroha, protection and guidance that come with this.

Harakeke — symbolises our physical place, our land, Flaxmere. Within the Harakeke and placed at the centre of the image directly below the pikorua you will see the rito (child), awhi rito (parent) and the tupuna (grandparents) surrounded by the rest of the flax leaves. This represents the foundation and grouding whänau provide for our tamariki.

Heart shaped koru — encompassing the pikorua and stemming from the harakeke and joining hands is this heart shaped koru. This symbolises the aroha encompasses our tamariki and our kindergarten. We as kaiako are all also strongly aligned with heart space teaching. The manu are also intentional placed taking flight, rising through this part of the design as aff we do is built on a foundation of relationship and aroha.

Manu — There are five manu on the left hand side representing from the bottom to the top: our ancestors (our whakapapa); whänau; ngä kaiako; our Association (HFKA); and our community. All of these people influence; fly alongside and uplift our tamariki.

The five manu of the right hand side represent each of the years in which a child may attend our kindergarten. The manu all take flight upward symbolising the growth of a child while on their journey with us.

Joining Hands —This design is of joint uplifting hands. Here it symbolises being united and connected through authentic and meaningful relationships we are better able to meet learning outcomes for our tamariki successfully.

Spearheads — This motif represents both fisherman and warriors. They are an expression of courage; shelter and adaptability. Everday we see our tamariki grow in courage and adaptability. Here they have been placed on the outer ring also to represent the sense of protection and shelter we provide for our tamariki as we care for them, nurture them and support their growth.

Shark Teeth — These symbolise strength, protection and guidance as well as ferocity. They symbolise adaptability, shelter, power and guiding force.

The use of color — Green represents Papatüänuku and the Blue represents Ranginui.