Ngahere

Kia ora koutou, ko Amanda Roche tōku ingoa.

I grew up in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, starting in Johnsonville before moving to Porirua where much of my family remains. I began teaching in 2014 before going on maternity leave in 2020 when I had my daughter Matilda. After easing back into teaching by relieving across Wellington, in 2022 I began relieving regularly at Tītahi Bay School. I loved the kura so much that I stayed, and am now lucky to share the teaching of Ruma Tekau with Ebony Sushames. As well as teaching I am currently a full time student at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, studying Te Reo Māori.

When not at school you will find me spending time with my daughter, hanging out with my whānau and friends, or at the beach.

Tēnā koutou katoa, ko Ebony tōku ingoa.
2023 marks my 7th year on staff at our Kura. This year I will be working part time as I ease back into teaching following the arrival of my daughter in 2022. I am a Bay girl through and through, having lived here my whole life. I attended this school myself and was so lucky to have such wonderful teachers who inspired me to be like them and make a positive influence in the lives of our local tamariki.
My background is in dance and performing arts and I am really looking forward to leading the school production again. Free time is pretty hard to come by these days as I’m now busy being a mum, but when I get the chance I like to play hockey and disc golf, go for walks, decorate cakes and travel.

Kia ora. Kō Ang Strand tōku ingoa. I have been at our beautiful kura for the past 12 years. I love Tītahi Bay, all the kids, whānau and the community feel. I have enjoyed teaching in the junior, middle and now the senior school. Our KURA values shine through in everything that we do and the staff that I work with are just amazing. With my love for the environment I love working with both our Enviro Leaders and other tamariki in the garden and helping to run our Garden to Table program with our tamariki.
In my own time I love spending time with my husband and two boys Jake and Liam. We enjoy getting outside and making the most of our weekends by getting out and about in our local community and around Wellington. I also enjoy being a Kea Leader at our local scout hall (Paparangi) where both of my boys are Keas.

Tēnā koutou katoa. Nō Ngāti Koroki, Ngāti Pikiao me Ngāti Porou te iwi. Ko Huriwai raua ko Teleaga te whānau. Nō Porirua ahau. Ko Khaylen Huriwai (Aka Matua Khaylen) tōku ingoa. Kia Ora, I’m stoked to be joining the Kura crew in 2023 for my second year of teaching. I’m a born and bred Porirua boy growing up on Champion Street in Cannons Creek while also having stints of living overseas in countries such as Korea, India and Australia. Building our tamariki to have a strong sense of culture and identity is a big part of my teaching philosophy. I have a huge passion for sports and can often be found playing league, flag, indoor netball or anything team orientated. I bring this love into my teaching and believe sports and PE support tamariki to learn valuable life long skills in a fun and active way. As a new father, the majority of my time is spent with my pēpi and wife who some of you may know as Whaea Grace. Looking forward to learning and growing alongside our Kura Street ākonga.

Kia Ora, ko Gillian toku ingoa (aka Whaea Gillian)
This kura has been a huge part of my life over the last 17 years. I currently have two mokopuna at this kura. They love everything about this kura and I get to see them 2 days a week as a classroom reliever. I treasure the many kaiako and ākonga that I am working with and many more who have left us for more exciting adventures. Natural healing practices and Rongoa are very important to our whānau well being which takes up my spare time when I’m not relaxing with my mokopuna and catching up with my tamariki and friends. Ngā mihi koutou.