Hi everyone my name is Dustine Craig and I have been married for over 20 years and have 4 children who have all been through our beloved Waikōwhai Primary School. The progress that we have made as a school has been amazing during the time I have had the blessing of serving on the board. From the integration of digital learning to finally getting traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing in front of our school for the safety of our families. The outstanding performance of the school is a credit to everyone currently involved. Thank you.

Kia ora koutou,

I’m a proud parent of one daughter who has been at Waikōwhai Primary for the past three years, with our son set to start next year. I bring 17 years of corporate experience and am passionate about using my skills to support the best outcomes for our tamariki at Waikōwhai School - there is beautiful manaakitanga here and I’m grateful to be chosen to be involved. I’m deeply committed to our kura and believe in the power of strong relationships between our school, whānau, and wider community. I’m excited to learn more and contribute wherever I can to help our beautifully diverse school continue to thrive. If you ever want to chat, please reach out!

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou whānau.

My name is Sean Hamilton. I am married, father of two, with a son in Year 5 at Waikōwhai. As a Waikōwhai past pupil, my family has a long-standing relationship with the school. I’m passionate about quality education outcomes and have previous Board experience. I work for ANZ and have a wealth of governance experience through various roles I have enjoyed in the financial sector. I work well with others to achieve long-lasting success and maintain professional standards. I also volunteer to mentor and support colleagues with career development and other advocacy.

I hold a Masters degree from the University of Auckland and am recently learning te reo Māori. I whakapapa to Ngāti Tahu and Ngāti Raukawa. I am currently the Treasurer of Ngāi Tahu ki Tāmaki Makaurau. In my spare time I volunteer with Conservation Volunteers New Zealand and check predator control traps in our local reserves and parks. I’m a hard-working person, who is willing to put in the time and effort to achieve success at Waikōwhai. The school is diverse and could benefit from fresh thinking, while maintaining traditions and acknowledging the opportunities presented in a new voice on the Board. Previous Board experience has provided me with the skills required to be successful in this role.

I’m committed to ensuring Waikōwhai continues to strive for excellence in educational, sporting and cultural endeavours. I’d like to see the school continue as a place for inclusivity, where staff and students have the opportunity to express who they are in a safe and nurturing environment. Waikōwhai has enjoyed a history of preparing students to lead into the future and I am motivated to continue this wonderful tradition by standing for the Board. I believe I can help build on this tradition by helping Waikōwhai to realise the continued potential available at the school.

Hello everyone.  I have been privileged to serve on the board as treasurer for the last three years. Waikōwhai Primary is a great school. But this hasn’t happened by accident.  Over the course of my time on the board I have seen first hand the hard work of the principal and her team, and their dedication to providing an exceptional learning environment for our children. It is the role of the board to support staff in this work, whilst representing the interests of parents/guardians and children.  I would love the opportunity to continue helping our school go from strength to strength, which is why I am seeking another term on the board.  I have lived in the area for 14 years and have been a member of the school community since my son (Toby) started at Waikōwhai in 2013.  With my daughter (Darcey-Rose) in year six I have a strong personal interest in making sure that Waikōwhai continues to be an outstanding school.  Waikōwhai is noted (by the ERO review) for its innovative and collaborative approach to student learning, something that has proved invaluable during the COVID era. But almost as important is the wide range of opportunities for children to learn outside of the classroom. Whether it be e-pro 8 science fairs, art expos, mud runs, bike safety courses, a key focus for me personally is to ensure that all students have equal opportunity to participate in these kinds of activities to help them develop critical life skills that augment what they learn in formal lessons.

 With changes to the way in which government funds schools, the lingering effects of COVID and significant growth anticipated in our local community, we face some challenging and uncertain years ahead.  I believe I have the skills and experience to help the school adapt to these challenges while continuing to help our children thrive and get off to a great start in life.  I am currently the Manager of Transport Strategy at Auckland Council and have years of experience of working on some of Auckland’s most significant problems.  I am questioning by nature, accustomed to dealing with people from all walks of life (including politicians), and have extensive experience of dealing with the kinds of complex issues the board faces in its work.  Thank you for considering my application to serve a second term as a member of the board of trustees.

Kia ora, my name is Kelley Hamilton and I was born and raised in Mount Roskill and have lived around the Waikōwhai area all my life. I attended Waikōwhai Primary school as a child and I am of NZ Maori and European descent. My only child attended Waikōwhai School and loved it. I care deeply about the school and have a passion to see the school succeed. 

I have been very impressed with the passion and caring culture all the teachers show and I loved to attend all school activities and school trips. I would like to represent our community on the board of trustees and help the school to grow and succeed. My main focus on the board would be to maintain and grow the high standards in education, learning outcomes and results to ensure our children are getting the best start to their future. I have a professional background in banking, working for ANZ bank in home lending with a passion for investment, property and the economy.

I have worked in the education system for over 40 years and have had the privilege of being the Principal at Waikōwhai for the last ten years. Our vision is to provide students with an excellent ‘all round’ education that sees them leave us after 6 years as confident, respectful, critical thinkers and problem solvers. We work closely with our supportive and diverse community to ensure that our students are given great opportunities and experiences.

I have had the privilege of working at Waikōwhai Primary and being part of the Waikōwhai School community since 2009. I am a father of three sons and I enjoy social sport, listening to a wide variety of music, reading and running. I am passionate about education, particularly using digital technologies to support learning. I am looking forward to representing the staff on the Board of Trustees.