Ayden and Fletcher from Room 14 have turned a simple learning-through-play idea into an inspiring real-world project! It all began with a prototype skate ramp they built during class. Excited by their design, the boys decided they wanted to create a full-sized ramp for our school.

What followed was a huge amount of hands-on learning: drawing up detailed plans, pricing materials, writing emails for permission, and organising a fundraising strategy. They settled on hosting a sausage sizzle, created order slips to send home, and today proudly ran their very own BBQ.

Lunchtime was full of happy faces—and full tummies! The boys made an impressive $125 profit, which will go directly toward building their real ramp for all students to enjoy. So watch this space! A big thank you to Ayden’s grandma for her wonderful help on the grill.
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Well done, Ayden and Fletcher! Your initiative, teamwork, and perseverance are something to celebrate.

 Our class has been working hard each week with our Sound Hunter rhymes. Recently we looked at the ‘i’ sound and wrote about it as a class.

The rhyme included two big lizards and some insects by the river. They also created some lizards using
pastels.

The two big lizards are flicking out their tongues. One lizard is long and thin with stripes, and the other is round and green with spots.

Oh no! Watch out insects. They look hungry. The spider and the centipede might get eaten. They are
shivering and they look worried.

A Message from the West Gore School Board of Trustees,

Hello, Kia ora and Greetings to everyone in our West Gore School Community,

As you will know the Government requirement to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi has been
removed from the Education and Training Act 2020. 

There has been an outpouring nationwide from iwi, school boards, the Principals Federation and education
professionals expressing opposition to this.

The Treaty of Waitangi must have it’s rightful place in our nations legislation as it recognised within our constitution as a founding document of Government.

The Government position is that this action releases School Boards of Trustees from a legal obligation to honour the
Treaty within schools. School Boards nationwide rejected the inference that to honour the Treaty should be an obligation or undertaken under some form of compliance. We also reject the idea that School Boards can not give effect to the Treaty as that right resides with the Government. School Boards are indeed Crown entities.

We believe very much in the principles of partnership within The Treaty and feel their presence within our School
identity, curriculum and culture is vital and enriching in the education of all of our students.

At West Gore School we will continue on as before in committing to the principles within Te Tiriti as they guide and
inform our governance and school programmes regardless of the legislative change. Diminishing the role of the Treaty
does a disservice to us all. We will give effect to the Treaty as we always have done.

Our commitment is to our students, their whanau, our Māori community, our West Gore School values and to what is
right as our tamariki look to their future and their place in it.

We thank you for your support.

Susan Hasselman.
Presiding Member

Linda Fraser
Principal

Staff Appointment Process
The Board of Trustees is working through the appointment process now and we will inform you when we have our confirmed staffing and class placement of teachers for 2026. 

Class Placements for 2026
The teaching staff are working on class lists for 2026. Our new curriculum is year level based so it makes best sense to have straight classes whenever we can to cover the curriculum. 
This will mean there is less flexibility in children's placements  than composite classes allow.

We will notify you of your child's class in the final week of school along with stationery lists so you can purchase with the back to school deals in January. 

Leadership day - Year 5 students  
Our year 5 students will enjoy a day of challenge & leadership activities on Monday at Camp Columba. This is a great opportunity for teachers and all our year 5 group to come together and get to know each other better before their year 6 year next year. We encourage our Year 6 students to take on leadership roles within the school and this day sets the scene for this. 
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Thank you to parents that are accompanying this group on Monday.

Launchpad 
Next week is the last day of launchpad for the year. We are very grateful to our local team of teachers,  Merle Barnett, Andrew Dodds, Janice Elder and Valmai Redhead for their dedication and commitment to our children.

​This team has been coming to west gore for years and have built up significant relationships with our children and families. We are grateful for the care and support this offers many children.

Reporting to Parents - December 2nd 
You will receive your child’s report home on December 2nd. The format will be the same as mid year. 

We will send an update with the reports explaining further changes to the curriculum announced very recently by the government. We appreciate this is challenging for you to keep up with but be reassured, in spite of the changes your children are receiving excellent teaching and they are making great progress. 

If, after receiving your child’s report you would like clarity, please make an appointment to speak with their teacher. They will be happy to discuss and explain anything further.   

You will have received your child’s folder home with two new learning stories this term. These learning stories will reflect the other areas of the curriculum. 

Please read, respond to your child in the way of a comment and return to school. We have several learning journals not returned.

Dolamore Park - Whole School Day - Friday 5th December 
We are looking forward to this day together with our community. It is a fun day out and we encourage you to come out and join in the fun as your work commitments allow. 

The children will participate in a rotation of fun activities, enjoy a Mr. Whippy ice cream, compliments of the Home and School and have a surprise event. 

All children will be travelling on the bus, leaving school at 9.30am and returning before 3.00pm. 

If you wish to take your child home from the park please inform your child’s class teacher. 
(More details to follow)

Year 6 Graduation / School Breakup 
Monday 8th December (note change of date),  Calvin Church at 6.00pm 
(Children to arrive at 5.45pm when the doors open) 

This is a special event for our school where we celebrate and honour our Year 6 students graduating from West Gore. 

We encourage all families to attend and feel it is important we honour our leaving students as a school community.

All our children are part of the ceremony to honour the year 6 leavers. There are also class awards and it is disappointing when children are not there to receive them.

School Rumble 
Thursday 11th December (from 2.00pm – 3.00pm) - Students to set up from 1.30pm
This day is always a highlight for all our children. Year 6 students have the opportunity of buying a desk to sell their own goods.

They pay $5 per table top and sell goods they have made or their own treasures to the other children in the school. The prices range from 10 cents with a maximum of $2.00 per item.

