Building a School Full of Compassion By Brigid Conroy
Suzanne Aubert Catholic Primary School starts to develop with a strong foundation of faith. Opening in February 2021, Suzanne Aubert Catholic Primary school has a newly established leadership team who bring not only a wealth of teaching talent, but importantly strong faith in Jesus to guide them on this new endeavour. Anthony Mills is the establishment principal. Husband to Amie-Lee and father to their five children, Anthony and his family are parishioners of All Saints by the Sea and regularly serve the parish by playing music at Mass. Anthony has come to the role from being assistant principal at St Mary’s Catholic School in Tauranga, and before this was director of religious studies at St Thomas More Catholic School in Mount Maunganui. Anthony has been in teaching and leadership positions within our Catholic schools for the last sixteen years. As establishment principal, Anthony is very excited about the opportunity to lead the vision and development of our new Catholic school in beautiful Papamoa and is looking forward to connecting with our community. Deputy principal for Suzanne Aubert is Shelley McKay, a parishioner at St Thomas Aquinas. She is married to Steve and they have two children. Shelley comes from being a Year 7 teacher at Aquinas College and an Across School Coordinator for our Faith Based Kahui Ako (Community of Learning). She has experience teaching and leading across a range of year levels having previously taught at St Mary’s Catholic School Tauranga and Otumoetai Intermediate. Shelley has held a
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variety of other teaching and leadership positions in over twenty years in education including team leader, curriculum leader and dean. Shelley is passionate about learning and empowering students to be the best that they can be. She is incredibly excited to be the foundation deputy principal of Suzanne Aubert Catholic School and feels very blessed to be given this opportunity to serve her community. Erin Clayton has been appointed as the director of religious studies. Erin is currently the junior team leader at St Joseph’s Catholic School in Hamilton and previously worked at St Peter’s Catholic school in Cambridge and Marist Primary in Mt Albert, Auckland. Erin is a graduate of the Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand where she graduated with a Diploma in Christian Studies - Religious Education and is currently completing her Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Catholic Culture through the Australian Catholic University. Erin is an active parishioner in the Parish of the Holy Cross in Hamilton which comprises two churches and two Catholic primary schools. In the parish she leads children’s liturgy of the word and is a catechist for the sacramental programme. Erin is looking forward to the challenge of being the director of religious studies for Suzanne Aubert Catholic School and connecting with the students, whanau, community and charism. There has been great collaboration with local iwi with
