Nukutere College: Difference between revisions

Nukutere College
Location
Avarua , Rarotonga Cook Islands
Information
Type	Catholic co-educational secondary school
Established	1975
Founder	Bishop John Rodgers SM
Principal	Ms Donna Nahu, PO Box 76, Rarotonga
Grades	Year 9 - 13
Enrolment	c. 200
Affiliations	Roman Catholic, Christian Brothers

Nukutere College is a Catholic secondary school located in Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. "Nukutere" means "people on a journey", a reference to the pilgrim Church in the South Pacific context. The college was opened in 1975. It was first staffed by Father Peter Salamonsen SM and Sister Berenice Stevens RSM. The school has had Christian Brothers on its staff since the beginning of the 1976 school year. Brother TerryMcErlane became headmaster and Brothers Simon Coughlan and Joseph McRae were the other members of that first Chrisitan brothers commununity. For some years Sister Elizabeth Browne-Russell (SJC), a sister of St Joseph of Cluny, served a deputy principal,ref>Graeme Donaldson, pp 20 - 21.</ref>

Students come mainly from Rarotonga, but provision is made for those from outer islands (and even from French Polynesia - not far distant) to stay with 'guardians'.

From its beginnings, the school's financial position was somewhat parlous especially after it became necessary to employ lay teachers from the 1980s. In 2000 the Cook Island's Government began to pay 75% of teachers' salaries and running costs in all private and church schools. Also, at that time the principal of the school, Brother Norman Gillies established a charitable trust to ensure a regular supplementary income for necessary future maintenance and development at the school.

The Silver Jubilee of the College and the presence of the Christian Brothers was marked in 2000. (for some notable Christian Brother teachers at Nukutere College see: Congregation of Christian Brothers in New Zealand).

In 2005, the school had a roll of 190.

On 20 February 2006 the school was destroyed by fire. Later that year the school was rebuilt with funds supplied by the New Zealand Government through the Cook Islands Investment Commission (CIIC).

Principals

• Father Peter Salamonsen S.M. (1975)
• Brother Terry McErlane (cfc) (1976 - 1980)
• Brother Ben Ryan (cfc) (1981 - 1988),ref>In July 2006, Br Ben Ryan was honoured as he celebrateed 70 years as a Christian Brother at a Mass celebrated by Bishop Stewart O’Connell in St Joseph’s Cathedral, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The local newspaper reported that, including his time as principal, Brother Ben had taught for 22 years at the school.

* Father Paul Farmer (1988 - ?)

• Mrs Henrica Wilson (? - 1998)
• Brother Norman Gillies (cfc) (1998 - 2000)
• Brother Frank Perkins (cfc) (2001 - 2005)
• Mrs Donna Nahu (2006 - present).

References/Sources

• Graeme Donaldson, To All Parts of the Kingdom, Christian Brothers in New Zealand 1976-2001, New Zealand Christian Brothers Province, 2001