Our History

1922

Father James Molloy announced that a new school would be built on a site in Seddon St.

December 10 1922

The foundation stone for St Joseph’s School was laid by Reverend James Liston. 

1923

Principal: Sr M St Editha

August 28th 1923

A social and dance raised thirty pounds towards the cost of the new building.

September 9th 1923

The Right Rev. Dr Cleary, Bishop of Auckland, blessed and opened the new Catholic School: St Joseph’s. 

As there were only two classrooms, 43 pupils in Std 5, 6 & 7 remained at the Convent.

1923

 St Joseph’s, consisting of two large classrooms, was opened on the 9th of September 1923 by Bishop Cleary on its present site. There were 43 pupils on the first day. Standards 5, 6 & 7 remained at the convent.

1924

Principal: Sr M St Bibiana

1924

The Sisters started a Secondary School: later named Sacred Heart Girls’ College.

1924

Secondary Department, later named Sacred Heart Girls’ College, was started.

1925 -1927

Fundraising to pay off school debt continued each year.

1925

The Child Welfare Act was passed which resulted in a Child Welfare Branch being established in The Ministry of Education 1926.

1927 

December 

St Patrick’s Parish Queen Carnival.

1928

Principal: Sr M St Raphael

1928

The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was given to the Sisters and placed in a grotto in the Convent grounds.

1929

Principal: Sr M Patrick

1930

Principal: Sr M St Jean 

January 29th  1931

Juniorate incorporated into the secondary school.

1931

A Juniorate was incorporated into the secondary school for girls interested in a religious vocation.

1932

A cost-cutting measure during the Depression was to raise the school entry age to 6 years; previously after their 5th birthday. (this affected Ruke McCort/Sr M Martin who solid not start school until 6 years old in 1936.

 1933

Principal: Sr M St Audrey

 1932- 1943

St Joseph’s school records show approximately 50/50 split of students leaving for duties at home or continuing to higher education at Convent Schools located throughout the country.

 1937

Principal: Sr M St Marcelle

 1938

Principal: Sr M St Bertilie

 1939-1945

World War II

 1943

NZ Government set up a dehydration plant in Pukekohe to produce food for the armies in the Pacific.

 1944

Principal: Sr M St Ignatius (Marguerite)

1944

The school leaving age was set at 15 years until 1944.

1947

Principal: Sr M St Alacoque

1948

St Joseph’s School celebrated their 25th School Reunion.

1949

Principal: Sr M St John Baptist

1949

St Joseph’s School roll: 138

Accommodation inadequate. Infants moved to Convent.

1950

Principal: Sr M St Placidus

 1951/53?

St Joseph’s School roll: 176

Wooden Infant Classrooms opened almost debt free. These were relocated buildings from Transit Camp housing soldiers at Rooseville Park.

 1951

Two wooden infant classrooms opened at St Joseph’s School. These were moved from the Transit Camp on Doctor’s Hill (formerly American mess halls). Families stayed in the Transit Camp while waiting for State Houses to be built in Pukekohe. (These classrooms were demolished in 2021.) 

These were to accommodate the rapidly rising new entrant level children turning five - this era is famously known as the Baby Boom. They were positioned running east to west to make use of the strong NZ sun for lighting and heating.

 1953

Principal: Sr M Aloysius

 January 1953

A brick wall and curved driveway erected at Convent main entrance, Edinburgh St.

 1953

A new brick wall and gateway was erected at the Edinburgh St Convent Entrance. Some of this is still standing today.

1953

The school bell was given to the school by Fr Molloy (previously given to the church in 1905 by James and Rose Maxwell).

1954

Principal: Sr M Imelda

1955

Principal: Sr M Audrey

1957

First PTA set up by Mons. Kennedy.

1958

Principal: Sr M Vincent de Paul

1959

Principal: Sr M Laurence (Sheila O’Toole)

1960’s

St Joseph’s School swimming pool and shelter sheds were built - a DIY project done through parent and parishioner working bees. funded by fundraising and donations.

1960/1

Shelter sheds demolished at St Joseph’s School.

1962

Swimming Pool and changing sheds/toilet block erected. (November?)

1963

Swimming Pool officially opened for use in 1963 (pupils who had left at the end of 1962 were invited back for a swim.)

1964

Secondary School closed due to falling pupil numbers and lack of teaching staff.

1964

Sacred Heart College closed due to falling numbers and lack of teaching staff. Moveable classrooms were transported to Hamilton. The Juniorate closed. Much of the surrounding land was sold for housing (Notre Dame Court).

1965

Principal: Sr M Anthony

1965

Extension to primary block including 2 brick classrooms over an assembly hall, with 3 ancillary rooms, at a cost of £12,500. PTA/parents furnished staffroom and sickbay. Bought French records, library books, towels etc. and organised a roster to clean grounds, toilets and other out buildings each Saturday. 

Front fence removed and replaced with flowering shrubs planted by Form 2 pupils.

