The principal has been delegated authority by the school’s board of trustees to take responsibility for ensuring the school’s strategic plans and annual action goals are successfully achieved, and for leading the day to day operation of the school. The principal works in collaboration with the leadership team composed of the deputy principal, assistant principal and SENCO leader in order to continuously improve the educational experiences of our students. Our Leadership Team at Whangarei Primary School are:
principal@whangareiprimary.school.nz
Kia ora koutou whanau, Ko Exmoor te Maunga, Ko Exe Te Awa, No Somerset, England ahau, Ko Ngapuhi tonu te Iwi, Ko Donald toku papa, Ko Celia toku mama, Ko Tanya Maich toku hoa rangatira, Ko Ella toku kotiro, Ko Oliver raua Milan oku tama, Ko Danny Jewell toku ingoa, Ko au tumuaki te kura o Whangarei Primary. No reira tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa.
My name is Danny Jewell and I am privileged and excited to be the new Principal of Whangarei Primary School, from Term 3, 2019. I have been teaching and leading in education for the past 25 years in a diverse range of locations, schools and ages. In England I taught for 10 years in private schools, where I honed my skills in leadership as a Head of Sports for four years at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree. I arrived in New Zealand in 2005 and taught at Tauraroa Area School for 10 years, where I had experience teaching in Years 4-9, and was Deputy Principal in charge of the Primary area for 6 years. in 2014, I moved to Parua Bay School as their Principal, where the roll rocketed from 220 - 390 in two years. Under such extraordinary circumstances, as a first time Principal, I learnt very quickly about the varied roles of a Principal. My educational philosophy is really quite simple: the student is front and centre and needs to be engaged, stimulated and empowered to learn; the teacher is the most valuable resource a school can have, and needs to be supported, valued and motivated; and whanau is at the top of the pyramid, and connections between student, school and parents need to be strong and based on relational trust for optimum learning to happen. Therefore, I would urge that you, as parents and whanau, get involved in your children's education - get to know your child's class teacher, take every opportunity to visit the school, make connections to the school and ensure your child has the best possible chance of achieving by becoming involved in the school. I look forward to connecting with you at school, and ensuring that your child is happy and successful at Whangarei Primary School.
kath.corby@whangareiprimary.school.nz
I have currently been teaching for 18 years and arrived at Whangarei Primary School to take up the Deputy Principal position at the start of 2015 from Wellington. Whangarei is home for me, and where I taught before going to Wellington so am honoured to be home with family and friends and working at a school with passionate students, staff and families who together, who are dedicated to equipping our students to be 'Kiwi Kids who are global citizens equipped or success as lifelong learners'. I am forever grateful to be in a career that allows me to shape and equip our young people for their present day and whatever the future may bring them.
danny.clarkson@whangareiprimary.school.nz
Prior to moving my family to Whangarei in 2016, I worked at a number of schools both around NZ and abroad. Since working at Whangarei Primary I have enjoyed working in an environment of high challenge and innovation having been the Curriculum Leader for both Literacy and Languages along with sitting on most other curriculum lead teams while teaching in the senior syndicate. I am passionate about empowering students throughout the learning process and feel privileged to be part of this great teaching and learning team.
lynda.foster@whangareiprimary.school.nz
I moved to Whangarei in 1993 with my husband, after teaching in many schools around NZ and overseas. I taught at Portland Primary for a number of years before joining the Whangarei Primary School team in 2007. During my time at WPS I have carried many roles including teaching NE and Years 5 and 6 classes then specialising in Reading Recovery and my present role, supporting families and students with special educational needs. I have a love and passion for teaching and a commitment to empower students to achieve personal success. I believe in forming strong, trusting relationships within a safe, caring and positive learning environment; where students feel valued and understood; an environment that allows students to develop self-confidence and positive self-worth and in doing so build the courage to try, succeed and be proud.
All of New Zealand’s state and state-integrated schools have a board of trustees. The board of trustees is the Crown entity responsible for the governance and the control of the management of the school. The board is the employer of all staff in the school, is responsible for setting the school’s strategic direction in consultation with all stake holders, and ensures that the school provides a safe environment and quality education for all of its students. Boards are also responsible for overseeing the management of personnel, curriculum, property, finance and administration.
Trustees are elected every three years by the school’s parent community and staff members. Our school’s Board of Trustees is generally made up of four trustees elected from amongst the parent community, one elected staff representative, and the principal of the school. The board can also co-opt additional trustees when it needs a particular skill set in order to strengthen its operation.
Erica Phillips: Chairperson
Ray Campbell: Member
Jarrod Goodall: Treasurer
Renee Proctor: Member
Dallas Wrack: Member
Victoria Bell: Member
Teresa Battersby: Staff Trustee
Kath Corby: Acting Principal
We are most fortunate to have an extremely dedicated and very capable team of teachers at our school, who have a reputation for going the extra mile for the students in their care. The on-going professional development of our team has a high priority in the school’s strategic plan, and as such every teacher has access to regular training opportunities to ensure they remain at the forefront of the most effective research based teaching practices. Our team of teachers at Whangarei Primary School are:
barbara.lints@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr Seuss
sherryn.coxhead@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Colour your life outside the lines."
caitlin.brierley@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow." Anthony D'angelo
sally-anne.hegh@whangareiprimary.school.nz
'Dance like no one is watching'
baz.hauraki@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best" Bob Talbert
janine.thorne@whangareiprimary.school.nz
“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” - C.S. Lewis *
tania.dobbs@whangareiprimary.school.nz
Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.
jill.fuller@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Think and wonder. Wonder and think."- Dr Seuss
robyn.shore@whangareiprimary.school.nz
“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if you only try.” by Dr Seuss
sarah.sofala@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. BE OUTRAGEOUS go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is SO COMPLETELY CRAZY it's unbelievable." - Matilda, Roald Dahl
jessie.maihi@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"There are secret opportunities hidden inside every failure"
tessa.herbert@whangareiprimary.school.nz
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
rob.geaney@whangareiprimary.school.nz
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. A. A. Milne
natasha.russell@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you!" - Dr Seuss
samantha.taylor@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"What we learn becomes part of who we are."
ros.murphy@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
isaac.jerez@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care" Anonymous
teresa.battersby@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious."
yvette.meara@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good." Dr Seuss
lara.whitehead@whangareiprimary.school.nz
Be yourself, follow your 💙 & enjoy the journey. Kia pono, whaingia to 💜 me kia ngahau to haerenga.
hone.tata@whangareiprimary.school.nz
He aha te mea nui o te ao, maku e ki atu. He tamariki, he tamariki, he tamariki ma. What is the the greatest thing in this world. It is the children, it is the children, it is the children.
tracy.venter@whangareiprimary.school.nz
The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. B.B King
brittany.mckenzie@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire."
donna-maree.gilmour@whangareiprimary.school.nz
Learn from the world around you.
lynda.ireland@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Your attitude determines your altitude"
jo.macdonald@whangareiprimary.school.nz
Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life. (Mark Twain)
addy.wihongi@whangareiprimary.school.nz
Ki whakanui i te tikanga, i te reo, i te wairua me te iwi. To celebrate culture, language, Spirit and people.
office@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."- Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
office@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"It takes a big heart to help shape little Hands."
office@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"God give strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
library@whangareiprimary.school.nz
"If knowledge is power, and a library is full of knowledge, then we have a powerful library."