On a Monday, one would expect Gore Main School staff and students walking in, ready and focused on another week of learning and work.
Principal Glenn Puna said it has been a very different and distressing sight lately.
"There’s graffiti, profanity and other bad language on our swings, a rubbish bin was emptied over the bottom court," he said.
"Compost bags, stolen from the Warehouse, were opened and spread out on our courts," he said.
Mr Puna said the school had reviewed camera footage from the past weekends and found it was a group of young people causing the damage.
"It seems to be a Saturday night thing.
"They’ve been roaming around the area, loitering around and, I guess, stealing as well," he said.
The delinquents had left rubbish scattered along the courts, compost piled and spread around, and had stolen a sign from Christian bookstore River Books.
Mr Puna said he was concerned about what such behaviours would lead to.
"We have them on camera, at quarter to two at night. These are young kids, they shouldn’t be out that late, roaming the streets."
"If that’s their thing, they’re on the wrong track and we need to get them on the right road for the future. That sort of behaviour only ends in one thing," he said.
Mr Puna said after the school posted screenshots of the security footage on Facebook, it was shared over 200 times, and led to an apology from some of the children.
"What was really cool was, and I really want to thank the parents of the three of the group, the parents brought them in after identifying them in the photos."
"I’m very appreciative of the parents for doing that. They clearly cared enough to bring them in," he said.
Mr Puna said the three who came forward, hat in hand, were ready to make amends.
"Their apologies were sincere. They were offering to do jobs around the school, one wrote a letter."
"For them to do that, that’s enough for me. I hope they learn from this," he said.
Gore police Senior Sergeant Gary Iddenten said he was concerned and disappointed in the damage caused by the vandals to the school and community, and it would be worth consideration for the parents to come and speak with police.
