2010 was my first year at Greenmeadows School having previously taught at Puketapu School for two and a half years. Prior to that I taught in Prague in the Czech Republic at a Christian International School. Travelling around Europe and living in Prague for a year was an amazing experience for my wife Ange and myself. Before my Overseas Experience, I taught at Greenpark School in Tauranga and this was my first teaching position.

Since starting at GMS, I have been so impressed by the enthusiasm of the children here. They are eager to learn and take any opportunities presented to them. I love organising lunchtime sport for the children here and often get up to 70 eager sportspeople playing a variety of sports with me on our ideal sports field.

Kia ora. My name is Shona Millner and I have been teaching at Greenmeadows School since 2008. Prior to that I spent 10 years at Nelson Park and 10 years at Eskdale. I have taught all age groups and I love them all. I’m currently teaching reading recovery and another reading programme called Quick 60. I also love taking music and you will find me most lunchtimes working with Kapa Haka, ukulele or choir.
My husband and I have 3 grown up children, one of whom is a teacher so it runs in the blood! I enjoy reading, music, cycling, cooking and walking. I also really enjoy my job and I have had lots and lots of fun teaching over the last 30 odd years.

I loved my primary school days in Ruatoria and this fuelled my desire to be a teacher. I trained at Waikato University and this was followed by teaching positions in Taihape, Gisborne, Ohaupo and Tolaga Bay. Amongst my years of New Zealand experience I lived in London twice and taught the majority of the time in a great multicultural school. My holidays were spent travelling extensively, exploring all those places I’d seen in books as a child. The travel bug had definitely bitten and four years down the track in New Zealand, my Eastern European adventure began.
In July 2008, I returned to New Zealand after two and a half years working at an international school in Sofia, Bulgaria. I enjoyed this fantastic opportunity and challenge. Learning a new alphabet and language was a necessity. My Bulgarian was often understood better than English with a New Zealand accent!
It is great to be living and working in such a beautiful part of New Zealand. We really are very fortunate.
I am enjoying being a short trip away from family and teaching at a fantastic school, with a great team of people and fabulous children.
I enjoy catching up with friends and family, reading, writing and doing mosaics for the garden.

Hi, I am Ceirwyn (Ker-o-win) Ware and I live on a lifestyle block in Puketapu with my two children.

Prior to coming to Greenmeadows I had 7 years teaching experience in various Auckland schools and I also spent some time teaching in the UK. I have taught mainly in the middle and senior areas of the school and I really enjoy teaching this age.

I was thrilled to join the Greenmeadows team in May 2012. The quality of the staff at the school is fantastic and very inspiring. I have found the students enthusiastic and and wider community welcoming and friendly.

I am an avid reader particularly enjoy teaching music and science.

I believe that education is a team effort involving student, teacher and parents and really encourage the communication between home and school to assist this.

I began my teaching career in 1984 and have worked at all Primary levels, from a large intermediate school to a small sole-charge school. I joined the Greenmeadows team in 2003 and love working in this environment. I have seen many changes in my time here. Recently our Junior Syndicate has developed Investigative Play as part of our curriculum. I am a firm believer in this teaching pedagogy and enjoy seeing the children engage and grow in confidence while learning in a fun and collaborative way. The children’s learning becomes personalised, based on their interests incorporating literacy and numeracy skills as well as problem solving. In my spare time I enjoy cycling, gardening, craft sewing, reading lots of books, catching up with family and friends.

Kia ora
My name is Monique Cowie and I am married to Garth and have three adult children and two grand children. I have been teaching for 15 years and five of these were in Invercargill and the rest here in Greenmeadows. I have taught children fom New Entrants to Year 4 and have enjoyed all levels.

I have a deep interest in understanding children with learning difficulties and have attended courses in Autism to help me become a better teacher and understand what these children are feeling and how I can help them enjoy school and gain success.

My favourite subjects are Art, Reading, Writing and Maths. During my time at GMS I have developed an enthusiasm and creative passion for 'The Wearable Arts'.

I have a high expectation for the children in my classes despite the differences in levels of children’s abilities.

I believe teaching is a shared partnership with parent’s, caregivers and guardians and I enjoy sharing in the growth and development of their child.

Like the children in my class I am prepared to learn new skills and set high standards for myself and classroom. When children leave my class they will have gained both knowledge and skills for life.

Yours in Education
Monique Cowie

I’ve been teaching part time at Greenmeadows School as a classroom release teacher since 2008. I work in all classes in Pohutukawa and Totara Syndicates. I feel fortunate to be able to work with our children regularly as they progress from years 3 through to 6.

Teaching art is one of my passions and I love helping children to develop skills and to express themselves creatively.

