Our Awesome Mel

Hello, kia ora.  My name is Melissa, but most people know me as Mel. 

I am a Southland girl, who has lived in Riverton for the past 13 years. I now live rurally, just out of Riverton, with my fiancé Scott and our three tamariki. 

In 2019 I graduated from Te Rito Maioha with a Bachelor of Teaching (ECE). 

Most of my teaching career has been here at Riverton Childcare. It has been such a privilege to get to care for so many wonderful tamariki during that time. The relationships I have formed with them and their whãnau are something I treasure. It is lovely to see these now-grown tamariki out and about and for them to still say hello. 

After a short break away I am now back as Team Leader of the Explorers’ room (Under twos). I am loving being able to grow in this leadership role and work alongside the wonderful, nurturing team we have. 

Hi.  I'm Beverly and I joined the team at Riverton Childcare in March 2022 - after two years of trying to get here but shut out by Covid regulations.  I moved to Riverton from the Philippines with my husband and daughter. 

I have taught kinder aged children since 2016.  I enjoy having great relationships with parents and co-teachers.  I respect the differences of each learner and believe that every experience should be child-centred to promote their independence.

We are looking forward to making our home in NZ and enjoying our family life here.

 Kia ora, I’m Laura. I came to New Zealand in 2023 and completed my Master of Teaching and Learning (ECE) at the University of Otago. I am now a provisionally registered early childhood teacher.
I feel very grateful to be part of the team at Riverton Childcare, and I’m passionate about building warm, respectful relationships with tamariki and whānau. I love supporting children’s learning through play, curiosity, and exploring rich learning experiences together. 

Kia Ora! My name is Joey Zhao. I'm so excited to be joining the lovely team here. I moved down to beautiful Riverton from Auckland, and I absolutely love the sense of community here. I studied at the New Zealand Tertiary College, graduating with my Graduate Diploma of Teaching (ECE) and becoming a registered teacher in 2025.

I am deeply committed to fostering children's inquiry-based learning. My goal is to encourage tamariki to "learn how to learn," helping them develop the skills they need for life-long learning. I believe that “a child is a treasure, to be nurtured, to grow and to flourish.” I am really looking forward to building strong, positive relationships with all our whānau and tamariki. I believe that when we work together, we can create the most amazing learning journey.