Management & Office Staff
Sue Coyle
Principal
Sue has been the principal at Piopio Primary since 2021. She enjoys spending time with the tamariki and whānau and takes every opportunity to visit classrooms to see the wonderful teaching and learning happening there. Sue has an open-door policy, so if you need a word or have a question, please pop in and see her.
Maki Edkins
Office Manager
Affectionately known as Whaea Maki to our tamariki. Maki started at Piopio Primary in 2023 . Her role means she wears lots of different hats throughout the day - one minute she's answering the phones, the next paying invoices, or creating the newsletter. She's also the first port of call for any playground scrapes, bumps and bruises. Maki enjoys her job and loves watching our children grow.
Senior School
Whaea Linda
Deputy Principal/ Room 5
Ko Mauao me Maungapōhatu ngā Maunga. Ko Tākitimu me Mataatua ngā waka. Ko Tauranga te Moana. Ko Ōhinemataroa te awa. Ko Ngāti Ranginui me Ngāti Awa ngā Iwi. Ko Ngai Tamarawaho me Mahurehure ngā Hapu. Ko Huria me Te Rewarewa ngā Marae. Ko Linda Parata ahau
Linda has been at Piopio Primary School since 2012 where she has moved through different areas of the school from Junior, Middle and Senior levels of teaching. Linda currently teaches Year 5-6 students.
Linda is the Team Leader for the Middle and Senior School. Her responsibilities also include PB4L (Positive Behaviour 4 Learning) Team Leader, Te Reo Māori Lead Teacher, Performing Arts Coordinator and Health & Physical Education Coordinator.
Fiona Merrie
Room 7
Fiona joined Piopio Primary n 2024. She has been teaching since 2005 and has taught a range of diverse learners, both in and outside of New Zealand.
Fiona is in Green House and is in charge of lost property and fundraising for our charitable events. She is very excited to be teaching the amazing students in Room 7 and hopes to meet more of our school community as the year progresses.
Ruth Stokes
Room 6
Ruth has been at Piopio Primary since the beginning of her teaching career, which began at the start of 2022. She teaches all the wonderful tamariki in Room 6 . She is also involved in organising our cross country and orienteering sporting events, as well as our annual calf club.
Daniel Southam
Room 4
Daniel joined Piopio Primary at the start of 2024 after moving from the rural Hunua region. He comes from an education and mental health background and graduated from Auckland University. He's involved with organising the cross country and is in the Red House
Junior School
Kim Bailey
Team Leader / Room 1
Kim is our Junior School Team leader as well as part of the school Leadership Team. She joined Piopio Primary in 2016 teaching new entrants and now teaches Year 1. Kim is the teacher rep on the Board, NZEI rep and is responsible for Junior Literacy and the Arts curriculum as well as Indoor Calf Club and Co-lead Swimming sports.
Coral Bryant
Room 2
Coral started at Piopio Primary as a teacher aide in 2013, before beginning her teaching degree in 2018. Coral became permanent in 2022 and teaches year 2. She is on the STEAM team. Coral's other responsibilities include Digital Technologies, Maths, Social Science, athletics organisation, Outdoor Calf Club and she is a teacher in the Red House.
Tisharne Sicely
Room 9
When your tamariki start on their learning journey as a new entrant Tisharne has the privilege of teaching them. In her third year at Piopio Primary School, Tisharne is part of the Piopio Youth Sports Committee and co-lead of our swimming sports. Tisharne is also part of the STEM group and a teacher in yellow house.
Renee Braithwaite
Room 9
Renee has experience working in all areas of education. She first started her career working as a Preschool teacher and then moved into teaching year 5 & 6s. At the end of 2023, Renee started working at Piopio College to support students with their literacy. In 2024 Renee had the pleasure of relieving at Piopio Primary, and couldn't be more excited to join Tisharne Sicely in Room 9, in supporting tamariki as they start on their learning journey.
Teacher Release & Support Staff
Keri Alcock
Release Teacher
Keri been teaching at Piopio Primary in various roles for around 11 years. Currently she is teaching in Room 5 every Thursday. Keri has a passion for developing children's literacy and sports skills. Encouraging kids to be active is important to her.
Lee Alcock
Teacher Aide
Lee has held various fixed term positions at the school for the last 10 years and has been a permanent Teacher Aide since 2022. Lee assists with individual support of students, as well as support across most classrooms in our school. Lee is a qualified swimming instructor, which our children and staff benefit from, and she is currently training in the Better Start Literacy Approach.
Vicki Coll
Teacher Aide
Text to come
Donna Hesp
Teacher Aide
Donna been a teacher aide at Piopio Primary since 2008. She supports individual students with their learning as well as across the whole school. Donna has a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) which allows her to relieve in the classroom across the school when required. Donna loves helping children reach their full potential and supporting our amazing Kaiako to help them achieve this.
Sue Keeling
Release Teacher
Sue has taught throughout the school over the past 30 years. She is currently the release teacher for Rooms 9, 1, 2 and 7.
Lisa Lyford
Library
Kendra Kearns
Teacher Aide
Anna Price
Release Teacher
Anna has been at Piopio Primary for around six years. She is currently a release teacher for Room 6 and 4. Anna is also our SENCO (Special Education Needs Coordinator) for our school.
Lulu Hussey
Teacher Aide
Lulu has held multiple positions within the school over the last decade and currently works as an across school teacher aide.
Heather Griffin
Release Teacher / Reliever
Many of you will already know Heather, as up until 2021 she taught full-time at Piopio Primary. Since then Heather has worked part time teaching and relieving at a number of schools.
Currently she is teaching one day a week to provide classroom release to support learning in Years 0-4.
Heather is also providing relieving when available.
Heather says "Your children may not remember my name, but their eyes often light up when they see my blue bag containing my ‘secret weapon’ (for amazing behaviour!) - Ultimate Dodge Ball."
