Meet the team at BestStart Te Heuheu Street Kindy

At BestStart Te Heuheu Street Kindy we have a team of bubbly, passionate and experienced teachers and staff who love working alongside children above all else

Iri Freason – Centre Manager

 I’ve been teaching for over 15 years. Over those years, my passion for teaching has grown. I enjoy building relationships with whanau and children and supporting children to reach their goals.

Katelyn Martin – Centre Administrator

I started working for BestStart in March this year and I am loving it! I love working in the office and have enjoyed getting to know all of our wonderful families! 

Dan Orangi – Teacher

I have been at Te Heuheu Street for 12 years and have a passion for all things sustainable and related to art. 

Hasani Wijayarathne – Teacher

I am currently pursuing an ECE course at Open Polytechnic, and I love spending time at the kindergarten with the kids – it’s both fantastic and incredibly rewarding. 

Nerida Salmon – Qualified Teacher

I have worked in ECE for 29+ years and have been lucky enough to have taught parents of the tamariki I am now teaching. I love children and I am a very passionate and dedicated teacher. I thrive on fostering warm, reciprocal relationships and meeting parents' and whanau aspirations. 

Sharni Nicholson – Teacher Aide

I enjoy working with children & I love walking in the door in the mornings and seeing their big smiling faces, and I love watching them learn and use their little minds every day. 

Tash Hayes – Qualified Teacher

I have been working alongside tamariki and whanau for a number of years now. It is like a second nature to me, as I grew up looking after kids and I love how wild and free they can be.