Auckland college seeks 25pc roll capacity increase

St Paul’s headmaster Keith Simento said the college had reached its current roll capacity of 400 students, and it is working closely with the Ministry and its proprietors to lift the roll to 500.

“Expanding our facilities would allow us to offer more subjects and create opportunities for even more young people to benefit from a Marist education,” said Mr Simento, who was deputy headmaster at Auckland Grammar School before taking up his St Paul’s position.

Mr Simento said that some 80 per cent of students at the college identify as Māori or Pasifika.

“Our approach is about creating a culture where every young person genuinely believes they can succeed,” he said.

“For many students, that belief is the biggest challenge. Sometimes they haven’t had people tell them that they are capable of achieving great things. At St Paul’s, we make that message very clear from the beginning.

“We also set high expectations,” Mr Simento added. “Attendance, for example, is a major focus. We expect our students to maintain between 85 and 95 per cent attendance because we know that if they are at school, they are safe, they are learning and they are giving themselves the best opportunity to succeed.

“Parents really value those expectations because they know we are helping their sons develop good habits while also providing a caring environment.”

Mr Simento said all eligible senior students at St Paul’s were encouraged to apply for tertiary scholarships last year. They received more than $620,000 in university scholarships combined.

“In addition, 95 per cent of students achieved National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2, 90 per cent achieved NCEA Level 3 and 85 per cent gained University Entrance,” he said.

“That sends a powerful message to our boys. They realise that people believe in them, that universities are willing to invest in them and that they are capable of achieving things they may never have imagined.”

Asked about what the next 50 years would demand of schools like St Paul’s, Mr Simento said, “I believe there will be an even greater desire from families to choose values-based education”.

He also stressed the need for “outstanding Catholic educators”.

“It’s not enough simply to identify as Catholic. We need teachers who both live their faith authentically and have the professional expertise to inspire young people in the classroom. That combination will be essential if Catholic education is to flourish in the decades ahead,” he said.

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St Paul’s headmaster on Marist education mission (Marist Star)