John Paul College
rotorua new zealand  

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PPA Goals

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Principal's Report

Report from Steve Robb

GOALS of the PPA

• To link Rotorua Catholic Schools, establishing their history, fostering pride amongst pupils past and present.
• To organise a social network and news of past pupils who will be important as role models for present John Paul College pupils.
• To organise regular school reunions.
• To foster eventual financial donations from past pupils to contribute to the school, in terms of scholarships for students, building projects etc.

NEWS

Hello again, our Past Pupils are always welcome to visit John Paul College. Many of you are parents and grandparents of existing pupils and we love to have you visit. You will not recognise the environment as we are in the middle of a building programme. A much waited for development.

Our staff is complemented by a number of well qualified past pupils: Miss Jenny Parker, Mr Paul Johnson, Miss Melissa Lowe, Mrs Minka Webb (nee Konlechner), Mrs Veronica Aislabie (nee Shaw), Mrs Bernadette Fredericksen (nee Shaw), Mrs Sesilia Tauiliili-Pelesasa (nee Filipo), Mrs Natasha Sarich-Dunn (nee Sarich) and Mrs Lorraine Dobson (nee McGill). Mrs Val Cooney may be remembered as having taught a number of us and is now teaching our children.

A note from PATRICK WALSH – Principal of John Paul College

In 2004 and again in 2007 our successful Education Review Office reports gave our community a very clear picture of the success of every dimension of the College. We care for each other as our special Catholic character requires. This praise reaches out to us as parents and friends as well. The many positive comments and suggestions offered to improve the teaching and learning environment of the College from all quarters, speaks eloquently of the interest that all members of this community take in the school. The wide sense of ownership felt for the College is a great strength and a great treasure. Our common vision is being realised and for this we should be very proud.

Thanks must also go to our Proprietor, Bishop Denis and to his General Manager, for making possible the building programme. The physical needs of the school have been recognised and the reconstruction of the school is well under way.

Send in your news!

Have you news of yourself or others that would interest JPC PPA readers?

A note from Steve Robb – Principal of John Paul College from 1989 to 1995

Background
The history of the two schools, McKillop and Edmund Rice, and their amalgamation is well documented. On 19 June, 1989, I was warmly welcomed as the 2^nd Principal of John Paul College by the tangata whenua, on a freezing cold winter day. My tenure as principal was to last 6 ½ years and these would be very fulfilling years for me.

My first task was to reduce staff as the roll had dropped to 577. Clearly a number of issues needed to be addressed and these included academic, discipline, philosophy, strategic planning, buildings, staffing, curriculum, religious education and sporting and cultural involvement.

Bishop Edward Gaines R.I.P

Bishop Gaines vision to create John Paul College was not greeted with great enthusiasm in some quarters. The amalgamation had caused rifts, and these were entirely natural results of combining boys and girls schools on the boy’s site. Bishop Gaines drove the change and it was his financial genius which pulled off the sale, and later the purchase back of McKillop, for a very healthy profit to the school. The funds from the initial sale enabled John Paul College to build and refurbish, to meet the needs of the growing numbers of students.

Bishop Gaines was totally supportive of John Paul College and his leadership was an inspiration to me and to the school.

Management
I was most fortunate to inherit a stable, loyal, hard working leadership team. They were to prove invaluable as the school grew and emphasis was focussed on discipline, academic, and our Maori and Pacific Island students and communities with John Taylor (Deputy Principal) and Margaret van Etten (Assistant Principal).

We extended the management team to include Sister Lorraine (Marist) and Sister Sian (Brown Josephs) and this team proved most effective in leadership, energy, enthusiasm and support for staff.

Students
The growing support from the Rotorua and wider Catholic community saw the roll increase from 577 to 800 over those years.

Conclusion
I thoroughly enjoyed my 6½ years as Principal of John Paul College, Rotorua. The emphasis on teamwork – enthusiastic Board, hard working staff, positive students and supportive parents, parishes and primary schools, gave the school a mana in the city and Diocese. Success does breed success and John Paul College can stand proudly in the Integrated system and alongside State Schools. It is a very special school, which offers the very best value centred all round education. Jesus Christ’s life was centred on excellence and that is at the heart of the John Paul College way.

I take this opportunity to wish the college and the P.P.A. every success in the future.