Scott Aitken

My name is Scott Aitken and I am the new Curriculum Leader for English at Middleton Grange School. 

Previously, I was at Hornby High School for almost 14 years, Linwood College for just over five, and I taught for a year at Lea Manor in Luton, England. 

My family and I attend Grace Vineyard at the City Campus and I am married to Carolyn Aitken and have two beautiful daughters named Scarlett and Annabelle, aged 12 and 10 respectively. 

The most important things to me are Faith, whānau, footy, and shooting fallow deer. 

I am really excited to be at MGS, to be able to share about God openly, to teach literature, and to meet you all. 

Ma te Atua e manaaki

Kirsten Anderson

Kia ora koutou, I was born in Whanganui and attended Faith City School and Church (formerly Faith Academy). My family are from Ohakune, where I have spent a lot of time, although you wouldn’t know it from my skiing skills! Before moving into teaching I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts and ran my own photography business in Wellington. My teaching career began at Tuakau College before moving to The Hawkes Bay where I taught at Lindisfarne College. After a holiday in The Cook Islands I moved there in 2018 for a year and a half stint teaching digital technology at Titikaveka College in Rarotonga. For the last three years I have been the sole art teacher at Hastings Christian School. I am grateful for my time there. Previously Bay Vineyard Church in Napier was home, where Sam Harvey is the Pastor, but I will be moving to his previous church, Grace Vineyard Beach. My daughter is starting her first year of study at Ilam School of Fine Arts and my Mum has retired and is also moving to Christchurch with us. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to work at Middleton Grange School. 

Beka Baker

Kia Ora, my name is Beka Baker and I am joining the science department as a Biology teacher. I am beginning my teaching journey with Middleton Grange as I graduated in 2022. I have been married to my wonderful husband Aidan for two years now and he is also a teacher.  My husband and I are blessed to call Thrive Church our home and have done so for 13 years now. I am privileged to be on staff there and involved in the worship and production team. We have two dogs, a Rottweiler (Loki) and Lab x Collie (Vex’ahlia) who keep us very busy. In our spare time we are involved in E-sports and love to play board games. I am looking forward to working at Middleton as we get to explore God’s unique creation.

Gretchen Bruner

My name is Gretchen and I’m looking forward to joining the team at Middleton Grange School! My family moved to Avonhead from Auckland in July 2021. I have been teaching primary school since 2010. The first six years of my teaching career I spent teaching in America, where I am originally from, and taught on the North Shore of Auckland at Murrays Bay School since 2017. My passion in teaching is writing and seeing children’s thoughts come to life on paper! My husband and I have two daughters, Sierra (3) and Calais (1.5), and we love to spend our free time tramping and rock climbing. We belong to Grace Presbyterian Church. Middleton Grange really appealed to me as it is a school that develops the whole child, with both high academic standards and spiritual nurturing. I look forward to meeting you all soon!

Rhian Horn

Kia ora, my name is Rhian Horn. As a family we moved to New Zealand from Wales in 2013 and we love living here in Christchurch. I have two children who are both now at Middleton. One in the senior school and one in the middle school. We are part of Riccarton Community Church. I am so thankful for our church community who managed to keep me sane during lockdown and the last few years of covid craziness.  I'm a photographer and I love arts and crafts and tramping through the wonderful NZ countryside. I'm really looking forward to being part of the MGS family in a new way this year, working at The Grange Theatre and Kahika Centre.  

Paul Jack

Kia ora, ko Paul Jack toku ingoa. I am excited to join Middleton Grange School as the Year 5/6 Learning Team Leader. My teaching career began at Mairehau Primary School. I then made a move into ministry, overseeing youth and university student work, and following that as an Associate Pastor. My wife and I were also blessed to do missions work in the Philippines, Australia and South Africa during this time. After spending 12 years in vocational ministry, I felt God call me back into education. I have spent the last six years teaching at Templeton Primary School, which I thoroughly loved. My favourite subjects to teach include P.E., Science and Digital Technology.

I am excited to be teaching at the same kura as my three daughters. That plus the opportunity to combine my two great passions, Jesus and Education, has been a great motivating factor to teach at Middleton Grange School.

My family and I enjoy the outdoors, especially biking, hiking and camping.  We attend Grace Vineyard Church where my wife works as the graphic designer, and where we serve in various ministries.

Rachel Jeffcote

Kia ora I’m Rachel Jeffcote. 

I hail from Rotorua but came down to Christchurch in July 2021 to study to be a teacher. In Rotorua, I was a Kiwi Can leader with the Graeme Dingle Foundation in multiple schools around the Bay of Plenty. My dad, mum, three brothers and sister all live in the North Island. A few of my favourite things include listening to good music/podcasts, singing, playing ukulele/guitar and heading on adventures all around Aotearoa. I’m currently a member at Cornerstone Campus Church and have been for the past year. Currently I’m loving the Summer Internship at church that I will finish before I start teaching at MGS.

