Just Kidz Flat Bush Centre

Wei Luo (Max)

Franchisee – (Centre Owner)

Ni Hao (你好) and Kia Ora Whanau

I am the centre owner, and I am originally from Shanghai. New Zealand has been my home for over 6 years, and I live with my wife and two children. I am very happy to have an amazing team to support me in running my centre. I believe we have a friendly, vibrant centre environment that provides quality care and learning for children.

Michelle Dawson

Centre Manager

Kia Ora,

I have trained and worked in the early childhood education sector for over 30 years, including owning and managing my own centre. I have a Diploma in Teaching ECE and am a fully registered teacher. I am passionate about building strong relationships with children, whānau/family and staff. I am committed to ensuring Just Kidz Flat Bush is an inclusive, fun and loving learning environment where tamariki/ children can grow to their potential.

Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti arahia ō tātou māhi | Let the uniqueness of children guide our work.

Sharon Pope

Management Support

Kia ora, I was born and raised in Tauwhare, Waikato, and I am currently living out at Waiuku.

I work part-time to support management; this work is mainly done from home.

I love to share my knowledge and inspire colleagues with the teaching knowledge I have gained from 37 years of working in ECE.

I believe Just Kidz has a warm, welcoming environment that invites people in, and from this, we endeavour to build strong relationships with our families/ whanau so they feel they belong here and trust their tamariki to our care!

When I am not here, you might find me in my garden, at the beach, reading, walking my dog, or hanging out with family and friends.

Aroha

Steph Lee

Assistant Manager

Kia Ora Parents/Whanau

Kia ora, I am a fully registered teacher with 17 years of experience working with all ages. I have 3 wonderful children that I adore and cherish.

My passion is working alongside children, watching them grow and learn throughout their time at Just Kidz. I enjoy messy play and love to be outdoors exploring the environment.

I look forward to welcoming all new enrolments and building connections with whānau.

Faatupu Fetalaiga

Head Teacher

Talofa lava. I have 18 years of teaching experience in the preschool setting, and I enjoy utilising the skills and tools I’ve gained in implementing a quality programme for young children.

I am open-minded, friendly, energetic, and mature & have a responsible approach to children's learning and development.

I possess an excellent ability to motivate children and team members combined, with the ability to communicate comfortably at all levels, therefore ensuring an excellent learning environment for all to perform at their best. I also bring skills in art to the team and build relationships with parents and staff.

Paris

Hiringa Teacher

Kiaora whanau

Ko Ngongotaha te maunga

Ko Parawai, Ko Tarukenga ngā marae

Ko Te Arawa toku iwi

Ko Ngati Tura, Ngati Te Ngakau me Ngati Rangiwewehi oku hapu

No Rotorua ahau

Ko Peter Pene toku pāpā

Ko Deidre Tata toku māmā

Ko Paris Pene-Tata toku ingoa

Tena koutou katoa.

Hello Whanau and Friends,

I have been working at Just Kidz, Flat Bush, for the last three years, and I have gained a lot of knowledge from my team and management. I enjoy every day getting to know our tamariki. I have recently completed my Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) and look forward to helping tamariki develop in all areas.

Samantha Calder

Hiringa Teacher

Kia Ora! I was born in New Zealand and attended local schools. I have recently completed my Bachelor's teaching ECE. I am very happy to be given the opportunity to encourage and support children to reach their milestones, and I look forward to starting my mentoring programme as a newly registered teacher. We are a great team, and I feel very proud and lucky to be part of such a cool group of teachers. I look forward to getting to know each child and their whanau. I believe every child is unique and deserves the very best care and education I can give them.

Mimi Poon

Hiringa Teacher

Kia Ora whānau.

I have been a qualified registered ECE teacher for over 10 years. I'm a mum of an active boy who keeps me on my toes, along with two fur babies.

I enjoy working with children and supporting them in their journey through their early years. I believe their curiosity guides and leads their learning through a natural process of problem-solving, developing strong relationships, social skills, language, and imagination, bringing out their confidence.

Sajeshni Kumar

Head Teacher Rangahau

Ni Sa Bula and hello to all. I am Sajeshni Kumar, but everyone calls me Jessie. I come from the beautiful Islands of Fiji, which is known to have the friendliest people and this characteristic is also reflected in my personality. I attained a graduate diploma in early childhood Education from the University of Auckland in 2014. I have also been a primary school teacher back in my country.

I am married and have two high school boys. I strongly believe that the heart of teaching is relationship and respect. I have always seen myself as a learner, and the concept of “Ako” is very important to me.

I love to be part of Just Kidz whanau and am looking forward to a wonderful teaching and learning journey.

He waka eke noa

We are all in this together

Neha Sharan

Rangahau Teacher

I’m originally from the Fiji Islands and have lived in beautiful and multicultural New Zealand for 6 years.

