Beverly Kaye – (1969 - 2017)
When Beverly joined ELP, she had already made an enormous contribution to early childhood education in New Zealand. Her quiet, gentle and very humble way of being was a powerful inspiration to us all.
Many of us have memories of the ways in which she inspired others, particularly around the use of ICT. She was an early and passionate adopter of the use of computers and IT technology and helped make this both visible and full of possibilities for many ECE educators.
She brought her passion and her commitment to ELP and shared her experiences with the qualities of kindness, gentleness, caring, a sense of humour, grit and determination, love and that generosity of spirit which so characterised her. On many levels, Beverly exemplified the principles of Te Whariki, New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum.
Empowerment - Whakamana She saw the strengths in everyone and nurtured and supported those around her. Beverly always looked after the rights of others: she was a powerful advocate for injustice and was never frightened to speak out. At the same time, we constantly witnessed her humbleness: Beverly found no need to acknowledge her own strengths.
Reciprocal relationships - Ngā Hononga Her capacity to build relationships was so wonderful. It was her authentic self that everyone could see. Her deep interest in others complemented her willingness to listen to and understand others and to respond to them in wise and thoughtful ways. Her gentle caring way of working alongside others enabled her to build many very special relationships.
Family and Community - Whānau Tangata We loved having Beverly as a member of our ELP team. We totally loved her spirit and her capacity to drive the positive energy through some quite difficult times. Beverly never lost hope and was always positive, so much so that we always felt that one day she would be in a position to return to her work at ELP. Sadly, this was not to be. We were all so aware of how connected she was to her family and especially to Fiona.
Holistic - Kotahitanga Beverly’s sense of fun and playfulness was exemplified in her ability to dress up, to play games and to see all the possibilities for fun. But she also kept things in balance in order to value holistic views of learning. Yes, she had a passion for ICT but she also had a very deep awareness and joy of nature, never loosing her connection with the land.
Many of us have such wonderful memories of Beverly to sustain us as we come to terms with her passing. Beverly touched so many of our lives. Her bravery in the face of adversity was an inspiration and her capacity to always find the best in every situation was staggering!
We are all thinking of you Fiona, and also the wider whānau. To Beverly's parents, Anne and Stuart and her sisters Annette and Rachael, we send our heartfelt thoughts and love to all of you during this very sad time. Thank you so much for the opportunity to contribute to this Celebration of Beverly's life.
We are all thinking of you Fiona, and also the wider whānau. To Beverly's parents, Anne and Stuart and her sisters Annette and Rachael, we send our heartfelt thoughts and love to all of you during this very sad time. Thank you so much for the opportunity to contribute to this Celebration of Beverly's life.
As we say in ELP, ‘once a member of the ELP team, always in our hearts’ and 'you never really leave ELP'. Beverly will be with us forever.
Arohanui Wendy
