Staff

Allison Butcher: our principal and a full-time teacher. Allison teaches school years 4-8 (ages 8-13) but is close with everyone in the school, having been our junior teacher in 2024. She has had over 15 years of teaching experience and was the Principal of Ako, a private Democratic school in Auckland, for over a year.

Jackie Howard: a part-time teacher who teaches maths to our year 3-8 children. Jackie has a background in Playcentre and Montessori, and her creative and “hands on” approach to teaching provides students with plenty of practical, empirical experiences as the basis for their learning. Jackie has been teaching at Timatanga for the last 11 years.

Shaun Davis: a part-time teacher who teaches School Years 4-8 one day a week. Shaun has been involved with the school for 7 years as a teacher and as a parent. He has a background as a technology teacher and brings love of carpentry, cooking, making things go, and scientific exploration to the tamariki.

Becky Yates: a passionate educator who believes in the power of balancing student agency with structured learning. Originally from rural Nelson , her teaching philosophy was shaped by her time in the US , where she witnessed the magic of child-led, outdoor play in all-weather kindergarten forest programs. Becky brings this expertise to our kura through her work with loose parts play—using creative materials like pipes and ropes to foster collaboration and problem-solving among tamariki. Now living with her husband and three young sons , she pairs this play-based approach with daily routines in literacy and maths to ensure a holistic education. On Mondays, when she isn’t at school, Becky stays immersed in the world of early childhood by attending Playcentre with her two youngest boys.

Parris Franklin: a local educator, born in West Auckland, who is passionate about serving her community. With over seven years of teaching experience, she joins our kura with a philosophy centred on meeting the unique needs of every student she teaches. While Parris is a capable teacher of core curriculum subjects, her true passion lies in the environment. This expertise allows her to teach confidently across specialist settings, including technology and the arts. Parris works with the junior class on a Monday morning before joining Allison to lead the whole school in bushcraft and outdoor classroom skills. Having worked in both collaborative spaces and single-teaching classrooms throughout her career, Parris brings a versatile, nature-focused approach to our team.