School Board Members
Kristina Lemson
Chair
Even Darcy
Vice Chairman
Rachel Walker
Treasurer
Born in England and emigrated to Australia having already qualified as a Chartered Accountant I had my daughter in 1995 and enrolled her in Montessori from age 3. We moved to Western Australia in 2004 and she joined Beehive Montessori. In 2005 I started the first Montessori child care centre in WA called Southbank Montessori. This has now been going for over 15 years.
Joined the board of Rockingham Montessori as I am a passionate believer in creating strong schools especially with high schools.
Emma Taylor
Secretary
Kendal Drew
General Board Member
Kendal is a Career and Leadership Coach and Director of Strategic Career Management, growing occupational wellness within organisations over ten years via career management and leadership coaching programs, training and workshops to increase engagement, productivity and joy in the workplace. Organisational recipient of the 2020 CDAA Division Awards for Excellence in Practice (Western Australia).
Kendal has been an active board member on a number of boards and is currently a member of the Rockingham Montessori School board and the Rockingham Education and Training Advisory Committee.
Bill Conway
General Board Member
Bill has been involved in the field of education for over 40 years. His first role after completing his initial university degree in education was assuming a challenging position as the head of a small rural government school in the US. Since this early leadership experience at a relatively young age, he went on to serve the education sector in different capacities, in diverse school communities in countries around the world. Bill has worked as a school principal, teacher and counsellor in public and private schools in Colombia, the US, New Zealand, and for the past 25 years, Australia.
He became interested in school reform early in his career while working on approaches to teaching and learning that would enhance children’s well-being, self-awareness and personal development. He studied Bilingual education in his post-graduate studies, and school counselling. Bill’s most recent appointment was a leadership position at a dynamic Montessori school in Bondi (Sydney, Australia) where he served as Principal for over 13 years.
His most recent work includes co-authoring the AMI School Administrator’s Certificate Course syllabus and leading the programme planning for the upcoming International Montessori Congress 2023 in Bangkok Thailand. He is an Administrator Course Trainer presenting around the world. He currently serves as a Director on the Montessori Schools and Centres Australia (MSCA) Board, as President of the Montessori East Foundation Board, and as Board Director for Forestville Montessori School in Sydney. Bill has spent 25 years of his career as a head of school, 10 years classroom teaching and 3 years as a school counsellor.
Vanessa Aikins
BA, BEd, MEd
Principal (ex officio)
Vanessa Aikins has over 25 years experience in education and teaching. Vanessa commenced her teaching career as a Home Economics, Physical Education and Health Education teacher, then moved into school administration in Department of Education Senior High Schools and District High Schools as Head of Department, Deputy Principal and Principal. Vanessa worked in the Canning District Education Office as a Curriculum Officer and was Principal of Warnbro Community High School’s Education Support Centre. Vanessa joined Rockingham Montessori School as Principal in 2011, and completed the AMI Montessori Teachers Association Orientation to Adolescent Studies Program in 2013.