June 2010


Pen Portraits

A recent survey has found that many parents in the school community do not know very much about the people who represent them on the board of trustees. Every board member is passionate about giving every student at the school the opportunity to achieve at their best. We also have some relatively new trustees along with some more experienced members. Some very brief pen portraits of the board members are as follows:

Jude Black

 Most readers will know Jude who has been a board member since 2003 when she was appointed principal. She came to us with experience in working with boards of trustees at a previous school. In fact it became apparent that Jude was cut out for leadership in schools when she was appointed Head Girl at Rutherford High School. She has strong qualifications for her complex role which could be described as learning leader responsible to the board for all aspects of education at Green Bay School.

She has 3 grown children and a one year old grandchild. Along with a love of beach life, swimming, writing and music, her family keeps her busy in her ‘spare’ time.

Bruce Crossan

I was co-opted onto the board in 2005 as a parent representative trustee. For the next two years I  chaired the Finance Committee during which time I oversaw a review of Finance and Administration areas within the School.  I then spent 18 months as chair of the Personnel Committee and as a member of the Operations Committee.  In September 2009 I was elected Board Chairperson.
I have spent 12 years in the UK working as Systems Accountant for three companies and finally as a Financial Director for an automotive components supplier.  I met Sue, my wife, in Birmingham, England, and the first two of our three children were born there. Our youngest is a true Westie - born in Waitakere.  All three of our children have started their schooling at Green Bay Primary School.
We returned from the UK in 2002 and I have headed up the Finance & IT functions at Fresh Direct Ltd and JP Exports Ltd since then.  When I get a moment away from family, work and board of trustee’s commitments I like to take the opportunity to pursue photography, cycling, kayaking and walking.  I am also a member of the Titirangi Baptist Church.

Janet Gibb

Many of you will know Janet through her tireless work on the fundraising committee and it was through her enthusiasm to see some of those fundraising projects completed that she was appointed to the board as a parent representative earlier this year. She has quickly made herself useful leading the strategic property team. In doing so she draws on her experience as a project manager at MPM Projects. The strategic property team currently has five projects in various stages and these will all benefit from Janet’s hard work.

Janet is also keen on the gym and manages to fit some sessions around her very busy schedule.

Metta Streefkerk

In my experience Green Bay School is a great school where children are happy and are supported by inspirational teachers. My goal, as a Board of Trustees member, is to make sure it builds on these strengths and gets even better.
I have two children at Green Bay School: Bo (year 4) and Skip (year 2). I have served on the Green Bay School Board of Trustees since July 2008. Currently I am chairing the Property Committee and experienced a highlight with the opening of the new Technology Room, which introduced exiting new learning opportunities for the Green Bay School children.
Previously I served on the Board of Trustees of the Ronald McDonald House of the Amsterdam Medical Centre for 3 years.I hold a Masters in Architecture and as a professional I have worked in many roles including Retail Development Manager at Auckland Inmternational Airport, Head of Strategic PlanningTeam of one of Europe's biggest airports and Project Manager for several buildings and shops. In my role as Board of Trustees member, my aim is to combine my previous experience with strategic thinking skills to translate Green Bay School goals into strategic and annual plans.  With years of experience in people management and budget responsibilities I want to make sure that the school's resources are used in a manner that provides the greatest benefit for our children.

Iris Donoghue 

My husband and I take great delight in saying that we were born before the middle of the last century during World War 2. These were hard, austere and very disciplined times, and although I have great family memories I have others that are not so good.

I was bank trained in England as an accountant ,and as newly weds aged 21 and 23 we decided to see the world n then decide where we would settle. We had proposed to go to New Zealand, Australia and Canada, but fell in love with Auckland, back in the 1960s it was something else.

We worked hard, bought a piece of land raised our family. We now have 2 children a daughter (43) and a son (42) and 2 adorable grandchildren, boy and girl.

After returning to the workforce I decided that a part of my time was to be spent working for voluntary organisations or at least giving something back to this country that had given me so much.

