SWIS Teachers

Kia Ora, I’m Edward Turnbull, Room 1’s Classroom teacher. I also run the film programme in the arts rotation and as an extra curricular activity. I have seen many wild and crazy films coming from SWIS kids. It’s great to see so much creativity come from the class and the film crews every week!

Tēnā koutou katoa! I am Room 2’s homeroom teacher and the school’s drama teacher. I am from West Sussex in England but I moved to New Plymouth when I was five. I have been working at SWIS since 2019 and have loved working with the diverse range of students along with the talented teachers and staff. I’m very excited to be leading the Kākāriki team this year – arguably the best team in the school! Outside the classroom, I love to read, binge-watch movies and experience Wellington’s diverse range of restaurants and cafes.

I have been working at SWIS since 2007, where I have been involved in many different areas of teaching. I am the history teacher at SWIS where we explore NZ history with our students. I also teach Japanese in our language sessions. In my spare time I am  heavily involved in Judo.

I grew up in windy Wellington, enjoying all the beautiful city has to offer, before heading to Dunedin to complete my Bachelor of Science majoring in Zoology. I have been teaching full-time at SWIS since 2018. My semi-specialist subject is P.E. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy Malay dancing, going for long drives and spending quality time with family and friends.

Talofa lava.

My name is Stephen Moli and I am the teacher in Room 5 at South Wellington Intermediate School.  I am of Samoan descent, but I grew up in Tauranga and have been living in Wellington for the past 7 years. I’m teaching Physical Education for SemiSpec and helping out with sports and Pasifika. In my spare time, I enjoy playing sports, listening to and playing music, eating and spending time with family and friends.

Kia Ora, koutou,

I’m Joey and I teach in room 6 as well as jumping on the P.E team. Originally from Yorkshire I ended up in Aotearoa in 2019 and have been teaching here ever since. I enjoy supporting students explore their own questions and curiosities, and love learning alongside them.

Kia ora koutou katoa, ko Rebecca tōku ingoa!

Tēnā Koutou Katoa. I am excited to be the homeroom teacher for Room 12 and part of the Science team, taking advantage of my undergrad major in Anatomy. I’m a Cantabrian, born and raised in Christchurch, but spent time overseas, living in China until covid trapped me in NZ, leading me to start my teaching career in earnest at home. Outside of school I’ve taken up a bit of game design as a hobby, and enjoy relaxing with a video game, movie or TV series, accompanied by the occasional bit of exercise.

I have been teaching full-time at SWIS since 2018. I am in Room 13 alongside Josh in an ILE (Innovative Learning Environment). This year I will be taking I.T. as a specialist subject. This is my favourite age group to teach, and I really like both the students and staff here at SWIS. In my spare time, I like to spend time with friends and family, eat Malaysian and Thai food, try and keep fit, watch scary movies, read, and enjoy the outdoors when we get good weather.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou. I hail from lil old Kirikiriroa but have been based in Wellington for the last ten years (with some adventures further afield thrown in there). I started teaching in 2019 and I’m loving my time at SWIS – what an awesome group of students we have. For semi-spec I teach Philosophy and my homeroom is Room 14. Some of my passions are sustainability, circus skills, crafts, reading, and language learning. I’m currently studying Te Reo through Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

Tēnā koutou katoa!
I am very excited to be joining the wonderful team of amazing educators at SWIS this year! I am a proud Canadian, though I have lived up and down the North Island since 2014 when I began (and later completed) my Bachelor of Arts in Music and Education. During my Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary), I completed my placement at SWIS where I strongly connected with its warm and welcoming community. I am honoured to continue
my journey here among our incredible teachers and a wonderful group of students, whom I love to teach. My passions include music, reading, spending time outdoors, and being surrounded by my loved ones.

I started at SWIS in 2001 when there were 9 classes, up from 7 the previous year, no turf, an old hall and the playground was one year old. At various times since then I have taught ICT (in the computer lab that was where Room 16 is now), PE and Science and, since 2020, Hard Tech which I am really enjoying. Outside of school, I spend my time on building projects, a little bit of fishing and gardening. The SWIS students are awesome. They just seem to get better every year and it remains a pleasure to see them all develop and grow.

Kia ora koutou

You know you’ve been working at SWIS for a long time when (a) new students inform you that “You taught my mum/dad/aunty/uncle”, and (b) you are asked outside of school if you are still teaching there! I am trying a new focus this year, still teaching textiles, French and stitching techniques for Enrichment, but this year I am releasing teachers, rather than having my own home class. I am still coordinating our Gifted and Talented programmes which this year include Kids’ Lit Quiz, Tournament of Minds, Future Problem Solving, World Scholars’ Cup, and ShowQuest Toi. In my spare time you will find me singing with Faultline Chorus, reading, knitting, or making quilts.

Tēnā koutou katoa. I’ve taught a variety of levels, from new entrants to high school, but I  particularly like working with the intermediate age group.  I teach food technology at SWIS and I have high expectations of what our students are capable of – from the very first lesson we make real food from scratch. Though my degree is in maths and economics, I draw on my own experiences from a previous life when I owned and ran my own café, making up many of my recipes. With the skills and knowledge that our students will acquire at SWIS, they will have the foundations to adapt and work around recipes to suit themselves. In my out of school life, I enjoy reading, mountain biking and exploring wild places.

Tēnā koutou katoa! My name is William Sheppard and 2023 will be my first year teaching at South Wellington Intermediate School. This year I am the release teacher for Room 7 and 8, and Room 12 and 13, and for semi-spec I am teaching Physical Education. Originally from Lower Hutt, I completed a Bachelor of Arts and Graduate Diploma in Teaching at Victoria University of Wellington. In my spare time, I enjoy playing sports like cricket, football, and swimming.

Tēnā koutou katoa, Ko Nicola ahau
I have discovered I’m the fourth and final person in our immediate family to attend SWIS – ranging from 50 – 8 years ago! I have taught across years 1 – 8 both in NZ and the UK, worked for the MOE, run an education website and for the past five years (and continuing) written teacher support material for the MOE Literacy Series. At SWIS, I will work part-time providing support for literacy and numeracy across the school as well as some kaiako release. I have a particular love for literacy and have been told I’ve inspired many tamariki to become writers too. When I get spare time, I love designing and sewing clothes for family, friends and myself.

Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa