Napier Boys’ High and Hastings Boys’ High School both with principal jobs still vacant

Two of Hawke’s Bay’s biggest schools ended the first term of 2024 still without permanent headmaster appointments four months after their respective searches for new leaders started late last year.

Hastings Boys’ High School headmaster Rob Sturch died on November 29 last year, after 21 years in the job and a private fight against throat cancer over the latter stages of his career.

Napier Boys High School headmaster Jarred Williams pictured during a welcome to the school in July 2021. He has departed at the end of Term 1 2024 to become principal of Hamilton BHS. Photo / Paul Taylor.

Three weeks later Napier Boys’ High School headmaster Jarred Williams announced he had accepted an appointment as principal at Hamilton Boys’ High School and would be leaving Hawke’s Bay at the end of Term 1 last Friday, after just three years in the Napier job, including the school’s 150th anniversary.

Hastings BHS board chairman George Massingham said the school, which has a roll about 800, is still engaged in the recruitment process, while at Napier BHS, Hawke’s Bay’s biggest school, with a roll close to 1200, a short-listing process is understood to have taken place this week.

At the Hastings high school Quentin Crawford remains acting principal while Dave Russell will be acting principal at Napier, each expecting to remain in the positions through Term 2, which starts on April 29 and ends in the first week of July.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 50 years of journalism experience in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.