Our Team
City Kids employs a mixed of full-time and part time teachers, a full time cook, a part-time administrator, and night-time cleaners. . It is City Kids policy to employ teachers or people with a suitable qualification that will enhance the Centres curriculum.
City Kids has a policy for professional development and learning which encourages staff to make use of the funding available, courses offered and additional support provided by Early Childhood agencies.
The teaching team's present focus areas are strengthening Te Reo use, leadership and supporting children's social and emotional competence.
City Kids employs a mixed of full-time and part time teachers, a full time cook, a part-time administrator, and night-time cleaners. . It is City Kids policy to employ teachers or people with a suitable qualification that will enhance the Centres curriculum.
City Kids has a policy for professional development and learning which encourages staff to make use of the funding available, courses offered and additional support provided by Early Childhood agencies.
The teaching team's present focus areas are strengthening Te Reo use, leadership and supporting children's social and emotional competence.
Tanti Agustin - Centre Manager
Hails from Indonesia, Tanti did her Industrial Engineering training and worked as an engineer before decided that teaching is her heart. She did her Early Childhood Education training and has been in the industry ever since.
Tanti has been involved in a wide range of early childhood services and primary school in teaching as well as special need roles. She has taught in various schools and centres in Indonesia, Australia, USA, and New Zealand.
Tanti joined the City Kids team in April 2022. Tanti was attracted to City Kids as she believes that the small size community based centre offers the opportunity to focus on high quality and high equity for every learner and member, whether they be child or adult. Outside of work Tanti enjoys traveling, baking, reading, hiking, going for a walk, trying out new food, and spending time with friends and family.
Qualifications:
- Full Teacher Registration
- Current First Aid Certificate
- Bachelor of Education - Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Industrial Engineering - First Class Honours
- NZ Playcentre Association National Certificate – equal to Diploma of Teaching 2018
Hails from Indonesia, Tanti did her Industrial Engineering training and worked as an engineer before decided that teaching is her heart. She did her Early Childhood Education training and has been in the industry ever since.
Tanti has been involved in a wide range of early childhood services and primary school in teaching as well as special need roles. She has taught in various schools and centres in Indonesia, Australia, USA, and New Zealand.
Tanti joined the City Kids team in April 2022. Tanti was attracted to City Kids as she believes that the small size community based centre offers the opportunity to focus on high quality and high equity for every learner and member, whether they be child or adult. Outside of work Tanti enjoys traveling, baking, reading, hiking, going for a walk, trying out new food, and spending time with friends and family.
Qualifications:
- Full Teacher Registration
- Current First Aid Certificate
- Bachelor of Education - Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Industrial Engineering - First Class Honours
- NZ Playcentre Association National Certificate – equal to Diploma of Teaching 2018
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Dierdre Johnstone - Teacher
Dierdre is our Curriculum Leader. She has more than 10 years experience in ECE. Dierdre joined City Kids because she fell in love with our "Be Kind, Be Safe" motto. Dierdre loves messy play and taking our tamariki for field trips. Dierdre is very passionate about all ECE aspects. Dierdre is a mother of three teenagers. On her spare times, Dierdre enjoys baking, reading, and going for a walk. Qualifications: - Full Teacher Registration - Current First Aid Certificate - Te Ahu o te reo Maori, Level 1 |
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Ruth Opperman - Teacher
Born and bred in South Africa Ruth had the opportunity to live on the west coast of Canada for many years before settling in New Zealand. Ruth has a lifelong background in the Arts (Ceramics and Weaving /Raranga). She decided to take a Postgraduate Diploma in ECE at Victoria to follow her passion of working with young children. She is constantly energised and motivated by life through the lens of the young child. Besides the Arts her interests are the Sciences, our environment and nature based education. She is very excited to be working at City Kids and to be part of the team of passionate and like minded teachers. Qualifications: - Full Teacher Registration - Current First Aid Certificate - Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education - Bachelor of Visual Arts |
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Giana Maroon - Teacher
Giana comes to New Zealand all the way from the Philippines in June 2022. She has been loving the new country, getting to know people here, and enjoying the outdoor. Giana really enjoys building strong relationships with children and getting to know them as unique individual learners. Giana is learning all about Aotearoa and has been enjoying her time with tamariki and their whānau. Qualifications - Provisional Teacher Registration - Bachelor of Science in Family Life and Child Development - Current First Aid Certificate |
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Cara Le Phong - Teacher
Cara was born in Bristol and grew up in the country in Somerset. Cara moved to New Zealand in 2003. Cara lives in Petone with her husband, Vuong, two young sons and two older stepdaughters. Cara has a background in Biological sciences and Forest school education. She worked as a swimming coach, outdoor education and water safety instructor for years while travelled around, and came to be interested in the early years through her interactions with young children in the non-structured natural outdoor environment. Cara has always had a big love of the outdoors and physical play, especially outdoor swimming and being in the bush. She has a big interest in the native bush and ways that we can use and adapt the outdoor environment in sustainable ways to facilitate children's learning and love of the outdoor environment. Cara also loves all visual arts, dance, drama, music, puppet shows circus, physical performance. It is an instrumental part of Cara's teaching practice and belief system. She hopes that one day, the Forest school philosophy will be an intrinsic part of New Zealand education. Qualifications: - Fully Registered - Bachelor of Education (Teaching) - Honours - First Aid Certificate |
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Jennie Macneil - Permanent Reliever
Jennie has been relieving with us for so many years. Jennie has a lot of ECE experience. Jennie is our "Magic and Story Telling Kaiako" because she does a lot of magic shows and our tamariki love it! We love having Jennie and she has been a great addition to our team. |
Kathy Shaw - Centre Admin
Kathy is our part time admin support. Kathy is passionate about customer service. Kathy lives in Island Bay. She has two grown up children and two grandchildren.
In her spare time, Kathy loves to go for a walk around the South Coast. She also enjoys spending time with her husband, Bernie, and their 1968 Pontiac Grand Prix.
Kathy is our part time admin support. Kathy is passionate about customer service. Kathy lives in Island Bay. She has two grown up children and two grandchildren.
In her spare time, Kathy loves to go for a walk around the South Coast. She also enjoys spending time with her husband, Bernie, and their 1968 Pontiac Grand Prix.
Eng Lach - Cook
Eng is our Master Chef. She loves preparing and making delicious kai for our tamariki. Eng comes to City Kids because she loves children. She is trying to provide the best and nutritious kai for our tamariki.
Eng is originally from Cambodia. She came to New Zealand since she was a teenager and has called Aotearoa her home. Eng is a mother of three adult daughters.
Eng is our Master Chef. She loves preparing and making delicious kai for our tamariki. Eng comes to City Kids because she loves children. She is trying to provide the best and nutritious kai for our tamariki.
Eng is originally from Cambodia. She came to New Zealand since she was a teenager and has called Aotearoa her home. Eng is a mother of three adult daughters.
If you have any further questions, please contact us on on 04 473 1947, 02040857053 or email us at centre.manager@citykids.org.nz
