Principal’s Welcome

Ko Taranaki te maunga

Ko Waiaua te awa

Ko Aotea te waka

Ko Taranaki te iwi

Ko Ngati Haumia raua ko Ngati Kahumate raua ko Ngati Tamarongo nga hapu

Ko Te Namu te pa

Ko Hato Hohepa o Ōpunakē te kura 

Tihei mauri ora

 

On behalf of our whole school community, I extend a warm welcome to our school. We are very pleased and excited to have you explore our proud school, so that you can gain a clear understanding of what we believe in, our school UNITY values, the staff, students and supportive community that makes our school a great place to be.

 

We are first and foremost a Mission School. In 1901, our school was founded by the “Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions”. Our first teachers were Sister Mary of Nazareth, Sister Mary St Marcella and Sister Mary St John of the Cross. In recognition of these founding teachers we have named our school houses after them. The current main part of the school was opened on February 13th 1923. Over the coming years the school grew and became successful in sporting, music and academic fields. The Mission Sisters who taught at the school received amazing support from the Parish of Our Lady Star of the Sea over the years, and the school continued to grow in size. In 1981 the school appointed its first lay Principal and in 1982 the school was integrated into the State school system. In 1989 the first Board of Trustees was elected.   

 

Our school vision is “To provide a caring, Catholic, family/whānau environment where faith, values and skills are nurtured, enabling learners to be successful and responsible citizens.”

 

St Joseph’s Ōpunakē has a strong supportive family environment with excellent pastoral care. Our school UNITY Values of Humility, Excellence, Faith, Respect and Integrity underpin all that we do and stand for at St Joseph’s Ōpunakē.

 

Another key aspect of our school is the children themselves. They have developed fine reputations with their values based learning, high academic and sporting achievement as well as excellence in creative and performing arts.