Greetings, Kia ora, and Talofa lava.

Ms. Muipu originates from the village of Gataivai on the island of Savaii in Samoa. She relocated to New Zealand at the age of 14, an enriching experience that introduced her to the diverse cultural landscape of Aotearoa.

Her upbringing was profoundly influenced by her parents, both educators, whose dedication to their students served as her foremost inspiration.

Ms. Muipu's academic journey led her to pursue a Bachelor of Social Studies with a major in Geography and a minor in Mathematics at Waikato University. She later attained a postgraduate diploma in Secondary Teaching in 2014. Her professional career began at Rangitoto College, New Zealand's largest school, where she taught Mathematics while also serving as the Māori and Pasifika kairuruku. In this role, she fostered cultural pride and diversity among students and organized a Māori and Pasifika awards ceremony, celebrating student achievements alongside their families at the end of the year.

In 2019, Ms. Muipu transitioned to Onehunga High School. Embracing the school's rich diversity, she found great fulfillment in witnessing the vast potential of the students. Having held various middle leadership roles, she assumed the role of Deputy Principal in the third term of 2023. In this capacity, she strives to serve and uplift the students, the school, and the wider community.

Ms. Muipu's responsibilities encompass various portfolios, including timetabling, student leadership, junior tracking, and the Pasifika Committee. She oversees the Year 11 cohort, Maths, and Arts.

She strongly believes in the great potential of the students at OHS and views teaching as a crucial role with the power to make a significant difference in the future of the akōnga.

Kia ora, Kia orana, Talofa, Mālō e lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Bula vinaka, Ni hao, Konichiwa, and greetings to you all.

Ms. Mason (Ngāti Porou & Ngāpuhi) is originally from Te Tairawhiti, Gisborne. She trained as a teacher at Auckland University after completing her MA (Hons) in English. This journey fulfilled a dream that began in her grandfather’s garage. She fondly remembers using the blackboard her grandfather created to teach her ‘lessons’ as a child. Living her dream after all these years is a source of great pride for her.

Her teaching career began in 2002 at Southern Cross Campus in Mangere. Since then, she has held various leadership positions, including Head of Department, House Leader, and Dean. In 2011, Ms. Mason became Head of Faculty of English at Mount Albert Grammar School. In the third term of 2023, she accepted the role of Deputy Principal at Onehunga High School, and she is proud to serve her local school.

One of Ms. Mason’s main portfolios is Teaching and Learning, specifically the development of effective pedagogy across the school. She finds it incredibly rewarding to help teachers refine their craft and to create professional development programmes that support them in their teaching journey. Additionally, she has oversight of the Year 9 cohort. It is important to her that Year 9 students are well-rounded individuals who exemplify the school’s values of integrity, resilience, excellence, and respect. She works to ensure they develop positive connections across the school and maintain a healthy attitude toward completing their assessments to the best of their ability. By the time they leave, she wants Year 9 students to have the power of choice and the qualifications to support their choices and dreams.

Ms. Mason loves working at Onehunga High School, where students are at the center of everything. It is a place where teachers and support staff are dedicated and hardworking, and where high expectations are underpinned by an unwavering belief in the ability of students to excel. She is grateful to parents for choosing to send their children to the school and for trusting the staff with their academic and pastoral care.