School Board

The governance of Newlands Primary School is the responsibility of the School Board. Members are elected every three years from our school community. The School Board is committed to providing excellence in education, and are very supportive of the school’s learning community. For more information on the role of the School Board, click here.

The School Board meets twice a term and meeting times and dates are advised on the school’s calendar of events. All meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to attend. The minutes are public documents and are available here.

If you would like to know more about School Boards, this link will take you to the Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa website.  

Katrina Bootsma

Presiding Member
​​​​​​​Email: katrinab@newlandsprimary.school.nz

My name is Katrina Bootsma and I have been part of the Newlands Primary School community since 2012. All three of our children have journeyed through the school and thrived during their time here.

As a mum, someone with a physical disability, and a career as a Registered Nurse, I am passionate about the health and educational wellbeing of our school community and want to ensure we can achieve the best possible learning outcomes and opportunities for our school.

Since joining the board in 2021, I continue to love the vision, vibrancy and multicultural environment that our school fosters, along with the array of learning opportunities it provides. 

I find the role of a board member an  incredibly rewarding one as I am part of a dedicated team championing our students' success and wellbeing and helping shape the strategic direction of our school.

Dwayne Venn

My name is Dwayne Venn and I have been part of Newlands Primary School since 2013 , joining the board in 2019. 

During my time on the board I have looked after the property portfolio and, with the support of our other board members, we have continued to make Newlands Primary a fantastic place to learn for our tamariki.

Stuart Cross

I’m Stu and I have two children at Newlands Primary, one in Year 6 and the one in Year 4. Our school provides an amazing environment to support the learning, emotional, and physical development of our tamariki.

As a Board member, I enjoy helping our school community to continue to thrive. Schools provide so much more for our children than just academic learning, they are their second home. By fostering a supportive environment we can ensure that our children can be the best version of themselves.

In my work, I help public organisations look after their assets, gain funding for larger projects, and develop organisational strategies. I’m happy to put some of these skills to use on the Board.

Tatjana Manabe

My name is Tatjana Manabe, I have lived in Newlands since 2009 and am deeply connected to the local community. My oldest son attended Newlands Primary School and thrived there and is now a student at Newlands Intermediate, while my younger son is currently a year 4 student here at Newlands Primary School.

I am an early childhood teacher and work as a reliever exclusively across two local kindergartens – Newlands and Bellevue. I am the garden specialist at Newlands Primary School’s Garden to Table programme and love teaching your children about growing their own food. You and your children may also know me from Friday morning road patrol, the Northern Community Garden, my own semi-commercial gardening and hobby beekeeping, or the Paparangi Scout groups my boys attend.

As a board member, I value a practical approach to problem-solving with a strong interest in good planning and clear communication to improve outcomes for students and families. I also bring governance experience, having spent eight years as the head teacher of a private preschool where I was involved in leadership, decision-making, and organisational oversight.

Wil Hoverd

Wil and his family have lived in Newlands since 2014. His daughter Cassandra has been at Newlands School since 2020. He is enthusiastic about the growth and vibrancy of Newlands over the last 12 years and is committed to ensuring our tamariki have a strong tie to the community. Wil is currently a Principal Research Advisor with New Zealand Police; he has recently been with Commercial Services at the Ministry of Justice and was an Associate Professor and the Director for the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at Massey University.

Anupa Parmar

Hi I'm Anupa Parmar and I joined the Newlands Primary School board in 2025. I currently have two children at school, and am a Newlands Primary School alumni myself so my connection to the kura goes back to my own childhood.

My motivation for joining the Board was to contribute to the school and the broader community to create an environment where the tamariki can thrive both academically and socially. I feel passionate about the school's current vision and goals of Nurture, Learn, Succeed, Together!, particularly, the focus on the  collective effort needed to support tamariki to have a strong foundation to their learning journey.

Professionally I work as an HR Executive and bring a strong background in leadership, strategic planning and advisory which are skills that are very transferable to being on a school board. I look forward to meeting you at an upcoming school event, or out and about in the community.

Michael Cuthbertson

Staff Representative

Kia ora, my name is Michael Cuthbertson. I have been part of the Newlands Primary School community since 2021 and currently the Staff Representative on the Board of Trustees. My role is to have a staff perspective on the governance of the school. I am proud to be part of a staff that give our tamariki the best possible learning opportunites to feel success and grow as NPS citizens. 

Shirley Porteous

Principal