Management Staff

Principal

Hello! My name is Irene Cooper. I enjoy my role as principal of Hillcrest Normal School and work hard to enable the best possible outcomes for all our students, socially, emotionally and academically. At Hillcrest we value the WHOLE child. I am well known nationally in education circles for my recent work on standards for teachers and professional ethics, working with the New Zealand Teachers Council and for the review of the quality of Initial Teacher Education work that I completed for Steve Maharey when he was Minister of Education. I’m a mother of two grown up daughters and now a grandmother of two beautiful granddaughters, Aurelia and Olivia.

Deputy Principal

Dip Teaching

I am fortunate to have taught at Hillcrest Normal School for a number of years. I began teaching here as a year 4 teacher after which I was invited to lecture at the School of Education at Waikato University for several years and on my return to Hillcrest eventually won the Deputy Principals position. I have enjoyed working mostly in the senior school and my passion is for creativity in all its forms.I have a love of writing and the arts and I am an avid collector and reader of children's literature. Both my son and my daughter spent many happy years at Hillcrest. I am always inspired by the originality, empathy and high standards that our children bring to Hillcrest. It's a great place to be!

Assistant Principal

Bachelor of Education

Assistant Principal

Dip Horticulture; Bachelor of Science; Diploma of Teaching; Post Graduate Diploma Teaching (Technology Education)

Lead Teacher of Year 5/6/ team ; Teacher in Charge of Mathematics, Science & Technology; Liason person for School of Education