Our People

Steve Saville brings extensive experience and expertise to this exciting new role. He has successfully fulfilled a wide range of diverse roles within the educational sector. Most recently he has been Deputy Principal at Alfriston College, a position he has held for eight years and one that has enabled him to develop his knowledge of how to successfully manage growth and change within a new school environment [Alfriston was built twelve years ago]. As a result he has first-hand experience around how to grow a school from its initial stages to the point where it is a fully operational learning institution.

Previous to this Steve was involved in educational research, teacher development and training and developing culturally responsive classrooms with organisations such as University of Waikato [Te Kotahitanga], University of Auckland, TEAM Solutions and Teach First NZ. This has included a stint in advising the teacher training services in the Solomon Islands.

A strong advocate of excellence in all educational fields, Steve has a record of leading change and a commitment to a learner centred approach to education.

Lynda Shanks brings a range of experiences as a Senior Leader, most recently as a Consultant with Cognition Education in the Visible Learning Plus Programme. She has worked extensively with diverse senior leadership teams and teachers across primary- secondary sectors in NZ and internationally leading change through professional development. Prior to joining Cognition Lynda led the Learning Community Portfolio at Alfriston College for five years nurturing a unique Whanau system and home school partnerships with academic and pastoral mentoring.

Her philosophy is based around relationships being at the heart of all learning conversations and the key to successful outcomes for learners and their families with a particular passion for the potential of student voice to inform Teaching and Learning.

Rachel’s most recent position was as Deputy Principal of Western Springs College where she was instrumental in the school successfully obtaining two Teacher Led Innovation Fund grants for innovative professional development work. Prior to Western Springs she enjoyed a long tenure at Massey High School in Auckland’s west. Rachel was also a house dean and teacher at Queen Charlotte College in Picton during her husband‘s posting to RNZAF Base Woodbourne. All three previous schools have allowed Rachel the opportunity to develop a wide-ranging repertoire of skills and interact with diverse and varied groups of students.

Rachel has been involved in driving and supporting various school wide initiatives with a pastoral, student leadership and professional development focus. She is passionate about engaging with students, staff, whanau and community. She holds firm to the belief that learning is for life not just for school. She has been trained in Te Kotahitanga and is conversant in Restorative Practices and Teaching as Inquiry.

Hayden has most recently been working in various roles at Heretaunga College in Upper Hutt just north of Wellington. As Assistant Principal at Heretaunga College he played a big part in helping the school change its senior curriculum from a more traditional model to one that was more contextualised and authentic focused more on student pathways. The use of technology to enhance education is also of particular interest to him.

Hayden’s curriculum experience comes from the Heath and Physical Education area and as a result he highly values student and staff hauora and the use of sport and physical activity in schools. Hayden has recently completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital and Collaborative Learning) by the Mindlab with Unitec which enabled him to look deeper into integrated and project based learning and applying this in his current practice.

Pete brings with him a breadth of curriculum background having previously been a Head of Physics and education lecturer. He has taught in Derbyshire and Leicestershire in the UK, Linwood College, Christchurch College of Education and for the last 6 ½ years at Shirley Boys High School where he has been Head of Maths and Statistics. He has also been a member of Shirley Boys High Schools steering committee, preparing for its rebuild which, like Rolleston College, will follow Modern Learning Environment principles.

Pete’s Masters degree research analysed video and dialogue of students carrying out Physics practical tasks. This was used to deduce the pathways the learners took to construct knowledge. He has also carried out research into cultural responsiveness in Science teaching and Secondary Schooling. He would like to explore the use of virtual spaces and gamification in learning.

Tēna koutou katoa. Ko Ralph te whānau. Nō  Ingarangi āu. Kei Ōtautahi tōku kāinga ināianei. He kaiako āhau nō te kura Horoeka Haemata. Ko Sophie tōku ingoa.

My passion for music and learning has taken me to many places and I have been lucky enough to work alongside and support akonga in their learning journey since 2000. I have been inspired by many teachers to always keep learning, from my time at Westland High School in Hokitika, and as a teacher in London. More recently at Catholic Cathedral College in Christchurch I explored my passion for pastoral care and undertook post-graduate study in this area. I have always valued the reciprocal teaching and learning relationship with akonga and believe that through authentic pastoral care learners can reach for the stars. My vision is to support learners hauora and wellbeing through innovative educational practices. I am pleased to be working alongside a connected, passionate team who have all learners at Rolleston College Horoeka Haemata’s best interests at heart. As a team we will take the lead and set the standard for all others to follow.

He kākano i ruia mai i Rangiātea; The seed shall not be lost.

Nō reira. Tēna koutou katoa.