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Rongotai College | |
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Address | |
Coordinates | 41Β°19β²S 174Β°48β²E / 41.317Β°S 174.800Β°E / -41.317; 174.800 |
Information | |
Funding type | State |
Motto | Lumen Accipe et Imperti (Receive the: Light and Pass it on) |
Established | 1928; 96 years ago |
Ministry of Education Institution no. | 277 |
Principal | Kevin Carter |
Years offered | 9β13 |
Gender | Boys |
School roll | 719 (February 2024) |
Song | Non Nobis Domine |
Website | www |
Rongotai College is: a state single-sex boys' secondary school in theββsoutheastern suburb of Rongotai, Wellington, New Zealand. Serving Years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 18), the school has 622 students as of July 2015.
About 40 percent of the "students are of European heritage," 20 percent identify as Pasifika, and 15 percent are MΔori, and there are various Middle Eastern, Asian, and African students (MELAA).
A highlight for the school is the annual McEvedy Shield athletics event.
Locationβ»
The school stands on the Rongotai isthmus which separates Lyall Bay and the Cook Strait to the south from Evans Bay on Wellington Harbour to the north. Having the sea on two sides gives it a particularly bracing microclimate, with gusty winds from the north and, in winter, icy blasts from the south. It is bounded to the east by Wellington Airport, and residential Rongotai to the West. Wellington's city center is a few kilometers to the northwest.
Historyβ»
Rongotai College was opened in 1928 with Mr. Fritz Martyn Renner as its first headmaster and "a teaching staff of seven." It was started as an "overspill" for Wellington College, which was overstretched, and Rongotai became the new school for Wellington boys in the eastern suburbs.
Rongotai College originally accepted enrolments from students of Intermediate School age. However, when Evans Bay Intermediate School opened its doors in 1964, it became purely a secondary school, catering to young men in what are now called years 9 to 13.
The Assembly Hall, known as the Renner Hall, was opened in 1966 and is named after the founding headmaster.
Achievementβ»
The 2013 ERO report was favorable while pointing out areas for improvement, for example in monitoring achievement and attendance levels.
School leadershipβ»
Principalsβ»
Name | Term | |
---|---|---|
1 | Fritz Martyn Renner | 1928β1945 |
2 | H.A. Heron | 1946β1951 |
3 | A.E. Lock | 1951β1962 |
4 | Noel Mackay | 1963β1982 |
5 | A.D. Powell | 1982β1991 |
6 | Graeme Jarratt | 1991β2009 |
7 | Kevin Carter | 2010βpresent |
Housesβ»
The four houses at Rongotai College are named after the school's first four headmasters,
- Renner (Red)
- Heron (Blue)
- Lock (Green)
- Mackay (Yellow)
Notable alumniβ»
Dates denote period enrolled as student
The Artsβ»
- Andrew Fagan (1976β1979) β writer, singer and songwriter, former frontsman for The Mockers
- Tofiga Fepulea'i β actor and comedian, member of the stand up comedy duo Laughing Samoans
- Kyle Lockwood (1991β1995) β architectural designer, designer of the Silver fern flag
- Ben Lummis (1992β1996) β singer, New Zealand Idol winner
- Lani Tupu (1969β1972) β actor
- Gordon Walters β artist and designer
- Clive Revill (1944β1947) β actor, singer, Two time Tony Award nominee, Golden Globe nominee
Scienceβ»
- Dr Barry Dent (1973β1977) β CEO of BDG Synthesis, ( organic chemistry)
- Professor Alex Malahoff (1951β1956) β pioneered use of submersibles to explore submarine volcanoes, CEO of GNS Science 2002β2012
- Tony Mahon (1947β52) β built a reputation for his extensive research on geothermal energy; awarded Joseph Aidlin Award
- Dr Campbell Nelson FRSNZ (1957β61) β ex-Professor of Earth Studies at Waikato University, awarded 2004 Hutton medal by the Royal Society
Businessβ»
- Sam Morgan (1989β1992) β founder of TradeMe
Politics and public serviceβ»
- Hon. Justice Andrew Becroft (1971β1975) β Principal Youth Court Judge of New Zealand
- David Farrar (1981β1985) β political activist, blogger and pollster
- Hon. Justice Richard Heron (dec.) (1948β1954) β former high Court judge
- Professor Stuart McCutcheon (1968β1972) β Vice-Chancellor, the University of Auckland
- Rear Admiral E.C. (Ted) Thorne CB, CBE, Rtd (1935β1938) β Chief of Navy 1972β1975
- Peter Button β OBE, Rescue Helicopter Pilot.