I am passionate about being part of a community who are committed to not only excellence in education of maths, history or languages but the development of students who hold to a Christ-centred worldview as we engage with our cultural moment. I chose MGS because my heart to teach aligns with the vision of MGS. I feel very grateful to be a part of the teaching team.

Shelley Liken

Hi my name is Shelley and I'll be joining the International College team teaching English this year.  I'm primary trained and have most recently been supporting ELL's in the Primary School here at Middleton.  I'm a past pupil, three of our children have attended Middleton, and one is still attending here, so it's lovely to come full circle and be teaching here myself.  Before coming to Middleton last year I was working as a Children's Worker at Latimer Church where I've been a member of the church family for 30+ years!  I'm very excited that in my new role I am still able to share the wonderful life-saving good news of Jesus with young people.

Nick Lingley

"Kia Ora, I'm Nick Lingley and I'm excited to be joining the Science faculty teaching Science and Chemistry in 2023. I have spent the last two years teaching at Mount Hutt College in Methven. As an ex-pupil, I am looking forward to being back at Middleton and having the opportunity to be teaching in a Christian environment. Along with my wife, I attend the QE2 campus of Life Church. I love camping, getting to spend time with friends and family, and playing the piano, particularly in a worship context. I am looking forward to being part of the Middleton community in 2023!"

Anna McConchie

Hello everyone,

My name is Anna McConchie and I am excited & grateful at the opportunity to serve Middleton Grange School as the new Attendance Officer after spending the last few years working from home as a Computer Graphic Designer. I am blessed to be married to Brad who is a builder and currently renovating our own home. We have a son, Hudson who will be in Y4 at Emmanuel Christian School and a little pug dog called Diesel. Bishopdale Reformed Church has been my church since the very beginning and I love serving in church life where God leads me.

Our family enjoy any DIY projects around home, family walks and bike riding, particularly mountain biking McLeans track and we support our son for his love for BMXing. I thoroughly enjoy being in the outdoors and time spent with friends and family. I am looking forward to supporting our students at MGS this year, becoming part of the school community and developing my skills in a Christian environment.

Zac Medland

Kia ora, my name is Zac Medland and I am excited to be teaching for the first time this year at Middleton Grange School. I have joined the science department after completing my teaching training last year. I go to Life Church at the QE2 campus after previously being at the LaVida campus for the last 18 years. In my spare time I love getting outdoors, playing sports, and spending time with family and friends. I also enjoy playing music and working with computers. I am looking forward to joining Middleton and being able to keep Christ at the centre of my teaching.

Erna Pilkington

My name is Erna Pilkington and I am looking forward to teaching Year 3 at Middleton Grange in 2023.  I have been a Junior school teacher for 20 years. From 2008 to 2016 I started and managed a private netball and rugby academy for 5-8 year olds. I enjoyed coaching full time. Since 2018 I have been a Year 2 teacher in West Auckland. I am passionate about teaching mathematics and enjoy growing the same enthusiasm in my students.

I grew up on a farm in the Northern Cape, South Africa, 700 km from Cape Town. Here I attended the local church, it was an important part of my life growing up. In school I was a sports fanatic and I was competing in athletics and tennis playimg representative netball in and after school.

My family, Ruddi and our two children, Keegan and Nicole moved to New Zealand in 2016. My husband and I recently moved to Rolleston and we would love to return to a rural lifestyle again. My two, now adult children, stay in Auckland. We will enjoy visiting them and having them visit us to explore the South Island. 

I am grateful for this new opportunity to teach at MGS. I am looking forward to meeting the students and building relationships in and outside of the classroom. I’m excited to bring my faith and my passion for teaching together.

Pam Walters

Kia ora, I’m Pam Walters. I was born in South Africa, where I qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 2004. I worked as a vet in England for a year, before returning to South Africa. I have two children, a 13-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son.

In 2013 we moved to New Zealand, where I studied Maths at the University of Canterbury, before completing a Teaching Diploma at the New Zealand Graduate School of Education. I have been teaching Maths at Christchurch Boys’ High School for the past five and a half years. In my spare time I enjoy reading, playing guitar and gardening.

I became a Christian six years ago, and my faith has become absolutely central to my life. As my knowledge and love of Jesus has grown, I have felt an increasing desire to move into Christian education. I am excited to be working at Middleton Grange School, as it gives me more opportunities to share the joy I’ve found in following Jesus with others, and to encourage students in their walk with Him.

In this issue

Year 3-4 Discovery