Term 3 - New Staff
It is with great pleasure I am able to announce 3 amazing teachers that will join our teaching team in Term 3. 

We welcome back Jana Munro & Chantelle Naitoro who have both previously worked here and also a big welcome to Melissa Aarsen who joins us from Whangarei Primary School. 

Jana is employed to start a new Year 0 roll growth classroom while Chantelle is going to create a new Year 4 class working alongside Chelsey & Jo. 
Melissa joins the team as a release teacher who will be working mainly in the junior school. 

Please see below a little about each of the teachers starting in Term 3.

Jana Munro
Kia Ora,
My name is Jana.
In 2018 I started working at Lemonwood Grove in the year 0-1 team. When I had my first child in 2020 I went on leave, and returned in 2021 in a part-time role. In 2023 I had my second child, and since then I've been teaching year 5-6 at Leeston School. I'm looking forward to returning to Lemonwood Grove School and catching up with the familiar faces, and getting to know all the new ones too.

Chantelle Naitoro
Chantelle was born in the Solomon Islands before moving to Christchurch to go to school. She completed a Bachelor of Communications in Design before studying a Graduate Diploma in Teaching. She is particularly interested in being creative and loves bringing this element to her teaching. Chantelle enjoys travelling around New Zealand with her friends and family, going swimming and is super excited about starting her teaching career at LWG.

Melissa Aarsen
Melissa was born in South Africa and came to NZ when she was eight years old. She spent her childhood on a farm in the Waikato and attended Matamata College.
After university she headed overseas and taught in the U.K for 5 years. This instilled her passion for travel and exploring different cultures. Over her 20 year career Melissa has taught in New Zealand as well as the U.K and Samoa.
She met her husband in Auckland and then moved to Whangarei where she has been living for the last 8 years. Melissa has two daughters Emily and Heidi. She enjoys the beach, travel, and family time.
Melissa is looking forward to exploring more of Otuatahi and getting to know the staff and whānau of Te Uru Tarata | Lemonwood Grove School.

Regards

Blair Dravitski
Tumuaki | Principal
Te Uru Tarata | Lemonwood Grove School