Mairehau High School
Encyclopedia
Mairehau High School is a school
in Christchurch
, New Zealand
, taking its name from the suburb Mairehau
. The school is located at the northeast end of the suburb, near to Shirley
, thus forming a coeducation
al alternative to Shirley Boys' High School
, and Avonside Girls' High School
.
The school is currently undergoing redevelopment plans, which will take place over the next several years. The modern developments will accommodate the expanding role numbers, and be a great improvement from the current classroom buildings. The new design will be based around a set of one storey buildings, with the two main blocks (based on the Nelson Plan School Buildings) being demolished entirely.
Mr Harry Romana is the current Principal of the school, and he follows in the footsteps of Headmasters the late Mr A.B. (Bruce) Ryan, Mr Gary Jeffery, Miss Jillian Ussher, and Mr Neil Lancaster.
Mairehau High School opened on February 1, 1961, having been constructed on the advice of the Department of Statistics (now Statistics New Zealand
).
The Archer block was opened in February 1963 but several years later was damaged by a fire. This same year the tuckshop was built but was replaced in mid 2007.
On the eleventh of October 1967 the school gymnasium was opened with Charles Upham
V.C. a special guest speaker at the ceremony. In 1969 the Ford block was opened and the Cartwright Block and Staffroom were extended. This same year the Walter Library is opened. In the early 1980s, the Ryan Block (Science Laboratories) and the Music Suite were opened. In 1985 the Physically Disabled unit is opened.
Applications are produced and handed out sometime around October or November. Mairehau High School typically produces Student Executive applications and hands them out at assemblies, allocates a time limit for students (if they desire) to read the job description, fill out a C.V and cover letter and hand those requirements in. From there, if a student is successful they will be short-listed. After a student has been short-listed they receive a letter telling them where and when to meet for an interview. If a student is successful in the interview stages then they will receive a phone call home congratulating them on their appointment.
The roles of The Senior Student Executives have been changed and have expanded over the years. Mairehau High School began with a head boy and head girl structure but then evolved into a Student Executive Group.
Professional services currently on site include teachers trained in Special Teaching Needs, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Therapy. Support staff include Special Education Assistants and Teacher Aides who attend to care needs and provide support appropriate to the educational needs of each student.
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, 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...
, taking its name from the suburb Mairehau
Mairehau
Mairehau is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located four kilometres north of the city centre, close to the edge of the urbanised central city area. Much new development is being carried out on the northern edge of Mairehau....
. The school is located at the northeast end of the suburb, near to Shirley
Shirley, New Zealand
Shirley, sometimes referred to as Windsor, is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, about north-east of the city centre.-Naming:Susannah Buxton was married to John Buxton . On her deathbed in 1868, she asked her son, Joseph Shirley Buxton , to gift land to the Methodists to build a church...
, thus forming a coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al alternative to Shirley Boys' High School
Shirley Boys' High School
Shirley Boys' High School is a single sex state secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is situated on a 6 hectare site in the suburb of Shirley, 3.8 kilometres from the city centre...
, and Avonside Girls' High School
Avonside Girls' High School
Avonside Girls' High School is a large urban high school in the Christchurch, New Zealand suburb of Avonside. It has more than 1200 girls from Year 9 to Year 13....
.
The school is currently undergoing redevelopment plans, which will take place over the next several years. The modern developments will accommodate the expanding role numbers, and be a great improvement from the current classroom buildings. The new design will be based around a set of one storey buildings, with the two main blocks (based on the Nelson Plan School Buildings) being demolished entirely.
Mr Harry Romana is the current Principal of the school, and he follows in the footsteps of Headmasters the late Mr A.B. (Bruce) Ryan, Mr Gary Jeffery, Miss Jillian Ussher, and Mr Neil Lancaster.
Mairehau High School opened on February 1, 1961, having been constructed on the advice of the Department of Statistics (now Statistics New Zealand
Statistics New Zealand
Statistics New Zealand is the national statistical office of New Zealand.-Organisation:New Zealand's Minister of Statistics is Maurice Williamson who serves as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and holds several other posts within government...
).
Modernisation and Upgrade of School Buildings and Facilities
The school is currently undergoing a re-construction, demolishing and building three new classroom blocks. During the end of 2007, the two storey Archer block was demolished, making way for the final 2 classrooms adjoining the new Archer Block. The other two storey Tennant block will be demolished and a new block of classrooms will be built to replace it eventually.History
Originally when the school was built, prefabricated buildings were mainly used onsite until roll numbers increased, requiring more larger and longer lasting buildings to be built, although there are still three of the original prefabs onsite, one of which is now used as the Common Room for year thirteen students. The Tennant block was opened in July 1962, and still serves its purpose as a double storey 12 classroom Nelson Plan based block.The Archer block was opened in February 1963 but several years later was damaged by a fire. This same year the tuckshop was built but was replaced in mid 2007.
On the eleventh of October 1967 the school gymnasium was opened with Charles Upham
Charles Upham
Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham VC and Bar was a New Zealand soldier who earned the Victoria Cross twice during the Second World War: in Crete in May 1941, and at Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt, in July 1942...
V.C. a special guest speaker at the ceremony. In 1969 the Ford block was opened and the Cartwright Block and Staffroom were extended. This same year the Walter Library is opened. In the early 1980s, the Ryan Block (Science Laboratories) and the Music Suite were opened. In 1985 the Physically Disabled unit is opened.
School Facilities
- Five science laboratories
- Music, art and drama suites
- Food technology room and Textiles technology room
- Maori studies Whare
- Materials technology (metal and wood) workshops
- Computer-based graphic design suite
- A careers transition centre
- A gymnasium
- An international students' room
- Five computer suites
- A well stocked library
The Senior Student Executive
As with many other New Zealand secondary schools, once a student comes towards the end of year twelve, they are eligible to apply for The Senior Student Executive. The Student Executive are appointed towards the end of year twelve and uphold their positions the following year in year thirteen. Their primary goal is to represent the student voice within the school. The Student Exeuctive meet with the Dean of their year group once a week to discuss ideas that could possibly be implemented within the school. In the past, Student Executive members have helped organize mufti days, organised assemblies and met with other school’s Executive members, amongst other things. The Executives are decided on by a pannel of judges (in the past this has consisted of such people as deputy principals, deans, the guidance councillor, etc.)Applications are produced and handed out sometime around October or November. Mairehau High School typically produces Student Executive applications and hands them out at assemblies, allocates a time limit for students (if they desire) to read the job description, fill out a C.V and cover letter and hand those requirements in. From there, if a student is successful they will be short-listed. After a student has been short-listed they receive a letter telling them where and when to meet for an interview. If a student is successful in the interview stages then they will receive a phone call home congratulating them on their appointment.
The roles of The Senior Student Executives have been changed and have expanded over the years. Mairehau High School began with a head boy and head girl structure but then evolved into a Student Executive Group.
PDRC
The Physical Disabilities Resource Centre (PDRC) is a centre which provides an extensive range of educational programmes and support for students whose prime disability is physical. It is known nationally for its skill in providing specifically for the needs of this group of secondary aged students regardless of their academic ability.Professional services currently on site include teachers trained in Special Teaching Needs, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Therapy. Support staff include Special Education Assistants and Teacher Aides who attend to care needs and provide support appropriate to the educational needs of each student.
External links
- http://www.mairehau.school.nz/ - Official School Site
- School history