I started by doing 6 years of voluntary work (one day per week )with intellectually handicapped children at Mangere Hospital, until its closure. I was a Medical Practice Manager at that time, a profession I spent 25 years in.  I dabbled in politics (ONCE) and stood on the District Health Board on Sir Brian Barret-Boyes team, for a term,  but really wasn’t what I wanted to do.

I was approached in 1993 by the then Deputy Mayor of Waitakere City to ask if I would be interested in applying myself to a new challenge the Inaugural Chair of Keep Waitakere Beautiful, the Council had joined Keep New Zealand Beautiful and was looking for someone in the community to start it up, I was delighted and took up the challenge, and the rest is history.  From KWB came the Tag Out Trust, I am a founding Trustee and managed the operations for a few years, we also produced the Weedfree Trust once again I was a founding Trustee.

About 7 years ago these were combined under the umbrella organisation EcoMatters Environment Trust, which I am proud to be Chair of currently.  In 2005 my services to the community were recognised and I was inducted as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) what a proud moment, especially as it was a New Zealand award,. This is something I wear with pride whenever I get an opportunity.

That’s a potted version of my story, one of my proudest moments would be getting to shake the hand of Nelson Mandela, and my role models are Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Therese and Bono- yes really.

I am totally opposed to war and violence of any kind. Life is not all work however, and I enjoy my family, my animals (3) and my beautiful garden. I have many interests including photography, scrapbooking, aroma therapy, making teddy bears, reading and music, especially classical and rock- I adore rock concerts.

Having lived in this area for most of my life I am passionate about this community and believe the school is the heart of it.  As a parent of two boys attending the school, I highly value and appreciate the special learning environment the school offers for all students.

I am a Human Resources Manager for a multi-national company and have 15 years experience in this profession. There are strong parallels with the competencies required in my working life and those required as member of the Board of Trustees. I aim to transfer those skills to support the school to achieve its goals.
I am currently a Board member for an Industry Training Organisation and therefore understand the Board’s role in governance of the school in setting the direction and meeting the necessary legal and statutory requirements.
I believe that quality education for children sets the platform for their development as valuable adults. I am committed to ensuring that the school provides the best education possible in an environment of strong leadership and effective teamwork.
I am enthusiastic about having the opportunity to contribute to the community by supporting our great school and helping plan for its bright future

Gloria Honan-Crann
I am Gloria Honan-Crann married to Bryant, we have four children. Our son’s Hunter, Declan & Couper currently attend the school. Our eldest daughter Shelby attended the Intermediate last year and is now at Green Bay High.My family has been in Green Bay for nearly 50years now and in fact, our old Garage used to be the local community library in the early 40’s.
I am currently serving on the Green Bay Ratepayers & Residents Association.
I have been a stay at home mum for the last 13.5years, and with Couper now attending school, I am now able to commit the time necessary in the areas of Communication and Fund Raising portfolios as decided by the Board.
Prior to parenting, I was a Senior Auditor for a large financial company and specialized in company fraud, before moving into a Regional Management role predominantly looking into manager’s performance, staffing issues, budgets, offering support and solutions.
I have always taken a huge interest in Green Bay as a community and especially its children, those that are good and those that are a “challenge.”  I detest bulling and I am aware that, at this tender age, is the foundation that can ruin our kids full potential to learn and grow with confidence.
I do not suffer fools gladly, call a spade a spade, do not do “PC” very well and always look outside the square. I hope I can serve and support you, your children and the teacher’s body in the best interests for the community over the next 18 months.

My husband Trevor and I moved to Auckland last year and have bought a property in Green Bay.  We have three grown children, Hereni 28, Tane 27 and Marama 19.

I am a Primary Teacher with 35 years experience in teaching. I trained at Hamilton Teachers College then taught in Whakatane, several Wellington schools and last year was appointed to a permanent position at Green Bay Primary.
I have been involved in the Health and Safety, Fundraising Committee, NZEI Union School Representative, and mentored new teachers.
My current responsibilities are lead teacher of Mathematics, Junior Te Reo Maori / Kapa Haka Teacher, Tutor teacher, as well as staff rep for the BOT.