Bernie is a dedicated Mathematics Kaiako here at the College and is teacher in charge of NCEA assessments in the department.

It is Bernie’s role to make sure the department keeps up to date with curriculum changes, the standards and moderation requirements. Bernie supports his head of department and colleagues by taking this leadership role very seriously and he enjoys keeping abreast of the changes. Bernie did his undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Engineering at the University of Canterbury before going to Maryland University where he did his PhD in Engineering and as a graduate student worked at NASA on the project SOFIA (google it). Bernie had a very interesting time at NASA and when he left university he went to work for the US Navy as an engineer. Bernie was asked to take on American citizenship so he could have security clearance but decided to come back to NZ instead. In 2005 he trained as a kaiako and began his teaching career in 2006 at Rangiora High, joining Hagley in 2009. Bernie has been with us for ten years and that ten-year period has been very eventful. Bernie enjoys teaching a lot, all levels and all ākonga. Bernie loves singing and if there is a staff choir Bernie will be the first to join. Rock climbing is also a great passtime and pleasure of Bernie’s and he uses his skill to assist ākonga to participate in this sport. He can be found helping out with Year 10 camp at Okains Bay most years.

Bernie considers he has a broader understanding and view of his subject mathematics and is happy to korero about the evolution of mathematics, the history of Calculus and the virtues of Statistics, where each discipline is heading and the inter-connectivity in our education system. Bernie was president of the Canterbury Mathematics Association and headed a successful conference when it was last in Christchurch. Bernie loves to work in the quiet of his classroom when he is not teaching his classes and finds the mathematics department a team that works well together.