Rongotai College

Rongotai College
Address
Map
170 Coutts Street
Rongotai
Wellington 6022
New Zealand
Coordinates41°19′S 174°48′E / 41.317°S 174.800°E / -41.317; 174.800
Information
Funding typeState
MottoLumen Accipe et Imperti
(Receive the Light and Pass it on)
Established1928; 96 years ago
Ministry of Education Institution no.277
PrincipalKevin Carter
Years offered9–13
GenderBoys
School roll723[1] (August 2024)
SongNon Nobis Domine
Websitewww.rongotai.school.nz

Rongotai College is a state single-sex boys' secondary school in the southeastern suburb of Rongotai, Wellington, New Zealand. Serving Years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 18), the school has 622 students as of July 2015.[2]

About 40 percent of the students are of European heritage, 20 percent identify as Pasifika, and 15 percent are Māori, and there are various Middle Eastern, Asian, and African students (MELAA).

A highlight for the school is the annual McEvedy Shield athletics event.

Location

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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.

History

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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.[3]

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.

Achievement

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The 2013 ERO report was favorable while pointing out areas for improvement, for example in monitoring achievement and attendance levels.[4]

School leadership

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Principals

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Name Term
1 Fritz Martyn Renner 1928–1945
2 H.A. Heron 1946–1951
3 A.E. Lock 1951–1962
4 Noel Mackay[5] 1963–1982
5 A.D. Powell 1982–1991
6 Graeme Jarratt 1991–2009
7 Kevin Carter 2010–present

Houses

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The four houses at Rongotai College are named after the school's first four headmasters,[6]

  • Renner (Red)
  • Heron (Blue)
  • Lock (Green)
  • Mackay (Yellow)

Notable alumni

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Dates denote period enrolled as student

The Arts

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Science

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  • Dr Barry Dent (1973–1977) – CEO of BDG Synthesis, ( organic chemistry)
  • Professor Alex Malahoff (1951–1956) – pioneered use of submersibles to explore submarine volcanoes, CEO of GNS Science 2002–2012
  • Tony Mahon (1947–52) – built a reputation for his extensive research on geothermal energy; awarded Joseph Aidlin Award
  • Dr Campbell Nelson FRSNZ (1957–61) – ex-Professor of Earth Studies at Waikato University, awarded 2004 Hutton medal by the Royal Society

Business

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Politics and public service

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Sport

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Basketball

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Cricket

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Football

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Hockey

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Rugby League

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Rugby Union

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Running

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  • Derek Froude (1973–1977) – represented New Zealand in the men's marathon, at the Olympics in 1984 and 1992
  • Paul Lloyd (1979–1984) – represented New Zealand in the men's 110m Hurdles, at the Commonwealth Games, Auckland in 1990

Wrestling

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  • Al Hobman dec. – former professional wrestler, trainer and promoter

Yachting

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  • Greg Wilcox (1974–1978) – former New Zealand world champion yachtsman OK Dinghy class

Videoed Canings Controversy

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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 a 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 a 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.[7]

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.' [8]

Notes

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Rongotai College Building Map

  1. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  2. ^ "New Zealand Schools – Education Counts". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Rongotai College History". Rongotai College Website. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Rongotai College 30/05/2013 - Education Review Office". www.ero.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
  5. ^ Vance, Andrea (14 April 2019). "'It was a horror story': Education chiefs ignored historic school abuse, victim claims". Stuff.
  6. ^ "Rongotai College Parent and Caregiver Guide" (PDF). Rongotai College. 2018. p. 16.
  7. ^ "Touch-toes college boys videotaped".
  8. ^ "'It was a horror story': Education chiefs ignored historic school abuse, victim claims". 13 April 2019.
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