Paraparaumu College hopes to save lives

NZCT has awarded a grant of $2,795 to Paraparaumu College to purchase a second defibrillator, available for use by the community as well as staff and housed at the main office on eastern side of our college campus.

Sports Director Nick Cooper says “Paraparaumu College is a caring community of great learners located on Wellington’s Kāpiti Coast. The majority of us live in Paraparaumu, Paraparaumu Beach, Otaihanga, Waikanae, Pekapeka and Te Horo. We are a proudly co-educational school providing a great range of opportunities for young people in our community."

Principal Craig Steed adds, “Our aspirations for Paraparaumu College’s learners (both students and staff) are summarised through our ‘Great Learner’ values. We aspire to be collaborative and active learners, respectful in our relationships with each other and effective self-managers. The ‘PC Way’ outlines our approach to curriculum, the principles on which it is based and the practices we employ. Its emphasis is on personalising learning around student interest and need”.

“The school has three clear priorities which underpin all we do:

1. Achieving the highest equitable outcomes for our students

2. Developing future ready courageous learners

3. Fostering connectedness and belonging for all ākonga"

“This is why Paraparaumu College is a ‘Positive Behaviour for Learning’ school. Our focus through this is reinforcing and extending our relational approaches. We have a strong record of student academic achievement, as well as success in sport and the performing arts. Several of our teachers have been recognised for their leadership and teaching with national and international awards.”

“We are also committed to extending and enhancing our relationships with other Kāpiti schools for the benefit of all learners in our area and are excited about the newly established Kahui Ako and where this will further enhance collaboration between schools.”

Paraparaumu College was opened in 1977 as a Year 9-13 co-educational state school, approximately forty-five minutes drive north of Wellington. There is a growing international student programme operating with students attending from different countries such as Germany, Argentina and Japan.

In 1987 the principal was Neil McDonald, and the roll was 940 students. From 1988 to 2012, Richard Campbell was the school's principal. The school roll grew to 1,340 under his care over these twenty-five years, when McDonald oversaw a uniform change from brown and yellow to navy and green, the introduction of NCEA, and numerous construction projects.

From 2013 to 2018, Gregor Fountain was principal and introduced the CARE values (Collaborative, Active learner, Respectful and Effective self-manager) as foundational principles modelling ideal student behaviour in the school. Craig Steed became principal in 2018 and continued growth led the school to introduce an enrolment scheme in 2020. Alongside this the Government announced a 10 classroom future build which is entering detailed design to become a new technology hub, with construction beginning in 2024.

The school offers a range of clubs for students to partake in, run by teachers and students alike. Clubs include Debating, SEAR, Politics Club, the Cloud Appreciation Society, Duke of Edinburgh Hillary's Award Scheme, e-sports, Robotics, Poly Club and the Kapa haka group, amongst many others.

Sports offered at Paraparaumu College include athletics, basketball, badminton, cricket, equestrian, football, golf, hockey, netball, rugby, and volleyball. All Black Dane Coles is a notable alumni.

We appreciate the funding for a second defibrillator and know this helps provide additional access to this life saving resource for our community.