There's always a lot happening in our Staff Room, so we check in on what's news in 2023.

At the very beginning of this year, we said farewell to HPW Faculty member, Mr Alby Ellis, who headed to Perth during the Christmas holidays with his family. We congratulated Mr Andy Thomson on his marriage to Keiran, Mr Murray McKenzie and Mrs Lynda McKenzie became proud grandparents to Andie, Miss Kim Van der Toorn, Hayden and big sister Ivah welcomed baby Lennex, Mr Caleb Shepherd and Rachel welcomed baby Eoin Wairua in February, and Ms Mandy Fletcher and Robbie welcomed baby Jamie in March.

Joining the school this year, in the English Faculty were Mr Shannon Mackey from Maeroa Intermediate, Mr Zach Pickett, and Ms Suyen Steyn from Cambridge Middle School. Ms Rosy Ellis returned from maternity leave and took on the Year 9 Academic Mentoring role, as well as leading the HBHS Literacy Initiative. New to the HPW Faculty were Mr Lewis Kittsen and Mr Te Raina Richards-Coxhead who returned to HBHS from Australia. The LAM Faculty was joined by Spanish teacher Mr Tomás Renna from Western Heights High School in Rotorua, and, even though he is not new to the school, Director of Culture Mr Tim Dent took on a new role as a Maths and Music teacher. The Mathematics Faculty welcomed Mr Doug Ashley-Miller from Melville High School, Ms Veronica Germishuys from Hamilton Christian School, Miss Belle Paterson from Cambridge Middle School, and Mr Luwane Knipe and Mr Pierre Le Roux from, you guessed it, South Africa. The Social Sciences Faculty said haere mai to Mr Sam Blow from Australia, Commerce teacher Mr Nathan Grant, Psychology and Social Studies teacher Ms Eden Satherley, Mr Elton Snell from Peachgrove Intermediate School, Mr Elliot Tiffany, who took on the Dean of Pasifika Students role, from Southwell School, and Ms Sarah Williams from Pukekohe High School. Joining the Science Faculty were Chemistry teacher Mr Felix Lau and Ms Sowmya Pramod from Forest View High School in Tokoroa. Ms Pramod will be leaving us at the end of the year, and we thank her for her contributions, both within the classroom and for our MMC boys. Finally, our Technology Faculty was joined by two Design and Visual Communications teachers, Mr Blake Adams and Ms Marie Swanson, from St Peter's School.

In Term 1, we said farewell to Mrs Diana Astwood from the Health Centre team, who was replaced by Ms Raewyn Hallett. Mr Jenkins Dennis temporarily said farewell, as he would return in Term 3 to take Mr Shane Singh's classes. Also departing in Term 1 were Ms Charmaine Eludo, who was replaced by Ms Caitlin Herlihy, relief stalwart Mr Dennis Ingram, and Ms Annie Stewart, who was replaced by Ms Michelle Warner.

In July we welcomed Mr Russell Bau back to the Health Centre team. In Term 2 it was time to officially farewell Mr Logan Asplin, who had taken a leave of absence from his position as High Performance Sports Manager in order to coach rugby in Hong Kong. We also said farewell and safe travels to Mr Oliva Cowley, who had re-joined us in 2022 as the Teacher in Charge of our Pasifika students and Pasifika Performance Group. Mr Cowley headed to Ethiopia on his mission with his family, and we wish him every success.

In Term 3 there were more farewells, as we said goodbye to our graphic design wizard and social media maestro, Miss Sam Corio, who headed to sunny Nelson with her partner after 18 months at HBHS. Thank you to Mrs Demi Le Roux for stepping into her role. Mr Janus de Beer, who had stepped in at short notice for the English Faculty in Term 2 returned to South Africa, and we welcomed Mrs Catherine Steffert in his place. Ms Karlie Simmons headed off to teach Geography at Drummond High School in Edinburgh where she politely described the weather as "cold", and Mr Philip Hague stepped aside when Ms Leontien Van der Beek returned from overseas. We welcomed Ms Adrienne Portch as Ms Michelle Warner departed, and we said farewell to Mrs Jill Skerman, who heads to Auckland to be with her family. Argyle House's Weekend Matron, Miss Alolipa Uli left as she welcomed her baby boy, and Mrs Leanne Twaddle stepped into that role. Finally, after 15 years of service in what he described as his "three homes", Mr Shane Singh left the Maths Department, the Dean's team, and the "deck crew" (Wi, Me, Hc, and Bq... IYKYK) to head to Hillcrest High School. In his farewell speech he regaled us with tales of some of the legendary stars of the Dean's Centre, those students who we all know by one name, reminding us all of the invaluable work carried out by our Pastoral Care staff in support of our students and families. There were far too many stories to repeat here, but the common theme was one of hard work, support for each other and teamwork, and Mr Singh was an integral member of these teams. We wish him every success in his new role.

