Hi my name is Patrice and I am married to Brian and have two children, Emma who currently attends Morrinsville College and Alla who is at Morrinsville Intermediate.

We live in Morrinsville and I work in Hamilton for Fonterra as the director of Global Business Services, which provides Finance, HR and some Procurement Services to Fonterra globally from Hamilton and also more recently Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

I was co-opted onto the Morrinsville Intermediate Board of Trustees before being elected in 2016 and I was previously Chairperson of the David Street Board of Trustees for 6 years. I enjoy being able to utilise my business skills for the benefit of the school, and find it is a great way to know more about what is happening at school.

Morrinsville Intermediate is a great school and I look forward to a continued involvement with the school over the coming years.

Nga mihi nui kia koutou katoa Greetings to you all

Kia ora my name is Teresa Higham and I am honoured to represent the Morrinsville community and stand as a Parent Representative on the Morrinsville Intermediate School Board of Trustees.

I am of Maori descent, affiliated to both Tainui and Ngapuhi tribes. I am married to Stephen and we have four children - Kingston, Mackenzie, Sterling and Dawson.

Family is everything and has a strong core value in our busy household. I hope, with your support, that I will be part of a team of like-minded parents and community members to promote our school’s vision ‘Kia U Ki Te Pai’ and guide our students into proud, successful, young adults.

Noha ora mai

Stay well.

Hello, my name is Jo Keogh and I am married to Paul. We have two children who attend Morrinsville Intermediate and David Street School.

I have worked in education for over 20 years and am passionate about student achievement and helping children develop skills for lifelong learning. I am excited about the positive direction that our intermediate is heading in and I am looking forward to contributing to the culture of the school over the coming years.

Hi, my name if Elaine (Lainey) Makeham. I am married to Todd and we have two children, Ruby attends high school and Max is a student at Morrinsville Intermediate.

I work full time with the ANZ bank in Commercial and Agri banking. I have worked in the Banking industry for 28 years and feel this experience compliments a position on our school board.

Over the last three years I have been also been a member of our MI Mates Committee. This is a well run committee which benefits our school funding.

Previously, I was a member of the David Street School Board for 3 years. I have enjoyed the challenges and input I have been able to provide the school. Being on the Board of Trustees also have given me a great opportunity to be involved in the school and our children’s education.

I am a can do person who is always willing to lend a hand. I am passionate about success and helping all of our children move forward with their education, be that academically, culturally, in sports or any other area that will help them grow. By providing direction and the right tools for the teaching team and the school, we can create a great environment for the future of our children to continue helping and improving what is already a strong and well performing school.

Hi, my name is Jocelyn Mitchell. I am married to Louis, who is a co-owner of an electrical business in Morrinsville and we have four school-aged children.
I am a primary trained teacher and I currently teach at David Street School in year 5 & 6.

I am excited to be on the BOT and look forward to representing our school and community.

Kia ora, my name is Rodney Lamb, I have recently been co-opted onto the Morrinsville Intermediate Board of Trustees and I am looking forward to serving our local community.

I was born in Hamilton and moved to Morrinsville 7 years ago. I have a background in professional catering, 12 years working in dairy laboratories and more recently began working as a self-employed landscaper which is my passion.

I am married to Kate and have two daughters Abby and Rebecca. I enjoy all sports, coaching and helping develop kid’s skills.

I look forward to getting to know more families within our school community and chatting with you soon.

Ngā mihi nui kia koutou katoa - warmest greetings to everyone!

I was born and raised, as one of six children, in Taihape; ‘gumboot capital of NZ’. Since then, having lived, raised two children, and taught in Morrinsville for close to 20 years, I now regard Morrinsville as my home, and feel I can call myself a local! Morrinsville certainly is a vibrant and wonderful community, and I am very proud to be a part of it.

My husband and I have two wonderfully spirited teenage children who enjoy various aspects of the performing arts and sport, and we have both been involved in coaching or management roles in their chosen codes. I thrive on the benefits of daily fresh air and exercise, and enjoy catching up with friends and extended family wherever possible.

Joining the team at Morrinsville Intermediate in 2017 is a bit like a homecoming, having taught at this fabulous school for six years at the beginning of the new millennium! For the past seven years I have been teaching at David Street School and prior to this I was at Kiwitahi School. Returning to Morrinsville Intermediate is very exciting as I relish the unique relationships that can be developed with precious emerging adolescents.

My passion is in ensuring our youth discover their individual strengths, talents, and personal voice. With self discovery comes self belief; the key to success. Everyone has something valuable to offer and when these strengths and talents are drawn out and combined with the strengths and talents of others, it’s empowering to see what can be achieved.‘Together everyone achieves more’ (TEAM).

Morrinsville Intermediate School’s motto “Kia U Ki Te Pai – Whatever you do let it be your best” encompasses a key message for us all. I feel privileged to work in a school that strives for excellence and truly believes in ‘all’ of its learners, both young and old! I feel honoured to be part of it!

I look forward to getting to know you all!

Kia Ora koutou

It is my privilege to have been appointed Principal of Morrinsville Intermediate School from 2016. I bring with me a raft of experience working with emerging adolescents, having worked as Assistant Principal of Tauranga Intermediate from 2013 – 2015 and Assistant Principal at Matamata Intermediate for 15 years. I was also very fortunate to have been Principal at Kuranui School, a small rural school south of Matamata for seven years.

I was born in Te Aroha but lived much of my life in the Tirau and Matamata districts. Growing up on a dairy farm, I feel like coming to Morrinsville is a return to my roots and I relish the opportunity to become part of the wider community.

I have two adult children, Kylie and Ryan, who live in London and Melbourne respectively. I am proud of my children and look forward to visiting and holidaying with them whenever possible. I enjoy travelling and two of my highlights include visiting the Great Wall of China, as well as the Empire State Building in New York. I love sports and look forward to watching our students compete in various codes throughout the year.

Learning is life-long. I am passionate about providing opportunities for students to explore and achieve to the best of their ability so that they have a range of choices in life, both at school and beyond. I strongly encourage students to have a vision for their future and aim high - ‘to achieve you have to believe’. I want all our students to have confidence in their ability and be prepared to put in the effort required to achieve their goals and dreams. We have a very dedicated staff at Morrinsville Intermediate School and look forward to working with you, in partnership, to ensure the best possible outcomes for our students: “Kia U Ki Te Pai – Whatever you do let it be your best”.

Please feel welcome to visit our school at any time. I look forward to meeting you all and wish you a fantastic year ahead.

Kind regards

Jenny Clark