Staff – Homai School

Senior Leadership

Christina Patea

Tumuaki - Principal

About Me

Talofa lava

O lo’u igoa o Taulapapa Christina Patea. I am Samoan and my parents are from the villages of Tulaele, Taga, Alamagoto and Fetausi. My husband is Laurie Patea and we have four children, and 1 beautiful grandson Abel Patea who is Ngati Hamoa, Ngati Porou & Tainui.
I have been in education for 25 years and I have spent 15 years serving the beautiful community of Manurewa. I am blessed to be gifted with educating our future leaders.

O le ala o le pule o le tautua, the pathway to leadership is through service.

Soifua ma ia manuia.

E: cpatea@homai.school.nz

Krystal Woodard

Tumuaki Tuarua - Deputy Principal

About Me

Talofa lava, my name is Krystal Woodard and I hail from the Pacific Islands of Samoa. This is my fourth year teaching at Homai Primary School and I’m currently a year 4 teacher. My philosophy of education is that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. It is my desire to create this type of atmosphere where students can meet their full potential. I’m excited for the learning and growth we will encounter this year and I look forward to our learning journey together.

E: kwoodard@homai.school.nz

Aireen AhKui-Patau

Associate Principal / Literacy Leader

About Me

E: aah_kui-patau@homai.school.nz

Te Awaiti Te Aho

Te Moana Nui a Kiwa Team Leader

Akomanga 16 - Te Moana Nui a Kiwa

About Me

Ko Taupiri te maunga
Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Te Kotahitanga te marae
Ko Ngāti Tipa te hapū
Ko Waikato te iwi

Waikato taniwha rau
He piko, he taniwha
He piko, he taniwha

Ko Maunga Taniwha te maunga
Ko Oruru te awa
Ko Mamaru te waka
Ko Te Kauhanga te marae
Ko Te Paatu te hapū
Ko Ngāti Kaahu te iwi

Ngāti Kaahu tokoiti
Ngāti Kaahu manawanui

Ko Te Awaiti Te Aho ahau

E: tteaho@homai.school.nz

Uputaua Muaiava

Tapasā o le Fōlauga Fou Team Leader & Faia'oga (Teacher)

Potu 10

About Me

E: umuaiava@homai.school.nz

Anne Forsyth

Ahuru Team Leader / IT Leader/ Classroom Teacher

Room 5 - Waka Ahuru

About Me

Kia Orana, my name is Anne Forsyth. I am a Cook Islander and my parents are from the island Mangaia. My husband is Peter and we are both educators. I have been in education since 2001, and Homai school is my 4th school. I have spent most of my teaching career serving the community of Clendon. I have previously taught in Glen Innes teaching in the juniors. I look forward to teaching and serving back here in Manurewa.

He aha te mea nui o te ao? What is the most important thing in the world?
He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. It is people, it is people, it is people. (Maori whakatauki)

Kia Orana e Kia Manuia.

E: aforsyth@homai.school.nz

Natasha Tully

Ahukura Team Leader / Math Curriculum Leader / Library Leader

Room 20 - Ahukura: Te Aho o te Pou

About Me

My name is Natasha Tully. I was born in India, Kolkata - The City of Joy. I love to read, cook, craft and browse the internet. Travelling is my passion. My husband and I have been happily married for seventeen years and we have a beautiful daughter. My motivation as a teacher comes from the words of the great Albert Einstein who once said, Education is what remains when one has forgotten what he has learned in school.

E: ntully@homai.school.nz

Melisha Chand

Learning Support Coordinator

LSC / Awhi Coach / Room 20

About Me

Bula Vinaka e te whānau!
Ko Koroyanitu te maunga.
Ko Te Moana nui a Kiwa te moana.
Nō Fiji ahau.
Ko Chand tōku whānau.
Ko Melisha tōku ingoa.
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
Hey! My name is Melisha Chand and I am from the beautiful islands of Fiji.
My guiding principle is this whakatauki: “Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti aroha o tātou mahi” which means, “Let the uniqueness of the child guide our work.”

E: mchand@homai.school.nz

Admin Staff

Shirley Simanu

Funding Liaison

About Me

E: ssimanu@homai.school.nz

Bronwyn Waring

Executive Administrator

About Me

My name Bronwyn Waring and I am Executive Assistant to the Principal and Board of Trustees.
I am married to Wayne and we have two children and two grandchildren.
I have worked in varying admin roles at Homai and always enjoy our Homai students and community.

