School House Newsletter - Week 8

By Vai Mahutariki | Posted: Thursday September 15, 2022

Welcome to our Week 8 Newsletter.

THE WEEK AHEAD:

Term 3, Week 9

Monday 19

Tuesday 20
BOT student rep election

Wednesday 21
Senior exams

Thursday 22
Senior exams

Friday 23
Senior exams
Last day of Year 9 options

Term 3, Week 10

Monday 26
Queen's Memorial Holiday
School Closed

Tuesday 27
Senior exams
New Year 9 options start

Wednesday 28
Senior exams

Thursday 29
Senior exams

Friday 30
Senior exams
Last day of Term 3

Tena tatou e te whanau whanui o to tatou nei hapori i raro i te maru o Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori. Greetings to our School House families and wider community, as we also acknowledge, Maori Language Week as a nation. It has been a busy week with house challenges and exam preparations at school with Dinner Swaps and Haka Competition practice.

Man of the Week:

Congratulations to Year 11 Ryan Egan for an outstanding performance for the Otago U16 Metro Team playing in the midfield with strong ball carries and solid defence, connecting well with his team mates. Well done Ryan.

Congratulations to Year 13, Nick Sim who competed in the Canterbury Shooting Champs on the weekend. He was Highest Overall in the Minis, 2nd in the double A grade in points score and 1st Junior Overall in the Competition. Well done Nick.

On Wednesday 14th September we enjoyed a Dinner Swap with St Hilda's Boarders - Tolcarne.  Our Seniors traveled to their hostel to enjoy a meal together and a competitive game of Netball between the Year 13 boys and girls.  School House Boys maintained the mana of the hostel and came away with a handy victory.  School House also hosted the Juniors from Tolcarne and we enjoyed a quiz together in mixed teams.  These events are great for developing our boys social skills and offering them opportunities and share with others.  Great meals enjoyed at both hostels and some fun along the way.  Thanks to St Hilda's Tolcarne for sharing the event.

OBHS School Song House Challenge

Great to see some excellent weather for the School Song Challenge as each hostel boy gave it their best with full voice and volume.  Great to ensure our boys can sing when needed to.  Well done to Park House who won this event.

Mandates Lifted

We are no longer in the Traffic Light System. You are no longer required to wear a mask at school and in most public settings. The exceptions are Hospitals, Pharmacies, and some public transports. Mr Alexander has also removed the mask requirement with him in the van so our boys will in general no longer require a face mask.  It will be handy to have some available for this few times where they may need one like going to the doctors etc.

Isolation: Only a positive case needs to isolate now. No other family members or contacts need to isolate any more. 

Hostel Kit Order

We have a couple of items specially designed with the help of some of our prefects led by Sam Gavin, for boys and families to purchase.  If you are wanting to purchase these items for your family and sons please email [email protected]  

The Custom Tee is the same material as OBHS PE tops and warm up tops with the same sizing.  The Crew Neck Jersey has similar sizing. All pricing is cost only.

Cost: 

Custom Tee - $48.00 plus GST

Crew Neck Jersey - $93.50 plus GST

Upcoming Long Weekends and Compulsory Out

With the newly announced public holiday this year of Monday 26th September here is what you need to know. This long weekend is an opportunity to enjoy some time with your boys anf family and friends and do something together. The hostel will remain open with a reduced service and supervision for those boys that do not go home or off-site.  We do encourage our boys to go home and when they do so, to take some of their gear with them if not most as their is only 4 days left of the term on their return.

Labour Weekend (start of the Term 4) this weekend is a weekend out for all boys in line with all other hostels in Dunedin and many other hostels around the country. So parents and guardians, please plan around this at the beginning in the term.

Upcoming Events:

Mitchell Cup - House Challenges: 

Hostel Haka Competition:  This will be held next Thursday 22nd September after Prep at 7:30pm in the McCaw Room. Houses have been practicing for a few weeks, especially this next week in lead up to it. We look forward to sharing the outcome with our community in the next newsletter.

Swimming: This is going down on Monday next week at the Moana Pools in the evening.  This will be hotly contested and we could possibly see a lead change is the final stages of the House Competition.  We will have  a full report in the next Newsletter.

SENIOR EXAMS - Next Week and Week after

Our Seniors begin all their mock exams next Wednesday 21st September and goes through into the last week of term.  Our boys have been preparing for these for sometime now both at school and in the hostel.  During these days, although the seniors are not on normal timetable they are expected to be studying, therefore all Year 11s and 12s are expected to be studying in the library down at school each day apart from attending their exam.  Year 13s are permitted to study in the hostel for their exams.

Formal Dinner

As mentioned earlier in previous newsletters, this is on Wednesday 28th September from 5:30pm.  We will also live stream the main awards and speeches on our Facebook Page.  This is the only compulsory event we have for all boys.

Leavers Rugby League Match

This is being contested on the last day of this term, Friday 30th September from approximately 1:30pm on Littlebourne. A match between our School House Hostel Year 13s and the Day Boy Year 13s.  This will also be the first time our entire hostel takes the field to perform the School House Hostel Haka in public.  Before you collect your sons, come down and support. We also look forward to seeing many hostel old boys pop down for the match also.

Backroad Jerseys

The recently arrived Backroad Jersey's have been well received and looking great with our School House Crest on them.  Many boys who did not order have expressed a keen interest to get one now.  With this is in mind, we will open up for another order if the numbers are there.  If you are interested in getting one for your son, please email [email protected]

Next Weeks Menu - Attached

Follow us on our social media platforms Instagram: @obhshostel and Facebook Otago Boys’ High School Hostel for information and activities our boys are doing.