New name for city school
Palmerston North’s Monrad Intermediate School has been rebranded to better reflect the school’s identity.
It will now be known as Te Kura Waenga o Tirohanga Monrad Intermediate, with the two names of equal importance.
On Monday the school unveiled a new tomokanga, or gateway, and a pou toka whakairo, a carved sculpture made from O¯ amaru stone, made by carver Charles Matenga. About 120 people attended the ceremony.
Principal Matt Mccallum said the rebranding was planned for the past two years and it was to empower the children.
‘‘It was wanted by the community and the school. It was that whole part of a sense of belonging for our kids and to understand who they are and why they belong to the community.’’
Assistant principal Lewis Karaitiana, deputy principal Kara Mason, as well as Peter Te Rangi and Matenga helped with the rebranding.
The name Tirohanga came from a peak in the Tararua Range, which staff visited recently.
‘‘It’s one of the highest peaks in the ranges, which ties in with our children aspiring for great things,’’ Karaitiana said.
Classrooms have been also renamed, so instead of being called room one or two, the classes will be named after rivers and lagoons in the region.
‘‘Classrooms with numbers mean little to students, apart from the organisation,’’ Mccallum said. ‘‘The Monrad Intermediate School community wants to associate learning areas with significant landmarks in the local area.’’
The change came about after consultation with Rangitane iwi and the school’s community.