E: bwaring@homai.school.nz

Margaret Murray

Office Manager

About Me

Ko Taranaki te maunga
Ko Aotea te waka
Ko Waingongoro te awa
Ko Ngāruahine raua ko Ngāti Ruanui oku iwi
No Mātariki oku tipunā
Ko Margaret Murray tõku ingoā

I have been with Homai since 2013 as a Teacher Aide for 5 years. From there I had the opportunity to move into the Reception/Office Administration role. I thoroughly enjoy being in the front line greeting our students/staff and our community each day.

E: mmurray@homai.school.nz

Teaching Staff

Honey Aggarwal

Teacher

Room 1 - Waka Ahuru

About Me

Namastey everyone, My name is Honey Aggarwal. I am originally from India, and have been in NZ since 2015. I have been in the teaching profession for 20 years. This is my second year at Homai School. I am teaching new entrants currently. My philosophy of education aligns with the fact that each child is unique and comes with his own kete (basket) of knowledge. As a kaiako it's our duty to scaffold tamariki and link the existing knowledge with new one. I am excited to be part of your child's learning journey. I look forward to serving at Homai.

E: haggarwal@homai.school.nz

Saleha Faaiza

Teacher

Room 2 - Waka Ahuru

About Me

E: sfaaiza@homai.school.nz

Karen Soutar

Teacher

Room 4 - Reception class - Waka Ahuru

About Me

E: ksoutar@homai.school.nz

Amandeep Virk

Teacher

Room 6 - Waka Ahuru

About Me

E: avirk@homai.school.nz

Meenu Rana

Teacher

Room 7 - Waka Ahuru

About Me

E: mrana@homai.school.nz

Karita Siakisini

Faia'oga (Teacher)

Potu 9 - Tapasā O le Fōlauga Fou (Samoan unit)

About Me

Talofa lava ! My name is Karita - also known as MRS K. I grew up in the beautiful paradise of Samoa. I then traveled to Aotearoa, to support my family back home, and live my life.I’ve been married for 29 years, and three amazing daughters. As a student support teacher the inspiration I have for teaching stems from this passage, “ O AU A MATUA FANAU “ – CHILDRENS ARE THE PRECIOUS OFFSPRING OF PARENTS.

E: ksiakisini@homai.school.nz

Hannah Crichton

Faia'oga (Teacher)

Potu 9 - Tapasā O le Fōlauga Fou (Samoan unit)

About Me

E: hcrichton@homai.school.nz

Joy Lautua

Faia'oga (Teacher)

Potu 11 - Tapasā O le Fōlauga Fou (Samoan unit)

About Me

E: jlautua@homai.school.nz

Tayla Faaofo

Faia'oga (Teacher)

Potu 12 - Tapasā O le Fōlauga Fou (Samoan unit)

About Me

E: tfaaofo@homai.school.nz

Alice Aubry-Kirkwood

Kaiako (Teacher)

Akomanga 14 - Te Moana Nui a Kiwa - Rumaki Reo

About Me

Hawaiki Nui, Hawaiki Roa, Hawaiki Pāmamao
Ka maunu tōku waka i te Moana-Nui-ā-Kiwa
He tai timu, He tai pari, He tai nui
E papaki kau ana ki te Tai-Tama-Tāne
Hokianga-Whakapau-Karakia
Ā, ā Niniwa, ā Ārai-te-uru
Kei reira ka rere te toto o tōku kāwai tāngata,
Arā, te āhuru mōwai o tōku ūkaipō
Ka tangi, ka hotuhotu, kia rātou mā,
Kua whēturangitia ki tua o te ārai
Te kaiārahi whakatere waka ki uta,
Ko te ao, te ao, ko Ao-tea-roa!

I’m into my second year as a teacher in the Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa waka. I’m with one of the two junior classes, teaching year 2-4.

