Humbling welcome for new Napier Boys' High principal Jarred Williams

It was the passing of a taonga from one school to another as Hawke's Bay's biggest secondary campus welcomes its new principal today.

Jarred Williams takes over the role of principal of Napier Boys High School from Matt Bertram, who has headed back to Wellington after 5-1/2 years at the school.

More than 1000 pupils, back for the start of Term 3, packed the school hall, joined by what Williams called "quite a contingent" of staff and pupils from Hamilton school Hillcrest High, from whence he and they came for his launch into the new role.

The powhiri lasted more than an hour, almost entirely in Māori, and also including an all-of-school haka similar to that of when Bertram was farewelled on July 8.

"It's a good way of describing it," said Williams afterwards: "Very much chuffed and humbled by a beautiful welcome. It epitomises who they are, the high values and tradition, and a real sense of manaakitanga. I'm very encouraged."

Of Ngapuhi on his father's side and Ngati Porou on his mum's, he was raised in "urban Wellington" with the emphasis on a 'mainstream" education, he's not a fluent speaker of Māori but says that's something he will have to think about when the opportunity arises.