We are so happy you want to know more about Parents & Co!

We are a group of parents dedicated to supporting the school in delivering the best possible outcomes for all children through providing an environment in which they can learn, play, grow and thrive.

Who we are

We are a registered charity run by busy parents, often juggling raising young children, running a home and working.

Why we exist

Everyone appreciates a helping hand, and we provide support to help keep the school running at its very best. We help to bridge the gap between the government funding provided to the school and the actual requirements to keep the lights on – and continue to provide a world-class education for all tamariki. Government contributions have not (even close) to kept up with inflation over the last few years, and this is our key focus.

The Board of Trustees sets the strategic plan, and Parents & Co work with the board to see how we can help them to meet these goals.

What we do

We have some serious objectives, but a lot of fun is had in meeting them. Parents and Co:

provide a communication link between home and school
support and promote parent/teacher education
encourage whānau involvement in all aspects of the school community
alongside our major sponsor, Waiheke Homes, raise funds to help cover everyday costs as
well as special projects.

Ongoing fundraising projects include:

Key school operations: Administration staff, grounds staff, teacher sick leave, learning and professional development for our teachers.

School upgrades: Electrical work, painting, repairs.

Extra-curricular activities: Alongside key contributions such as art supplies, we are looking to increase our contributions in vital areas such as sporting sponsorship and continued cultural event support.

Big projects: Currently the main project we are fundraising for is a new library, as the school has been without a dedicated space for a library for a few years. The school board is currently finalising designs, so you can look forward to fundraising events in 2026 to help make this happen!

The important stuff: Transport to swimming lessons so all tamariki can learn water-safety basics and become competent swimmers – vital in an island community.

The fun stuff: Ice blocks on athletics day, colour fun runs, Halloween disco parties, etc.

Learning Support Assistant (LSA)/teacher-aide funding: Having teacher aides in class means that all children have an optimum environment for learning – the teacher aides support the children that need it, which allows the class teacher to focus on delivering the lesson as planned. We need more teacher-aide time at our school, and for just $25 you can make a real difference by funding an hour of their time. Read more about this essential service, and find out how you can make a difference.

We need more Learning Support Assistants!

CLICK HERE: https://givealittle.co.nz/org/waihekeprimaryneedsmorelsas

Remember that Parents & Co. is. registered charity and all donations are fully tax deductible!

Equal opportunities/hardship fund: If you are in need of financial assistance for school commitments, such as sports trips, stationery or uniforms, help could be just a conversation away. Reach out to co-chairs Lara Simmons-Lowe (027 882 1810) or Jess Healey (0204 153 6772), or to Nick Shaw, principal (nick@waiheke.school.nz), and we will work with you to understand how we can help ensure that all children have what they need to get the education

experience they deserve.

2025 Events

Summer Carnival: In February 2025, the summer carnival raised $20,000 thanks to the generous support of the Waiheke community. In October 2025, with the support of major sponsor Waiheke Homes, The Platinum Party: Parents & Co and various helpers organised the Platinum Party quiz night to celebrate the school’s twentieth anniversary, raising $40,000 for the school – and putting on one of the best nights of entertainment the island has ever seen in the process!

Get involved

We always welcome new members!

There are opportunities to be as involved as you like, from running fundraising events to just turning up for a glass of wine each month to find out what’s been going on and what’s coming up in the school. We know that ‘life happens’, so if you need to dip out of the action for a while, there is an able and enthusiastic team right here to help pick up the reins of anything you may be working on.

We catch up every month for general committee meetings. Meeting dates are in the school calendar.

How do I join

If you are interested in joining Parents and Co, please email parentsandco@gmail.com and Jess or Lara (co-chairs) will contact you to arrange a time for a chat. (Note that to operate within charity requirements, criminal investigations and convictions must be disclosed.)

If you would like to see more information about our governance framework, you can read the agreement between Waiheke Primary School and the Board of Trustees, and the Parents & Co Constitution here.

Donate

If you wish to make a (fully tax deductible) direct donation, the Parents & Co bank account is as below.

Bank account name:

WPS Parents and Co

Bank account number:

38-9014-0845494-00

Please email us at parentsandco@gmail.com to let us know you have made a donation so we can provide a donation receipt.

Contact us

We are always keen to hear from members of the school community. If you have a brilliant idea, or just have a few questions about what’s going on, please do get in touch: parentsandco@gmail.com and Jess or Lara will get in touch!

