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There are many new faces in classrooms in Mahurangi schools this year, as well as some new principals.
At Tomarata Primary School, Chris King has replaced Cherylene Neels. King has been teaching for 14 years, mostly in Auckland, but more recently he spent two-and-a-half years as a deputy principal in Invercargill.
King also spent two years working for Massey University as a teacher mentor, travelling across the country to work alongside teachers in their classrooms to help develop child-centred classroom practice.
At Horizon School, at Snells Beach, Tina Utting-Johnson has replaced Helen Pearson. Utting-Johnson has moved north from Christchurch. She was formerly a health and information technology coordinator at a school in Wales before moving to NZ, where her first job was teaching IT at Macleans College.
The following is a look at the year ahead for some of the area’s schools:
Mahurangi College
Principal Tony Giles says the roll of 1500 is broadly similar to last year.
“We have had a flurry of late enrolments in the last week, which may push us a little over this to possibly around 1530,” Giles says.
After the covid years, international students have returned in healthy numbers. There are 38 Korean students here for a short study tour and a large contingent of Argentinian students is due to arrive soon.
Their arrival was delayed by the Auckland floods, when some were turned around mid-air. These students will be at the school for the term. Giles says there is also a good number of long-term students from Asia.
Six new staff have joined the school. Caroline Armstrong steps into the deputy principal role, following Christina Merrick’s appointment as principal of Taupaki School. Armstrong was previously the juniors’ Head of Faculty.
“Our focus this year will include literacy, addressing the post-covid slump, with a focus on structured literacy and science of reading approaches. We will be strengthening ties with Ngati Manuhiri, preparing for our new build of 16 classrooms to cater for roll growth, and building on our sporting successes of last year, including the fit out of a fitness studio for students.”
Otamatea High School
Otamatea High School will start the year with 680 students, compared to 570 last year.
There will also be 10 new teachers. Principal Dirk Smythe says most of these positions have been in response to roll growth.
Adrian Cooling is a new deputy principal, joining the senior leadership team from Taipa Area School, and Chris Townshend has been promoted internally as the new Head of Science.
Smythe says the school is looking forward to a busy year, starting with the Year 7 and 8 camps at the Otamatea Marae.
“There will also be an athletics day and swimming gala this term, but the very successful Toi Māori festival at the end of the year is perhaps our biggest event,” he says.
The school roll is expected to reach 800 next year.
Snells Beach Primary
Four new classrooms will be built at Snells Beach School later this year, followed by a major hall extension. A further 18 classrooms are planned over the next few years to provide capacity for growth in the area.
Principal Kathryn Ramel says the plans are in the final stages, and the Board of Trustees is pleased that they are in keeping with the current design.
The school is expected to have around 380 students by the end of this year.
“We started with 27 new entrant five year olds, and expect to start another new entrant class by next term,” Ramel says.
“Our junior area is by far the biggest area of our school, with six classes already in Years 1 and 2, and at least one more still to come. A few years ago, one new entrant class would last all year – the growth of young families in the area has been significant and exciting.”
Kyle Port has moved into the second associate principal role, and Sally Jack has taken a role growth position in Year 1. Laura Morley has also moved into a full-time teaching role.
A Year 5 camp will be held later this term and Year 6 students will head to Tongariro in Term 2.
“We are looking forward to a return to the days when our school community can get involved, such as the student organised mini-gala, our Matariki celebration and Christmas carols at the end of the year.”
Warkworth Primary
Warkworth Primary has started the year with 503 students, compared to 468 last February and a finishing roll of 544 in December. This includes 86 new entrant enrolments this year, compared to 74 last year.
Principal Cynthia Holden says there has been little change in staff.
“We have two new teachers starting this year on account of previous teachers taking up leadership opportunities at other schools,” Holden says.
Some of the highlights in the year ahead include regular excursions locally and further afield in support of curriculum studies, school camps, school productions, interschool sports competitions and many and varied additional events, such as book week and fundraising activities.
Holden says the school has three projects currently in progress, which are due for completion by the end of this term – an outdoor amphitheatre with bleachers and shade canopies, toilet upgrade in the senior hall and the installation of the Learning Support Coordinator (LSC) office.
Matakana School
The starting role at Matakana School was 301, slightly down on last year’s 308.
There were 12 new entrants compared to 18 last year.
Principal Darrel Goosen says four new teachers have joined the staff this year following the retirement of one teacher, the decision by two teachers to leave fulltime teaching and one teacher who has taken long service leave for the year.
Goosen says Matakana will have a major focus on structured literacy across the school this year.
“Our teachers have already started undertaking Ministry of Education-funded professional learning and development with Writers Toolbox,” he says.
“We also have an exciting Te Ao Māori programme to look forward to, together with our awesome kapa haka. Our sport specialist classes will again complement the various school and inter-school sports events in 2023. All in all we have a busy but tremendously exciting local curriculum delivery plan.”
Goosen says that about 75 per cent of the school buildings are not weathertight so are undergoing recladding and some structural repairs. The repairs are being funded by the Ministry of Education and will most likely take 18 months to complete.
Tapora
Tapora will start the year with 11 students, slightly down on the 14 students who were at the school at the end of last year.
Principal, teacher and office administrator Keryl Lee says the roll is expected to return to 14 with the arrival of a new family in Term 2.
She says Year 7 and 8 students are involved with the Virtual Learning Network Primary Rural group, which will include meeting the students from other rural remote schools during a week-long camp in Wellington in May.
“These students are also participating in the William Pike Challenge Award,” she says. “This requires them to do 20 hours volunteering, 20 hours on a new hobby, sport or other activity, and five physical challenges, such as a high ropes course, sailing, kayaking or tramping.
“Our curriculum focus this year is our local community so there will be a lot of visits to look at our area’s environment and learn its history. We will also do our annual Trees for Survival planting by Manukapua Island.
“The big event of the year is our Ag Day, which will be held on election day, October 14.”
Tomarata
The students enrolled at Tomarata School will have a continued focus on the outdoors, and the local environment this year.
The school has an orchard, productive vegetable garden (Garden to Table programme), chickens, Trees for Survival programme and a bush classroom, where one class goes each week to experience learning in the natural environment.
One of the first events on the calendar is a whanau pizza night on Thursday, February 16. Principal Chris King says this is a chance for the whole school community to come together and share food, fun and conversation.
Kaipara Flats
Kaipara Flats is starting the year with 111 children, a slight increase on last year. There are 12 new entrants, an increase in four from last year.
Kendall Archer is joining the staff covering a maternity leave.
Principal Debbie Hamer says the traditional school picnic will be held at Martins Bay on March 3, the senior camp at Tawharanui during term 1, Ruud Kleinpaste (The Bugman) will visit for two days next month and the school is hosting the interschool swimming event at Mahurangi College on March 14.
The school is about to undertake a major refurbishment of the junior classrooms, the second phase of the main block refurbishment. The Board of Trustees is also funding a refurbishment of the kitchen and bathrooms in the old school house. The house is used for the Garden to Table programme, developing the children’s knowledge and skills around growing, harvesting, cooking and composting their own food.
Another major Board project is the development of an outside learning space in the old pony paddock. This is a long term project. Senior students are also building an ANZAC commemoration garden.
Leigh
Leigh School has 57 students on its roll, down slightly from 65 who were at the school at the end of last year. This includes four new entrants.
Highlights of the coming year will be the continuation of the Enviro School goals and the Garden to Table Programme.
The school went through a significant upgrade last year, but a new bike track is under consideration for work this year.
Rodney College, Wellsford, Mangawhai Beach, Pakiri and Ahuroa schools did not respond.
