Meet our team
Michelle Bishop | Centre Manager / Curriculum Leader
(Bachelor of Education, Full Teacher Registration, ECE First Aid Certificate)
Kia ora my name is Michelle Bishop, I am a fully certified teacher and have a Bachelor of education. I was born in New Zealand and have lived in Auckland most of my life. I have worked in Early childhood Education in a variety of roles since graduating from the University of Auckland. I have a passion for working with the New Zealand Early childhood Curriculum and supporting teachers with ongoing professional development, research and learning.
My practice is guided by the philosophies and principles of the Reggio Emilia philosophy and the research and work done by Dr Emmi Pikler and Magada Gerber. These philosophies are centered on developing reciprocal relationships between child, parents and teachers that are respectful. I believe that respectful relationships are at the centre of children’s learning.
Both of these philosophies align well with Te Whariki our New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum which also strongly influences my teaching practice. Te Whariki embraces our unique bicultural heritage in New Zealand and encompasses four main principles, Relationships, Family and community, empowerment and Holistic development. I believe that children are active participants in their learning and that an environment that works in partnership with family and whanau and the wider community, helps us all learn about the diverse cultures and values that are in Aotearoa New Zealand.
I aspire to be a teacher who inspires children to pose questions and be curious about the world they live in and develop a passion for learning.
Gayani Samarasekera | Teacher, Team Leader
(Bachelor of Education Teaching, Full Teacher Registration, ECE First Aid Certificate)
I am Gayani Samarasekera, mother of two children who enjoyed being at a local playcentre alongside both of my children. That was the turning point of my life here in New Zealand. My passion for teaching started after my children left to school, since then I worked in the New Zealand early childhood sector for more than 20 years.
Even though I was a trained teacher in Sri Lanka I prefer the freedom young children have here to engage in learning while they are playing.
I am blessed to engage in play with children and teach and learn alongside them and support children to develop skills required to become competent and confident life-long learners.
Rolinda D’Souza | Teacher
(Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education), Full Teacher Registration, Degree of Bachelor of Arts, ECE First Aid Certificate)
My name is Rolinda D’Souza and I’ve had the privilege of being a part of the Remuera Baptist Kindergarten since 2011. I am from Mumbai, India, where I was a Primary School teacher and Sunday School teacher. I came to New Zealand to settle down with my husband in 2006. I have a beautiful daughter who taught me how important the early years are, and the positive lifelong impact it has on the holistic growth and development. I was a stay-at-home mum for the first few years and I enjoyed watching my daughter grow and glow during her early years. I feel fortunate to teach in this kindergarten which upholds Christian values. Teaching is definitely my passion, not only do I love to teach, but I find joy in seeing children becoming competent and confident learners. ‘A child is a treasure, to be nurtured, to grow, to flourish’, (Te Whariki Early Childhood Curriculum, 2017). My strengths are teaching about respect, relationships, kindness and sharing.
And finally, when I am not at the kindergarten... I enjoy going for long walks, swimming, reading and spending time with my family.
Gracie Wu | Team Leader
(Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education and ECE First Aid Certified)
Kia ora! 你好(Ni hao)! My name is Gracie. I’m a the Team Lader teacher in the Kowhai Room. I moved from China to New Zealand 5 years ago with my husband and my daughter. I had been relieving in ECE centres since 2017
With my background in Psychology, I realized the first five years can have a vital impact on a person’s learning and development. So I started a new journey of studying ECE and graduated in 2021 to become a registered teacher. It’s a great honour to be a member of Remuera Baptist Kindergarten. I am looking forward to learning with the children and supporting them to grow great humans.
Dawn Herber | Operations Manager
(BSC Hons Environmental Science)
Kia ora, my name is Dawn.
Winnie Wong | Administrator
(Diploma of Secretarial Studies, Australia)
Hi, my name is Winnie. I moved to New Zealand over 30 years ago and have two adult daughters.
My background is in Office and Accounts Administration. I have been working in both schools and Tertiary Education.
I enjoy working in this environment with young children, getting to know their families and providing quality service to the local community.
Sophia Huang | Teacher
(Graduate Diploma in Teaching Early Childhood Education and ECE First Aid Certified)
Kia Ora! My name is Sophia Huang. I am a teacher in the Kowhai Room and a mother of two young children. My family moved to New Zealand in 2020 and I joined the team in 2023.
I believe that every child is a precious gift from God. As a kaiako, I embrace the responsibility of supporting children to explore their unique talents through love and respect. It’s my privilege to be part of the team at Remuera Baptist Kindergarten. I look forward to fostering collaborative connections with tāmariki and whanau within our learning community.
Rachel Baird | Teacher
(Bachelor of Education Primary and ECE First Aid Certified)
Kia ora whanau,It is such a blessing to be working at this lovely Kindy.
I have been teaching for over 20 years, starting in the UK where I trained as a Primary School teacher. My teaching time there was quite short lived as I emigrated to NZ in 1994 and began my teaching career in Auckland. I taught Primary until 2020 and then began my ECE experiences, realising how much I loved working with younger children.
I grew up in Scotland, trained in Wales and then moved to NZ , where I met my husband. I have 2 beautiful children, Daniel -19 and Lauren -17.I believe that all children are unique and special. It is our job as teachers to nurture their special qualities and support them to develop a love of learning, so they can become life-long learners.I am so excited to get to know your beautiful children.
Frances Maia | Teacher
(Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education and ECE First Aid Certified)
Kia ora, my name is Frances.
Sharina Huiyan |Teacher
(Bachelor Of Education (Early Childhood Teaching) Full Teacher Registration, ECE First Aid Certificate)
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Jennifer Wu | Reliever Teacher
(Graduate Diploma in ECE, Full Teacher Registration, Bachelor of Music, ECE First Aid Certificate)
My family immigrated to New Zealand in 1990 from Taiwan, I'm married with two beautiful daughters. I joined the team at Remuera Baptist Kindergarten in March 2011 after spending 4 years at an all-day childcare centre. I believe in quality care and respectful practices. I believe each child is a gift from God and through respectful relationships, love and support they will grow uniquely in their own way.
I also have a passion for music and enjoys teaching children new songs, especially Christian songs.
I aim to provide children with a safe, fun, stimulating environment in which they feel safe to express themselves and to discover who they are.
