Board of Trustees

Craig Scott – Chair

Craig is the current Board Chair for the Southern Health School.

As a Clinical Manager, working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health for the Canterbury District Health Board, he brings considerable experience of mental health to his role on the Board of Trustees.

Craig holds an MBA from Canterbury University, a Diploma in Management from the New Zealand Institute of Management, and he is also a Registered Comprehensive Nurse.

He joined the BOT for the Southern Health School in 2015 and served the previous term as Deputy Chair.

Craig is also the Chair of a Not-for-Profit Trust, based in Canterbury and a member of the Institute of Directors, Canterbury Branch. 

Eddie Norgate - Deputy Chair | Chair of Audit and Risk Committe

Eddie is the current Deputy Board Chair for the Southern Health School. He served the previous term as Chairperson.

As a former primary school principal and now an intermediate principal, he brings considerable educational experience to his role on the Board of Trustees. 

 David Ivory - Member

David holds degrees from Canterbury/Oxford Universities & Australian Catholic University. He is a former Fulbright Scholar. 

David Ivory has been involved in governance of a number of educational institutions, including Council Member of University of Canterbury, President of the Canterbury Workers Education Association, and has represented the Minister of Education on a number of school boards including both Halswell/Westbridge Schools and  Kingslea School. He has also served as a Board Member on the New Zealand SChool Tustees Association and served as the Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee.  

He represents the Minister of Health of the New Zealand Paramedic Council, and is a Director of several companies.  

Rachel Huggins - Member

Rachel Huggins has worked in the education sector for over thirty years, within the Early childhood, primary and secondary areas. She has been a principal both in New Zealand and overseas in International Schools. She enjoys working towards providing the very best education for all students and the privilege of working closely with families. She understands the importance of school governance teams and is enthusiastic about supporting the team at the Southern Health School to see their students grow and thrive.

Matthew McVicar - Co-opted Member

Helen Mantell - Principal

Helen has been Tumuaki/Principal of the school since 2011, having spent five years as Deputy Principal prior to this. Previously she was a Mathematics and Statistics teacher at a Christchurch secondary school.

Helen believes that all akonga/students should have the opportunities access to education provides. For Southern Health School akonga, their health condition shouldn’t limit them achieving their potential. Her experience has taught her that education is most effective when akonga and whānau work together with schools, and in this case health professionals, to develop programmes that are personalised so that akonga can achieve success. She is privileged to be part of the team to support this unique group of akonga. 

Jo Kennard - Staff Trustee 

Tēnā koutou katoa. Jo Kennard has worked in the education sector for over 20 years. She was appointed to the Southern Health School in 2013 and previously taught in schools in New Zealand and London. Currently, she is the Curriculum Leader for Years 1-6 and the majority of her learners are in Years 1-10.

She feels privileged to work for a school where students are encouraged to be the best versions of themselves despite their health conditions.  She is passionate about whakawhanaungatanga, building relationships, with her students, their whānau, schools and medical professionals. These connections enable her students to have positive outcomes through needs and interest-based learning programmes as well as developing their lifelong skills through a key competency focus. Furthermore, transition back to their regular schools is a more fluid process.

It is an interesting, rewarding role operating alongside talented Board of Trustee members. She enjoys being part of the governance of this wonderful kura and working in the best interests of the learners.

Nicole Leete PhD, MEd (Hons), LLB (Hons) - Member

Nicola is a lecturer at Massey University, where she teaches and researches in the areas of
education law, inclusive education and social justice. She is also a national facilitator for the
Learning Support Network. Prior to moving into the tertiary sector, she was a secondary
school teacher. Central to her educational philosophy are the values of manaakitanga and
whanaungatanga, along with a commitment to equity and inclusion.