Our People

I have a strong background in education and administration and a genuine interest in children so I am very pleased to have joined Hampton Hill School after taking some time out to raise a family.

Born and raised in Wellington, I spent many years overseas until returning to Tawa with its fabulous family friendly community.

I enjoy spending my spare time walking, swimming, biking and exploring the gorgeous beaches in and around Wellington with my family. When the sun isn’t shining (and sometimes even when it is) I enjoy reading and crafting and playing board games with my children.

My name is Clare O’Connell and I joined the Hampton Hill team in 2017. I enjoy building fantastic relationships with children and using these to bring about the best learning possible for them. I am passionate about the environment and sustainability, and I love to bring elements of these into the classroom. Music is also a passion of mine, and outside of school I play a wide range of instruments, including playing the viola for two Wellington orchestras. I also love to tramp, and I can often be found wandering around some mountains on a spare weekend!

I am a friendly person who gets on well with others. I have a natural rapport with children and have always enjoyed working with children of all ages. It is important to me to help children achieve their goals, and I will always go that bit further to find ways to help them develop their understanding and learning. I have the skills and enthusiasm to ensure a fun learning experience and enjoy seeing the excitement in children’s eyes when they master a new activity.

I am originally from Japan, but I have also lived in Hong Kong, Thailand and the United States, so it’s safe to say that I love traveling, exploring cultures and eating cuisines from all over the world.

In my teen years I was a competitive swimmer, so I really enjoy being active.  I also love creative activities such as dance and visual arts.

I am excited to be working at Hampton Hill School because I resonate with the school’s vision to Grow People to Thrive. It is about generating interest in learning through diverse teaching methods and keeping it exciting and engaging by challenging students to think outside the box; forging them into curious and creative thinkers. I  love to work in a school that recognises the importance of teaching our children how to learn and adapt to modern technology in this fast paced, evolving world. Honestly, I cannot think of anything better than working in an environment with people who share my vision and values.

Since starting my career in teaching, I have been involved with Hampton Hill School. As a teacher  I really enjoy helping students grow as they understand what they are learning.  

In 2014 I had the opportunity to grow my own knowledge by being involved with the Primary Science Teacher Fellowship. I focussed my studies on understanding the nature of science and looking at how to be more curious about the world around us. I find Science is a great way to help our kids grow as they understand the world around them 

Outside of school I have taught myself to play  guitar. (I play in my church band.)

I have been involved with the school for quite a number of years, with our two daughters and son having all gone through the school.  As well as teaching my class, I am in charge of Science and was fortunate to spend 6 months at NIWA on a Primary Science Fellowship in 2012.This was an awesome experience and I came away from that with a new passion for Science and for kids to develop a curiosity about the world around them.

I am also involved in our Enviro Schools programme, PE and School Hockey. My interests include walking – the longer the better; music- I lead church singing, play the viola and bass guitar; gardening; and my own gorgeous family (that is growing up way too fast!)

Kia ora Koutou

Ko Leah Merewater toku ingoa, my name is Leah Merewater. I am a part-time teacher and I am so excited to be part of such a great team of teachers and such a wonderful school of tamariki.

I’ve been teaching since 2008 and I love it! I’ve taught from New Entrants up to Year 5/6 kids and I’m still not sure what my favourite age group is. What I enjoy about being in the classroom is seeing tamariki light up with their learning.

I’ve travelled all over the world but now proudly call Titahi Bay home. My husband, Karl and I, have three gorgeous energetic sons and a lovely adventurous dog called Rudi. When I’m not teaching you will find us walking Rudi, visiting parks and play grounds or out in the garden.

I am the ESOL coordinator at Hampton Hill School. I help teachers determine students’ level of English using the English Language Learning Progressions and ensure that the ESOL funding applications are completed at the beginning and middle of each year. I am also available as a resource person to help adapt classroom activities and programmes for ESOL students.

Hi I’m Lisa and I’m a mum to three boys.

I have been part of Hampton Hill since 2009, when my eldest child started school. I started volunteering in my children’s classes, then decided to train as a Teacher Aide, as I loved being able to help the children.

I am passionate about helping children to become the best learners that they can be. I especially love reading and I love being able to help the children to learn to read also.

My interests are spending time with my family and friends; reading; baking; and walking.