Hi, my name is Maria. I spent my childhood growing up on a farm with my parents, two brothers and three sisters. I moved to Wellington after training as a Primary School teacher at Hamilton Teachers College and completing my Bachelor of Education at Waikato University and Diploma of Primary Teaching. In 2006 I then gained my Early Childhood qualifications from the New Zealand College of Early Childhood Education.
In 2002 I established Little School and since then we have continually grown to meet the needs of our families. I am passionate and ambitious about young children discovering their own abilities and providing them with the knowledge, skills and values to make them lifelong learners. My continuing aspiration is to be a leader in education, and I am thoroughly enjoying this journey. I am extremely fortunate to work alongside a brilliant team of dedicated teachers and staff at Little School and Nursery School.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my four sons, family, and friends. I also like to exercise and be creative, usually with my dog, Coco.
Awards:
2012; Wellington Supreme Business Woman of the year, Wellington Best Small to Medium Business, Finalist EY Entrepreneur of the Year, Next Education Finalist.
2017; Finalist Wellington Business Gold Awards, Finalist New Zealand Women of Influence Awards.