Our Team
Our Education Co-ordinators
Sarah - Team Leader
Bay of Plenty
Diploma of Teaching and Learning (ECE)
Tēnā koutou katoa, Sarah here from Bay of Plenty.
I was born in Tauranga and grew up at the beach in Papamoa, my brother and I grew up in a loving family environment and spent most days across the road at the beach or at our family batch on Lake Rotoiti. Being around or emerged in water is a place I feel connected with my wairua. I have always felt safe and secure with my family and value whanaungatanga in my philosophy today. I am Mum to two beautiful children and a wife to my husband of sixteen years. We live in the Bay of Plenty and our homelife is usually spent at sporting events or exploring nature.
Growing up I always knew I wanted to work with children. My mum’s friends would come round with their babies and I would always be playing ‘mums, or teachers’. It was inevitable that I would eventually work with children, so this led my decision to train in Early Childhood Education. I worked in a variety of Centres with mixed age groups, Infants and toddlers is where I discovered I was happiest. I would stay in Centres for a maximum of two years before moving on as I never felt a genuine sense of belonging.
Homebased Childcare was a service that interested me but as a trained Teacher working in ECE I still did not know much about, so I took it upon myself to investigate further and that is when I felt a pull toward homebased. The small group sizes, relationships, primary caregiving, and attachment theory are obvious foundations of my philosophy I started to take a closer look into employment opportunities and found Jemmas Homebased Childcare. I have been here five years working as a coordinator, and most recently team leader. I have finally found my purpose and absolutely LOVE growing my professional knowledge, mentoring, and coaching adults, working with Tamariki and their families. My favourite whakatouki would be.
“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini.
I come not with my own strengths but bring with me the gifts, talents and strengths of my family, tribe, and ancestors” (Ministry of Education, 2017).
If you want to chat further about childcare or becoming and educator in Bay of Plenty please call me 027 2689007
Andrea
Auckland
Diploma of Teaching and Learning (ECE)
Kia ora,
I am a Coordinator/Visiting Teacher in Auckland and I have been in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector since the day I turned 15 years old and then I graduated from Auckland College of Education in 1993 as an ECE teacher.
I have always wanted to work with children and their families and have been involved in ECE in lots of different roles as a teacher, nanny, or manager in NZ and overseas.
I was born and bred in Auckland, but I love to travel and learnt a lot when I backpacked around the world for a year.
I have a passion for people – both adults and children – to work with them to identify their strengths, achieve their potential and love life!
I look forward to meeting to you as I travel about in Auckland with JeMMa’s.
If you want to chat further about childcare or becoming and educator in Auckland please call me 027 2760258
Kelly
Auckland
Diploma of Teaching and Learning (ECE)
Kia ora, I am Kelly Kingi. I am so excited to be a part of the Jemma’s whanau.
I have worked in the childcare and ECE industry for over twenty years. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE), and a TESOL certificate. I have worked as a private home-based nanny, an ECE and Au Pair recruiter, as well as a centre-based teacher and centre management. I am also Mum to two daughters.
I genuinely believe in the many benefits of home-based care for young children and their whanau and have seen first hand how these nurturing relationships that form help to develop confident tamariki.
I really enjoy the role of mentoring and working alongside educators to engage tamariki in meaningful, authentic learning experiences.
If you want to chat further about childcare or becoming and educator in Auckland please call me 0274949875
Leanne
Waikato
Bachelor of Teaching & Learning ECE
Kia Ora, Leanne Jackson from Thames, where I have lived all my life. I am blessed with two sons, four grandchildren and my lovely husband of 37 years plus.
I am excited to join the JeMMa’s team as a coordinator, and I am looking forward to meeting the team of coordinators and educators.
I have worked in the Early Childhood Profession since 1998 in various roles and found mentoring teachers a passion. I had the opportunity of mentoring on the Tuakana Teina Pilot programme for the Ministry of Education and it was inspirational working with teachers supporting their certification journey.
Prior to studying ECE, I began my teaching journey caring for children in my home. Homebased care as always interested me especially with the smaller ratios and nurturing relationships. Supporting children’s sense of belonging is a key aspect in their development.
I am excited to meet and work alongside the educators and the families of JeMMa’s.
If you want to chat further about childcare or becoming and educator in Waikato please call me 027 4949773
Our Office Staff
Treena Woods
General Manager
I have worked for JeMMa’s since April 2010. Prior to this I was one of their first educators for the Tauranga area. I left for a couple of years at which point I used JeMMa’s to care for my baby while I worked. The great thing about Homebased is the relationships you form. I am still friends with the lovely lady who cared for my boy and treasure the memories from the portfolio.
I was offered the opportunity to return in 2010 to organise their toy library (by the way it is massive) and my role just grew from there.
I am a mother of 3 adult children and a grandmother to a beautiful boy who was born a 27 weeks.