Our school is now 100 years old.
100 years of teaching and learning is a period of time that we are very proud of.
The many young men and women who have passed through our classrooms, competed on stage and our sports fields, walked across our stage to receive accolades for their outstanding performance, and then moved on to be successful in a variety of academic and sporting or cultural settings are testimony to the quality of education that Gisborne High School and Gisborne Boys’ High School has provided over the last 100 years.
This tradition of excellence is the very foundation on which we are able to look to the future. Traditional values such as honesty, respect, self motivation, courage, reliability, responsibility, are just as important, appropriate and relevant for today’s young men, as they were for our past young women and men. Our teaching and learning is based on these values. Each individual, who is the focus of all of our programmes of learning, is challenged to achieve and “ live “ these values in order to develop their personal potential in whatever classroom, stage, sports/cultural arena that they may find themselves in the future.
The last 15 years of our 100 years has seen a rapid and sometimes bewildering avalanche of change in our school. Gisborne Boys’ High School has readily embraced and accepted these changes and challenges. In order to be the best young man’s school in Tairawhiti, both tradition and future thinking is required.
Providing all our young men with an appropriate and relevant curriculum of learning that suits each individual’s needs and future aspirations is at the core of our school programmes. To this end our curriculum offers programmes in traditional learning areas such as English, Mathematics, Science, History, Classical Studies Geography AND future thinking/learning in Technology, Whakairo, Art, Outdoor Pursuits, Catering, Information Technology, Automotive Engineering, Forestry, Gateway.
If there is one value that our school and our young men specifically live by it is respect. We believe that respect for oneself as an individual is an absolute requirement for all young men. Respect for others follows from respect for oneself. Our school community is composed of many different individuals with many different cultural backgrounds, strengths, skills, talents and needs. There is no tolerance at our school for any individual who cannot respect the many differences that each young man brings to Gisborne Boys’ High School. Gisborne Boys’ High School has teaching and non-teaching staff who also place respect and other traditional values as the focus of the relationships that are built with young men, inside and outside the classroom. Their professionalism and ability to develop each individual’s potential is outstanding. Our school has the staff that is able to look ahead and implement future teaching and learning programmes to suit the needs of each student and enable them to fulfill their futures.
Supporting our young men and the staff is a set of high quality facilities and equipment.
Our technology suite, library, and by the end of this year sports complex provide for all facets of teaching and learning that are appropriate and needs-based for young men. An extensive high speed computer network system that is being upgraded continually provides for both internet and intranet learning at all levels. At Te Ao Marama our young men are able to enjoy and participate in outdoor pursuit activities that enable them to gain confidence in themselves and develop the values that are our school.
Tradition and traditional values certainly have a place in the future.
At Gisborne Boys’ High School the tradition of our school’s 100 years, along with the values that come from 100 years of teaching and learning, are the foundation on which we build the future of every young man. Gisborne Boys’ High School must be the school of choice for your young man.
G.H. Mackle
Principal