I live in Huntly with my husband Stephen and we have two adult children.

I feel so lucky to be part of a team of motivated and enthusiastic educators, working in such a beautiful and well-resourced environment.

I believe the early years are some of the most important in a child's life. At our centre, the learning programme is developed from our children's interests, spontaneous moments and planned projects. Our programme provides children with the opportunity to gain knowledge and experiences in an exciting and engaging environment.

Kia ora koutou. I am passionate about working with children and providing them with rich learning experiences to help them develop the skills and attitudes to be confident life-long learners.

I am half Filipino and European and have loved having a bi-cultural upbringing. We are a very family-orientated whānau and I grew up with strong morals and a respect for other cultures, religions and values. I enjoy embracing other cultures and have a willingness to learn from and alongside our preschool whānau and children.

The partnerships and shared aspirations of our children, parents, teachers and whānau are what make HECC the best place for early education.

Born and bred in Huntly, I am a wife and mother of two young men. Raising our boys has given me great insight into the development and physical needs of growing boys.

I have 30 years of teaching experience in New Zealand and overseas. I have a strong passion for incorporating music and movement, storytelling and engaging children in imaginary and dramatic play.

Here at HECC, I feel that our children are given meaningful learning opportunities and experiences to support and foster their curiosity and interests, thus building strong foundations for life-long learning.

I was born and raised in Huntly and attended the centre myself as a child. I have such fond memories of HECC and feel privileged to now be a part of the wonderful teaching team.

I strongly believe children have a natural curiosity for the world around them and our job, as teachers, is to nurture and feed their curiosity by providing them with a variety of rich learning experiences and opportunities.

Kia ora, I am a mum of four children and a Nanny to nine grandchildren. Two of my grandchildren have attended the Huntly Early Childhood Centre. I now have my youngest granddaughter coming to preschool.

It is a privilege working with families in our unique learning environment as children learn through active exploration and gain experiences that promote feelings of success, competence and an enjoyment of learning.

Over the many years that I have been a part of the teaching team, it has been an exciting and rewarding experience to have our children move onto school as competent, capable and independent learners. As educators, we learn with and alongside our children and see ourselves as life-long learners.

I believe that life is all about gaining knowledge and sharing what we have learnt with others. I feel that education is a life-long process.

I have worked here at HECC for over 21 years and have watched my own children (now adults) grow and learn within this environment. I enjoy helping and being a part of children's learning journeys - listening, caring and allowing them to learn through exploration and play.

Kia Ora Whānau, Ko Natasha Bland ahau

I am passionate about teaching and learning with children of all ages as they transition from home to preschool and onto primary school education. I strive to provide a strong and supportive cultural connection with all children attending Huntly ECC. I believe that children, teachers and whānau will thrive when opportunities to engage in each other's learning is fun, interesting and collaborative!

I look forward to learning alongside your tamariki, their family and whānau within our special community of Huntly!

A Mum to 2 busy boys, with my youngest having attended HECC, I love that I am able to see young minds nurtured and developed in our amazing centre and that I get to build great relationships with our wonderful families.