Kia ora tātou,
It is with great pleasure that I introduce myself as Tumuaki Tuarua (Deputy Principal) of Te Kura o Takawaenga o Ngāmotu (Devon Intermediate). Some of you may already know me from my previous role at Spotswood Primary, here in New Plymouth. I worked there for seven years, six of which as a Team Leader. Before that, I taught in both West Auckland and South Auckland, all year levels from Year 2 to Year 8.
I was brought up in the Bombay Hills, South of Auckland, but have lived in Auckland, Colorado, London, Edinburgh and Queenstown. I had an extensive career in hospitality management before going to university to study for a Bachelor of Education specialising in Pasikifa Education.
My husband is from Taranaki and we moved to New Plymouth in 2016 after trying unsuccessfully to buy a home in Auckland. This turned out to be a major blessing as we love the lifestyle here, there’s so much to do!
As I step into this new role at Devon Intermediate, I am enthusiastic about the prospect of working alongside whānau to build a strong home and school partnership so our tamariki can reach their full potential.
Ngā mihi nui
Jenn Thorburn