New year, new values for Mokoia Intermediate

Matthew Gray, 12, (left) Hayden Morrison, 12, Kiara Ward, 12, Milla Phipps, 12 (front) and Whakaahua Kawane Pirika Petero, 12. Photo/Stephen Parker

Mokoia Intermediate School has a new principal, new values and new mission statement.

Assistant principal Annemarie Hyde said the new principal, Rawiri Wihapi, had already made a positive change.

"He's really brought a fresh set of eyes to the school and his first emphasis has been building a positive culture, not just among students but the staff and community," Hyde said.

"We have an absolutely top notch group of staff."

The new school values this year are whakaiti (humility), ūpoko pakaru (resilience) and kōmaitanga (sense of achievement).

Also new this year are school prefects and Hyde said the first six were students who already demonstrated those values.

Hyde had been assistant principal at the school for eight years and loved it at the school.

"I think it absolutely demonstrates the community we live in in the eastern suburbs."

Meanwhile, deputy principal Jackie Jones had been at the school for a quarter of that time.

"I've been here for two years and after two years I can't imagine being anywhere else," Jones said.

This week the school was one of several in Rotorua marking Bully Free Week this week and donning pink shirts for Pink Shirt Day on Friday.

The school also has a Māori immersion class where some students learn in te reo.

"We believe students should be educated in the culture and language they identify with," Hyde said.

"We're predominantly bicultural and we want our programmes to reflect that."

About the school:
Principal: Rawiri Wihapi
Location: Brent Rd, Owhata
Type: State, Co-educational, intermediate school
Roll: 294 (In July 2017)
Gender composition: Female - 48 per cent, Male - 52 per cent (in 2017)
Ethnic composition: Maori - 50 per cent, Pakeha - 43 per cent, Other - 7 per cent. (in 2017)
Motto: We are limitless, we are passionate, we are number one.