School comes to life
Te Ao Mārama School principal Tony Grey says being a foundation principal is a once-in-a-career opportunity.
Hamilton’s newest school has swung open its gates.
The first groups of students and families were given a guided tour of Te Ao Mārama School yesterday , ahead of its formal opening next term.
About 85 students are currently enrolled at the school for term one. The school is designed to cater for 560 students in its first stage.
Principal Tony Grey said having children through the school for the first time was a special moment.
‘‘I’ve had a very surreal year as principal of a school with no kids and no families and for the first half of the year, really not many staff,’’ the 46-yearold said.
‘‘It was unique seeing kids in our school. Kids add the life and the magic. A school isn’t a school without kids.’’
Te Ao Mārama School is the sixth school to be built in Hamilton’s northeast since 2003. The school will cater for Year 1 to 6 pupils and is located on the corner of Borman Road and Hare Puke Drive. Its name is derived from the Māori legend in which Tāne separated his sky father Ranginui and earth mother Papatūānuku to create a world of light and life, known as te ao mārama.
‘‘In Māoridom, te ao mārama is a big thing so it’s a big aspiration to live up to. Now it’s up to us to create that magic,’’ Grey said.
The school is a public-private partnership (PPP), meaning it was designed and built by a private company who will also maintain it for the next 25 years. Grey didn’t know the build cost of Te ao Mārama School but said it was one of five PPP schools which had an overall budget of $220 million.
Work on the campus is ‘‘99 per cent’’ complete.
‘‘The big advantage of a PPP school is that it doesn’t look like a normal school,’’ he said. ‘‘The acoustics, the lighting, the design standards are of the highest possible standards.’’
Sensors in buildings measure Co2 levels and automatically open windows when levels get too high.
‘‘Another key advantage is that for the next 25 years, I can totally focus on culture, community, and teaching and learning. If there’s a broken window on the weekend, we’ve got people from the facility management part of the company that will take care of it.’’
Grey plans to give himself a short Christmas break ahead of what’s expected to be a busy next few years. He was previously the principal of Te Kowhai School for 10 years.
‘‘Being a foundation principal is a once-in-a-career opportunity. It gives you a chance to design a school from scratch and develop a culture from scratch. I’ve always said my job isn’t to build a school. My job is to build the people who build the school.’’
Beginner teacher Ruby August, 21, said she felt ‘‘incredibly fortunate’’ to secure her first teaching job at Te Ao Ma¯ rama. August completed her teaching degree at Waikato University in October.
‘‘With everyone being new, we’ve already managed to establish a really inclusive environment.’’