Teachers
St Mary’s Early Childhood Education Centre has 8 teachers, including and led by our Head Teacher, Heather Te Huia.
Meet the Teachers
7 of our teachers are qualified and registered teachers.
Our community gives more information about what Janet does.
Heather — Head Teacher
I have over 40 years of experience in early childhood education and am a qualified and registered teacher. I love working here at St Mary’s Early Childhood Education Centre — the families, children and parents inspire me.
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I believe that teaching children begins with getting to know them and their families very well and building strong and informative relationships with each other. Children grow in different ways according to their experiences. Knowing what knowledge they come with allows me to foster and extend their thinking. I enjoy planning programs that care for and educate the holistic (whole) child, while supporting them in gaining social skills enabling them to enjoy learning. Keeping up to date with my own knowledge in relations to children’s learning and development is extremely important for me. I am constantly upgrading my qualifications and knowledge.
I am married with 4 children/tamariki and 13 grandchildren/mokopuna and I live in Porirua. I enjoy sharing the Lord’s love with the children and adults I come in contact with.
Matt
Kia ora, my name is Matt James.
I have been part of the St Mary’s church community for about 10 years, and I’m thrilled to be part of the St Mary’s ECEC teaching team. I have been an ECEC teacher for 5 years and have a background in hospitality. I am married to Shoba and have 2 school-aged children, Bryan and Shernaia. My interests include cooking, reading and playing the guitar.
Claire
I believe that it is of paramount importance that each child creates the perception of themselves as confident, competent learners, and social beings as well as being secure in their own sense of belonging.
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Kia ora, my name is Claire.
I started at St Mary’s in 2003 as a reliever. In 2004, I took on a full-time permanent position, working alongside experienced and skilled registered teachers who helped me understand and learn the Early Childhood Curriculum.
I believe that it is of paramount importance that each child creates the perception of themselves as confident, competent learners, and social beings as well as being secure in their own sense of belonging. I am currently responsible for the care of our smallest children.
Prior to St Mary’s, I established the Marie Claire Nanny Agency, recruiting and placing nannies for the Wellington, greater Wellington, and Nelson/Marlborough areas, which still operates today.
Waruni
Kia ora, My name is Waruni and I’m a teacher at St. Mary’s.
Malanie
Kia Ora, My name is Melanie Hart and I have been working here since January 2020.
I am qualified with a Bachelor of Education from Victoria University and am registered with the
New Zealand Teaching Council. I enjoy football and taking photographs and on odd occasion when I am not working i just relax. I live in Hataitai, with my flatmates. My role here is to work with the under two-year-olds.
Carrie
Kia Ora, my name is Caroline Reynolds (Carrie) I am a qualified and Registered teacher with a Bachelor of Education ECE from Whiteriea Polytech.
I live in Johnsonville and come from a large family that I love spending time with. I enjoy nature walks, and volunteering at the Riding for the disabled and the local Girls’ Brigade. I enjoy working with children and enjoy building meaningful relationships.