The Team

Co-chairs: Jess Healy and Lara Simmons-Lowe

Treasurer: Beth Johnson

Secretary: Lara Simmons-Lowe (temporary)

Committee members: Jody Thomas, Deniz Forman, Tessa King, Kelsey Genna, Rachelle Quaid, Kristina Finch, Melody Beecroft, Helen Breckon

Jess Healy (Co-Chair)

I have lived on Waiheke Island for eight years with my husband, our two children who attend Waiheke Primary, and our dog. Originally from Australia, I am a small business owner on the island. I also held the chair position at Waiheke Community Day Care Centre for two years, during which I supported fundraising efforts and helped establish long-term frameworks to ensure the centre's future success. Prior to opening my business, I worked at the world's largest beauty company across Australia and New Zealand across sales, marketing and education for 18 years.

I am also heavily involved in Waiheke Island Rugby Club on weekends, including coaching my daughter's team.

As Co-Chair, my focus is on finding ways for parents and the school to work more efficiently together to support fundraising efforts, while also recognising that our families’ time is limited. I am passionate about helping the community thrive and ensuring our children’s future success.

I feel very blessed that my children have the opportunity to attend WPS, and I am committed to helping ensure the school has the necessary resources to provide our kids with the very best education.

Lara Simmons-Lowe (Co-Chair)

I joined Parents & Co as Co-Chair in February 2025 and I am delighted to have an opportunity to support the school through fundraising to enable them to continue to deliver the world class, holistic education that all tamariki at WPS are so lucky to receive.

I moved to Waiheke three years ago after spending the last 20 years living and working in Sydney and the UK, where I met my wife Ceri, and we had our two young sons Frankie and Ethan, both who attend Waiheke Primary. I have a background in Financial Services and I am fortunate to work flexibly for a fantastic bank in the city.

Waiheke Primary is an integral part of the community, and they provide an education that goes far beyond the standard academic learning, it is everything and more than we could want for our sons to give them a grounded start in life and establish a love of learning. I have been blown away by the combination of the strong leadership and the creativity, passion and dedication of the teachers, who help to foster a love of learning, offer them varied learning experiences to grow, all while continuously teaching at such a high standard.

It is a privilege to be able to support the school to help with the basics such as fundraising so that they can continue to provide such a wonderful learning environment for our children on their journey through the first stage of their education, which is such a key influence for shaping how they see the world, and who they become!

Beth Johnson (Treasurer)

I'm delighted to be on theP&C committee to help the school fundraise. I led our collective effort on the 2025 Summer Carnival and I am now particularly focused on our need to build the school a library. I work part time as a Marketing and Communications Consultant. My son Saxon is at the school and my daughter Frankie is already looking forward to joining in the future.

Rachelle Quaid

For the past three years, I have had the pleasure of being a part of Parents and Co, and it is wonderful to welcome and encourage new members. My daughter Amelie has also been at the school for 3 years. I work full time teaching private music lessons ... you may see me around a lot!

I joined P&Co as I wanted to actively support my daughter and her school environment. I have met new friends through this forum and had a lot of fun along the way. I strongly encourage all parents to get involved, as it is a rewarding way to contribute to our school's success and build lasting connections within our community.

Tessa King

I have lived on Waiheke for eight years and feel very lucky to be part of this unique community. I work as a freelance writer, editor and occasional photographer. My husband is on the staff of Waiheke Primary, and my son attends the school. In joining Parents & Co, I am looking forward to helping the wonderful teachers, support staff, leadership and Board of Trustees continue to deliver world-class education in an environment where our tamariki thrive.

Jody Thomas

I am excited to be on Parents & Co as a way to help support the school and provide a world class experience on our little Motu. I have two small children Emilia (3) and Sam (5). I am a passionate advocate for the hard work our teachers do and I'm keen to make sure our school has the resources they need for every student!

Being involved in co-organising the 2025 School quiz was great fun, a good way to meet parents and highly rewarding! I look forward to more fun events and fundraising initiatives - do the Mahi get the treats.

Deniz Forman

I’m Deniz from Turkey and I’ve been living on Waiheke for 13 years. I live with my husband Tim and our two kids who are at Waiheke Primary. Our son Erhan is in Year 6 and our daughter Asya is in Year 1.

I work at Destiny Bay Vineyard and I love it. My other passion is cooking and eating genuine Turkish food, which I really enjoy creating and sharing with our community at Parents & Co events. I’m a part of Parents & Co becauseI want to do what I can to support my kids and their teachers while they’re at WPS.

Fundraising Goals

We are currently fundraising for more Learning Support Assistants (Teacher Aides)

You can contribute to this fund on our Givealittle site.

CLICK HERE: We need more Learning Support Assistants!

Remember that Parents & Co. is. registered charity and all donations are tax deductible.

Thank you so much for your support!

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