Board of Trustees

Mark Graham

Chairperson

Mark has been re-elected to the Board for a second term, and has been elected Chair of the Board.  Mark brings to the board an expertise in relationship management, innovation, risk management, process engineering, operational management, accountability frameworks, quality assurance, change management and strategy.

"Being a trustee member is a great opportunity to contribute positively towards our community, to support the teachers and staff and contribute to the future of the school. I want to help our children have the best possible education.  I am passionate about the value of education and strongly believe in transparency and teacher-parents partnership in achieving great outcomes for our children. I am also a strong advocate for growing our children socially and teaching independence and responsibility."

Shaun Burney

Parent Representative

Shaun is a newly elected Trustee.  He brings expertise in many areas to the Board, including strong experience in the financial sector.

"Having relocated to Tauranga in 2013 with my job at BNZ, my wife Kiri, and our three children (Kaia, Ollie and Ariana) have settled into the Otumoetai area.  Having worked for BNZ in the Business area for many years, I bring strong financial acumen and leadership skills to trustee role  I am able to apply those skills in a practical way in my role as a new Board Member in 2016.  I believe that the school plays a fundamental role in a strong community, and I look forward to contributing to this in my involvement as a Trustee."

Aaron Joe

Parent Representative

Aaron is a returning trustee, having already served for a year on the Board.  Aaron brings to the Board a first hand understanding of the education sector, along with knowledge in commercial property and finance.

Kia Ora, my name is Aaron Joe and I have been a member of the BOT since August 2015.  I have two children at school, and I am involved in sports coaching within the school.  I believe that being a BOT member allows me to take an active role in my children's education and enables me to further serve our school and community.  As a Year 6 teacher at Omokoroa No.1 School, I have first hand knowledge and understanding of the importance of student learning and achievement, and I consider this an important asset to help the BOT make decisions around the governance and educational outcomes at the school.  Prior to teaching I worked in the commercial property and finance sector and I can use this knowledge to help me oversee and make decisions about the school's finances.  It has taken time to get up to speed with the ins and outs of being a BOT member and I consider I am now in an excellent position to be a truly effective board member over the next three years."

Nina Le Lievre

Parent Representative

Nina is a newly elected Trustee.  She brings expertise in many areas to the Board, and having worked with boards in the commercial sector, Nina appreciates the importance of good governance in supporting management, managing risk and strategic decision making.

"I have two children at Otumoetai Primary School and consider it a privilege to have been elected to the Board of Trustees.  I am looking forward to working with the other trustees to support the Principal and teachers, and help our children thrive.  With a background in Investment Banking and more recently as Manager of Enterprise Angels in the angel investment industry, I bring a range of skills including compliance, management and financial."

Heath Paintin

Parent Representative

Heath is a returning trustee, having already served for a year on the Board.  Heath brings to the Board an ability to view subjects from a logical and broad perspective.  He is heavily involved in his childrens' sports, and serves on two other community committees.  He currently works for a Hamilton based company, Industrial Site Services which contracts their services to Waihi Gold Mine Company.

"I am married with three children, Alexa, Ashton and Eli.  My wife, Monique, is a long time member of the OPS PTA.  I have a strong background in mechanical and structural engineering, and have a good understanding of today's technology and computing.  I like to be involved with as many activities as I can at OPS ranging from school camps to sports trips and school discos.  Outside of school I am involved with two sports committees, and I also coach Rugby and Athletics.  I am proud of what the Board has achieved to date, and look forward to serving the school for another term to keep enhancing the education offered by our school.”

Rachel Walker

Parent Representative

Rachel is a newly elected parent representative on the Board of Trustees. Rachel is married with a 6 year old daughter at OPS. She has been a Police Officer for the past 18 years, with 16 years working in the Tauranga area. As a Community Constable for 5 years it is this experience that she brings to Otumoetai Primary School and the local community.

"I am looking forward to enhancing the already positive relationship that the BOT and OPS have within their community.  Good quality education is vital to improving not just an individual but also the society we live in.  I look forward to being part of a team which provides a diverse, encouraging and safe environment for our children to learn in."

Geoff Opie

Principal

Marcus Hughes

Staff Rep

Felicity Balmer

Board Secretary

Felicity brings a strong skill base to this position through 15+ years executive assistant experience within the global financial services and horticultural industries.

 “Having our eldest child at OPS has presented the opportunity to gain insight into the school’s operations, community reputation and the way it conducts its business, all of which I am very proud to be a part of.  I look forward to my involvement with the Board in supporting the members in their role as Trustees as they continue to enhance student learning”.