It is my pleasure to introduce Ms Ngawai Hooker. Ngawai joins the Senior Leadership Team in 2021. Her teaching areas are English and Te Reo and she is passionate about the wellbeing of both staff and students.

Mrs Caroline Bird steps down as Deputy Principal but will continue to contribute to the school in her role as a teacher of Mathematics and in overseeing some very important management tasks. I thank her for her eight years in her role as Deputy Principal and most recently in overseeing the Year 11 cohort.

Tara Kanji
Principal | Tumuaki

Ko Taranaki te maunga
Ko Waingongoro te awa
Ko Aotea te waka
Ko Ngaruahine-Rangi te iwi
Ko Ōkahu mātou ko Umutahi ngā hapū
Ko Aotea te marae
Ko Ngawai Hooker ahau

Tēnā tātou katoa

Ngā mihi mahana ki te mana whenua, ngā iwi o Tauranga Moana, ngā tauira, ngā whānau, ngā kaiako me te tumuaki. I am a proud Ngaruahine-Rangi uri who grew up in Opunake, Taranaki on a dairy farm with two teachers for parents, and a love of learning. I am a graduate of Kohanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Māori, and the universities of Waikato, Hong Kong and Auckland. Travelling is my passion after spending 7 great years in Hong Kong and visiting over 45 wonderful places across the globe. I also enjoy sport, dance and reading. I am inspired by the creativity and energy of rangatahi and enjoy co-constructing knowledge both inside and outside the classroom. I recently completed interesting research titled "Blue Classrooms: A snapshot of mental wellbeing in education in New Zealand state secondary schools" which shaped my understanding of rangatahi today. I strongly believe in the whakatauki He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata meaning that the most important thing in the world is people, people, people.

Nāku nā
Ngawai