Tawa School Board

Presiding Member / Chairperson's Welcome

Kia ora and welcome to Tawa School.

We are so pleased you have chosen Tawa School as part of your child/ren's journey. It’s important that you, your Tamariki and your whānau feel welcome and safe in our school community.

We are fortunate to have a dedicated and motivated principal and talented staff who care deeply about the children in our school. We have a team of passionate people who aim to cater to each child’s individual needs, supporting them to reach their full potential both during their time at Tawa School and in the future.

Connection and an effective ongoing partnership between the Ministry of Education, the Board, our Principal, staff, our Tamariki, their parents, caregivers and families, and the wider Tawa community are critical for the success of our school.

At Tawa School, we believe the education of our Tamariki is a partnership between home and school. We welcome parents and actively encourage them to participate in their children’s learning. 

Your contribution in terms of time, skills and parent donations are more than just a bonus to the school – they are critical for day to day running and a key ingredient in the delivery of high-quality education to your child/ren. We welcome you to let our team know of any way you would like to contribute to our school community.

We look forward to meeting you and your child/ren and establishing a positive, enjoyable and mutually rewarding relationship with you and your whanau.

The Tawa School Board is an elected group of individuals responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to the school.

Tatyana Protsenko

Presiding Member / Chairperson

Tawa School Board 

bot@tawa.school.nz

Kia ora, my name is Danielle Calder. My partner and I have lived in the wider Wellington region for many years, but we made the decision to move to Tawa three years ago because of the fantastic educational opportunities it provided. Our son Reuben is at Tawa School, and he has thrived here. In our spare time, you’ll find our whānau reading lots of books (we’re all bookworms), playing with our three cats, listening to music, doing art, getting outside to kick balls and bounce on the trampoline, baking lots of delicious things, playing laser tag, and planning for our favourite holiday – Halloween! I have a long-standing interest in our country’s education system, and passionately believe that a quality education is the most important gift you can give a child. Every child in Aotearoa should have the opportunity to learn and develop in a safe, nurturing environment, so they can go on to be leaders and change-makers. Tawa School delivers this in spades to our tamariki. I bring a valuable perspective to the Tawa School Board. I am a young, queer parent, with experience working with disabled and rainbow communities. One of Tawa School’s best assets is its diversity, and I love its commitment to providing all children with a high-quality, bicultural education. Our tamariki are so lucky to have such passionate, creative, and caring teachers and school staff!

It is a great opportunity to be part of the Tawa School Board. My family and I have lived in Tawa for six years and really enjoy the community and school. We currently have two children at Tawa School and my partner Joanna and I enjoy the community networks we have created through school connections and through involvement in sports clubs. I am an art curator and film programmer, and run a charitable trust called CIRCUIT Moving Artist Moving Image I established in 2012. I have set up governance structures from scratch and understand the roles of a board. One of the things that drew us to Tawa School was it's cultural diversity and inclusivity. This appreciation of diversity is also reflected in my vocational role where I manage relationships with artists, communities and organisations across both Aotearoa and internationally. Here, we manage Māori, Pasifika and LGBTQ+ representation. I find the cultural values of indigenous communities very inspiring with the emphasis on whenua and whānau.

It’s a privilege to be part of the Tawa School Board of Trustees. I have lived in Tawa for the best part of 30 years, other than brief stints living around the Motu. I attended Linden Primary School, Tawa Intermediate and then on to Tawa College. Our son Darcy is at Tawa school, and we have two more preschool boys  to follow after him in the next five years. I also have two older children, 21 and 18, who have been through local schools and are now living and working locally. I look enjoy having the opportunity to contribute as a member of the Tawa community and a parent of a child at Tawa School. I spent nearly 13 years in the New Zealand Police and spent considerable time working in the local community. I’m currently very active with Tawa Rugby Football Club, managing teams with the senior club and coaching a junior rippa rugby team, as well as being a junior club Committee member.  I have a strong background in public service, currently working for Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment as the Head of the Labour Inspectorate. Before that I held senior roles at WorkSafe New Zealand the regulator for workplace health and safety, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Charities Commission. The opportunity to contribute at board level with Tawa School is something I thoroughly enjoy and embrace. My wife and I could not be happier with our choice to choose Tawa School for Darcy and his brothers. 

Hello everyone, my name is Briar Cuming and I am a very proud parent representive on the board of trustees.  I am Mum to Bonnie and Flynn. Two wonderfully spirited children who have been at Tawa school for 2 and 4 years respectively.  We have resided in the Tawa community since 2013 and very much enjoy how diverse and family friendly it is.  During my day to day I work as a business development manager for Bidfresh. I also am a host mum to international students from Wellington Girls College.  Please feel free to come and chat at any school event or school pick up. I look forward to meeting you 😊

Information to come.

Information to come.