Rongotai College
Encyclopedia
Rongotai College is an all-boys state secondary school
in the south-eastern suburb of Rongotai
in Wellington
, New Zealand
. The students are aged 12 to 19.
The decile 6 school has a roll of over 650 students. About 40 per cent of the students are of European heritage, 20 per cent identify as Pasifika, 15 per cent Maori and there are various Middle Eastern and African students.
The students wear a school uniform which is predominantly grey and black with yellow trim.
A highlight for the school is the annual McEvedy Shield
athletics event.
and Cook Strait
to the south from Evans Bay
on Wellington Harbour to the north. It thus has the sea on two sides, and this 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. Wellington's city centre is a few kilometres to the north-west.
, which was overstretched, and Rongotai became the new school for Wellington boys in the eastern suburbs.
Rongotai College originally accepted enrolments from students of intermediate school age. However, when Evans Bay Intermediate School opened its doors in 1964, the school became purely a secondary school, catering for young men in what are now called years 9 to 13.
The Assembly Hall, known as the Renner Hall, was opened in 1968 and is named after the founding headmaster.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in the south-eastern suburb of Rongotai
Rongotai
This article discusses the Wellington city suburb of Rongotai. For the article about the New Zealand parliamentary electorate of the same name see Rongotai ...
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The students are aged 12 to 19.
The decile 6 school has a roll of over 650 students. About 40 per cent of the students are of European heritage, 20 per cent identify as Pasifika, 15 per cent Maori and there are various Middle Eastern and African students.
The students wear a school uniform which is predominantly grey and black with yellow trim.
A highlight for the school is the annual McEvedy Shield
McEvedy Shield
The McEvedy Shield is an annual athletics competition held in Wellington, New Zealand, for four of the region's boys' secondary schools. It is the largest annual athletics meet in the Southern Hemisphere, in terms of its number of athletes competing....
athletics event.
Location
The school stands on the isthmus separating Lyall BayLyall Bay
Lyall Bay is a bay and a suburb on the south side of the Rongotai isthmus in Wellington, New Zealand.The bay is a popular surf beach, featuring a breakwater at the eastern end. It has also been the site of surf lifesaving championships, and is home to two surf lifesaving clubs. Lyall Bay is a very...
and Cook Strait
Cook Strait
Cook Strait is the strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the west with the South Pacific Ocean on the east....
to the south from Evans Bay
Evans Bay
Evans Bay is an Arctic waterway in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. Located off northwestern Bathurst Island, the bay is on the east side of Erskine Inlet, across from Île Vanier.Other bays in the area include Dampier Bay and Cameron Bay....
on Wellington Harbour to the north. It thus has the sea on two sides, and this 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. Wellington's city centre is a few kilometres to the north-west.
History
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 CollegeWellington College (New Zealand)
Wellington College is a state secondary school for boys in Mount Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Wellington College opened in 1867 as Wellington Grammar School in Woodward Street, though Sir George Grey gave the school a deed of endowment in 1853. In 1874 it opened at its present...
, which was overstretched, and Rongotai became the new school for Wellington boys in the eastern suburbs.
Rongotai College originally accepted enrolments from students of intermediate school age. However, when Evans Bay Intermediate School opened its doors in 1964, the school became purely a secondary school, catering for young men in what are now called years 9 to 13.
The Assembly Hall, known as the Renner Hall, was opened in 1968 and is named after the founding headmaster.
Principals
| Period | Principal |
|---|---|
| 1928 - 19?? | Mr Fritz Martyn Renner |
| 19?? - 1954 | Mr H.A Heron |
| 1954–1964 | Mr A.E. Lock |
| 1964–1982 | Mr Noel Mackay |
| 1982–1992 | Mr A.D. Powell |
| 1992–2009 | Mr Graeme Jarrett |
| 2009–present | Mr Kevin Carter |
Notable alumni
Dates denote period enrolled as studentThe Arts
- Eugene Albulescu - pianist, orchestral conductor and professor of practice
- Kevin Boon (1952–1957) - writer
- Costa BotesCosta BotesCosta Botes is a New Zealand writer, director and cinematographer.-Movie-making career:Botes is best known in New Zealand for Forgotten Silver , a documentary he co-wrote and co-directed with Peter Jackson...
(1973–1977) - film maker - Leon Draper - ballet dancer
- Andrew FaganAndrew FaganAndrew Fagan is a prominent New Zealand writer, singer and songwriter. He was born in 1962 and grew up in Wellington. He gained fame in New Zealand in the 1980s as the lead singer of pop group The Mockers....
