Our People
NZLA Executive Members 2023-2024
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Dr Kay Hancock
President
- Email: president@nzla.org.nz
I am an independent literacy consultant specialising in the early years of school. I am passionate about helping children develop as lifelong readers.
My teaching career began in 1980 in Christchurch and in 1998 I moved to Learning Media as series editor for Ready to Read and the Junior Journal. I later became the publisher for all the Ministry’s instructional reading series. Over the years I have had the privilege of being involved in such key literacy projects as Effective Literacy Practice, The Literacy Learning Progressions, and Learning Through Talk. I am currently the series consultant for Ready to Read and the Junior Journal at Lift Education. In 2018 I completed a PhD about the Ready to Read series 1963-1988 and its role as New Zealand children’s literature.
I have been a member of the Wellington Literacy Association for many years and have presented at almost every national conference since 1998. I joined the Wellington committee in 2018 and am the current delegate. I am thrilled to have been elected to the national executive in 2020. I consider NZLA and the regional councils to be a crucial professional network, and I am honoured to be part of this wider team promoting and supporting literacy in Aotearoa.
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Sarah McCord
Past President & IDOC Committee Member
- Email: sarahm-exec@nzla.org.nz
Kia ora koutou,
I am privileged to be Principal of Ruahine School in the Tararua district. I gained a Bachelor of Education in Dunedin and have spent my teaching career in North Canterbury, Manawatu, Whanganui Tararua. Recently I completed a Master of Education in educational leadership from Victoria University of Wellington.
My involvement with the Manawatu Literacy Association began in 1996 when I was early in my teaching career and, except for a two year study break, I have been an active member ever since. My association with MLA and NZLA has given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people with a passion for, and expertise in, literacy.
During my time as a member of MLA I have held the roles of President and Delegate. Being an executive member of NZLA gives me the opportunity to support and encourage councils as we continue to grow our association by growing networks, connecting with educators, and providing quality and relevant professional development.
Nga mihi nui
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Glenice Andrews
Treasurer & IDOC Committee Member
- Email: treasurer@nzla.org.nz
I am the Deputy Principal and Team Leader of the Junior School at Waipu Primary School. I also teach four children each day for Reading Recovery. I have been the Junior School Team Leader/Deputy Principal at Waipu since 2000 and until recently I have always taught a New Entrant/Year 1 class.
In 2000 I was invited to be part of a committee which was being organised to set up the Tai Tokerau Reading Association. At the time I volunteered to be the “temporary” treasurer and I have held the treasurers portfolio since then. As a council executive member I have had many opportunities and roles, including being on the organising committee of the NZRA 30th National Conference held in 2006 and the NZLA 39th National Conference held in 2016. Both conferences were held in the picturesque Bay of Islands. I have represented Tai Tokerau Literacy Association as the Observer and Delegate at NZLA Annual Meetings and I have also attended Leadership Workshops.
In 2010 I was co-opted onto the NZRA Executive as the NZRA Secretary for a two-year term and in 2013 I was elected onto the NZLA Executive. I am currently the Past President of NZLA and I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to work with dedicated and highly skilled colleagues at a national level. I am passionate about literacy teaching and learning and finding ways to provide opportunities for affordable, quality Literacy Professional Development. It is an honour to be part of a National Association that promotes literacy in New Zealand and I am enjoying working with NZLA’s twelve councils.
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Todd Burton
Exec Member
- Email: toddb-exec@nzla.org.nz
Kia ora koutou.
My name is Todd Burton and I have been with the Waikato Literacy Association (WLA) for a little more than a decade. I have the privilege of being part of a supportive and collaborative team that, like many other councils across NZ, are committed to providing quality literacy events for their members across their region.
I have recently moved to Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, and have a specialist teaching role at Omokoroa No.1 School. I work with literacy & numeracy support and extension groups across the senior school (years 5-8). I also have roles co-ordinating sports and EOTC across the school.
I have been president of our council for the past two years and this year support the presiding president in her new role. In 2018 and 2019 I was the Waikato delegate to NZLA. I was involved with the organising committee which ran the Power of Words Roadshow Conference when our council was responsible for the National Conference in 2017.
My introduction to the NZLA (previously known as the New Zealand Reading Association) was in 2011 when I was the recipient of the Marie Clay Literacy Trust (MCLT) Early Years Award.
I am excited to be part of the Exec team and look forward to working with the regional literacy councils across the country.
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Joyce Wakelin
Exec member & Social Media Communications
- Email: joyce-exec@nzla.org.nz
I am a passionate primary teacher located in the deep south of Invercargill. I have been teaching for 12 years and love working with year 4-6 students. I really enjoy integrating literacy across the curriculum particularly through digital technology, inquiry and down at our local outdoor classroom.
