Meet our new Staff

Thursday, 15th February 2024 at 8:04am

Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua - Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead

Pictured above are (L-R): Ana Pascual-Rodriguez, Richard Kearney, Jun Selwyn, Tracey Derbyshire, Natalie Williamson, Jamie Armstrong, Bee Tankard. (Erika Bellamy and Sharon King were both unavailable for photo - busy with teacher meetings - go figure)!

Ana Pascual-Rodriguez (LANGUAGES / SPANISH) Hola! I have a BA in German and Spanish Philology and have spent most of my teaching life in the UK and in NZ. (I have also worked for American Express and briefly for Visa for a short while). My family has a long association with the Green Bay community, and Green Bay High School so being back here makes it feel like I have come full circle. I love teaching and interacting with young people, which both renews and keeps me up-to-date with their world. No two days are the same, and I am very aware that moods, words and actions can impact students in a positive way. I still keep in contact with some of my previous students which makes me happy, as they still see me as their teacher. I am looking forward to sharing my love of the Spanish language and also my culture to students at Green Bay High School and helping my students to become confident speakers with an understanding and appreciation of thinking and learning. I am also a current learner of languages, studying Korean (with 600 days in Duolingo, so far)! I have a strong interest in Asian culture and languages, and I believe that through learning a new language and seeing my own struggles, helps me to empathise and better support my own students as they embark on their journey to learn Spanish. I look forward to meeting with parents, iwi, teachers, and students throughout the year.

Richard Kearney (VISUAL ARTS / PHOTOGRAPHY) Kia ora, I’ve lived in Auckland my whole life, except for a brief few years in the UK, and I now live in West Auckland with my wife. I’ve got a few years teaching under my belt, having taught in various areas around Auckland, and have been involved in a few other areas within the sector including mentoring for Ako Mātātupu, and completing a Masters of Education. I’m excited to join an impressive Arts department at Green Bay High School, and hope to set up an analog photography club and make use of the awesome dark room facilities. Outside of teaching you might see me at MOTAT where I volunteer in the print shop doing letterpress printing on Sundays.

Jun Selwyn (SOCIAL SCIENCES) Kia ora all, I hope you are well. I live locally in Titirangi, and am a graduate of the local schools in the area, including Green Bay High School; with a background interest in Philosophy. My journey into education was not through teaching, but through coaching a Chinese martial art (Kung Fu / Wushu) where I discovered that I enjoyed sharing my knowledge, techniques, and understanding of the art. This led to my desire to develop my teaching skills, going back to University to obtain my teaching qulaifications - and now find myself happily planning and teaching to a number of junior Social Studies classes.

Tracey Derbyshire (Head of Faculty SOCIAL SCIENCES) Kia ora! I am the new Head of Social Sciences (with Hannah Hopkins currently on Maternity Leave). I have been teaching for over 15 years and have a great passion for the Social Sciences especially for History. I have lived most of my life in West Auckland and am excited to be teaching in the community I call home.

Natalie Williamson (ENGLISH / SOCIAL SCIENCES) Kia ora! After a long association with Green Bay High School I'm excited to be a part of the teaching team for 2024. I have taught for many years next door at Green Bay Primary School, and prior to that at schools across West Auckland. I have a passion for the performing arts and reading, with a particular focus on children's literature. I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge with our ākonga while learning alongside them in my role as both an English and Social Studies teacher. Being at Green Bay High School gives me an opportunity to learn more about our secondary school system, in particular how the curriculum shifts once students leave Primary and Intermediate school. My knowledge of the younger years of schooling allows me to provide a bridge between primary and secondary school. So much of what we do as educators relies on us making positive connections, I look forward to meeting many of you soon!

Jamie Armstrong (HEALTH / PHYSICAL EDUCATION) Kia ora everyone. I am very excited to be teaching in the Health and PE department at Green Bay High School. I am a huge football fan and have the honour (or dishonour) of being a Chelsea FC fan. Although I am a keen footballer, I love participating in all sports. I am a huge proponent of sports and recreational activity not only for the physical aspect, but for the impact that it can have on our overall well-being. I experienced great teachers (and some not-so-great teachers) during my childhood school years. Great teachers taught me the importance of resilience and striving for excellence, and these positive experiences inspired me to become a teacher in the hopes of instilling inspirational values within my students. I always strive to replicate that same dedication and care. Green Bay High School's vision of Te Angitū Ngātahi - Succeeding Together drew my attention to teach here. As someone who highly values relationships and teamwork, this vision was something unique and motivates me to become a great teacher. I am looking forward to getting started!

Bee Tankard (ESOL) Kia ora e te whānau. I've been teaching ESOL for over 20 years, both here in Aotearoa and around the world. I've taught in private language schools, university Foundation Programmes, primary schools and secondary schools. My current focus is to broaden the support we can offer to any student of Green Bay High School who has English as another language, so that our students can succeed in their studies. Outside of school, I love gardening and history. My garden is full of flowers, I'm in the Mt Albert Gardeners Group, and I volunteer for the Fukuoka Friendship Garden. I also volunteer for Alberton House and Mansion House on Kawau Island, and I'm actively researching my whakapapa.

Erika Bellamy (SCIENCES) Kia ora! I am super excited to be joining Green Bay High School as a Science teacher this year. I first came to GBHS as a student teacher in 2023. I guess you could say we had good Chemistry because I just couldn’t wait to come back! I hold an Honours BSc in Biology and have previous experience working with STEM education initiatives that aim to increase science engagement through hands-on and interactive activities. This is an element of education that I am quite interested in and I love to experiment with activities that are both educational and fun for my students. This year, I hope to continue my professional growth as a teacher and build strong bonds with the staff and students of the Green Bay High School community. I am originally from Canada but I came to New Zealand to teach and It has been such an incredible experience so far. I can’t wait for what's next!

Sharon King (MATHEMATICS)