1979: (Year 20)

  • The dedication of the A.L. McPhail Library was held on Friday 23rd March.
  • The girls' grey gym tunic is replaced by a grey wool-terylene pinafore with a bib-top. For senior girls, the bib top may be removed transforming the pinafore into a skirt.
  • The Minister of Education defers the plans for extra playing fields until at least 1984.
  • Former pupil Nick Banks (1965-1969) reaches the summit of Mt. Everest to become the 2nd New Zealander and the 100th person in the world to have achieved this.
  • Music:- Brass Band, Concert Band, String Orchestra and Choir have successful years with Spotswood hosting Tawa.
  • Sports teams:- 4 Cricket, Cycling, 2 Boys' and 1 Girls' Hockey, 5 Rugby, Boys' and Girls' Volleyball, 
  • Sports trips to Freyberg and Tawa continued.
  • Tawa won the debating competition but Vicki Fairley won the cup again for the best speech
  • Administrational changes to take place in 1980 as the "schools within a school" system will revert back to one school with 4 houses.