Support Team
Tāhuna is our office space. Translated as riverbank, this area and the team based here support the learners and provide the infrastructure to keep the school running smoothly.
Trine Spence
Office Administrator
Trine came to Ararira from West Melton School, where she spent 6 years as part of the office administration team with a focus on school finance, communications and being that ‘go to’ person.
Originally from Nottingham, with a background in travel and conference management, Trine moved to New Zealand 25 years ago.
Trine and her husband Paul can usually be found on the weekends at the West Coast, relaxing with friends, boating and taking part in an ongoing Dept of Conservation initiative to make Te Kinga predator-free for our native birds.
Email Trine via trine.spence@ararira.school.nz
Justine Hogan
Office Assistant
Justine lives in Lincoln with her husband Tim and their twin boys who attend Ararira Springs Primary. She loves the warm, friendly atmosphere of the school and the local Lincoln community.
Justine’s began her working life in childcare. Her love of travel led her to the travel industry where she spent over a decade working as a long haul corporate travel consultant. Most recently, and prior to having her children, she enjoyed a long stint working as an office temp for various companies in Christchurch.
In her spare time, Justine loves going to the gym, cooking, spending time with her family, and travelling the world.
Justine is really looking forward to meeting and welcoming our new families and students to Ararira Springs.
Email Justine via justine.hogan@ararira.school.nz
Steve Currie
Caretaker
Charlotte McMenamin
Learning Assistant
Charlotte has three girls, Lucy, Phoebe and Ella at Ararira Springs Primary and joined the staff in July 2019 after two years at Lincoln Primary School. She loves being part of the Ararira school community and working one on one with our tamariki.
Charlotte grew up in Christchurch and graduated from Canterbury University and the Christchurch College of Education with a Bachelor of Education (Geography) and a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning.
Her first teaching position was in Auckland before she decided to use her teaching skills and love of travel to work in the UK. After teaching in the West Midlands, Charlotte was offered a position recruiting teachers from around the world to teach in the UK. Charlotte and her husband Andrew returned to New Zealand in 2008 with their daughter Lucy and she continued to recruit during the next six years.
She has lived in the Lincoln community for the past five years. She is a Cub leader for the Lincoln Scout Group and enjoys coaching and managing junior netball teams in the winter. In her spare time, Charlotte enjoys tramping, camping and skiing. She loves gardening and cooking for friends and family.
You can contact Charlotte via charlotte.mcmenamin@ararira.school.nz
Debbie David
Learning Assistant
Debbie came to Ararira Springs as a teacher aide in term 1 of 2019. She studied and worked as a LA for the two years prior to that, at a school in Rolleston. Debbie lives in Rolleston with her husband and their two children who both attend Clearview primary.
Debbie grew up in Karamea and worked in Nelson at various food businesses before moving to London for two years of work followed by four months of travel before coming home to build a home & get married.
Debbie thoroughly enjoys being a TA and loves the one-on-one teaching with kids. A daily highlight for Debbie is knowing someone has learnt something small while being with her. Debbie enjoys doing online courses to learn more to help our tamariki. Debbie has a cake decorating business which she runs from home and keen to teach the basic baking/cooking to the younger generation. In her spare time, she loves to visit family, have coffee dates with friends, go for walks and plan holidays with her family.
You can contact Debbie via debbie.david@ararira.school.nz
Hannah Crowe
Learning Assistant
Jeni Seek
Learning Assistant
Jeni joined the Ararira team in 2023 with more than 20 years of experience in the role of learning assistant. She feels honoured to be able to help students on their pathway to become lifelong learners.
Jeni has recently moved to Lincoln with her husband and has 3 grown up children.
She grew up in Nelson and has lived and worked in Hawkes Bay, Great Barrier Island and Nelson.
Jeni is an avid op-shopper, collector of Crown Lynn pottery (she has her own china cup in the staffroom), and also collects Depression era glass.
Outside of school, you can find her enjoying local walks, riding her pink and green BMX bike or down at the gym.
She volunteers at a support group for young people with disabilities which allows them to explore their full potential through music and dance.
Email Jenny via jeni.seek@ararira.school.nz
Keryn Bridgeman
Learning Assistant
I really enjoy working with children with a special interest in their wellbeing and sense of acceptance. I spent my younger years working with Horses and was a hairdresser for 6 years. Currently working in child care at Kelly Club within the school.
I have a very neurodiverse family and lots of experience around navigating the various challenges and successes that come with the territory. I spend my weekends with my partner and my 2 step children, we love camping, cooking and spending lots of time in and around the ocean.
Kim Parkes
Learning Assistant
Email Kim via kim.parkes@ararira.school.nz
Fable Sole
Learning Assistant
Fable worked in bakeries and cafes prior to starting work with children over four years ago. She has since worked for four years as an assistant supervisor for a before and after school care program in Lincoln, worked in a preschool for a year, worked as a respite carer, and cares for her two nephews as often as possible.
Fable lives with her partner and their cat Star, and enjoys spending her free time dirt biking and riding four wheelers, absolutely loves to be by water and doing anything outside. Fable also enjoys spending quality time with her sister and two young nephews who she absolutely adores and loves to watch as they grow and learn.
Working with children has always been a passion of Fable’s. Learning about each individual child and their quirks and ways of learning and understanding the world is such a special experience to be apart of and she is very grateful to be working with children at Ararira Springs Primary.
Email Fable via fable.sole@ararira.school.nz