Awatapu College
| Awatapu College | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Address | |
| 434 Botanical Rd, Palmerston North | |
| Coordinates | 40°22′24″S 175°36′00″E / 40.3733°S 175.5999°ECoordinates: 40°22′24″S 175°36′00″E / 40.3733°S 175.5999°E |
| Information | |
| Type | State Co-Ed Secondary (Year 9-13) |
| Motto | "Whai mana, whai oranga”, “Focused on Excellence” |
| Established | 1976 |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 198 |
| Principal | Gary Yeatman |
| School roll | 752(February 2017) |
| Socio-economic decile | 4K |
| Website | awatapu.school.nz |
Awatapu College is a State Co-Educational Secondary School in Awapuni, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Awatapu College is located in West End, a suburb of Palmerston North, at the bend of Botanical Road. The area known as “Awatapu” started off as an Oxbow lake on the Manawatu River. It later became a lagoon that provided food and shelter to the local Māori of Rangitane. It also provided food for a variety of birds, pests and eels.
The school was officially opened on 1 December 1976 as the fifth secondary school in Palmerston North. Like most New Zealand state secondary schools of the 1970s, Awatapu College was built to the S68 design, characterised by single-storey classroom blocks with concrete block walls, low-pitched roofs, protruding clerestory windows, and internal open courtyards.
The name “Awatapu” was chosen because the school is located on the site of an ancient lagoon. It was an ancient name which celebrated a forgotten event in the history of the “Tangata whenua” — the Rangitane people, whose ancestors had for many centuries padded along the bush tracks or splashed up the creek from the river to enjoy the bounty of Awatapu. If that name had not been chosen, it would have probably soon been lost.
The wings of the emblem stand for the three main stages of early life:
The half-circle underneath indicates a rocking position to remind us that life is not always stable.
The V for victory reminds us to work for personal achievement.
The rainbow under the college name reminds us there is always some colour around us if we are willing to look for it.
The traditional colours of the school are black and gold.
2015 saw the renovations of the Gymnasium, which was fully finished in Term 2 of 2016.
Each student at Awatapu College is assigned a house. Since 2011, each house is named after a famous New Zealand person.
Each house has two staff leaders (known as Heads of House or simply HOH), and two student leaders (Year 13 students).
Throughout the year, there are various competitions between the Houses called "House Competitions", additional to the annual Swimming Sports, Athletics Sports and Cross-Country. Previously, each house was named after their colours in Te Reo Māori: Kikorangi, Whero, Kowhai and Kakariki, respectively.
The School Magazine, or “Yearbook” is given to students at the end of each year, usually on the senior sign out day. Students receive a copy of the magazine for free if they have paid the activity donation in their school fees, or can buy one for just $15. Early on, the magazine was titled “CHRYSALIS”, referring to the transition of students from adolescence to more mature adults.
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