1966

Funds were raised to build a new building (don’t think this is right)

1965-6

Pukekohe Centennial. A float re-enacting the arrival of the Mission Sisters was part of the parade.

1966

St Joseph’s School roll: 205

1966

St Patrick’s Parish Centenary

 1968

Principal: Sr M Caedmon

 1968

Some secondary classrooms moved to Morrinsville and others demolished. Old convent buildings burnt in a controlled fire.

 1969

The old convent, that stood for over 80 years, was demolished and the remains burnt in a spectacular controlled fire.

Much of the surrounding land was sold for a residential subdivision. Notre Dame Court was named in the Sisters’ honour. The Sisters lived in a rented house on Carlton Road.

 1970-71

The present-day Mary Immaculate Convent was built on the original site: 124 Edinburgh St, behind St  Patrick’s Church. It was opened by Bishop Delargy in November 1971.

 1971

Principal: Sr M Margarita Snook

 1971

St Joseph’s School roll: 221. Plans to extend library facilities.

November 20th 1971

New Convent opened by Bishop Delargey. 

1973

St Joseph’s Golden Jubilee

1973

St Joseph’s School celebrated their 50th School Reunion - Golden Jubilee. Over 400 people attended including nearly 40 Sisters.

1974

Principal: Sr Margaret Monaghan

St Joseph’s School had six classrooms and six teachers.

1975

St Joseph’s School roll: 207

1977

An independent statutory registration was established. This meant teachers must be registered before they could be employed as teachers in NZ schools. This brought the arrival of lay teachers and The Sisters of the Missions began to step back from teaching roles.

1978

Principal: Sr Kathleen Carrol

1978

First school secretary appointed.

1979

Principal: Sr M Richard Gilhooly

 1979

First caretaker appointed.

Newly developed library and teachers’ resource room.

 1980

St Joseph’s School roll: 210. Room 7 added or 7th classroom added. Playing sheds removed. Sink cabinets installed.

 1980s

Time Capsule was laid under the original school foundation blocks.

Original letters from the brick building were relocated on a steel archway over the entrance. 

 1983

St Joseph’s School was established as a State Integrated School with a maximum roll of 240 students. 

Sister M David was our last Mission Sister teaching in our school.

The Sisters supplemented their living over the years by teaching speech and music for a fee.

 1985

Mission Sisters Centennial: 100 years in Pukekohe - May 18 1985

Changing Sheds built (pool area)

1986

St Joseph’s School roll: 204

Sister M Richard Gilhooly was the last Sister/Principal of St Joseph’s leaving in 1986 after over 100 yrs RNDM ministry in our school.

1987-1994

Mr Ken McKay: first lay principal.

1987

Sisters continued to live in Pukekohe and be involved in parish ministries.

1988

The Reform of Education Administration - Tomorrow’s Schools. Introduction of Board of Trustees.

1988

The original St Joseph’s school brick building was demolished (and bell taken down) and replaced with two new classrooms– Rooms 3 and 4. In November of that year the maximum roll allowed was increased from 240 to 285 students. The foundation wall is still visible by the steps onto the court area.

1988

Fr Wilkinson blessed 2 new classrooms. 

Period “open day” in Rooms 3 & 4, (authentically set as in the past with pupils dressed up in old uniforms) before their demolition after standing for more than 60 years. Bell removed.

 1989

Rooms 8 & 9 arrive (not new). Tomorrow’s Schools.

 1990

First lay principal: Mr Ken McKay

 1990

The first school Magazine was produced which has since become an Annual publication. There were nine classrooms.

Resource room and Room 7 opened.

1991

An Adventure Playground was completed. Shade trees were planted and cobblestone courtyards were laid.

A new caretaker’s shed was erected.

1991

Stage 2 adventure playground. New seating and shelter area between Rooms 4 & 5.

1992

The Administration area and Library block were rebuilt. They were opened by Monsignor Lesley.

The bell was displayed in the new administration block. The bell was replated and displayed inside at the entrance.

June 28th  1992

New administration block officially opened.

 1993

Rooms 5 & 6 built by community

 1993

Part of the original school block of 1923 next to the new library was resurrected. The old basement wall became a feature wall. The maximum roll was increased from 285 students to 320 students.

 1994

Building projects continued and a cloak bay was erected to link up three classrooms and the former Reading 

Recovery/Resource Room 7. The school flagpole was erected. The first Major Production “Hey Bohemia” was held.

 1994

New cloakroom to link old and new junior blocks.

 1995

The 11th classroom was built in the Junior area and the maximum roll was increased again from 320 students to 341. The Board of Trustees commissioned a former student Jason Adams to do a carving depicting the ethos and Special Character of the school

1995

Principal: Mr Paul Mason.

New classroom Carving donated by Jason Adams.

1996

New resource room/2 new classrooms

Cobblestone courtyard

1996

The roll continued to grow and the maximum number of students allowed increased from 341 to 380 students.

