Play. Learn. Grow.
Play. Learn. Grow.
Centre Manager
Hi, my name is Carolyn and I am the Centre Manager of The Rumpus Room. I have been in ECE for 19 years, and have been managing Centres for the past 13 years. I am lucky enough to have been with TRR since the very beginning, before we opened in October 2012 and have loved being a part of the setup and growth of both TRRPC and TRRWV. The journey over the past almost 9 years has been filled with loads of fun along the way and I am incredibly proud of the team, who work hard every day making the centres a home away from home for all our tamariki and whanau, and space we have created at both our centres. I am passionate about working alongside such a talented team of teachers, working hard together to make the vison for our centres come to life.
I live locally in Westmere with my husband Matt, and our son Freddie, daughter Charlotte who both attend our Point Chev Centre and our curious cat Bomber! We love spending our spare time together as a family at the beach, the local playgrounds, hanging with friends, or relaxing in our backyard on a nice summer’s day in the paddling pool or playing cricket, football, croquet or listening to music!
Centre Mentor
Hi, I’m Heidi and I have been lucky to be a part of The Rumpus Room whanau since our Pt Chev centre opened in 2012. I have been working in ECE now for 16 years so I can truly say that it is a passion for me and not just a ‘job!’. My husband and I met at high school (quite a while ago now) so it feels like in some ways we have been together forever. We also have a wee little guy called Quinn who was born in 2017 and it has been incredible watching him see, learn and explore his new world. I definitely have a whole different level of empathy and understanding for what it is like to be a parent know I have my own child. Creating a place where children feel comfortable to be themselves, are treated with kindness and respect and feel safe to freely explore alongside people that really know them is what is really important to me and underpins my teaching and learning philosophy. I feel honoured to be here at The Rumpus Room working alongside a passionate team of children, families and teachers.
Nest Team Leader
Kia ora whānau,
My name is Kalpana – the Team leader in The Nest. I studied Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) and have been working at The Rumpus Room since Jan 2013. It’s been an honour to be a part of a highly inspiring, committed and passionate team of teachers here at TRR. I live in Sandringham with my husband, Pankaj and daughter, Shreya. I come from a big family in India and have been living in New Zealand since 2006 and love everything that this beautiful country has on offer. I strongly believe that early childhood education is all about ‘recognizing and trusting a child to be an initiator, explorer and a self-learner’. As a teacher, I strive to provide an environment where the children and their families can feel loved, cared for, and respected for who they are and where they come from. I look forward to building some more amazing relationships and make your experience at The Rumpus Room a memorable one!!
Fledglings/Explorers Team Leader
My name is Jess and I am a qualified and fully registered teacher. I completed my studies through Unitec and I really loved the practical side of learning. By beginning this course, it meant that I needed to find a home centre to complete my hours in, I was lucky enough to find The Rumpus Room, I have been working here since 2014 and have absolutely loved every moment of it! I grew up in west Auckland and still currently live in Massey with my husband, Richard and my son Niko. I have always had a great passion in working with children and it gives me a sense of accomplishment when they thrive and enjoy their early years with us! Being a Mum has been such a rewarding experience and I am glad that I have had a few years of experience under my belt! I look forward to continuing to extend my passion in teaching and I am always looking to learn more and experience more!
Nest Kaiako
I have been teaching for 11 years, predominantly working with 1-year olds. I am passionate about the RIE approach and letting children’s learning and development unfold naturally. I love working in the primary care environment we have here at The Rumpus Room as I feel that it is the best way for infants and toddlers to learn, as well as feel safe and secure.
I have an interest in psychology and have completed my Diploma in Child and Adolescent Psychology through Open Polytechnic after completing my Bachelor of Education at Auckland University in 2005. I enjoy documenting children’s learning and observing their language development over time. I enjoy going for walks and exploring new places with family and friends and I have a passion for art history, in particular the Impressionist era and my favourite artist is Degas. I am an avid reader and hope that I can pass this passion on to young children.I feel privileged to work with the children and families of the Rumpus Room and the amazing team we have built up. I look forward to continuing this journey for years to come.
Nest Kaiako
My name is Lanka and I come from a beautiful country called Sri Lanka. I grew up with 2 brothers and 2 sisters in the countryside. 14 years ago, I found my amazing husband and got married. We now have 2 beautiful children. I moved to New Zealand in 2008 with my husband and daughter. She is now 15 years old and I also have a son who is 9 years old. After I moved to New Zealand, I studied a Diploma in Early Childhood and graduated in 2016. I now work at The Rumpus Room, spending time with children and watching them grow. I enjoy my job as it brings me happiness. I love to observe children and see their growth while getting to know their different, vibrant personalities. It is a pleasure to be here, working with your tamariki.
