Kellee Rangitawa-Candy is a former student, board member and aunt to current students at Turakina Maori Girls' College in Marton.
The police worker said the school community is still in shock after Education Minister Hekia Parata's announcement that the school is facing the threat of possible closure.
"Since the Education Review Office report in 2012 and the statutory management of the school, we have worked really hard to follow the recommendations of the report and the students achieved 100 per cent pass rates in all levels of NCEA last year. We celebrated the school's 110th anniversary in May and we felt that we were doing well, so it was a shock to learn on Tuesday afternoon that the minister would be making the announcement on Wednesday morning."
As a student at the college from 1993-96, Ms Rangitawa-Candy said the boarding school really shaped the person she is now and made her strong and confident.
"My mother, Merle Rangitawa, was a student at the college in the 1960s and now my niece Brooke is head prefect at the school and my other niece Payton is a year 12 prefect.
"Mum also worked in the hostel and entertained the girls with stories of her own days as a student. She has passed away and I really miss her now, because the school was so dear to her as well; she has the school monogram on her headstone."
A Facebook page, set up in response to the minister's announcement, has attracted 1300 responses from former Turakina students around New Zealand and overseas.
"We have been rallying the old girls since 2012 and things came to fruition when we formed an incorporated society after the 110th celebrations," Ms Rangitawa-Candy said. "Members will be holding meetings around the country and there is a meeting in Brisbane next week for members there to look at how they can support the school."
The Ministry of Education consultation process is due to run until September 11, after which an interim decision will be made.
"We are all feeling very emotional right now but we are determined to turn our emotion into strength and work to ensure that Turakina Maori Girls' College will still be here in another 110 years."
Ms Rangitawa-Candy said there are a number of reasons why the school's roll has fallen and the school and supporters will be working hard to find a way forward.