(1976–1979) - writer, singer and songwriter, former frontsman for The MockersThe MockersThe Mockers were a New Zealand pop band formed in Wellington in 1979 by Andrew Fagan. Fagan was the only ever-present of the band's line-up whose initial members were mostly drawn from Fagan's Rongotai College classmates. Their songs include "One Black Friday" and "Forever Tuesday Morning"... - Tofiga Fepulea'iTofiga Fepulea'iTofiga Fepulea'i is a New Zealand-based actor and comedian of Samoan descent best known as a member of the stand up comedy duo Laughing Samoans.-Biography:...
- actor and comedian, member of the stand up comedy duo Laughing SamoansLaughing SamoansThe Laughing Samoans are a New Zealand-based duo formed by comedians Eteuati Ete and Tofiga Fepulea'i, both of Samoan descent. The duo have toured in New Zealand in sold out shows and internationally to Australia, United States, the Cook Islands, Hawai'i, Fiji and London in 2009.Their first show as... - Ben LummisBen LummisBen Lummis is a New Zealand R&B/Pop recording artist who rose to musical fame as the winner of the First season of New Zealand Idol in 2004. He is of Māori and Pākehā and Tongan descent...
(1992–1996) - singer, New Zealand IdolNew Zealand IdolNZ Idol, more commonly known as New Zealand Idol, was the New Zealand version of the Idol series originated as the hit British TV series Pop Idol. New Zealand first saw the Idol format when TV2 aired American Idol 2, which garned impressive ratings...
winner - Benjamin Makisi (1983–1988) - tenor
- Lani TupuLani TupuLani Tupu is a classically trained actor. He was educated at Rongotai College and Wellington Teacher's Training College. He was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council Bursary in 1977 to enter New Zealand Drama School, where he graduated in 1978...
- actor - Gordon WaltersGordon WaltersGordon Frederick Walters was a Wellington-born artist and graphic designer who is significant to New Zealand culture due to his representation of New Zealand in hisModern Abstract artworks.- Education :...
- artist and designer
Business
- Sir Peter LeitchPeter Leitch (Mad Butcher)Sir Peter Charles Leitch, KNZM, QSM, is a New Zealand businessman, also known as The Mad Butcher. Although well known in New Zealand for the chain of butcheries he founded, Leitch is arguably just as well known for his charity, fundraising work and his promotion of rugby league.Born in Wellington,...
- the "Mad Butcher" businessman - Sam MorganSam Morgan (entrepreneur)Sam Morgan is best known as the founder of TradeMe, New Zealand's largest online auction site, which he sold in 2006 to Australian media company Fairfax for over NZ$750 million.- Personal history :...
(1989–1992) - founder of TradeMeTradeMeTrade Me is the largest Internet-auction website operating in New Zealand. Managed by Trade Me Ltd the site was founded in 1999 by New Zealand entrepreneurSam Morgan who sold it to Fairfax in 2006 for NZ$700 million...
Politics and public service
- Hon. Justice Andrew Becroft (1971–1975) - Principal Youth Court Judge of New Zealand http://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/district/district/the-judges/judge-principal http://www2.justice.govt.nz/youth/publications/speeches.asp
- David FarrarDavid FarrarDavid Farrar was an English stage and film actor, born in Forest Gate, east London.Three of his most notable film roles were leads in the Powell and Pressburger films Black Narcissus , The Small Back Room , and Gone to Earth .He retired in 1962...
(1981–1985) - political activist, blogger and pollster - Hon. Justice Richard Heron (dec.) (1948–1954) - former high Court judge
- Professor Stuart McCutcheonStuart McCutcheonProfessor Stuart N. McCutcheon, BAgrSc PhD Massey is the current Vice-Chancellor of New Zealand's leading University, The University of Auckland...
(1968–1972) - Vice-Chancellor, the University of AucklandUniversity of AucklandThe University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
http://www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/professor-stuart-mccutcheon
Basketball
- Troy McLeanTroy McLeanTroy McLean is a professional basketball player from New Zealand who plays for the Wellington Saints. He is a 1.93 m shooting guard.He was part of the silver medal winning Tall Blacks team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.-References:...
