Our Principal and Staff
Principal: Dr Sue Dow
Ed.D.; M.Ed.Admin.; B.A.; NZAHPER; Dip. Sec Tchg; Te Reo Māori Level 7.
Teacher of English, German, Te Reo Māori, Health, Physical Education, Technology and the Arts.
Read more about Sue
Ed.D.; M.Ed.Admin.; B.A.; NZAHPER; Dip. Sec Tchg; Te Reo Māori Level 7.
Teacher of English, German, Te Reo Māori, Health, Physical Education, Technology and the Arts.
Sue became the Principal of Tūmanako Christian College at its inception in February 2026. Educated at Pukenui School and Kaitaia College, Sue was trained to teach Health and Physical Education, Science and English at Secondary Teachers College in Auckland and graduated from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Arts in English, German, Anthropology, Te Reo Māori and Japanese in1973.
Sue later gained a Master of Educational Administration, specialising in leadership for school improvement and the connection between school and home. She then gained a Doctorate of Education, focusing on developing leadership to enhance the quality of teaching and learning for Māori students in bicultural schools.
Sue began teaching in 1974. She was appointed Dean of Year Ten girls at Māngere College in 1975. This role sparked her lifelong passion to see students supported to succeed. She was appointed teacher of secondary English and Science in the first ACE school in New Zealand in 1978. This role sparked her lifelong passion to see quality academic learning upheld in Christian schools.
In 1979 Sue and her husband Allan were sent to help establish Arapohue Christian School as a mission to needy children. They then helped found Kaitaia Abundant Life School in 1988. Sue led the establishment of a thriving secondary department before leaving in 2007 to serve as a teachers college lecturer and leadership consultant on the mission field in Tanzania. Sue returned to teach at Kaitaia Abundant Life school in 2011and at its closure in 2023 helped lead the establishment of a new Christian school, now known as Tūmanako Christian College. She currently teaches the Arts, Biblical Studies, English, German, Health, Physical Education, Technology and Te Reo Māori from Years 7-13 while serving as Principal.
Sue’s work has been driven by a deep desire to see children, young people and their families do well through quality Christian education. She has seen her own five children and many of her sixteen grandchildren thrive in Christian schools and knows well the value quality academics, strong character development and great godly school environments bring to families.
HOD Primary: Mrs Elizabeth Naudé
Degree Baccalaureus Educationis (Hon); PGDip in Education (Literacy).
Teacher of Years 1-6.
Elizabeth was born and educated in South Africa. She moved with her husband and son to New Zealand in 2019. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, an Honours Degree in Inclusive Education, and a New Zealand postgraduate certificate in Literacy. She has taught for 16 years both in SA and New Zealand.
In South Africa, Elizabeth stepped outside the classroom for a period of time, working for various non-profit organisations, seeking to improve the educational outcomes of impoverished communities by supporting ECE centres and afterschool programs. Within this period, she was the ECE programme manager of the NPO, writing the curriculum for ECE centres and in charge of training teachers monthly. She also managed a project to establish an ECE and Afterschool centre in a remote rural community, using seed funding from the Cape Wine Auction, and later acted on behalf of the Ministry of Social Development, registering ECE centres in her area to ensure compliance and safety of children.
Elizabeth knows the importance of holistic education and feels that Christian education is the optimal vehicle to support students to step into their God-given potential. She enjoys spending time with her students and aims to create a family-like environment in her classroom.
Elizabeth lives with her husband and son on an avocado farm in the Far North and enjoys serving in her local church as a worship leader.
Pastoral Care Teacher Years 7-8: Mrs Ruth Pirini
B.Tchg.
Teacher of Years 7-8; Years 9-10 Social Studies, Year 11 History.
Christian education has been part of Ruth’s story from the beginning. Growing up in Nelson, she was a founding student of a small Christian primary school and later attended the Christian secondary school her teacher parents helped establish. These experiences shaped her understanding of the value of education that develops the whole person and sees learning through the lens of faith.
Ruth began teaching in 2000 at Abundant Life Christian School after completing a Diploma of Teaching at Masters Institute, a Christian teachers’ college. She later completed a Bachelor of Teaching through the University of Waikato. She also holds a Diploma in Youth Ministries from Bible College of New Zealand, completed while serving as a youth pastor for four years.
Over the years Ruth has taught in New Zealand, London and Ukraine, as well as in a number of schools in our local area. She began her teaching career in primary education, mainly teaching Years 3–6, and is now enjoying teaching Years 7–10. Social Studies has become a particular passion, as she loves exploring history, people, cultures and the stories that have shaped our world.
