College unveils new building

Reporoa College's Year 7 and 8 students are the envy of the rest of the school after the unveiling of their funky new 'home base'.

The new junior building was officially opened on Monday by Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell after being in the pipeline for around five years.

The building is called Mahi Tahi, meaning 'working as one' and is the new home base for Year 7 and 8 students with the aim of providing a place of stability for the transition from primary to secondary school.

The Ministry of Education paid $750,000 for the construction of the building and the Friends of Reporoa College group raised an extra $90,000 which went towards furnishing the space.

Acting principal Steven Hughes said Mahi Tahi had been a long time coming.

"I remember back five years when the then-principal told the staff rooms 14, 15, 17 and senior common were well past their sell-by-date and had to go. The initial plans were drawn by the then-board of trustees and these plans were then expanded and developed by our previous board to the wonderful building we have now.

"One of the questions I kept posing to the board was whether the board in 40 years' time will say they made a good decision. If we went forward in time I'm confident they would say yes."

Mr Hughes said the senior school was quite jealous of the new building.

"The kids absolutely love it. They are getting settled in now and are becoming used to the open-plan space and modern-learning concept. The whole building has a real different feel to it and it's truly excellent."