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Senior students Katrina Parker & Kerryn-Ruth Botting interview
Principal Tony Cranshaw (1988-1995)
unique it is.
Since you have been at Ngaruawahia
High School, what changes have been
made and why has this been beneficial
to the students?
Well, when I came here there was an
expectation of change. But also, just
before I arrived, an Educational
Department Report came out, and that
was what Tomorrows Schools was based
on. And it was a whole change with
Management of Education which said
that you come and sit in the schoolroom
for a year and you watch and then you
take little notes and then at the end of the
year you say all these are the things you
would like to change.
And I actually thought I’d probably
What inspired you to apply for the do that. I started changing things after
position of Principal at Ngaruawahia? two weeks and couldn’t find any of the
I was looking for a small school, a things I just didn’t like. Then I just didn’t
smallish secondary school, because I had feel comfortable, and a lot of the staff
worked in large schools and I was sick of hadn’t felt comfortable with those item
them because people are anonymous. either, and were looking to change.
You don’t get to know all the staff, never So it was lucky to think that the
mind getting to know any of the students. community expected me to change
In a smaller school it is more things. The staff expected me, and then
intimate and that appeals to me. What the Government was making me do some
also appealed to me was the bi-racial changes!
nature. It is quite unique in that way Now, that’s three different areas in
because schools are made up of, and terms of Tomorrows Schools we’re still
usually dominated by Pakeha or understanding those changes, and they
European (whatever you want to call haven’t affected the students an awful
them). lot. They have certainly affected the way
But is some schools that I have I work, in what my job is.
taught in it has been multi-cultural. Because I am seated behind this desk
There’s been a large Chinese, large all day I don’t get around the school
Indian, large Cook Island, Samoan, etc. nearly as much as I like to. That’s one
But the basis of our country is really thing.
Maori and Pakeha. This is unique. It In terms of the organization of the
really is. People don’t realise just how school I thought it was poorly organized.
