Hero photograph
 
Photo by Sarah-Jane Haywood

Introducing our new Kaiako

Sarah-Jane Haywood —

We are delighted to welcome Joon Hong (left) and Jarred Skelton (right) to our teaching team.

Both Joon and Jarred are experienced teachers and have a lot to offer our students.

Mr Hong has joined the Wheriko tamariki in Year 7/8, and Mr Skelton has joined the Kōpura tamariki in Year 3/4.

"I am Christchurch born and raised and am of Korean heritage. I love having roots in both New Zealand and South Korea and enjoy travelling all around the world. Some of my other interests include watching and playing football, playing all sorts of games (board, card, video) and spending quality time with friends and family. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to teach a range of year levels over my teaching career, as it has allowed me to develop key skills and techniques for all types of learners". 

Joon Hong

"I am the newest member of the Year 3&4 team at Merrin Kura. I am a passionate kāiako (teacher) who strongly believes that whanaungatanga (meaningful relationships) is at the core of rich learning and ākonga growth. 2023 is my tenth year in education. When I’m not teaching I love getting out in nature, taking our hound to the beach or exploring our city. I have worked as a professional actor and tutor at The Court Theatre for the past 12 years. I enjoy being creative and working collaboratively to create engaging art". 

Jarred Skelton