I love working with such a great team at Just Kidz and all the amazing children we have in our centre. Every child is unique in their own way. At Just Kidz, we welcome and embrace families of all different backgrounds. It is indeed a great honour that I can be on this journey with you and care for our future stars.

I have already completed my level 3 certificate in childcare and am currently studying towards an ECE teaching degree.

Rosa Laufutu

Rangahau Teacher

Talofa lava,

I have been working as an Early Childhood Teacher for almost eight years now. I have always enjoyed working with young children, and I have a passion for working with them. I really enjoy having a strong, positive, warm relationship with all our tamariki and whanau. Teaching in early childhood gives me the opportunity to grow in knowledge and make new discoveries through exploration.

Billy Wu

Rangahau Teacher

Ni Hao (你好)! Hello, parents/whanau!

I am Zhihang but feel free to call me Billy. I am originally from China and moved to the breathtaking country of Aotearoa, New Zealand, at the age of 19. In 2020, I attained my graduate diploma in early childhood education from NZTC, officially becoming a qualified registered teacher. However, my journey in ECE began back in 2018.

Working with children from infancy to preschool age brings me immense joy. Witnessing their growth and learning during their early years is incredibly rewarding. My creativity and passion for an active lifestyle find their way into my approach to early childhood teaching. In my early childhood education practice, I strive to create environments that are not only inviting and fun but also ignite a sense of wonder and curiosity, fostering a love for lifelong learning. I understand that each child is unique, and I am committed to tailoring my teaching to meet their individual needs and interests.

Saruchi

Koru Teacher

Kia Ora, Kumusta

Namaste, I have been working with children for almost 7 years. I have earned a PGDBA from AIS, New Zealand, a Masters in Commerce and a Bachelor of Education from India. I am from Karnal, India and for more than 2 years, I have been in Auckland, New Zealand. I am a mother of 2 children, one 5-year-old boy and a 6-month-old girl. Being a prep. teacher is my true passion. I love to promote self-help skills and empower children to believe in themselves. I work with children in varying situations, including large groups and small groups, as well as individually. I believe that every child is unique in his/her own way, so we must take care at an early childhood stage to encourage, teach and guide them towards becoming a responsible person as they learn important skills for life learning. I am highly privileged to be a part of Just Kidz.

Robyn Russell

Koru Teacher

Hi, my name is Robyn, and I am very excited to be joining the families of Just Kidz Flatbush. My husband, Richard, and I moved out to New Zealand from South Africa with our two older daughters in 2000. We then had another little girl, Emily, who still lives at home with us. I enjoy spending my spare time watching Emily play netball, chilling at home, going for walks and caring for all our animals. Initially qualified as a physiotherapist, I then pursued a career in ECE and completed my ECE graduate diploma at The University of Auckland. I have 12 years of experience working in ECE. My main passion is working with the youngest people in our community, and I feel blessed when given the opportunity to get to know these precious little people, helping to care for them in their home away from home and working together with their families/ whanau to help these babies reach their full potential in life.

Fraya Horan

Koru Teacher

Kia ora, hello, I'm looking forward to getting to know you and your children. I have been in ECE for 8 years and have loved all the different learning opportunities I have received. I'm looking forward to supporting and encouraging your children throughout their learning journey and creating fun-filled memories along the way.

Lauren Feng

Koru Teacher

Hi everyone, I grew up in China and have lived in New Zealand since 2013. I am currently studying for a Bachelor of Teaching in Early Childhood Education, and I am excited to become a registered teacher next year. I have worked in Early Childhood centres since 2016 and gained experience in all age groups.

I enjoy doing creative art and exploring the outside area with tamariki, and I am looking forward to learning and growing with our tamariki and whanau in this new journey!

Danni Blackwell

Koru Teacher

Hello,

I have just finished school and have joined Just Kidz to cover a maternity leave.

I have a passion for working with children. I feel lucky to have joined a passionate, friendly team that will support and guide me on my journey.

Esther Taumalefau

Maternity Leave

Talofa lava, everyone,

I am Samoan, and I was born and raised here in Aotearoa, New Zealand. I am a proud mother of 2 children, who are my motivation to strive for the best. Working with children has always been my passion, to be able to provide the opportunity to support a child's social and emotional development in their early years.

My journey in early childhood started in 2018; I completed a level 4 certificate in Early childhood education at Manukau Institute of Technology. I completed my diploma level 5 in 2019 and will continue on with my Bachelor's degree to become a qualified and registered teacher.

I am greatly honoured to be a part of the just Kidz team.

Miranda Beattie

Cook

Kia Ora

I am the cook for Just Kidz Flat Bush. I previously worked in ECE for 10 years before leaving to have a family of three, now 18, 16, and 12 years old. For the past 9 years, I have taught at and managed a local gymnastics centre. I am really enjoying my role here and love teaching the children about food and watching them develop cooking and conversation skills.