974 days ago

Early childhood teacher force-fed toddlers, made racist remarks

Melanie Earley Reporter from Whangārei Leader

Kia ora neighbours, an early childhood centre manager has had her teacher’s registration cancelled for force-feeding toddlers, making racist remarks and rough handling children in her care.

Sonya Kay Costello, who was a registered teacher in Whangārei, faced charges of serious misconduct at the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal for incidents that spanned several years.

There were 11 specific incidents the tribunal heard which fell into the categories of inappropriate use of force, inappropriate comments and force-feeding incidents.

Read the full story at the link below.

Image
More messages from your neighbours
16 hours ago

Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️‍💥❔

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

What has a head but no brain?

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!

Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

Image
44 minutes ago

Want a Cosier Christmas Night? Neighbours, Read This

Marketing Manager from Beds4U - Whangarei

Hey neighbours,

Quick question - have you given your bedroom a little Christmas love yet?

If not, you’re going to love this! We’ve put together some easy, feel-good DIY ideas to help turn your bedroom into a cozy Christmas retreat - think festive bedding, twinkling lights, handmade pillows, and warm holiday scents. Simple touches, big Christmas vibes.

Get inspired here:
beds4u.co.nz...

And while you’re getting into the Christmas spirit, our Boxing Day sale is still ON - a great excuse to upgrade your bed and enjoy better sleep heading into the new year.

Find your nearest Beds4U store:
beds4u.co.nz...
Or browse all Boxing Day deals:
beds4u.co.nz...

Don’t wait, neighbours - cozy nights and great deals don’t stick around for long!

Image
2 days ago

Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”

We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?

Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.

Image
Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
  • 40.7% Yes
    40.7% Complete
  • 34.5% Maybe?
    34.5% Complete
  • 24.8% No
    24.8% Complete
504 votes