- Wellington SaintsWellington SaintsThe Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
and former Tall Blacks basketball player - Chris Tupu - sports commentator for National Basketball League - Maori Television, former Tall Black
Cricket
- Bruce EdgarBruce EdgarBruce Adrian Edgar was a cricketer from Wellington and one of the best batsmen New Zealand has ever produced. An accountant by profession, in the 1980s, he played 39 Tests and 64 One Day Internationals, altogether he played 175 first-class matches...
(1970–1974) - former New Zealand cricketer - Don NeelyDon NeelyDonald Owen "Don" Neely MBE, MNZM is a New Zealand cricket historian, administrator and former player. He is a former President of New Zealand Cricket and has written or co-written over 30 books on New Zealand cricket....
- cricket historian, administrator, and former player - Jeetan PatelJeetan PatelJeetan Shashi Patel is a New Zealand cricketer of Indian descent. Patel is a right arm off spin bowler. He plays domestic cricket for the Wellington Firebirds and has represented the New Zealand Black Caps in One Day Internationals, Twenty20 matches, and Test cricket.Patel was earmarked as a...
(1994–1998) - Black CapBlack CapIn English law, the black cap was worn by a judge when passing a sentence of death. Although it is called a "cap", it is not made to fit the head like a typical cap does; instead it is a simple plain square made of black fabric...
(New Zealand cricketer)
Football
- Chris KillenChris KillenChristopher John "Chris" Killen is a New Zealand international footballer who plays as a striker for Chinese Super League club Shenzhen Ruby. Killen grew up in Wellington and played his club football for Miramar Rangers. After a trial with Manchester City, he joined City's youth academy...
(1995–1998) - New Zealand football player - Wynton RuferWynton RuferWynton Alan Whai Rufer, CNZM, , is a retired New Zealand footballer, who played as a striker. He spent most of his professional career in Germany with Werder Bremen, winning a total of six titles. He also appeared for the New Zealand national team in its first FIFA World Cup participation, in 1982...
(1994–1998) - New Zealand football player - Terry SerepisosTerry SerepisosTerry Serepisos is a bankrupt Wellington-based property developer and former owner of A-League association football club Wellington Phoenix. In 2010 he was the host in the New Zealand incarnation of the hit TV series The Apprentice.-Biography:...
(1977–1981) - former owner of Wellington Phoenix FCWellington Phoenix FCWellington Phoenix Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wellington, New Zealand. The club competes in the Football Federation of Australia A-League. Ricki Herbert has been the coach since the club's inception to the A-League in July 2007. The current club captain is... - Michael UttingMichael UttingMichael Utting is a New Zealand soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper.-Early years:Utting grew up in Ngaio, Wellington, the youngest of four children. His father is a civil engineer, his mother a nurse; they separated when he was 10. He went to Ngaio School and Nelson College...
- New Zealand football player
Rugby League
- Sione FaumuinaSione FaumuinaSione Faumuina is a New Zealand rugby league player who currently plays for the Redcliffe Dolphins.He joined the Castleford Tigers in the European Super League at the start of the 2009 season....
(1994–1997) - rugby league player, Castleford TigersCastleford TigersCastleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
, formerly New Zealand WarriorsNew Zealand WarriorsThe New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
and North Queensland CowboysNorth Queensland CowboysThe North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
Rugby Union
- Roy KinikinilauRoy KinikinilauRoy Kinikinilau is a rugby union player who plays for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League in Japan. A powerful winger, Kinkinilau is also an accomplished rugby sevens player. Born in Tonga, he represented New Zealand internationally in rugby sevens competitions.-Provincial Rugby:Kinkinilau was...
(1993–1998) - rugby union player, Waikato and Chiefs, formerly Hurricanes, Highlanders - Grant Nisbett (1964–1968) - sports broadcaster
- Ma'a NonuMa'a NonuMa'a Allan Nonu is a professional Samoan rugby union player from New Zealand. Nonu plays for the Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup and the New Zealand All Blacks...
- All BlackAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
mid-field back - Julian SaveaJulian SaveaJulian Savea is an New Zealand Rugby Union Player who currently plays for the Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup and has represented his country at rugby sevens and at under 20 level. He plays on the wings or at centre.-Career:...
- Wellington Lions, formerly New Zealand Sevens team, IRB International junior player of the year, Wellington Hurricanes winger - Ofisa "Junior" Tonu'u (1999–2000) - All BlackAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
halfback
Underwater Hockey
- Simon Lockwood (1971–1973) - former New Zealand underwater hockey player, former New Zealand team coach
Yachting
- Greg Wilcox (1974–1978) - former New Zealand world champion yachtsman OK Dinghy class