Deanna MacKay

Kia Ora, Ko Deanna toku ingoa.

I was born in Hawkes Bay where I have lived for the majority of my life. I have three brothers and one sister. I really love my pets and I have two cats, a dog and a bird. (I also take on part time care of our centre guinea pigs)

What is my favourite thing about teaching?:
My favourite thing about teaching is the wonderful relationships we build within the centre community. Kaiako, tamariki and whaanau. I also really love having fun and creating wonderful learning environments

Kylie Stichbury
Kia Ora, Ko Kylie toku ingoa!
I was born in Napier, New Zealand. I come from a big family and have one brother and four sisters. I have five children myself and that consists of three boys and two girls. I bring my baby with me into work and all my other children are at school.

What is my favourite thing about teaching?:
I enjoy working with the pepi and enjoy supporting them with all their care moments and watching them interact with one another. I also enjoy watching them learn and reach their milestones.

Alyssa Cornwall
Kia Ora, Ko Alyssa toku ingoa.
I was born in the Waikato, Hamilton where both my parents are from. I have four siblings and four parents. I currently live in Waipukarau with my sister and her three children and her partner.

What is my favourite thing about teaching?:

The moments and memories shared! The laughter heard and the growth shown through the tamariki

Anne Charteris
Kia Ora, Ko Anne toku ingoa.

I am a Hawkes Bay born and bred girl from a large Italian family. I have two grown up sons and two beautiful grandchildren who mean the world to me. Family is my life.

What is my favourite thing about teaching?:
One of my favourite things about teaching is the wonderful relationships I build with whanau and tamariki. I feel that it is a privelage and a pleasure to be given the opportunity to be a part of children’s learning journey. The children are constantly changing and I love that each day, rewards me with some new and exciting faucet of their learning and development!

Marice Merry
Ko Marice toku ingoa
I have lived most of my life in the Hawkes Bay area. Family is really important to me as I have a large one. I have four daughters, ten grandchildren and one great grandchild who comes to BestStart Mahora. I love spending time with them as well as enjoying gardening, cooking and travelling.

What do I like most about my role?:
Meeting and building relationships with tamariki and their whaanau. This makes my career very special to me. I work with such a great team of caring people and it is like having an extended family.

Salome Tufui
Malo e le lei Ko hoku hingoá ko Salome.
I was born in Tonga, my mother and my father are both from there. I have two sisters and two brothers. My father was a teacher and my mother was a housewife looking after me and my siblings. I was born on one of the islands in Tonga where dad was called by the government to teach there. I was raised in a very rural area where horses and carts were the main forms of transport. My siblings were born in different islands where dad was teaching. My youngest brother is a high school teacher in Auckland, my older brother is an engineer on one of the NZ ferries, one of my sisters is a nurse and my youngest sister was the one who helped look after my parents.

What is my favourite thing about teaching?:
To learn about other cultures and meet new whanau. To learn about other areas to support my understanding and growth for my teaching career. I love to learn from my colleagues about teaching strategies that are useful in my role.

Teleisia Nola Vakapuna

Malo e le lei Ko hoku hingoá ko Teleisia,
I was born in Tonga and my parents decided to move to New Zealand in 2005 for more opportunities. I have six siblings and two amazing loving parents

What is my favourite part of being a teacher?:
The best part of being a teacher is the positive impact and sharing memories. I love laughing together and building strong relationships with the tamariki and their whanau. I also love watching them learn and grow as capable and confident people