Cornerstone Christian School, Palmerston North

Cornerstone Christian School is an integrated co-educational Area School (combined Primary and Secondary) for Years 1–13 in the city of Palmerston North, New Zealand. The school is divided by an administrative block between the junior and senior areas, after the senior area the newly installed intermediate block is situated.

Cornerstone Christian School
Address
119 Mihaere Drive, Kelvin Grove,
Palmerston North, New Zealand, 4414
Coordinates40.3311°S 175.6503°E / -40.3311; 175.6503
Information
TypeState-Integrated
MottoLearn Serve and Grow in God
Established1987
Ministry of Education Institution no.1172
PrincipalChris Mitchell[1]
Years1–13
GenderCoeducational
School roll569[2]
(March 2020)
Socio-economic decile7[3]
Websitecornerstone.ac.nz

Location

The school is located on the intersection of Mihaere Drive, and Roberts line in the suburb of Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North.

Entrance to school grounds from Mihaere Drive

History

In 1987, the school began as a private Year 1 – 8 primary school, (for 5 to 13 year olds).[4]

In 1994, the school became a state-integrated school overseen by a charitable trust.[4]

Between 1997 and 2007, the school purchased land, built classrooms, and gradually moved to its current location on Mihaere Drive.[4]

In 2013, the school was given approval by the Ministry of Education to expand from its existing state as a Year 1–8 primary school, to being a full Year 1 – 13 composite school (for 5 to 18 year olds).[5] This would progress in stages, with an additional year group added between 2014 and 2018. The first secondary class began in 2014.

In 2016, the school along with several other schools in the Manawatū-Whanganui region was closed for a day after a confirmed case of the measles.[6]

In 2017, the school became a founding member of the Lower North Island Christian Schools Community of Learning (COL), with principal Peter Ferrar appointed the COL's leadership role.[7]

In 2019, the school gained an additional building from Westmount school for the intermediate aged students.

Principals
Period Principal
1996–2003 Lois Price
2004–2012 Nigel Tongs
2013–2019 Dr Peter Ferrar
2020–present Chris Mitchell

Facilities

For primary classes, the school has three blocks of four to five classrooms each on the northern end of its property. Secondary classes primarily take place in the double-story blocks towards the southern end of the property.

In 2011, the school paid additional council fees to build a 493 square metres (5,310 sq ft) architecturally designed administration and multipurpose staff-room block.[8][9]

Construction of the Gymnasium – March 2018; photo taken by drone at 60 m elevation

Specialised art and music classrooms were included in the double story 'G-Block' in 2015, and used for activities such as art expos.[10]

Work began in late 2017, on a multi-million dollar basketball court sized gymnasium, including weights room, and offices.[11] There were unsuccessful applications for council funding towards this facility, for it to be used as community centre.[12] It was opened in September 2018 by Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith.[13] By early 2019, the gymnasium had been used for the school's annual gala, an annual sports exchange with Hastings Christian School, national volleyball tournament games,[14] and hosted Manawatu Jets basketball games.[15]

Recently, as of 2019, work has begun on prefabricated intermediate blocks for years 7–8.

References
  1. Auer, Jo. "Cornerstone's New Principal". Cornerstone Christian School. Cornerstone Christian School. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  2. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  3. "Cornerstone Christian School – Profile & Contact Details". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  4. "History". Cornerstone Christian School. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  5. Townend, Lucy (16 October 2013). "Cornerstone a high school option". Manawatu Standard. Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  6. "Suspected measles case closes second Palmerston North school". Manawatu Standard. Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  7. "Lower North Island Christian Schools Community of Learning". Education Counts. Ministry of Education. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  8. Rankin, Janine (9 December 2011). "School hit by $28,500 council bill". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  9. "Recent Project – Cornerstone School Administration Block". Colspec Construction. Colspec Construction Ltd. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  10. Thomas, Carly (18 October 2016). "Art expo a first for growing school". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  11. Tuckey, Karoline (19 January 2018). "Multimillion-dollar Christian school construction under way". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  12. Rankin, Janine (4 May 2017). "School seeks $1.2m from ratepayers for planned community sports complex". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  13. "Gym Finally Open". Cornerstone Christian School – Secondary News. Cornerstone Christian School. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  14. Heagney, George (25 March 2019). "Volleyball players fill the city for national schools championships". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  15. Heagney, George (1 April 2019). "Promising signs for Manawatū Jets in pre-season blitz". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
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