Announcement : 

Our calendar art fundraiser is live – order forms will come home with your child this week.

Staff

Senior Leadership Team

Senior Leadership Team

Sue Clement

Principal

About Me

Kia ora koutou.
Ko Sue toku ingoa.
Ko au te tumuaki o te Kura nei.
I am extremely lucky to have been the principal here at Te Aro for the past twelve years. Our kura is a place where tamariki, whānau and staff feel a sense of belonging. We strive to uphold the mana, the building up of all learners (big, small, young, older) in our school community.
In my spare time I enjoy walking my dog Molly around the south coast of Wellington where we from time to time see dolphins, seals, and whales. I really love it when my daughters are back in New Zealand so we can spend time together.
Kake tonu Te Aro.
Ever Upwards Te Aro.

E: principal@tearo.school.nz

Anna Morgan

Deputy Principal

About Me

Kia ora Koutou,
Ko Anna toku ingoa.
I am the Deputy Principal responsible for the Tuatara Syndicate our Year 0-4 whānua. I also teach in Rūma Nīkau at Y 3 / 4. Outside of school I am a keen practitioner of Karate. I train with Seido Karate and have done so for the last 30 years. I love being outside gardening, swimming in the sea and generally hanging out with my family.

E: annam@tearo.school.nz

Ray Teahen

Deputy Principal

About Me

Kia ora
Ko Ray taku ingoa.
I am the Deputy Principal and syndicate leader of the senior school syndicate, Te Hokioi.
I have been at Te Aro school since 2005. Before that I worked in London for four years and Gisborne for three years.
Outside of school I enjoy sports with time spent coaching rugby teams and I love mountain biking on Wellington's many tracks. I also visit Lyall Bay and Seatoun beaches often, walking my rather naughty dog.

E: rteahen@tearo.school.nz

Teachers

Teachers

Ray Teahen

Year 7 & 8

Rūma Pōhutukawa

About Me

Kia ora
Ko Ray taku ingoa.
I am the Deputy Principal and syndicate leader of the senior school syndicate, Te Hokioi.
I have been at Te Aro school since 2005. Before that I worked in London for four years and Gisborne for three years.
Outside of school I enjoy sports with time spent coaching rugby teams and I love mountain biking on Wellington's many tracks. I also visit Lyall Bay and Seatoun beaches often, walking my rather naughty dog.

E: rteahen@tearo.school.nz

Esther Tamati

Year 7 & 8

Rūma Pōhutukawa

About Me

Ko Esther Tamati toku ingoa. (Ngati Porou & Ngati Mutunga) I am super excited to be joining Te Aro kura this year. I will be teaching in Pohutukawa with Ray. I have spent all my life in Dunedin and feel ready for change and challenge. I come from a foodie whanau where both my parents have worked in the food industry, so not surprising that I love to cook. I love to write poetry. It helps me to wind down. You will probably see me playing or coaching Netball (I play WA or GA). I also love fashion, art, history and Kapa haka. Nga mihi nui

E: esthert@tearo.school.nz

Meena Vallabh

Year 7 & 8, Release teacher

Rūma Pōhutukawa

About Me

I am a daughter, niece, wife, aunty, and an extremely proud mother of two awesome kids. I come from a hugely supportive and wonderful family. Family is everything to me! My maternal grandfather came to New Zealand in 1933 from India, and soon after made Wellington his home. I too have called Wellington home since I was born here. The waterfront, south coast, and the Brooklyn hills are where you’ll find my family, that is if we are not at the local hockey turf, cricket pitch or nets!
I have been teaching for more than 20 years. At the end of 2017, I gave up full time teaching and my leadership role, so I could spend more time with my kids and enjoy a better work/life balance! I am very grateful to Te Aro School for taking this somewhat opinionated, highly motivated teacher into their kura. I currently work part time in Pohutakawa alongside Katie and Ray., and have been privileged to work in the garden to table cooking programme with the year 5 and 6 tamariki. I have a wealth of literacy knowledge and love connecting with students, colleagues, and whanau through my teaching.
Outside of teaching, I run Junior hockey for the Wellington Indian Sports Club, I love to read, cook, watch sports, take photos, the South Coast of Wellington, spending time with my family, and travelling although I am not a fan of flying! Go figure!

E: meenav@tearo.school.nz

Katie Norton

Year 7 & 8

Rūma Pōhutukawa

About Me

Kia ora koutou,
Ko Katie tōku ingoa.
I am a teacher in Pōhutukawa teaching the Year 7/8 students. I have been working back at Te Aro School this year after two years living in the UK. Before that, I worked at Te Aro for 8 years and also taught in London for four years. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family, going to the beach and baking.

