My thoughts are with the boys and the wider school community at this time.

I do hope that membership of the Boys' High community is a source of strength and pride for you as we experience lock down. I am looking forward to seeing the boys and staff once we are on the other side of this. I know that many of our community will have experienced hardship and uncertainty because of the current pandemic and its impacts. CBHS does have a role to provide support, stability and optimism for us all.

I do have some lockdown specific messages, however, firstly I would like to acknowledge the superb start to the year made by the boys and staff.

Our boys started the year positively and a sentiment that has often been repeated to me by the boys was how excited they were for the 2020 school year. In all activities from New Zealand Champions in Robotics, to the rowers world record and leukaemia fundraising, to the energy of the boys preparing for Polyfest, to the cricket 1st XI’s cohesion in winning their three inter-schools, the boys have portrayed an enthusiasm for being part of School. Around school I continue to experience boys being happy to greet adults and engage in conversation. When I have visited classes, I have seen a work focus and close bond with teachers in relaxed and productive classrooms.

I do think it is also very important to point out the overwhelming number of positive interactions that I have seen between staff and boys in classrooms. This is what we look for in effective teaching.

Our relationships across the school and between the boys and their teachers do place us in a good position to support those who need it and to continue learning next term.

Lockdown has reinforced for me the value of meaningful relationships, and I do want to recognise the support I have had from my leadership team over the past month and the support the wider staff have also given to me and their colleagues. There has been an air of positivity, responsibility and calm this term. 

I do have some special mentions to make. Firstly Max Young and the Monitors who are determined that 2020 will be a year in which CBHS excels in developing good men. Secondly to the Teacher Aides who have displayed an ethic of care towards their classes. Teacher Aides will be in touch with individual students as we start remote learning to offer support and encouragement.

As we continue in lockdown I do want to share some messages about internet safety. The key message is that we need to act online as if everything we do is totally public. I do share some specific messages from the Ministry of Education below that have different age applicability.

• checking children’s profiles and what they are posting online
• check the sites your child is accessing
• reminding children that anything that is posted online will be permanently on the internet
• taking the time to understand what sites they are visiting and who they are talking with and check in regularly
• monitoring a child’s use of the internet and consider having them use it in an open, common area of the house
• making sure your children know to report any activity they don’t feel comfortable with to parents and caregivers straight away.
• Netsafe continues to be available to provide you and your parent and caregiver community with support for online safety. They have information for parents and caregivers and have pulled together their top tips for online safety during the lockdown. To report an incident To Netsafe - https://www.netsafe.org.nz/reportanincident/
• If you think a child in your care is the victim of online exploitation or abuse, report it to Police - if you or a child are in danger or a crime is being committed, call 111 or visit your nearest Police Station immediately.

The Ministry of Education are also encouraging people to register on Flutracking. This is a practical step that everyone can take to help monitor both flu and Covid 19.

Please do keep safe. I do encourage people to access our guidance counsellors if they have concerns about their sons.

Altiora Peto

Ngā manaakitanga

Nic Hill

Headmaster