Week Ahead: Week 1, Term 2
Monday, 02 – Sunday, 08 May
Kia ora,
It goes without saying, Term 1 has certainly had its challenges. On reflection, we can look back with a real sense of pride in our students. They have, individually and as a school community, faced the very real challenges of the past ten weeks, with genuine resilience and positivity.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding with our shortened timetable, it enabled us to keep the school functioning, and maintain our student’s focus on their academic success. With COVID cases reducing, we will be returning to our full timetable beginning next term.
Despite the continued impact and disruption of this global pandemic, we have been able to persevere and provide opportunities for our boys to engage in all school activities when and where possible. As a school we have been determined to enable events to proceed. We know, for boys, routine, structure and a sense of normality is what has kept them centred and connected. Student wellbeing is central to all decision making, so to be able to run swimming sports, athletic day, sports exchanges and curriculum-related trips has been imperative to their continued development.
This term we launched registration for our 150th Jubilee. 150 years of education at Napier Boys’ High School is an historic milestone that we look forward to celebrating. The weekend of activities and events is an opportunity for our old boys and staff to share their stories and memories with other Napier Boys’ Alumni.
This week we pre-recorded our ANZAC commemoration and shared this as a virtual assembly to the school. The service is a time for us to reflect on our present freedoms and quality of life. At Napier Boys’ High School, we have a long tradition of coming together on this day, as a community group, to remember the men who served and died for New Zealand from the Boer War to Afghanistan and on peace-keeping duties around the world. We especially remember our old boys who gave their lives in the service of their country.
You will be aware that Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has announced the move to Orange from 11:59pm, Wednesday 13 April. The decision to move to Orange has been made on public health advice. This reflects that we are moving past the peak of cases and our health system can cope. We are seeing that cases are declining due to high levels of vaccination and natural immunity after infection.
As we move into the Term 1 holiday, I wanted to give you an update on what the move to Orange means for our school. At Orange, face masks are no longer required at school. However public health advice is that masks continue to be strongly encouraged when indoors. Wearing a mask is a key health measure that slows the spread of COVID-19 in indoor settings. For this reason, we ask that visitors to the school, including parents and whānau, wear a mask whenever they are indoors on school grounds. Also, we ask that students continue to bring a mask to school every day. There may be times that we will ask them to wear a mask, too. For example, when we are having an assembly in the hall. If there are a high number of cases at school or in the community, we may ask that masks are worn in classrooms for a time. At Orange, students aged twelve and above are still required to wear a face mask on school or public transport. We will continue to keep all the other health measures in place at school that we know slow the spread of COVID-19. These include ensuring our indoor spaces are well-ventilated, maintaining good hand hygiene and cough / sneeze etiquette, appropriate physical distancing whenever we can and, most importantly, staying home if we are sick.
Finally, I would like to thank our magnificent staff who have shown great dedication and manakitanga (care) towards our boys this term. They have worked tirelessly to ensure the boys received the support and instruction necessary to continue to work, grow and succeed.
My very best wishes to all for the holidays. Stay safe and keep healthy. We are looking forward to a few less restrictions and returning to school life that is a bit closer to normal.
Ngā mihi nui,
Jarred Williams
Headmaster
School Office – Term 1 Holiday
The school office is closed through the Term 1 holiday. The office will reopen from 8:00am, Monday, 02 May.
Napier Boys’ at Orange: Week 1, Term 2
Monday, 02 May is Day 2 on the school timetable. We will return to our regular five-period timetable and back to a 3:10pm finish. Buses return to their regular departure times.
As indicated by the Headmaster there will be less restrictions in Term 2. Still, if there are high rates of transmission at school or in the community, we may decide, where appropriate, to keep additional health measures in place, including wearing a mask indoors.
Collectively, we have learnt a lot about our boys through Term 1, their level of resilience and the need for routine / structure, with an element of pragmatism. If we need to adapt the timetable through Term 2, to best meet the needs of our boys, we will.
