Teaching Staff
Rowena Schuster
BA (English and Education)
English 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.
Deanne Kathagen
BSocSc, Post Graduate Diploma (Secondary)
Social Studies and Music Teacher
Deanne's passion and energy is a great addition to South Auckland Middle School. She has a wide range of experience, in both teaching and producing musical theatre productions, and has been involved in various roles at a number of schools.
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.
Renee Ryan
BSW, Grad Dip Tchg (Secondary)
Social Studies Teacher
An experienced teacher and mother of two teenage children, Renee recognises the importance of seeing students as individuals and of recognising and harnessing their diversity. Renee believes that as a teacher she must nurture and encourage a love of learning to assist students in realizing their potential and steer and assist them as they grow into well-informed adults. Renee joins us at SAMS following an eight year posting at Howick College.
Mark Tahere
B.E. Tchg
Mathematics and Science Teacher
Mark has a passion for working with young people and brings a wealth of 'hands on' experience to his role having managed boarding hostels for Auckland Grammar students and those attending Auckland University. That combined with his busy home life with three teenage sons has prepared him well for working with our Year 7-10 students at South Auckland Middle School! In his spare time Mark enjoys sport and music.
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.
Seema Mudaliar
DipTchg (Secondary)
Science Teacher
Seema is a student centered teacher. She believes that students learn best from their mistakes. Majoring in Biological Science from the University of Auckland, Seema has a scope of knowledge and ideas that she works into her lessons. Seema focuses on building positive working relationships with all her students and achieves this by making classroom content relatable.
Karen Middlebrook
BA (Literature)
English Teacher
Originally from Bradford in the North of England, Karen moved to New Zealand in 2008 having completed a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As the mother of two school age children, and a passionate believer in the transformative power of education, she is particularly excited by the opportunity to support young people in their learning journey. Having entered the teaching profession through the Ako Mātātupu: Teach First NZ programme, Karen is working towards a Master of Teaching and Education Leadership.
Jessica Norton
B.Ed, GradDipTchg (Secondary)
English Teacher
I have been teaching English for over ten years and love the challenge of making it fun. I have a Bachelor of Education (Teaching) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary). I feel that building relationships with students is key to engaging students. I have spent most of my teaching in the South Auckland area and love the students and the people
Emily Vincent
BA (English Literature, History), GradDipTchg (Secondary)
English Teacher
Emily is a passionate and innovative teacher. Majoring in English Literature and History from Victoria University of Wellington, Emily consistently strives to create a diverse and engaging learning environment for her students. With a strong dedication to teaching and a growth mindset, Emily makes every effort to instill confidence and resilience in her students.