MR DAVID TENNENT

Mr Tennent is our school Principal and has been at St. Mary’s since 2005. Prior to coming to St. Mary’s he has been Principal at three other schools. He grew up in Ngatea on the Hauraki Plains and now lives in Manurewa. When he is not working at school Mr Tennent enjoys walking, fishing, reading and watching his children play sport. One thing you might not know about him is that he is a Rolling Stones fan.

MRS AUDREY KIPPEN - DEPUTY PRINCIPAL / SENCo

Mrs Audrey Kippen was born in sunny Durban, South Africa, with its beautiful coastline and stunning beaches.  She moved to New Zealand with her husband and children in 2001 and worked in Manurewa for a number of years.  Mrs Kippen was also a senior education adviser with the Ministry of Education and recently returned from Doha, Qatar, where she was head of primary at an international school.  Mrs Kippen enjoys cooking, travelling and reading, when not spending time with her family and friends.  

MRS ANNA-MARIE BUCKLEY - ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Mrs Buckley is our Assistant Principal (currently on leave from May 2018) and has been at the school since 2012. Prior to coming to this school she was teaching at another South Auckland school for three years. She grew up in Papakura and attended St. Mary’s as a student. Mrs Buckley enjoys spending time with her family and friends, travelling, reading and running.

 

MRS BERNADETTE PAULSE

Mrs Paulse is a Nazareth Team teacher and our Director of Religious Studies. She taught in Manurewa for a number of years before coming to our school. She grew up in South Africa in a small town where they have the famous Cango Caves and quite a number of ostrich farms. She immigrated with her family to NZ in 1999 and all three of her children attended our school. Mrs Paulse enjoys writing and has published one book, “Seventeen”.

MRS JEANNETTE COBBALD

Mrs Cobbald has been teaching at St. Mary’s for a number of years now and has been Team Leader for Team Bethlehem for most of those years. She is originally from Wanganui and spent her younger years in Kaiaua. She is married and has three grown up children all living close by. She enjoys fishing, reading and completing crosswords and Sudokus out of school hours.

MRS PATRICIA GRIBBLE

Mrs Gribble is the Team Leader of Team Nazareth. She has been at St. Mary's School since 1997 and is a great believer in life-long learning. She has a love of the Arts, Liturgical celebrations, Maths and Literacy. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and working in her garden.

MRS JAY MOODLY

Mrs Moodly teaches in the Nazareth Team.  She enjoys spending time with her family and reading.  

MRS AVERIL HIDDLESTON

Mrs Hiddleston teaches in Team Nazareth.  Mrs Hiddleston joined the staff at St. Mary’s at the beginning of 2012 after moving to Auckland from Queenstown. Originally from Wellington, Mrs Hiddleston enjoys spending time with her husband and four young children, travelling, reading, hiking and running.

MRS KRISHNIE GOVENDER

Mrs Govender is our New Entrant teacher and has been at St. Mary’s since 1997. Originally from South Africa, Mrs Govender enjoys travelling around this lovely country with her husband and reading. She has two grown-up daughters.

MRS BARB LEAMING

I started working as a reliever at St. Mary's 18 months ago.  I worked full time for two terms last year with Year One students.  I loved being given the opportunity to work full-time this year with Year 1/2 students in the Bethlehem Team.

I am a Mum to four adult children and have seven grandchildren.  My interests include walking, catching up with my friends, and of course, my precious family ... always!  I am also a 'crazy' and 'avid' fan of Netball and the All Blacks.  

MRS KERRYN BAKER - ACTING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Mrs Baker is our Acting Assistant Principal (from May 2018).  She is originally from sunny Nelson and often travels back there to see friends and family. She enjoys spending time with her family in the outdoors. 

MRS TANYA ROWE

Mrs Rowe is a teacher in Team Bethlehem and has taught in Catholic schools for over 10 years.  She grew up in South Africa and has happily made a home here with her husband and children.  She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and baking.  

