.png)
Board of Governors
Kia Orana,
The Board of Governors works behind the scenes to help keep Api'i Te Uki Ou strong, safe, and moving forward.
Our Board is made up of 10 parent-elected voluntary members and 3 ex-officio representatives (our Principal, Secretary, and Teacher Representative). Together, we bring diverse skills, experience and ideas to the table. As guardians of the school, we look at the bigger picture to ensure we are making the best decisions for our families, our staff and our tamariki.
Guided by our school constitution, the Board focuses on long-term planning, financial health, and sustainability. We work closely with our Principal to monitor student achievement and academic progress over time, keeping our standards aligned and always improving for our students. At the same time, we ensure these expectations are met within a supportive environment that upholds our inclusive education approach, staying true to our school’s special character. We also maintain good relationships with the Ministry of Education to secure government funding and balance our resources with the needs of our students.
Our Strategic Plan serves as our long-term roadmap, while the Principal’s Annual Plan outlines the priorities for the year ahead. Together, these plans ensure we stay focused on where we are heading - always with the best interests of our tamariki at the heart of it all.
Our goal is always the same: to ensure Api'i Te Uki Ou remains in safe, steady, and visionary hands today and for generations to come.
Kia Manuia
Gina Tavioni Bamber
Board Chairperson 2025/2026
If you would like to learn more about the Board - email chair@teukiou.com
Leadership
Our Board Members 2025/2025
-
Chairperson - Gina Tavioni Bamber
-
Vice Chairperson & Fundraising Lead - Ashley Kainuku
-
Treasurer & Infrastructure Support -
Anand Naidu
-
Infrastructure Lead - Robbie Daniels
-
Personnel Lead - Heidi Urirau
-
Policy Lead - Leah Raymond
-
Policy Support - Katie Watson-Jones
-
Fundraising & Finance Support -
Rowena Newbigging
Ex Officio Members:
-
Teacher Representative - Roberta Murray
-
Secretary - Hannah Taio
-
Principal - Michaela Phillips
Partnership
Driving National Advocacy
In 2025, the Te Uki Ou Board took a leading role in establishing the Special Character Schools Committee, uniting all seven (private) special character schools across the Cook Islands for the first time. Gina Bamber was nominated Chairperson for this committee.
Following funding challenges in 2025, the committee engaged in purposeful advocacy with the government to ensure special character schools were fairly recognised alongside public schools.
In 2026, the committee and the Ministry of Education reached a collaborative agreement, securing a more equitable funding structure for all seven special character schools.
We are grateful to the Secretary of Education and the Ministry for working alongside us in true partnership, strengthening our collective capacity and ensuring a sustainable future for all tamariki across our nation's education providers.
Foundation
Our Governance Milestones
2025: Safety, Infrastructure & Community Spirit
-
Electrical Safety Overhaul: Resolved historical electrical issues.
-
Australian High Commission Grant: Installed school’s shade sails.
-
New Zealand High Commission Grant: Repaired decking on the prefab classroom.
-
Board-Led Community Fundraisers: Golf Ambrose and Quiz Night.
2026: Strategy, Advocacy & A Thriving Future
-
Strategic Plan 2026-2028: Presented at the AGM in March.
-
Community Raffle: Raffle raised needed funds for school operations.
-
Funding Advocacy with MOE (July 2026): Milestone achieved with Special Character Schools committee and funding advocacy across private schools in the Cook Islands.