Hone Tepona Tobin
Massey,Auckland
Summary
With over two decades of experience leading Māori-medium education and iwi-based programmes, I am a seasoned educational leader who has successfully established Māori-medium pathways in multiple mainstream schools. As Pou Kōkiri – Toi Kuranga (Education Lead) for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Māia, I oversee tribal education initiatives, coordinate early childhood, kura and youth development programmes and build partnerships with government, tertiary providers and whānau. My track record includes developing charter-school applications, designing new curricula and transforming bilingual programmes into full immersion rumaki. Fluent in both te reo Māori and English, I bridge cultural and mainstream environments to drive strategic growth for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
I seek to serve as Toi Mātauranga & Whanaketanga – Chief Knowledge & Growth Officer for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. My aim is to lead iwi knowledge, education and workforce development by leveraging my experience in strategic programme design, leadership and stakeholder engagement.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
Work History
Pou Kōkiri (Education Lead)
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Māia
01.2023 - Current
- Provide strategic leadership for the iwi’s education portfolio, including early childhood, primary and youth programs.
- Coordinate Te Puna Reo Ōkahukura, ensuring compliance with Education Review Office recommendations and implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
- Coordinate the Mana Tikitiki youth development programme; manage facilitators, expand the program to additional schools and report on contractual outcomes to the Ministry of Education.
- Oversee the establishment of Kura ā Iwi; worked alongside Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei steering committee to develop a charter-school application, curriculum and implementation timeline.
- Build partnerships with tertiary institutions and create opportunities for local schools to work with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. These include Education Associates, Waipapa Taumata Rau, Ōrākei School, Te Kāhui ako o Pourewa, Te Kāhui ako o Kaipara, Kōwhai Intermediate School.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility to our iwi and our aspirations.
Coordinator, Te Puna Reo Ōkahukura
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia
2023 - Current
- Working alongside the Tumuaki to support the growth of Te Puna reo Ōkahukura.
- Working with staff to deliver quality professional learning development.
- Developing initiatives to ensure financial stability.
- Create opportunities for staff to lead aspects of the Puna.
- Develop curriculum to enhance learning.
- Puna reo has recently shown a positive trend regarding their financial situation, where recently, the Puna reo were in a positive financial situation which has not occured for some years now.
- All ERO suggestions are completed and ready for the next review cycle.
- Parents are engaged in our Puna reo with over 80% of whānau attending whānau hui.
Team Leader, Te Whānau Rumaki Ōrākei-iri-ora
Ōrākei School
01.2023 - Current
- Re-established the school’s rumaki unit, now named Te Whānau Rumaki Ōrākei-iri-ora, and implemented a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei-centric curriculum.
- Lead curriculum development, strategic planning and professional learning for teachers; mentor provisionally registered teachers to full registration and conduct data analysis and board presentations.
- With the strategic initiatives, 80% - 90% of the students are at or above where they need to be before the end of the year in both Literacy and Numeracy.
Coordinator
Mana Tikitiki Programme
01.2023 - Current
- Coordinate the iwi’s youth development programme, ensuring delivery aligns with Ministry of Education contract requirements, managing facilitators and expanding reach to other schools. Students on the program has seen a positive shift in attendance and academic achievement, with over half being at or above their learning level.
Director of Te Ao Māori
Massey High School
01.2020 - 01.2023
- Elevated the role from Director of Māori Student Engagement to Director of Te Ao Māori, with responsibility for all Māori cultural and educational matters.
- Transitioned Te Whare Āhuru from a bilingual summit programme to a full immersion rumaki.
- Developed and implemented Te Marau o Te Whare Āhuru curriculum and a new year-9 Te Ao Māori subject.
- Initiatives to raise not only student achievement but staff competency in te Reo Māori, Tikanga Māori, and Mātauranga Māori were implimented and saw a rise in confidence, student awareness, appreciation and engagement in all things Māori in the whole school.
- Led curriculum development initiatives to enhance student engagement and academic performance.
- Mentored department heads, fostering professional growth and enhancing instructional quality across disciplines.