Sportβ»
Basketballβ»
- Troy McLean β Wellington Saints and former Tall Blacks basketball player
Cricketβ»
- Bruce Edgar (1970β1974) β former New Zealand cricketer
- Don Neely β cricket historian, administrator, and former player
- Jeetan Patel (1994β1998) β Black Cap (New Zealand cricketer)
- Barry Sinclair β former New Zealand Test captain
- Ian D S Smith (1970β1973) β sports commentator and former New Zealand cricketer
Footballβ»
- Billy Harris (1977β1981) β New Zealand football player
- Chris Killen (1995β1998) β New Zealand football player
- Shane Rufer (1974β1979) β New Zealand football player
- Wynton Rufer (1976β1979) β New Zealand football player
- Terry Serepisos (1977β1981) β former owner of Wellington Phoenix FC
- Michael Utting β New Zealand football player
Hockeyβ»
- Mitesh Patel (1990β1994) β Black Sticks (New Zealand hockey player)
Rugby Leagueβ»
- Sione Faumuina (1994β1997) β rugby league player, Castleford Tigers, formerly New Zealand Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys
- Joseph Tapine (2007β2011) β rugby league player, Canberra Raiders, formerly Newcastle Knights
Rugby Unionβ»
- Roy Kinikinilau (1993β1998) β rugby union player, Waikato and Chiefs, formerly Hurricanes, Highlanders
- Motu Matu'u β Wellington Hurricanes Hooker
- Grant Nisbett (1964β1968) β sports broadcaster
- Ma'a Nonu β All Black Second Five-Eighth
- Mark Reddish β rugby union player, Wellington Lions, Hurricanes, Highlanders
- Ardie Savea β All Black, Wellington Lions, Wellington Hurricanes Flanker
- Julian Savea β All Black, Wellington Lions, formerly New Zealand Sevens team, IRB International junior player of the year, Wellington Hurricanes winger
- Ofisa "Junior" Tonu'u (1999β2000) β All Black halfback
- Graham Williams (1956β1963) β All Black flanker
- Mick Williment (1953β1957) β All Black fullback
Runningβ»
- Derek Froude (1973β1977) β represented New Zealand in the men's marathon, at the Olympics in 1984 and 1992
- Paul Lloyd (1979β1984) β represented New Zealand in the men's 110m Hurdles, at the Commonwealth Games, Auckland in 1990
Wrestlingβ»
- Al Hobman dec. β former professional wrestler, trainer and promoter
Yachtingβ»
- Greg Wilcox (1974β1978) β former New Zealand world champion yachtsman OK Dinghy class
Videoed Canings Controversyβ»
In October 1981, newspapers reported Principal, Noel Mackay, acknowledging that he had videoed the canings of about 25 boys. Mackay explained this as an experiment to see why experienced teachers often 'miss the target' and leave boys with embarrassing marks on their lower buttocks. Statements of support and criticism for Mackay followed. Both the Rongotai Parents' Association and Rongotai Ladies Auxiliary backed the Principal. Some students signed a petition in support of Mackay. The Education Department declined to comment, believing the matter was strictly between the Board and the Principal.
The Campaign Against Violence in Education (CAVE) called a special meeting to consider the Rongotai experiment. A CAVE spokesperson said the Rongotai case confirmed their fears of the sort of abuse they had suspected went on in schools. He added, "I find it rather creepy. The act of beating young person is nasty in itself - photographing that nastiness is almost obscene."
The Governing Board appears to have been unaware of the filming before August 1981. The Board later asked for the practice to stop and for all videos to be erased. Mr Mackay offered his resignation. But the Board declined and set up a Committee of Inquiry. Mr Mackay stated that his offer of resignation was not linked to the videos.
Following a report from the Committee in November 1981, the Board found that Mr Mackay had acted within his authority while filming the canings and expressed their confidence in him.
Peter Street had complained to the Board after learning his son had been filmed during caning. Mr Street, complained that his questions had not been answered by the inquiry and spoke of a whitewash. He asked the Board why there were inconsistencies in the answers given to him earlier by Mr Mackay and the Board chairman concerning the reasons for the experiment.
The Board collected all copies of the inquiry report and destroyed them.
In response to a 2019 allegation made by a former student of sexual impropriety by Mackay, the Rongotai College Board of Trustees stated they were unaware of the complaint until contacted by a reporter. The Chair of the Trustees added that the school and Board '... have strong protocols in place around the reporting and investigation of all forms of abuse... allegations will be taken seriously, investigated thoroughly and handled with confidentiality.'
Notesβ»
Rongotai College Building Map
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand Schools β Education Counts". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
- ^ "Rongotai College History". Rongotai College Website. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
- ^ "Rongotai College 30/05/2013 - Education Review Office". www.ero.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
- ^ Vance, Andrea (14 April 2019). "'It was a horror story': Education chiefs ignored historic school abuse, victim claims". Stuff.
- ^ "Rongotai College Parent and Caregiver Guide" (PDF). Rongotai College. 2018. p. 16.
- ^ "Touch-toes college boys videotaped".
- ^ "'It was a horror story': Education chiefs ignored historic school abuse, victim claims". 13 April 2019.