Poorest school with the richest community heart

It's 11am on Monday. Jan Tinetti has a cold that's kept her in bed all weekend, but you'd never know it.
When it comes to talking about her school, the passion quickly envelopes everything else.
In her office, she eases back in her chair, her smile wide, her wairua strong.
This is a woman who does not offend easily.
In the 2 1/2 years she has been principal of Merivale School, she's never enrolled a European child - despite being a Pakeha principal.
Ninety-eight per cent of the children at Merivale School are Maori, and the school is rated decile 1B, one of the 6.6 per cent of schools in New Zealand with the highest proportion of pupils from low socio-economic communities.
No other Tauranga school has a ranking as low.
"People think decile rankings are related to ethnicity but it's solely related to the school community. Certainly there is a perception that it's a tough school and tough area, and that's a wrong perception," she says.
"People say'where do you work? Merivale? Oh, that must be tough.' Well, no it's not.
"It is the best job I've ever had. It is the most positive community I've ever worked in and [it] will work with us more than any other community I've worked in."
A school's decile rating is based on household income, occupation, household crowding, educational qualifications and income support.
The rating has nothing to do with the quality of the school's teaching or learning.
Having been a principal for a decade in three Southland schools - one decile 6 and two decile 10 - Mrs Tinetti embraced the opportunity to tackle Merivale School.
Her eyes twinkle and she nods her head as I remind her of some of the public reaction received by news articles in the past, highlighting Merivale School's Red Cross Breakfast in Schools programme, and a free lunches programme through the Kukupa Dove Trust, which was runner-up at the National Trust Power Community Awards this year.
"Some people do say'oh, those poor, poor children'. Well, no. They are the most beautiful children who take every opportunity given to them. It is easy for people on the outside to judge and think they know what's going on. I know wholeheartedly our parents will feed their kids but by us doing it, they can spend their money on something else.
"Until people can sit and see what I see you aren't going to understand it."
Mrs Tinetti, 41, remembers a solo mother who took a seat in her office not too long ago, and confessed she hadn't eaten for three days, so her own children could eat.
Mrs Tinetti says around 90 children a day (out of the roll of 160) make use of the free breakfast and about 30 pay $1 a day for lunches made up by parent volunteers. The numbers are slightly up due to the recession.
The programmes have created unity within the school and helped parents feel connected, she says.
"One mum said it was the first time in nine years she's had friends. For us, we want them to be part of us, rather than be scared of us," Mrs Tinetti says.
The school has a social worker it shares with Gate Pa School, and holds values and makitanga (respect) embodied by everyone. Every week the entire school partakes in half an hour of kapa haka together.
"Maori values are just so beautiful and when used how they are supposed to be used are just wonderful," Mrs Tinetti says.
Merivale children are taught to feel strong in who they are as Maori but "walk strong in both worlds".
There is an openness about Merivale children that Mrs Tinetti has not experienced before.
"They are willing to share themselves with you ... they want to share themselves. They know all about me and my family. You are one of their family."
There are three classes of rumaki (immersion) with 45 children in them but the school is for everyone, she stresses.
"People have had a perception of decile one, and some other ethnicities have left the school [because of that].
"I've never enrolled a European child here and that is really sad. What I do believe, is people are misled about what decile actually means.
"Low decile can be quite the opposite."
It is Mrs Tinetti's personal aim to see more Merivale children make it to Year 13. She says at the moment many teens in the community aren't seeing the relevance of education. Lifting academic aspiration is top of her list.
To do this the school needs "empathetic" teachers who could connect with the children's world, rather than expecting them to connect with ours, she says.
"Our classrooms aren't that flash physically but our technology is amazing."
Mrs Tinetti says there simply is no money to fundraise within the community and the school is grateful for grants.
"We have incredible teaching stations, interactive white boards, a pod of laptops ... a very flash network that not many schools in New Zealand have."
They now have an early-childhood centre and kohanga reo on site, whereas previously Merivale had the lowest intake of early-childhood education in the Western Bay.
In three years it has gone from 75 per cent of students reading below their chronological age level to 30 per cent and the school wants that down even further.
It is working to improve the oral language skills of its new-entrant pupils and operate the First Chance programme to boost student reading and writing levels.
Otumoetai and Tauranga Rotary Clubs have assisted via donations of time and money to literacy, and a "fabulous" board of trustees keeps its principal "to task."
"We will not use social issues as an excuse anymore," Mrs Tinetti says.
"It is really critical for people to understand our community and connect with our community kanohi to kanohi [face to face]. They are not unhappy. Wealth is about values. There are pathways to get our children learning and it's through their world, it's not what society wants them to be. Eventually they will be able to walk in both worlds with ease.
"Their way is just so perfect. I wouldn't be anywhere else. It's just fabulous."