Martin Kroon - Presiding member

Kia Ora,

I’m honored to serve as presiding member of Te Uku school working alongside our board of trustees, principal, and valued staff in helping develop a healthy learning culture which encompasses Te Uku school’s five R’s. I currently have 3 children attending Te Uku school in years 3, 6 and 7 who are 5^th generation Te Uku school students. I myself am a registered teacher and have enjoyed working with a wide variety of ages in the Waikato region for the past 15 years. I have an MA and a GradDipT and currently work as an itinerant music teacher in five different secondary schools in the region. I also have considerable experience working in a variety of community groups. I have a good understanding of many aspects of school systems and am passionate about education and seeing communities work together to see young people grow and flourish. 

Paula Malins

Te Uku School Principal

Kia Ora

Abbie Neems

Parent Representative re-elected to the Board in 2022

Kia Ora,

I have lived in Te Uku for the past 9 years where my husband Glenn and I own and operate a
dry stock farm. I have two children and in my spare time I enjoy sport, music, reading, pets
and spending time with friends and family. I would describe myself as a curious person with
a love for learning about new topics and interests and I am always eager to share my latest
learning with friends and family, much to their dismay. Te Uku School plays quite a large
role in our lives. I have enjoyed participating in school fundraising over the years, coaching
our Te Uku School netball team and helping on various school trips and I have spent the last
12 months as a parent representative on the school board. Being part of a small school
means being prepared to step up and take on all sorts of new challenges and while this has
pushed me out of my comfort zone on many occasions, I have also felt a great deal of
satisfaction when contributing to our school. Not only is it very rewarding to witness the
learning and growing that goes on at Te Uku, but I also feel it’s important to the success of
our school that our teachers and students feel supported by their wider community. As a
Parent Representative on the newly elected Board of Trustees for 2022 I look forward to
working alongside the other board members to ensure that every child at Te Uku School
feels included and can reach their achievement goals.

Nga mihi
Abbie Neems

Andrea Horton

Parent Representative elected to the board 2022

My husband and I are originally from New Zealand and had moved overseas for work opportunities in aviation. We returned to New Zealand with our two children, moving to Whāingaroa in 2016. Since then, I have supported the Te Uku school community through sport, fundraising and last year as a parent representative on the board of trustees. 

Although we are a smaller country school, this gives us great opportunity to be flexible as educators- adapting to our students needs while offering the greatest amount of opportunities. I look forward to supporting the staff and consequently helping to generate high morale for our students. I believe these actions allow students to achieve success; both emotionally and in education.

Semonne Hogg - Staff Rep

Staff representative elected to the Board in 2022

Tena koutou katoa,

My name is Semonne Hogg, I have been in education since 1993. I have a Bachelor of Education along with a  Bachelor of Early Childhood. My early years of education began with Montessori in England. This has given me a strong background in understanding the uniqueness of children. 

I have lived in the rural Waikato since 2010 with my husband and three children and I have been teaching the Te Uku tamariki since 2019. This year I am very blessed and privileged to be appointed the position of Tumuaki Tuarua, supporting our Tumuaki in leading our kura.

Our school motto is ‘whakawhanake it te ngakau i te hinengaro kotahitantanga’ which means ‘Expanding Hearts and Minds’. I think this motto embodies what we want for our tamariki and that is for them to be expanding on their knowledge, mind growth, becoming confident and being connected to all they do in both heart and mind, being actively involved as they make their own journeys in life.

I love spending time with my family, I adore my children and love the great outdoors of Aotearoa.

I am passionate about the critical role of education, I believe strongly in the philosophy of understanding every child as an individual, and providing opportunities and experiences at Te Uku School that will allow each child to develop the love of learning, confidence and resilience to maximise their potential and make the most of an ever evolving world.

As a parent, teacher and deputy principal of Te Uku School, I wish for tamariki to be strong, confident learners, who are willing to take risks and laugh at themselves. Most importantly I want my tamariki to know that they are important, they are valued and they are loved.

Nga mihinui kōutou kātoa,

Semonne Hogg

Katie Richardson

Elected to the Board 2022

Kia Ora,

Jay Crowhurst

Elected to the Board 2022