Tōtara Team

Kia Ora, my name is John Hughes and I am the kaiako in Room 9 to an amazing group of year five and six students. I am in my sixth year of teaching and my second at Woodleigh and love the values, expectations and opportunities it affords students. I have a strong belief in high expectations of effort and perseverance in a safe and structured environment that allows students to learn and grow regardless of success. I believe anything I ask of the students I should be willing to do myself, getting involved alongside students, particularly in sport where I have a passion for physical wellbeing. Outside of school I live with my wife and two children, with the eldest being a student here as well. I enjoy spending as much time as I can with my whānau, going to the gym, movies and video games.

Ko Keely Wisnewski Tōko Ingoa. Teaching is my second career, and I've been at Woodleigh Kura for 8 years. I started in the Kahikatea Team and moved to the Tōtara Team in 2022. I love my job! Outside of school, I live locally with my husband, and our family dog Po. We have two awesome kids. I enjoy family time, gardening, and walks around our beautiful area. In Room 8, I aim to create a positive environment where students feel safe to take risks and learn from mistakes. I enjoy teaching science, sports, and core subjects. I focus on building strong relationships with each student and believe in the Woodleigh Way Values, which guide how I teach and encourage respectful, democratic discussions in class. Parents are always welcome to drop by for a chat.

Ko Natalie Magon tōku ingoa I have been teaching at Woodleigh for 15 years, both in the junior and senior teams. I am currently the lucky kaiako of the students in Room 10, sharing with Mrs Stuck. I am passionate about nurturing and growing the confidence and knowledge of Woodleigh students, and believe strong relationships between students and their teachers and peers creates the best learning environment for growth. My other hat is SENCO (Special Education Needs Coordinator) where I work with students, teachers and outside agencies to ensure all students are safe, happy and healthy at school. When I’m not at school, I enjoy taking my dog for walks, reading and spending time with my teenage children. Ngā mihi nui

Kia ora koutou whanau, My name is Cheryl Hoskin, I have been part of the Woodleigh teaching team for 10 years. I have over 25 years teaching experience across a range of levels and love teaching at Woodleigh because of the caring culture and focus on wellbeing. I am also the teacher that runs the Green Team with Year 4 students. I am a proud Taranaki local with a love of our environment and being outdoors. I have two grown children who also attended Woodleigh. I have a large range of interests including sports and visual art, which has always been a hobby and interest of mine. I like to promote a calm and safe environment within the classroom, where students celebrate their successes, learn from mistakes and are willing to give everything a go. My favourite part of my job is getting to know our students and watch them grow and develop into fabulous human beings.

Kia ora koutou whānau My name is Lisa Stuck and I am the Assistant Principal, Team Leader of the mighty Tōtara team and part of the teaching team for Room 10. Having 23 years of teaching experience across all year levels (1 - 13) I believe a strong grounding in the key areas of literacy and numeracy as well as creating learning programmes that consider our students’ strengths, abilities,language and talents increase student engagement, making learning accessible and meaningful for all. The arts is my passion and is weaved through all areas of my teaching. Having a school that is alive with music and drama creates a sense of belonging, identity and connection. It is the heart of the school. I have two children who attend High School, a husband and many pets. In my spare time you can find me supporting my children on the sideline in their chosen sports, or volunteering at our local community theatre ‘The New Plymouth Repertory Society’. I enjoy getting outdoors and keeping fit. Woodleigh is a special place with special people and it is a privilege to be part of the team. Ngā mihi nui