Mr. John Adams - Long Serving Staff Member

Mr. John Adams began his time at PNBHS in July 1985 when he was employed as a teacher of Accounting, and in 1987 he was appointed as the Fourth Form Dean alongside his teaching duties. Mr. Adams had a significant involvement with Rugby and coached and managed a range of teams up to and including the 1st XV. Alongside Mr. Ross Brown he took the 1st XV on a 49 day World Tour from December 1988 – January 1989. This was an incredible opportunity for the young men involved and is something that many reunion groups have reflected fondly upon when they have returned to school. Any overseas tour is a significant undertaking and a huge amount of time and effort was put into fundraising, although there was less paperwork to be completed compared to similar contemporary ventures (the Palmerstonian report from this tour is attached at the bottom of this article).

He departed Palmy Boys’ at the end of the 1989 school year to pursue a career in business, working as a business consultant in a range of Asian countries as well as in New Zealand. 

Mr. Adams returned to PNBHS in January 2005, when he was appointed as the full time Careers Advisor, a role he has fulfilled since then. His time in this role coincided with significant change at PNBHS in terms of student pathways. Today, students heading to university are a minority in a growing student population. Consequently, the courses and programmes we offer have needed to diversify to meet student needs. Mr. Adams has played a key role in the introduction of the Employment Pathways Programme, the expansion of the Gateway programme and the introduction of the Trades Academy programme to PNBHS. These initiatives provide strong links between our school and a very wide range or training and employment opportunities available for young men in our local community and beyond.

Another important assignment that Mr. Adams has completed is the collation of testimonials for all school leavers and the completion of Common Confidential Reference Forms for those young men wanting to apply for a place in a Hall of Residence. These tasks take considerable time and effort but are essential to support our students as they move onto their pathway beyond school.

After his return to Palmy Boys’ Mr. Adams was again significantly involved with Rugby, both as a coach and as the Tour Organiser for three overseas tours, each of which was a significant undertaking. In regard to these tours, former 1st XV Coach Mr. Blair van Stipriaan notes: “In his latest stint at PNBHS, John has been responsible for many tremendous initiatives around Careers and Employment pathways. The other field he has been influential in has been the return of the UK Rugby tours. Himself a veteran of PNBHS tours through the late 80’s, John saw the need for the aspirational tour to ignite the passion amongst the Rugby fraternity. The reintroduction of the tours allowed a travelling party of 50 – 44 students and six staff - the opportunity to play rugby against like-minded schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland – the Grand Slam – as well as Thailand. For many of the travellers – staff and students alike – it was and remains the trip of a lifetime. For some of the players it was also a springboard for a career in Rugby, with the likes of Ngani Laumape, Jackson Hemopo and Jamie Booth on the first tour in 2010. There were further tours in 2013 and 2017, with many of the players since returning to the UK on their OE to continue the combination of Rugby and travelling. As important as the Rugby was, the sights that were seen and the touring stories (some of which should well and truly remain on tour) are a cherished memory for those fortunate enough to have been a part of these wonderful adventures.”

Former PNBHS Guidance Counsellor Mr. Paul Pottinger, who has had a long association with Mr. Adams, shared these reflections: “Mr John “Gravity” (near the ground) Adams, not to be confused with “Altitude” Adams of the same name (John Adams Guidance Counsellor who was considerably taller), has worked at PNBHS on two occasions. He has had a long and colourful career inside and outside of education, with his longest stint in any one job being at PNBHS. One needs to acknowledge some of his involvement outside the classroom as it does help build a profile that has been a mark of his efforts inside the school system.

He is a man who has pursued many interests in life. He has been a Ford Salesman in Invercargill, drove trucks for Marlborough Transport as a holiday job, ran a small business in Palmerston North, been a journalist for Rugby News in its early days, run Business Seminars in Asia on contract and has been a mentor for Manawatū Business Enterprise, to name a few.

He fancied himself as a ‘muso’ in his youth and was an active performer in gigs around his Teachers’ College years. To this day he is an active attendee of performances on the local scene and has some association with many of the performers. He branched out into the world of Theatre, is involved with the Globe Theatre Point Trust and even became a thespian in The Vicar of Dibley show! He has a comprehensive music collection and an eclectic range of tastes. He is also an avid reader and enjoys the odd quiz evening to test his Mastermind skills.

As a young man, he plied his trade as an English teacher at Marlborough Boys' College. He was banished to the far regions of the College and occupied a very worn Prefab that overlooked the school’s swimming pool. He often looked like a dehydrated labrador as he peered out the window on a hot Summer day. When he took up his first position at PNBHS he was a young Commerce teacher! In both these posts, he was a champion in the co-curricular programmes of the colleges. He coached both 1st XV rugby teams in his time in the schools. He was involved in the running of Swimming teams and volunteered to help out with numerous codes.

In his second stint at PNBHS he ended up running the Careers/Transition/Gateway Programme. For PNBHS this was a new venture and challenged some aspects of the school’s educational philosophy. In typical Adams fashion, he infused the programme into school life and the impact it has today is truly significant. He also became involved in CATE, the national body for Careers and Transition Education. He has served this particular body for years and been involved in organising numerous professional development sessions and national conferences. 

He has continued to be involved with sport as a coach, a mentor and a supporter throughout his teaching life. He has diversified from Rugby and moved into Cycling in recent years. This has seen him change his personal profile from prop to cyclist size! He is a man who has given significant time and wisdom to secondary education in New Zealand, often with the wisp of humour that makes life entertaining. As John Huw Williams once said “Life is not a rehearsal“.. that certainly can be said of John Adams and his contribution to education ..thanks mate !”

In January 2020, as he began looking toward his retirement, he moved to working part time hours in the Careers Advisor role. We thank Mr. Adams for his service to Palmerston North Boys’ High School and wish him all the best for his well-deserved retirement. 

Watch the Rector, Mr. Bovey, farewell Mr. Adams at assembly.