🏴 From the Head of Boarding,

The year is almost over with our junior boys looking forward to their Year 10 Camps and Year 9 Activities programmes this week to round off their year at Argyle House and Hamilton Boys' High School.

Thank you to all families for ensuring your son returned for the Argyle Prize Giving on Sunday 30th October. It is always a very special and rewarding occasion that allows us to share in the successes and achievements of our young men, which concludes with all 29 Year 13 students walking across the stage, for the final time at Argyle House, as part of their formal graduation.

Argyle House Prize Winners of the Major Awards:

• Matron’s Cup: Best All-Round Year 11 Boarder: Jay Wilson

Sporting Excellence

• Matthew Allen Memorial Cup: Inter-House Challenge - Sutherland House (accepted by Sutherland House Leader, Sam Potter)

• Tylee Cup: Best Junior Sportsman: Liam Van Der Heyden

• Blythe Cup: Best Senior Sportsman: Josh Syme

Visual & Performing Arts Excellence

• Morris Trophy: Outstanding Junior Visual or Performing Arts: Jack Higgins

• Coltellaro Trophy: Outstanding Senior Visual or Performing Arts: Rupert Nielsen

Academic Excellence:

• Year 10: Junior Dux, Margaret Beattie Scholarship: Alexander Brown

• Year 11: Top Academic Prize: Hendrik Roux

• Year 12: Top Academic Prize: Joshua Wickers

• Headmaster’s Cup for Academic Excellence for a Year 13 Student, Dux of Argyle House: Jack Broomfield

Service and Leadership Cups:

• Leigh Cup for Service & Leadership displayed over consecutive years by a Year 11 & 12 Boarder: Harrison Grainger

• Bennett Trophy for Outstanding Service & Contribution to Argyle House: Joseph Lorimer

• Cramond Cup for Service: Jack Broomfield

• Argyle Cup for Leadership: Thomas Verry

The senior boys that remained in during the NCEA study leave period all worked conscientiously in the prep room from 9.00 - 10.30am and 11.00am - 12.00pm each week-day morning, under the supervision of an Argyle Master. I am sure their studious approach will result in a pleasing set of NCEA examination results for all students.

With Years 9 and 10 the only year levels remaining at school, they have all enjoyed the reduction in prep hours and have made good use of the swimming pool between 7.00-8.00pm most evenings. The tone of the Hostel is very relaxed and positive, as we all look forward to the end of the school year.

The final day of school is Friday 9th December. The Hostel closes for the year on Friday at 2.30pm.

The Junior Prizegiving for Years 9 and 10 students is scheduled for a 10.00am start on Friday 9th December.

Timeline:

8.30am: All prizewinners to Gym 1.

8.45am: All Years 9 and 10 to their Tutor Groups.

9.30 - 9.45am: All students will make their way to Gym 1.

10.00am: Junior Prizegiving begins.

On the conclusion of Prize Giving at 11.15am (approximately): Years 9 and 10 students to receive their Diligence and Distinction Certificates in Tutor Groups.

11.30 - 12.30pm: Rolling lunch at Argyle. Boys are able to depart for the year immediately after Junior Prize Giving has concluded.

2.30pm: The Hostel is closed for the year.

We now look forward to 2023 and the new Hostel year. Our Senior Leaders and Prefects have been appointed and we have a full Hostel for the start of 2023 with 55 new boarders, 35 at Year 9 level, that includes 9 new International students. With international borders having re-opened we are pleased to welcome new boarders in 2023 from Hong Kong, Thailand (5), Japan, Germany and Fiji.

We farewelled two Hostel staff at our Argyle Prizegiving, Mr Kyle Martin (Grove Assistant Master) and Te Uira Palmer (Grove Assistant Master). Harry Parker (GAP student) is arriving from England in late January to take up an Assistant Master position for a year. The Headmaster and I hope to make an appointment for the vacant Grove Assistant Master position this week.

I have attached the 2023 Argyle House and Grove Term Planner below, which has all key dates for the start of the new year to assist all families with the safe return of their son.

It has been another exceptional year at Argyle House, despite the impact COVID interruptions have had on the boys, families and staff at various times throughout the year. We are blessed with a caring and hard-working staff, an outstanding group of Prefects and Senior Leaders and a group of young men who go about their daily lives within Argyle and Grove with such positive energy. It is truly a pleasure to be part of this Hostel environment.

Thank you for the continued support of all our boys, staff, Headmaster, Hostel Committee and Board of Trustees throughout the year. It has been appreciated by us all and we now look forward to what lies ahead in 2023 with two new staff and 55 new boarders.

This is my final newsletter for 2022 and it is pleasing to be able to publish and share with you so many photos and stories that have taken place over the past few weeks. We will miss all those leaving us, especially our Year 13 boys. We wish them all the very best for life beyond Argyle.

I will send out a reminder email in 2023, a fortnight before the boys are due to return to the Hostel, outlining all return procedures and key dates.

We will be thinking of those whānau with family members going through personal health struggles and hope they return to full health over the Christmas and New Year period.

On behalf of all Hostel staff, I wish everyone a safe and joyful Christmas with your son, whānau and friends.

Ngā mihi

Murray McKenzie

Head of Boarding

021 516 477