Teaching Staff
Rowena Schuster
BA (English and Education)
Mathematics and Music Teacher
A passionate and creative teacher, Rowena loves working with students and being a part of their learning and growing. She has been actively involved in training learners of all ages for over twenty years. Rowena seeks to engage students to take ownership of their learning and believes that building quality relationships with students and their families is an essential part of the learning and growing process.
Joshua Hansen
M.Ed (Master of Teaching and Learning), BA (History, Politics, and Classics).
Social Studies Teacher.
Recently graduating from the University of Otago, Joshua is entering the profession with ambitious ideas of what education could be. With new and innovative ideas, Joshua seeks to expand the perspective of students while still maintaining and supportive and fun environment. Having studied the humanities at university, Joshua felt the call to education as a way to pass on his excitement and passion for those subjects. Hailing from across the South Island, Joshua is excited at the possibilities that teaching in Auckland will bring.
Stephanie Ray
BFA Dip Tchg
Art and Technology Teacher
Stephanie believes students should gain the richest experience they can from school, through stimulating Visual Arts and Design Technology programmes that facilitate creativity and provoke imagination. Steph has worked as an art tutor and currently runs a flourishing artistic practice. Stephanie taught at Mt Hobson Middle School for over four years until moving to SAMS for the start of the 2017 academic year.
Natashia Reddy
BSc
Science and Mathematics Teacher
Natashia is a passionate and experienced teacher who has previously taught Science at a High School in Samoa for more than 8 years. She speaks fluent English and Native Samoan and brings a wealth of Pasifika knowledge to SAMS. Natashia is a working mum of five who has a love of all children and enjoys assisting them in reaching their full potential.
Eseta Apineru
BCom, Grad Dip Tchg (Secondary)
Mathematics Teacher
I am an experienced accountant with a lot of passion in teaching and a mother of four children. I am Samoan and I bring in my culture to effectively support Pasifika students and develop strong relationships with their families.
I have been part of SAMS support staff/teacher aide for the past three years. I am glad to re-join SAMS after taking a year off to do my Graduate Diploma of Teaching year in Victoria University. I realise that teaching is the only profession that creates all other professions. I believe that every child deserves a champion, an adult that would never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they possibly can.
Majoring in Business studies from the University of La Trobe in Melbourne Australia, I focus on building positive working relationships with all my students and achieve this by making classroom content relatable.
Jamaliette Tuiletufuga
GradDipTchg(Sec)BA (Drama, dance)
English Teacher/Drama Teacher
I believe that students are rich in talent that can be of great service to not only themselves, but also others. I believe that learners are multifaceted and therefore it is my hope that I can help guide them to find their own unique pathways of learning that work for them. I am passionate about student experience as well as student learning outcomes. I am excited to work alongside students who are keen to get involved in exploring their potential as lifelong learners.
Allan Young
BFA, PG Dip Tchg
Art and Technology Teacher
Allan has a strong career background, combined with a genuine passion for student learning, development and achievement. Living in South Auckland, he graduated from Elam School of Fine Arts and was in the design industry before going into teaching. He has been teaching Art, Design and Technology for eleven years at secondary schools and was the Teacher In Charge of the Junior Course in past schools and the HOD of Art in a South Auckland School before joining SAMS.
Natalia Young
Advcd Trade Cert Engineering, GDip Tchg (Secondary), PGDipSpecTchg
Technology Teacher
Teaching and learning are driving forces for Natalia. Encouraging students towards excelling and achieving their absolute best is what continues to keep her excited about teaching. Natalia was the first woman in Australasia to qualify as an Engineers Pattern-maker for the metal casting and plastics industry. After four years teaching Technology in secondary schools, she became a Dean and in 2005 Technology HOF at Mount Albert Grammar School. Since 2003 Natalia has been actively involved in Curriculum Assessment at a National level for Technology. She is interested in pastoral care of the whole student body.
Shalini Chandra
BEd.GDip Tchg (Secondary)
English Teacher
I am passionate about teaching and learning English and have been a teacher for over 20 years now. I believe that students bring a wealth of knowledge and skills from their culture into the classroom, and it is my aspiration to guide them to reach their individual goals. I come from the beautiful islands of Fiji where I taught English for 10 years before coming to New Zealand to continue my teaching journey at various schools. As a mother of two school aged children, I believe that learning is an ongoing part of life
June Kirk
(Gr Dip Tchg Secondary, NCALNE, MA TESOL, BA – English, Sociology)
June has a sound knowledge of the NZ Curriculum and a strong background in literacy and numeracy education and English Language and Learning Support. She understands the importance of the holistic well-being of students and the impact positive relationships and engagement have on a young person's attitude to learning. She enjoys being part of the whole process that helps a young person learn, work towards and experience success.