Dear Parents/Caregivers

The latest update from School Sport NZ has been received by schools, which outlines the protocols required now that gathering sizes have increased to 100.

These protocols include the ongoing requirements of health and hygiene procedures and contact tracing.  To assist in this area, all spectators are prohibited from all practices, trial games until further notice.  We understand this is disappointing, especially to parents/caregivers, but presently our priority is to allow our young sportsmen to resume 'preparing to play' safely.

The Waikato Secondary Schools' Sports Association has its own website, administered by Sport Waikato, that has the latest news for all sports.  Their website is wsss.org.nz.  Go to the 'Sports' to find your sporting code and the latest information about Covid 19 and your local WSS competition.

Thank you for your continued support.

Dear Parents/Caregivers

Dear Parents/Caregivers

Thursday, 21 May is a Mufti Day.

If students wish to wear mufti, we ask them to please bring $2.00.

All funds raised go to Ronald McDonald House.

Thank you
HBHS Senior Management

Dear Parents and caregivers,

I write to you, as we begin lunch on our first day back at school, on a perfect Autumn day in the Waikato. After eight weeks away, I feel very excited, and very grateful, to have this opportunity to write, from our world, where, today, students and staff are all unquestionably happy, settled, and enthusiastic about their return to face to face teaching.

This morning, we welcomed well over 90% of our students back to school. In fact, we have more students onsite today, than is normal in May - a testament to lockdown preventing the spread of normal colds and flus, as well as Covid-19. Thank you for making the transition back to face to face learning so smooth, and so successful.

I spoke to the school this morning about the significance, and the symbolism of today, and the reality that today marks a unique moment in the history of education in New Zealand. As we return to school, we must feel grateful, as a community, both to live in New Zealand, and to have been blessed by having no cases of this terrible virus in our wider school community. I also spoke of the pride we should feel, in the response which has allowed this success, through a country working together, a world in which each individual recognises his responsibility to do the right thing, for the benefit of all.

And also, I spoke of the need to maintain this momentum, to ensure that we can stay safe and well. We must also be a community working together, in which each individual is aware of his responsibility to do the right thing, all of the time. We have put strict guidelines and protocols in place, and the young men in our world have shown their willingness to adhere to these very real guidelines from the first moment of their return. They should be proud of themselves, and you should feel even more proud of them than you already are! Good hygiene practice, safety measures and insistence on good habits will ensure that we can all remain well. 

We are working very hard to make the return to school positive and affirming for your son, as well as safe and happy. Our focus through this week is to establish new routines, and to review the academic progress of each young man. Then, we can begin to move forward to ensure that your son is able to succeed this year, in realising his academic goals. 

I spoke also, this morning, of the commitment which is essential, from all parts of the “triangle of success”: the home, the school, and the young man himself. We remain grateful to you for your continuing support, and we, the school, are working very hard to ameliorate any gaps left by the distance learning environment. The third part of the triangle is your son. He also needs to make the critical decision to make use of every moment of the rest of the year. 

As I moved around the school this morning, classes were focussed, engaged and keen to return to the new normal. So, we have had a wonderful start. The challenge I have given our young men is to sustain that sense of purpose, and use all of the support which is available, through the weeks ahead. 

Today, we begin Week 6 of a 12 week term. In the seven weeks which remain,every day counts. We are here to help, and to maintain the progress we have achieved during lockdown. I have absolute faith that the special family of Hamilton Boys’ High School will continue to show strength and resilience, and that our students will achieve the success they deserve.

This morning, I thanked the staff, on behalf of the students, and their families. In difficult, stressful, circumstances, where the future seemed unknown and unsettled, we have remained calm and caring. And that will continue, because this is who we are, as a school, and as a family. I am very proud of the boys, of the staff, and of the world we all share. 

Thank you, too, for your support and care over the past eight weeks. I offer my very best wishes to you, for the weeks ahead, in your own wider world of work and home. May your transitions back to your ‘new normal’ be as successful, and as optimistic, as ours has been. 

Arohanui
Susan Hassall

Dear Parents/Caregivers

Many of your sons will be keen for their school winter sports code to resume training and competitions. At Alert Level 2, we are still restricted by directives from the various National Sports Organisations (NSOs), School Sport NZ and Waikato Secondary School Sport Association (WSSSA). These groups have all documented a phased approach for our return to school sport. 

Hamilton Boys' High School will follow the phases set out below:

1. Phase 1 - Get Ready: Plan for a return to training and playing. Put in place protocols and practices to meet health requirements.
2. Phase 2 - Prepare to Play: Resume training, utilising the appropriate protocols and practices. NSO guidance around this, particularly in reducing the risk of injury for students will be a valuable guide.
3. Phase 3 - Play: Return to play when it is safe to do so ensuring that any public health requirements, particularly for inter school resumption which will involve people from outside your school bubble, are in place.

This week Hamilton Boys' High School will operate at Phase 1.

We wish to confirm to you, that the first week back at school will be utilised to ensure adequate systems are in place in regard to contact tracing registers, cleaning and hygiene procedures and adhering to the size limit of gatherings. During this first week, full team, formal training sessions and trials are still suspended. This does not prohibit small group sessions (max. of 10 including the coach), fitness activities and testing, as long as the protocol documentation has been completed. This week also allows students and teachers to return to school with a strong academic focus following the lockdown break.

We are hoping to move to Phase 2 next week when the teacher responsible for each code will provide students with an update if protocols change. Another important message from the WSSSA is that all Waikato Secondary School sport competitions have been suspended until June 22nd at the earliest.

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to a safe return to school sport.

Kind regards
Nigel Hotham
Deputy Headmaster