1997

The school could no longer fit into the assembly hall underneath Room1 and 2 so alterations were carried out to turn the stage area into storage space and the hall into a classroom giving a total of thirteen classrooms.

1998

Fundraising through PTA Gala Days enabled the Junior Playground to be installed. Two shade-cloths were also erected.    

1998

St Joseph’s School 75th Reunion.  Archway erected prior to Jubilee reflecting lettering from original building.

New Junior playground.

1999

The St Joseph's School Website was launched on the Internet and the School Hall Fund was established.

1999

$30,000 set aside to begin a school hall fund.

2001

Room 8 & 9 are opened.

Principal: Mrs Jocelyn Uasike

2002

Room 12 added.

2003

Room 14 moved on site.

2003

The maximum roll increased again from 380 students to 410 students. A classroom (Room 12) was moved onto the grounds and a second in 2004. This brought the number of classrooms to fourteen and enabled an older classroom to be used as a Prayer Room. 

 2004

Room 15 moved on site. Development of worm farm.

 2006

School Hall funded by community opened. Blessed by Bishop Pat Dunn.

 2006

After nine years of fundraising we saw the construction and ultimate opening of our very own school hall. 

Sr M Martin McCort was teaching Bible in Schools in Valley School.

 2007

 Approval for an upgrade of the Administration block and Room 1 and 2. A temporary building was moved onsite at the end of the year for the office and the staffroom and library were set up in part of the hall. 

 2007

Administration block relocated for upgrade.

 2008

Renovated administration block, library/ICT centre, and 2 classrooms opened. Room 13 built on site.

 2008

At the beginning of the year one classroom was housed in another part of the hall and the other in a prefab beside the hall on the bottom field. The building project was finally completed in the last term of 2008 and officially opened by Bishop Patrick Dunn on the 11th of November. Upstairs it included two classrooms, a staffroom and resource spaces, and downstairs the library/ICT Suite, school office, Principal office, Assistant and Deputy Principal office, a Board Room and a sickbay. A lift was installed.

 2009

With a growing emphasis on technology in education all classrooms were installed with interactive whiteboards or mimios, data projectors and computers. There was another increase in roll growth in 2009 with the maximum number of students allowed rising from 410 students to 435.

 2010

125yr Jubilee of the RNDM Sisters serving Pukekohe. At that time, 206 Sisters had lived in our community; predominantly as educators and teaching music. There were still 4 retired Sisters living in the community. 

Over 140 attended the celebration.

The Jubilee Window  was installed in the side chapel of St Patrick’s Church. It depicts the Foundress Euphrasie Barbier, watching over an oak sapling, while saying her daily office. The original convent is in the background. 26 June 2010: plaque unveiled on Euphrasie’s oak tree blessed by Bishop Pat Dunn. 

Over 200 Mission Sisters had served the Pukekohe community 1885 - 2010.

After sitting for 22 years, the bell was hung on the outside of the upgraded administration block. 

In Term 3 we opened our 16th classroom. This was built on site and the project included a new cloakroom space for neighbouring classrooms. The roll was 365.

 2010

 Mission Sisters Jubilee: 125 years in Pukekohe

School bell reinstalled on Administration block (after 22yrs)

St Joseph’s School roll: 371

Room 16 built with cloakbay for Rooms 5 & 6

 2011

 Garden areas at the back of Rooms 3 & 4 developed to include outdoor chess and seating area.

Computer suite was opened one day a week after school for families to use

 2012

After much fundraising Stages 1 and 2 of a new adventure playground were added to the old established playground.

 2013

2014

Staff and students moved to use Google Docs with the use of iPads, Chromebooks and other digital devices throughout the school.

2015

The Intermediate Team introduced a BYOD programme with Chromebooks.

2016

With only 2 Sisters left living in the Convent, it was sold and they moved to a house on Blair Ave.

2017

Principal: Mrs Ursula Hall

Our last Mission Sister, Sr M Bernadette Fletcher, left Pukekohe after 132 years of RNDM Sisters’ service to our community. Over 200 sisters had lived in our community during this time.

2018

2019

2020

Covid 19 first cases in NZ March.

Demolition of Room 11 (transit building) to allow access to builders starting on the new  build.

2020-2022: 

The Covid-19 pandemic interrupted student learning at school.

2021

Classrooms 7, 8, 9, 10 and resource room, demolished at the start of the year, during the school  holidays. 

Two story modern learning environment classrooms opened for Learning Week 2 of Term One. Bottom Level Yrs 2&3, Top Level Yrs 4 & 5.

March 19 official opening of new building.

2021

Six of our oldest classrooms were demolished and a new two-storied classroom block named “Euphrasie” was opened on 19 March, St Joseph’s Day, by Auxilary Bishop Michael Gielen. The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, formally in the convent grounds, was repositioned into the school grounds.

2021

May - completion of new Prayer Garden and reinstatement of statue of Our Lady of Lourdes that originally stood in the Mission Sisters convent gardens.

2023

St Joseph’s School’s Centennial  1923-2023