Nga Kakano Christian Reo Rua Kura

Te Rangi Allen

Principal, Nga Kakano Christian Reo Rua Kura

Te Rangi Allen was born in Waimate North - one of the early sites of Christianity in New Zealand - into a family of sixteen, eight brothers and seven sisters. From school he worked in the local dairy company and freezing works and then at age 21 he moved to Auckland. For over twelve years he worked in the electrical supply field and then in the early nineties, although not academically inclined, he made the decision that he wasn’t going to be a labourer all his life. Te Rangi saw a role at Massey High School that appealed to him and in 1992 he took a teacher aide, sports coordinator and Maori counsellor role. A couple of years later principal Bruce Ritchie encouraged him to become a teacher and accordingly through a University of Canterbury one year programme run at MIT he became a school teacher fluent in Te Reo Maori and English. Among his roles was the Massey HS first XV a team he developed to become a serious contender in the North Harbour competition. Massey were runner up in 1994 and 1996 and third in 1995 with Ron Cribb (15 All Black appearances in 2000-2001) a product of these teams. And then eight years ago Te Rangi started a school at his home, initially for his own children. Committed to the vision of a Christian Bi-lingual early childhood centre and school he moved the centre to his father-in-law’s garage when the numbers rose to eight. Then to Te Pai Place when they reached 15 and in 2000 they became a full secondary school. Today they operate from early childhood to year 13 and they will start the 2007 year with 87 students. Nga Kakano run the Ace curriculum, every bit the equivalent of NCEA, Te Reo Maori is compulsory and has the same mana as english. As well as the conventional studies the pupils study the Bible for which parents are very supportive. Sport includes touch rugby, seven’s, basketball, athletics, and netball and the school has its own band, drama, I/T computers, and is commencing a choir. Te Rangi is married to Veronica and they have seven children, four of whom are students at the school, and the twins attend the Early Childhood Centre. Arohanui works at the school as the principal’s personal assistant.