2025 - Senior Leadership Team

Blair Dravitski: Principal

Blair is originally from Palmerston North but came to Christchurch to attend University. Since graduating he has worked in schools in both the North and South Islands gaining experience in a variety of leadership positions. Blair spent 3 years as principal of Ohakune Primary School in the central North Island and was principal for 4 years at Linwood Avenue School in Christchurch.
Blair has completed his Masters of Educational Leadership via distance learning through the University of Waikato.
As a person and a principal Blair takes pride in getting to know people and building relationships that are genuine and authentic. He lives locally in Rolleston and is married to Melanie. They have two daughters Ava and Sienna.
Blair has a love of all sports in particular Rugby League and Cricket.
Blair has been principal at Te Uru Tarata | Lemonwood Grove School since 2020. 

principal@lemonwoodgrove.school.nz

Troy Landrebe: Deputy Principal

Troy Graduated from Dunedin College of Education in 2000. He and his wife, Tracy, moved to Te Kuiti to start their teaching careers. After 16 years in the North Island, Troy, Tracy and their three children moved back to the mainland. He joined Lemonwood Grove at the start of Term 4, 2019 to take up one of the Deputy Principal positions. Over the last 16 years, Troy has held a range of leadership roles including Deputy Principal at the school he started as a beginning teacher. He currently lives in Lincoln and outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his family and trying to stay active. 

troyl@lemonwoodgrove.school.nz

Sarsha Wightman: Deputy Principal

Sarsha was born and bred in Canterbury. She graduated from Teachers college in 2000. She then spent some time overseas before returning to be with family. She has taught at a number of schools within Canterbury and held a variety of different positions at these schools. After a brief time in Pleasant Point, Sarsha returned to the Selwyn district and in 2021 took up the Assistant Principal role at Lemonwood Grove School. In 2022 Sarsha was made Deputy Principal. 

Sarsha is married to Kyle and has three teenage children; Cooper, Elodie and Arabelle. She is heavily involved with both Selwyn Athletics and Canterbury Athletics where she is a qualified official. Sport takes up a large amount of their family time and they are generally found at the track, at the netball courts or the rugby fields. 

sarshaw@lemonwoodgrove.school.nz

Darryn Ward - Deputy Principal

Darryn is excited to have joined the staff at Lemonwood Grove this year. He grew up in Christchurch and is a proud Cantabrian. He lives in Styx Mill with his wife, Stacey who is a teacher at Amberley School. He has an 18 year old son who is heading to Otago University this year to start his Bachelor of Science.

Darryn has been in education for over 30 years. In this time he has been a classroom teacher, a deputy principal and a principal. He has spent most of his teaching time covering Year 6,7 and 8.

In his spare time he loves watching sport on TV (particularly Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League), going to a Crusaders game, watching his son play rugby or cricket, playing his guitar, or getting out and about for a coffee and a bite to eat with his family and friends. He enjoys playing cricket, football and golf.

darrynw@lemonwoodgrove.school.nz