TMET Trustees and Contacts

My four children attended Little Sweethearts (now Daisy Cottage) preschool in Mount Maunganui before graduating to Montessori@Bellevue. All have moved on to intermediate and college, with the transition to mainstream education from Montessori being seamless. This has given me an added perspective of the life skills that Montessori students accumulate during their time in preschool and primary, and parent trust in the pedagogy being a long game. My children thrived in their respective Montessori classrooms and I feel truly grateful that they were able to experience an education philosophy that celebrated their individual strengths and allowed them to learn and progress at their own pace.

I enjoy being part of our wonderful Montessori community and working with dedicated parents in my role with TMET. Professionally, I spent the bulk of my working life in the City of London’s investment banking sector first as an Economist and then in fixed income derivative sales and the fund of funds space. Alongside TMET I also work part-time at the University of Waikato. I have undertaken community volunteer roles within Playcentre and Plunket and currently serve as Chairperson on a local school Board of Trustees. 

Lizzie Earles is a Montessori at Arataki parent to two boys and is passionate about supporting the Montessori philosophy. Growing up on the Kāpiti Coast, Lizzie attended Reikiorangi Montessori and brings a lifelong connection to Montessori.

With longstanding experience as a senior programme manager working across youth services and mental health programmes, Lizzie has spent much of her career at the intersection of health and education. She brings experience in governance, planning, and fostering strong partnerships between whānau, schools, and communities.

Outside of work, Lizzie is slowly turning any spare grass into flower or herb gardens, studying rongoā, and, like most locals, spending as much time at the beach as possible.

“Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.”  Maria Montessori

Karin is a Chartered Accountant, she is on the local committee for Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand BOP and Treasurer of the Karin’s two girls attended Bethlehem and Otumoetai Montossori preschool and have remained on that journey ever since.

Her passion is to support her clients through any challenges they may be facing and focus on forward planning and business growth. Karin along with her husband own Danish Furniture Limited so draws on her own personal experience in running a business to support clients.

You will find Karin running around the estuary Tuesday and Friday mornings and escaping on camping missions with her family at every opportunity.

Kia ora, my name is Donna, and it is a great privilege to be given the opportunity to work in the Montessori unit. I have been teaching for the last 20 years, six of these years I have spent teaching at international schools around the world.

I am passionate about children making their own choices. I read a lovely quote that sums up my philosophy:

“Instead of the teacher reaching up into the world of knowledge and bringing it down for the children to access, the teacher lifts the child up so they can access it themselves.”

I am a qualified chef, beekeeper, Garden to Table expert, and my home gardening demonstrates my commitment to sustainable living.

I have spent the last four years in Junior Montessori and I can honestly say this is ‘my jam’.