Tēna Koutou

Term 4 is already flying by and it is only a nine week term! There is so much happening around the school at the moment, it’s hard to keep up. If in doubt … check the school calendar that can be found on Hero or our website.

Last Thursday, communities took part in the National Shake Out Earthquake Drill. At West Melton School, we have drills scheduled every term so that our ākonga know what to do if there is an earthquake, fire or reverse evacuation (Shelter in Place or Lockdown). Our most recent drill had the children practising drop, cover and hold.

Congratulations to the Student Exec for organising a successful Gumboot Friday initiative raising $545.70 towards Mental Health in New Zealand. Next week is the auditions for the Student Exec annual West Melton’s Got Talent. We have a record number of entries.

Well done to our 53 competitors that participated in the Selwyn Central Zone Athletics last Friday. Great demonstrators of our DRIVER values. We have 18 competitors who have qualified for the Canterbury Athletics being held at the end of November.

Last Friday evening the FoWMS organised a successful school disco. The night was enjoyed by so many ākonga and staff who attended and it wouldn’t have gone ahead without the amazing mahi of Vanessa Henry and the FoWMS team who volunteered their time and energy to make the event happen. Thank you so much to these wonderful parents.

Last weekend our Jump Jam team participated at the South Island Jump Jam Nationals Competition at Cashmere High School. They came second in the Year 5 - 8 Strictly Jump Jam New Zealand Regional category! Such a great effort that they have been preparing for since Term 1. The team of Year 5 and 6 ākonga qualified by doing well at the regional competition held earlier in the year. The lead up and performance meant the team had to draw on their DRIVER values. A big thanks to Steph Birkett for your mahi!

We are beginning to see an increase of COVID cases and gastro bugs in our community. Can you please contact the office and inform us if your child has tested positive for COVID so that we can update our confidential records. Alternatively you can notify the school via Hero. We continue to actively apply the key measures of ventilation, regular hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette, sanitising high touch surfaces and reminding staff and ākonga to stay at home if they are unwell.

An advanced warning about the upcoming Teachers Paid Union meetings on 23 November to discuss the progress of negotiations for their collective employment agreements. The campaign aims that are in the spotlight for teachers are; to win smaller class sizes, more support for high-needs students, better recognition of cultural skills, greater job security for our essential relievers and to fairly value and recognise the work of teachers. Our school will aim to ensure the least disruption to students' learning whilst upholding the right of teachers to participate in their union meetings. Most teachers will attend the afternoon meeting and we will organise a less formal programme for the afternoon.

I hope you have a lovely long weekend and we look forward to seeing ākonga back to school on Tuesday after our Staff Only Day on Monday.

Ngā mihi nui

Tracey