School House Hostel - Key information

By Vai Mahutariki | Posted: Monday January 17, 2022

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2022.

Warmest greetings and Happy New Year to all our Hostel Families. We hope this newsletter finds you well and looking forward to a great year ahead with your boys in School House and Otago Boys’ High School.

Staggered Arrival

Year 9s and Year 13s arrive on Sunday 30th January from 2pm onwards. Dinner starts at 5:15pm as usual.

Year 10s arrive on Monday 31st January from 2pm onwards.

Year 11s and 12s arrive on Tuesday 1st February from 2pm onwards.

Arrive onsite in Full School Uniform. Once in their rooms, boys may get changed into their own clothes.

Helpful Reminders

Reminder to parents, under the current Traffic Light system in New Zealand, there are some restrictions. Please sign in using the NZ Covid Tracer App or manually on arrival and sanitise your hands.  If you wish to help set your son up in his room, you must have a vaccine pass and you are allowed onsite in the dorms for no longer than 15 minutes.  Staff will need to view your vaccine pass before you enter the hostel.

Bedding to bring:

• Sheets

• Duvet or quilt

• Pillow and pillow case

• Mattress protector

• Mattress topper (optional)

Boys will require face masks when out in the community so please make sure your son has either enough disposable masks or a few reusable masks.

All multibox devices and extension leads will be safety tested at the start of the term so as the boys attend their first day of school, they are to leave them in the Prep-Room. They will be tagged accordingly. If any fail the safety test, we will send them home the next time your boy returns home. If your son requires a replacement we can help organise this in the hostel for you.

Key Dates

Monday 31 January

Year 9 and Year 13 students only

Year 9 start at 9.30am; assemble at Archway

Year 13 start at 8.50am; assemble in the Auditorium

Finish time 3.05pm

Tuesday 1 February

Year 9 and Year 10 students only

Start time 8.50am

Finish time 3.05pm

Wednesday 2 February

Full school

Normal school day

Start time 8.50am

Finish time 3.05pm

Thursday 3 February

Full school

Normal school day

Start time 8.50am

Finish time 3.05pm

Friday 4 February

Academic coaching for senior students

Normal school day for junior students (Academic Testing)

Start time 8.50am

Finish time 3.05pm

Long Weekend - February 5-7 (School closed on Monday 7th February)

This is the boys first weekend in Hostel. We have a number of activities planned for the boys to be involved in each day and to start the year off well together and getting back into Hostel routines, processes and procedures. More information to follow.

Year 9 School House Hostel Orientation Camp

This will be on the weekend of Friday 11th February - Sunday 13th February. All year 9 boys will depart Hostel immediately after school. This will be a great opportunity for our Year 9s to get to know each other further and understand hostel life while having some fun along the way. We will pack the vans in the morning before school starts. This is a traditional event we do at the start of each year for year 9's.  

Year 9 Boys will need to have the following before they attend this weekend:

- Sleeping bag, own snacks, wet weather gear, towels, sun hat.  

150th Hostel Anniversary - February 25 - 26

We are looking forward to hosting and being part of the 150th Hostel Anniversary Weekend. Reminder we are still open for final registrations. Click on here https://obhs.school.nz/boarding/hostel-150th-reunion/

Market Day Donations: 

As part of the Saturday 26th February events like the Day Boys vs Hostel Boys Cricket game and Tennis games, we are hoping to hold a Market Day during this time.  We are asking if their are any families who would like to donate  fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, honey, jam and preserves etc.  All contributions please email: [email protected]

Formal Dinner

Formal Dinner in Term 1 will be Wednesday 13th April at 5:30pm in the Hostel Dining Room. If we remain in the Traffic Light system then we will live stream the event on our Facebook Page for all our parents to tune in and still be part of our special night for the term. This is the only event we have as compulsory for all boys to attend during Term 1. 

Weekend Activities 

We have some fun activities planned throughout term 1 for all our Juniors and seniors who wish to join us.  We ask that all parents of juniors support the activities as much as possible and not put 'Leave in" for your son during this time so they can miss the activity.  These activities are a great  opportunity to strengthen our boys bonds and social interactions, as well as having some fun together. 

Medical Cabinet Stocks

This is to inform you that we will no longer have Strepsils in stock in our medical cabinet.  All other first aid support will be stocked as usual.  If you wish your son to have access to Strepsils, you are welcome to purchase them in advance for him or with you permission we can purchase them on your behalf and charge your sons account accordingly. 

For all new parents: Follow us on Instagram @obhshostel and Facebook - Otago Boys' High School Hostel for up to date information and snippets of your boys in term time. 

More information to follow next week.