Hastings Boys' High School

M.P. Summerfield MSSL (Dist.),B Sc., Dip. Tchg., PG. Cert. DCL
​​​​​​​Headmaster

Each term schools are required to review policies according to a set schedule. If you are interested and would like to review this term’s policies, please click the link below and then the blue Review button. That will take you to several which are currently under review.

To log in use

Username: hastingsboys

Password: hbhs

https://hastingsboys.schooldocs.co.nz/Logon.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f

On Thursday, The Year 13 Geography class went over to Napier to attend the New Zealand Surveyors' Conference. The students had opportunities to speak to leaders in this industry and see the cutting edge equipment that is being used throughout the country.

A key part of the trip were the presentations from graduates of Otago University who have recently completed a Surveying Degree. Seeing the career paths these graduates are following and the jobs they have been working on was quite inspiring.

A number of students from Hastings Boys' High School have gone on to follow a career in surveying. Hopefully this trip inspired the next generation.

On Friday 23rd August the Year 10 Horticulture class went to Te Aranga marae for a working bee. The year 10 class from 2023 started the connection and this years 2024 class is carrying that on. Whilst there students learnt about manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and respect, as well as how to maintain a marae garden. The boys were tasked with cleaning up the waharoa, the entrance to the marae, by clearing weeds and rubbish then spreading mulch and chip over the surrounding garden beds. The boys took to their task with gusto and got a lot done in their short time there.

On Friday 23rd August, our IGCSE Science class went to visit the Waiaroha water facility in Hastings. Having a resource such as this on our doorstep is a big bonus for our young men, with a huge amount of learning taking place over the course of the visit. This is a place that the Science department will continue to use over the coming years with more and more of our fine young men.

Waiaroha: Water treatment and Storage

The Waiaroha facility is a major component of the Hastings Drinking Water Strategy which will keep drinking water safe and add capacity and resilience to the network.

At Waiaroha – as is the case with the water treatment and storage facility at Frimley Park – cutting-edge technology is being used to treat the water that’s supplied to about 20,000 households (Frimley supplies about 40,000 households)..

From a bore field two streets over from the plant, the water is extracted from the aquifer and piped to the facility where it first goes through UV reactors to rid it of any protozoa and is also chlorinated and fluoridated.

It is then transported to the two five million litre storage tanks on site, after which it goes back through the plant before being pumped out to the city.

The process is completely automated, the pumps operate at a level to suit demand and the smart technology means any issues can be fixed by the equipment itself or reported electronically to operating technicians.

The water is treated 24/7, at levels determined by the water quality.

This process and how it works is opened up at Waiaroha, where a large window allows visitors to see the inner workings of the treatment plant and find out more about what happens there.

The benefits of the infrastructure include:

• Enhanced barriers to contamination by storing treated water ready for supply into homes.
• Improvements to existing continuance monitoring and control of source water.
• Creating supply resilience by having water available in the event of a natural disaster which damages the water network.
• Managing water during periods of high use (e.g. summer), so demand is met from the reservoirs rather than drawing continuously from the aquifer.
• Reducing draw from the aquifer to minimise the potential for surface impurities to enter the aquifer.
• Reducing pressure within the reticulation network to minimise leaks and stress on pipes.

Alongside the drinking water treatment and storage, Waiaroha is a place of education so our community can develop a full understanding of the water ecosystem – from the mountains, through the rivers, streams, wetlands and aquifers, household taps, then out to sea.

Year 13 students Matehaere Kururangi and Caleb Te Are accompanied Osiris White Munro (Head Boy) to attend our sister school's performing arts showcase held at their Hastings Girls' High School

Our U17 Rugby Team won the final game vs Wairoa College! Congratulations lads on a supreme effort! Below from left to right: Agashi, Arashi and the Captain, Mackay.

On Monday 26th August, our top players in the Junior Basketball Academy at Hastings Boys' High School played in the Grand Final of our local Secondary Schools' Competition hosted by Basketball Hawke's Bay at Pettigrew Green Arena in Napier where our boys played Napier Boys' High School

Our Junior A boys played well at times, leaving their opponents frustrated but they couldn't hold their lead at the end of the third quarter letting Napier Boys' High School score get out to an 8-point lead. Unfortunately, things didn't go our way with Napier taking the win. Our boys deserve credit for showing energy and effort no matter what the score was. The boys played right to the last whistle leaving it out there on the court.

Our Junior A basketball team will now turn their attention to Winter Tournament week where they will gear up and play New Plymouth Boys' High School this Saturday in Palmerston North at BBNZ Zone 3 Junior Premierships.

Our boys took part in the annual Hawke's Bay Inter Schools golf competition at the majestic Cape Kidnappers course on Tuesday 20th August. 18 holes of this world famous course is a challenge at the best of times and our boys performed admirably in cold windy conditions. With a stableford format, the boys didn't quite have the points to challenge the winning school, but Freddie Ives did have the honour of the most points on the day with a great score of 35 points. The rest of the team, Taylor Guthrie, Bryce Simpson and Austin Powell played some good golf but could not quite keep their consistency for 18 holes. Another great experience for these young men.

The Hastings Boys' High School Prefects have begun their Mental Health Program with our Year 9 students. The aim is to break down the stigma surrounding different mental health topics and encourage/support our younger students to talk about the things that affect their mental and emotional well-being. The program takes place over two days; on the first day, students engage in discussions about various mental health topics to promote understanding and combat negative perceptions and biases. The second day is dedicated to interactive activities that help students develop practical, meaningful strategies for managing their mental health.

The current topics we are tackling are Anxiety and Depression.

Student experiences:

Student 1:

I liked that the prefects were being good role models and encouraging us to talk about our feelings. They gave me the motivation to talk to someone if I'm feeling down. I think this is good because some people aren't aware of these things, and it is teaching them how to deal with it.

Student 2:

I thought it was cool they took it seriously and taught us about different signs to look for depression and how to feel better. I liked that they showed us a video because it just shows that you can't really tell what people are going through because they might be all happy and stuff but it's what's on the inside that matters. It's good because other students could be going through a hard time, and it taught me about it and how to help them.

Hastings District Council Parks team has requested the following information is circulated to students, parents and caregivers.

Following vandalism in July, Council has closed the informal bike jumps area in Tainui Reserve, Havelock North until further notice and erected security cameras to monitor activity. This area is close to Hikanui Pā, a registered archaeological site within Tainui Reserve. Despite clear signage that no digging in the area is permitted, the ground has been extensively dug up, small trees have been felled, and other trees damaged. Council is working with an archaeologist to assess the extent of the damage. Following the vandalism the area was fenced off and cameras were set up in the area. The cameras provided footage of young people entering the closed area, and in cases where the offenders’ school uniforms have been identified, the footage has been provided to the applicable school. Council requests that if your child/children are users of the Havelock North hills reserves that you discuss this with them so they are aware that damage to Council property will not be tolerated.

Any queries or information should be directed to parks@hdc.govt.nz.

This week, a group of Year 10 students and Form Teachers were learning about a new digital learner profile app in the library. MyMahi, an educational app used widely throughout New Zealand, allows students to build and own a profile that captures important moments in their learning journey. Through the students’ digital portfolio, they can easily track their NCEA credits and school attendance, build their CVs, and get daily notices from their form tutors, sports coaches, or cultural groups. Students can also create a digital student ID card that can be used to open a bank account more simply and easily.

Year 10 students will use My Mahi in Terms 3 and 4, and the aim is to roll out the app across the school in Term 1 of 2025.

Hastings 4120

Ph: +64 6 873 0365
email: paoffice@hastingsboys.school.nz

http://www.hastingsboys.school.nz