Welcome & Start of Year Information

Welcome Back to a New School Year 
A very warm welcome back to what promises to be an exciting new school year at West Gore School. We hope you all enjoyed a refreshing summer break and are ready for the year ahead.

Students will start on Wednesday 4th February at 8:55am.

This will be followed by our Mihi Whakatau at 9:10am in the hall.

We warmly welcome all new families to meet their children in front of the hall. All families are invited to attend this first assembly of the year as we welcome new students and their whānau into our school community.

We also formally welcome Miss Kasey Owen-Wilson to West Gore School. We look forward to all that this year will bring. 

To help the year begin smoothly, please ensure the following:

• All stationery is at school on the first day
• All books are covered and labeled 
• Children are wearing the correct school uniform (See Anneke for second hand items) 
  •  Footwear suitable for school activities (no Crocs)
  •  No Canterbury pants /shorts
  •  Navy socks / tights
• Sunhats are compulsory for Terms 1 & 4

School Communication
All school communication will be through School Apps NZ and newsletters on our website. You will receive newsletters via email on a Friday. 
If you do not yet have the app installed, please see Anneke in the office, who will be happy to help you set it up.

The app includes a very handy school calendar, where you’ll find important dates for:

• Swimming
• Athletics
• Year 6 Camp
• And more throughout the year

Medication at School
If your child requires medication to be administered during school hours:

• Please ensure all paperwork is up to date, see Anneke in the office
• ​All medication must be handed to an adult by an adult

Arrival & Leaving School  
The bell goes at 8.30am for children to come into the school grounds.

School finishes at 3.00pm. Children are expected to pack their bags and go home by 3.10pm when the bell rings. If they wish to remain and enjoy the school grounds, they must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Children are not permitted to remain on the school grounds unsupervised.

Road patrol finishes at this time and you can expect your child to return home in a timely manner knowing they left school at this time. 

If you have an exceptional circumstance and require your child to be at school beyond these times, for any reason, please see Linda or Anneke. 

Teacher Only Day
Please note there will be a Teacher Only Day on 9 March, focused on further Maths development.

Staying in Touch
If you have any questions or need to discuss anything regarding your child, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office to make an appointment with me or email your child’s class teacher.

Together, we can ensure that your child’s needs are well cared for.
​
We look forward to a fantastic year ahead at West Gore School.

Ngā Mihi
Linda Fraser
Principal