Board Chairperson: Dustine Craig

Hi everyone my name is Dustine Craig and I would like your support to continue to be a part of the Board of Trustees for Waikōwhai Primary. I have been married for 19 years and have 4 children with our last child Dustine Junior still in our beloved Waikōwhai Primary School. The progress that we have made as a school has been amazing over the last 6 years that I have had the blessing of serving on the board. From the integration of digital learning to finally getting Street lights and a cross walk in front of our school for the safety of our families. Seeing our staff and students tackle the challenges of Covid etc. The outstanding performance of the school is a credit to everyone currently involved and I would love to continue the good work. Thank you

My name is Louna Fa’atea, I was born in Tonga and migrated here to NZ with my parents and 4 siblings at the time in 1995. All my life I was raised in Mt Roskill and it brings me so much joy that my children can also be raised here. All of my children attended Waikōwhai Primary School and I currently have 3 boys (Kiani, JP and Va’avai) who are in attendance. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to be co-opted onto the Board of Trustees recently. I have seen first-hand the effort and dedication that the staff have put towards the needs of the children to ensure they receive the finest quality of education. Being elected onto the Board will give me the opportunity to continue to support the endeavours of the school and also help to make sure the children and staff continue to receive the opportunities they need to thrive especially in these unprecedented times. Your consideration for me to be a member of the school board will be greatly appreciated.

My name is Sean Hamilton and I am standing for the Waikōwhai Primary School Board.

I’m a 38 year old, married, father of two, with a son in Year 2 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 recently started 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 is currently attending Waikōwhai school in year 4 and loves school. I care deeply about the school and have a passion to see the school succeed. I was co-opted onto the board of trustees 1 year ago and would like the opportunity to continue in this role for another term.  I have been very impressed with the passion and caring culture all the teachers show and I love 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 during the current environment that is constantly a challenge from COVID19. 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 would appreciate your support at the board of trustee’s election.

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.