For seven years Ruth ran Flourish, an after-school care business in Kaitaia. The name Flourish embodies her teaching philosophy: that children thrive when they are known and valued, encouraged to be curious, and given opportunities to discover their strengths and learn through real experiences, movement, play and the world around them. Her approach has been shaped by Charlotte Mason, Neil Postman, Wes Stafford, and Angela Hanscom.
Ruth’s faith in God is the anchor of her life and work. She sees Him as her guide and faithful friend, and value the opportunity to help young people grow in knowledge, character, purpose and their understanding of God’s world.
Outside school, Ruth enjoys gardening, sport (especially supporting the Warriors!), renovating, the beach, tramping, cooking and spending time with family and friends.
Teacher-aide: Miss Laura Wagner
Primary Special Education
Relief teacher: Mrs Toni Pirini
B.A.; B.Com.
Pastoral Care Teacher Years 9-10:
Mr Allan Dow
BSc.; Dip. Sec Tchg.
Teacher of Mathematics and Statistics Years 9-13.
Allan attended primary schools in New Zealand, Scotland and Australia before completing secondary school at Mahurangi College where he was dux in 1971. He was deeply impacted by the godly influence of his mathematics and physics teacher and was inspired to teach and train others by his example. Allan graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and physics in 1974 and began his teaching career at Auckland Grammar School.
Allan’s faith was strongly established in the early seventies, and this led to his willingness to serve as a teacher and later principal of Arapohue Christian Academy in a mission-like arrangement for three years from 1979. Following five years teaching mathematics at Kaitaia College Allan then served as the founding principal of Kaitaia Abundant Life School from 1988 to 2006. During these years he oversaw the growth of the school from small beginnings to a full primary and secondary school of 230 students.
Allan’s faith then led him to serve in an educational mission organization in Tanzania supporting teacher training and developing governance capacity. He has served on the governance and leadership teams of Kaitaia Abundant Life Centre and then Church Unlimited Kaitaia for some 40 years. Allan is the current Chair of Tūmanako Life Trust, the charitable organization responsible for Tūmanako Christian College. His willingness to think broadly while attending to detail has made him a valued member of these teams.
Allan currently teaches secondary mathematics at Tūmanako Christian College. He enjoys making mathematical ideas simple and loves to integrate faith and principles from God’s Word in his work.
Allan and Sue have 5 children and 16 grandchildren. His spare time is spent with family, or building, reading and adventuring in the outdoors.
Pastoral Care Teacher Years 11-13:
Mr Luke Bridge
BSc (Hons).
Teacher of Mathematics Years 7-8 and Science Years 7-11.
Luke was educated at Coromandel Area School before attending Lincoln University where he completed a BSc(Hons). As a life long learner, since then he has completed the requirements for a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Science, a Graduate Certificate in Theology and has completed the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.
Luke has been teaching for four years on an LAT and is currently completing his Graduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching. He also has experience in education and organisational leadership through 6 years serving on the Paparore Primary School Board of Trustees and 2 years on the Leadership Team for the Kaitaia Salvation Army Corp.
After completing his initial degree Luke spent two years working with the local church and living in a mud hut in a rural village in Kenya. This was followed by 4 years as a youth worker at Lincoln High School and Lincoln Baptist Church. After marrying Philippa in 2010 they pursued careers in agriculture: lower order share milking, then managing dry stock farms. They continue to run a small calf-rearing business near Awanui where they live with their five children. Luke finished full-time farming four years ago when he felt God’s call to become a teacher.
Luke teaches science from a wealth of practical experience and an applied, real world perspective. He loves helping young people understand and revel in this fantastic creation we get to enjoy in the Far North. He is passionate about seeing young people grow and inspiring and equipping them to achieve their God-gifted potential in all areas of their lives.
Luke is a keen sportsman and has competed in a variety of sports including football, rugby, touch and volleyball. He also has had many years’ experience coaching various sports teams. He loves the ocean and is a keen fisherman, diver and surfer. All these experiences stand him in good stead for teaching PE and organising sport and other EOTC experiences.
Our Board
Allan Dow
Justin Edgecombe
Luke Bridge
Sue Dow
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Email us at:
admin@tumanako.school.nz
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Contact
24 Waipakakauri Rd, Waipapakauri, Awanui 0486
Phone: 02102226859
Office: Mon-Fri 9-4
