School Board

Richard Winder

Principal

Richard is currently the principal of the Northern Health School and he has a background in primary education and a Masters degree in Education Administration.

He has a strong interest in learning, pedagogy and building the capacity of teachers. To this end he has presented locally and internationally in the area of education for students with chronic illness. He is currently secretary of HELP, an Australasian association for educators, parents and other professionals working in this area and part of the team responsible for the Continuity in Education Journal.

John Huston

Presiding Member

A graduate from the Victoria University of Wellington and teacher trained in Auckland, John has taught in secondary schools in Taranaki, the Kāpiti Coast, Auckland, Horowhenua, and Porirua City. He held middle management positions in three schools and in two schools was deputy principal. A teacher of history, John has been a chief examiner for the School Certificate history examination, a moderator for Tonga’s School Certificate history examination, and the recipient of a Fulbright Educational and Cultural Grant to the USA in history teaching and assessment.

John has been involved with school boards since the inception of ‘Tomorrow Schools’ in 1989. Before his ministerial appointment to the Northern Health School board, John was previously an elected parent representative on the board of his children’s primary school and a ministerial appointee to the boards of the Ōtaki Health Camp School and the Central Regional Health School.

Alongside his involvement with education, John has led a New Zealand aid initiative assisting a small NGO in India to install drinking quality water wells for poor rural communities. For this he was awarded a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship.

Joanne Walker

Deputy Presiding Member

Joanne has worked in a variety of roles in schools across New Zealand, including teaching (primary & secondary); itinerant teacher of deaf children; psychologist; lecturer; Professional Learning and Development facilitator (Inclusive Practice, Learning Support); Head of Initial Teacher Education, UNITEC. In addition, she has been Project Director for five specialist teacher education programmes and National Director of the Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) programme. Her research involves senior leaders, teachers, students and their families across a range of educational settings (urban & rural, early childhood, primary, secondary, special & mainstream schools).

Joanne has a positive and practical inquiry approach, working alongside schools to help them understand the ways in which their current school systems and classroom practices can be strengthened to improve the engagement and achievement of all students, especially those with additional needs.

She is currently working as a critical friend for two Ministry of Education funded Teacher-led Innovation Fund (TLIF) projects and is the schools’ facilitator and researcher for six Auckland schools for the Better Start Literacy Approach project.

Susan Willis-Baker

Susan has held senior management roles in education, health and finance. She has served on several Social profit Boards, including ten years with A’oga Fa’a Samoa. She is a founding Director of a community Early Learning Centre licensed for 130 children in South Auckland.  In her previous roles as General Manager for two Private Tertiary Establishments, Susan oversaw community programmes such as Alternative Education and educational initiatives in Youth Justice.

Susan is dedicated to the well-being of children and families and strongly focuses on supporting targeted learners. In addition to her passion for education, she has mentored young professionals. She is genuinely interested in leading change for the benefit of the community, having also completed postgraduate studies in Leading Change for Good.

Rachael Tuwhangai

Rachael is a descendant of the Tainui Waka and of Ngāti Maniapoto. She is Co-Director of MAPSS (Māori and Pasifika Support Services) which focuses on the intersection between indigenous people’s and improving social outcomes. She is a former academic of the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education; Education Manager of the Auckland South Corrections Facility, and a former Secondary School Teacher.

Rachael’s recent governance experience includes the Boards of Education New Zealand, The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), Manukau Institute of Technology, Voyce: Whakarongo mai, Variety Children’s Charity, Man Alive Charitable Trust, Auckland Community Law Centre and COMET Auckland.

Hannah Terstappen

Staff Representative