Dear CBHS Community

Thank you very much for your support over the past fortnight. We have had only positive feedback from parents and caregivers regarding the reinforcement of the expectation that students only use cell phones in class with the teacher’s permission.

The recent media coverage regarding the harmful use of cell phones at school has also created much discussion. In a conversation I had with a colleague who is a principal, he told me that in his school, as is the case at CBHS, most of the inappropriate incidents with cell phones occur in the junior school. The theory he proposed to me was that a lot of students receive a phone as they start secondary school and they go from no social media to total connectivity overnight.

In this increasingly technological and connected world, we all need to take an active approach to managing these issues. We must be clear on our values, clear on the importance of learning and be willing to act when necessary. Passive teaching and parenting can in fact create the risks our boys face.

At school, we have been discussing the importance of being good men. Good men care about others, have respect for others and have the strength to stand up for their values. As part of this mission, Old Boys such as Chris Parker (featured in this recent ODT article) will speak to the boys and I am very keen to hear from other men and women who are willing to help with messages about respect and care for others.

I do love being the Headmaster of Christchurch Boys' High School. The obvious enthusiasm for the school, as our Pasifika Boys for example clearly demonstrated at the recent Fiafia evening, is infectious. It has also been heartening to see the concern and empathy shown by so many after the recent media coverage. The boys have been upset by the negative image of the school and concerned for the welfare of others right down to the student who said to me “I saw the TV cameras at school so I made sure my socks were up”.

I look forward to always being alongside the boys, continually talking with them and being available for them; as do all of the staff at CBHS.

Emotionally our boys face a much more difficult adolescence than we did and with our support, they are far better equipped to engage with an increasingly complex and rewarding world.

Ki te kahore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi - Without foresight or vision the people will be lost

Altiora Peto