Karamu High School

Karamu High School
Knowledge is strength
Address
Windsor Avenue, Hastings, New Zealand
Coordinates
Information
Type	Co-ed state secondary (Year 9-13)
Established	1962
Ministry of Education Institution no.	229
Principal	Martin O'Grady
School roll	884 (March 2016)
Socio-economic decile	4J
Website	karamu.school.nz

Karamu High School is a co-educational state high school in Hastings, New Zealand for students in Years 9 to 13. The school is the main co-ed secondary school within Hastings City itself. The school’s campus is located to the easternmost end of Hastings City, adjacent to Windsor Park to the west and the Heretaunga Plains’ orchards to the east.

History

Karamu High School opened in 1962. Like many New Zealand secondary schools built in the 1960s, the school was originally built to the Nelson common design plan, characterised by two-storey H-shaped classroom blocks. While Karamu's two Nelson plan classroom blocks were demolished in 2010-11, the school retains its Nelson plan administration/hall block and its Nelson plan library building.

School life

Traditionally the school has always had a strong focus on cultural pursuits. It maintains a good reputation in dance and music competitions and provides a wide range of opportunities to students to this end.

There is also wide participation in extra-curricular sporting activities and the school provides opportunities in over 20 sports with varying levels of success. In recent times the schools top teams in Netball, rugby and canoe polo have enjoyed considerable success.

Karamu’s student body is subdivided in four houses Kaweka (yellow), Tukituki (blue), Te Mata (orange) and Heretaunga (red). The houses are named after local landmarks. The school stages a range of full-school events such as swimming sports, cross-country running, athletic sports and music competitions in which houses compete against each other. The school does not operate a prefect system, however, does appoint a head girl and boy, plus a deputy to each, and other school leaders: Sports Captains, Cultural Leaders, Community Leaders, Academic Leaders, Maori Cultural Leaders and House Leaders.

The high school’s yearbook, ‘Tira Ora,’ is named after a branch of the karamu tree used in Māori ceremonies and produced by a group of students and teachers.

The tira ora also forms the logo of the school itself, appearing in the school badge and on official correspondence.

Karamu High School's current Principal is Martin O'Grady

Uniform

The school’s colours of green, white and red are reflected in the school’s uniform:

Girls – Tartan skirt, white blouse and green jersey, black shoes.

Boys – Black trousers (winter), grey shorts (summer), white shirt, green jersey, black shoes.

Year 13 students used to have no uniform, but this changed in the early 2000s:

Boys - Black trousers, white shirt, black shoes and a green and white tie

Girls - Black skirt (summer), white shirt, long sleeve cardigan, black trousers (winter)

Notable alumni

Main category: People educated at Karamu High School

• David Butcher – politician
• Steve Chadwick – politician
• Paul Holmes – broadcaster
• Jason Reeves – broadcaster
• Annah Stretton – fashion designer
• Mark Urlich – speed skater
• Meka Whaitiri – politician