Totara College of Accelerated Learning is a small state-integrated religious area school in New Zealand, formerly called Dannevirke Christian School. The school is also referred to as Totara College, and takes its name from the New Zealand native Totara tree. Totara College of Accelerated Learning was opened on 22 May 1978 as Dannevirke Christian School. The school was founded by Dannevirke Christian Fellowship and the founding principal was Mike Connell, with Jeanette Lloyd as the first classroom supervisor. The school uses the ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) curriculum and students can attend from New Entrants (NZ Year 0) to Senior Secondary School (NZ Year 13). The present land on which the school is situated, was purchased in 1984. The school is well known in the North Island of New Zealand for the Dannevirke Garden and Craft Expo, which draws large crowds of people from around the lower and central regions of the North Island.