Meet the Staff

Principal: Pax O'Dowd

Pax leads our school, setting the vision and tone for our learning community. He teaches in Kea class all day Friday and spends the rest of the week supporting students and staff, working in the office, and connecting with our wider community.

Kiwi Nest Teacher: Cara Louise

Cara teaches our Kiwi Nest class (Years 0–1) from Monday to Thursday, and works with our Kōtare students on Fridays. She also leads several important areas across the school, including our 4-year-old Transition to School programme, IT and Digital Technologies, and school library.

Piwakawaka Teacher: Julie Welch

Julie teaches our Piwakawaka class (Year 2). Alongside her classroom role, she coordinates our Sports Programme and represents our staff on the Board of Trustees.

Kea Teacher: Vanessa Burns

Vanessa teaches our Kea class (Years 3–4) from Monday to Thursday, helping students build confidence and independence as they continue their learning journey.

Kotare Teacher: Sarah Matthews

Sarah teaches our Kōtare class (Years 5–8) from Monday to Thursday, and brings her experience and enthusiasm to our senior learners.

Classroom Release Teacher: Emma Sheeran

Whaea Emma relieves in Kōtare and Piwakawaka on Mondays, and Kea and Kiwi Nest on Wednesdays. She is also our school SENCO (Special Education Needs Coordinator), supporting students and staff to ensure learners receive the support they need.

Teacher Aide: Chrissie Rimmer

Chrissie is our Teacher Aide extraordinaire! She works across the whole school, stepping into a wide range of roles with ease and providing invaluable support to our kaiako and tamariki. Her flexibility, care, and positive energy make her a wonderful part of our school community.

Office Manager: Karmyn Ingram

Karmyn is the friendly face in our school office, welcoming families, answering your questions, taking your calls, and caring for students when they are sick or injured. She also keeps busy behind the scenes with the many important tasks that help keep our school running smoothly.

You can catch Karmyn at school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30am–3:30pm, and Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30am–12:30pm.

School Cleaner: Cherie Roberts

Cherie works hard to keep our school spick and span. We appreciate the care and mahi she puts into ensuring our school is a clean, welcoming place for our students, staff, and visitors.

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