Rongotai College

Rongotai College
Lumen Accipe et Imperti (Receive the Light and Pass it on)
Location
170 Coutts Street Rongotai Wellington 6022 New Zealand
Coordinates	41°19′21″S 174°48′03″E / 41.3226°S 174.8009°E / -41.3226; 174.8009Coordinates: 41°19′21″S 174°48′03″E / 41.3226°S 174.8009°E / -41.3226; 174.8009
Information
Established	1928
Ministry of Education Institution no.	277
Principal	Kevin Carter
Years offered	9–13
Gender	Boys
School roll	583[1] (November 2013)
Socio-economic decile	6
Website	www.rongotai.school.nz

Rongotai College is a state single-sex boys secondary school located in the eponymous south-eastern suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. Serving Years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 18), the school has a roll of 602 students as of April 2013.^[2]

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.

A highlight for the school is the annual McEvedy Shield athletics event.

Location

The school stands on the isthmus separating Lyall Bay 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.

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 College, which was overstretched, and Rongotai became the new school for Wellington boys in the eastern suburbs.^[3]

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.

School leadership

Principals

Houses

The four houses at Rongotai College are named after the school's first four headmasters:

• Renner (Red)
• Heron (Blue)
• Lock (Green)
• Mackay (Yellow)

Notable alumni

Dates denote period enrolled as student

The Arts

• Eugene Albulescu - pianist, orchestral conductor and professor of practice
• Kevin Boon (1952–1957) - writer
• Costa Botes (1973–1977) - film maker
• Leon Draper - ballet dancer
• Andrew Fagan (1976–1979) - writer, singer and songwriter, former frontsman for The Mockers
• Tofiga Fepulea'i - actor and comedian, member of the stand up comedy duo Laughing Samoans
• Ben Lummis (1992–1996) - singer, New Zealand Idol winner
• Benjamin Makisi (1983–1988) - tenor
• Lani Tupu - actor
• Gordon Walters - artist and designer

Broadcasting and Journalism

• Gary Pointon (2002-2004) - Radio DJ and Journalist^[4]

Science

• Professor Alex Malahoff (1951-1956) - pioneered use of submersibles to explore submarine volcanoes, CEO of GNS Science 2002-2012
• Dr Barry Dent (1973-1977) - CEO of BDG Synthesis, ( organic chemistry)
• Dr Campbell Nelson FRSNZ (1957–61) - ex-Professor of Earth Studies at Waikato University, awarded 2004 Hutton medal by the Royal Society
• Tony Mahon (1947–52) - built a reputation for his extensive research on geothermal energy; awarded Joseph Aidlin Award

Business

• Sir Peter Leitch - the "Mad Butcher" businessman
• Sam Morgan (1989–1992) - founder of TradeMe

Politics and public service

• Rear Admiral E.C. (Ted) Thorne CB, CBE, Rtd (1935-1938) - Chief of Navy 1972-1975
• Hon. Justice Andrew Becroft (1971–1975) - Principal Youth Court Judge of New Zealand
• David Farrar (1981–1985) - political activist, blogger and pollster
• Hon. Justice Richard Heron (dec.) (1948–1954) - former high Court judge
• Professor Stuart McCutcheon (1968–1972) - Vice-Chancellor, the University of Auckland

Sport

Basketball

• Troy McLean - Wellington Saints and former Tall Blacks basketball player
• Chris Tupu - sports commentator for National Basketball League - Maori Television, former Tall Black

Cricket

• Bruce Edgar (1970–1974) - former New Zealand cricketer
• Ian D S Smith (1970-1973) - sports commentator and former New Zealand cricketer
• Don Neely - cricket historian, administrator, and former player
• Jeetan Patel (1994–1998) - Black Cap (New Zealand cricketer)

Football

• Chris Killen (1995–1998) - New Zealand football player
• Wynton Rufer (1976–1979) - New Zealand football player
• Terry Serepisos (1977–1981) - former owner of Wellington Phoenix FC
• Michael Utting - New Zealand football player

Hockey

• Mitesh Patel (1990–1994) - Black Sticks (New Zealand hockey player)

Rugby League

• Sione Faumuina (1994–1997) - rugby league player, Castleford Tigers, formerly New Zealand Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys

Rugby Union

• Roy Kinikinilau (1993–1998) - rugby union player, Waikato and Chiefs, formerly Hurricanes, Highlanders
• Grant Nisbett (1964–1968) - sports broadcaster
• Ma'a Nonu - All Black Second Five-Eighth
• Julian Savea - All Black, Wellington Lions, formerly New Zealand Sevens team, IRB International junior player of the year, Wellington Hurricanes winger
• Ofisa "Junior" Tonu'u (1999–2000) - All Black halfback
• Motu Matu'u - Wellington Hurricanes Hooker
• Ardie Savea - Wellington Lions, Wellington Hurricanes Flanker

Running

• Derek Froude ( 1973-1977) - represented New Zealand in the men's marathon, at the Olympics in 1984 and 1992

Underwater Hockey

• Simon Lockwood (1971–1973) - former New Zealand underwater hockey player, former New Zealand team coach

Wrestling

• Al Hobman dec. - former professional wrestler, trainer and promoter

Yachting

• Greg Wilcox (1974–1978) - former New Zealand world champion yachtsman OK Dinghy class

Notes

External links

• Education Review Office (ERO) reports for Rongotai College