Ko wai Mātou

Maruhia atu i runga o Tirohanga te tohu Whakaari
Ana Muriwai tō ringa te waka
Hiko te uira, haruru te rangi, ngāoko te whēnua, ika huirua.
Tōia tō hope hāmata tūtimu te koko ngā tamāhine a Te Whakatōhea!
Takahia te pipi tahia aku pōtiki Pākihi Kura ki Uta, Kura ki Waho
Kōpu e oho kaikirikiritua tua Waiaua te kai a te Karorokoa
Tōtōia atu tōtōia mai

Mai ngā Kuri a Whārei ki Tihirau, e i te tapu o Muriwai e!

Ōpōtiki College is located in the sunny Eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of Aotearoa.

Its beautiful beaches are fed by Waiaua, Ōtara, Waioweka and Waiotahe Awa flowing out of the surrounding Maunga. With easy access to the beautiful natural resources and the town settlement of Ōpōtiki, it is a wonderful place to live. Maori culture and values are evident throughout our community and College. Living and being educated in Ōpōtiki provides opportunities to experience the indigenous culture of New Zealand.

Our college emphasis on biculturalism ensures our school is a place where all belong and feel valued. This bicultural ethos has resulted in a sensitivity and appreciation of diversity.

Ōpōtiki College has a long and proud tradition of secondary education for our community. It first began its life as a District High School when the then Auckland Education Board authorised its establishment at a meeting in January 1922, with an opening roll of 33 tauira. In 1953 it opened as a separate secondary (on its present site) and has been known as Ōpōtiki College since that year.

History

When Ōpōtiki College came into being in 1953, a new crest was decided on. At the top is a burning lamp, which signifies the pursuit of knowledge. Underneath is a cogged wheel and key, which symbolises engineering and the fleece is for the agriculture of the area. The fern and the mere were added later to signify the Māori and Pakeha elements in the College.

The first motto was in Latin – UT MENS ITA HOMO; “as the mind is, so is the man”. This was later changed to Māori –TE HINENGARO TE TOHU; “The mind is the measure of the man”. This motto stresses the importance of developing the mind as well as the body.

As our Charter and Curriculum has evolved we still recognise and honour the significance of the crest and our motto in the historical development of the College but wish also to signify our commitment to the future and our expectations for our current tauira and future tauira.