Retiring Staff
Mr Ron Barrett
Mr Ron Barrett is the last of the Foundation teaching staff of the
school. He was appointed in 1975 and took up the roles as Head
of Science and Mathematics. Two years later an HOD Mathematics
was appointed and he became HOD Science, which he held for
34 years. After relinquishing this position at the start of 2011 he has
continued as head of physics. Mr Barrett is a person of clear values
and has demonstrated throughout the years that physics can be
mastered by far more than the top academic students. He has
served on numerous committees in his time at the school including
timetable and the curriculum committee, and has been a strong
believer in the place of sport in the lives of young people,
coaching and refereeing rugby amongst other things.
Mr John Coombes
Mr John Coombes began teaching at Hato Petera College in
Northcote in 1974. He moved to Trident High School in Whakatane
in 1976, where he spent twenty five years as a teacher and Head
of Department of English, History and Social Studies. Mr Coombes
moved to Havelock North High School in 2003 where he has taught
English to all levels of the school. He has also been involved in a
variety of extra-curricular activities during this time, including coaching
cricket for many years. He is a teacher who sets very high standards, is
dedicated and highly intelligent. One of his earlier.
Principals labelled him as a Master Teacher, and it would be difficult
to disagree with this sentiment.
Mr Patrick McEntree
Mr Pat McEntee began his teaching career at Putaruru High School
in 1971. Following nine years in the south Waikato, he headed to
Liston College in Henderson for seven years as an HOD and then
came to HNHS in 1987.
His move to Hawke’s Bay was motivated by a desire to get back to
a focus on his love for classroom teaching, and many of his students
will testify that they have gained a really solid grounding in Calculus or Statistics as a result of his outstanding work. During his time
at Havelock North High School, Mr McEntee has been awarded
a Woolf Fisher Fellowship and an Earnest Duncan maths teacher
award, in recognition of the quality of his teaching.