In this week's newsletter:

School Life

• Studio Breakfasts
• 2024 News
• School Library Books
• Last Ezi-lunch orders tomorrow
• Term 1 Sporting Opportunities
• Lost Property!  Last chance

Other Opportunities

• Pre-Christmas Basketball Holiday Program
  
• Holy Moly Arts & Crafts Holiday Workshops
  
• sKids Holiday Programme
  
• Friday Drama Club
• Grey Lynn Library

School Life

Thanks for the studio breakfasts this week
It was lovely to see so many people at the studio breakfasts this week. Thank you to the organisers and everyone who contributed. I know the teachers appreciated seeing everyone there.

If you didn't make it, don't forget the family picnic on Monday is a great way to have a final catch-up for the year.

2024 news
On Monday children will have the opportunity to meet their teacher and studio mates for 2024. We will welcome our new teachers at the pōwhiri at the start of Term 1, but most will be at school for the visit on Monday.

In Term 1 Kylie McBeth will be fully released from teaching a class. She will work as part of the senior leadership team while we make a permanent appointment for a deputy principal. She will support our students who have special needs, work with our learning assistants and the junior teams in both areas of the school.

Ngā Uri O Ngā Iwi
In 2024 there will be 5 classes in Ngā Uri O Ngā Iwi. Kirsty MacFarlane who has been part of our junior school in the English-medium is joining the teaching team in NUONI. She will be teaching alongside Whaea Amokura.

We will also be welcoming Awhi Ripikoi. Awhi has been teaching in a bi-lingual class at Hurupaki Primary School for the last few years and is looking forward to starting a new adventure in Auckland. Awhi is travelling to Auckland, especially for the visit on Monday.

Senior School
In our senior school, Tara and Kiri will continue to teach in Studio 8. In Studio 7 Simone will be joined by Emma Watson. Emma is starting her teaching career at Westmere and is looking forward to meeting the students in Studio 7 on Monday. Emma completed her teacher training back in New Zealand after spending some time living in Europe.

Some of you may also remember Marcela Cameron who was a teacher at our school until 2019. It is lovely to welcome Marcela back in a part-time capacity.

Middle School
Carron will continue to teach in Studio 5 alongside Marguerita Muirhead. Marguerita is joining us from Victoria Avenue School. Marguerita is an experienced teacher who has recently held a leadership position for literacy in the Kāhui Ako. Marguerita is looking forward to settling into Westmere before thinking about how she might contribute to our Kāhui.

Lottie will continue to teach in LS6 alongside Emma Muller. Emma is also starting her career at Westmere. Emma has a science background and a love of nature, so will share this passion with Lottie and the children.

Annette moved to Westmere last year. She will continue working part-time in the middle school in 2024.

Tara will lead planning and assessment with both the middle and senior teams.

Junior School
Laura and Rowan will continue teaching in LS3, and Linda Bowman and Charlotte in LS2. Linda Poole will open LS1 on her own in 2024 and we will continue to recruit teachers through the year as needed.

Vanessa will be the part-time teacher supporting the junior teachers.

School Library Books
Calling all Westmere school library books and readers. Please have a look in bookshelves and under beds and sofas, for any books and readers that belong to Westmere school. We are conducting the annual stocktake and there are still lots and lots of books out there in homes. Many thanks in anticipation of a mountain of books! Jo

Last Ezi-lunch orders tomorrow
Tomorrow is the last day for lunch orders. Lunches are not available next week.

Term 1 Sporting Opportunities
If you would like to enter a touch or basketball team for Term 1 next year please email sport@westmere.school.nz

• Touch
  • When: Tuesdays 13th Feb - 26th March (7 weeks)
  • Where: Coxs Bay Park 
  • We can enter Junior, Middle, and Senior School Teams. Minimum of 6-7 players per team. If you can't get a full team of friends together, we can check to see if there is space within current teams for Individuals. 
• Basketball 
  • Middle School
    • When: Monday Afternoons - Starts Week 3
    • Where: Ponsonby Primary 
  • Senior School 
    • When: Friday Afternoons - Starts Week 3
    • Where: Ponsonby Intermediate
    • Minimum of 6-7 players per team. If you can get a full team of friends together, we can check to see if there is space within current teams for Individuals. 
• Weetbix Tryathlon
  • When: Sunday March 2024, 8am 
  • Where: Point England Reserve, Point England.
  • Distances are approximate and are as follows;
    • 6-year-olds 50m swim / 1.5km run
    • 7-year-olds 50m swim / 4km cycle / 1.5km run
    • 8 – 10 year-olds 75 – 100m swim / 4km cycle / 1.5km run
    • 11 – 15 year olds 150 – 200m swim / 8km cycle / 1.5 km run
  • You can join the school team by following this link, scroll down for Westmere School 
    

Lost property

Last chance to grab all your missing 

• shoes
• drink bottles
• lunch boxes
• shorts
• trousers
• tops
• jackets
• cuddly toys

Lost property can be found just inside the door of the office block.  

Other Opportunities

Pre-Christmas Basketball Holiday Program
School finishes on the 20th of December but if you need that extra day send the kids along to the much-loved basketball program with Matt from BayCity Slick. Matt runs our local competition and his holiday programs are always a hit and a great way to keep the kids busy and upskill.

Holy Moly Arts & Crafts Holiday Workshops

sKids Holiday Programme
For our December Holiday Programme, Westmere sKids will be merging with and operating from Mt Eden Normal Primary.

If parents are interested in making bookings for this, please go to the Mt Eden sKids website: https://enrolmy.com/skids-sknz/activity/601-Mount_Eden_December_Christmas_Holidays_2023

Friday Drama Club
Friday's drama club continues next year with Shortland Street/Celebrity Treasure Island actor/teacher/ motivational speaker Lynette Forday.

Lynette became a household name on NZ television and was a pioneer in getting a minority face onto mainstream television.

Her passion lies in helping children believe that they are enough, that they are extraordinary, and they can take on the world no matter what.

Lynette grew up being the only little Asian face in the playground and knows from her childhood the importance of feeling enough and having the skills to stand up and be heard.

In her class there’ll be drama games, charades, improvisations, public speaking practice, and script work but most importantly lots of fun learning.

All in the name of self-confidence, positive body language, creativity, and confidence in speaking in front of others.   $170 a term.  These lessons run on Friday at 9 am.

By design, it’s a small club so if you’re interested get in touch with Lynette at ljforday@icloud.com or 021367329.

Grey Lynn Library