This does not include commercially purchased goods but things like headbands, books, toys, sweets, drinks etc.

You are welcome to send your child along with a few coins to make some purchases. As a guide, $2 - $5 would buy a child several bits and pieces.

It is a good idea to send them with a purse / wallet for their money and a bag to put their purchases in.
Teachers will hold on to this money for safekeeping in the morning. 

The Year 6 students decide on the charity they are going to support each year with their $5.00 desk fee and children then keep their own profits.

This is a great opportunity to see the entrepreneurial skills of our senior students. Do come along and enjoy the buzz of this fun afternoon.

​Last day of school
Just a reminder we finish on Friday December 12th at 12 noon. 
Buses will not run at this time so we ask bus families to collect their children at this time please.

Beginning of School - 2026
School will commence on Wednesday the 4th of February 2026.

Enjoy your weekend.   
Nga mihi 

Linda Fraser 
Principal

Our talented golfers have brought the trophy home for the second year in a row! Maehe, Jett, Blake, and Karlee represented West Gore School at the Southland Primary Schools Golf Tournament in Drummond yesterday, and we couldn’t be prouder.

These four keen players had a fantastic day on the course—having fun, supporting each other, and giving it their absolute best. Their efforts paid off as they were crowned Champions of the Year 5 & Year 6 division!
A big thank you to Hayden, who accompanied the team as manager. We truly appreciate your time, support, and dedication.

We would also like to acknowledge Katelynne who showed the West Gore values of resilience and respect when she was the unlucky person to be balloted out of this team. Katelynne managed this disappointment with respect and understanding. We are proud of you Katelynne. 

Congratulations, team—what an achievement! 

On behalf of the Launchpad teachers I would like to thank the school for allowing us to present this programme again this year to students in Rooms 1, 12, 14, and 16.

We have enjoyed working with the children, following the Launchpad programme, which uses Bible stories and stories of famous people which support the values of West Gore School.

Our last day for the year will be on Friday 28 November when we will present the Christmas story to the children in the hall. As has happened in previous years all classes are invited, including those in which we haven’t been teaching. If you have a child in one of these classes and you don’t wish them to attend please notify the office or their classroom teacher.

Parents, grandparents and caregivers are also invited to come at 9:30am to join the children to watch this finale.

All Year 5 children who have attended Launchpad will be presented with a Bible on our final class day which will be 21 November.

Have a wonderful Christmas break.

Blessings
Merle Barnett
Co-Ordinator

Kia Ora Everyone,
Following a stormy start Spring weather seems to be finally settling. Longer evenings means more play outside and the excitement of looking forward to holidays and the Christmas season. There is much for school staff and the Board to do over this time.

On the 23rd of October I joined with our staff at the Save Our Services Rally at The Triangle. We were joined by people from the Health sector too. Education staff, medical professionals and emergency workers took part in the Nationwide action to draw attention to the serious issues affecting all of these sectors. They and us were there for students, patients and the public who access emergency services, in short, families.

Our presence at the Triangle was well received by the public passers-by. We could only be there for a short time as the storm that went on to cause so much destruction arrived shortly before 1.00 pm.

To protest is at the basis of any democracy and I was happy to be there.

On November 4th our Home and School Committee held their annual Home and Garden Tour. It was very successful and I would like to personally acknowledge and thank sincerely those parents and staff who devoted a huge amount of time and effort to this. The sole purpose of course is to raise funds for the benefit of our tamariki.

Please consider joining the group or volunteer when you can during fundraising efforts, you would be welcome. Home and School support is really vital to our school and students. I never take for granted the work this group does for us all.

The November Board meeting was held this week on Wednesday 11th 2025. We regularly cover a lot of important topics at each meeting covering the management and governance of West Gore School.

There are topics I want to address here.
As you know we are undertaking further action under new direction from the Government pertaining to school absences. Of pressing concern is children being withdrawn from school in order to holiday overseas with their families. As per legal guidelines this is judged to be an unjustifiable absence. Our school Leadership team is often not informed of these plans in the appropriate manner. In some cases, notification is not within a suitable timeframe and occasionally there is no notification at all. There are many reasons why an overseas trip may happen. It may be for cultural, medical or legal reasons. However, taking time away during Term time is discouraged for the purpose of holidays. In all cases though the Board requires you to make contact with Principal Linda Fraser in the first instance. Please consider the timing of
overseas holidays and how it can impact your child’s learning, especially if your child is taking part in a supported learning program.

Every year a sub-committee of Board members undertakes a review of School Policy and Procedure. The policies are scrutinised for serviceability, suitability and improvement if required. For parents and caregivers to participate please go the School app, click ‘ links’ and then ‘School Docs’. It’s a great tool, do go and have a read.

Work is currently being done to make updated guidelines on school policy as it applies to you and your whānau easily available. I will keep you all posted as to when that comes it to being.
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Til next time,
Ngā Mihi,
Susan Hasselman
Presiding Member

Yesterday, eight of our students travelled to Mossburn to take part in the Southland Primary Schools’ Festival of Golf. After being postponed twice due to weather, it was wonderful to finally see the event go ahead — and what a great day it turned out to be!

A huge thank-you to Cody and Hayden for generously accompanying and supporting our two teams.

Congratulations to Danel, Jett, Coby, Lachie, Maehe, Blake, Katelynne, and Karlee, who all played their best and represented our school the West Gore way!

​An extra congratulations to Maehe, Katelynne, Karlee, and Blake, whose team placed second overall and has qualified to compete in the final on 20 November 2025. We are so proud of all our golfers for their fantastic effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship!