Our Teachers/Kaiako
Bridget
Our Senior Teacher, Bridget, started her teaching career over 30 years ago and has experience teaching within a range of community, private and home-based early learning environments. Bridget joined the Aro Valley Preschool team in 2019 and has loved every minute of it.
Community early childhood centres is where her heart is at. Working in not-for-profit environments, such as Aro Valley Preschool, means having quality kaiako, providing the best learning environment for tamariki and building trusting relationships are priorities. Bridget values connecting with, and working alongside, whānau and their tamariki.
Outside of teaching, Bridget loves spending time with her own whānau - she has two adult children and a grandchild, she loves travelling, she is a keen baker and loves to spend time creating in the kitchen.
Lynda
Tēnā koutou
Ko Ngāti Pikiao raua ko Te Whakatohea ōku iwi. Ko Lynda ahau.
I am a māmā to 4 adult children, 1 mokopuna and live in Newlands with my partner. Early Childhood Education has been my passion, from my first teaching position in 1987 at a small community based centre. I have taught in a range of settings from where kohungahunga, an independent school and university-based centres.
I am fortunate to belong to an ethnically and culturally diverse, progressive learning community here at Aro Valley Preschool.
What I love about my mahi is making connections and building meaningful relationships with tamariki, whānau, and kaiako.
I have a strong interest in learning environments, and exploring how they can empower and support children’s learning. I enjoy setting up provocations that challenge and grow children’s thinking about people, places and things.
Libby
Libby's passion for teaching started when she began teaching preschool dance classes at her dance school in 2022. In 2023, she made the switch from a career in IT to studying towards her Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education with Te Rito Maioha. As part of her studies, Libby volunteered at Aro Valley Preschool and found a home in the community. She started in a permanent role as Aro Valley Preschool's newest qualified teacher at the beginning of 2024. Libby is well supported in her whānau, with both her partner, Charlie, and her mum being ECE kaiako too.
Libby continues to dance during her spare time, and teaches ballet and jazz during the weekends.
ARO VALLEY PRESCHOOL
48 ARO STREET, ARO VALLEY, WELLINGTON 6021
PHONE: 04 3845 156 EMAIL: INFO@AROVALLEYPRESCHOOL.NZ