Our Team
City Kids has a policy for professional development and learning which encourages staff to make use of the courses available 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 has a policy for professional development and learning which encourages staff to make use of the courses available 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
Hailing from Indonesia, Tanti completed her Industrial Engineering degree and worked as an engineer before decided that teaching is her heart. She completed 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 schools in Teaching and Special Needs 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 and was attracted to City Kids as she believes the 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 work, Tanti enjoys traveling, baking, reading, hiking, walking, 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
Hailing from Indonesia, Tanti completed her Industrial Engineering degree and worked as an engineer before decided that teaching is her heart. She completed 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 schools in Teaching and Special Needs 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 and was attracted to City Kids as she believes the 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 work, Tanti enjoys traveling, baking, reading, hiking, walking, 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
Dierdre Johnstone - Teacher
Dierdre is our Curriculum Leader. She has more than 10 years' experience in ECE and has worked in many different child education centres. Dierdre joined City Kids because she fell in love with our "Be Kind, Be Safe" motto and brought her wealth of experience to share with us. Dierdre loves getting the children into messy play, setting up tactile learning activities and letting children experience things that might be a bit too messy for home. She loves planning, organising and taking our children for offsite field trips to places like the local park (our kids call it Rolly Polly Park), the Thorndon Fire Station, Ambulance Station, nearby native bush areas, other preschools and bus rides to libraries. Dierdre is very passionate about all ECE aspects. Dierdre is the mother of three teenagers and in her spare time enjoys baking, reading, walking and music. Qualifications: - Full Teacher Registration - Bachelor of Education - Primary - Current First Aid Certificate - Te Ahu o te reo Maori, Level 1 |
Ruth Opperman - Teacher
Born and bred in South Africa, Ruth lived on the west coast of Canada for many years before finally settling in New Zealand. Ruth has a lifelong background in the Arts (Ceramics and Weaving /Raranga). She decided to complete Postgraduate Diploma in ECE to follow her passion of working with young children. Ruth is constantly energised and motivated by life through the lens of a young child. Ruth loves to create challenges for the children to work through that require team work, promote communication and grow their minds. Besides the Arts her interests include science, our environment and nature-based education. She is very excited to be working at City Kids and to be working with a 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 |
Giana Maroon - Teacher
Giana began with City Kids in mid-2023 and has quickly established fantastic, fun and trusting relationships with the children that make drop offs nice and easy. She works with children throughout the centre, whether that is helping them dig in the sandpit, cut their drawings out of paper or playing pretend kitchens. Giana moved to New Zealand from the Philippines in June 2022 and has been loving her time here, getting to know the people and enjoying the kiwi outdoors. She really enjoys building relationships and getting to know each child as a unique individual learner. 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 |
Cara Le Phong - Teacher
Cara was born in Bristol, England and grew up in the country in Somerset. She moved to New Zealand in 2003 and lives in Petone with her husband, 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 travelling and came to be interested in the early years of children through her interactions with children in the non-structured natural outdoor environment. She has always had a big love of the outdoors and physical play, especially outdoor swimming and being in the bush. Cara 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. She also loves visual arts, dance, drama, music, puppet shows circus, physical performance. Qualifications: - Full Teacher Registration - Bachelor of Education (Teaching) - Honours - First Aid Certificate |
Emma Gordon - Centre Administrator
Emma is our part-time Centre Administrator. She joined City Kids because she liked the City Kids kaupapa and wanted to use her experience helping run her local Playcentre to start a new career.
Emma is from the top of the North Island and has Ngāti Kahu and Ngā Puhi whakapapa. She has been learning Te Reo and about Te Ao Māori and loves to share her learning.
In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, working in her garden, foraging mushrooms, making preserves, and being in the great outdoors.
Emma has two primary school aged children and is looking forward to getting to know our community.
Qualifications:
- BSocSci with Psychology and Biology (Hons)
- Playcentre Educator Award
Hei tērā wiki!
Nā Emma
Emma is our part-time Centre Administrator. She joined City Kids because she liked the City Kids kaupapa and wanted to use her experience helping run her local Playcentre to start a new career.
Emma is from the top of the North Island and has Ngāti Kahu and Ngā Puhi whakapapa. She has been learning Te Reo and about Te Ao Māori and loves to share her learning.
In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, working in her garden, foraging mushrooms, making preserves, and being in the great outdoors.
Emma has two primary school aged children and is looking forward to getting to know our community.
Qualifications:
- BSocSci with Psychology and Biology (Hons)
- Playcentre Educator Award
Hei tērā wiki!
Nā Emma
Eng Lach - Centre Cook
Originally from Cambodia, Eng is our Master Chef. She loves preparing and making delicious, nutritious food for our children. Eng loves working with and providing for children. She works with a national nutrition advisory to create different menus each week, planning food requirements for everyone, including specific food allergies.
Eng is the mother of three adult daughters and loves to celebrate Asian culture with the children. She often decorates the centre to celebrate days of significance and teaches the children about the different aspects of culture.
Originally from Cambodia, Eng is our Master Chef. She loves preparing and making delicious, nutritious food for our children. Eng loves working with and providing for children. She works with a national nutrition advisory to create different menus each week, planning food requirements for everyone, including specific food allergies.
Eng is the mother of three adult daughters and loves to celebrate Asian culture with the children. She often decorates the centre to celebrate days of significance and teaches the children about the different aspects of culture.
If you have any further questions, please contact us on on 04 473 1947, 0277489237 or email us at centre.manager@citykids.org.nz