Our Across School Leaders

Claire Robinson is a Year 2 Learning Leader at Forrest Hill School. Claire brings over 24 years of international teaching experience to the Across School Lead role, having taught in South Africa, England and Hong Kong, before moving to New Zealand in 2018.  Her experience has enabled her to gain much international insight and culturally diverse pedagogy practices. She has taught in International Baccalaureate PYP schools for more than 15 years and has held various leadership positions such as head of year, PYP Coordinator and is an IB workshop leader.  She has led curriculum areas at a Primary School level, in English, Art and Design and Personal, Social and Emotional Education (PSE). 

Wellbeing is her main area of focus and training. She became an accredited Mindfulness trainer in 2015, and has extensive experience working with children aged 5 to 19 years, as well as running workshops for teachers and parents. She runs MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) and MBCT (Mindfulness based Cognitive Therapy) courses for adults across the Pupuke Kahui Ako. She has worked extensively in implementing Wellbeing practices and curriculum into Forrest Hill School and leads the Resilience Project.

Her other passion is Play-based learning. As an IB workshop leader she has trained educators across the Asia Pacific region in Play-based learning and inquiry. In her role as Year 2 Learning Leader she continues to develop this passion through the school’s Learning Through Play programme.

Link to Portfolios:

Wellbeing Practices

Monica is the Y5/6 team leader at Sunnynook Primary School, holding leadership positions in literacy and well-being. Although Monica has taught at all levels of primary and intermediate schools, the primary level is where she has spent the vast majority of her time as a teacher. Monica has been an academic support coordinator, supporting students and their families through building an inclusive school environment. She has also had experience as a WSL leader, literacy curriculum leader, Hauora curriculum leader, and teacher in charge of PE/Sport. Newly appointed to the ASL role in 2023, she is excited to be able to work collaboratively with the ASL team and form and grow connections with the talented kaiako across our Kāhui Ako. She is currently completing her Master of Education in Educational Leadership.

Monica has a strong interest in future-focused learning and providing students with the skills and attitudes that are necessary in our rapidly evolving environment. She is interested in strength-based education and supports promoting students' interpersonal relationships, engagement, achievements, and mental and physical health.

Outside of school, Monica enjoys spending time with her family, going for long walks, and discovering new places.

Link to Portfolios: Achievement Challenge 2: Literacy, Process Challenge: Mātauranga Māori

Allie is the STEAM specialist teacher and curriculum leader at Takapuna Normal Intermediate school, and an Across School Leader for Te Kāhui Ako o Pupuke. She has taught in a range of school settings and levels, including French and Multimedia Technology in secondary schools, and Adult Literacy and Numeracy programmes, before moving to Intermediate level in 2019.  Having been involved in Digital Technology curriculum development and leadership at different levels, she is passionate about STEAM and the opportunities this field presents for akōnga to inquire about the way the world works, and to be become critical thinkers and tinkerers.

She has recently been awarded a Masters in Educational Leadership with Merit through the University of Auckland. Her research was focused on student wellbeing, and its impact on achievement.  She is passional about supporting akōnga to build their literacy and communication skills, with the belief that this allows full engagement in society, feeling secure in themselves and their identities. With the curriculum refresh underway, she is focused on a cross curricular approach to literacy, and the authenticity that content specific literacy learning brings to a child’s engagement with language and communication. 

Mā te huruhuru, ka rere te manu

Adorn the bird with feather so it can fly

Enhancing education achievement, and addressing the needs of our rangatahi requires a ‘meeting of the minds’. That is, a collaborative and sustained effort to get on to the same page, to understand the needs of our community and having a transformational approach that brings together the wealth of knowledge and experience that we have among us. 

Allie is a proud mum to 2 young children at primary and ECE within the Kāhui Ako, and enjoys beach days and exploring new places with her whānau. 

Link to Portfolios:

Wellbeing Practices, Local Curriculum and Coherent Pathways

Alex has been a Chemistry and Science teacher in Aotearoa since 2020 following a career in the wine industry. During her time at Westlake Girls High School she has held several roles including Head of Year 12 Chemistry, Head of Year 13 Chemistry, Within School Lead, ākonga Māori mentor, lead kaiako of the Mātauranga Māori committee, member of the Curriculum Executive committee and now an Across School Lead. 

In October 2022, Alex was accepted as a Research Fellow for the International Coalition of Girl's Schools' Global Action Research Collaborative on Girls' Education. This is a research program that engages girls’ school educators from around the world in informed, collaborative, and disciplined action research. The research focus is Engaging the Power of Many Voices: Leveraging girls’ collaborative spirit toward courageous and joyful learning and Alex's findings will add to a library of valuable and relevant global research on girls’ education, as well as her presentation of her research methods and findings at the ICGS annual conference in Baltimore in June 2024. Alex's research question is “How does using a collaborative systems thinking approach in Science develop Year 10 girls as environmental guardians?” This research project will involve facilitating the growth of the girls in her Year 10 Science class as kaitiaki of the creek that runs behind their school and will incorporate mātauranga Māori as the focal complex systems thinking strategy. She is beyond excited to bring this project to a global forum.