E: atien@tearo.school.nz

Mathew Quivooy

Year 5 & 6

Rūma Mānuka

About Me

Kia ora tātou. Ko Mathew ahau. I have been teaching at this amazing inner city school since 2016. I love the diversity of our community and enjoy learning about and celebrating the cultures of our tamariki. I have taught in a number of schools within Aotearoa, as well as Melbourne, London and South Korea. I am very passionate about The Arts and love contributing to our senior kapa haka and providing students with opportunities to express themselves through visual art. In my downtime I love drinking coffee, listening to music, driving, street photography, swimming and spending time with my whānau.

E: mathewq@tearo.school.nz

Tess Devereux

Year 5 & 6

Rūma Mānuka

About Me

I tipu ake ahau ki te tawharau o Matairangi. Ko te Moana o Raukawa te Moana e rū nei tōku ngakau. Nō Ingarani, nō kotirana, nō Wīwī ōku tupuna, nō reira, ko Te Tiriti o Waitangi te waka e whakatūhono ana. Kei te noho ahau ki te Motu Kairangi. He kaiako au ki a Rūma Mānuka. I'm Tess and I teach year 5's and 6's in Rūma Mānuka with Mathew. I started teaching at Te Aro in 2015 as a relief teacher, and was lucky to be offered a full time job a few years later. I feel so lucky to work at the coolest school in Wellington, with some of the most fabulous teachers and the coolest kids in the city. When I am not teaching I like doing lots of different things. I'm passionate about learning te reo Māori, and even though learning a language is a challenge, I love it. I love getting outdoors on the weekends when the weather lets me. I like rock climbing, tramping, swimming, and riding my bike.

E: tessad@tearo.school.nz

Ella de Blois

Year 2 & 3

Rūma Kauri

About Me

Tēnā koutou Ko Ella tōku ingoa. I am so excited to be joining Te Aro School's whānau where I am teaching years 2 and 3 in Rūma Kauri. I have previously worked as a Teacher Aide and in government, each of which guided me towards a career in teaching. Outside of mahi I love visiting my whānau, reading, drawing, and listening to music.

E: ellad@tearo.school.nz

Anna Morgan

Year 3 & 4

Rūma Nīkau

About Me

Kia ora Koutou,
Ko Anna toku ingoa.
I am the Deputy Principal responsible for the Tuatara Syndicate our Year 0-4 whānua. I also teach in Rūma Nīkau at Y 3 / 4. Outside of school I am a keen practitioner of Karate. I train with Seido Karate and have done so for the last 30 years. I love being outside gardening, swimming in the sea and generally hanging out with my family.

E: annam@tearo.school.nz

Kristin Holmes

Year 2

Rūma Tarata

About Me

Kia ora koutou. Ko Kristin toku ingoa. I've had the privilege of teaching at Te Aro since 2009 and have been a class teacher in both the Tuatara and Te Hokioi Syndicates in that time. Now, I have a varied role - teaching in Tarata on Monday and Tuesday, Nikau on Thursday and Tawa on Friday. On Wednesdays I pop up in different classes, releasing their teachers for planning, meetings, etc. I'm excited about the opportunity to work with all the children throughout the school. When I'm not at school I spend time hanging out with my family, trying to tame both my house and my garden, going to movies and concerts, riding my bike and walking and I do lots of reading.

E: kristinh@tearo.school.nz

Jonny Ayres

Year 2

Rūma Tarata

About Me

Kia ora koutou, Ko Jonny tōku ingoa. I am a teacher in Rūma Tarata as well as Rūma Nīkau, Tawa and wherever else I'm needed. I'm really excited to start my first full year teaching here at Te Aro, after providing relief cover in Terms 3 and 4 last year. I have only been living here in Aotearoa/New Zealand since 2022, having moved, together with my partner, from my home country of the UK. When I'm not teaching, I love spending time in nature, playing tennis, running and exploring new places.

E: jonnya@tearo.school.nz

Serah Mehrtens

Year 1

Rūma Tawa

About Me

Kia ora Koutou, Ko Serah Mehrtens tāku ingoa, Nō Te tai Tokerau ahau. My name is Serah and I team teach in Tawa whānau with Eva. We work with the the New Entrant students. I have moved to Wellington from the Far North this year. I am enjoying being part of the Te Aro School community and learning all about the diverse range of students we have here. I love the schools unique position on the Terrace and I think it is a beautiful setting for us to be working in. I am excited about the year ahead and I look forward to meeting all of you. When I am not at mahi I am usually walking my dog, cooking, being near the water or reading. Mauri Ora!

