Kia ora koutou katoa and welcome to our first newsletter for 2024. This regular weekly communication - our Weekly Update - will help to keep you abreast of school activities and opportunities for both young men and parents.

In particular, we would like to extend a warm welcome to those young men and whānau joining our school community for the first time in 2024.  We thank you for entrusting us with your son's education, a significant decision in young people's lives.  Within this newsletter is information to help you and your son navigate the beginning of the school year.  

The impending school year will no doubt be a source of some anxiety for many young men. Coming to a new school environment, especially a large one, can be a significant challenge for many pupils. Likewise, the transition between year levels also provides a unique set of challenges for current pupils as they too face new challenges in their secondary schooling. Parents can play a key role in helping to put some of this apprehension into perspective; having a discussion with your son about his thoughts as the new school year approaches can be a very effective starting point, as can sharing your experiences and memories from your first days at secondary school.  You can help your son put some of his concerns into perspective. Often the challenges are not quite as big as they may seem to an adolescent young man.

Our school values – Courage / Tū Māia, Humility / Ngākau Mahaki, Industry / Te mahi tahi, Integrity / Tū Rangatira, Pride / Tū Whakahī and Respect / Tū Whakaaute - will continue to be the cornerstones of our work To Develop Educated Men of Outstanding Character | Hai Whakapakari i Ngā Tamatāne Kia Purapura Tuawhiti and will be reinforced in many of the messages our young men and parent community receive from us.

We are focusing on Courage / Tū Māia over the first weeks of the year. Frequently when we use the term Courage we think of physical courage, that which might be overtly displayed on the sports field or battlefield. Courage, however, is a multifaceted concept and for many, showing moral, social, emotional or intellectual courage can be more challenging. Indeed, for some young men whose anxiety about school is at a high level, putting on their uniform and walking through the school gates next week will be a courageous act. 

I would like to draw your attention to our Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) programme which begins on Friday, February 2. Each day at the beginning of period five teachers and young men read an extended text for 15 minutes. Developing reading habits and building up reading ‘mileage’ – the amount of time actively spent reading - have a positive influence on academic progress and achievement, and I encourage your interest in what your son is reading. Please note that magazines and instruction manuals such as the Road Code are not extended texts and consequently are not suitable for SSR. There is information further on in this newsletter explaining the rationale for the programme as well as some concrete suggestions for how you can support your son.

Information to assist young men in Year 9 and their whānau, and indeed new students at other year levels, can be found on our school website - click here.

Regular updates with school news can be found on Stratus (https://stratus.pnbhs.school.nz/), the Palmerston North Boys' High School Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/PalmyBoys) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/palmy_boys_/).  We encourage your interest in this information as you support your son's education.

We look forward to working with you and your son as the year progresses.

Yours faithfully,

D M Bovey

RECTOR