I joined the Southland Literacy Association team in 2015. I have served as the secretary of the committee for 6 years and am currently the treasurer. We as an association are very excited to be hosting the 2023 New Zealand Literacy Conference down in Southland.
In 2022 I was nominated and co-opted onto the NZLA Exec. I look forward to growing my literacy pathway and working with other New Zealand Literacy Councils.
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Literacy Forum Co-Editor
Dr Christina Thornley
Dr Christina Thornley
Literacy Forum Co-Editor
Kia ora koutou
I am thrilled to become an editor of Literacy Forum NZ: Te Kōrero Pānui Tuhituhi o Aotearoa with Kirsten Kean.I am tangata tiriti and grew up in Otautau. Having moved around since then, I now live in Te Whanganui-a-Tara where I am a member of the Wellington Literacy Association. Throughout my career I have been a teacher, post-graduate student, teacher educator, professional learning facilitator and researcher. In 2022, I retired from the Teaching Council Matatū Aotearoa where I had been privileged to work around the country facilitating teachers’ professional learning related to Our Code Our Standards, Ngā Tikanga Matatika Ngā Paerewa. I was also involved in the development of Unteach Racism.
My passion for literacy teaching, learning and research began in the 1990s. Through the Otago Reading Association, I was introduced to the value of literacy research for my practice. Since then, I have published articles and presented at reading conferences nationally and internationally, often with researcher colleagues and teacher partners. I wanted to understand more about the skills and knowledge students need to be successful readers in their secondary school content areas. My work also focused on explicit teaching about authorial choices of form, audience and intent to build students’ critical awareness as readers and writers. I continue to be fascinated by the ways in which students can be taught to effectively engage inference, reaching a deeper understanding of content to support their discussion and gain knowledge.
I greatly value my editor’s role working with Kirsten alongside teachers, researchers and councils who are sharing their findings and practices within our literacy professional learning community.
Ngā mihi mahana
Chris -
Literacy Forum Co-Editor
Kirsten Kean
Kirsten Kean
Literacy Forum Co-Editor
Kia ora koutou katoa,
I am currently the HOD of English at Central Southland College and the president of the Southland Literacy Association. I first became involved with the New Zealand Literacy Association through the Marie Clay Literacy Trust Early Years Award, which supported me to attend the 2019 conference in Christchurch. Following that, I joined my local committee, and it has been immensely rewarding to be a part of an enthusiastic community dedicated to improving literacy outcomes in our region.
I feel privileged to share the role of editor for The New Zealand Literacy Forum: Te kōrero Pānui Tuhituhi O Aotearoa alongside Chris Thornley. This fantastic journal captures the dynamic landscape of literacy across our country, offering valuable insights from the perspectives of teachers, councils, and researchers. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to this space of literacy education in New Zealand.
Ngā mihi nui,
Kirsten
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Dr Stephanie Dix
Literacy Forum Editor (Part of Exec - no voting rights)
- Email: editor@nzla.org.nz
Kia ora koutou katoa
My keen interest in literacy learning began in the classroom; it was enhanced through facilitation of Ministry of Education English curriculum contracts and continued at the University of Waikato. Here, I was involved in Teacher Education programmes and was able to delve more deeply into literacy research and practice, thus completing my Masters and PhD theses.
On a personal note – I love reading, and now that we have retired to the west coast beach of Raglan, I can revisit old favourites and explore new writers as well as children’s literature.
I am excited to take on the role of editor for the New Zealand Literacy Association’s journal, Literacy Forum: Te kōrero Pānui Tuhituhi O Aotearoa. I look forward to working with you all to maintain a high quality journal that represents teacher voices, council activities, and current literacy research.
Ngā mihi nui
Steph -
Scotty Delemare
IT Support (Part of Exec - no voting rights)
- Email: itcoordinator@nzla.org.nz
I have been a teacher at Matarau School since 1998 and I still love every day on the job, always a new challenge:) My passion for Literacy in the classroom has always been a real area of focus, especially in looking at how Literacy is evolving!
I was introduced to the Tai Tokerau Literacy Association 1n 2012 and have never looked back on being part of a local team that is committed to enhancing, improving, providing, and bringing Literacy PD to the North.
I was fortunate enough to visit an NZLA Annual Meeting, being too vocal at the time with lots of ideas, and that has started this journey into being part of the Exec of which I was part between 2018 and 2021.
The other skill I bring to the team is working in the area of IT advice and support and helping each council to build capacity in this area. I’m not really a tech wizard but have a curiosity about how things work and finding solutions to problems.
This organisation has incredible potential, nationally and in the regions to promote Literacy.
I look forward to serving and supporting the NZLA to grow.
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