My favourite whakatauki is ‘Mai i te urupa, tatou ako tonu ai’ – From the cradle to the grave, we are forever learning. I aim to encourage and support a love of learning in the children I teach and learn alongside.

I am loving my time here at GMS teaching year 4 children. I have taught children from year 0 right up to year 6 in Napier, Christchurch, South Canterbury and even Australia.
I have a 10 year old son who also comes to GMS.
My main interests at school are teaching writing and art and I have also started up a new specialist Jump Jam group.
My out-of-school interests are walking, biking, reading and spending time with my family.
I'm looking forward to getting to know more and more children and their families during my time here at GMS.

My name is Paula Kinsey I am married to Damion and am a mother of two very active and lovely boys, Jared and Nathan.
I love teaching and enjoy the challenges of motivating children to be the best they can be. Watching a student have that "light bulb" moment is a truly rewarding experience.
I am passionate about reading, mathematics and science.

I have been teaching at Greenmeadows School since 2015 and I love it. It is a pleasure to work with such great students and staff. Watching children learn and grow is incredibly rewarding and that's why I love what I do.

The stunning Hawkes Bay is where I have lived for most of my life. It is the perfect place for my husband Vaughan and I to bring up our beautiful daughter Zoe. In my spare time I love playing netball, reading, and I enjoy cooking and baking.

I started here at this amazing school at the beginning of Term 3 2015. I have been teaching for 13 years and travelled around the world. I have lived and taught in England and India. My passion is teaching and learning! I love the outdoors and all sports!! I am enthusiastic, fun and a superb motivator!!

Kia ora. My name is Anna Murphy. I run the Transition to School programme at Greenmeadows School so work with our newest learners as they start their journey from pre-school to Greenmeadows School. I am also a classroom teacher in our New Entrant room. I love my job and sharing the wonder of learning with children and am especially passionate about learning through play.
I am married to James and we have two daughters, Amelia and Lucia. I enjoy spending time with my family, cycling, running and crafting.

Hi, my name is Chris Sullivan. I'm really happy to be teaching at Greenmeadows School. I am from Hawkes Bay and am happy to have moved back home after working abroad. My passion is teaching and I love being able to share what I know with students to motivate them in whatever direction they wish to go. I am enthusiastic about music and enjoy teaching guitar and ukulele to the kids. In my spare time, I like to go out fishing and hunting and like spending time in the outdoors. I think Greenmeadows is a fantastic school because it's the kind of place that children learn important core values that will shape the kind of people they become in later life.
Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti arahia o tatou mahi

let the uniqueness of the children guide our work

Nga Mihi,

In 2019 I was privileged to join the amazing Greenmeadows School teaching staff. In previous years I have taught in the Junior School and in Early Childhood, in Wellington, the Wairarapa and Napier. I absolutely love my job and working alongside whānau to nurture, grow and teach our ākonga.
I enjoy keeping active, spending time in or on the ocean and having camping adventures with my husband and three wonderful daughters.

In 2020, I was fortunate enough to re-join the crew at Greenmeadows School, having begun here as a beginning teacher back in 2014. During my absence, I had the opportunity to work at a couple of schools around the Hawke’s Bay area - both in the private and state sector. However, I am extremely grateful to be back here at Greenmeadows School. It is a very special place, with an amazing staff, awesome students and a very supportive and caring community. Having trained both as a primary and secondary school teacher, I have had the opportunity to teach children from new entrant right up to Year 13.

My wife and I currently reside in Greenmeadows with our three beautiful daughters. I am very passionate about sport, particularly football and futsal, and have been fortunate enough in my sporting endeavours to play locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. I also have a strong passion for music and performing arts and hope to be able to share both of these passions with the students and the wider school community.

Kia Ora, My name is Mahia Isherwood. 2021 is my first year teaching at Greenmeadows SchooI and I am teaching in the Kowhai Syndicate with a Year 2 class full of awesome kids. Teaching is something that I love, and find it hugely rewarding to watch children grow and flourish throughout their learning journey. I am looking forward to my time at GMS as I already feel very much part of the school, and wider community.

I am passionate about sports, especially basketball and enjoy keeping active and going on adventures with my family. I also enjoy visual arts - both teaching visual art and creating my own.

Kia Ora! I am really excited to have the opportunity to return to my former primary school and teach in the fabulous community that is Greenmeadows Primary School. I enjoy teaching writing, mathematics, and getting outside with students to learn new games and P.E skills.
I have worked in several local schools and prior to that spent a majority of my teaching career at a primary school in Timaru.
I have a preschooler at home who is nearly ready for school who keeps me busy a lot of the time!
I have played Badminton in, and for Hawkes Bay, for a number of years and also enjoy participating in CrossFit.
I look forward to working with the Greenmeadows School Community and love teaching and learning.