St Paul’s Kindergarten in Massey were the winners of the Puriri Award for the best pre-school or school in West Auckland to teach students about sustainability. Brief background to this article In 1967, at the request of Archbishop Liston, the St Dominic’s College and its staff of Sisters transferred to Henderson in West Auckland to make Catholic education available for secondary students in this area where the population was expanding rapidly. The Massey Parish had been recently established and staffed by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and as the numbers of young families grew, Fr Don Hughes OMI enlarged St Paul’s Church and saw that there was a real need for a Catholic Kindergarten. There was also enough parish land adjacent to the church for a building, with safe parking. Sr Frances Lister OP was approached and in 1980 the first Kindergarten children were enrolled. The Kindergarten had very humble beginnings in the downstairs room under the presbytery. It was damp, with a concrete floor and little else. Sr Frances went to woodwork classes in the evenings to learn how to make shelves, cupboards and stools and those are still in use today. The whole venture is a credit to her, and her very devoted staff and the many, many generous parents and voluntary helpers over these thirty-three years. The following report, which gives a glimpse of just how much progress has been made, is written by the Supervisor, Mrs Kim Jones and edited with her permission. Sr Leonie OP
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