Treaty Partnership Manager & Team Leader
Henderson Intermediate School
01.2015 - 01.2019
- Served as Treaty Partnership Manager, strengthening relationships between the school and Māori whānau.
- Led Te Whānau Moko, a bilingual and full-immersion Māori unit, managing curriculum and staff.
- Created and reviewed the Te Marau o Te Whānau Moko curriculum, transitioning the unit from bilingual to full immersion learning.
- Provided professional development on culturally responsive pedagogy as part of the Communities of Learning initiative.
- Student attedance in the rumaki was high, with over 90% of the students having 90% or higher attendance.
- Students academic achievement rumaki was also high, with over 90% of the students being at or above their learning level for 5 years consecutively.
- This high level of attendance and academic achievement has an unintentional effect on the whole school, where staff competnecy and confidence in Te Ao Māori grew, which saw a rise in academic achievement for our Māori students in English-medium from 60% to consistently 80%.
Education
Fully Registered Teacher -
Orakei School
01-2023
Bachelor of Education (Teaching) - Huarahi Māori Specialisation
University of Auckland
Auckland, AUK01.2007
Skills
- Strategic Leadership: Proven ability to design and implement large-scale education initiatives, including developing charter-school proposals, establishing new rumaki units and aligning programmes with iwi strategies
- Programme & Team Management: Experienced in managing multidisciplinary teams and government contracts; lead the Mana Tikitiki youth development programme, supervising facilitators and reporting to the Ministry of Education
- Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled at working with whānau, Boards and external partners; served as Treaty Partnership Manager for Henderson Intermediate School and currently build relationships with tertiary institutions for Whai Māia
- Education Innovation: Designed and implemented curricula for rumaki units, including Te Marau Te Whānau Moko at Henderson Intermediate, Te Marau o Te Whāre Āhuru at Massey High School, and new NCEA achievement standards
- Governance Experience: Whānau-elected Board member for Te Kura Kaupapa Māori Hoani Waititi Marae (2022–23); Kaumātua and cultural advisor for Massey High School and Henderson Intermediate
- Bilingual & Bicultural: Advanced communication skills in te reo Māori and English; experienced spokesperson and facilitator
Accomplishments
- Developed a school program that meets whānau academic and social expectations and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei iwi aspirations.
- This years student cohort at Ōrākei schools rumaki academically succeeding with over 80% at or above where they need to be by the end of the year in Literacy and Numeracy.
- Coordinated Puna reo to meet all ERO review suggestions and create initiatives to balance books.
Affiliations
- Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae – Board of Trustees (2022–23): Contributed to governance decisions, representing whānau interests and ensuring alignment with kaupapa Māori values.
Timeline
Pou Kōkiri (Education Lead)
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Māia
01.2023 - Current
Team Leader, Te Whānau Rumaki Ōrākei-iri-ora
Ōrākei School
01.2023 - Current
Coordinator
Mana Tikitiki Programme
01.2023 - Current
Director of Te Ao Māori
Massey High School
01.2020 - 01.2023
Treaty Partnership Manager & Team Leader
Henderson Intermediate School
01.2015 - 01.2019
Coordinator, Te Puna Reo Ōkahukura
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia
2023 - Current
Fully Registered Teacher -
Orakei School
Bachelor of Education (Teaching) - Huarahi Māori Specialisation
University of Auckland
Additional Roles
- Kaumātua & Cultural Advisor: Appointed Kaumātua at Massey High School and Henderson Intermediate (2018–present).
- Board Membership: Whānau-elected Board member, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori Hoani Waititi Marae (2022–23).
- Earlier Teaching & Tutoring Roles: Various teaching, kapa haka tutoring and cultural support positions across West Auckland schools (2002–2023); roles include Kaiāwhina Kapa Haka at Te Wharekura Hoani Waititi Marae, Massey High School, St Peters College.
Awards
- Programme leadership training through Communities of Learning (2018–2020)., Recognised as national champion tutor in kapa haka competitions with Te Wharekura Hoani Waititi Marae. Recognised national champion performer in kapa haka competitions with Ngā Tūmanako and Te Wakahuia.
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