Nōreira, tēnā koutou
Ngā manaakitanga, nā whaea Alice Aubrey-Kirkwood

E: aaubreykirkwood@homai.school.nz

Michaela Taranaki

Kaiako (Teacher)

Akomanga 15 - Te Moana Nui a Kiwa - Rumaki Reo

About Me

Tēnā koutou e te whānau

Ko Maungataniwha te maunga
Ko Te Moho te awa
Ko Mamaru te waka
Ko Te Manawa o Ngāti Tara te wharenui
Ko Parapara te marae
Ko Ngāti Tara te hapu
Ko Ngāti Kahu te iwi
Ko Kahutianui te tupuna
Ko Michaela Taranaki Priestley tōku ingoa

“Whaowhia te kete mātauranga”

E: mtaranaki@homai.school.nz

Jor-el Moutere

Kaiako (Teacher)

Akomanga 18 - Te Moana Nui a Kiwa - Rumaki Reo

About Me

E: jmoutere@homai.school.nz

Emma Herbert

Kaiako (Teacher)

Akomanga 19 - Te Moana Nui a Kiwa - Rumaki Reo

About Me

E: eherbert@homai.school.nz

Leah-Lisa Tauti

Teacher

Room 20 - Waka Ahukura - Te Aho o te Pou

About Me

E: ltauti@homai.school.nz

Akiko Maruno

Teacher

Room 21 - Waka Ahukura - Te Aho o te Pou

About Me

E: amaruno@homai.school.nz

Angela Hydes

Teacher

Room 22 - Waka Ahukura - Te Aho o te Pou

About Me

Kia Ora,

Ko te Atua piringa (the Lord is my refuge)
Ka puta, Ka ora (my salvation, my eternal life)

Ko Wikitoria te maunga e rū nei tōku ngākau.
Ko Waitemata te moana e māhea nei ōku māharahara.
Nō Wēra me Ingarangi ōku tupuna.
Ko Angela tōku ingoa.

Hi, I’m Angela, married to David and mother of 7 children, two dogs, five birds, and a cat. I love working alongside our juniors in the classroom,as well as the sensory, and junk play programs. I’m also studying towards my teaching degree with Waikato University.

E: ahydes@homai.school.nz

Agnes Fa'apoi

Teacher

Room 23 - Ahukura - Te Aho ki Tua

About Me

E: afaapoi@homai.school.nz

Rachel Douglas

Teacher

Room 24 - Ahukura - Te Aho ki Tua

About Me

E: rdouglas@homai.school.nz

Johnny Wallace

Teacher

Room 25 - Ahukura - Te Aho ki Tua

About Me

Kia Ora
Johnny Philip Montgomery Wallace.

Tōku Pepeha Tēnā koutou katoa.

Ko Wallace Tōku ingoa Whānau.
Ko Montgomery Tōku matua.
Ko Cloada Tōku whaea.
Ko Philip aka Johnny Tōku ingoa.
Kia ora, kia mau te aroha, Johnny.

E: jwallace@homai.school.nz

Elfrida Raj

Part Time Release Teacher

About Me

Tēnā koutou Katoa Ko Singapore airlines te waka Ko Naubat Pahad te maunga Ko Musi te awa Ko St. Joseph’s Cathedral te marae Ko Anthony / Raj te iwi Ko Mary Esther tōku māmā Ko Marian Anthony toku pāpā Ko Elfrida Raj toku ingoa No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou, katoa

E: eraj@homai.school.nz

Makere Walker

Classroom Release Teacher (Kaiako)

About Me

E: mwalker@homai.school.nz

Navjot Kaur

Classroom Release Teacher

About Me

E: nkaur@homai.school.nz

Te Wairaka Martin

Study Leave 2026 / Classroom Release Kaiako (Teacher)

Te Moana Nui a Kiwa - Rumaki Reo

About Me

Coming Soon

E: tmartin@homai.school.nz

Support Staff

Stephen Mouatt

Caretaker

About Me

Coming Soon

E: smouatt@homai.school.nz

Clayton Friend

Groundsman (M/T/W)

About Me

Coming Soon

E: cfriend@homai.school.nz

Helan Collings

SST Team Leader

About Me

Coming Soon

E: hcollings@homai.school.nz

Maryalice Goodman

SST

About Me

Hi my name is Maryalice. I've lived in Manurewa for over 36 years. I have 3 grown up children and 1 Granddaughter who attends Homai. I've been part of Homai for a very long time and you could say that I'm part of the furniture. Homai is my second whanau and I love working with the Tamariki and the staff.

E: mgoodman@homai.school.nz

John Ikinepe

SST

About Me

Fakaalofa Lahi atu
Given the name John, from my beautiful Niuean parents.
Work and live in Manurewa, did my Schooling here in Manurewa back in the days.
To see our young people grow and to achieve their goals is a blessing.

Some lyrics of a great song, that I personally believe
“I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be”.
Wrote by Michael Masser and Linda Creed
Sang by Whitney Huston

E: jikinepe@homai.school.nz