E: serahm@tearo.school.nz

Eva Stoddart

Year 1

Rūma Tawa

About Me

Kia ora! Ko Eva tōku ingoa. I teach in Rūma Tawa alongside Serah. I am excited to join the team at Te Aro School and look forward to helping our youngest students learn and grow. I grew up in Dunedin and now live in Brooklyn. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, cooking and spending time with my family and friends.

E: evas@tearo.school.nz

Bernice McMahon

Learning support teacher

About Me

Kia Ora
Ko Bernice McMahon ahau.
My role at Te Aro is as Learning support teacher, which means I support the teachers of children who have an identified extra teaching and learning need. To do this I may work with children individually or in a group or I may work with the teachers and teacher aides who support our children.

E: bernicem@tearo.school.nz

Cathie Cahill

ESOL teacher

About Me

Kia Ora,
I’m Cathie and my main teaching role here at Te Aro is working with our English language learners, both in their classrooms and in smaller groups. I am responsible for our ‘First Language Time’ programme which encourages students to share, maintain and be proud of their home languages and cultures.
I also help with organising our library and promoting book related events, which gives me the chance to feed my passion for children’s literature!
I love that Te Aro has such a diverse group of learners and I feel really lucky to work with students, whānau and colleagues from around the world.

E: ccahill@tearo.school.nz

Levi Roberts

Release Teacher

About Me

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Kirsty Gardner

Resource Teacher of Literacy - RTLit (based at TAS)

About Me

Kia ora koutou. Ko Kirsty tōku ingoa. I am a Resource Teacher of Literacy, based at Te Aro School. I work and teach in primary schools in Central Wellington and the Northern Suburbs, supporting students, and their teachers, with their literacy learning. I am fortunate to work in a rewarding role that draws on my love for teaching reading and writing. In my leisure time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two sons, reading, cooking, walking, and watching my boys play sport.

E: kirsty.rtlit@tearo.school.nz

Teacher Aides

Teacher Aides

Miranda McDougall

Teacher Aide

About Me

Kia ora, I am Miranda. I've been working at this amazing school since 2016. I love the diversity and the energy of the children, whānau and staff that come here, and make us who we are.

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Adam Hendry

Teacher Aide

About Me

Kia ora my name is Adam.
I feel very lucky to have been able to help out at Te Aro school as a Teacher aid over the last few years. Many of the Te Aro families might know me from some of my other roles working at some early childhood centres and the Brooklyn Community Centre. I enjoy helping Tamariki in learning and play all year round. Outside of work I love cooking, listening to music (a little too loud I’m told), sports and supporting local industry such as the Garage Project. My partner Jennifer and I have two daughters Molly and Lola plus 4 cats and a dog named Roku.

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Breana Fahey

Teacher Aide

About Me

Kia ora, I work at Te Aro as a teacher aide alongside studying a Master of Educational Psychology at Victoria University. I was born and raised down south in Invercargill, and I have spent time living and studying in Dunedin before making the move to Wellington to complete my Masters. In my spare time, I am often found in the kitchen baking. If not in the kitchen, I enjoy sports, music, and getting outside.

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Geneva Fanslow

Teacher Aide

About Me

Geneva is studying the Masters of Educational Psychology at Victoria University of Wellington. She works here at Te Aro on top of her studies and enjoys connecting with the students and the wider community.

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Jack Pulford

Teacher Aide

About Me

Kia ora, Ko Jack taku ingoa. I joined this amazing school in 2024 and have thoroughly enjoyed my role. Working with the children and families here is incredibly rewarding, and it's a great pleasure to be a part of such a diverse and vibrant community. In addition to my work here, I am in my final year of undergrad, pursuing a double major in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Criminology at Victoria University. This academic journey enriches my understanding of human behaviour and societal dynamics, which I find invaluable in my role at the school. I am also proud to work at the after-school care program for Brooklyn School, where I can engage with students in a supportive and nurturing environment outside of regular school hours. In my free time, I enjoy spending quality moments with my friends and family, participating in various sports, and immersing myself in music and film. These hobbies help me stay balanced and bring a well-rounded perspective to my professional and academic endeavours. Ngā mihi nui

