Mr Joel Hammond & Mrs Anthea Knowles. by Sam Dalton

Meet the Team

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The RHS MAD (Media Advertising Division) team will be sharpening our journalism skills and contributing to the monthly newsletter. We thought it would be great if each month we introduced two RHS staff members, allowing our ākonga and whānau to learn a little bit more about each of them. This month we sat down with Mr Joel Hammond and Mrs Anthea Knowles.

What position do you hold at Riccarton High School?

Mr Hammond: Acting Deputy Principal with a teaching and learning focus.

Mrs Knowles: Deputy Principal with a focus on pastoral.

What subject do you teach our students?

Mr Hammond: PE and Health.

Mrs Knowles: Literacy and Psychology.

Tell us about your whānau:

Mr Hammond: I have a partner Emily, and two young daughters, Cleo & Abby.

Mrs Knowles: I have a husband and five children. The oldest is 20 years of age, I have 18 year old twins, a Year 13 student at Cambridge, and our youngest is in Year 11, and attends here at Riccarton High School.

What is your favourite food?

Mr Hammond: Japanese food (sushi).

Mrs Knowles: Sea food (crayfish).

Do you have a favourite book?

Mr Hammond: Game of Thrones.

Mrs Knowles: Anything written by Willbur Smith especially River God.

What is your favourite Movie?

Mr Hammond: Anything science fiction.

Mrs Knowles: Moana.

Favourite Colour?

Mr Hammond: Blue.

Mrs Knowles: Yellow and Green.

When you were in High School, what was your favourite subject?

Mr Hammond: PE.

Mrs Knowles: PE.

What do you enjoy doing the most in your free time?

Mr Hammond: Spending time with family and friends and being active. I enjoy mountain biking and going to the gym.

Mrs Knowles: Spending time with family, going for walks and cycling.

Are you a 'Night Owl' or an 'Early Bird'?

Mr Hammond: Both because I have two young children.

Mrs Knowles: Both.

Sweet or Sour?

Mr Hammond: Sour.

Mrs Knowles: Both because seafood can be both.

Summer or Winter?

Mr Hammond: Winter.

Mrs Knowles: Summer.

Role model / Inspiration?

Mr Hammond: My parents and my High School P.E teacher.

Mrs Knowles: My Nan. Sadly she passed away last year but she helped my mother a lot when I was growing up.

What has been a highlight for you so far in your career at RHS?

Mr Hammond: Working as a Dean and building a closer relationship with the students and guiding them to success.

Mrs Knowles: The Culture Fest, I loved seeing all the different cultures come together.

Which staff member are you closest to?

Mr Hammond: The PE and Health faculty, especially Mr Neilson and Mrs Rowlands.

Mrs Knowles: Ms Lake because she has been very supportive of me as I am still very new to this role. Ms Lake has looked after me and Mr Hammond like a mother.

How long have you been working at RHS?

Mr Hammond: Since 2011, before the Christchurch earthquakes happened.

Mrs Knowles: I started a week before school started this year.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

Mr Hammond: "Treat people the way you want to be treated". This advice came from Mr Hammonds parents.

Mrs Knowles: A māori quote translated to: "It doesn't matter if you hit the mountain, it's about aiming for your best. If you hit the mountain, you have tools to help you climb".

Last words for the readers:

Mr Hammond: "I would like to build a partnership between the parents and the school to help get the best outcomes for our students. Good communication from both ends is essential to this".

Mrs Knowles: "Thank you so much for everything that you do for your children because it matters. I want to say thank you to not just the parents, but to the aunties and uncles, grandparents and caregivers, who all wrap around their students because students are our future. So a big thank you to the whānau and friends of our students".