Principal Update

Kia ora Parents / Whanau, 
​
The term is rapidly coming to a close. It has been a very busy and productive term with so many events and great learning happening in classes.

Board of Trustees​ 
Last night our newly elected Board of Trustees members met for the first time together. It was great to welcome and do some team building with our team.  Susan Hasselman, a previous presiding member has been co-opted to fulfil the role of presiding member for the next year. We are grateful to Susan for stepping into the role, in service to our school. 

We welcome back Zac Andrews, Monika Du Plessis, Jacqui Ruddenklau & Rebekah Prattley and are thrilled to have Sonya Stewart and Sam Srimanthula join our team. 

Your board does a huge amount of work, mostly behind the scenes, governing our school. It is an important role and successive people have contributed hugely to the success of West Gore School.

Thank you to Shelley Lithgow & Torrone Smith 

We are very grateful and thank Torrone Smith and Shelley Lithgow for their outstanding work on our board over many years, both serving as presiding members during their tenure on the board. Shelley has given 9 years service to our board and Torrone 10 years. 

TJ and Shelley have been loyal and committed to the success of our school, providing continuity and careful committed  governance to our school. TJ and Shelley are both hard workers and while their contribution has been in the governance of the school they have been tireless in their practical mahi they have contributed over many years. Thank you Shelley and Torrone for your significant contribution. Our school is a better place for your contribution.

We Need Your Help Please? 
We are in need of help with some straightforward tasks please. 

Heat Ups 
​We require a parent to help put the heat ups in the pie warmer in the hall  on a Wednesday morning at  9.00am and someone to collect them out and sort them into class tubs at 12.50pm. Both these tasks take approximately 20 mins.

The children love this lunch option and we need some volunteers please to continue this next term.

House and Garden Tour 
​This is organised by our Home & School and is a very successful fundraiser for our school. We are working towards upgrading our Outdoor Play areas in our senior area. We have raised more than $15K each year and is a popular event community members look forward to.

We need you to help us with a few jobs, labeling raffle cards, putting posters up around our local community businesses, attending a working bee on Oct 21st to prepare for the day, help on the day, Nov 2nd with registrations, distribution of goodie bags, making lunches for home owners etc. 
All these areas will have people who can lead but we require extra support to lighten the load for a few committee people doing a lot. 

Anneke will email a google form home today  for you to commit to supporting one of these tasks. Thank you in anticipation of your support. Many hands make light work.

Literacy 
We are delighted with the progress of many of our students in their writing this term. We have been supported by Rebekah Prattley, our literacy leader and Lauren Latimer a consultant who we have developed a great relationship with over time. Lynne Bell and Kay Stevens our Learning Support Coordinators are experts in this area as well so we have a strong team supporting your children. 

Handwriting is a focus area because it enables children to efficiently record their ideas. All children  are working in exercise books that have half height lines and everyone has a pencil grip. This is necessary to ensure we are setting all our children up with good habits or we are now focusing on correcting some bad habits. 

Enjoy using our wonderful public library over the holidays to keep your children reading. Teachers in the Junior school will send books home  over the holidays. Please talk to your child’s teacher if you have any specific questions.

Road Crossings 
It is a great concern that we have several parents crossing with their children in close proximity to the crossings. 
We encourage you to use the crossings, whether they are patrolled or not. 
We have had several near misses and one day we won’t be so lucky. 
The safety of your children is paramount to us.

Enjoy your weekend
Nga mihi 

Linda Fraser