Face masks at Orange
At Orange, face masks are no longer required at school. However, the Ministry of Education has strongly encouraged face masks continue to be worn by ākonga and staff in Years 4 and above when indoors. If COVID-19 is circulating widely in our community we may decide that masks are required indoors again for a time. Any student who wishes to wear a face mask at Orange will be supported to do so.
Face masks will continue to be required for students aged twelve and above on school and public transport.
Gatherings of large numbers of students
At Orange, we are able to have assemblies and other activities with large numbers of students. The Ministry of Education strongly recommends that masks are worn for large indoor gatherings.
Visitors
There are no restrictions on numbers of visitors on-site at Orange. Visitors to the school must still sign-in, as per our normal practice. Visitors, including parents and caregivers, are strongly encouraged to wear a mask when indoors.
Jake Bailey visit
Many of you will know the story of Jake Bailey, the former Christchurch Boys’ Head Boy whose emotional and inspiring prizegiving address went viral in 2015. Jake is visiting Napier Boys on Wednesday, 04 May to speak to staff, senior and hostel students. We will all have significant ‘takeaways’ from Jake’s address around resilience and perspective.
Winter Uniform
This is a reminder that all students must be in a long-sleeve winter shirt from the beginning of Term 2.
As per above, the school office is closed through the holidays. If you need to purchase uniform items, the new and used shops will be open on the last day of the school holiday, Friday 29 April, 10am – 3.30pm.
NCEA Accord Teacher-Only Day
The teacher-only day, originally scheduled for Monday, 09 May, will now run on Monday, 16 May.
Public Health Nurse: Important Update
If your child has a serious medical condition such as an allergy that causes Anaphylaxis, Type 1 Diabetes or Epilepsy, this requires a “Safety Plan” at school. Please notify the school office as soon as possible. It is a parental responsibility to ensure that any required medication is current and that your child always carries both medication and their action plan.
If your child has asthma, please ensure that they have an asthma plan from their GP and that they bring their inhaler to school.
Any queries or concerns, please contact Kate Davis 027 3440248 or kate.davis@hbdhb.govt.nz
Kate Davis
Public Health Nurse
NBHS Vacancies
Grounds Person
We are looking for a grounds person to carry out general grounds and property maintenance tasks around the school and hostel campus. This position is 30 hours per week. However, depending on the successful applicants experience and qualifications, the hours may be increased by negotiation.
Itinerant Music Tutor
We are seeking an Itinerant Music Teacher fixed term part time basis for 4.5 hours piano per week.
For more information, contact the Headmaster’s PA (06) 8335913 headmasterspa@nbhs.school.nz
Upcoming Events – stay informed
Please keep a close eye on this school newsletter, the ‘Week Ahead’, each Friday where any changes are communicated. Also, you can check the school calendar.
Urgent updates will be pushed out via the School App.
Term One Progress Report
This report offers an overview of your son’s achievement and effort. The April progress report was emailed to parents / caregivers on Wednesday,13 April. Please make the time to talk through this report with your son, acknowledging the positives and work-ons. Any queries should be directed to your son’s tutor teacher, Dean or the related subject teacher. Teacher contact details are found here: teacher contact list.
KAMAR Parent Portal
Parents / caregivers can access results and school reports through the KAMAR Parent Portal. If you have difficulty accessing the portal, please contact Mrs J Gourdie jgourdie@nbhs.school.nz
You can access the KAMAR parent portal here: https://kamar.nbhs.school.nz/.
Term 1 Holiday: Pre-Season Fixtures
1st XI / Super 8 Schools Hockey
The 1st XI travel to Hamilton for the traditional ANZAC tournament, hosted at St Pauls Collegiate. The tournament runs 24 – 27 April.
Super 8 Schools Rugby
The Super 8 Schools rugby squads / 1st & 2nd XVs continue their preseason, with a short visit to Auckland. They have fixtures against Rosmini College, 21 April, and Sacred Heart College, 23 April.
MTB Team
The MTB team head to Rotorua 29 April – 01 May for the Gravity Camp, hitting some exciting trails
