Rotorua Lakes High School principal Bruce Walker (centre) with senior students. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER
Rotorua Lakes High School represents middle New Zealand, says its principal.
The school is decile 5, fed by decile 1 to 3 and 10 schools. And the two merge perfectly, according to Bruce Walker.
"We merge and it balances and it works," Walker said.
"We've got nearly a 50/50 Maori to Pakeha split and basically 50/50 girls and boys."
The school also has one Maori immersion (Rumaki) class.
Walker has been principal for 11 years and said he'd loved it all.
"It's a challenge. It's a fun job. I've been teaching for years and I've never regretted it," Walker said.
"I'm very blessed to be a teacher and the principal of Lakes High because I like getting up in the morning and going to work."
Walker said a highlight had been achieving a four to five-year ERO review and the same for NZQA reviews.
Building work on a new science lab at the school is also due to start this year.
Walker said the school wanted to encourage students to pursue science after it stopped being compulsory.
"I think it's important to realise these subject areas are the subjects of the future and as schools we need to resource them," he said.
"Rotorua is lucky to have five really good secondary schools. I think we offer for our students and parents, what they want. That's co-education and we're a small school."
Deputy head girl Maria Trass agreed.
"There are opportunities for everything here. Anything you're interested in, Lakes offers. We have table tennis, equestrian, touch," she said.
"They look after you here and it feels nice, like a family not the place you have to go every day."
Walker said it was an exciting time in education given society and technological changes and he wanted to focus on the positives of technology.
About the school
Location: Porikapa Rd, Rotorua
Type: State, co-educational secondary school
Roll: 674 (In July 2017)
Gender composition: Female - 54 per cent, male - 46 per cent (in July 2017)
Ethnic composition: Maori - 43 per cent, Pakeha - 49 per cent, other - 8 per cent.
Motto: Mauria Te Pono, Keep steadfastly to the truth.
ERO: Between 2020 and 2021.
Jefferies and family will enjoy a leg of lamb with summer sides.