Our Staff
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Ben Witheford | Principal
The task of education is one that still has huge purpose, influence in creating and moulding young lives so they are productive members of the world in which they find themselves. That might sound a bit airy, fairy but in a short sentence it does describe a nugget of truth. I enjoy immensely the challenge of leading and creating a school community that gives all children that opportunity. Otautau School has done and continues to do well at providing our kids with the best in innovative programs and tools while maintaining an anchored link to the past.
When I'm not at work, I enjoy playing with technology, mountain biking, spending time with my family including the best chocolate lab, Bono.
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Bernardette Crawford | AP | Room 6 | Year 1 & 2
Although I live at Lorneville on the outskirts of Invercargill, for nearly 15 years I have travelled daily to work as Assistant Principal at Otautau School. During that time I have worked in the Junior School, mainly with New Entrants but currently with Year 3 and 4 children. I’m married to Peter and have two teenage sons Scott and Tom. For the last 21 years, we have fostered an intellectually disabled foster son Brent, so working with children who have special needs or learning needs is a cause dear to my heart. I also have a love of Reading and Writing and helping children succeed in these areas is really important to me.
Time away from school work sees me spending time with my family, gardening, craft work and following the fortunes of the Highlanders, Southland Stags and Southern Sting/Steel from the sidelines.
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Dianne Davidson | DP | Year 7 & 8
A Southlander born and bred , I have the privilege of having spent over 30 years living in Otautau and following my passion in life - teaching children. I am at the stage now, where I am teaching children of the children I have taught.
My husband, Kenneth and I live on the outskirts of Otautau and love our rural outlook and lifestyle. Kenneth hunts, fishes and grows multitudes of vegetables (our potato crop lasts from one season to the next!). Whereas my own interests include: reading, walking, photography, gardening and occasionally, fishing. Our daughter, Niki and her husband Andrew live in Arrowtown, Niki works for the BNZ bank in Queenstown and Andrew is a Stonemason.
My passion for teaching senior primary school children has challenged me to continually re-assess my own thinking and the way I teach, in order to make a difference in each child's life. As Deputy Principal & BoT staff representative, I value the role I play in the senior management of our school, working alongside competent teachers, devoted parents and enthusiastic children.
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Jill Hodgson | Year 4, 5 & 6 | Room 3
My name is Jill Hodgson and I am privileged to have been teaching at Otautau School for the past 4 years.
Teaching at Otautau was like coming home as all my primary schooling was done at Otautau quite a few years ago! I left Otautau to train as a teacher then for the next 20 years or so, I taught in various sized schools in Southland and then Mid Canterbury.
In 2005 my husband, Dave, and I relocated back south with our 3 children, Kelvin, Alyssa and Meg. We added a lovely Black Lab to our family called Tigga who takes me for walks at night.
When I am not at school I like to enjoy the great outdoors, gardening, reading and I am involved with umpiring and coaching netball. As far as the outdoors are concerned a couple of my favourite places are Stewart Island and the Hollyford Valley.
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Raewyn Minty | Learning Support
Kia Ora
My name is Raewyn Minty and I am married to Alan and have two boys Stuart and Douglas. We live at Wairio and I enjoy the country lifestyle with a view of the Takitimu Mountains. I am involved in several Community Organizations and Clubs.
I have been involved in Scouting for many years and run the Takitimu Cub Pack in Nightcaps. My interests include gardening, reading, antiques, nutrition and swimming.
After graduating from Dunedin Teachers College I spent several years teaching before heading overseas, teaching in London and travelling throughout Europe.
I spent three years teaching in Papua New Guinea on a Mission Station. After returning to New Zealand I taught at Otautau Primary.
In 1990 I left to bring up my family and later on returned to Part Time Teaching at schools around Western Southland. I trained as a Reading recovery Teacher and was based at Hauroko Primary. Approximately seven years ago I returned to Otautau covering the Reading Recovery Release Position teaching the afternoon programme in the year 2 class and more recently year 3 area. My position now is Literacy and Learning Support Teacher.
I have always looked on teaching as a Vocation and my hope is to make a positive difference in the lives of the children that I am privileged to come in contact with. I enjoy teaching and I am challenged each day to make changes and think of ways to make shifts in the children's learning to enable each child to make progress.
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Emma Hunt | Year 5, 6 & 7 | Room 2
I am in my second year of teaching and am thoroughly enjoying my experience at Otautau School and working within the Otautau community. I live in Invercargill and in my spare time I coach gymnastics at the local club. We have a holiday house in Twizel and go there most holidays, and any extra time we can! Before moving to the deep south I lived in Christchurch, where I went to University, in Australia, and in Dunedin.
My family lives in Dunedin and we enjoy summer holidays, and skiing and watching rugby in the winter.
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Deborah Sunshine | Year 2 & 3 | Room 8
I am Deborah Sunshine. I am a mother of three children, two teenagers and one nine year old. I have lived in New Zealand for nearly seven years, and completed my teacher training here, after moving from the UK. After living in Otautau when we moved over here, it is exciting to be back and teaching in Otautau School, as my family love the area and the Southland lifestyle.Out of school, I support my youngest daughter with her competitive gymnastics, and am also a horse lover. I am a Royal Agricultural Society equestrian judge, as well as having fun with my daughters and their ponies at home. -
Kirsty Grave | Year 3 & 4 | Room 5
My name is Kirsty Grave and this is my third year teaching.I grew up in Mosgiel, where I trained to be a teacher at University of Otago College of Education. I began teaching in Gore in 2010 where I gained my full teaching registration. This year I moved into Invercargill and have the privilege to be teaching year 3 and 4 here at Otautau School.
When I am not at school I enjoy spending time up in Dunedin with my family, reading, cooking and playing social sport.