Funding type Private Religious affiliation(s) Christian Status Open Number of students 139 Average class size 15 | Motto God With Us Opened 1986 Phone +64 9-828 4545 Founded 1986 | |
School board Christian Schools Association of Avondale Address 63 St Georges Rd, Avondale, Auckland 0600, New Zealand Similar Hebron Christian College, Pacific Christian School, Jireh School, Westmins Christian School, ACG Sunderla | ||
Immanuel Christian School is a small private school in Auckland, New Zealand. Today, the school extends from New Entrant to Year Thirteen (Form 7). Immanuel has a diverse, multicultural roll. Its vision is to have "a Christ-saturated curriculum in all educational areas".
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History
In 1984, some members of the Reformed Church of Avondale met with the goal of providing an interdenominational Christian-based school for their children. Two ex-hospital buildings were put on the back of the church site and restored to a usable condition. On 26 May 1986, the school opened with 7 pupils, under the principal Sonia Wilson. During Mrs Wilson’s 10 year leadership the school grew to 100 pupils, and several new classrooms were built to accommodate the growth.
Graham Pederson, the next principal, started the High School. In 1998, a new and improved library was opened.
David Jensen became principal in 2001. During his tenure there were major renovations to the office block, as well as the original buildings. In 2005, Year 13 students graduated for the first time.
At the start of 2007, Dianne Walters became principal following Mr Jensen's move to Australia. Dianne Walters resigned as principal after serving the school faithfully at the end of 2009. Peter Slaney assumed the position of principal at the start of 2010.
In February 2009, the school applied to the Ministry of Education to be an integrated school. The school would then become a part of the state funded education system while having a defined “Special Character” which distinguishes it from other schools in the state system. The application was denied by the Minister of Education. This resulted in two major decisions:
- The high school was to be kept open for 2010, but only for years 9 and 10.
- The undeveloped land facing Great North Road was to be sold for the immediate survival of the school.
Media incidents
On 14 October 2009, the Year 11 science class was doing an experiment involving chlorides. A male student, aged 15, was hospitalised briefly after inhaling chlorine. He had been instructed by the science teacher not to sniff the chemicals but failed to oblige to the teachers orders and this resulted in precautionary hospitalisation but he was soon discharged.