Kia Ora,

My name is Caitlin Oakes, and I began teaching at Marian Catholic School in 2020. I have been passionate about teaching from a young age, as it has been a dream for me to guide students to reach their true potential. I enjoy creating a positive classroom environment that is fun and inviting to ensure all students have a sense of belonging.

I believe it is important for learning to be purposeful and enjoyable so that the students understand the reasoning behind the work that they are doing. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with family, going to the gym, running and reading.

I have been teaching in Aotearoa since 2009. I began teaching in LC3 at Marian Catholic School in 2020 and have the honour of gaining a full-time position as of this year.

Throughout my 10 plus years of teaching, I have predominantly taught years 3-4, although as a relief teacher I taught new entrants up through the intermediate school.

My initial degree was in Anthropology. I have always been intrigued by the diversity of cultures in our world and in seeing things from different perspectives. This interest informs my practice as a teacher. I strive to teach acceptance, love and appreciation of all people. As a citizen of New Zealand and inhabitant of Aotearoa it is my responsibility to teach the tamariki about te ao Maaori to the best of my abilities. I include tikanga (“customs”) and te reo Maaori in my practice and try to familiarise the aakonga with the concept that we have a unique opportunity here in Aotearoa due to te Tiriti o Waitangi. We can all help to strengthen and uphold the Maaori worldview regardless of our origins.

Marian Catholic School provides a perfect place for the tamariki to grow both academically and socially. Our Charism to Live Christ through being his hands, voice and face in our world provides a strong foundation with which we can all learn and grow together in a safe and supportive environment.

Some things that take up my time outside of school are: bicycling long distances and track riding at the Avantidrome, Tai Chi, Shaolin Kung Fu, meditation, making electronic music, doing projects around the house and hanging out with my family.

Kia Ora,
My name is Jenna Lord, and I began teaching at Marian Catholic School in 2019.
I feel very blessed to be teaching at this school as I attended as a student throughout my primary and intermediate years. I studied teaching at Waikato University and then moved to Auckland, where I taught at a Catholic school for 3 years.

I am incredibly passionate about teaching and find so much joy in supporting students throughout their learning journey. I believe in creating a positive classroom environment where students feel excited about their learning and can achieve their personal best.

When I’m not in the classroom, I can often be found hiking some of the beautiful tracks in our native bush or spending time with my friends and family. I love travelling, playing netball and learning new languages. I have been studying Japanese since I visited the country in 2019 for the Rugby World Cup.

Bula Vinaka, Namaste and Kia Ora,  

I am passionate about teaching, and I believe that children come with their own kete of knowledge. Within this kete are beliefs, values and rich life experiences that make their individual identity.

As a Kaiako, I strive to enable my students to embrace their experiences, backgrounds and skills, using them to help build and further fill their kete. This helps to strengthen their identity as not only learners but internationally-minded citizens who strive to reach their highest potential.

In my spare time, I enjoy going to the gym, going on walks, reading and spending time with my friends and whānau. 

I am the Leader of Learning of Learning Community 4 (LC4) and teach Year 5 & 6 students in Room 19. Working alongside students, supporting them in their learning and helping them to achieve their very best is something I am passionate about. I work alongside a great team of teachers who are passionate about what they do and who inspire me in my own teaching.

My connections to Marian Catholic School extend back long ago to when my grandfathers attended Marist. I am also a past pupil and now feel privileged to both teach here and have my own children attend the school.

Outside of school, I enjoy keeping fit by running and walking and being caught up in a good book! Catching up with family and friends is also something I love to do.

Kia ora,

I am a passionate Catholic primary school teacher and began teaching in 2015 at St Patrick’s in Taupō. I have been fortunate to teach across the curriculum levels at a range of schools around the wider Waikato and am currently teaching in years 5 and 6. I joined the Marian family in 2023 and am loving the vast range of opportunities the students have at our wonderful school.

I have always had the desire to work with young people and to grow their love and understanding of the world around them through our Catholic faith. I love seeing children discover their own successes and flourish in their strengths at school.

Outside of teaching, I love spending time with my husband and our daughter,r discovering the world through her innocent eyes. We love a good road trip, mostly to visit our wider family and friends.