BUSHWILLOW - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Co - Founder
- Member of the School Board
Anouk is a school parent and mother of four children. She works as a consultant in the international development space, focussing on small scale renewable energy market development. She is passionate about doing things differently and finding innovative and practical solutions to development problems on the ground. Anouk brings in expertise in fundraising, budgeting, strategic planning and HR. As Chair she maintains oversight on all school activities, drives the school's fundraising efforts and manages the HR and external communication portfolio. Through her work and being a Dutch national she can tap in to a wide network of international funders.
Meet Bella, a perfect fit for Bushwillow in every sense. She grew up in the Eastern Cape and went to school in Grahamstown. Her journey took her to Australia for 13 adventurous years, where she honed her skills and passion for teaching, specializing in early childhood education.
Now back home, she teaches Grades 5 and 6 at Bushwillow, in a thematic cross-curricular approach. Bella's two sons also attend the school. Her warmth, kindness, and willingness to contribute make her an invaluable part of the school's community.
Job Titles:
- Vice - Chair of the School Board
Eleanor is a school parent and the mother of three children. She has always had an interest in child-development and education, a passion that was inspired by her mother who was both a teacher and a head-mistress for over 25 years. Eleanor is working as a GP in Kenton, and enjoys linking her medical insights with her desire to see children grow and develop in supportive, loving and nurturing environments. As Vice chair, she supports the chair person in managing the HR and external communication portfolios.
Hominy grew up in the Eastern Cape in Uitenhage. She had a passion for art and studied teaching in Grahamstown. She completed four years training and started her teaching career in East London. As a married woman she was not allowed to teach and stayed home to raise her three children. She spent many years on a farm in the Free State and started teaching at the local primary school in Kroonstad where she stayed until she retired. She has a passion for remedial teaching and spent time helping her dyslexic granddaughter. She has since joined the Bushwillow Team to mentor and facilitate/help children in closing gaps and those who struggle with learning barriers.
Jamie is a school parent and teaches a variety of sports to pupils, highlighting team work and sportsmanship. He grew up in Johannesburg and the United Kingdom. With an impressive background playing 1st XI cricket and 1st XV Rugby at school, Jamie also played county cricket in the UK for Nottinghamshire. Moving forward he coached cricket and rugby at St David's in Johannesburg and Sherbourne College in the UK.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder, Educational Liaison
Jessica is the Grade 2-4 teacher at Bushwillow school, a school parent and a mother of three children. She has twelve years of teaching experience in multiple schools around South Africa and has home schooled her own children. As a board member she brings in expertise in child-centred and holistic curriculum development, school organisation and event planning. Her creativity and child-focused approach are key assets to our board!
Julie joined the Bushwillow team in 2018, after home schooling her three daughters for five years. Julie studied Genetics at Pretoria University and has completed a course on Integrated Learning Therapy (ILT). ILT specialises in recognising learning difficulties and behavioural problems in children that are not yet learning ready.
Through home schooling her daughters, she realised the importance of nurturing a love for learning. This experience also showed her the importance of teaching each child in the unique way that he or she learns to enable them to reach their full potential. Having grown up on a farm and being very inquisitive herself, has made Julie a strong advocate for outdoor and experimental learning.
Job Titles:
- Gr 3 - 4 Afrikaans Teacher
Marianne is a retired high school languages teacher who moved to Kenton 5 years ago. She was keen to volunteer as an assistant to anyone or to contribute in any way to the school life after she read about the Bushwillow Philosophy on our website. She felt inspired by the school's natural environment and was interested in the Reggio Emilia approach, where children are encouraged to direct their own learning. Marianne has been involved with sharing her knowledge of writing and poetry in the senior English class and more recently, she became a voluntary Afrikaans teacher for the gr 3-4 class. Her other contribution to our school has involved assisting teachers with lesson planning and curriculum development. Her passion is to share her many years of school management expertise and to mentor teachers.
Paula has four years of preschool teaching experience at Bushken Pre-Primary and has done her diploma in Early Childhood Development. She previously taught the Pre-Primary class and the children are just naturally drawn to her kind and caring personality. She is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to learning and believes that children learn through exploration and discovery. Paula aims to provide a nurturing environment to help children grow in confidence as their passion for learning increases. Her desire is to equip children to be the best that they can be - to discover their own unique strengths and learning style. We love the kindness and compassion that Paula brings to our team.
Peter Smailes has almost 30 years of experience in education in both South Africa and the United States. His passion for teacher upliftment and creating opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds draw him to Bushwillow school. Having worked as a teacher, head master and consultant in this sector, he brings in a wealth of experience in school operations and strategic planning. As a co-trustee, he supports the rest of the team in curriculum development, strategic planning and fundraising.
Job Titles:
- Pre - Primary Associate Teacher
Portia is a mother of two, and the big mother of Bushwillow School, making sure that everyone is secure and loved. She helps to set clear and fair boundaries, is patient, caring and joyful. Always going the extra mile, Portia is a wonderful cook and loves reading. She is a passionate advocate for education and loves learning new things herself. Portia's roosterkoek is sold at school on the first Friday of every month and is a highlight of Bushwillow life.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Member of the School Board
- Treasurer
Stephen is a school parent and father of four children. He is a civil engineer by trade and has fulfulled management positions in multiple construction companies in South-Africa, Namibia, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. He currently works as a property developer in the Kenton area. Stephen brings in expertise in building, budgeting, accounting, taxation and contracting. He is closely involved in the construction and maintenance of all our school buildings. Next to this he manages the tax and legal portfolio.
Nomaxabiso (or Xabsi as she is affectionately known) is our Pre-Primary teacher. She is a school parent and a mother of 2. She was born and raised in Kenton but spent a few years in Port Elizabeth after school where she completed Level 1-4 in Early Childhood Development and then worked in a Preschool. When she returned to Kenton in 2015 she opened a Preschool near her home. Next to this she opened a soup kitchen that offers aftercare and homework assistance for children who live in her area. Xabsi loves the working dynamics at Bushwillow and that everyone is accepted and given a voice. She is a lady with a big heart and even bigger dreams - it is a privilege to have her on our team.
Ntombizanele (or Zanele) is a school parent and mother of 2. Helping others is Zanele's passion, especially helping underprivileged kids to reach their full potential. Her work for the local JOT programme shows her dedication for this; twice a week she helps grade 4 learners in the local Ekuphumleni Township with their homework.
Zanele is a hard worker and a go-getter. If she sets her mind to something she does it. She always does her work with a big smile on her face and makes us happy with her beautiful singing! She inspires the kids to dream big and follow through.