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Lola Hendry

Teacher Aide

About Me

Kia ora, my name is Lola and I am lucky enough to have joined the Te Aro school community in 2024. I work here supporting tamariki with their learning and I feel very grateful to have been welcomed so warmly. As well as working here I am studying psychology at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University. Some may also recognise me from up at the Brooklyn Community Centre before/after school care and holiday programme where I have worked for a few years now. (credit to matua Adam). Ngā mihi 🙂

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Sumaia Daoud

Teacher Aide

About Me

Kia ora, Assalam alaykum (السلام عليكم), my name is Sumaia. I work at Te Aro School as a bilingual teacher aide, primarily supporting Arab students, but also assisting other students when needed. I completed my undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in sociology last year. Originally from Palestine, I have been living in Aotearoa/New Zealand since 2022. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, as well as cooking, embroidery, reading, and drawing.

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Ella Flannery

Teacher Aide

About Me

Kia ora, my name is Ella. I am a teacher aide at Te Aro school and I am also completing my Masters of Educational Psychology at Victoria University. Through my role at Te Aro school I am able to support, connect, and work with students, all of which I love doing. Before moving to Wellington I completed my undergrad at Otago university which is not far from my hometown of Alexandra, Central Otago. When I am not at work or studying I enjoy spending time with my friends, baking, gardening, traveling, and visiting home.

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TK Taufaeteau Kaufononga

About Me

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Support Staff

Support Staff

Georgie O’Connor

Office Manager

About Me

Kia ora. I’m Georgie and I’ve been working as the school Office Manager since 2017. I really enjoy working here and getting to know children and families from all over the world. In my spare time, I love spending time with friends and family, walking my dog and listening to music.

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Joanna Brett

Office Administrator

About Me

Kia ora, ko Jo taku ingoa.
I work part-time in the office with Georgie and do a few hours in the library. I have been involved with Te Aro School both as a parent and a staff member since 2014. I feel lucky to be part of such a wonderful school.

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Graham Goudge

Caretaker

About Me

Kia ora, my name is Graham. I have been the caretaker at Te Aro School for over a decade seeing staff and students grow. One of my fondest likes is when a past students greets you in a different environment. Te Aro is a great school to work in with lovely outdoor areas. Thanks to my electric bike I'm managing the hills for my part-time caretaker role. I'm still saving to see my beloved Tottenham, it will happen on an extended visit to family in Perth. 'ealth and 'appiness.

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Hemi Prime

Kapa Haka Kaiako

About Me

Tēnā koutou katoa. Ko Taranaki whānui, ko Ngai Tūhoe, Ko Ngāti Hine ngā iwi Ko Hemi Prime tōku ingoa. I have been a part of Te Aro School since 2016. Before my time here I worked in Te Kōhanga Reo (te reo Māori preschool) for 12 years. Here at Te Aro school I really enjoy sharing my love for kapa haka. Being part of a team as passionate about kapa haka as I am makes the mahi so much more fun. It's very rewarding seeing the excitement on our kids faces leading up to performances. When I'm at home I love watching sport, kapa haka, or floating away to music. I also love being out in nature and by the water.

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Molly

Companion

About Me

Tēnā koutou,
I am Molly. I am a retired service dog. I have been at Te Aro School since 2018 and really enjoy spending time with the students and staff. You can often find me lying in a sunny patch in the staffroom. I enjoy eating fruits and vegetables and going for short walks in the school grounds with the students. When I am not at school I love walking around the south coast with my family.

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Martin Toland

Bee Keeper

About Me

Martin Toland, is “the bee man” at Te Aro School. He made his first beehive while working as a teacher in Botswana in the 1990’s. Arriving in Aotearoa in 2001 it didn’t take him long to build another hive at home, before building 4 more while teaching at Onslow College, establishing New Zealand’s first ever school beekeeping class. In 2013, he brought a display hive of 4,000 live bees to Te Aro school to show the children. Sue asked Martin to set up some beehives at the school, not just for children to have a go at beekeeping themselves on, but as a learning tool that could be made use of across the curriculum. Over the years almost all of Te Aro’s students have worked as beekeepers during the Garden to Table programme and are involved in the honey harvest each year.

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Russell Taylor

Gardener - Garden to Table

About Me

Russell works with the students in the Garden to Table programme.

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Jing Wang

Mandarin Language Assistant

About Me

Kia ora! I'm Jing, the Mandarin Language Assistant at Te Aro school. I joined the school in 2024 and have been enjoying my role ever since. I love working with the children and families here, and it's a great pleasure to be a part of such a diverse community. In my free time, I like to spend time with friends and my host family, explore the outdoors, and immerse myself in music and culture.

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