Mr Mangan said the guidelines were developed with good intentions for ensuring students' health and safety, and reflected what was already being followed by his school.
"We'd always look for the student to co-operate with us and if they refuse we'd look to seek parental support."
Last year's statistics for suspensions and stand downs were the lowest for a number of years, he said.
"We haven't changed the bar, it's just I think there's been an improvement in the playground and in the classrooms of the behaviour of the boys."
His staff were still working through the "fresh" guidelines and how to best put them in place.
Secondary Principals' Association ex-president Patrick Walsh said education representatives were meeting the Education Ministry this week to discuss how the rules would affect electronic devices, which could be used for cyberbullying.
At present teachers could confiscate tablets or smartphones, but could not search the contents.
Schools had a small window of opportunity to delete malicious or intimate images of students, before images were uploaded to the internet by an offending student.
Mr Walsh was keen to see the ministry work with internet providers and internet safety body NetSafe to improve students' safety from cyberbullying.
Current association president Tom Parsons said although some principals would not be happy with the new search rules and guidelines, the legislation gave schools clarity on what they were permitted to do legally.
"The effectiveness of these [rules] will come out in the fullness of time."
Some principals had to search students on an almost daily basis, whereas others only needed to do so occasionally, so it was difficult to issue a "blanket guideline".
Knives were the most common weapon Kiwi students brought to school as an act of bravado or if they were being bullied.
"Kids mistakenly think that they're going to be better protected by carrying a knife."