Kia ora koutou, my name is Craig Pentecost. I have been a Principal for 8 years. I started as the new Principal of Omokoroa No.1 School at the beginning of Term 1, 2018.

The opportunity to make a positive difference to the lives of the students, staff, caregivers and the wider community at Omokoroa No.1 School excites me as an educational leader. I am a strong believer that by maintaining effective relationships, creating positive attitudes, and promoting community synergy, learning can be maximised across our learning community.

I am an experienced educator with 25 years at Omokoroa No.1 School, teaching all levels.  I moved to the senior syndicate, senior management team and recently transitioned to Leader of Learning including the SENCo role. 

I am dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of children, creating inclusive programs for all.  I have seen many school changes, supported my two daughters through the school and onto successful University and workforce journeys. This diverse experience has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the learning needs, abilities of children of various ages and stages, ensuring every child thrives.

Hi, my name is Melanie Sloan. I have joined Omokoroa No.1 School after 10 years of teaching in Auckland. I grew up in the Bay, so it is nice to be back! I teach a Year 2 class and am the Junior Team Leader. I am passionate about creating a rich, and engaging learning environment for our tamariki. I hope to equip students with a strong foundation in literacy and maths, kindness towards others, and a passion to learn. In my spare time I love to bake, read and head outdoors for a bike ride.

Hi my name is Becks Walls and I feel privileged to work in the junior school at Omokoroa No1 School.
I believe children learn best when they are in an inclusive, safe, supportive and positive learning environment. I strive to create a classroom culture where students’ are motivated to learn through engaging innovative learning  experiences, while catering to their individual social, cultural and academic needs.
Outside of school I enjoy brief gym visits and spending as much time as possible with my husband and family at the beach.

I have been very lucky to teach at Omokoroa No.1 School for over 20 years. In this time I have taught from New Entrants to Year 3. I was given the opportunity to be the Reading Recovery Teacher for three years and I really enjoyed working in the one-to-one situation. I am now back in a Year 2 class with an enthusiastic group of children who are keen to learn. I enjoy teaching all areas of the curriculum but my particular loves are reading, art and I.C.T.

Hello, my name is Charlotte St George. I have been very lucky to be part of Omokoroa No 1 School, as a parent of my four boys and a relief teacher over the past five years.

I have taught in the Waikato, Tauranga, Rotorua and England over the past 20+ years from Year 1 to Year 6.   I am very excited to be part of the Junior school this year teaching New Entrants in Room 15. 

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.

Hello, my name is Jane Haden. Making children curious learners is my main aim. I believe they must develop a passion for life and learning. I take pride in the fact that I can be a part of their journey and hope that the children take a little something that can contribute to a successful and happy life.

I started teaching because I love working with children. I love the interesting ideas and energy they bring to class. I am the third generation of teachers in my family. I started teaching intermediate children, then, took a few years off travelling the world. Eventually I came to Omokoroa No.1 School. I have two children who both went to this fabulous school. I feel very privileged to be part of a very professional and talented staff. 

After teaching many levels throughout the school, I am very excited to be back with a group of enthusiastic junior learners. I endeavour to build positive relationships with each child to enable them to be happy, confident, pro-active and risk taking learners. Primary school is a wonderful time for children to develop not only a passion for life-long learning but a strong sense of self and a respect for others that they need to take into the world.

Kia Ora,
My name is Sarah Jane Little.  I am committed to helping all the children in my class build a solid foundation in reading, writing and maths.  We get there through shared experiences, collaborative tasks, independent work, games, laughter and inquiry.   The arts, science and social studies are my favourite areas to teach where curiosity and exploration are front and centre. I promote honesty, kindness and integrity in my classroom.

I am the Year 5 and 6 Team Leader and have taught at Omokoroa No 1 at various levels for more than 20 years. I am passionate about teaching and learning and always look forward to the challenges and rewards teaching brings every day. I enjoy the close knit, supportive community of students, parents and staff. While I enjoy teaching all subjects, I particularly enjoy teaching Mathematics, Literacy and Social Science. In my free time I enjoy spending time with family, reading and biking the trails on my e bike.

I enjoy teaching at Omokoroa No.1 School because it is a fabulous school to work in, with great students, families and staff.  My favourite subjects are Art and English. I love art because I can see how creative the students can be, and reading because there are lots of great novels to study. The great thing about teaching the Year 8’s, is as it is their last year of school, they get to go to interesting camps and do a lot of exciting activities. Every term is always different and challenging. 

It is a privilege to teach in the Year 7 and 8 team at Omokoroa No.1 School.  My goal is to prepare our Year 7 and 8 students for success in college and in life.  I am also the School Sports Coordinator and I am passionate about ensuring sport and exercise play an integral role in our student’s lives.  Outside of school, I like to pursue my passions in sport, surfing, cooking, and travel.

Each teacher from Year 1 to Year 6 has a classroom release entitlement, and during this time each class comes to the Multi Media Room, where throughout the year the children work together on a range of performing arts.  I am also the choir trainer for our school choir. The school has performed for the last five years at either the Kids 4 Kids or the Tauranga Music Festival and are now a regular feature at the end of year prize giving concert.

I have worked as a teacher in Primary Education for the last 15 years across all year levels. I am passionate about Sports and EOTC (Education Outside The Classroom), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) and Literacy. Next year I will be the Specialist Sports coordinator, STEM teacher, EOTC leader, class teacher for one day a week in Room 2/3, and provide learning extension support for Year 5-8 students.

I am looking forward to learning from the staff at Omokoroa School and getting to know the students and members of the wider community. My wife Kellie grew up in Welcome Bay, Tauranga and is very much looking forward to being closer to her family and the beach (she has been trying for 10 years!). We have 3 children: Connor (9 years), Elise (7 years) and Max (5 years); who will be attending Omokoroa No.1 School.

My hobbies include trail running, swimming, spending time outdoors and reading.