Term 4 saw Mr Benjamin Westleigh welcome daughter Jasmine a little earlier than expected, but happy and healthy. We officially said farewell to Mr Nick Beard, and Mrs Lindsay Anderson-Chapman left the Learning Support team, which she has thoroughly enjoyed working with, to head back to the United Kingdom. Mrs Cath Hudson finished her ORS work with Learning Support at the end of the year, and Mr Brian Murphy heads to Melbourne's Parade College and Manchester City Football School after completing a year's fixed term contract in the HPW Faculty. He rates the leadership at HBHS as the best he has seen, and his highlights include coaching the Development XI Football team to a second place at their Nationals, as well as working with some of our disabled students and helping them to fully experience opportunities in PE. Mr Jenkins Dennis is leaving his role in the Maths Faculty but will be staying on as a reliever. Ms Veronica Germishuys is also leaving the Maths Faculty having come back to a part-time role and will be going to Hamilton Christian School next year. Mrs Mandy Gundersen leaves our Science Faculty after starting as a reliever and then teaching senior Chemistry and junior Science. Meanwhile, Mrs Rachel Bright joined the school as our new Library Assistant. 

Mr John Steel departs at the end of this year, and we wish him well as he finally begins his real retirement. Mrs Rebecca Greenhaigh leaves the HPW Faculty after arriving in 2022 to spend more time with her family. We thank her for her efforts in progressing academic Physical Education and for her relief work and contribution to mountain biking. Mrs Gemma Hickman leaves the Mathematics Faculty after once again stepping in support the school to look after additional Maths classes. She has loved bringing back the KidsCan Charity Run, and we very much appreciate her efforts in returning this fixture to the school calendar. We hope to see her back in the future.

Ms Jamieson Hudson will be heading just up the road to St Paul's Collegiate, where she will be taking up the position of Scholarship Design and Photography teacher and co-Head of Department. She began her time here with a practicum in 2012, took on an LTR role in 2014, was made permanent in 2015, and became the Head of the Art Department in 2018. In her time here, this multi-talented champion of all things artistic has played many roles, including being in charge of school photography, Squash, the Art Club, the Zine Club, worked with the MMC and refugee boys, been the staff representative for the PPTA, played in the Staff Band, and has been a stalwart of our School Productions. Ms Hudson has achieved Scholarship passes for her students in four subject areas - Design, Painting, Photography, and Sculpture, which is an extraordinary accomplishment. She will miss all of the wonderful staff she has worked with, and how everyone wants every student to succeed and utilise their talents and strengths. We will miss her beaming smile, her energy, and her sheer positivity, and very much hope she will make good on her promise to call in and visit us.

Mr Andrew Hay arrived at HBHS in 2012, fresh off a plane after teaching and coaching in Chile for four years. He was employed as a teacher of senior PE and Outdoor Education and took on the role of Year 12 Dean in 2013. From 2014 to 2016, he managed the newly formed Grove House Hostel, then shifted across the road into Argyle House as a Master from 2017 to 2021. In 2018 he took on the role of TCR of Senior Wellbeing and Recreation, and has also coached senior rugby 15's and 7's, been in charge of Table Tennis, created and run the legendary Coro Gold Year 10 camp and managed this year’s Colts’ Red Football team, to name but a few! Mr Hay rates being part of the beating heart of the school - Argyle House, the Pastoral Care team, and the HPW Faculty, along with organising and convening the National Under 15 Rugby Tournament this year as personal highlights, along with the many other people he has had the privilege of working with and alongside these past 12 years (Editor's note - we feel the same way). Next year he heads across the Kaimais to Papamoa College where he is looking forward to adding value as the manuhiri, along with working on that all-important work-life balance. We wish him all the very best as he returns to his whenua and wairua, Tauranga moana.

Mrs Jennie Toulson has been a member of our Learning Support team since 2008, after initially arriving as a Teacher Aide Reliever for seven weeks! She rates spending more years at HBHS than her three sons combined as one of her more interesting achievements. Over the last 15 years she has enjoyed the variety and challenges of each day in the classroom as a Teacher Aide. She has felt privileged to assist our amazing SLP students with their learning, loved the "lightbulb" moments and their sometimes unique perspective on school life. She has been grateful for the friendship and support of the Learning Support team. In retirement she is hoping to do some volunteer work in Literacy, catch up on some neglected hobbies, and more importantly, spend time with her grandchildren both here and in the United States. We wish her every happiness in this and thank her for her tireless efforts in Learning Support for our staff and students.

Finally, we reluctantly bid farewell to one of our institutional legends, Mrs Barbara Clark, who arrived at HBHS in 1990 as a part time Library Assistant and Staff Typist, and never imagined she would still be here 34 years later! Mrs Clark moved into the Library full time for a few years, and was then appointed as the Receptionist where she stayed for many years. Recently she moved into the Sports Department as an Administrator and this year has worked part-time in that role. In the late 1990's, Mrs Clark became the Manager for the 1st XV and has been heavily involved in rugby at HBHS for 27 years. She has also been involved with basketball, table tennis and cycling in her time here. Working with the 1st XV and other rugby teams has taken her all around the world on their various tours, to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts in Australia, Sydney, Perth, Japan, Ireland, Wales, London, and Thailand, not to mention the travelling around New Zealand for Super 8 competitions and tournaments, where she has met some amazing people (Editor's note - as are you, Mrs Clark!). She is looking forward to her retirement, where she plans to do more Aquafit and yoga classes, look after her health and spend more time with her husband, Jock. We at HBHS wish her every happiness in this, and thank her for her immense contribution to the life of our school.