MRS MARY BIRD

Mrs Bird is a teacher in Team Nazareth. She has been at St. Mary’s since 2004. She grew up in India and has been teaching in multicultural and co-educational schools for almost thirty years. She studied and taught at Loreto House before coming to New Zealand. She moved to Papakura in 2008. She enjoys gardening, swimming, singing and social work.

MRS LARAINE WOOD

Mrs Wood is a teacher in Team Jerusalem and has been at this school from 2009. Originally from Napier, she has lived in Weymouth for many years, bringing up her three children there. She enjoys spending weekends away in her converted bus, relaxing, reading and seeing new places, as well as spending time with her grandchildren.

MR JOHN FRINGS

Mr Frings is the Team Leader of Team Jerusalem.  He returns to St. Mary's, having previously taught Year 7 and 8 students from 1999 through to 2007.  He is originally from Hawkes Bay and loves returning to the Bay for family, fishing and surfing.  He is married to Michelle and his sons, Joshua and Luke have both attended St. Mary's.  John enjoys family time at his parents' property at Port Waikato, reading non-fiction books and travel.  

MISS CAROLYN QUINLAN

Miss Quinlan teaches in Team Jerusalem.  

MRS JEAN WHITE

Mrs White is our part time Reading 'Rockets' teacher. She has been working in our school since 2004.  Mrs White is from England.  She lives in Papakura and is a keen walker.

MRS CLARE CULPAN

Mrs Culpan has been teaching part-time at St. Mary's for a number of years.  Her three children are all past pupils of St. Mary's.  She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading and travelling. 

  

MRS HELEN WOODBRIDGE

Mrs Woodbridge is the School Secretary and has held this role since 2003. She grew up in Papatoetoe and moved to Papakura when she married Robert. They have two grown up daughters. Helen has travelled to Scotland on two occasions to visit family. Her interests include gardening, 'fun with flowers', relaxing at the beach and sleeping late!

MRS SARAH PAYNE

Mrs Payne is our Finance Officer.  She makes sure all the bills get paid.  She works in the morning and has been on the staff at St. Mary’s since 2000.

MRS COLLEEN BENSON

Mrs Benson works with children on the Reading Support programme and also works in the office.  She was born in Victoria, Australia where she worked for Telecom, later moving to New Zealand with her kiwi husband. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, trout fishing and travelling.  She cheers for the Silver Ferns, Warriors and the All Blacks if they aren’t playing the Wallabies.

 

MRS LYNETTE HARNETT

Mrs Harnett is a Learning Support Teacher at St. Mary's. Prior to coming to St. Mary's she did secretarial work, then became a full time mum until her last child started school. She grew up and got married in Papatoetoe and now lives in Manurewa.  Mrs Harnett loves travelling, reading and spending time with her family.

 

MRS SHIRLEY MONK

Mrs Monk is a Learning Support Teacher at St. Mary’s and has been employed here since 1997.  She has mainly done ESOL work and working with special needs children. Prior to coming to St Mary’s she worked with her husband in the furniture business in Takanini until her children started school. Now that they have grown up, she enjoys travelling overseas and around New Zealand.

MRS ANNE DEVOY

Mrs Devoy works part time as a Learning Support Teacher. Married to Martin, their four children were second generation pupils of St. Mary's.  In her leisure time she dabbles with art and decorating cakes and enjoys walking and following sport. 

MR KAY MOODLY

Mr Moodly teaches part-time at St. Mary's School.  He has been teaching in New Zealand for 20 years in various year levels.  He enjoys gardening, literature, history and maths.  He is married to Mrs Jay Moodly and they have two adult sons.   

MR MURRAY CARTER

Mr Carter is our Property Manager.  He started with St. Mary's Catholic School in January 2018.  He enjoys fishing, golf and spending quality time with his family, especially his wonderful grandchildren Flynn, Sophie and Zane.