Fledglings/Explorers Kaiako
Tena Koutou Katoa
Ko Caroline Scalabrini (nee Wihongi) ahau
I have been working in Early Childhood Education for 28 years. I am passionate about working with the older age group tamariki.
I am currently working with the Explorers age group. I am so grateful to be given the opportunity to be part of our multicultural team here at The Rumpus Room in Point Chevalier. I have been employed here since it opened in 2012. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge in Tikanga Maori. I am fluent in Te Reo and love using it in my daily practice with our tamariki, kaiako and whanau. I believe this to be a taonga which was taught to me by my mama and I firmly believe that this taonga should be shared.
My interests include travel, learning about different cultures and I love listening to a range of music. I am passionate about the Native American culture and love learning about the similarities they have with my Maori culture. I also love playing the guitar and piano which I used to play since I was 9. I love spending time with my whanau and going on adventures.
I am married to Lance Scalabrini and we have two tamariki who live at home with us here in Point Chevalier.
No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa
Kai Creator
Hola mis Amigos, I’m Gaby, I’m from Tecate, Baja California, Mexico. I am the youngest person in my family and the most adventurous. I am a motivated professional person with a Degree in Education in Mexico. I started my passion in Hospitality at a young age working at my family’s restaurant as a front of house while I was studying my Degree in Education. I have crossed the entire Pacific Ocean and arrived here in New Zealand in 2016. However, I never thought that a new life would start here, sometimes our destiny is unpredictable, but I am very grateful to have the opportunity to continue improving my skills in another country. I have been working in a kitchen role for the past 3 years. I am a hard worker and I consider myself a fast learner. I am a positive person with a great attitude. I love working with children. I believe they give you a good vibe and a lot of happiness in your days and it is a pleasure to be part of this team.
Support Kaiako
Kia ora, I joined The Rumpus Room team as a relieving teacher in December 2020. I am a qualified fully registered teacher and I hold a Diploma of Teaching and a Bachelor of Education and have been teaching for over 25 years. Education is one of my passions – I love being a teacher! And over the years I have taught in various education settings and encountered a number of diverse educational approaches. This has allowed me to develop an eclectic approach to teaching and learning. At the core of my philosophy is the principle that children learn through play.
I have always had a deep appreciation of expressive and creative arts. I enjoy music, movement/dance, art, and drama, was a drama teacher for two years and also ran a weekend art class for children. I love to sing and am an ardent concertgoer. My hobbies include beachcombing, cake decorating, scrapbooking and pottery. I love the great outdoors enjoy bush walks and going camping with my children and grandchildren. However my favourite pastime is relaxing in the sun at the beach with a good book and an ice cold…..drink!
Support Kaiako
My name is Neeta, and I am a student teacher at The Rumpus Room. I am very glad to join the Nest team in this centre. At present, I am studying Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE) at New Zealand Tertiary College Auckland. I started my practice in September 2020 alongside Kalpi as my mentor. At present, I am doing my practice in the infants’ and toddlers’ room. My teaching philosophy is inspired by the RIE philosophy. I also believe in empowering children so that they can learn in their own ways. I would love to offer them learning opportunities so that they can explore new things. I love reading books. I like William Shakespeare’s books. One of my favourite books is “As you like it”, that explains the seven stages of human life. I also love travelling to different places.
Support Kaiako
Malo e lelei everyone! My names Helena, and I’ve had the privilege of working with The Rumpus room since late 2020. I was fortunate to know of this role through my sister, Courtney, who was a previous kaiako at the Point Chevalier Rumpus Room a couple of years ago. I grew up in a big family, 5 brothers and 2 sisters, so the busyness and excitement of the rooms is nothing new to me. Ive always loved being around my many cousins and having the opportunity to look after the younger ones. So, naturally, this role is more than a job to me and is one that I take with much pride. One of my favourite things is to witness the amazing growth each individual child goes through, and I am very lucky and grateful to be in the position I am right now.
Support Kaiako
Kia Ora Families and Whanau! I am Mike, a student of New Zealand Tertiary College completing a course in Graduate Diploma in ECE. I will be doing my field practice in Early Childhood
here in Rumpus Room – Waterview. A little something about myself – me and my family have been living in New Zealand for 12 years but I grew up in the Philippines and just recently briefly lived in Canada before moving back to Auckland. I am a father of 3 which I am privileged to be looking after as a stay at home dad during their early growing years. This experience has actually inspired and encouraged me to take the path of studying ECE. During those years my children has taught me that each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which they can grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. I am interested in playing sports and I play the guitar and piano. I plan to incorporate these interests in my teaching. I am looking forward to learning alongside the supportive teaching team and the
wonderful children at The Rumpus room.