ŌWHIRO BAY SCHOOL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- New Entrant Teacher ( Year 1 )
Kia ora koutou, my name is Amanda Smith. My qualifications are in Education and Health Science and I have been teaching for the best part of the last 25 years. I am particularly passionate about storytelling and children's literature. I strive to create an environment that allows children to explore rich stories, poems and texts. I also love teaching foundation mathematics; children are so curious, and they're often excited to notice patterns in our number systems. Supporting children to feel a sense of belonging at school and develop a love of learning, is a big part of what draws me to teaching.
Outside the classroom, I love spending time in nature, walking, cooking and reading
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Secretary of the Board
Tēnā koutou katoa, I feel privileged to be supporting Ōwhiro Bay School's Board as the Secretary. Wanting Ōwhiro Bay School to be the very best place for our children to flourish and achieve their full potential, is what motivates me to support the Board. I have experience working in the not-for-profit area across the play, active recreation and sport, and public health sectors. Throughout my roles I have held tamariki at the heart of my work and have passionately advocated for them to have a voice, and reach their goals and aspirations. I am originally from the South Island and have lived in Ōwhiro Bay for the past eight years - I love that we can see the snowy mountains from our beautiful south coast. I enjoy getting out and about exploring our local walking trails and spending time at the local playgrounds with my 2.5 year old daughter, who loves attending Ōwhiro Bay Kindergarten. I look forward to meeting you all, either at Ōwhiro Bay School, or out and about!
Job Titles:
- Māhuri Teacher ( Year 4 - 6 )
My name is Cameron and I am very excited to be joining the Ōwhiro Bay team this year. I am a born and bred Wellingtonian and have lived in Ōwhiro Bay for a majority of my life. I have a passion for all things STEM and strive to teach children how to utilize technology in this ever advancing world.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Presiding Member
Kia ora, I am Chris (aka Eliza's Dad, aka Patrick's Dad) and have been an Ōwhiro Bay resident for over 5 years and absolutely love calling this community home. My favourite food is a Green Thai curry followed closely by Duck Island ice cream. My favourite super hero is Batman - although Spider (Patrick) Man keeps dominating and covering Bat (Chris) Man in webs in our household. While I am looking forward to joining the board to provide financial support I am excited to try and further integrate the school into the wider community and enhance the schools natural outdoor areas. I feel privileged to join such a great diverse team with the drive to make this a truly special school.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Principal
I have the best job of all, overseeing the operations of our kura to ensure that our tamariki receive optimal teaching and learning opportunities. I am incredibly grateful to our Board members. As you can see, they are from a wide range of backgrounds, and bring to us a high level of expertise, experience and energy. They are highly motivated to grow our kura into the best it can possibly be, and make considered decisions to allocate our resources carefully. I am now into my second year as the tumuaki of Te Kura ō Ōwhiro, and guarantee that what we have here is a very special and caring community, an invigorating and inspiring environment and a dedicated, highly skilled staff. As a resident of the South Coast, I cherish the richness of this region and recognise how by being here, our tamariki develop a deep respect for the environment and for the stories of those who live here now, and those who have gone before them.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Parent Representative
Kia ora tatou, as a new member of the Board I feel privileged to play a part in the strategic direction of the school. I love this community and want to see our children succeed in a caring and inclusive environment. My background is originally in sales, and now I work as a customer advisor for the national grid. Having lived in the bay for 10 years now, I've enjoyed seeing the growth and changes at the school and I'm excited for what the future brings.
I have two boys, Charlies (7) and Benji (4, at the kindy) and can often be found having yarns on the playground. Feel free to say hi!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Staff Representative
- Harakeke Teacher ( Year 2 - 3 )
Ngā mihi koutou. Previously from Hamilton, I have lived in Wellington for a number of years. Writing is my favourite subject, and I share this passion with my students. I am a published author. My children's book, The Summit of the Gods is written as a Māori legend in both English and Te Reo Māori. I have also taught singing as an itinerant music teacher.
I live with my husband, and our adult daughter. I have another daughter, who lives in Brisbane. One of our families favourite hobbies is playing computer games. I have two Ocicats and they are my fur babies.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Parent Representative
Kia ora tatou, I'm excited to join the Board of Ōwhiro Bay School and feel incredibly privileged to play a part in the strategic direction of our school. I have a background in public policy, mainly focussed in the strategic, international, and economic policy areas, and have worked in central government for the last 16 years across diverse areas (such as Treasury, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Te Arawhiti and Women). Recently I've spent quite a bit of time working in governance areas within the public sector, including working with a couple of Boards.
I grew up in the sunny Bay of Plenty, and true to my strong Otago whakapapa I went to the University of Otago, and have a BCom (Economics) and BA(Hons) in Political Studies. I'm also known as "Augusta's Mum" and am the owner of a willful, naughty little dog called Winniet, and still lurch around playing club netball and running (slowly).
I'm looking forward to playing a part in our school community, please feel free to approach me at any stage.
Job Titles:
- Harakeke Teacher ( Year 2 - 3 )
Kia ora koutou, my name is Sarah Moorhouse and my family and I are Brooklyn locals who are very excited about joining the Ōwhiro Bay Learning Community in 2024. I bring passion and innovation to the classroom and love integrating ICT and hands on learning experiences to make a fun learning environment. I strive to inspire curiosity and instill a lifelong love of learning in my students.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Parent Representative
As a new member of the board, I'm excited to contribute my 20+ years of experience in management to assisting the board take the school to the next level. I firmly believe we need to provide our tamariki with the best start in life they can get, hopefully I'll be a strong advocate for our Owhiro Bay parents and tamariki. I believe the skills I bring will be valuable assets, as we work together to ensure Owhiro Bay sets a strong foundation for every pupil as they start their education journey. As the father of Skye (year 2) and Titus who is 3.5 years old (joining in a couple of years). I have an extra motivation to ensure the school continues to provide a top-quality education for all.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Principal / SENCO / Māhuri Teacher ( Year 4 - 6 )
Kia ora koutou, my name is Vikki Martin I have been at Ōwhiro Bay School since 2014. I have a daughter who attends Ōwhiro Bay Kindergarten and I love being part of the Ōwhiro Bay Learning Community. Teaching mathematics is a passion of mine, along with Kapa Haka. I also have a strong belief in teaching children resilience, a growth mindset and independence in order for them to be life-long learners.
In my spare time I am an avid watcher of sport, particularly football and netball. I also love to sing and am part of the Faultline Chorus barbershop group.