In 2025, Alex will begin her Master of Education in Māori Education at Massey University to explore policy and outcomes for ākonga Māori more deeply.

Alex lives in Oteha Valley with her husband of 9 years Tom, and her two tamariki Louis (7) and Elliott (3).

Link to Portfolios: Process Challenge: Mātauranga Māori, Achievement Challenge 1: Student Leavers

Karl has been a passionate teacher of English at Westlake Boys High School for over 15 years. In that time he has been a house leader, a course leader at both junior and senior levels as well as Teacher in Charge of Basketball. He is currently assistant head of the English Faculty.

Karl's involvement in the Community of Learning began in a Within School Lead role. In that time he found success working in the community to engage students and ease transitions between Intermediate and High School. This was done through mentoring student coaches, who would then become role models for younger students. The program continues to succeed. 

As an Across School Lead, Karl will look to continue his passion for effective transitions between schools through building community connections and investigating coherent pathways.

Outside of school, Karl has a passion for sport and travel. He enjoys spending time with family, music and getting up on the wakeboard in Taupo.

Link to Portfolios: Coherent Pathways, Community Connections

Rhea has over two decades of experience in education across various primary schools, including Takapuna Primary. Her passion for, and expertise in Literacy, particularly writing, has seen her in roles such as Accelerated Literacy Learning Lead, Assessment for Learning Lead, Within School Lead (WSL), and Team Leader.

Currently, she is a homeroom teacher at Takapuna Normal Intermediate School (TNIS), where she also leads the Debate Club and coaches students in FPS Scenario Writing. As a trained  Instructional Designer, Rhea occasionally develops educational materials for publishers.

Rhea’s involvement with the Kāhui Ako began as a WSL in 2014,  focusing on wellbeing. She co-developed a wellbeing progression document and initiatives to enhance student and teacher wellbeing in the inception year of the Community of Learning.

In 2024, Rhea returns as an Across School Lead (ASL) for Literacy within Te Kāhui Ako o Pupuke. As part of her ASL role, she oversees the implementation of a Structured Literacy-based Spelling Programme at TNIS, including developing resources and conducting staff training to improve Literacy outcomes.

Outside of work, Rhea is keen on learning new skills, reading, writing for online platforms, and enjoying quality time with her family and friends.

Link to Portfolios: Literacy Achievement Challenge 2

Devanshi has been a Science, Biology and STEAM teacher at Westlake Girls High School since 2020. During her time at Westlake Girls, she has been in roles leading the STEAM department, leading Junior Science curriculum, mentoring PCT, being in charge of the co-curricular group Westlake Kaitiaki, and has been engaged with the Kāhui Ako as a Within School Lead and now as an Across School Lead. 

Devanshi received a BSc(Hons) in Psychology, where she began to specialise in the perception and detection of braille within the brains of both sighted and visually-impaired readers. She discovered her passion to teach Science to young women shortly after, and has been an enthusiastic model for the pursuit of scientific excellence for the young women at Westlake Girls. 

Devanshi's involvement with the Kāhui Ako began in 2023, with a Within School Lead role that was centered around teacher pedagogy that allows for the effective development of soft skills in junior high school students (years 9-10). As part of her ASL role, she will continue working towards identifying and promoting effective teacher pedagogy to build skills needed by ākonga in the 21st century, including digital literacy, critical thinking and resilience.  

Outside of school, Devanshi enjoys a quiet life with her husband and two cats, filled with lots of books, cooking, baking and walking. 

Link to Portfolios: Achievement Challenge 1: School Leavers, Achievement Challenge 2: Literacy

Kia Ora. Ko Ally tōku ingoa. I am a kaiako at Milford Kindergarten and have taught here for 3 years now. I previously taught at the same Kindergarten in the early 2000’s and have over 20 years teaching experience mainly in Te Raki Pae Whenua (Auckland’s North Shore) and in a variety of roles including as a relieving kaiako, kaiako Reo Māori, kapa haka tutor, Playcentre parent educator and education facilitator. I am passionate about supporting transitions to school for our tamariki and firmly believe that the basis for great transitions lies in strong connections between our ECE/Kindergarten’s and our schools. It is my pleasure to serve as the Early Childhood Education representative for the Pupuke Kāhui ako.

Link to Portfolios: ECE Kāhui Ako Lead, Coherent Pathways, Community Connections